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It will be found that during the troublesome period covered by the
judges, Israel as a nation was 'sold' on several occasions into the hand of a
conqueror. These servitudes that touched the whole nation are recorded as
follows:
Years
1st
Servitude
(Judges
3:8)
8
2nd
Servitude
(Judges
3:14)
18
3rd
Servitude
(Judges
4:3)
20
4th
Servitude
(Judges
6:1)
7
5th
Servitude
(Judges
13:1)
40
----
93
----
It will be seen, therefore, that when Solomon computes the date of the
consecration of the temple in the fourth year of his reign, he reckons that
these 93 years are 'lo -ammi' periods which, though finding a place in the
calendar of man, do not count on the calendar of God.
Let us now turn our attention to the prophet Hosea and see how this
prophetic title is introduced and illustrated. The prophecy of Hosea is
interwoven with his own peculiar domestic experiences. Twice the prophet is
told to marry; in the first case the three children of the marriage bear
prophetic names, in the second case the isolation of the woman forms a
background for the prophecy of Israel's separation from the Lord.
The structure sets this feature out in simple correspondence thus:
Hosea.
Chapters 1 and 3
A
1:2 -.
Symbol.
The first wife 'Go, take'.
B
1: -2.
Signification.
The land departs from the Lord.
C
1:3.
The Prophet takes Gomer.
D 1:4-11 and 2:23.
Prophetic names of children
suggesting rejection and restoration.
*
*
*
*
*
A
3:1 -.
Symbol.
The second wife 'Go yet, love'.
B
3: -1.
Signification.
Israel look to other gods.
C
3:2.
The prophet takes a woman.
D 3:4,5.
The rejection and restoration of Israel.
We have purposely omitted chapter 2 from the structure, and have
attached 2:23 to the earlier references for the sake of space. The complete
structure would need much more room than we can give it here.