Lesson 1_Hosea

What are the 5 elements of an ancient covenant lawsuit?

1. Summoning witnesses. 2. Statement of the case and what is the problem. 3. Recital of suzerain's past kindness or what I have done for you. 4. The charge against the vassal. 5. Declaration of the sentence.

In what year did the Assyrians unsuccessfully besiege Jerusalem?

701 B.C.

In what year do the Assyrians conquer Israel and destroy its capital, Samaria?

722 B.C.

During what timeframe does Hosea prophesy?

8th century BC around the same time as Amos.

Why is it so important to take the historical context of the times into consideration when interpreting the prophets?

Because God works through creation and history

Why is marriage so important in the Catholic Faith?

Because it is our understanding of the future relationship with Christ and us, His Church.

What kind of faith existed in the Northern Kingdom at the time of the prophesying of Hosea?

Corporately, there were no faithful in the Northern Kingdom, but individually there was a faithful remnant.

What are the names of the three children of Hosea and Gomer and their two meanings?

Jezreel-God scatters/God sows (referring to the 10 tribes of Israel). LoRuhama-not pitied/I shall have pity (toward the people of the house of David) and Loammi-not my people/you will be my people (referring to Israel).

Against whom is the second covenant lawsuit brought?

Judah.

What was meant by a vassal?

Those under rule.

What is the three-fold theme that is reiterated throughout the majority of the Book of the Twelve prophets?

Idolatry, social injustice and religious ritualism.

What is central to the understanding of Jesus as the Lamb of God?

If there were no Exodus or Passover, then there is no understanding of Jesus as the Lamb of God.

What analogy does Yahweh use to depict the tendency of Israel and Judah to fall into syncretism?

Imagery of a husband and wife.

In what year did the Assyrians defeat the Israelite/Syrian alliance?

In 734 B.C. in the Syro-Ephraimite ware.

How are the Israelites already waiting for a new exodus at the time of Hosea?

Israel goes to Babylon in exile in 586 BC and then in 538 BC Cyrus of Persia allows Jews to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, serving as the setting for the post-Exhilic prophets.

How does Israel reverse the Exodus?

Israel in her idolatry unraveled what God had done in the Exodus.

What metaphor does Matthew 2:15 use to describe Israel?

Israel is the first born son.

What are the two primary deficiencies of Israel brought about in the first covenant lawsuit?

Israel lacks knowledge of God and Israel has played the harlot with other gods and forgotten her LORD who is the creator and sustainer of heaven and earth.

What other imagery does Hosea utilize to illustrate the relationship Yahweh has with His people?

A king and his subjects as well as a father and his child.

What are the two reminders to the people of Judah that the second covenant lawsuit begins with in Hosea 13?

A reminder of the prophet Moses, the foundational prophet, and the reminder of God's omnipotence. They are reminded that it was not Baal that saved them but Yahweh who is father, not master.

Why is Ephraim used to represent all of Israel when referenced in the Bible?

Because it was the largest and most influential of the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel.

How is Babylon related to Rome?

Because of the destruction of the temple, the people are left without a king and without the ability to sacrifice.

Why do we know so little about Hosea?

Because the book of Hosea is about God and His message, not about the prophet.

Why are alliances with other nations such a problem for Israel?

Because you then become subject to their laws and worship.

What play on words does Hosea employ with the word "Bethel?"

Bethel means "house of God," but Hosea uses parody and wordplay, calling the cultic worship center instead as "Beth Aven," which means "house of iniquity."

What two metaphors does Hosea use to describe God's relationship with Israel?

Bride/Bridegroom and Father/Son.

What is Gomer likely involved in?

Likely involved in cultic worship and may be a cult prostitute, meaning she goes after other gods and other lovers.

What is the key imagery that helps us to understand the relationship between God and Israel and Christ and the Church?

Marriage is the nuptial imagery that helps us understand this relationship.

What is a key theme of the book of Hosea that deals with the notion of the Exodus?srael

The New Exodus shall be exile from the slavery of sin.

To whom does Hosea prophesy?

The Northern Kingdom's 10 tribes of Israel.

Who are the two covenant lawsuits against that are brought about by God?

The first is against Israel and the second against Judah.

What is the consequence of religious syncretism?

The incorporation of false worships and holidays into faithful worship to Yahweh.

What does the repetition of harlotry stress and emphasize in the book of Hosea?

The magnitude of the problems with the people of Israel.

What is religious syncretism?

The mixing together of customs and rituals involved in worshipping different gods.

What do people fail to realize about Jesus Christ regarding the laws of the OT?

Christ raised the bar of the laws of the OT YHWH to a higher standard.

What is the meaning behind the two definitions of Hosea and Gomer's children?

The names of Hosea's children reflect the current condition of Israel and the future restoration that God has planned.

Who are the ones leading the apostasy as described by Hosea?

The priests.

What is the 6th element of a Covenant Lawsuit that God adds for Israel?

The restoration, for this is the justice that God brings.

What valley does Hosea's first born child remind us of?

The valley of Jezreel where Jehu, the former king of Israel and founder of the current dynasty, ended the previous dynasty by slaughtering the entire royal family. So it reminds the current dynasty of how they came to power and how they will end up like the dynasty before them.

When does the prophesying of Hosea take place?

During the reign of Jereboam II in Israel and Uzziah in Judah around 760 BC after the split of the kingdoms.

Why is Egypt mentioned when Israel goes into exile to Assyria?

Egypt and Assyria are paired together to illustrate and remind Israel of her past exile in Egypt and future exile.

What is the indictment of Israel in Hosea 12:2 followed by?

Encouragement to remain faithful.

What does Ephraim refer to?

Ephraim is Israel which is the 10 Northern Tribes.

What was the problem with most worship in the Northern Kingdom during the time of Hosea?

Every part of worship in the Northern Kingdom is false, with false priests, feast days, etc.,

When Malachi tells us that God hates divorce, does this mean that God hates people who get divorced?

God hates divorce, but he does not hate people who get divorced.

What is the primary theme of chapter 2 Hosea?

God is a faithful bridegroom and Israel is the adulteress bride, like Gomer, going after other gods. But it points forward to Christ as the Bridegroom.

What are the four ways that God offers hope after exile in the second covenant lawsuit?

God is merciful and will gather Israel after exile and the Gentiles. There are images of eschatological restoration. A new Israel will be like a garden. Wisdom is to walk in the ways of the Lord.

What does Hosea mean?

God saves or salvation.

What is the meaning behind God telling Hosea to take back his adulteress bride Gomer?

God will take back Israel as well.

What is the name of the harlot that Hosea marries?

Gomer.

What aspect of the five elements of the ancient covenant lawsuit does God change and why?

He adds a 6th element of restoration, because this is justice.

What does God call Hosea to do?

He calls him to not only speak God's words but to also embody the relationship between God and Israel.

How did Solomon set up the future kings of Israel for such failure during the time of Hosea?

He failed to comply with the three rules of Deuteronomy 17 regarding money, power, and wives.

How does Hosea embody the message that God tells him to prophecy to the people of Israel?

He marries a harlot.

How does Jereboam set up Israel for failure in its covenental relationship with God?

He sets up golden calf worship in Bethel and Dan that ultimately leads to the rejection of the Shema in ancient Israel.

How does God tell the people He is no longer their God?

He tells them "I am not I am," but it was the people of Israel who broke the covenant, not YHWH.

Why was David such a better king than Solomon or Rehoboam?

He was different in the sense that he waited for things to come to him from God, rather than trying to grasp them for himself.

What do we know about Hosea?

He was the son of Beeri, but not much else.

What typological fulfillment comes from Hosea's prophecy in regard to the deliverance of Israel through the exodus when Yahweh states, "Out of Egypt I called my son?"

This typology (reflecting the sense in which historical actions and entities in the OT, or near view, are prophetic of future messianic fulfillment, or the far view) is fulfilled when Jesus comes as the perfect Israel, completing and fulfilling all that Israel failed to do and to be.

What is meant by a suzerain?

This was a king like Caeser

What is the central problem of the OT that necessitates God sending us His Son?

We are slaves to sin.

What is the first Covenant lawsuit against Israel about?

What Israel lacks in the broken covenant relationship with God.

When Hosea names his second child Lo-Ruhamah, meaning not loved and loved, what is this alluding to?

Yahweh is predicting the coming destruction of Israel in 722 B.C. and the delivery of Jerusalem from the Assyrians in 701 B.C.

What is Israel's idolatry compared to?

Adultery.

What occurs in chapters 1-3 of Hosea that is unusual for the prophet books?

It is a narrative.

What is the Hebrew word hesed mean?

It means love, but it also contains a strong nuance of faithful, loyal love. So "unfailing love" or "loyal love" captures the nuance of the word best.

What is the economic state of the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the prophesying of Hosea?

It was experiencing unprecedented prosperity.

What is the name of the first child conceived by Hosea and Gomer and what does the name mean?

Jezreel, meaning God scatters.

How is knowing God like a marriage?

Knowing God is as in a nuptial relationship.

What does the Hebrew word SHUV mean?

Return to the LORD. This is a predominant theme throughout the books of the prophets.

What was Israel meant to do but failed?

She was meant to help raise the other nations. Their job was to show the other nations who God is.

What is the setting of the ruling kings at the time of the book of Hosea?

Solomon had given kingship to his son Rehoboam who refuses to lighten the yoke of the Jewish people.

What are the five elements of an ancient covenant lawsuit?

Summoning witnesses. Statement of the case, or what the problem is. Recital of suzerain's past kindness, or what I have done for you. The charge against the vassal. Declaration of the sentence.