Welcome to Bible Study Ministry.com, your online Bible Study supplement source. Today, we continue the verse by verse study of the book of Hosea; chapter three and four.

The Complete Study of the Book of Hosea Verse By Verse: The Book of Hosea is one of the prophetic books in the Old Testament of the Bible, and it carries a profound message for both its original audience and modern readers. It consists of 14 chapters and is attributed to the prophet Hosea, who lived in the 8th century BCE in the kingdom of Israel (Efraim).

Overview:

The central theme of Hosea is the spiritual relationship between the Creator and His people, portrayed through the metaphor of a troubled marriage. Hosea’s personal experiences become symbolic of the Creator’s relationship with Israel (Akobe). The book is divided into two main sections: the first three chapters contain the narrative of Hosea’s own life, while the remaining chapters consist of his prophetic messages.

Hosea Chapter 3:

Verse 1:

“Then said the Great Spirit unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Great Spirit toward the children of Akobe, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.”

Verse 1 Breakdown:

In this verse, the Great Spirit commands Hosea to take another symbolic action. He instructs Osea to love a woman who is beloved by her friend but is also an adulteress. This action is meant to symbolize the Great Spirit’s enduring love for the children of Akobe (the Bantu), despite their unfaithfulness in turning to other deities and indulging in worldly pleasures like getting drunk and engaging in drunken folk business.

Verse 2:

“So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a homer of barley and a half homer of barley.”

Verse 2 Breakdown:

Osea obeys the command and purchases the woman for a specific price – fifteen pieces of silver, a homer of barley, and a half homer of barley. This act mirrors the Great Spirit’s willingness to redeem and restore the people of Akobe, even though they have strayed and been unfaithful. It is a very challenging thing to redeem someone who has been unfaithful to you; the Holiness of the Creator is what we need to aim for in our lives.

Verse 3:

“And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.”

Verse 3 Breakdown:

Hosea sets conditions for the woman he has acquired. She is to remain with him for an extended period, during which she must not engage in harlotry or be with another man. This symbolizes a period of separation and purification, similar to the Great Spirit’s relationship with the Bantu. He requires devotion, faithfulness, and commitment to Him from His people. Just like a man or woman would require in a monogamous relationship or marriage.

Verse 4:

“For the children of Akobe shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim.”

Verse 4 Breakdown:

This verse prophesies a period when the children of Akobe will be without key elements of their religious and political life. They will lack a king, a prince, sacrifices, idols, priestly garments (ephod), and household idols (teraphim). This period of deprivation serves as a consequence of their unfaithfulness and is part of the process of their spiritual restoration.

When the Ten Tribes, the house of Efraim also known as Samaria was taken down by the Assyrians, this was the beginning of having no king, prince, etc. Then when the kingdom of Juda (Yawada) was decimated by Babylon, this officially began the kingless, princeless, and priestless time period.

Verse 5:

“Afterward shall the children of Akobe return, and seek the Great Spirit their Creator, and David their king, and shall fear the Great Spirit and his goodness in the latter days.”

Verse 5 Breakdown:

This verse foretells a hopeful future for the children of Akobe. After the period of deprivation and purification, they will return to the Great Spirit and seek Him as their Creator. They will also seek David as their king, signifying a restoration of righteous leadership.

This righteous leadership will come from the House of David, the Anointed Son, commonly known to the world as the Christ. This return will be marked by reverence for the Great Spirit and His goodness, particularly in the latter days, emphasizing a sense of divine guidance and approval.

Hosea chapter three conveys a powerful message of divine love, redemption, and restoration despite unfaithfulness. It illustrates the enduring bond between the Great Spirit and the Bantu, even in times of waywardness, with the promise of a brighter future guided by faith and reverence.

The detailed study of Hosea chapter four using the KJV version:

Verse 1:

“Hear the word of the Great Spirit, ye children of Akobe: for the Great Spirit hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of the Creator in the land.”

Verse 1 Breakdown:

In this verse, Hosea calls upon the children of Akobe to listen to the word of the Great Spirit. The Creator has a dispute with the inhabitants of the land because it lacks truth, mercy, and knowledge of the Creator. This verse sets the stage for the Creator’s accusations against the people of Akobe.

Now take a moment and think about the children of Abram, Isaaka, and Akobe.

The prophet is crying out declaring in the land, Sub-Saharan Africa, Juda and Samaria, northern and southern kingdoms. There was no truth, no mercy, and no knowledge of their Creator. The children of Akobe, both houses, Efraim and Yawada, they’d both gone away from the Eternal Father’s ways.

Verse 2:

“By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.”

Verse 2 Breakdown:

The Creator accuses the people of Akobe of engaging in various sinful acts. These are acts they’d picked up from the nations, including swearing falsely, lying, murder, theft, and adultery. These sins have become prevalent, and the consequences are evident as bloodshed continues.

Verse 3:

“Therefore shall the land mourn, and everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.”

Verse 3 Breakdown:

As a result of the prevailing sins, the land will experience mourning and distress. This suffering will extend to all its inhabitants, including the animals and birds. Even the fish in the sea will face consequences, such as overfishing or environmental damage. This verse should give us the awareness that as we sin, and do things against nature, we suffer the consequences of those actions.

Our negative behavior towards each other affects animals and their behavior toward each other and to us, the human species.

Verse 4:

“Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.”

Verse 4 Breakdown:

Despite the severity of their sins, the people of Akobe have become resistant to correction. They challenge and oppose the prophets of the Creator because they are hooked onto false priests. They avoid prophets of the Creator who attempt to guide them on the right path. This resistance to reproof further worsens their spiritual condition. Therefore, the Great Spirit has a conflict with the priests of the land, who control the people.

Verse 5:

“Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.”

Verse 5 Breakdown:

The Creator declares that both the people and the prophets will face consequences for their actions. There will be a downfall during the day, symbolizing their troubles, and even the prophets will face ruin in the night, signifying a lack of divine guidance. The mention of destroying “thy mother” could be interpreted as a reference to the land of Akobe itself, which will suffer.

Verse 6:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy Creator, I will also forget thy children.”

Verse 6 Breakdown:

This verse highlights the root cause of the people’s destruction: their lack of knowledge and rejection of divine knowledge. Because they have rejected this knowledge and forgotten the law of the Creator, they will face rejection in return. They will lose their status as priests and even their children will be forgotten by the Almighty.

This is HUGE!

People of the earth have opted for man’s knowledge. A good ole college degree; there is nothing wrong with our modern-day education. The problem is when we discard the Creator’s knowledge for man’s education. When we discard morality in the name of business and man’s knowledge.

This destroys a people, even the Creator’s people. We live in a world of “free will.” The Creator is obligated to allow you to destroy yourself if that is your desire. This is what happened to the children of Akobe.

Verse 7:

“As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.”

Verse 7 Breakdown:

The people of Akobe, despite their increase in numbers and prosperity, have continued to sin against the Almighty. In response, the Creator will change their glory into shame, signifying a reversal of their fortunes due to their disobedience.

In the book of Deuteronomy chapter 28, the polarity of their actions and results were given. If they obeyed His voice, they would become enriched. If the children of Akobe disobeyed, they would become cursed. Thus, their glory went from prosperity to poverty and captivity.

Verse 8:

“They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.”

Verse 8 Breakdown:

The leaders and priests are criticized for exploiting the sins of the people for their own gain. They focus on their own iniquity rather than guiding the people towards righteousness.

Verse 9:

“And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.”

Verse 9 Breakdown:

The Creator states that both the people and the priests share the same sinful behaviors. Therefore, they will face punishment for their actions, receiving rewards that correspond to their deeds.

Verse 10:

“For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Great Spirit.”

Verse 10 Breakdown:

The consequences of their sins are described as insufficiency and stagnation. Despite their actions, they will not experience abundance or growth because they have abandoned their relationship with the Almighty.

Verse 11:

“Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.”

Verse 11 Breakdown:

This verse highlights the negative influences that have taken hold of the people’s hearts: whoredom (spiritual and physical unfaithfulness), excessive wine consumption, and indulgence in new wine. These vices have led them astray from the path of righteousness.

Wine is a biblical metaphor for lies. When anyone indulges in wine or lies, they will be drunk. Spiritually drunken people make the same types of decisions physically drunken people make. You’ll think the land of Akobe is in northeast Africa, as we did for years. When in all soberness, the land of Akobe in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Verse 12:

“My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their Creator.”

Verse 12 Breakdown:

The people of Akobe have turned to idolatry, seeking guidance from wooden idols and divination tools (stocks and staff). This idolatrous behavior is attributed to the influence of a spirit of whoredom, leading them away from their divine Creator.

Verse 13:

“They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.”

Verse 13 Breakdown:

The people engage in pagan rituals and idolatrous sacrifices in high places, seeking the shade of trees for comfort. This behavior is depicted as an affront to their Creator, leading to moral decay and infidelity among their daughters and spouses. Oftentimes, the church has the most promiscuous women. From the older women in relationships with the pastor and deacons to the young girls trying on different boys, like shoes.

Verse 14:

“I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.”

Verse 14 Breakdown:

The Creator declares that He will not punish their daughters and spouses for their sins because the men themselves are involved with prostitutes and engage in idolatrous sacrifices with harlots. Spiritual orgies, it is called. This moral degradation will lead to the downfall of those who lack understanding. Many people have sprinted out of the modern church because of the observance of the behavior of the men, the so-called leaders of spirituality and religion.

Verse 15:

“Though thou, Akobe, play the harlot, yet let not Juda offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven nor swear, The Creator liveth.”

Verse 15 Breakdown:

This verse makes a distinction between Akobe (the Bantu) and Juda. Despite Akobe’s sinful behavior, the Creator calls on Judah not to follow the same path and not to make false oaths invoking the name of the Almighty in places like Gilgal and Bethaven. Remember, when the House of Efraim left the Kingdom of Juda (Yawada) to follow Jeroboam, Akobe was now two entities.

They were two kingdoms.

Osea is primarily speaking to the house or Kingdom of Efraim. When we use Efraim, we are referencing the 10 Tribes; Samaria. They are children of Akobe, siblings to Yawada. Therefore, since Efraim has sinned woefully, Osea warns Juda not to do the same.

Verse 16:

“For Akobe slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the Great Spirit will feed them as a lamb in a large place.”

Verse 16 Breakdown:

Akobe is compared to a wayward heifer that has strayed from the right path. As a consequence, the Almighty will lead them like a lamb in a spacious and open area, symbolizing both guidance and discipline.

Verse 17:

“Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.”

Verse 17 Breakdown:

Efraim, a part of Akobe, is depicted as deeply entrenched in idolatry. The Creator’s response is to let them be, allowing them to face the consequences of their choices. Yeroboam, the first king over the Ten Tribes, removed the Levites from doing the service of the Great Spirit. He also brought in the deities Baal and Baalim. That was the golden calf out of Egypt the Ten Tribe reverted to when they left the house of David during the days of Solomon. So they were heavily joined to idols with little ability to be drawn back.

Verse 18:

“Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.”

Verse 18 Breakdown:

The people’s actions are described as producing sour or bitter outcomes. They persist in their spiritual unfaithfulness and idolatry. Even their rulers are portrayed as indulging in shameful behavior, asking others to provide them with rewards.

Verse 19:

“The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.”

Verse 19 Breakdown:

This verse employs a metaphor of the wind capturing someone in its wings, symbolizing captivity or entanglement. The people will feel shame due to their idolatrous sacrifices. When they realize what they have done, shame will cover them. Shame will cover the faces of many people in the coming days, months, and years.

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Join us again as we go verse by verse to break down the following chapters.

Be strong and very courageous

Minister Koko
AKOPPI-BSM

Until next time, be enriched! This was a BibleStudyMinistry.com study. Be sure to sign up on our newsletter for more studies, current events, prophecies, and the divine principles to live by.