Theme of Hosea. The book of Hosea takes up the moral reasons for God’s judgment on Israel, particularly the ten tribes though applicable to all, as well as the promise of their future restoration. The theme or motif that runs through the whole book of Hosea is “judgment followed by mercy”. God must judge His people when committed to a course of evil, but in His judgment He remembers mercy, because “God is love” (1 John 4:8). This prophet teaches us a wonderful lesson about God’s heart: we can never underestimate His love. A verse that really characterizes the book of Hosea is: Nehemiah 9:17;  “…but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.” God knew ahead of time that everything He has committed to human responsibility would end in utter failure, but it is “to the praise of the glory of his grace” (Eph. 1:6) to take those who by nature and practice are completely depraved, and bring them into blessing on the ground of His own sovereign grace, without any credit to man. We have this dualism in the book of Hosea: (1) the failure of man in responsibility, and (2) the glory of God in His sovereignty.

Two primary divisions. William Kelly remarked; “The prophecy of Hosea naturally divides itself into two principal divisions with minor sections. The first consists of Hosea 1, 2, and 3; the second, of the rest of the book. Within these greater divisions, however, we have distinct parts. …  The moral element is as prominent in the second part, as the dispensational is in the first.” J. N. Darby wrote, “The prophecy of Hosea is divided into two parts: the revelation of God’s purposes with respect to Israel; and the remonstrances which the prophet addresses to the people in the name of Jehovah. … The first three chapters compose the first part, or the revelations of God’s purposes with respect to Israel.”¹

Hosea vs. Isaiah. This book was written contemporaneously with Isaiah (compare Hos. 1:1 and Isa. 1:1). However, Isaiah speaks almost specifically to the two tribes (Judah) about what pertains especially to Judah, while Hosea speaks much more about the ten tribes, although he does not address Ephraim² and his burden is for all twelve tribes. Hosea also focuses more on the then-present condition of the people with forward looks to their restoration, while Isaiah speaks a great deal of the future, the coming of Messiah, and the judgements of the tribulation period, as well as the Millennium. Hosea writes as judgment is just about to fall on the ten tribes by the Assyrian invasion. Not long after the captivity of the ten northern tribes (often called Ephraim) by Assyria, the two tribes (Judah) were taken captive by Babylon. Hosea prophesies just prior to the first captivity, which was a very dark time. Hosea doesn’t ask the ten tribes to change their ways: it is too late for them, judgement is coming; “Ephraim is joined to idols: leave him alone” (Hos. 4:17). Rather, Hosea uses the condition of the ten tribes as a lesson for the two tribes, as a warning to avoid the same path, and not to make the same mistakes! In Hosea we have almost nothing at all spoken about the Gentiles, except an illusion to some brought into blessing in chapter 1, as Paul explains in Romans 9. The parenthesis of the “times of the Gentiles” is completely passed over.

Hosea vs. Joel. While Hosea looks at the whole twelve tribes, Joel restricts himself to the two tribes, similar to Isaiah. Joel is noted for smoothness of language, richness of handling, and easy transitions. Hosea’s style is characterized by the most abrupt transitions, which can make it very difficult for the Gentile mind to understand. However, the Jewish remnant in the great tribulation will understand it!