Page 95 - Divinity_F5

Divinity for Advanced Secondary Schools

Chapter Compassion, mercy
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Six and forgiveness

Introduction

We live in a world where there is a critical need for the spirit of compassion, mercy
and forgiveness. The desire for revenge has led to hatred, cruelty, conflicts and
even war. In this chapter, you will learn about the concepts of mercy, forgiveness
and compassion as presented in the book of Prophet Hosea. The competencies
developed will enable you to foster the mutual understanding of life skills necessary
in societies (communities, marriages, families) and cultivate a spirit of concern
for others.

religious evils. There were also threats
Think
from Tiglath Pileser III of Assyria.
The world without forgiveness,
mercy and compassion! After the death of Jeroboam II in 746
BCE, his son Zechariah reigned for six
Historical context of the book of months until he was assassinated by King
Hosea Shallum, who reigned one month before
Hosea prophesied from 750 BCE being assassinated by King Menahem.
to 722 BCE in a complex period of Meanwhile, the Assyrian Tiglath Pileser
Israel’s history. He started with a III (Pul) became King and started the
period of peace and prosperity, ending conquest of the Fertile Crescent. In the
with the time of greatest instability in territories he conquered, Tiglath Pileser
the kingdom of Israel, at the vigil of III tried to suppress nationalism by
exile. In the last period of his mission, deporting a section of the population and
Israel was characterised by political replacing them with settlers. Menahem
instability, involving assassinations of (745 BCE-738 BCE) was obliged to
kings together with many social and surrender Galilee and pay a significant

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