The Book of Hosea or Osee begins the final section of the Old Testament known as the Minor Prophets. They are “minor” only in the sense that the books bearing their names are shorter in length than the preceding ones known as the Major Prophets. These books already formed a collection when the Book of Ecclesiasticus was being written. The Hebrew Bible arranges the Minor Prophets in historical order according to their traditional date of composition. The Jerusalem Bible which we have been following uses the same order.

  We know nothing about Hosea, the author of this book, except what can be learned from the pages attributed to him. Of course, he did not sit down and write a book. His prophecies over the years except from the page attributed to him. Of course, he did not sit down and write a book. His prophecies over the years were recorded in whole or in part by himself or by his followers and eventually were compiled into book form. Hosea was active in the northern kingdom of Israel from about 750 to after 732 B.C.

  His active ministry begins in the reign of King Jeroboam II who expanded the kingdom to its greatest territorial extent and raised it to its highest material prosperity. From his death in 746, the kingdom quickly deteriorated to complete subjection to the Assyrians within twenty years that were marked by a chaotic succession of six kings, four of whom were assassinated. By the year 721, the northern kingdom was at an end, the people were led into exile and strangers settled in the land. What role did Hosea play?

  Hosea was the conscience of the people. He warned that the people must suffer punishment, even exile, for turning away from Israel’s true God and his prophecy of the future was fulfilled.  Although the kingdom was riddled with political strife and revolution, Hosea saw these as only symptoms of the fundamental disorder: forsaking Yahweh, true God and salvation, for Baalism, the cult of the fertility gods of Canaan, and relying on them for good crops, healthy children. Hosea characterised this apostasy as harlotry, for Israel had forsaken its true lover to give itself to idol worship with all the grossest of sexual abuses.

   Hosea knew by experience the hurt caused by an unfaithful wife, for his own wife, Gomer, had deserted him when confronted with her adultery. Hosea still loved her and longed for her to give up her way of life and return to him. Eventually she repented and returned to a forgiving and loving husband. Hosea compares Israel to Gomer. Israel is the bride of God. She has become a faithless harlot and has aroused the anger and jealousy of her divine husband. But God’s love remains and, after punishment  which is meant to b ring her back, God will restore her to the joys of their first love, the period which followed the making of the covenant between God and His Chosen People.

  Hosea was the first to describe God’s relationship with man in terms of marriage. The underlying theme of his preaching is divine love rejected by the people upon whom it is lavished. The Book of Hosea influenced greatly later writings of the Old Testament. The call of succeeding prophets to a religion of the heart with God’s love as its motive force stems from the inspiration of Hosea. The New Testament and the early Christian community apply this theme to the union of Christ and His Church. Mystics apply it to the individual soul. It is also for us today the basis of devotion to the love of the Heart of Jesus.

  Joel, like Hosea, is known only from the written word that has come down to us. Apart from the mention of his father’s name, there is no person reference in the book that bears his name.

  Scholars believe that it was written about 400 B.C. when the wall of Jerusalem had been rebuilt, the Temple had been restored and regular services were held for the community within a trumpet call which could assemble within the courtyard. The fall of Jerusalem, the Exile, the loss of their lands to strangers are all memories.

  The book is divided into two sections: a very severe plague of locusts in Chapters 1 and 2; a description of the messianic  Day of Yahweh in Chapters 3 and 4. Joel interprets the plague of locusts as anticipation and warning of the coming of the Day of Yahweh.

  Joel, unlike the other prophets, has a good word to say about everyone. He has been described as one of the Scripture’s great optimists. Although he can mourn the plague  and call the people to penance, he knows that they will respond and that Yahweh will bless them abundantly in the future. Nations will attack Israel, to be overcome by the army of God – an optimistic prophecy for a nation entirely within range of a trumpet call.

    The outstanding feature of Joel is his prophecy of the new messianic community when the Spirit will be poured out on all the members of the community although he restricted the Spirit to the people of Israel. This prophecy will be fulfilled with the coming of the Spirit on the apostles. St. Peter quotes the entire passage from Joel in Acts 2:16-21. So Joel is the prophet of Pentecost. He is also the prophet of penance, fasting, prayer, as we hear so often in the Lenten liturgy. As in the time of Joel, so today, you can’t have one without the other.