The Message of Hosea: Love to the Loveless
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The Message of Hosea

Love to the loveless

Derek Kidner

formerly Warden of Tyndale House, Cambridge

Inter-Varsity Press

Inter-Varsity Press

Norton Street, Nottingham NG7 3HR, England

Email: ivp@ivpbooks.com

Website: www.ivpbooks.com

© Derek Kidner 1976. Originally published under the title Love to the loveless

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Inter-Varsity Press or the Copyright Licensing Agency.

Unless otherwise stated, quotations from the Bible are from the Revised Standard Version, copyrighted 1946, 1952, © 1971, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.

The exposition of chapter 14 first appeared as an article in Themelios 1.2 (Spring 1976), and is reprinted (with minor alterations) by permission.

First published 1976

Reprinted 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978-0-85110-730-1

Inter-Varsity Press publishes Christian books that are true to the Bible and that The gospel, develop discipleship and strengthen the church for its mission in the world.

Inter-Varsity Press is closely linked with the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, a student movement connecting Christian Unions in universities and Colleges throughout Great Britain, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Website: www.uccf.org.uk

The Bible Speaks Today

Series editors: J. A. Motyer (OT)

John Stott (NT)

Derek Tidball (Bible Themes)

The Bible Speaks Today

GENERAL PREFACE

The Bible Speaks Today describes three series of expositions, based on the books of the Old and New Testaments, and on Bible themes that run through the whole of Scripture. Each series is characterized by a threefold ideal:

• to expound the biblical text with accuracy

• to relate it to contemporary life, and

• to be readable.

These books are, therefore, not ‘commentaries’, for the commentary seeks rather to elucidate the text than to apply it, and tends to be a work rather of reference than of literature. Nor, on the other hand, do they contain the kinds of ‘sermons’ that attempt to be contemporary and readable without taking Scripture seriously enough. The contributors to The Bible Speaks Today series are all united in their convictions that God still speaks through what he has spoken, and that nothing is more necessary for the life, health and growth of Christians than that they should hear what the Spirit is saying to them through his ancient—yet ever modern—Word.

Alec Motyer

John Stott

Derek Tidball

Series editors

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About The Message of Hosea: Love to the Loveless

“Go and marry a prostitute.” These are the first words God spoke to his prophet Hosea. Why would he ask this of one of his spokesmen? Because he wanted to teach Hosea, the nation of Israel, and all of us today a lesson that we will not forget, a lesson that is painful yet joyous.

Hosea’s somber portrait of the human condition is our lesson in pain. All of us have played the harlot by forsaking God and His ways. The picture is not pretty, but it’s true. Yet Hosea’s clear illustration of God’s love for us brings joy. While we are yet sinners, God comes to us and loves us.

Derek Kidner takes us through the unfolding story of Hosea and his wife, Gomer, explains the basic message, points out the subtleties, and encourages readers to live lives worthy of God who loves the loveless.

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