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"The word of the LORD that came to Hosea"

Text: Hosea 1:1

THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The context of Hosea the prophet in receiving messages from the Lord is suggested in the opening words of his prophetic book.

“The word of the LORD that came to Hosea the son of Beeri,
in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah,
and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.”
Hosea 1:1

1. Same historical period of two other prophets

a) Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1)

i) Except that King Jeroboam was not mentioned at all.

ii) Further suggesting that Isaiah’s focus was on the kingdom of Judah.

b) Micah (Micah 1:1)

i) The same set of kings were mentioned in this text.

ii) Jeroboam was not mentioned either.

iii) But Micah added these words:

“The word… which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.”
Micah 1:1

iv) Micah’s ministry would include both Israel and Jerusalem.

c) Hosea

i) A careful reading of the Book of Hosea would suggest that he ministered much more in Israel.

ii) The prophets would go where the Lord would send them.

iii) The internal evidence would suggest just where the focus of ministry was.

2. The reign of Jeroboam

a) There was another king who had the same name.

i) He was the king God raised up in opposition to the foolish and cruel reign of King Rehoboam.

ii) He was the first king of the Divided Kingdom of Israel and Judah (1 Kings 11-12).

iii) His name was Jeroboam the son of Nebat (1 Kings 11:26).

b) Jeroboam the son of Joash (2 Kings 14:23)

i) He was from the dynasty of Jehu, the king who put an end to the wicked reign of Ahab and his sons. Thus, historians named him Jeroboam II to distinguish him from Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

ii) He was the last but one king of the descendants of Jehu.

iii) He had a long reign of 41 years (2 Kings 14:23).

iv) His son, Zechariah, in contrast ruled only 6 months before his assassination (2 Kings 15:8-10).