Hosea 8:1

Hosea 8:1 says, 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.  God through Hosea was making His warning to His people very clear.  Israel was His in name only, but they had broken the covenant God had made with them.  When people who call themselves Christians add to or take anything away from salvation through Christ then God will give His warning.  If we are truly His followers and start to stray, God will sound the alarm in our hearts, and then we need to repent and return to following His will.  Verse two adds, Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.  Even as they rebelled against His covenant, Israel would cry to God that they knew Him.  Just professing to know God without accepting Christ as Savior and Lord does not make us His. We must allow the Holy Spirit to direct our actions and give us peace and security.  Israel cried that they knew God, but their actions denied it.  Verse three continues, Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.  Israel had cast of their covenant relationship with God, that thing that was good.  Anytime we look to the things of the world for strength and security instead of looking to God, we are casting off that which is good.  Verse four states, 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 people of Israel had set up kings without consulting God.  As followers of Christ, we need to consult God before we elect leaders.  We may not always have a very good choice, but we must ask God's direction in our choosing the person to vote for.  Israel had turned their silver and gold into idols, and though we may not actually build idols, we can start to worship our silver and gold.  We may want what is best for us financially instead of what is best for everyone, especially those who are less fortunate than we are.  Verse five adds, Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?  God told them that their idols had failed them and asked them how long it would be before they returned to Him.  They could only attain innocence through the mercy and forgiveness of God.  This is still true today.  If we stray from God, we need to look to Him for forgiveness.  Verse six continues, 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. My God, we know thee.  Idols made by hand will never be God, and ultimately will be broken into pieces.  God alone is God, and anything else we put above Him will ultimately be destroyed.