Their Deeds will not Allow them to Return to Their God

Hosea 5:1-9

Hosea 5:1–9 NET

Hear this, you priests! Pay attention, you Israelites! Listen closely, O king! For judgment is about to overtake you! For you were like a trap to Mizpah, like a net spread out to catch Tabor. Those who revolt are knee-deep in slaughter, but I will discipline them all. I know Ephraim all too well; the evil of Israel is not hidden from me. For you have engaged in prostitution, O Ephraim; Israel has defiled itself. Their wicked deeds do not allow them to return to their God; because a spirit of idolatry controls their heart, and they do not acknowledge the Lord. The arrogance of Israel testifies against it; Israel and Ephraim will be overthrown because of their iniquity. Even Judah will be brought down with them. Although they bring their flocks and herds to seek the favor of the Lord, They will not find him— he has withdrawn himself from them! They have committed treason against the Lord, because they bore illegitimate children. Soon the new moon festival will devour them and their fields. Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah! Sound the trumpet in Ramah! Sound the alarm in Beth Aven! Tremble in fear, O Benjamin! Ephraim will be ruined in the day of judgment! What I am declaring to the tribes of Israel will certainly take place!

Content

God accuses the Nation of Israel of failing to know Him, Love Him, and Serve Him. God finds the religious, political, and social leaders of Israel guilty of trapping, misleading, and deceiving the people. The arrogance of these leaders would testify and justify the action that God would take. God accuses these leaders of slander, libel, and attributing falsities of His ideas, plans, and the application/execution of them.

Context

The Nation of Israel is about to experience the wrath of God. The Grace of God has come to an end upon the nation, He is punishing them and warning the other nations around them of what will take place to them when they choose to follow the same path.

Intent

The judgment of Israel; as a nation, a people, and a culture/society that has failed to acknowledge God for who and what He is, what His plans are and the execution of those plans. His judgments are not based on personalities but character, and the character of a nation is based on the character of a people. Israel during the writing of Hosea has no character.

Circumstance

Israel is faced with decisions of faith. Do they believe God or Satan? Even though God has delivered them from the hands of Egypt, destroyed the nations within the promise land, Idols (Satan) is receiving the credit. The evil that is running rampant throughout the nation is ushering in the wrath of God. Revolters will be killed, and the nation will experience serve punishment.

Situation

The religious, civil, and political leaders have led the Nation of Israel astray. Their arrogance has caused a situation of “no return” in the eyes of God. God’s grace has come to end with Israel at the time of Hosea’s writing.

Bridging the Gap

Has our nation become so arrogant that we to may ourselves at the point of no return? When looks down from Heaven and views the so called church (religious), our society/culture, and political leaders does He view a nation that acknowledges who and what God is? How will we be viewed on the day of Judgment; guilty or not guilty? What makes us believe that God will no longer punish a nation for the arrogance it has shown?