idolatry), and without an ephod (i.e. Priest and Urim and Thummim), and

without teraphim (possibly venerated genealogies)' (Hos. 3:4).

Here is Israel's condition during the many days of their 'lo-ammi'

condition.  The king, the sacrifice, the ephod were truly theirs, but these

will be lost to them, said Hosea, and this is Israel's present condition

since the rejection of their true Prophet, Priest and King.  On the other

hand, no earthly ruler holds sovereign sway over Israel, for they are

scattered all over the earth, and owe allegiance to rulers of many lands, but

with none in particular.  They have not lapsed into idolatry since the

destruction of Jerusalem, neither have they any genealogies now to establish

their tribe or claim to the priesthood.  All is blank.  They just 'abide',

'wait' or 'mark time'.  There is, however, hope for this people who have thus

been cast off:

'Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their

God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and His goodness in

the latter days' (Hos. 3:5).

There is no room for a Pre -millennial kingdom here.

We have in prophetic terms the effect of the 'lo ammi' condition of

Israel in Hosea 3:4, and the return to normal conditions 'afterwards', 'in

the latter days', in the 'ammi' condition of Hosea 3:5.

There is perhaps one other reference to this lo -ammi condition in

Hosea, in the words of Hosea 6:1,2:

'Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will

heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.

'After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us

up, and we shall live in His sight' (Hos. 6:1,2).

The 'two days' here may have a prophetic import.  If they should

represent 1,000 years as some think, it would indicate the period of time

during which Israel were scattered among the nations, the third day would

then be the Millennial reign of 1,000 years.  This, however, cannot be

stressed and the two days may not have this significance.  It may be that the

reason for their introduction is to lead to the 'third day' when they are

'revived' and 'live' again in resurrection.  In either case the period of

death and of distance would be a lo -ammi period and would not be counted on

the prophetic calendar.

There are further references to this people in the remaining minor

prophets, but no new truth is introduced, and with this example of the use of

their lo -ammi condition we can bring the Old Testament examination to a

close.  Before we have completed our survey, we shall have to note the usage

and occurrences of laos, the equivalent Greek word of the New Testament for

For a fuller analysis (see article entitled Hosea8).