Exegesis of Hosea 1 & 2

Jezreel, Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah are key characters. I am all of them in different ways. Because I am a sinner, I am Lo-ammi (not my people). In this vain I am Lo-ruhamah (not to be pitied). I am also Jezreel (He sows), because God is calling me to be His laborer.

These two chapters are calling the readers, or listeners, to repent. Historically, these passages are talking about Israel (he who struggles with God). But, as we can tell from the definition, and from church history, the Church is Israel. The Church is also you and I. Therefore, you and I are Israel. You and I struggle with God.

It is not as if we are launching uppercuts and right hooks to God's chin. Instead, struggling with God means opening our mouthes to eat His daily bread (the Word of God), and ruminating on His ordinances. In the new testament our God and Savior Jesus Christ summed the 600 + instructions of the old testament into two instructions. They both could be summed in one word... love.

Hosea 1 & 2 remind us that we are adulterers in our marriage with the God of all that is visible and invisible. This adultery comes in the form of living superfluously. We buy too much jewelry, too many accessories, too many shoes, too many video games, too much chewing gum, too much soda pop, too many hats, too many beers and glasses of wine. We watch too much Netflix, Hulu plus, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Comedy Central, MTV and BET. We use social media too much for our own glory instead of for His; on Twitter, Facebook, InstaGram, SnapChat and Vine. We lose focus in our church holidays from He who is the only one who is holy.

We need to read from the holy books more often, take notes on them, worship God and give all that we have to the indigent.