By Pastor Don Elmore
New Covenant Messenger, September 2024
Hosea 1:1 "The word of the LORD that came unto 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, is instructed by the LORD, to take a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms. He was to have three children and their names would be representative of three things that would happen to the house of Israel. The house of Judah was excluded from these prophecies. They would experience a different scenario.
Hosea’s first child was a son and they were told by God to called him Jezreel. For in a little bit of time the LORD would avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and would cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease. So, the house of Israel, would no longer be a kingdom for a long time.
His second child was a daughter. God told him to name her Loruhamah. The name meant that God would have no more mercy. This was prophetic of the house of Israel who would be taken away in captivity. But in verse seven, it says that God will have mercy upon the house of Judah. The LORD their God would save them not by bow, nor be sword, nor by battle, nor by horses, nor by horsemen. Was there an event in history that the LORD God saved the house of Judah by none of these possible outcomes? Yes, their was.
Assyria, the most powerful nation at this time, after it had take captive the house of Israel and most of the house of Judah, surrounded the only remaining city that had not be taken—Jerusalem. Assyria was just waiting till the Israelites either surrendered or starved to death. On top of all this, the king of Assyria stood and cried with a loud voice and said to the remaining Israelites of the kingdom of Judah.
Isaiah 36:14-20
14) “Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
15) Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
16) Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every ono the waters of his own cistern:
17) Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
18) Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
19) Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? And have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
20) Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
The people of Jerusalem didn’t answer one word and the enemy king’s message was given to king Hezekiah. What did Hezekiah do?
Isaiah 37:1 “And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.”
Shortly after, the king’s servants were sent to Isaiah, a prophet of the LORD, to inquire of the LORD about what they are to do. The LORD answered Isaiah that the Judahites were not to be afraid, for the LORD would take care of the Assyrians by His self. And He did. The house of Judah was saved without the Judahites doing anything. The LORD God had mercy on them. The Assyrian army was destroyed and they left. They were never the world’s most powerful army again. For the LORD God defended the city and sent His angel who smote 185,000 of them.
Hosea’s third child was another son and the LORD God told him to name him Loammi. The name means that the house of Israel would not be His people, and the LORD God would not be their God. But eventually, after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, they would be joined together with the house of Judah. (See Romans 9:24-26).