Book Review and Giveaway

Barrett, Michael P. V., Love Divine and Unfailing: The Gospel According to Hosea. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2008. Paperback, 224 pages

(Review copies courtesy of P&R Publishing.)
Purchase: P&R | WTS | Amazon | CBD | CVBBS | BJU
ISBNs: 1596380756 / 9781596380752

Michael P. V. Barrett (M.A., Ph.D. Bob Jones University) is president of Geneva Reformed Seminary, the Theological Seminary of the Free Presbyterian Church of North America. He is also an ordained minister in the FPC serving as an Associate Minister of Faith Free Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina. His other works include Beginning at Moses: A Guide to Finding Christ in the Old Testament; Complete in Him: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying the Gospel; The Beauty of Holiness: A Guide to Biblical Worship; and God’s Unfailing Purpose: The Message of Daniel.

The message of Hosea was first opened up to me in a class on the minor prophets taught by Dr. Michael Barrett. I remember highlighting and underlining words and phrases and filling the narrow margins of my Bible with notes from his lectures. Somehow that Bible got misplaced and was lost. I have regretted this ever since. Needless to say, I was thrilled to learn of the release of Love Divine and Unfailing: The Gospel According to Hosea just a couple of months ago.

A brief word about the series in which this volume is included would be appropriate. The Gospel According to the Old Testament Series is edited by Tremper Longman III and J. Alan Groves and published by P&R Publishing. This series includes contributions primarily from men who have given themselves to teaching the Old Testament (OT) but who are not necessarily considered to be scholars. This series is not aimed at scholars, but at preachers, Sunday school teachers, and studious laypersons. The aim of the series is threefold: to illuminate the prevalence of the revelation of Christ in the OT, to promote a Christ-centered reading of the OT, and to encourage Christ-centered preaching and teaching from the OT (see the Foreword, xi).

Like the others in this series and similar to Barrett’s God’s Unfailing Purpose: The Message of Daniel, Love Divine and Unfailing is not a commentary but rather a devotionally rich, Christ-centered, theological survey. This gospel survey is divided into three parts, is summarized with a conclusion and supplemented with an appendix, “Christ Out of Egypt,” dealing with the relationship between Hosea 11:1 and Matthew 2:15. Each chapter is concluded with questions for reflection, which help the reader to immediately apply the lessons learned. These questions also allow this book to be used in group discussion.

Part One introduces Hosea: his life, calling, historical setting, and theological perspective. Barrett identifies Hosea as a historical figure who not only lived and preached the burden laid upon his shoulders by God, but also wrote it down for us as we have it in its entirety in the OT.

Sometime during his prophetic career, God inspired Hosea to write. What he wrote was immediately canonical–the inspired rule of faith and practice. (p. 17)

Although critics deny the book’s unity and contest that chapters 4-14 were not written by Hosea, Barrett does not even raise this issue as a concern. Rather, he assumes the unity of the book and presses on to offer a suggested outline and a thematic statement. In short, Barrett identifies the theme of Hosea as, “although spurned, His love is constant” (p. 19).

Hosea’s name means “salvation”; however, Barrett is clear that this “is not a clue to the meaning, theme, or purpose of his prophecy” (p. 4). That stated, Hosea’s name does indeed “encapsulate his message” (p. 4). Hosea’s profession as a prophet is identified as a messianic occupation which, in and of itself, points to Jesus Christ (see pp. 5-15). Barrett walks the reader through the maze of dates and “apparent” contradictions in order to argue with great vigor for the veracity and authority of the Bible’s account of sacred history. I mention this because of all the books I’ve read and reviewed over the past couple of years, none have been as forward on this point as Barrett is.

One of the most significant sections of this book is the final chapter (3) in Part One. In this chapter Barrett argues clearly and convincingly that Hosea was a true reformer and that his theology was thoroughly covenantal. For those who do not adhere to covenant theology, you may be tempted to be put out by this section. However, if you will bear with Barrett throughout this chapter and if you will be a good reader and check a few other good commentaries on Hosea, you will see that Barrett’s identification of Hosea as a covenant theologian is by no means self-serving. The message of Hosea is indeed deeply rooted in the covenants. Now, with that said, you still may want to argue with him over the use of “covenant of grace” and “covenant of redemption,” but I found that he makes a clear and biblical case for using both phrases. (For more on this topic, see Barrett’s Beginning with Moses: A Guide to Finding Christ in the Old Testament [Greenville, SC: Ambassador-Emerald, 1999].)

Part Two argues for the legitimacy of interpreting the marriage covenant as symbolic of God’s covenantal relationship with his people. Part Three addresses the major points of Hosea’s sermons. These two parts are an expansion of an article Barrett wrote in 1996 for Biblical Viewpoint. I was able to locate my copy of this journal and compare the text. The greater part of the earlier article is reproduced but not in the same form. Barrett has done a wonderful job of revising and shifting around the material in order to build upon the foundation of Part One.

Although marriage is not the only metaphor Hosea used to describe God’s relationship to His people, it is the primary metaphor; and Barrett unpacks the significance of this metaphor in chapter 4. Barrett argues that the marriage metaphor is significant because it helps not only to put God’s jealousy in perspective but also to put Israel’s apostasy into perspective (pp. 66-68). A brief lesson in biblical typology finishes out this chapter and prepares the reader for a detailed discussion of the problem with interpreting Hosea’s marriage in chapter 5. Barrett identifies the two major views of Hosea’s marriage: the hypothetical view and the literal view. The literal view has three variations (the harlot view, the idolatress view, and the proleptic view), and Barrett offers his own hybrid view (pp. 80-82).

Chapter 6 follows Hosea’s references to the Exodus to take a closer look at the definite beginning of God’s covenant with Israel in order to establish Hosea’s prediction of the renewal of the covenant with Israel. Israel’s exodus from Egypt is a clear picture of the gospel and serves to remind the nation of God’s great redemptive plan. A helpful insight from this chapter is in regard to the giving of the Law.

God’s giving His law was ultimately a means of aiding His people to love Him. It was a gracious thing for Him to do…. The law and every other word that God spoke were expressions of His love. Israel’s disobedience to God’s law was a rejection, therefore, of His love. (pp. 111-12)

All of the book is devotionally profitable, but chapters 7, 8, and 9 are full of application as Barrett attempts to make sense of Israel’s waywardness. Chapter 7 seeks to offer answers to how Israel could break the covenant and why she did. Chapter 8 explains the accusations leveled at Israel (no truth, no mercy, and no knowledge of God). Chapter 9 brings us back to the fact that the prophecy of Hosea is not merely gloom and doom, but truly a message of hope. Barrett traces the “open door” passages in which God offers reconciliation, forgiveness, expansion and prosperity, and the clear directions offered, such as confession, commitment, praise, and dependence.

I highly recommend this book. I have not tried to show how Barrett illuminates the gospel in Hosea because I want you to acquire a copy of this book and discover this on your own. It is well planned and executed. I have come away from this book with a clearer view of the message of Hosea and a greater confidence in the OT’s presentation of the gospel. This is a must-read volume!
In conclusion, P&R Publishing has graciously supplied me with a couple of extra copies to give away to our readers. Please follow the “Discuss this article” link in order to leave a comment regarding one of the following items:

• This review in general
• The blessing Dr. Barrett has been to you either through his previous books or by means of his preaching or teaching ministry
• identify something you have come to understand about seeing, teaching, or preaching Christ from the OT.

I will pick two winners from the names of those who leave a comment. The two winners will be announced on Tuesday, January 13. If you are selected as a winner, I will contact you for a mailing address in order to send you a free copy of Love Divine and Unfailing: The Gospel According to Hosea.

Jason Button received a B.A. in Bible from Bob Jones University (Greenville, SC). He serves as the Book Review Editor for SharperIron and is the creator of TheoSource, a project to compile comprehensive lists of recommended books for Bible study. He is married to Tiffany, and they have two children, Caris Joelle and Asa Livingstone.

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