Scripture: One Book at a Time
The whole of Sacred Scripture is a single narrative that promises and points to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of the World. It is an epic story, the greatest ever told, and told "one book at a time." Each book makes it contribution to the narrative as God reveals God's self to us and his desire that all be saved.
Lesson 31: Hosea
Prophet of the Covenant
Hosea is one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament. “Minor” only refers to the length of the text which is considerably shorter than the major prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. Also Hosea lived some 150 years before the time of Jeremiah and the fall of Jerusalem to the Empire of Babylon. Unlike Isaiah and Jeremiah in Jerusalem, Hosea was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom that had broken away from the throne of King David/Jerusalem. Although earlier in time, the North also faced a warring empire: the Assyrians.
Hosea’s message is for the kings and people to remain faithful to the covenant bond with Yahweh. Hosea compares the North’s lack of fidelity to his own wife, Gomer, who is repeatedly unfaithful, is forgiven by Hosea and taken back, only to again betray the sacred bonds of the marriage covenant.
Enjoy the videos, but take a moment to read an introduction to the Book of Hosea.
For those who would like to explore details of this book, please consider videos from Fr. Mike Schmitz’s “Bible in a Year” program. You can find the entire playlist here.