Seeking the Merciful GodPreaching the Book of HoseaAustin Sermon Seminar 2013

Frameworks

Narrative

Wisdom

Prophetic self-definition

The Roles of the Prophets Warning Israel (slaying and lacerating; 6:5; 12:11; cf. Amos

3:7) Standing watch for Israel (9:8) Delivering Israel (12:14) But these roles can go awry (4:5; 9:7)

The Actors: The KingNamed rulers (1:1)No king or dying king

(3:4-5; 10:3 [?], 7, 15) 

Malfeasant king (5:1; 7:3, 5, 7; 8:10) 

King of Assyria (5:13; 10:6; 11:5)

The Actors: The KingWhere, where is your king,The one rescuing you in all your cities,Your judges about whom you said,“Give me a king and nobles”?I gave you a king in my anger,And I took away in my wrath.(Hosea 13:10-11)

The Actors: Assyria

The Assyrian King Worships His GodsFrom the British Museum

The HuntThe Assyrian King in His Might

Settings and Contexts

XII

8th century books

Amos Micah Hosea

Later books

Others

Endings of the XII ProphetsHosea – חכם plus oracle of salvation מיJoel – oracle of salvation for endAmos – oracle of salvationObadiah – oracle of salvationJonah – question about salvationMicah – כמוך אל plus oracle of salvation מי

Endings of the XII ProphetsNahum – oracle of doom for Assyria, which equals an oracle of salvation for Israel

Habaqquq – praise in response to salvific act

Zephaniah – promise of salvationHaggai – oracle of salvation re ZerubbabelZechariah – oracle of salvationMalachi – call to obey Torah of Moses and heed Elijah the prophet (fit ending for XII? Bracketed with end of Hosea???)

Seeking the Merciful GodPreaching the Book of HoseaAustin Sermon Seminar 2013

Possible Structures of Hosea 4-14Modern Proposal Medieval Proposal4:1-3 4:1-6:114:4-5:7 4:1-194:4-19 5:1-75:1-7 5:8-6:115:8-9:9 7:1-14:15:8-6:6 7:1-126:7-7:16 7:13-8:148:1-14 9:1-99:1-9 9:10-169:10-11:11 9:179:10-17 10:1-810:1-8 10:9-11:1110:9-15 12:1-13:1111:1-11 13:12-14:112:1-14:10 14:2-812:1-15 14:9-1013:1-14:1 All verses follow the Hebrew numbering14:2-914:10