FRAMEWORKS:
Hosea 8: Israel
will reap the whirlwind of judgment
[Preliminary
Comment: So the condemnation of Israel continues,
a people who had altars and idols, who sounded spiritual but in
reality were far from God, deciding on their own rulers, doing
their own thing. What they have sowed will come back on them like
a hurricane bringing destruction. When they turn to Assyria for
help, they will find they take them into captivity and it will
be left to the Lord to bring them back in the years to come. It's
a clear and straight forward prophesy.]
v.1
Should a warning, an invader is about to bring judgment for my
people's rebellion
v.1
‘Put
the trumpet to your lips!
An eagle is over the house of the Lord
because the people have broken my covenant
and rebelled against my law.
v.2
Israel sound spiritual….
v.2
Israel
cries out to me,
“Our God, we acknowledge you!”
v.3
…. but in reality they have rejected me and an enemy will come
for them
v.3
But
Israel has rejected what is good;
an enemy will pursue him.
v.4
They don't refer to me when they need an new ruler, and also turn
to idols
v.4
They
set up kings without my consent;
they choose princes without my approval.
With their silver and gold
they make idols for themselves
to their own destruction.
v.5,6
You've had your calf idols from the beginning [1 Kings 12:28-30],
now destruction
v.5
Throw
out your calf-idol, Samaria!
My anger burns against them.
How long will they be incapable of purity?
v.6 They
are from Israel!
This calf – a metalworker has made it;
it is not God.
It will be broken in pieces,
that calf of Samaria.
v.7
If you sow wrongly you'll get it back in abundance, you'll no
real harvest
v.7
‘They
sow the wind
and reap the whirlwind.
The stalk has no head;
it will produce no flour.
Were it to yield grain,
foreigners would swallow it up.
v.8
Israel will soon be in exile in the nations
v.8
Israel
is swallowed up;
now she is among the nations
like something no one wants.
v.9
Having turned to Assyria, like an aimless wild beast, taken into
exile….
v.9
For
they have gone up to Assyria
like a wild donkey wandering alone.
Ephraim has sold herself to lovers.
v.10
…. I will yet recover you even as you appear to die at the hands
of the enemy
v.10
Although
they have sold themselves among the nations,
I will now gather them together.
They will begin to waste away
under the oppression of the mighty king.
v.11
You built many altars but used them wrongly
v.11
‘Though
Ephraim built many altars for sin offerings,
these have become altars for sinning.
v.12
You had the Law, but ignored it
v.12
I
wrote for them the many things of my law,
but they regarded them as something foreign.
v.13
Offering sacrifices without repentance will just reap punishment
v.13
Though
they offer sacrifices as gifts to me,
and though they eat the meat,
the Lord is not pleased with them.
Now he will remember their wickedness
and punish their sins:
they will return to Egypt.
v.14
Build as much as you both like, but I will destroy it all
v.14
Israel
has forgotten his Maker
and built palaces;
Judah has fortified many towns.
But I will send fire on their cities
that will consume their fortresses.'
Continue
to Chapter 9