Depiction of the end times

In today’s passage, Hosea prophesies about the coming Tribulation. Since both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah are described as facing judgment together, it is clear that this is not a prophecy about the Assyrian captivity of the northern kingdom. This passage should be understood as a prophecy of the judgment that will fall upon the people of Israel during the Great Tribulation. (1) A command is given to sound a warning to God’s people: “Blow the horn in Gibeah, And the trumpet in Ramah. Sound an alarm at Beth-aven.” When traveling north from Jerusalem along the central hill country, you come to Gibeah, then Ramah, then Bethel (Beth-aven). (2) “The leaders of Judah have become like those who displace a boundary marker.” In the Mosaic Law, moving a boundary marker (a small pile of stones marking property lines) was considered stealing another person’s land and was a very serious sin. In later times, the phrase “to move a boundary marker” came to be used metaphorically (ref. Prov. 22:28; 23:10). Its meaning became: “to change the standards of right and wrong according to one’s own desires.” The leaders of Judah had begun determining good and evil according to their own self-willed standards. Therefore, God’s judgment would fall upon them. (3) Ephraim (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom) will recognize that their condition is diseased, both outwardly and inwardly, and seek help from someone other than God. It says, “Ephraim then went to Assyria and sent word to King Jareb.”  Historically, the northern kingdom never made a covenant with Assyria nor sought its help. Likewise, no king named Jareb (meaning “the arguing king”) ever existed. Therefore, this passage should be understood as a prophecy of a future event. The king to whom they will seek help is the Antichrist (ref. Dan. 9:27; Isa. 28:14–22).

Like a lion, like a young lion

The Lord, like a fierce lion, will tear His people and then depart. This is a prophecy that the people will face severe suffering during the Tribulation. Verse 15 is a very important passage: “I will go away and return to My place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; in their distress they will search for Me.” (1) “My place” refers to heaven. Since He says As it says He will return there, it presupposes that He must first have come down to earth. This is a prophecy that Jesus, the Son of God, would come down to earth as a man, and after His resurrection, ascend back to heaven. (2) During the Tribulation, the people of Israel, while suffering, will begin to seek the Messiah, Jesus. This will lead to the national salvation of Israel. When this takes place, Jesus will return as the glorious King. Let us remember that suffering will lead the people of Israel to faith and let us pray for their salvation. And when we experience suffering in our own lives, let us open our hearts to God so that we may learn from it. Even now, God speaks to us.