NBBC SS: Hosea 6-7

Introduction: When we think of Hosea, I imagine that many of us think of the unusual relationship that God’s prophet had with his adulterous wife that was to image the relationship between the faithful God and His unfaithful people. Hence, we are meant to sympathize with the Lord Who has been scorned by His people, in spite of His abundant faithfulness to His people. However, we as the Church are meant to ask ourselves, “How does this unique set of imagery relate to my relationship with the Lord?” As we consider this question, we’re going to jump over chs. 3-5 and look in detail at Hosea 6-7. Yet, a little context from Hosea 5 will be helpful to consider first.

In Hosea 5, particularly towards the end in vv. 8-15, the Lord draws attention to a conflict between Ephraim/Israel, the Northern Kingdom, and Judah, the Southern Kingdom. Conflict among God’s people, first red flag! Ultimately, the condition of relations between the two are so bad that Ephraim seeks an alliance with Assyria for assistance (Hos 5:11, 13). The Lord indicts both nations: Israel for relying on a foreign power instead of the Lord and Judah for disobeying the Lord by moving property markers (Hos 5:10). Hence, Israel’s problem, pointed out among many that we’ll consider in Hosea 6-7, concerns relying on the wrong relationships, or even more particularly with relationships in general. Judah’s problem, on the other hand, relates to disobedience to God’s Word. God had specifically forbidden the moving of boundary markers (Dt 19:14; 27:17). Why would anyone want to move boundary markers anyway? To get more land so that they can expand their farming enterprises, whether in livestock, agricultural production, or both. Why would anyone want to expand these resources? For more wealth that feeds a greedy, selfish heart. Hence, Judah’s problem with disobeying God’s Word betrayed a heart of selfishness. Is selfishness still a problem today, even among those that would call themselves God’s people? You bet. Thus, the problems marked out here are more common than one might think. What about when facing problems and where we put our reliance. When we face problems, where do we turn first? It should be to the Lord. However, there’s a temptation not to. When it comes to a sin problem, where one knows that they need to repent but refuse to and they feel the weight of their guilt, where do they turn? Sometimes, they turn to medication to soothe their feelings into a stupor that they forget their guilt associated with their sin. With this background in mind, let’s turn our attention to Hosea 6.

Hosea 6:1-3 “1 “Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. 2 “He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him. 3 “So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.””

When we read the phrase, “Come, let us,” what kind of phrase does this sound like?

An Invitation!

Who is making this invitation?

Hosea

What invitation does Hosea make?

For the people to “return to the Lord” with Hosea.

How did the people evidence that they were away from the Lord?

Hosea 5:10, Judah is disobeying God’s Word so that they can take advantage of other by moving property lines out of their own selfishness.

Hosea 5:13, Ephraim/Israel sought Assyrian help for their financial and security crisis instead of the Lord.

Look at the next phrase that Hosea uses to describe the Lord’s actions towards His people.

Hosea first uses the words “torn” and “wounded” (ESV “struck us down”; NIV “injured”; NKJV “stricken”).

These terms are employed elsewhere to refer to the actions of predatory animals, particularly as judgment from the Lord (Jer 5:6).

What do we know about predatory animals?

They stalk their prey.

The implication here is that the Lord has stalked His people, hunted them down on account of their sin.

While the imagery might sound strange to us, it actually reassures us of the Lord’s commitment to the relationship that He made with His people.

The Lord is not willing to let His people go on their sinful way.

Instead, He pursues them!

Notice also Hosea’s confidence in the Lord.

Hosea is confident that the Lord will provide restoration (Hosea 6:1, 2).

Such a confidence implies that Hosea knows that the Lord wants His people to be rightly related to Him.

This is where the phrase “live before Him” comes in.

There is an intimacy of relationship that is implied through the phrase “before Him” that is lit. translated as “before His face”.

In other words, the goal of the Lord’s restoration of His people is that His people would be with Him!

This is absolutely fascinating when you think about it.

The people have flagrantly disregarded a relationship with the Lord by turning to an enemy to be their ally, when the Lord is their greatest Ally!

The people have flagrantly disobeyed God’s Word in order to attempt to satisfy their own selfishness.

This is the Lord’s love and graciousness for His people who clearly need Him to transform their lives.

Hosea’s confidence in God’s desire for the repentance of His people resulting in a restored relationship motivates Hosea’s encouragement in Hosea 6:3.

How does Hosea encourage the people here?

To not just know the Lord but to exercise effort in knowing the Lord.

The phrase “press on” is used elsewhere to describe an attacker pursuing a victim in order to overtake them.

In other words, Hosea is encouraging an intense pursuit of knowing the Lord.

The people have been pursuing other things so far but those have come up wanting.

If only they would pursue the Lord like they pursued other relationships and pleasing themselves.

Notice how Hosea describes God’s character.

God is faithful, just like we can be certain that dawn will come tomorrow.

The Israelites can’t count on the Assyrians for in just a few year the Assyrians will overtake them and place them in captivity!

The Judeans can’t trust one another on account of the fact that they are willing to take advantage of others just to satisfy their selfishness.

God is refreshing, like a Spring rain that replenishes the earth.

The Israelites ultimately found no refreshment from their relationship with Assyria.

Taking advantage of others would result in conflict so the Judean lifestyle certainly did not result in refreshment.

Application: Hosea’s encouragement to his countrymen to repent before the Lord reminds us that the ultimate benefit of such repentance is relationship with our faithful and refreshing God.

No one and nothing is as faithful and refreshing as the Lord is.

Our seeking other things or relationships over the Lord or disobeying the Lord to satisfy our desires always comes up short.

Transition:

Hosea 6:4-11 “4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud And like the dew which goes away early. 5 Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth. 6 For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 7 But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me. 8 Gilead is a city of wrongdoers, Tracked with bloody footprints. 9 And as raiders wait for a man, So a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Surely they have committed crime. 10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim’s harlotry is there, Israel has defiled itself. 11 Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, When I restore the fortunes of My people.”

When we hear the kind of question, “What shall I do with you?” what comes to mind?

Some may use it as kind of a funny way of indicating that they are going to do something really good for the other.

However, the Lord has no such intentions in mind.

Instead, this is the Lord’s personal deliberation as to how He would respond to the people in light of their sin.

In other words, there’s an ominous tone that whatever the Lord decides, it won’t be good.

What is the basis for the Lord’s ominous deliberation?

The lack of loyalty on the part of both Ephraim and Judah.

Notice, the Lord is not saying that the people don’t have any loyalty to the Lord.

Rather, the Lord indicates that their loyalty quickly disappears like a morning cloud or the dew that dries when t he sun hits it.

Notice the references to the Lord’s warnings in Hosea 6:5.

He sent His prophets with His Word.

This had the effect of shining the light in exposing their sin through the declaration of God’s judgments against the people (NAC).

Think about the power of God’s Word that is implied here.

The Lord is more than aware of their sins.

Remember, the specific sins that the Lord has addressed here are both selfishness in the Judeans and relying on relationships like the Israelites.

Each of these sins has a heart orientation in some way.

For example, selfishness as demonstrated in changing property markers involves a measure of deception in order to pull it off.

Hence, while the Judeans could attempt to deceive their fellow man, they could not deceive the Lord.

What power God’s Word has to expose heart motivations for sin.

In Hosea 6:6, the Lord identifies the reason that He sent the prophets.

The Lord wants more than mere religious observance from the people.

Instead, He wants them to be in genuine relationship with Himself (the knowledge of God).

But the Lord desires a certain quality associated with this relationship: loyalty.

However, instead of a loyal relationship, the people have betrayed the Lord (Hos 6:7).

Notice the Lord’s comparison of the people’s sins.

The Lord uses “Adam” as the comparison.

Particularly, Adam’s treachery.

While we can speculate as to the nature of Adam’s betrayal, we are still left with a contrast: the Lord wants a relationship with the people and the people have betrayed that relationship through their disobedience.

The people not only betrayed the Lord but they had a track record of violence (Hos 6:8).

When you see footprints, what does that normally indicate?

That you can track where the person has gone and where they have come from.

Thus, you can be able to find an individual more easily.

What do we know about what is on the footprints of the inhabitants of Gilead?

They are bloody footprints.

In other words, the guilt of their violence is apparent to all for it has followed them home.

In addition to violence as characterized by a whole town’s citizens, so even the religious leaders are guilty of a crime (Hos 6:9).

The crime in question is not merely violence.

Instead, these religious leaders are guilty of even murdering individuals.

In other words, the Lord is pointing out the utter corruption of the people as evidenced through their leaders.

The people have betrayed the Lord, are full of violence, and have murdered others in addition to the sin referenced in Hos 6:10.

What other sin did the people commit?

Idolatry as expressed in terms of sexual perversion.

Notice that the Lord describes it as a “horrible thing” with the result of defilement.

The phrase translated as “horrible thing” is translated as “appalling” in Jer 18:13.

You can only imagine the context.

It concerns idolatry.

Why would committing idolatry be appalling or shockingly indecent?

It not only concern the often lewd acts involved.

But, more importantly, because of the faithfulness of the Lord Who desires a genuinely loyal relationship from His people.

Defilement has the idea of something spoiling.

When something has spoilt, it’s corrupt and therefore no longer good for the purpose to which it was originally conceived.

Hence, the Lord is calling attention to just how corrupt the people have become through their sin.

According to Hos 6:11, the nation of Judah was no better off than Israel.

They too were guilt of sin, specifically, that of selfishly taking advantage of others.

Notice how the Lord uses the word “restore”.

Judah had been guilt of selfishly taking from others what did not belong to them, particularly land that belonged to others.

What is it that people generally use land for?

Raising livestock.

Growing crops.

Hence, while many of the Judeans probably thought that they would reap a good crop at harvest from the land that they weaseled others out of, the Lord has another harvest of judgment appointed for them.

Application: With references to violence, murder, and idolatry, it can be easy to dismiss any affiliation with us as many of these sins probably do not characterize us.

However, we cannot forget that, at the heart of these sins, is both betrayal against one’s relationship with the Lord that resulted in disobedience.

Hence, every act of sin is a betrayal against the Lord.

Further, we are reminded of how faithful the Lord is to employ His Word to identify our sin.

Moreover, we cannot escape the fact that, if the Lord judges such sins as violence, murder, and idolatry, we can be sure that He will judge all sin.

Hosea 7:1-7 “1 When I would heal Israel, The iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, And the evil deeds of Samaria, For they deal falsely; The thief enters in, Bandits raid outside, 2 And they do not consider in their hearts That I remember all their wickedness. Now their deeds are all around them; They are before My face. 3 With their wickedness they make the king glad, And the princes with their lies. 4 They are all adulterers, Like an oven heated by the baker Who ceases to stir up the fire From the kneading of the dough until it is leavened. 5 On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; He stretched out his hand with scoffers, 6 For their hearts are like an oven As they approach their plotting; Their anger smolders all night, In the morning it burns like a flaming fire. 7 All of them are hot like an oven, And they consume their rulers; All their kings have fallen. None of them calls on Me.”

In this next chapter, Judah fades from the scene and Ephraim/Israel comes into full view.

Notice, according to Hosea 7:1, what is the Lord ready to do?

He’s ready to heal Israel!

He wants to act compassionately towards His people.

Thus, even in the face of declaring judgment against His people, He expresses the compassion that He has for them!

However, what does the Lord find in Israel, even when He is ready to act compassionately?

Iniquity and evil deeds.

There’s a compounding nature that is emphasized here.

In other words, there are multiple evils that the people are guilty of.

How does the Lord summarize the iniquity and evil deeds of Israel?

They deal falsely.

You can’t trust them!

Specifically, they are involved in both thievery individually and as part of a group in a raiding party.

Therefore, the demonstration of their deceitfulness towards others relates to their thieving ways.

Why do people steal?

Generally speaking, it’s because they want something that someone else has.

What kind of attitude says that I’m going to get all that I want?

Greed

What we’re seeing here is how the people sought to satisfy their greed by deceiving others so that they could take from others what they wanted.

Is greed problem today?

You bet.

Notice how the Lord describes their obliviousness in Hos 7:2.

In their heart, they are oblivious to the fact that God knows their wickedness.

It’s ironic that they are using deceit to satisfy their greed as it implies that one has the advantage when it comes to perception of circumstances.

However, it points out something about the nature of greed.

Greed can so blind one that it completely absorbs their focus.

In other words, you become oblivious to the most important things around you, specifically, to please the Lord.

Yet, the Lord is personally aware of their sin as implied by His reference to His “face”.

This phrase emphasizes the eyewitness nature to God beholding their sin, thus He is able to testify to their guilt.

Hence, while Israel is oblivious as the deceive others, the Lord knows all about their sin.

Notice that the lies of the people do not impact themselves only.

What kind of people are referenced in Hos 7:3?

Leaders

The Leaders of the people are glad over the lies and wickedness that the people engage in.

Why are people glad over what other people do?

Maybe they find entertainment by watching others?

Maybe they derive some benefit from the actions of others?

Maybe it validates their lifestyle.

In any case, to be glad over wickedness and lies at the level of leadership demonstrates a widespread corruption.

Notice how Hosea 7:4-7 describes their corruption.

They are passionate about committing adultery, like a hot oven, raging out of control due to inattentiveness (NAC; Hos 7:4).

They are drunkards who keep the wrong kind of company, with scoffers or the worst kind of reprobate people (NAC; Hos 7:5).

How does the Lord describe their main problem in Hos 7:6?

Their heart.

Their heart is the source of their adulteries, drunkenness and, according to Hos 7:6, their plotting, or planning to do these kinds of evils.

The Lord continues the interesting use of furnace imagery throughout Hos 7:6-7.

In Hosea 7:6, the furnace is compared to their desires that burn hot, or that they have fed to intensity so that they are driven by their desires to satisfy them.

In Hosea 7:7, the intensity of the heat of their desires backfires on them for it results in destroying the leadership.

Notice how God concludes this section.

None of them calls on Me.

How tragic, in their obliviousness driven by their desires the Lord wants to compassionately intervene if they would repent but they are consumed with their desires and by the negative results associated with their desires

Application: What we have seen so far is the Lord Who stands as a witness against the people and their leaders for their sin that evidences the utter corruption of their society.

Yet, the Lord stands ready to offer compassion.

Here, the Lord’s undeserving and unstoppable compassion are abundantly on display.

However, we cannot forget how the sin of greediness leads to obliviousness of other things, specifically in pleasing the Lord.

Let us be more consumed with God’s compassion rather than our greed.

Hosea 7:8-16 “8 Ephraim mixes himself with the nations; Ephraim has become a cake not turned. 9 Strangers devour his strength, Yet he does not know it; Gray hairs also are sprinkled on him, Yet he does not know it. 10 Though the pride of Israel testifies against him, Yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, Nor have they sought Him, for all this. 11 So Ephraim has become like a silly dove, without sense; They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. 12 When they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will chastise them in accordance with the proclamation to their assembly. 13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against Me. 14 And they do not cry to Me from their heart When they wail on their beds; For the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves, They turn away from Me. 15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, Yet they devise evil against Me. 16 They turn, but not upward, They are like a deceitful bow; Their princes will fall by the sword Because of the insolence of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.”

What happens to your perspective when you mix with other people (Hos 7:8)?

They influence you.

Hence, the Lord is describing here the negative influence that others have had on Israel (NAC).

Not all cakes are meant to be baked on one side only.

For example, what happens when you cook a pancake on one side only?

It burns (DBI).

And if it’s burned, it then turns hard and becomes good for nothing.

Thus, the Lord is describing the effect of the negative influence on Israel: destruction.

Notice how Hos 7:9 describes the nation physically.

In the description of Israel, what 2 ideas stand out?

Israel’s loss of strength and graying hair.

In other words, the Lord is describing the affects of aging and thus alluding to the conclusion of the Northern Kingdom’s existence as a political entity (BKC).

How does the Lord describe their awareness of the end of their kingdom?

They’re oblivious.

They don’t even see it coming!

However, according to Hos 7:10, they should have seen it coming!

Who does the “pride of Israel” refer to?

The Lord

What has the Lord done in reference towards Israel?

Testified against them.

What was the intended result of this testifying through His prophets against their sin?

To produce repentance.

However, the people did not seek the Lord, but chose to follow the influences of the foreign nations through their idolatry and deceptive practices.

According to Hos 7:11, what was the result of their following negative influences?

They are silly as a dove.

Doves are not known for being the brightest of birds.

In fact, the Bible uses them in a way to emphasize their ignorance (Mt 10:16; DBI).

How do the people demonstrate the silliness of a dove?

By seeking aid from foreign nations.

The image is that of a bird flying here and there in a vain attempt to find what they need.

The tragedy of this imagery is that the Lord is ready to compassionately supply the need of His people if they would repent.

Rather, they would prefer a vain back and forth among nations.

Let’s conclude by considering the Lord’s indictment against the people in Hos 7:12-16.

The Lord had initially acted as a witness to testify of their guilt.

Now He will act as Judge in enacting a sentence of judgment against Israel.

Hos 7:12 includes an interesting phrase.

“I will chastise them in accordance with the proclamation to their assembly.”

In other words, the Lord is going to faithfully act in accordance with the Word that He delivered to them already!

While the people have acted deceptively, the Lord has been up front with them the whole time; hence, His trustworthiness is in view.

Notice how in Hos 7:13, the Lord emphasizes the nature of their sin: they have betrayed the Lord.

This was a betrayal of their relationship.

They rebelled against the Lord’s ways.

They even spoke lies against the Lord.

However, the Lord still stands ready to compassionately redeem them out of their circumstances associated with their sin.

In Hosea 7:14, you can almost hear the people’s pain as they wail on their beds!

Pain associated with the sin that they have committed.

Yet, even in the midst of their pain, they still refuse to repent before the Lord.

They want the benefits that the Lord can bring (crops and new wine but do not want the Lord (BKC).

In other words, they are consumed with their desires.

Look at how Hos 7:15-16 emphasize the Israel’s deceptive use of strength that the Lord gave to them.

Instead of using their strength and skill to please the Lord, they turn it against the Lord to pursue their sinful desires.

Hos 7:16 includes an interesting reference to a deceitful bow.

A bow, or an archer’s bow, is a weapon both for warfare and hunting.

A deceitful bow is a bow that does not function according to its design.

Hence, rather than functioning the way that God intended in relationship to Him, the people had only the appearance of religiosity.

Thus, the people’s heart was not with the Lord but with their own desires.

Notice also how Hos 7:16 concludes.

What does it mean to be a derision?

To be made fun of or to be shamed.

Hence, the people that Israel sought for aid would end up shaming them, mocking them (BKC).

What a reversal of expectations!

Those that Israel sought for help would only mock them.

Asking someone for help puts you in a rather vulnerable position.

Then when that individual only makes fun of you in the end just compounds the circumstance.

Conclusion: In what we have considered today, God’s abundant compassion has been on display that His people have rejected time and again. Instead, the people opted for relationships, selfishness, deceit, adultery, and greed. I hope that we will take warning from the Israelites that these sins and all sin culminates in pain and ending in destruction and that we would rather cling to our compassionate God.