Hosea prophesied in the northern kingdom of Israel between about 745-722 BC.  His family life symbolized God's relationship to his people.  The book of Hosea tells how Hosea married a prostitute named Gomer to illustrate the situation.  Most of Hosea's messages are announcements of God's anger with Israel (the northern of the  two Israelite kingdoms) and God's impending judgment on this people.  Hosea's messages focus on Israel's unfaithfulness to the Lord and God’s unrelenting love to the people.