Hosea 7 begins with emphasizing the sins of the nation of Israel. The prophet uses these words: “iniquity, evil deeds, wickedness, lies.” Hosea has been critiquing the people for worshiping gods, especially Baal. You live based on what you worship. Because they worshiped a god made after their own image, they were able to live the way they wanted to live, which was dealing falsely with their neighbors, lying, etc. They were all “adulterers” (7:4), probably in a spiritual sense.
Their spiritual zeal for Truth had subsided greatly (7:4). Their hearts were like ovens that smoldered through the night but then flared up in the morning (7:6). They were not consistent. Israel also did not have quality leadership (7:7). Ephraim was like a cake half-baked (7:8). Through all their experiences, they still refused to turn back to God (7:10). Rather, they sought inspiration from and alliances with Egypt and Assyria (7:11).
God will punish Israel (7:12), who had strayed far away from Him (7:13). God had blessed them but they turned away from Him (7:15). Eventually, they would be a derision to their neighbors (7:16).
God brought Israel out of Egypt on the wings of eagles (Exo. 19:4-6) but here, God would swoop against Israel as an eagle (8:1), because they had “transgressed His covenant.” They chose their own leaders, rather than following God’s leadership revealed in His law (8:4). Their gods were formed by man’s hands (8:6) and they have sown to the wind, but they will reap the whirlwind (8:7).
Hosea foresaw a day when Israel would be consumed by her neighbors (8:8). Rather than receiving pay for her adultery, as normal prostitutes do, Ephraim has to pay others for their services (8:9-10).
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Like so many “Christians” today who multiply their religious practices to appear spiritually-minded, so did Ephraim in Hosea’s day (8:11-12). Israel had sunk so low in their ungodliness that they thought God’s commandments were a strange thing. But, God did not take any delight in their hollow worship practices (8:13).
Since Israel had “forgotten his Maker,” God would send a fire on its cities and consume their precious palatial dwellings (8:14).
God is not less demanding of our commitment today, in our personal lives, in worship, and as a church.
Paul Holland
