Saturday 26 January 2013

Background

The first three chapters of Hosea are distinctive for the waythey interweave prophecy with the material of Hosea's own life andfamily. However, in the remaining chapters it is noticeable thatsuch autobiographical material largely disappears, for all thatsome of the key themes (for example of faithlessness, adultery andthe longing for reconciliation) remain.

There now follows a series of prophetic utterances as God bringsan "indictment", a charge against the people of Israel: "there isno faithfulness or loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land".This is evidenced in the way the commandments are ignored and"swearing, lying, and murder, and stealing and adultery break out"(v. 2).

Moreover it is not just the people of Israel who are guilty; sotoo are their religious leaders, their priests and prophets (verses4-5); indeed, "the more they increased, the more they sinnedagainst me" (v. 7) as they "feed on the sin of my people" and are"greedy for their iniquity" (v. 8). The consequence is that theytoo shall be punished: "it shall be like people, like priest; Iwill punish them for their ways" (v. 9).

The next section continues with Hosea's condemnation of falsereligious practices, of consulting a "piece of wood" or diviningrod (verse 12) and making sacrifices and offerings on the hills orunder the trees (verse 13). What is noticeable in this closingsection is the way some of his earlier themes, of adultery andfaithlessness, return; as "your daughters-in-law commit adultery"(v. 13) while the men "go aside with whores and sacrifice withtemple prostitutes" (v. 14). However, the end result is the same:"thus a people without understanding comes to ruin" (v. 14).

To Ponder

• Throughout this passage Hosea is very critical of popularcultic practices, what we might call 'folk religion'; is this aposition we should adopt today? Why?

• Hosea is also critical of priests and prophets, but appears toinsist that they should not be judged to a different but to thesame standard as other people. To what extent is he right in this -or should religious leaders be subject to a higherstandard?