Hosea 1-2

Chapter 1: Sons of the Living God

The word of the Lord comes to Hosea in the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Judah) and Jeroboam (Israel). God commands Hosea to marry a whore (prostitute) to illustrate that the land has committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord. Hosea follows the commandment of the Lord and marries Gomer. Hosea is commanded to call his son Jezreel – referring to the valley where Jehu murdered all the descendants of Ahab. God says he will avenge the bloodshed of Jezreel on the house of Jehu. Hosea also has a daughter, called Lo-Ruhamah (which means: no mercy). There will be no mercy for Israel, and mercy on the house of Judah. A second son is called Lo-Ammi (which means: not my people). Judah and Israel will finally be restored in the last days.

Chapter 2: Israel shall be reconciled

Israel is compared to an adulterous wife, and her children the children of harlotry. The Lord will hedge up her way with thorns, taking away His grain, wine, wool and linen. Her feast days will cease, and her vines and fig trees will be destroyed. Even with all this destruction, Restoration is promised! The valley of Achor will become the door of hope. The Lord will be referred to as husband, not as master. The animals will be submissive to men. The people of God will be restored, and the land will be fruitful.