Peter and Hosea on Israel's Identity and Place in This Age

In his first epistle, Peter quotes Hosea 1.9-10 suggesting that the fulfilment of the Children of Israel being as the sand of the sea is found in the Gentile inclusion. Hosea hints at this and the New Testament confirms it in uncertain terms.

1 Peter 2 speaks of the disobedient who stumble - an indication of apostasy. The Holy Nation is now comprised of people who formerly were not a people but are now the people of God (echoing Hosea).

Spiritualised Hermeneutics and Old Testament Interpretation in Matthew 2

In obedience to an angelic vision, Joseph takes his family to Egypt to escape the bestial and murderous Herod. Upon the tyrant's death which is believed to have occurred about 4BC, the family (again at the instigation of an angelic command) returns to Israel and re-settles in Galilee.

Matthew in v.15 reports the return of Joseph, Mary and the toddler Jesus as the fulfillment of Hosea 11.1:

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

What kind of hermeneutic or interpretative method is being employed by Matthew? The verse comes in the midst of a passage of condemnation and denunciation of Israel's conduct, the type of passage we frequently encounter in the prophets. Immediately after the statement in chapter 11.1, the passage goes on to condemn Israel – Ephraim the northern kingdom and promises that they will be defeated by Assyria.