Through The Bible

Session #26

Hosea, Joel, & Amos[1]

Overview of ‘Minor Prophets’

• Hosea, Joel, and Amos are (in the English Bible) the first three of twelve books that make up the ‘Minor Prophets.’
• Remember ‘minor’ does not mean insignificant or less important. It merely identifies them as being shorter in length than the ‘major’ prophets.
• You don’t hear many sermons from the Minor Prophets – in the Common Lectionary there are only 14 texts from Hosea, Joel, and Amos.

Very General Overview of Hosea, Joel, & Amos

Hosea

- Hosea couples a message of hope and redemption to the prophetic message of God’s judgment.

- Themes of prostitution, infidelity, authority, and abuse are a part of Hosea’s story. But so are themes of love, redemption, fidelity, and renewal.

Joel

- Not as well known as Amos or Hosea. His date and setting are hard to determine exactly.

- The occasion of his preaching is the spiritual and physical crisis brought on by an invasion of locusts.

- One of the Peter’s most famous sermons was taken from Joel. See Acts 2.17-21.

Amos

- One of the most noted prophets of judgment in the Old Testament.

- His role was to announce Israel’s sin had brought the nation to an end through God’s judgment.

- The neglect of justice and righteousness brought on the judgment of God.

- Amos’ message is not easy to hear – if we ignore it, it’s to our peril.

- Martin Luther King, Jr. quoted Amos 5:24 in one of his famous sermons.

Hosea

Book is sometimes seen as embarrassment to the Church.

• God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute!
• Jerome (translated the Bible into Latin in 4^th century AD wrote: “If we have need of the Holy Spirit in understanding all of God’s word, how much more when we come to Hosea must we pray, ‘O Lord, help us to understand these mysteries!’”
• Hosea gives us some of the most compelling statements of God’s judgment and the failure of God’s covenant people.
• Hosea is one of the first prophetic voices to remind us that judgment is not God’s final word. God’s final word is love.

Hosea’s place among the other prophets

• One of the earliest prophetic books. Preceded only by Amos.
• Announced God’s judgment against the Northern Kingdom – Israel – for failing to be faithful and obedient.
• The consequence of God’s judgment is the death of a nation – see chapter 13 and various images (lion devouring; destroy you with no defense).
• The actual ‘death’ or judgment occurs first in 722 BC at the hands of the Assyrians.
• Other prophets carry on and develop similar messages of God’s judgment (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, and Zephaniah).

• Hosea couples message of judgment with message of hope and renewal.
• God’s character is not finally rooted in anger and punishment.
• Renewed life is possible on other side of judgment.

Hosea’s historical context

• Hosea began preaching career during end of relatively peaceful and prosperous years of Jeroboam II (786-746 BC).
• Although he occasionally mentions the Southern kingdom, his primary message was to the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
• Much of earliest preaching (Hosea 1-4) focuses on his conviction that in spite of outward appearances that things were going well, all was NOT well.
• The flourishing religious life was corrupted with idolatrous practices.
• The nation had no moral compass.
• Israel headed in disastrous directions on many fronts.

• After death of Jeroboam II, Hosea’s message began to become reality.
• Israel’s throne occupied by 6 different kings (see 2^nd Kings 15-17).
• Period marked by bloody politics / assassinations.
• Hosea blamed national chaos on the kingship itself (see Hosea 7.7; 8.4).

• Assyria’s rise to power coincided with Israel’s downward slide.
• Tiglath Pileser III came to Assyrian throne in 745 BC.
• Heavy tributes were paid. But rebellion against them brought invasion by the Assyrians.
• Israel invaded in 733 BC; much of population deported; heavy tributes reinstated.
• In 727 BC, Israel’s King Hoshea withheld tribute. Hosea preaches against such an action (Hosea 12-14) and says the end of the nation is near.
• Shalmaneser V (Assyrian King) invaded Israel in 724 BC and captured King Hoshea (see Hosea 13.10; 2^nd Kings 17.3-4).
• Shalmaneser V died in battle but his successor (Sargon II) completed the conquest of Israel and the deportation of 722 BC.

Hosea the man

• Little is known apart from the story of his marriage in chapter 1&3.
• Son of Beeri and lived in Northern Kingdom.
• God commands Hosea to marry a prostitute (Hosea 1&3)
• They have 3 children – all three have names related to God’s judgment against Israel (1.3-9).
• From the beginning it is clear Hosea understands this to be a symbolic action about God’s relationship to Israel.
• Many questions surround the connection between chapters 1&3...
• Was Gomer associated with the cult of Ba’al?
• Is the unnamed woman of chapter 3 Gomer?
• What would you say to someone who draws conclusions about marriage from Hosea?

The Message of Hosea

• Chapters 1-3 – story of Hosea’s marriage to Gomer.
• Chapters 4-11 – Oracles from the time of Jeroboam’s death until the final days of the kingdom.
• Chapters 12-14 – from the very last days of Israel as a kingdom.
• NOTE: Each of these sections concludes with a chapter stressing hope and the renewal of the relationship between Israel and God (see chapters 3, 11, 14). God’s love always has the final word beyond judgment.
• Major themes in Hosea...
• The struggle with Idolatry – Israel was God’s covenant partner. Israel violates the covenant.
• Corruption of Political Institutions – there was general and widespread immoral behavior. Especially the kingship was corrupt.
• Knowledge of God – people lacked a knowledge of God and how they were historically and presently connected to God.
• The Judgment of God – Since Israel failed, Hosea preached God’s judgment.
• The Love and Salvation of God – each major section has a message of hope and love. Hosea is 1^st prophet to speak of God’s love as a basis for relationship to God’s people.

Joel

There seems to be a history of lack of respect for the prophet Joel. Why?

• Some feel the crisis of an invasion by locusts (occasion for Joel’s prophecy) was not really as significant an event as some of the great historical and political events of the other prophets.
• Joel contains no social critique and doesn’t have a strong passion for social justice that we read in most Hebrew prophets.
• The picture of God as a divine warrior stomping on the nations is not a popular image.

Theme of Joel

• All three chapters seem devoted to the theme of God as our source of help in time of trouble.

Historical Context

• The initial problem that urges this prophet to speak is a massive invasion of locusts (see 1.4).
• Judah and Jerusalem are devastated by this event. The land is left desolate and without resources. Food and water are destroyed. Livestock are dying. This may have gone on for years (2.25).
• When crisis ends, Joel gives credit to God (2.18-27).
• Dating Joel’s prophecy to an actual time period is difficult.
• Most would date Joel’s writings to sometime after the destruction of the Northern Kingdom in 722 BC.
• The list of atrocities committed against Judah and Jerusalem in 3.2-8, 19 seem to reflect the experience of the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC.
• Final Analysis on dating – not possible to pin down exact date.

The Book of Joel

• Falls into 2 parts...
• 1:1-2:17 > focuses on the invasion of the locusts that Joel sees as a sign of God’s judgment.
• 2:18-3:21 > focus shifts abruptly to God’s salvation. The infestation of the locusts is ended. The day of the Lord is seen as a day of deliverance.
• From 2:28-3:21 there is a vision of God’s future day of salvation. An egalitarian community will exist. God’s Spirit will be poured out (2.28-29), the enemies of Judah will be vanquished (3.1-13), and the people of God will dwell with the Lord in their midst (3.16-21).

The Message of Joel – focuses on several themes…

• The Day of the Lord – It’s a time when God will act decisively in human history.
• The Day of the Lord is referenced 5 times: 3 as judgment (1.15; 2.1, 11); 2 as time of salvation (2.31; 3.14).
• A new age of peace and well being will begin.
• The Day of the Lord is also seen as a day of judgment (Amos 5:18-20).
• Summary: for some the Day of the Lord is judgment. For others, it’s salvation.
• A central theme for Joel is the presence of God no matter whether it’s in times of judgment or salvation.
• God is not absent or removed. God is present. See 2.27.

Amos

If you’re looking for a word of truth about social conscience and looking out for the poor and oppressed, Amos is your man!

Amos Among the Prophets…

• Historically, Amos is the first of the prophetic books. His words are the earliest we have of those biblical voices.
• He was the first voice that said Israel would be judged for their failures. Earlier, prophets may have pronounced judgment on individuals but not collectively on a nation.
• Many (after Amos) take up his message: Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
• While other prophets balance a message of judgment with a message of hope, Amos contains very little hope (just the final verses of chapter 9 – specifically 9:11-15).

Amos’ Historical Context…

• Opening verses (1.1ff) date Amos’ preaching during the reigns of Uzziah (783-742 BC) in Jerusalem and Jeroboam II (786-746 BC) in Israel.
• Amos was from just south of Jerusalem in a small village called Tekoa.
• His message was to the Northern Kingdom.
• Jeroboam II was very successful and squelched the tribute-paying that his predecessors had to pay to Assyria. Territory was taken back and things in Israel were going well.
• Amos’ message is directed to a nation that seems to be at the height of prosperity and self-confidence. Most likely, this would date Amos’ preaching between 760-750 BC.
• Most estimate Amos’ preaching ministry to have lasted no more than 1 year and possibly only a few weeks.

Amos the man…

• There is little we can say about the person Amos.
• He’s not mentioned outside of the book.
• He was a herdsman and dresser of sycamore figs (1.1; 7.14).
• Despite his message of judgment, most don’t think Amos was a harsh and forbidding man.
• He wasn’t a stereotypical “hick” either. Most likely, he was a respected man of considerable wealth in his community.

The Book of Amos…

• The book is widely admired and praised for its power and eloquence.
• Largely a collection of poetic oracles.

The Message of Amos…

• The End of Israel
• Israel has failed to live up to their elect status as God’s chosen people. Their lives are characterized by sin (2.6-16) and so God’s judgment has been declared to end Israel (8.2; 9.1).
• The Sovereignty of God
• God is sovereign over history and nature.
• The God of Amos is not a warm friendly God but a roaring lion who strikes fear in the hearts of those who hear (1.2).
• God’s gracious acts are referred to in the past tense (2.10-11).
• The Appeal for Justice
• Amos is not vague in his charges of the way Israel has failed.
• The wealthy and powerful have exploited the poor (2.6-8; 4.1-3).
• The wealthy and powerful have denied the poor and weak access to the courts and bribed judges (5.10-13).
• The wealthy and powerful have engaged in deceitful and false business practices (8.4-6).
• Justice and Righteousness are what God demands (5.7, 15, 24; 6.12). Nothing less will do.
• The Hypocrisy of Worship
• Amos does not focus on idolatry in worship.
• His complaint about Israel’s worship is that they love ritual and the sanctuaries more than God (3.13-15; 4.4-5; 5.4-5).
• Piety in Israel’s worship has become an end in itself.
• The Inevitability of Judgment
• The consequences Israel would face are inevitable (7.7-9; 8.1-3) and comprehensive (9.1-3).
• The Promise of Blessing
• 9.11-15
• Some suggest this ending has been added on by some redactor.

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[1] Much of the background information I’m using in this study of Hosea, Joel, and Amos comes from Bruce C. Birch’s Commentary, Westminster Bible Companion: Hosea, Joel, and Amos (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997).