Judgment Upon Priests, the People, and Kings
Hosea 5
Hosea 5
Hosea 5. The fifth chapter shows that Israel’s corruption had spread through every level of the nation: the priests, the people, and the rulers. Their spiritual adultery had become deeply rooted; they did not know Jehovah, pride prevented repentance, and their religious sacrifices could not restore them. Judah was also becoming guilty, removing God’s moral boundaries and following Israel’s course. Judgment was therefore approaching. God had first dealt with them gradually, like a moth and rottenness, but instead of turning to Jehovah, Ephraim sought help from Assyria, which was powerless to heal what God Himself had inflicted. The slow decay would therefore become sudden destruction, like the attack of a lion, ending in captivity. Yet the chapter closes with Jehovah withdrawing and patiently waiting for His people to acknowledge their guilt and seek Him in their affliction.
The Sin of the Priests, the People, and the Royal Family (5:1-7)
CHAPTER 5
1 Hear this, ye priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ear, O house of the king: for this judgment is for you; for ye have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor. 2 And they have plunged themselves in the corruption of apostasy, but I will be a chastiser of them all. DARBY
vv.1-2 A Three-fold Summons. The chapter begins with a three-fold call to the priests (religious leaders), the people of Israel, and the kings (civil leaders). This is not a call to repent, but a proclamation of judgment. Evil had now spread through the entire northern kingdom, infecting the people, the leadership, and the priesthood, which was intended to be the channel of God’s grace to His people. The leaders, rather than protect the people, had been a snare to them, on both sides of the Jordan (Mizpah and Tabor). They had fallen away from their God given place: “they have plunged themselves in the corruption of apostasy”. There must be chastisement from the hand of God, and it would extend to all the guilty parties.
3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me; for now, Ephraim, thou hast committed whoredom; Israel is defiled. 4 Their doings do not allow them to return unto their God; for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they know not Jehovah. 5 And Israel's pride doth testify to his face; and Israel and Ephraim shall fall by their iniquity: Judah also shall fall with them. 6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek Jehovah; but they shall not find him: he hath withdrawn himself from them. 7 They have dealt treacherously against Jehovah; for they have begotten strange children: now shall the new moon devour them, with their allotted possessions. DARBY
vv.3-7 Israel’s Sin and Unfaithfulness Exposed. The true condition of Israel is developed step by step. We find in v.3 that God knew their true condition: Israel was defiled. It was a mattery of whoredom, or spiritual adultery. In v.4 we see that their heart was wrong: a spirit of unfaithfulness controlled them, and they did not know Jehovah. Their sinful practices had become so established that they themselves became an obstacle to repentance. In v.5 we see that pride prevented humiliation: therefore they would fall. Judah was also guilty, and would fall with them, though it would happen later. Empty religion (v.6) could not correct it: sacrifices without repentance could not bring them near to God: He had withdrawn from them and stood aloof. They had been unfaithful to the Lord (v.7), and their departure had spread to the next generation: therefore judgment was coming. The very religious system, “the new moon”, in which they trusted was powerless to prevent judgment, and judgment would consume both them and their inheritance.
The Coming Judgment (5:8-14)
8 Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; cry aloud at Beth-aven: behind thee, O Benjamin! 9 Ephraim shall be a desolation in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which is sure. DARBY
vv.8-9 Judgment is Approaching. The trumpet sounds announcing imminent judgment. The alarm was to be sounded in Gibeah, Ramah, and Bethel (referred to as Beth-aven). These cities were all in the territory of Benjamin, but very close to the border between the northern kingdom and Judah. The picture is of an invasion moving southward: it had overtaken Ephraim was now right behind Benjamin! The desolation of Ephraim was a rebuke or warning to Judah.
10 The princes of Judah are become like them that remove the landmark: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water. 11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because in selfwill he walked after the commandment of man. DARBY
vv.10-11 The Reasons for Judgment. Various reasons are given. The princes of Judah had removed “the landmark” (Deut. 19:14; 27:17), referring to God’s boundaries in moral and spiritual things, giving the people license to trespass the law of God. Ephraim had fallen under judgment because in self-will they walked in man’s commandments rather than God’s. Both were guilty, but Ephraim was more advanced than Judah.
12 And I will be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness. 13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his sore, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb; but he was unable to heal you, nor hath he removed your sore. 14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah. I, I will tear and go away; I will carry off, and there shall be none to deliver. DARBY
vv.12-14 Slow Decay, then Rapid Desolation. The Lord was working in slow judgment, like a moth to Ephraim and rottenness to Judah, gradually weakening them. But rather than turn to Jehovah for the remedy, Ephraim shamelessly turned to the world for help: “but he was unable to heal you”. The Assyrian could not help because it was God was was inflicting the malady (v.13). But then, it would speed up… from slow deterioration to rapid destruction: “I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah”. For both Ephraim and Judah there would be a captivity: “I will carry off, and there shall be none to deliver.”
Jehovah’s Patience (5:15)
15 I will go away, I will return to my place, till they acknowledge their trespass, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. DARBY
v.15 Jehovah’s Patience. The Lord would patiently wait until there was repentance. For Ephraim it was too late, but there was opportunity for Judah. In a greater sense, the Lord is still waiting for that repentance, and one day “in their affliction they will seek me early”. The Lord will work with the hearts of a remnant of His people and His goodness will lead them to repentance.