“Look at the Book” is Bible Gateway’s series of short blog posts and infographics introducing you to the books of the Bible. Moving into the Minor Prophets (so called because of the length of their books, not their importance), Hosea provides a strange yet poignant performance-art prophecy.
Scroll to the bottom if you’d prefer to see (and save) this article as an infographic. You’ll also find a handy 30-day reading guide. Or, for a challenge, you can do it in one week using the 7-day reading guide below.
Summary
Hosea shows God’s loyal love for His covenant people in spite of their idolatry. Hosea’s message contains condemnation, but at the same time, he portrays the love of God toward His people with passionate emotion.
- Category: Prophets
- Theme: Unfaithfulness
- Timeline: Around 753-715 BC
- Written: Attributed to Hosea
Key Verse
“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” — Hosea 6:6 (NIV)
The Domestic Prophet
God told Hosea to marry a prostitute, and live a domestic life which was a reenactment of the unfaithfulness of Israel. The marriage of Hosea and Gomer provide a metaphor which clarifies the themes of the book: sin, judgment, and forgiving love.
Hosea had a lengthy period of ministry, prophesying during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in Judah, and Jeroboam II in Israel. His long career spanned the last six kings of Israel from Zechariah to Hoshea.
7 Day Reading Guide
Here is a seven-day guide to the prophets Hosea and Joel.
(See 30-day guide with all Minor Prophets below.)
- Day 1: Hosea 1-2
- Day 2: Hosea 3-5
- Day 3: Hosea 6-8
- Day 4: Hosea 9-10
- Day 5: Hosea 11-12
- Day 6: Hosea 13-14
- Day 7: Joel
Short and Sweet
Hosea is the first of the 12 Minor Prophets. “Minor” refers to the brevity of the prophecies, as compared to the length of the works of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
Access the rest of the series. Browse Bible studies for each book of the Bible. Or right-click on the infographic below to download and save the image for your reference.
Chris Fann is the Senior Digital Marketing Manager for Harper Christian Resources. He loves the smell ofa baseball glove, coffee, and old books. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife, 2 teenage boys, and their dog, Freya.
