Book of Hosea Chapter 1 Vs. 9

Hosea's Wife and Children

 

Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. Hos. 1:9

Then said God,... The 3rd prophecy in Hosea (Hos. 1:9-11; Hos. 1:9 fulfilled; Hos. 1:10-11 unfulfilled). Next, Hos. 2:1.

One Prediction—Unfulfilled:

You are not My people, and I will not be your God (Hos. 1:9).

Five Predictions—Unfulfilled:

1. The number of the children of Israel will yet be as the sand, which cannot be numbered (Hos. 1:10).

2. In the place where it was said, You are not My people, there it shall be said unto them, You are the sons of the living God.

3. Then will the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together (Hos. 1:11).

4. They will appoint themselves one head.

5. They will come out of the land.

Lo-ammi, not My people. This meant that God would cut them off officially as a people, and during that time would refuse to be their God.

Call his name... Lo-ammi means “Not My People”, indicating to the Israel of his day that they were not the Lord’s people, and that the Lord was not their God. This should in no sense be understood as an annulment of the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 12:1-3), an unconditional covenant depending solely upon God for its fulfillment.

I will not... Literally “I am no longer ‘I Am’ to you.” The phrase gives the breaking of the covenant, a kind of divorce formula, in contrast to the covenant or marriage formula “I AM WHO I AM” given in Exo. 3:14.

In this, God had divorced them. He no longer wanted them as His wife. They were unfaithful. The name "Lo-ammi" means not my people. Because of their unfaithfulness to be His, He will no longer be their God. He will not overrule their will and be their God. There is a lesson in this for us. We must, of our own free will, invite God to be our God.

Lo-Ammi: “Not My people”

The last clause of Hos. 1:9 (I am not your God) is literally, “and I [am] not I AM (’ehyeh) to you.” The statement probably alludes to God’s words to Moses, “I am (’ehyeh) who I am (’ehyeh). This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM (’ehyeh) has sent me to you” (Exo. 3:14). “I AM,” which is closely related to the divine name Yahweh, points to God as the covenant Lord of Israel who watches over and delivers His people (cf. Exo. 3:16-17). However, through Lo-Ammi the Lord announced that Israel would no longer experience His special saving presence.