Volume III
The Book of the Prophet Hosea
With John Brown’s marginal references, notes and reflections · Vol. III, p. 1408
This book and the eleven following were, by the Jews, comprehended in one volume, called the Lesser Prophets. Hosea began his public work about A. M. 3196; and lived to see most of what he had foretold fulfilled in the misery and ruin of the ten tribes of Israel. His style is concise and sententious; in some places very obscure, and in others clear and pathetic. His general scope is to convince the Hebrews of their sins, excite them to repent, and prevent their own destruction, and to denounce the judgments of God against such as should remain obstinate. But with these he intermixes some very evangelical promises, ch. 1. 7, 10, 11; 2. 1, 7, 14-23; 3. 5; 5. 15; 6. 1-3, 11; 11. 8, 9; 13. 4, 9, 10, 14; 14. 1-8: which indeed almost all respect the happy restoration of the Jews in the glorious millennium. In the first three chapters he instructs by signs; in the rest by discourses only.—N.B. In this and other prophecies, Ephraim and Israel denote the ten tribes, as distinguished from the kingdom of Judah and Benjamin.
[Hosea is placed at the head of the twelve ' Lesser Prophets,' who are so called, not from any inferiority in their character, authority, or matter, but merely on account of their brevity when compared with Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Hosea was contemporary with Isaiah, Joel, Amos, and Jonah; and prophesied, instructed, reproved, or comforted the people, during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—in all above sixty years. His prophecies, however, are chiefly directed to the ten tribes, before their captivity. His book is quoted or referred to in the New Testament in, at least, the following passages:— Mat. 2. 15; 9. 13; 12. 7; Lu. 15. 18; 23. 30; Jn. 7. 34; Ro. 9. 25, 26; 1 Co. 15. 54-56; Ga. 6. 7, 8; He. 4. 12; 1 Pe. 2. 9, 10; Re. 6. 16. C.
It would seem that the twelve minor prophets are grouped in chronological order. The first group of them prophesied in Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II., and in Judah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz; following very closely upon the ministry of Elisha. The last group, consisting of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, closed the prophetic cycle. Hosea's prophetic ministry was the longest on record. It could scarcely have been less than seventy years. It embraced the darkest period of the kingdom of Israel. Towards its close there was in reality no government. 'Kings made their way to the throne through the murder of their predecessors. Shallum slew Zechariah; Menahem slew Shallum; Pekah slew the son of Menahem; Hoshea slew Pekah.' The religious state of the kingdom was even worse than the political. The worship of God was entirely ignored. Idolatry in its worst forms was universally practised. The grossest immorality prevailed. People, priests, and rulers vied in debauchery. It was in such times and under such circumstances Hosea prophesied to Israel. It was because of such sins he was commissioned to warn and threaten:—'I will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease;' 'I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel;' ' They shall be wanderers among the nations;' 'Israel is swallowed up,' &c. The greater part of the book is one continuous dirge of woe, in which the guilt and the punishment of Israel are depicted with terrible minuteness. Almost every prophetic utterance is the voice of a judge pronouncing sentence upon a guilty people. At the close, however, the dark cloud of wrath clears away; a bright future is revealed; the people repent in response to God's gracious invitation; and promises of mercy and grace are given.
Nothing is known of the family or personal history of Hosea beyond what is recorded in this book. His language and the general scope of his prophecies show that he belonged to the northern kingdom; though as a loyal servant of God he only acknowledges in the beginning of his book the legitimate, because divinely appointed, rulers of Judah. P.]