Israel’s Decline Proved to be Irrecoverable
Hosea 7
Hosea 7
Hosea 7. The seventh chapter exposes Ephraim’s deep corruption and refusal to return to Jehovah, despite His desire to heal and redeem them. Their wickedness was like a baker’s oven, smoldering beneath the surface until it burst into violence, conspiracy, and the downfall of their rulers. Yet even in their ruin, none called upon Jehovah. By mixing with the Gentile nations, Ephraim became “a cake not turned,” ruined for their purpose. Their strength was gradually disappearing like unnoticed gray hairs, but pride blinded them to their condition. Instead of seeking Jehovah, they foolishly turned to Egypt and Assyria for help. Though Israel cried in distress, they wanted their lost blessings rather than Jehovah Himself. They turned, “but not to the Most High,” like a deceitful bow that missed its intended purpose. Therefore judgment would overtake them, even though Jehovah’s desire had been to redeem them.
Ephraim’s Sin Exposed (7:1-3)
CHAPTER 7
1 When I would heal Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim is discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they practise falsehood; and the thief entereth in, and the troop of robbers assaileth without. 2 And they say not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now do their own doings encompass them; they are before my face. DARBY
vv.1-2 Israel’s Sins Exposed Before God. Though God was ready to heal Israel, their sin arose before Him, causing Him to bring them into judgment. The sin of Ephraim is exposed: chiefly the faults of lying (falsehood) and stealing. Even worse, they had lost the sense that God remembers our deeds. Their willful ignorance did not change the fact that God sees all and remembers all. Israel was encompassed by their sins like chains around a condemned man.
3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. DARBY
v.3 Wickedness Consumes the Rulers. The king and princes of Ephraim were fully engaged with the wickedness that engulfed Ephraim (v.3). It was widespread spiritual adultery, or unfaithfulness to Jehovah and serving other gods. The rulers not only tolerated, but enjoyed and encouraged it.
4 They all practise adultery, as an oven heated by the baker: he ceaseth from stirring the fire after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. 5 In the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine: he stretched out his hand to scorners. 6 For they have applied their heart like an oven to their lying in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth like a flaming fire. 7 They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me. DARBY
vv.4-7 A Baker’s Oven. Hosea compares the wickedness of Ephraim to the fire in a bakers oven (v.4). The baker allows the fire to smolder while the yeast is spreading, but that heat is still there in the coals. That is a picture of Israel’s unjudged desires. At times the wickedness would outwardly subside and remain hidden, but the fire was still burning underneath, waiting for the moment oxygen was applied. The opportunity came at something called “the day of our king”, which was apparently some special day associated with the king (v.5). Instead of soberly ruling the people, princes became sick through excessive drinking. Further, the king “stretched out his hand to scorners”, and associated himself with those who mocked. Rather than separating himself from evil, he joined himself with it. Their hearts were burning with evil while they “lay in wait”, planning in the darkness (v.6). Just as the baker could leave his oven overnight and find its heat ready to burst into flame in the morning, their wickedness would burst into action. Finally, the smoldering fire becomes an open flame (v.7). Their uncontrolled passions resulted in violence against their own rulers: “all their kings are fallen”. This foreshadows the chaotic closing history of the northern kingdom, with repeated conspiracies and assassinations. Zechariah was murdered by Shallum; Shallum was murdered by Menahem; and Pekahiah was murdered by Pekah. Israel’s wickedness was destroying its own government. Only eight of seventeen kings died natural deaths.1 The saddest statement comes at the end: “there is none among them that calleth unto me.” In spite of total ruination, they did not turn to Jehovah.
Ephraim’s Pathetic Condition (7:8-12)
8 Ephraim, he mixeth himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned. DARBY
v.8 A Cake Not Turned. Rather than remain set apart for Jehovah, Ephraim had mixed themselves with the surrounding Gentile nations. Because of idolatry, they had become indistinguishable from the world. Israel had become “a cake not turned”, overcooked by the baker’s fire; i.e. they had become good for nothing. As thoroughly worldly, they were ruined for their purpose. Sometimes we get the mistaken idea that we need a little of the world in our Christian life to keep us balanced. Actually, that is what ruined Israel. What keeps us balanced is love for God and self-judgment. The opportunity for self-judgment was past.
9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he knoweth it not. 10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face; and they do not return to Jehovah their God, nor seek him for all this. DARBY
vv.9-10 A Pitiful Condition: Weak and Unaware. Israel had been gradually weakened, and they were ignorant of it. Mixture with the nations had weakened them. Grey hairs had appeared, but went unnoticed. Their pride had blinded them. They did not feel their weakness and return to Jehovah.
11 And Ephraim is become like a silly dove without understanding: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. 12 When they go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowl of the heavens; I will chastise them, according as their assembly hath heard. DARBY
vv.11-12 Ephraim Seeks Help from Egypt and Assyria. Rather than turn to the Lord, Ephraim turned to Egypt and Assyria for help. They are called “a silly dove, without understanding”. It is a pathetic picture, to be obviously under the chastening hand of God, yet so stubborn that they will look anywhere else but to Him! They attempt to get help for foreign nations would not prosper: “When they go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowl of the heavens”. Jehovah would not allow them to get away, but would bring them into judgment.
Their Insincere Cry and Refusal to Return to God (7:13-16)
13 Woe unto them! for they have wandered from me; destruction unto them! for they have transgressed against me. And I would redeem them; but they speak lies against me. 14 And they cried not unto me in their heart, when they howled upon their beds; they assemble themselves for corn and new wine; they have turned aside from me. 15 I have indeed trained, I have strengthened their arms, but they imagine mischief against me. 16 They return, but not to the Most High: they are like a deceitful bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. DARBY
vv.13-16 Refusal to Return to God. We see the anguish of the Lord’s heart in in His reluctant determination to judge Israel. Their fundamental problem wasn’t simply idolatry, bad government, or foreign alliances. They had left Jehovah Himself: “they have wandered from me”. He reveals that His desire was to redeem them. Their destruction was not what He delighted in. However, they “speak lies” against Him. They misrepresented the very God who desired their blessing. They did cry out (v.14), but insincerely: “And they cried not unto me in their heart, when they howled upon their beds”. Their concern was with the material things they had lost: “for corn and new wine”. They wanted the gifts restored without truly returning to the Giver. He had trained them (v.15), but they took the very strength God had given them and used it in independence of Him. We must use what God gives us in dependence on Him. They had turned (v.16), but it wasn’t true repentance: “but not to the Most High.” Hosea compares them to “a deceitful bow”, that does not send the arrow where the archer aims (Psalm 78:57). They had gone awry from God’s purpose. Judgment would overtake them, with their corrupt leaders, and Egypt would have them in derision.