Hosea 13:1

Hosea 13:1 says, When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.  When Ephraim, a part of the nation of Israel, worshipped God in the awe that He deserves, Ephraim was successful.  The people were not satisfied with God's provision and protection of them though, and sought out idols, represented here by Baal.  We should learn to be content with our needs being met and not fall into the trap of allowing material desires to become what we are most interested in.  Ephraim was guilty of pride and greed and looked to man-made gods to fulfill these desires.  Verse two adds, And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.  Sin breeds sin.  God's chosen people were falling farther and farther away from Him.  We cannot allow even a small amount of sin in our lives if we are to effectively serve God.  Verse three continues, Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.  Though the people of Israel felt successful, their real accomplishments would be no more lasting than the dew or mist.  As soon as the sun came out, they would pass away.  If our works are not for God, they will not last in the Light, which Christ brings to our lives.  Verse four proclaims, Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.  God was reminding those who called themselves His people that He is the only God.  God is the only One Who can deliver and save people.  In this, we as His followers, must always be exclusive.  There is but One true God, and He alone can deliver us from sin and its penalty. Verse five adds, I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.  I believe that God was reminding the people of Israel that He was not some new god, like the ones they were worshipping, but that He had been with them since He called them.  Even in the bad times, God was with them, and so He is with us today. Verse six continues, According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.   God had been the One to bring them success, yet they had forgotten Him.  Sometimes, we seem to be closer to God in our struggles than we are in our successes, but we must remember that we owe it all to God.  Verse seven says, Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:  Verse eight adds, I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.  When God's people refuse to follow Him, they can expect God's judgment on them.  This is not God's desire, but it is a choice people can make.  Once more, if we are truly His through Christ, we are saved forever, but if we stray from His will, we can expect the things that we do that are not in God's will to be destroyed.  We must always remember that God alone should direct our lives.

Hosea 12:7

Hosea 12:7 says, He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.  Here, God is referring to Ephraim and comparing them to the merchants of Canaan.  The people of Ephraim were successful because they cheated people and loved to oppress them, just as the merchants of Canaan had done.  Remember, these were people who called themselves God's people.  We as followers of Christ are God's people today, and we must deal fairly with people in all our dealings with them.  We may not become as materially rich that way, but we will be spiritually enriched.  Verse eight adds, And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin. The people of Ephraim were basically saying that it didn't matter how they became rich in the things of the world, only that they had.  Their pride was in their business abilities, no matter how corrupt those business abilities might have been.  They were trading an everlasting relationship with God for temporary riches of the world.  They also felt it was all for their self-gratification at the expense of those they were supposed to be reaching for God.  Verse nine continues, And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.  The people of Israel may have failed in their part of their covenant relationship with God, but He would still remain true to His part, as soon as they repented and returned to Him.  When we, as followers of Christ, fail to live up to our commitment to God, He does not cease to be our heavenly Father.  God was speaking to the remnant of true believers and those that would later come to Him through faith.  He would give them tabernacles to live in.  They had worshipped in tabernacles during their wandering in the wilderness due to lack of faith, and they were going to be wanderers again. We think of tabernacles as places of worship, and with the Holy Spirit indwelling us, wherever we reside should be a place to worship God.  Verse ten states, I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.  God was still active with those who were called His people.  God sent prophets whom He spoke to through visions to minister to His people.  We, as God's people today, need to have a vision from God of what we are to do in the world.  We must not rely on our own strength or desire.  Verse eleven adds, Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.  The question is mostly rhetorical.  God answered that yes there was.  The people were full of self-pride and were worshipping false gods.  Verse twelve continues, And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.  God was reminding them that even though Jacob received the blessing that went with the birthright, he did so through deceit and had to flee with nothing.  He was a shepherd working for a wife instead of a leader of God's people.  When we attempt to go our own way instead of following God, we will be brought low spiritually.  Verse thirteen declares, And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.  Israel, was not restored until the prophet of God came to them in the land of Egypt.  God always calls us back to a right relationship with Him when we stray. Verse fourteen adds, Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.  Ephraim, and all the people of Israel, were turning away from God and to idols.  They brought punishment on themselves.

Hosea 12:1

Hosea 12:1 sats, Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.  God was again reminding His chosen people that they could only find security and satisfaction thorough following Him.  When they looked to the world powers for security, they would find themselves feeding on nothing but their own vanity, which would be as fulfilling as eating air.  If we are not following God's will for our lives, we are filling our lives with empty accomplishments.  Verse two adds, The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.  The people of Judah were also beginning to turn away from God, and they were dealing deceitfully with Him.  They were descendants of Jacob, who had dealt in deceit with those around him until he turned to God in faith.  We likewise deal with God in deceit until we come to Him by faith through Christ.  We need to be thankful that God deals with us through mercy instead of through justice, because justice can only bring punishment.  God calls on us as His followers, His people, to treat the people of the world the same way.  We are to approach them with mercy, not hatred or contempt.  If we are no different than the rest of the world, then that says that God does not change people into a new creation.  Verse three continues, He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:  This is still referring to Jacob.  Jacob is said to have been fighting to claim the birthright of the first born even in the womb but was unsuccessful.  No matter how early in life we may attempt to claim God's blessings of our own ability, we will fail.  Jacob was able to claim the birthright by deceit, but we can never claim a right relationship with God through deceit, but only through the truth of Christ.  Verse four states, Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;  This could be interpreted as Jacob defeating the angel and enforcing his will on God, but I believe it really says that until Jacob stopped wrestling with God and instead submitted to Him he never received the blessing of God.  We cannot come to God through our own strength and will but can only come to Him by asking His forgiveness through Christ.  Verse five adds, Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial. This tells us Who it was that sought Jacob and entered into a covenant relationship with him.  It was the Lord of hosts, the only true God.  Jacob's relationship with God was to be a memorial to God and not a memorial to Jacob. When God seeks us out and calls us into a relationship with Him, it is for our benefit but for His glory.  Verse six continues, Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.  The same call applies to us today.  We are to turn to God for direction in life.  God calls us to have mercy and use His judgment, not our own, to relate to the world.  Jacob was impatient to claim an earthly birthright, but he learned to wait on God for an everlasting birthright.  We must learn to likewise wait on God's direction continually.

Hosea 11:7

Hosea 11:7 says, And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.  Though Israel was called to be God's people through His mercy and their acceptance of Him as their God, they had backsliden into sin.  Though they were called to do God's will in their lives, none would exalt God.  We today as followers of Christ are God's by His mercy alone, and we are called to exalt Him in all that we do.  When we fail to do so, we like Israel are guilty of backsliding into sin once more.  Verse eight adds, How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.  This states that God debated with Himself about the fate of His chosen people.  Though nearly all had rejected Him, God was still ready to sustain them if they would turn to Him.   God does not let His people suffer destruction easily. Today, when we backslide, God isn't just waiting to destroy us, but He is waiting in mercy to restore us.  God does not want anyone to go away into everlasting separation, but He will allow it if we do not accept His gift of salvation. Verse nine continues, I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city. If God had acted as men act, Israel, or Ephraim as a part of the nation was singled out, would have been utterly destroyed.  God was not a man though, but He was and is God.  Verse ten states, They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.  Though most of the people of Israel had turned away from God, there was coming a day when all people would be called to follow after Him.  Though God could have destroyed them, He chose instead to call them to Himself again.  His voice would be like a lion roaring, something that could not easily be ignored.  When we as sinners hear the voice of God calling to us, we should tremble.  When we as redeemed sinners hear His voice, we should rejoice.  Verse eleven adds, They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD.  Though the people of Israel were scattered, when they heard God voice and responded to His call, they would be restored to their houses.  They would no longer be under the bondage of sin but would be restored to a right relationship with God.  We know this happened when Jesus Christ came into the world. Through our faith in Christ, we have a heavenly home.  There is a debate today about whether this is a mansion or a room, but that is not really the point.  It is where God is and if He prepared it, we can be certain that it will be perfect for us.  Verse twelve continues, Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.  God said that at this point, Judah, part of the divided kingdom, had not totally turned their backs on Him.  We know that they to would eventually be destroyed for their disbelief, but not yet.  There was always a remnant who believed, even when the nation as a whole turned away from God.  We as His followers are the ones who need to remain true to Him, no matter what the rest of the world does.

Hosea 11:1

Hosea 11:1 says, When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.  When Israel was as a child, looking to God for their deliverance, God called them His children.  God had delivered them out of Egypt, not just with their lives, but with a purpose.  They were to show God's love and mercy to the people around them and rely on God for their strength.  We, as followers of Christ, have been freed from the power and penalty of sin, becoming children of God.  Yet too often we place ourselves back under the power of sin.  The penalty has been paid by Christ, but we can still put our lives under the power of sin.  Anytime we fail to follow God, Who has redeemed us by His mercy, we allow sin to have power over us once more.  We must remember that the devil cannot make us do anything, but we can choose to give in to the temptation that he leads us to.  Verse two adds, As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. The temptation of the world, of those false gods, called to God's people, and they followed.  God through His power had made them His people and protected them, but they wanted what they thought was more that was promised by false gods.  We today may be tempted to chase after any number of false gods, but we need to remember that through God alone can we find true peace and purpose.  Verse three continues, I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them. God was reminding His people that He had delivered and healed them, but they no longer acknowledged this.  We cannot become so self-satisfied that we begin to feel that we do not need God. So often, when we think we have accomplished something great in life it is because God has been working through us without our even realizing it.  God was the reason for the success of Israel, but they didn't acknowledge it.  Verse four states, I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.  God was continuing to remind the people of Israel of all that He had done for them.  We shouldn't need that reminder.  When we are following God's leadership, we will always know that He is the reason for every good thing in our lives.  Verse five adds, He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return. Israel was not going back to Egypt, but since they refused to return to God, they were going away into captivity.  When we turn away from God as followers of Christ, we do not go back under the everlasting death sentence of sin, but we do put ourselves back under the power of sin.  We cannot be neutral.  We either follow God or we follow sin.  Verse six continues, And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.  When Israel followed their own council instead of the council or leadership of God, they were destroyed.  As followers of Christ today, when we follow our own council instead of the council of God, we will have the things that we accomplish ultimately destroyed.  Only those things that we do under the leadership of God will bear everlasting fruit.

Hosea 10:8

Hosea 10:8 says, The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.  God was telling the people of Israel what was to come of their worshipping idols.  The high places where they committed the sin of idolatry were to be destroyed.  Soon, there would be no evidence of their existence.  The thorns and thistles would overtake them.  The same is true of any idol we allow to come between us and our relationship with God.  One day, they will no longer be remembered in the world or in heaven.  Still, Israel, those chosen to be God's people, would be looking to those high places for deliverance instead of returning to God.  If we allow things to get between God and us, we must look to God for forgiveness, and never be guilty of looking to those things that have failed us.  Verse nine adds, O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.  I believe Hosea was telling the people of Israel that God saw that their iniquity was greater than those of their forefathers.  As God's people, they were to represent Him to the world and lead the people around them to God.  Instead, they chose to be led by the world and bring dishonor to God.  As followers of Christ, we need to make sure that we lead the world to Him and never allow ourselves to be lead away from God.  Verse ten continues, It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.  God did not desire their destruction but was going to allow them to be chastised for their disobedience.  When we are out of God's will, He will allow us to be chastised so that we might look to Him again for our strength.  Verse eleven states, And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods. I believe God was telling the people of Israel that they were all to become slaves to other nations.  They had been free to enjoy the fruits of their labor, but now were to be yoked to labor for others.  Verse twelve continues, Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.   God was calling for them to return to Him.  Their coming captivity was a result of their disobedience to God, but He stood ready to forgive them whenever they repented and returned to Him.  If we stray from God, He stands ready today to forgive and restore us.  We need to sow righteousness so that we may reap mercy.  I don't believe this means we are to work for restoration with God, but that when we return to Him righteousness will flow from us as we claim His mercy toward us.  Verse thirteen states, Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.  God's people were living wicked lives filled with iniquity because they had believed the lies of the world instead of the truth of God.  They put their faith in mighty men instead of God.  Verse fourteen adds, Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.  Israel was to be left without God's protection, and they would be completely destroyed.  If we allow anything to come between God and us, the results of our labor will ultimately be completely destroyed.  Verse fifteen continues, So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.  The kingdom of Israel was to be without a king and cease to exist as a separate nation because of their failing to keep their covenant relationship with God.  Through Christ, we enter into a covenant relationship with God, so we need to strive to live for Him.  When we do, we need not fear anyone or anything in this world. We are God's for time everlasting.

Hosea 10:1

Hosea 10:1 says, Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.  Though the people of Israel might have been prosperous, the prosperity was empty since it was based on their own strength and not God's power and protection.  The people of Israel had built many altars, but they weren't built to worship the one true God.  In our prosperity today we may build up many altars that we worship at, but unless they are built for glorifying God, they are empty altars.  Verse two adds, Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.  The heart of the people of God was divided.  This speaks of the nation as a whole. Their hearts no longer belonged to God alone, but they were attempting to make Him no more than just another God.  We today cannot serve God effectively if our heart is divided between God and the world. If we are to be a Christian nation, then we must put God first in all things.  Verse three continues, For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us? The people of Israel seemed to know that their problems came from not fearing God.  Again, this does not mean that they should have been trembling because of what God might arbitrarily do to them, but that they should have had an awesome respect for Him.  There was a time when Israel demanded an earthly king, someone that other nations could see, but now they were questioning what good it did to have a king.  If we begin to put our faith in earthly rulers and forget about God, we will soon be asking the same question.  Verse four states, They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.  Israel still claimed to be in a covenant relationship with God, but their words were empty or meaningless.  Unless we as followers of Christ are lead by the Holy Spirit in all that we do, we too are guilty of not living up to our covenant relationship with God.  If we are out of God's will then what we do will be like poison to our relationship with God.  Verse five adds, The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.  Israel was to mourn, not over breaking their covenant relationship with God, but over the failure of their idols to protect them.  Verse six continues, It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.  The idols that they built and worshipped were going to be given to the king of Assyria as a present.  Anything that we allow to become an idol in our lives will ultimately go to someone else.  Anything we put more faith in than what we put in God will never last.  It would be best if we tear down these idols, but if we don't, we can be sure that they will ultimately be torn down.  Verse seven concludes, As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.  The earthly kings that Israel put their faith in were no more than foam on the water and would ultimately be destroyed as well. All that oppose God will ultimately be destroyed.