Hosea and Understanding the Nature and Attitude of God - Essay Sample

Introduction

Hosea is a book in the Old Testament. It is the first of the twelve books in the Old Testament which are the Minor Prophets. It is a book of the Hebrew Bible. It was during the reign of king Jeroboam two that Hosea took up to his prophetic mission. He married a woman who had proven to be unfaithful and was earlier married; she was Gomer. Hosea marriage to Gomer was to serve as a symbol of the unfaithfulness of the children of Israel; it was to act or dramatize the break of the people of Israel in their relationship with God.

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Hosea and Gomer bore three children, the names given to this children acted as symbols representing God's estrangement from Israel. They were Lo-ruhamah meaning one who is not pitied. This was a sign that God was not pleased with Israelites for following false gods; it showed the ruined condition of the kingdom of Israel. Lo-ammi, the daughter, was named in token of rejection of the people by their God, translating to 'not my people. Jezreel was given the name after a valley bearing the same name. Hosea's message was meant for the Northern Kingdom, but he also referred to the southern kingdom of Judah. His prophecies took off during the reign of king Jeroboam two.

The book of Hosea is very important to the world we are living today. The book has helped understand the will of God to his people. The people of Israel lived sinful lives and did not repent. God was not happy about Israel's sinful nature and was ready to punish those who could not repent. Similarly in the modern world today God expects us to leave our sinful lives, repent and turn back to him.

Hosea illustrates God's relationship with his people as a marriage. Today, we are able to understand the importance that God attaches to marriage as an institution and also the relationship of the church to God. Marriage as an institution is divine and forms the foundation to a prospering human society. In the modern world today, various issues and pressures such as adultery, polygamy, homosexuality and also gender confusion are widely spread all over the world. It is through the prophecy of Hosea in which these believers are strengthened. We can see the importance of the bond between a man and a woman in marriage. In case one party fails and becomes unfaithful, God is a God of mercy and therefore can restore the institution, for God loves us unconditionally despite having little faith. God hates people in the marriage institution parting ways through a divorce.

Hosea makes it clear that human marriage is an institution created by God designed to show an even more profound relationship; the relationship of Him with his people. God initiates a covenant relationship with his people whenever they call upon him through Jesus Christ. In this relationship, God will never abandon nor forsake those he has started a covenant with. They will be His people and Him their God. He protects his relationship with the humankind where we see that he sent his son to save man from sin. Church in the Modern world is the bride of Christ.

In the world we are living today, we can understand that though God is a merciful God, He would never look back, after making a judgment to punish those who have failed to turn away from their sinful nature. God gives everyone a chance to repent no matter how sinful one has been; however those who fail to hear His word and turn away from sin will be punished, and he will remain being God. The people of Israel who were punished, would still find mercies from God. God will restore them, and they will experience the blessings of God upon their lives. Though God disciplines us, he restores us with his abounding love in our lives.

Hosea has helped in understanding the nature and attitude of God. God continues to love his people; sins do not stop God from loving us but only separates us from him as he is holy and righteous. When we continue to sin in our date today, God will not spare punishment from us. Those who sin against God do not receive mercy unless they turn away from sin. Hosea identified a problem in that people lacked knowledge on God and in turn, God withheld his blessings from them. They suffered from the lack of true knowledge of Yahweh. God blames the priests who did not undertake their role in teaching what is right from wrong. Today, this information has been of help as it has helped the priests in the modern society to take up to their roles and teach the modern society of what is expected of them by God. People in the modern society, in turn, become aware and able to isolate the right from wrong and in this, they can make wise decisions on what path pleases God, and it is in accordance to his will.