Hosea - At A Glance

Theme: Although God will discipline His people for sin, He encourages and restores those who repent. No matter how far one strays, God is willing to bring that person back. God used the experience of Hosea with Gomer to symbolize His frustration with Israel's waywardness.

Hosea 1
At a Glance (11 V)
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1-2_Hosea was a prophet of the LORD during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, who were kings of Judah and during the days of Jeroboam, king of Israel.

When the LORD first spoke through Hosea He told him to take a harlot for a wife and have children by her. God said, the land is committing flagrant harlotry.

__3-6_Hosea married Gomer. She bore him a son. The LORD said, name him Jezreel, because he, God, was going to punish Jehu for the bloodshed of Jezreel.

Then she bore him a daughter and the LORD said to name her Lo-Ruhamah, because God would no longer have compassion on Israel or forgive them.

__7-9_But the LORD did say that He would have compassion on Judah and deliver them, but not by their weapons of war but by His word.

When she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah she had another son. The LORD said to name him Lo-Ammi, because Israel was not His people and He was not their God.

__10-11_Yet the number of the children of Israel will be like the sand of the sea. It will be said of them, you are the sons of the living God. And the sons of Judah and the children of Israel will be gathered together. They will have one leader. Great will be the day of Jezreel.

Hosea 2
At a Glance (23 V)
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1-7_Hosea asked his children to contend with their mother because she has stopped being his wife and gone back to her harlotry. Her children are not his. If he is hard on her, maybe she will come back to him. God is using Hosea's experience to address His own experience with Israel.

__8-13_She doesn't seem to realize that everything good she got from Him and not her illicit lovers. She has used what He has given her to make Baals. He will put an end to her happiness and take away the many good things He has given her because she loves these things more than she loves Him.

__14-20_Afterwards He will speak kindly to her and give her good things. She will no longer remember the Baals or even say it's name. He will abolish war. He will betroth Israel to Himself forever. He will do this in loving kindness and compassion. Then Israel will know the LORD.

__21-23_In that day I will bless heaven and earth. The earth will respond with grain, new wine and oil. I will have compassion on her who did not deserve compassion. I will say to those who were not My people, you are My people. And they will say, You are my God.

Hosea 3
At a Glance (5 V)
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1-2_Then the LORD told Hosea to love Gomer even though she was an adulteress, just as God loves the children of Israel even though they serve other gods.

So Hosea bought Gomer for fifteen shekels of silver and one and a half homers of barley.

__3-5_So Hosea kept Gomer to himself and she did not play the harlot. And so will Israel keep himself only for God. They will come trembling to the LORD and his goodness in the last days.

Hosea 4
At a Glance (19 V)
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1-3_Listen to the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against you. There is no faithfulness, or kindness or knowledge of God in the land. There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery. Even nature is affected.

__4-10_God says, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because they reject truth. They have forgotten the law of God. The more of them there are, the more they sin. So I will punish them.

__11-19_Both the men and the women commit adultery. Though Israel is unfaithful let Judah should not follow her example.

Hosea 5
At a Glance (15 V)
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1-7_Judgment applies to Israel who has gone deep into depravity. Judah has also stumbled. They come to seek the LORD but will not find Him. He has withdrawn from them. They have become illegitimate.

__8-15_Nothing done for Israel will make any difference until she acknowledges her guilt and seeks My face. When they are afflicted then they will earnestly seek Me.

Hosea 6
At a Glance (11 V)
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1-3_Come let us return to the LORD, for He has torn us, but will heal us.

__4-11_What shall I do with you Ephraim and Judah? Your loyalty is like a morning cloud. It is like the dew that goes away early. I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice. And the knowledge of God is better than burnt offering.

Hosea 7
At a Glance (16 V)
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1-7_When I would heal Israel her sins are uncovered. They do not recognize that I remember their sins. They have fallen and no one calls on Me.

__8-16_Ephraim dilutes his strength by mixing with the surrounding nations. He is growing old and feeble and does not recognize this. The children of Israel go to everyone but God for deliverance. They do not look up.

Hosea 8
At a Glance (14 V)
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1-14_Sound the alarm loud and clear. Israel has transgressed My covenant and rebelled against My law. They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. Israel has forgotten his maker. I will send fire on its cities and consume its palatial dwellings.

Hosea 9
At a Glance (17 V)
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1-17_The children of Israel have forgotten me and act like the nations around them. When they have plenty they never think of Me. I am the One who has given them everything. I will cast them aside because they will not listen to Me.

Hosea 10
At a Glance (15 V)
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1-10_Israel is a luxuriant vine that produces fruit for himself. The more fruit he has the more alters he makes. The richer his land, the better he makes the sacred pillars. His heart is faithless and will bear much guilt. The LORD will break down his alters and destroy the sacred pillars.

__11-15_Sow with a view to righteousness. Reap in accordance with kindness. Break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the LORD until He comes to reign righteousness on you.

You have plowed wickedness and will reap justice.

Hosea 11
At a Glance (12 V)
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1-12_When Israel was a youth I loved him. I called him out of Egypt. I taught Ephraim to walk. They did not recognize that I healed them. I led them with cords of love. I bent down and fed them. How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you Israel? Judah, too, is unruly toward the Holy One of Israel Who is faithful.

Hosea 12
At a Glance (14 V)
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1-14_Ephraim multiplies lies and violence. Judah also displeases the LORD. Return to your God. Observe kindness and justice. Wait for your God continually. I will make you live in tents again.

Hosea 13
At a Glance (16 V)
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1-16_Ephraim was once powerful but has squandered all on the worship of Baal. Therefore they will blow away like chaff in the wind. Yet I have been their God since they came out of Egypt. They became satisfied with the good things I gave to them. They will see their little ones dashed to pieces and their pregnant women ripped open.

Hosea 14
At a Glance (9 V)
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1-9_Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Say to Him, take away all iniquity and receive us graciously. And I will heal their apostasy and love them freely.

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but transgressors will stumble in them.

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14