Hosea 7:1 ¶ When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
Hosea 7:2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.
This chapter starts with the LORD expressing His desire to heal Israel, but His righteousness and justice will not allow Him to do so in light of their lack of repentance and continuance in sin. The land is full of liars, thieves and marauding gangs. They don’t even seem to be aware of the fact that YHWH sees everything and knows all about their sin.
I wonder how descriptive this attitude is of many in the professing church today. Do we really comprehend the truth that God sees everything we do? Nothing we do is hidden from Him. From personal experience I can say it takes work to focus on that truth when one is making choices about how to utilize his/her time. The Psalmist words it beautifully.
Psalms 139:7–12 “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.”
Psalms 11:4 “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.”
Psalms 90:8 “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.”
Hosea 7:3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
Hosea 7:4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
These are verses that speak to the decadence of the rulers of the people—their kings and princes. The wording indicates that the moral culture is a result of following the lead of these adulterous rulers. I think that the main focus is on spiritual adultery, but physical adultery is part of that lifestyle. The word picture from verse 4 is of bread rising as the heat causes the leaven to permeate the whole. It describes a people full of fleshly passion that are fueled from their fleshly passions within. Their sins have spread to the point of permeating the whole nation.
Sadly, this characterizes the leaders of America as a whole more and more with each passing day.
Hosea 7:5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
Hosea 7:6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
Hosea 7:7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
These verses seem to be describing times of celebration in which the king drinks too much at the urging of his princes. They do not seem to understand that lack of control puts one in danger from others with ambitions for power. Plots are made that often result in partnerships in intrigue that result in the murder of the king. None of the leaders are smart enough to recognize that their only hope is to call out to God for His help from hearts of repentance.
JFB made note of the murder of five kings that illustrate the truth of verse 7-- Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah.
Hosea 7:8 ¶ Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
Hosea 7:9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
The people of Israel had embraced the people and culture of other nations. It had resulted in their acting like a “cake not turned”—half-baked, without proper reasoning. They did not seem to understand that their strength was only secure in a covenant relationship with God. The prophet compares their actions to those of people who are growing old and infirm but don’t realize it.
I am getting older now and my body can’t keep up with what my spirit wants to do sometimes. Those who are growing older should possess more wisdom than to follow the unbridled passions of or act with the foolish thinking that often are part of the process of maturing from child to adult.
Hosea 7:10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.
Hosea 7:11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
Hosea 7:12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
The arrogant and disdainful attitudes of the people testify to their disrespect and complete disregard of the LORD “their God.” They are not about to repent and turn from their sin. When they need help, they choose to turn to Egypt and Assyria, impotent men in light of the power of Almighty God. The LORD declares that they cannot escape His judgment. They are as helpless birds (silly doves) before Him, and will face His judgment as declared by His prophets.
I liked Constable’s comment: “Expediency and human wisdom marked by vacillation had guided Israel"s foreign policy for years rather than the will of God. This was "bird-brained" diplomacy. Emissaries had fluttered off to Egypt and Assyria seeking aid without realizing the danger that these nations posed.”
Hosea 7:13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
Hosea 7:14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.
Hosea 7:15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
Hosea 7:16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
God does not joy in judging His people, but He is the righteous judge. Their rebellion and lack of repentance call for His judgment. Not only have they acted in rebellion against God, they have testified falsely against Him. Though YHWH is the One who can heal the land and cause it to produce bountifully, they choose instead to seek the help of false gods that have no authority over the creation. In spite of the many ways God has shown Himself strong for His people since their establishment as a nation, they are determined in their rebellion.
The NLT gave good sense for verse 16: “They look everywhere except to heaven, to the Most High. They are like a crooked bow that always misses its target. Their leaders will be killed by their enemies because of their insolence toward me. Then the people of Egypt will laugh at them. “
I liked David Guzik’s comment on this section: “Israel saw their problem, but not their sin. When God's hand is against man, he easily sees he has a problem but often does not see it as sin against the LORD. So when Israel had problems, they wailed upon their beds, but not to the LORD. They sought remedies, but not from the Most High.”
Hosea 8:1 ¶ Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
This verse certainly has a number of different readings. The prophet is told to declare his message loudly and distinctly like the sound of the trumpet used to call the people to assembly or to battle or to warn of impending danger. An eagle is a bird of prey. It is also used in scripture to represent God’s protection and provision of His people.
Deuteronomy 32:9–12 “For the LORD’S portion is his people….As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.”
I believe this verse is comparing God to the bird of prey; it is declaring that God is going to come against His people in judgment because they have broken covenant and rejected His law without shame and/or repentance. The Hebrew for the word “house” is also a reference to “family.”
Hosea 8:2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.
Hosea 8:3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
Hosea 8:4 They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
The Lord knows that Israel is finally going to realize that they are in trouble and call out for His help-------but it will be too late. She has made her bed and now she has to lie in it. She now faces judgment at the hands of her enemies. The people had rejected God and chosen their own kings and leaders without regard to God’s will or leadership. These leaders led them right into idolatry and severed their relationship with YHWH.
I couldn’t help but think of the circumstances in America today. We have not sought God’s direction in choosing the leaders of our government, and we are certainly reaping the consequences of our foolishness and/or apathy.
Hosea 8:5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
Hosea 8:6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
Hosea 8:7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
“Thy calf” seems to be a reference to the idol of their god whose center of worship must have been in Samaria, the capital city. God is very angry at them and wonders if they will ever be smart enough to abandon the foolishness of idol worship. They are worshipping idols that they have made with their own hands. How can they possibly justify such actions in light of the actions of Almighty God on their behalf throughout their history—the actions of the self-existent, eternal God that is the Creator, not the created. This calf is nothing but a man-made figure that will eventually be broken in pieces.
The principle of sowing and reaping permeates the scripture—you reap what you sow. In this instance it seems that they are going to reap more than they bargained for. They have continued to plant and nourish seeds of sins that incur God’s anger (winds), and they are going to reap His wrath (the whirlwind) in judgment. The only harvest they can expect is one of their own destruction.
Hosea 8:8 ¶ Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
Hosea 8:9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
Hosea 8:10 Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
This is a very sad observation. The nation of Israel that was established as a special treasure before God and that enjoyed His special hand of blessing and protection was now a nation of no significance among the nations. They were like a wandering stubborn donkey looking to find someone to want them. Instead of enjoying a love relationship with YHWH, they were seeking to prostitute themselves to the heathen nations and their false gods.
In spite of their unfaithfulness, God will remain faithful. He will cause them to suffer the judgment of His chastisement with the intent of ridding them of idol worship.
This is an important truth in scripture. God is faithful to His word. His faithfulness can always be depended upon—both in love and mercy toward His people and in judgment of His enemies.
Deuteronomy 7:9–10 “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.”
Hosea 8:11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
Hosea 8:12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
Hosea 8:13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
Hosea 8:14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
I think the context of this section supports the NIV translation for verse 11: “Though Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings, these have become altars for sinning.”
Problem was—they were not acting in accordance with God’s law; in fact, they were acting like they had never even heard it. They were performing rituals without a heart or desire to obey God and in distinct rejection of the guidelines He had given for such sacrifices. God takes no pleasure in such rituals. In fact, these practices incite His anger and incur His judgment.
The NLT gives a clear statement of verse 14: “Israel has built great palaces, and Judah has fortified its cities. But they have both forgotten their Maker. Therefore, I will send down fire on their palaces and burn their fortresses.”
I almost missed a very important phrase in verse 12—“I have written to him….” This is an important truth that is under attack to this day—even from within the professing church. The scripture was written to man from God. Though He used human vessels in recording His word, the very words were inspired by His Spirit—He breathed the very words into their minds to record for our instruction.
2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”
I found this quote about the scripture from Spurgeon who so beautifully declares this truth: "This volume is the writing of the living God: each fetter was penned with an Almighty finger; each word in it dropped from the everlasting lips, each sentence was dictated by the Holy Spirit."