Most preachers today stay away from the small book of Hosea, because if they understood it, it would be an embarrassment to them. Hosea, through both his book, and his life, was an object lesson to the ancient House of Israel. God used Hosea to demonstrate to those sinful ten tribes [not Judah] that He would divorce them because of their idolatry. Israel became so mixed and scattered that in the end, that they wouldn't even know who they are or where they came from; nor would they care.Then we read in Hosea 1:10; "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not My People, there it shall be said unto them, ye are the sons of the living God".The term, "sons of the living God", is what we call "Christians today; for it is Jesus Christ that died on the cross for all sins and arose from the dead to become "the Living God". We are called after HIS name 'Christ's man, or Christian". It is the same "House of Israel" that Hosea prophesied to, that Ezekiel is prophesying to.Hosea, like the rest of the eleven minor Prophets, were classified as "Minor" because of the short length of their writings. The major and minor prophets are equally inspired by God.In all Hebrew manuscripts, and Hebrew printed Bibles, the twelve minor prophets are printed in unbroken sequences; and are all considered as one book. This is the same as the twelve tribes ("dodeka" is twelve, "phule" is tribes) all were one nation.The twelve books are divided into twenty one "Sedarin" and were used for public readings. Hosea 1:1, to 5:15 is the first reading; 6:1 through 10:11 is the second, 10:12 through 14:6 was the third reading, and 14:7-8, and 9 were part of the Joel chapters.Six of these minor prophets are dated and six are not. Thus you have a division into two groups.The book of Hosea was given by prophetic utterance, and the key to understanding the words spoken are from God directly, or of the thoughts of the prophet personally are "The word of the Lord by", "Hear the word of the Lord spoken by", or "the burden of the word of the Lord." This continues through out all the books of the minor prophets.Hosea was a prophet speaking to all 12 tribes. The 10 tribes of the "The House of Israel", was the Northern Kingdom, and the 2 tribes of "The House of Judah". was the Southern Kingdom, they were given good news by Hosea. The prophecy was given in the time of the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah; they were the Kings of the "House of Judah" (Judah).The time of Hosea's prophecy covered seventy two years, from the 14th year of Uzziah, to the start of the reign of Hezekiah.The first chapter of Hosea is a warning by God to the Northern Nation’s, the 10 tribes or "House of Israel." Their capitol is Samaria, and God is telling them, they are about to have a terrible end. Their nation is about to be destroyed, and separated from God.This falling away has come about by their worshipping of idols (the two golden calf's) and many other forms of idolatry and fornication.Hosea 1:1 "The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Herekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.The name Hoses" means Salvation, and by tradition, the name "Beeri" is attached to the tribe of Reuben (1 Chronicles. 5:6).Hosea 1:2 "The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea, And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD."This is the start of many prophecies, and by fifteen different prophets, to prophecy against the "House of Israel".The "wife of whoredoms", is because the Northern nation refused to worship God, God's way. To worship at His altar, at His temple, in Jerusalem. Israel was divided into two nations following king Solomon's death. The name of Israel stayed with the majority of the tribes, for back in Genesis 48, Jacob told Joseph his name was "Israel" and would always be on the head of his, "Joseph's", son Ephraim.Judah, or "The house of Israel fell into calf worship, and all forms of idolatry, Judah held fast the worshipping of the one true God, Jehovah, in God's temple in Jerusalem.The religious forms of Israel are considered a "Woman", and all those worshipping them are considered idolatries.The subject of this chapter is the idolatries of the Northern Kingdom, and the children, or offspring of the people of that kingdom. This woman is an idolatrous. The "Land" is "eretz" in the Hebrew, meaning "earth." The people on that land committed these sin.Hosea 1:3 "So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son."God ordered Hosea to go and marry a whore, "Take thee a wife of whoredoms", in verse 2. Hosea went and did exactly as God commanded them to do. His wife's name was Gomer, and in the Hebrew meaning completion. She was the daughter of Dibiaim, which in the Hebrew has two meanings; a double cake of figs, and also is symbolical of sensual pleasure.This, again, is an object lesson to Israel of what God is about to do to them. So pay close attention to names and events. It is not directed to the House of Judah, the Jews.Hosea 1:4 "And the LORD said unto him, "Call his name Jezreel: for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel."The name "Jezreel" in the Hebrew, is prophetic of a coming judgment. Note the Hebrew word, also "Paronomsia" means "Repetition in sound, but not in sense. "Jezreel" then is God's first warning to the "House of Israel" and states that a prophetic judgment is about to come upon them. At the proper time. It is God who will avenge Israel for her wickedness and idolatry. God said "I will cause the House of Israel to cease". That means no more are they going to exist as a nation, or be identified with God, as God's people. This is not directed to the Jews, only to the 10 tribes. King Jehu, the "House of Jehu", carried out God's judgment on the House of Ahab", and committed murder. What Jehu did was not God's will, but a power grab. He then continued in the same idolatries as Ahab's Kingdom followed.So Hosea's first son's named, "Jezreel" is God telling Israel in symbolic form, that He is about to scatter them (see also Jere. 31:10); and they will not exist as a nation anymore.Hosea 1:5 "And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel."In reference to "That day", is the day Israel was overthrown, and carried away by the Assyrian's. It is recorded in II Kings 18:11.The "Bow" is "Metonymy" in the Hebrew (of the adjunct). It means "Bow" is substituted for everything representing "The house of Israel" as a nation. Their army, government, language, religion, and what ever else identifies them is belonging to the "House of Israel."It shall and did come to pass as God spoke it, most of all the offspring of the "House of Israel" have no idea who they are or how they are attached. Yet God's prophecies of these end times is saturated with the "House of Israel" in their lands, and dealt separately from the Jews.One key in understanding who they are is in the word "Caucasian",called this because it is that race of people who migrated through the Caucasus Mountains, and spread out throughout the Western Europe, later to the Americas, and colonizing into nations around the world. They came through the Caucasus Mountains at exactly the same historical time as the "House of Israel" was dismantled by God's servants, the Assyrian's, and taken to an area just south of these mountains.Hosea 1:6 "And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, "Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away."Hosea and Gomer have a second child, a daughter, and God told Hosea to call her name "Lo-ruhamah": which means "not compassionated", or "not beloved". This is why Paul in Romans 9:25 used the expression "not having obtained mercy, with respect to the "House of Israel"The "house of Israel", on Israel (not Jews) were utterly dismantled, as any remembrance of being God's people. They were so scattered they forgot who they were.Hosea 1:7 "But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, not by horsemen."Verse seven is not a "interpolation", or "Inserting of new material" into the subject but rather a clarification that God is going to handle and treat Israel, and Judah separately from now on. Israel, God is going to divorce, while Judah He is not. Israel, and Judah are dealt with separately from now on. God is Anger nis kindled he will have "No mercy" (Lo-ruhamah) on Israel; while He will show mercy of Judah, even through Judah's captivity in Babylon. "By the Lord their God", is a commitment of Jehovah to Judah.Hosea 1:8 "Now when she weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.Hosea 1:9 "Then said God, "Call his name Lo-ammi" for ye are not My People, I will not be your God.""Lo-Ammi" in Hebrew means "Not my people." Remember this chapter, as the book, is a symbolic gesture, using Hosea's family as a reminder of what God is going to do, and latter did, to the House of Israel" (not the Jews)."Lo-Ammi" is Hosea's third child, and through these three children, God has sent His message to Israel; "Jezreel" means, God will cease their Kingdom, "Lo-Ruhamah" means , God will not have compassion on their people; and "Lo-Ammi" means, you are not my people.Hosea 1:10 "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured not numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, We are not My People," there it shall be said unto them, "Ye are the sons of the living GOD."This verse is directed to the latter days; The generation we are in now. It is talking only of the "House of Israel" (Children of Israel) and not Judah.Today the Jews are numbered, and in World War 11, the Germans reduced that number by a large percentage. God is saying here, that you cannot number Israel, so where are Israelites?