Wednesday, September 29, 2010
A decision
I have moved all the posts from this blog to my main blog at betty.tracyent.com. I will not be posting here anymore. All new posts will go to the above addy. Look forward to seeing you there!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Hosea 12
Chapter 12
1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.
Israel is trying to protect herself by alternately sending gifts to Egypt and paying taxes to Assyria. These two powers are fighting each other, so Israel is trying to hedge her bets that each of them will protect her from the other. It didn’t work.
2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
Though Judah is officially being faithful to God, she has sinned in the past and will backslide soon after the death of Hezekiah.
3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;
5 Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.
A brief recount of the history of God being the God of Israel.
6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.
“This is why Israel and Judah need to turn back to God.”
7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
Israel is a dishonest merchant. The nation had been allowing not only dishonest scales, but the enslavement of fellow Israelites, something God had forbidden in The Law.
8 And Ephraim said, ‘Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.’
They saw nothing wrong with what they were doing. They evidently didn’t believe in sin.
9 And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.
At the Feast of Booths Israel would all move into tents and other temporary dwellings in order to remember the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. God is going to send them back to full time tent dwelling.
10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
God has given them sufficient warning. They have had more than enough warning and time to repent.
11 Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.
Their sacrifices are worthless even when they make them to God. He wants obedience more than He wants sacrifice.
12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
13 And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.
Another reference to the history of the nation. They were not started by a great warrior king but by a man running for his life. They were brought to the promised land by a man skilled in politics but by the humble prophet Moses.
14 Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall He leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.
This is why God will punish him.
1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.
Israel is trying to protect herself by alternately sending gifts to Egypt and paying taxes to Assyria. These two powers are fighting each other, so Israel is trying to hedge her bets that each of them will protect her from the other. It didn’t work.
2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
Though Judah is officially being faithful to God, she has sinned in the past and will backslide soon after the death of Hezekiah.
3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;
5 Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.
A brief recount of the history of God being the God of Israel.
6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.
“This is why Israel and Judah need to turn back to God.”
7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
Israel is a dishonest merchant. The nation had been allowing not only dishonest scales, but the enslavement of fellow Israelites, something God had forbidden in The Law.
8 And Ephraim said, ‘Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.’
They saw nothing wrong with what they were doing. They evidently didn’t believe in sin.
9 And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.
At the Feast of Booths Israel would all move into tents and other temporary dwellings in order to remember the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. God is going to send them back to full time tent dwelling.
10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
God has given them sufficient warning. They have had more than enough warning and time to repent.
11 Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.
Their sacrifices are worthless even when they make them to God. He wants obedience more than He wants sacrifice.
12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
13 And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.
Another reference to the history of the nation. They were not started by a great warrior king but by a man running for his life. They were brought to the promised land by a man skilled in politics but by the humble prophet Moses.
14 Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall He leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.
This is why God will punish him.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Hosea 11
Chapter 11
1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
God now switches from the metaphor of Israel being His wife to Israel being His son.
Though god called the entire nation of Israel out of Egypt, Matthew applied this scripture to Christ. Jesus spent about two years in Egypt during his very early childhood hiding from King Herod.
2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
Other translations render this “As I called them, so they went from Me” which makes more sense. The more God called to Israel, the more she pursued her idols.
3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
God taught Israel the way a father teaches his child to walk, but they still ignored Him.
4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
He made their lives easy but they still reject them. Sounds like children in America today.
5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.
6 And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
7 And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.
Some in Israel had called out to God in repentance, though not likely a large number.
8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
God loves Israel. He does not want to punish her, but sees He has no choice since He is the God of Justice. But He will not totally wipe her off the face of the earth like King Chedorlaomer conquered Kings Admah and Zeboim in the time of Abraham (Genesis 14:8)
9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.
God promises He will not totally destroy the people, but only punish them as much as is necessary.
10 They shall walk after the LORD: He shall roar like a lion: when He shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.
Assyria settled most of the Israelites to the west towards Babylon.
11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD.
God promises to call Israel back home to their homeland. They will come out of both Egypt (where many fled to avoid captivity) and Assyria (which at this time includes the territory of Babylon). This was fulfilled when Cyrus the Great gave the command for all captive people to return to their homelands.
12 Ephraim compasseth Me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.
Judah is under the rule of Hezekiah at this time and is serving God and being faithful. God will keep all His promises that the Messiah will come out of the descendents of Jacob.
1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
God now switches from the metaphor of Israel being His wife to Israel being His son.
Though god called the entire nation of Israel out of Egypt, Matthew applied this scripture to Christ. Jesus spent about two years in Egypt during his very early childhood hiding from King Herod.
2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
Other translations render this “As I called them, so they went from Me” which makes more sense. The more God called to Israel, the more she pursued her idols.
3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
God taught Israel the way a father teaches his child to walk, but they still ignored Him.
4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
He made their lives easy but they still reject them. Sounds like children in America today.
5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.
6 And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
7 And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.
Some in Israel had called out to God in repentance, though not likely a large number.
8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.
God loves Israel. He does not want to punish her, but sees He has no choice since He is the God of Justice. But He will not totally wipe her off the face of the earth like King Chedorlaomer conquered Kings Admah and Zeboim in the time of Abraham (Genesis 14:8)
9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.
God promises He will not totally destroy the people, but only punish them as much as is necessary.
10 They shall walk after the LORD: He shall roar like a lion: when He shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.
Assyria settled most of the Israelites to the west towards Babylon.
11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD.
God promises to call Israel back home to their homeland. They will come out of both Egypt (where many fled to avoid captivity) and Assyria (which at this time includes the territory of Babylon). This was fulfilled when Cyrus the Great gave the command for all captive people to return to their homelands.
12 Ephraim compasseth Me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.
Judah is under the rule of Hezekiah at this time and is serving God and being faithful. God will keep all His promises that the Messiah will come out of the descendents of Jacob.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Hosea 10
Chapter 10
1 Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
God gives Israel a very good land and she uses her prosperity to better worship pagan gods.
2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: He shall break down their altars, He shall spoil their images.
3 For now they shall say, ‘We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?’
If you are not afraid of God, why would you fear a mere human king?
4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
God is making a list of the sins of Israel and her punishments.
They have lied, so God will have poisonous plants grow up among their crops. Hemlock is the most poisonous plant on the planet.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
Because Israel (whose capital is Samaria) has worshipped the golden calves, she will fear. And they will miss their calf while they are in captivity.
6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
The very idol they have worshipped as a god will be taken as a mere present to a foreign king.
7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.
Bye-bye king. Since Israel would never be a separate nation again but would be incorporated into Judah, she will never have her own king.
8 The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, ‘Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.’
Israel will prefer death to captivity, but will not have that choice.
9 O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.
The battle of Gibeah was one of the first battles in the conquest of Canaan’s land.
10 It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
11 And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.
Treading corn was an easy job for cattle to do. They simply pulled a light weight around until all the chaff was broken off. Plowing, however, was hard physical labor (“I passed over upon her fair neck” is translated “I bent her fair neck to the yoke” in more modern translations.) God is going to make Israel work though she would rather be lazy.
12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
God will lesson His punishment on people who seek Him and repent. Israel has the chance to lesson the severity of her punishment, but, of course, she won’t take that chance.
13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.
Humanism. This is the same problem we have today. We believe we are in charge and can control our own destiny.
14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.
We don’t know for sure who this King Shalman is. There are several possibilities in history, but none of them are any more likely than the others.
Whoever he was, he led an army to conqueror Beth-arbel (this may be a city in the trans-Jordon region, but we don’t know for sure.) He was merciless, destroying the mother with their babies. This is how the Assyrians are going to treat Israel.
15 So shall Beth-el do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.
The New King James words this verse “Thus is shall be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness.” Other translations agree. Bethel was a major city in Israel.
In one morning, the royal line will die and the kingship of Israel will cease to exist.
1 Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
God gives Israel a very good land and she uses her prosperity to better worship pagan gods.
2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: He shall break down their altars, He shall spoil their images.
3 For now they shall say, ‘We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?’
If you are not afraid of God, why would you fear a mere human king?
4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
God is making a list of the sins of Israel and her punishments.
They have lied, so God will have poisonous plants grow up among their crops. Hemlock is the most poisonous plant on the planet.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
Because Israel (whose capital is Samaria) has worshipped the golden calves, she will fear. And they will miss their calf while they are in captivity.
6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
The very idol they have worshipped as a god will be taken as a mere present to a foreign king.
7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.
Bye-bye king. Since Israel would never be a separate nation again but would be incorporated into Judah, she will never have her own king.
8 The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, ‘Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.’
Israel will prefer death to captivity, but will not have that choice.
9 O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.
The battle of Gibeah was one of the first battles in the conquest of Canaan’s land.
10 It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
11 And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.
Treading corn was an easy job for cattle to do. They simply pulled a light weight around until all the chaff was broken off. Plowing, however, was hard physical labor (“I passed over upon her fair neck” is translated “I bent her fair neck to the yoke” in more modern translations.) God is going to make Israel work though she would rather be lazy.
12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
God will lesson His punishment on people who seek Him and repent. Israel has the chance to lesson the severity of her punishment, but, of course, she won’t take that chance.
13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.
Humanism. This is the same problem we have today. We believe we are in charge and can control our own destiny.
14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.
We don’t know for sure who this King Shalman is. There are several possibilities in history, but none of them are any more likely than the others.
Whoever he was, he led an army to conqueror Beth-arbel (this may be a city in the trans-Jordon region, but we don’t know for sure.) He was merciless, destroying the mother with their babies. This is how the Assyrians are going to treat Israel.
15 So shall Beth-el do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.
The New King James words this verse “Thus is shall be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness.” Other translations agree. Bethel was a major city in Israel.
In one morning, the royal line will die and the kingship of Israel will cease to exist.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Sexy post
Eagle Forum Blog: The NEA Wants to Teach Kids about Sex
What is real life about?
Excelent explination for why we should be modest
Protect our daughters
What does the NEA mean by Early Childhood Education?
And other goings on at the largest lobby group in America
Now they are out to take your blog and here
NEAs ideas for education
What women to not be
What is real life about?
Excelent explination for why we should be modest
Protect our daughters
What does the NEA mean by Early Childhood Education?
And other goings on at the largest lobby group in America
Now they are out to take your blog and here
NEAs ideas for education
What women to not be
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Hosea 9
Chapter 9
1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.
Israel is told not to celebrate the harvest because they were attributing their prosperity to false gods, not the true One.
The threshing floor was common place for pagan rituals.
2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
3 They shall not dwell in the LORD’S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
Israel will again be in captivity like when they were in Egypt, and they will go to Assyria and not be able to keep the dietary laws. Most likely they were keeping the dietary laws out of pride, though they were ignoring the more important parts of the Law; those parts concerning how to treat the poor, how to do business fairly, and how to treat their family. It is much easier and much more ego boosting to be legalistic than to love our neighbors.
4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto Him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.
God is going to fix it so they can’t even be legalistic. They won’t have the option of keeping the dietary and sacrifice laws.
5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
6 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
Nettles have fine, very sharp stickers all over them. They grow in wild places and are actually a medicinal herb, though I don’t think God was concerned with medicine at this moment. He was promising that Jerusalem would be so desolate that the annoying weeds would grow up in the middle of it.
7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.
8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore He will remember their iniquity, He will visit their sins.
The men who were calling themselves prophets were saying that Israel would be delivered from the Assyrians and would return to the greatness of the time of Solomon. God is calling these men fools.
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
Finding grapes where they haven’t been cultivated or the first fruit off of a tree is a delightful thing. Fruit is very refreshing and pleasant to eat. God’s instant desert. This is how pleased God was with Israel at first, but now she has gone to other gods.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
As punishment, infertility will increase as will miscarriages. Low birth rates are a punishment from God. (And modern Western Culture has chosen to encourage low birth rates. This is not wise)
12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
Even those who manage to have children won’t see them to adulthood and marriage. The Assyrians will carry them away as slaves.
13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
14 Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
Without modern formulas, a baby whose mother’s milk dried up was pretty much doomed. Even today, formula is a far lower second choice to the natural food God made for babies.
Imagine the heartache; first you have trouble even getting pregnant. Then you miscarry. Then, after you actually manage to carry a baby long enough he survives the birth, he dies of starvation because your body won’t produce enough milk to feed him. If you do manage to successfully feed one, the Assyrians will come in and kill him or carry him of to a foreign land and you will never see him again.
15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.
16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto Him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
The Assyrians had the practice of removing people from their homeland and settling them in a foreign country. This made them less likely to fight because they were no longer protecting their homes and their people would be too far away from each other to band together. Israel would be one of those nations scattered throughout the kingdom.
1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.
Israel is told not to celebrate the harvest because they were attributing their prosperity to false gods, not the true One.
The threshing floor was common place for pagan rituals.
2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
3 They shall not dwell in the LORD’S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.
Israel will again be in captivity like when they were in Egypt, and they will go to Assyria and not be able to keep the dietary laws. Most likely they were keeping the dietary laws out of pride, though they were ignoring the more important parts of the Law; those parts concerning how to treat the poor, how to do business fairly, and how to treat their family. It is much easier and much more ego boosting to be legalistic than to love our neighbors.
4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto Him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.
God is going to fix it so they can’t even be legalistic. They won’t have the option of keeping the dietary and sacrifice laws.
5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
6 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
Nettles have fine, very sharp stickers all over them. They grow in wild places and are actually a medicinal herb, though I don’t think God was concerned with medicine at this moment. He was promising that Jerusalem would be so desolate that the annoying weeds would grow up in the middle of it.
7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.
8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore He will remember their iniquity, He will visit their sins.
The men who were calling themselves prophets were saying that Israel would be delivered from the Assyrians and would return to the greatness of the time of Solomon. God is calling these men fools.
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
Finding grapes where they haven’t been cultivated or the first fruit off of a tree is a delightful thing. Fruit is very refreshing and pleasant to eat. God’s instant desert. This is how pleased God was with Israel at first, but now she has gone to other gods.
11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
As punishment, infertility will increase as will miscarriages. Low birth rates are a punishment from God. (And modern Western Culture has chosen to encourage low birth rates. This is not wise)
12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
Even those who manage to have children won’t see them to adulthood and marriage. The Assyrians will carry them away as slaves.
13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.
14 Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
Without modern formulas, a baby whose mother’s milk dried up was pretty much doomed. Even today, formula is a far lower second choice to the natural food God made for babies.
Imagine the heartache; first you have trouble even getting pregnant. Then you miscarry. Then, after you actually manage to carry a baby long enough he survives the birth, he dies of starvation because your body won’t produce enough milk to feed him. If you do manage to successfully feed one, the Assyrians will come in and kill him or carry him of to a foreign land and you will never see him again.
15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.
16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.
17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto Him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
The Assyrians had the practice of removing people from their homeland and settling them in a foreign country. This made them less likely to fight because they were no longer protecting their homes and their people would be too far away from each other to band together. Israel would be one of those nations scattered throughout the kingdom.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Hosea 8
Chapter 8
1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed My covenant, and trespassed against My law.
2 Israel shall cry unto me, ‘My God, we know thee.’
Israel will only call out to God when all is lost and it is too late.
3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
4 They have set up kings, but not by Me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
This is the calf made by Jeroboam when he took the kingdom from Solomon’s son Rehaboam. Israel is still worshiping it and pretending that God told them to.
6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
Assyria will carry away Israel into a whole different country as slaves.
9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
Israel paid money to Assyria to protect them from Egypt. As a result Assyria will conquer them.
10 Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
Hiring a human nation as protection from the punishment of God is useless at best and in this case opened the door for God to use Assyria as the “spanking paddle” to punish them.
11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
Israel had flat refused to follow God’s law.
13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will He remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
This return to Egypt was a return to a bondage like they were under in the time of Moses. They would become slaves again because they had denied God.
14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
Nothing humans can do can protect them from God. Only humbleness and obedience to God can turn punishment aside.
1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed My covenant, and trespassed against My law.
2 Israel shall cry unto me, ‘My God, we know thee.’
Israel will only call out to God when all is lost and it is too late.
3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
4 They have set up kings, but not by Me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
This is the calf made by Jeroboam when he took the kingdom from Solomon’s son Rehaboam. Israel is still worshiping it and pretending that God told them to.
6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
Assyria will carry away Israel into a whole different country as slaves.
9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.
Israel paid money to Assyria to protect them from Egypt. As a result Assyria will conquer them.
10 Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
Hiring a human nation as protection from the punishment of God is useless at best and in this case opened the door for God to use Assyria as the “spanking paddle” to punish them.
11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
Israel had flat refused to follow God’s law.
13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will He remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
This return to Egypt was a return to a bondage like they were under in the time of Moses. They would become slaves again because they had denied God.
14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.
Nothing humans can do can protect them from God. Only humbleness and obedience to God can turn punishment aside.
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