Hosea 1:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They restored the holy temple and made plans for their homes. Thus, the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel would be gathered together, forming one authority as they returned from the land of their captors, which signifies the foreign territories where they were exiled. The phrase regarding "the day of Jezreel," while not aligning directly with the historical account, signals that Israel would again be named the people of God, despite their former wickedness, which rendered them "not my people." The phrase "the sons of Judah" refers to the collective whole of the Jewish nation as they will be in the latter days. Under Christ's sovereign reign, all will come together. This prophecy was spoken by God through the prophet Ezekiel, who foretold of Christ, saying, "And I will raise up for them one shepherd, and he shall feed them, my servant David; he shall be their shepherd" (Ezekiel 34:23). Here, Christ is identified as the Davidic descendant in the flesh. Once the multitudes of the Gentiles have been called, Israel will finally return, all united under one sovereign rule. The phrase indicating that they "shall come forth" suggests that those who have fully embraced the Savior's authority will depart from worldly concerns and transcend carnal appetites. This notion is affirmed by the psalmist, who notes, "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10), and by Paul, who states, "Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24). Alternatively, this may also point to the resurrection from the dead, as Christ declared, "Amen, I say to you, he who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live" (John 11:25). One may question whether the unbelievers will remain dead and not rise alongside the faithful. The Savior elucidates this, stating, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). Thus, all will experience resurrection, both the righteous and the wicked, but the latter will not share in the same fullness of life. Those outside of Christ, condemned by their unbelief, will ultimately face a fate harsher than death, subjected to judgment for their transgressions. In contrast, those who belong to Him and share in divine communion will experience not only the general resurrection but also receive blessings, honors, crowns, rewards, and glory. Paul attests to this, declaring, "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). This indicates that they will emerge from the earth, living as saints, as "great is the day of Jezreel." Truly, "great is the day of Christ," when He will resurrect all who have died, return from heaven, and take His rightful place upon the throne of glory, rewarding each according to their deeds (Matthew 16:27). Should anyone interpret the day as the time of Christ's first coming, during which He offered forgiveness of sins to the Greeks, the Jews, and all who transgressed against Him, such an understanding remains truthful. David foretold this blessed time, declaring, "This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24).

The prophet further states, "And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and shall set themselves one head, and shall go out of the land" (Hosea 1:11). Elaborating on this can complicate the original prophetic intent, so we will keep in mind the familiar cornerstone and the two supporting walls, one designated for the Jews and the other for the Gentiles (Eph. 2:14-15, 20-22). The first wall represents the children of Judah, while the second refers to the children of Israel; together, they stand upon the same foundation, emerging from the earth. Concerning those Israelites who currently do not believe in Christ but are expected to do so in the future — their descendants will depart to their own destiny through death — the prophet declares, "For a long time the children of Israel shall remain without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, without altar, without ephod and teraphim" (Hos. 3:4). It is evident that the Jews find themselves in a similar predicament today. The prophet adds, "After that the children of Israel shall turn back, and shall call upon the Lord their God, and upon David their king, and shall reverence the Lord and His goodness in the last days" (Hosea 3:5). This prophecy is unmistakable, particularly when we interpret David as a reference to Christ, who, as the apostle affirms, "was of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Rom. 1:3). Furthermore, the prophet anticipated the resurrection of Christ on the third day, expressed in elevated prophetic language: "He shall revive us in two days, and on the third day shall raise us up" (Hos. 6:3). In light of this, the apostle says, "If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things of the high places" (Col. 3:1). The prophet Amos also spoke of such themes, saying, "Prepare thyself for the meeting of thy God, O Israel. For behold He who forms the mountains and makes the wind, and announces to man his intention" (Am. 4:12-13). Additionally, Amos proclaimed, "In that day I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which is fallen, I will mend the cracks therein, and will restore that which is destroyed, and will set it up as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all nations, among whom my name shall be proclaimed, saith the Lord, who worketh all these things" (Am. 9:11-12).

However, the complete realization of these prophetic words is found in the moments when the Lord brought salvation to His people, liberating them from Satan and his agents who tormented the martyrs. They were the seeds that God later scattered through Christ, as the apostle Paul declares, "men renewed, zealous for good works" (Titus 2:14). This is the essence of the name Jezrael. The book of Judges recounts how Gideon led his forces from the valley of Jezreel, marking the start of his triumphs when he defeated the Midianites and their allies (Judges 6:3-7). The prophet may invoke Jezreel to help the Jews realize that just as Gideon's day out of the valley was remarkable, so too will their deliverance from Babylon be a glorious beginning filled with blessings. Yet, this deliverance will not be orchestrated by their own efforts but will be accomplished by God, reflecting His graciousness as previously stated, "And I will not save them with bow or sword" (Hos. 1:7).

Where they once said, "You are not My people," they will be recognized as the children of the living God, for this is a result of the greatness of the day of Jezreel.

For those who waver in their opinions, the Apostle Paul provides clarity in his letter to the Romans: "But if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom He has called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles." As Hosea proclaims, "I will call not my people my people, and her who was not beloved beloved." In the very place where it was said to them, "You are not My people," they shall be referred to as sons of the living God. Isaiah cries out for Israel: "If the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, they shall be saved." The word will be both fulfilled and brought to completion in righteousness; the Lord will act upon the earth. And as Isaiah has stated, "If the Lord of hosts had not left us a remnant, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah."

What can we conclude? The Gentiles, who do not pursue righteousness, have attained righteousness by faith. Conversely, Israel, striving for a law of righteousness, has not attained it. The blessed apostle, referencing the prophecy of Hosea and applying it to the calling of the Gentiles, clarifies that this was realized during Christ’s time; indeed, all twelve tribes of Israel are selected, encompassing the entire Jewish people and, from Judah, the Gentiles who profess faith in Jesus Christ.

If someone unfamiliar with the faith in Christ, yet belonging to the circumcised, argues that the children of Judah and Israel refer to the two and ten tribes we have discussed, we can concede this point without compromising our faith. When the descendants of Israel are scattered like the grains of sand, and their multitude is beyond reckoning, Israel—previously labeled unpardoned and not My people—will achieve freedom and peace with the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, most of whom have come to believe in Christ. Those who were physically divided will be united in faith under one head and one leader, as Ezekiel foretold: "And one prince shall be among them, My servant David," who will rise as those dead in unbelief.

This unification stems from the great day of the children of God, signifying Christ. The blood of Nebuchadnezzar, the Israelite, serves as a foreshadowing of what has been ultimately fulfilled in Christ. For it is through Him that the significant day of Jezreel is established, which proclaims: "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

In terms of how this relates to heretics versus the members of the Church, the interpretation aligns as follows: When the Lord appears in His glory, those previously identified as not His people will be recognized as the sons of the living God—this occurs at the moment they unite with Judah, namely, the Church of God, recognizing Christ as their sole head. They will rise above earthly concerns and superficial interpretations, receiving the great day of the children of God. Some versions read "not loved" instead of "not pardoned," but the translations emphasizing "not pardoned" are more accurate, as God confirms His mercy towards the house of Judah.

Through this, He signified the call to come out of Babylon, indicating that upon their return, they would no longer be ruled by separate kings. Instead, they would unify as one nation under a single leader, a promise fulfilled during the era of Zerubbabel. Jezreel marked the day of Jezreel, reflecting the calamity the Assyrians inflicted upon the Israelites during the tribulation of Jezreel. If, God says, I impose a heavy punishment upon them, I will also grant them immense salvation, and after liberating them from captivity, I will lead them back to their homeland.

Thus, there are not two gods, two Sons, or two Holy Spirits, but one divine nature, the consubstantial Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When we assert consubstantiality, this does not imply confusion. To be consubstantial does not mean to be one single entity, nor does it divide the essence of the true Son in relation to the Father, nor does it detach the hypostasis in order to maintain this consubstantiality. For it is not two beginnings that the Divine Word proclaims, but one beginning. As it is said, "the house of Judah and the house of Israel shall be gathered together, and shall set themselves under one authority."