A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea

John James Given [1853-1943] · 418,632 words · 462 reading sections

SECTION 301

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 301

fanciE>d plenitude of power WM unable to quenoe or concomitant of irrellgion and of protC'Ct or help them, and that bco,rnse they false religion, instancing their doccptivo hR<l r<'i<"<',ted JchovRh and cRst aeide hie dealing iu the common affairs of life and fear. 'I'lw point of time denoted by "now" their perjury …

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SECTION 302

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 302

from the nnomnlous form of the word, which it yields II good sense. ' is rea.lly o. verb. The /O'Tm is o:i:pl11ined by Ver. 5.-The inhabita.nts of Samaria shall Aben Ezro., who calls it o.n irregular formo.- fear because of the calves of Beth-aven. tion, o.s if it were compounded of the Samaria WIIB the capital of Isra…

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SECTION 303

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 303

h(.fol'(' "l"('_joi('('(l." ""hi<'h, thoug-h quit(> JlO~• the stump of Yie • oalf1 n11.mrly, the gold 11ihl<> "n,l n(lt 1m,::T11mtn11.til'llll, ill. however, tlu.,reon, after ita fbrm u broken, they shall nnnt'<'<'l'AArY. Tho Hebfew oommentAtol'I! take &way u a present tn King J 1Lreb.'" The all nndf'r~t.imd t.hewo'…

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SECTION 304

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 304

Its evll counsel, ehnred the shame; e.n of breaking off," "barking." Tho wor!l ;-ro,, them together woro thoroughly ~t to shame again, has two principal meC1nin'.(R--OTIA "to becnueo of their mietoken ond w1oked polioy. be likA," the other" to bo silent" (connooted, 'l'ho counsel of J eroboom-for to it; in onr e.oco…

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SECTION 305

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 305

long.ir; or rathor th1m the enemies should atroyed, because of their sin, the ton tribes 8ee them in their ehrune. Ab"'n :Ezra makes of lsrRcl, persisting in the so.me or similar "eltan '' the subject of "shall B&y," IL8 if it am, haye m:,t yet been resisted with any suoh were the wi8h of the e.ltars to be oovered ~…

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SECTION 306

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 306

but thBt, this deeire being te.ken for gr11nted, train~d. The work she was taught to no wns there ehn.11 be no let nor hindrance; nothing ~eo.dmg ont the corn; by training and habit cn.n et11y his hn.nd. 'fhen the mode and 1t had become II second nature so that she men.ne of choetiecment are indicnterl- took delight in…

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SECTION 307

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 307

I.hey shRll besubJeotedto the tynnt mastery eon1ne11 upon JO•• Hero thoy ah' urg9d of man. But (3) Keil says the word here is to turn ?Ver a new leaf, n.s we sny ; to begiu "not 't.o mount or ride,' but• t.o drive or use a new life; to root out the wocde of sin· to for drawing and driving,' i.~. to harness," ae ernd…

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SECTION 308

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 308

WILB whe.t they both ploughed and eowed; of the mighty ones in whom they had oppression e.t the bond of their enemies was had such confidence; or the plUTal may the harvest or rewe.rd of iniquity which refer to tbe tribes of Ierael, each of which thev reoeed. Their Ilea, lnolucling their was an CJJ, though Keil would c…

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SECTION 309

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 309

HOMILETICS. Yers. 1-3.-Sin and •fl retnouwm. I. PEBVEBTED UBB OP PROBPEBITY, Israel is a vine not empty, nor emptied, nor plundered, according to Calvin, BBY, by the tribute paid to Pu!; for, if empty, how then could he bring forth fruit, except, indeed, at some ~11 lisequent season? He is compared, rather, to a wi…

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SECTION 310

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 310

hRe good cause to say, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." If otherwise, if individuals are found faulty, if their sin has found them out, then the means of sinnin"' are suddenly and unexpectedly snatched from them, and themselves swept awfully ~ with the besom of destruction. 4. Whoever be the instrument…

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SECTION 311

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 311

conquest should sweep o"cr thcmsekes. Doth peoples, Snmarita.ne and Ilcth-a'V'enitM unired in a common cause, and, involved in a common ca\amltr or eo1:>n to be so, wo11ld mourn for t-he loss of their idol. This Scripture may well llnpl't!lll! its lesson, and a rno~t salutary one, on all idolaters, w.hether those wh…

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SECTION 312

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 312

Vere. 9.....:.12.-A chequered, pictwre. These verses exhibit the continuance in Bin and its consequenlles, chastisement and its lessons, change of circumstances and its bitter experiences, the call to repentance and 'the blessed promises to the penitent. I. CoN'rl'NUANCE IN BIN. lsrael-·had corrupted themselves as in …

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SECTION 313

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 313

the cnuee of t,he che.stieement by representing God as s&ying, "Aocordincr to my good will and pleasnre will I chastise them ; because they do not receive chastisement from rne by my prophets who rebuke them in my Name, I will chastise them by the hands of the peoples which shall be gathered against them." 3. When m…

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SECTION 314

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 314

flesh, they shall reap corruption; if to the Spirit, they ehall reap life everlasting. As we sow we reap, and what we sow we reap. Our reaping shall be according to the measure of God's morcy. Not a reward of merit, but of mercy; not a recompense of desert, but of grace. Men often sow in tears, but if the seed be that …

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SECTION 315

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 315

V ers. 18-1/i.-The rprolifttfroits of eml. The lATllellteB l\h! not only charged with neglect. of duty, bnt with sins of commission. 'l'he concluding v-enies of the chnpt!et point ont this contrariety of their conduct to the foregoing eitbortl\tlon, and Its oon• sequenreB; tr11ce'the source of their sinful oolll'Se8 to…

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SECTION 316

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 316

themselves to the love and worship of God, and yet they could not make np their minds to part altogether either wHh him or with their idols. Such was the root of the nationnl sinfulness. But Hosea here calls attention rather to: 1. It~ for'TIUI in the national life. These were principally twe1. (1) 'l'rust in idols.…

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SECTION 317

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 317

for II tirue secmed to be oo 6Uocessful, involved Israel in an inheritance of shame. (3) J)espair. (Ver. 8.) The c.alamities that were impending would bo so dre11dful, that thouAAnds of the people would choose death rather than life. To dio outright they would hail as a welcome relief from their burden of wretchedne…

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SECTION 318

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 318

II. 'l'HE AOTUAL LIFE OF ISRAEL, Thie was quite the reverse of the ideal above described. Its wrongness had begun very early, for tbe nation had "sinned from tho days of Gibeah" (Judg, xix., xx.); and, alas! it persisted in the sin of Gibcah still. 'l'ho corruption of the community was deeply rooted in ancestral ha.bit…

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SECTION 319

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 319

Our Lord hRB distinctly declared that the frequent and llinful attempt of men.to serve God and mRmmon ie vain. Subject-The divided heart. I. ITS OONDITION first demands considerati~n. Whelhor in the physical or in the IDOl"Ql life of man, if we are in doubt about the stale of our hea.rtl.we cannot be too careful in…

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SECTION 320

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 320

eoen on vast pre.irie-lflnds, rippling under the breeze like & Be& of aold, the la.we or Its growth, tho mode of its production, are not different; and so wh~rever he may be tho religious tencher may find the old illustrations of spiritual truths. How muoh poorer would tho world have been had Divine lessons been rep…

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SECTION 321

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 321

Henoe, when it is B&id "Ephraim is as a heifer that ... loveth to tread out the corn 11 Y'-'t refuses to plough till the yoke is forced on its fair neck, the meaninu iR th&t Iern~l obeyed the comm&nd of Go<l when they could get 11ny immedi&te good I\; the result of ohedience, but refused to obey when obedience, like…

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SECTION 322

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 322

\Ve mny hnve courogo without tenderneRR, patience withont r,nterpriRr,, ann th11~ )rnvo follow ground yet to be broken up. (2) Make appli~nUnn t,, the arfoanr,e ,,f Clil'i~t•s kingdom. Parts of the wor!d sown with ~h~ good Reed aro fairly prodnctiv;,, other i.mrts are moral wnstes. This calls for m1ss1ona.ry enterpriR…

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SECTION 323

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 323

There ma:v be a vigorous intellect where there is " v&eillating heart affections easily hi won Rnd essily )ost, prone to transference hither and thither. , And religion we find pen:ons who strive t.o serve God Rnd mammon at the same time, or who seem to be earnl'st in the s<•rvice of God, and shortly &fter equally …

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SECTION 324

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 324

II. Tm,; HORnoR OF DESPAm. This is not unMtural. It arises from reflecti<Jn upnn tho rebellion and inexousable wilfulness of the past; from the r!eclaration of consci,•nr, 0 to tho otTect that Goel has observed that rebellion, that sinfulne88, with inr!ignation, anr! from tho anticipation of impending judgment. Only su…

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SECTION 325

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 325

Ver. 4.-Social sins and their result. "They have spoken words, swearing falsely in ma.king a covenant : thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.· L SOOIA.L SINS. There are three sins referred to in this verse. 1. Vain speech. "They have spoken words." This means, according to Henderson, Elzas…

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SECTION 326

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 326

t11rned e.side from their being's end Md •im. There is endeavour but it is for sol£. ooo·s glory is unthought of, unsouii;ht. 3, 00'),Sequentfailtm1. Fn:m this perversion of ,·xistence in Isrnel 11.J'Ose (l) rejectlion of Divine control, fiii;urcd in the vine's lawleaa_ u11tutored luxuria_n~e; and ~2) ultimate degen…

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SECTION 327

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 327

till there we.s no remedy, They felt this now in the bitterness of their despair. "Whe.t should a king do for us? "-J. O. Vere. 4-8.-The end of calf-worship. The peopln were preparing the way for their own punishment by their fe.lse dee.ling with Assyria. Vengeance would overtake them. The calf in which they trusted…

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SECTION 328

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 328

Yen,. 9-11.-Past and prMent. We have here- I. A PAST OF 61'1(-A P&ESEXT OF RETRIDUTION. (Vera. 9, 10.) Israel's sin was: 1 Qf old date. "Thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah" (cf. on eh. ix. 9). The sin of Gibeah was an early and outstanding instance of wickedneBB. It may have take:i place not long after "the d…

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SECTION 329

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 329

"M11ke you e. new heart, ancl e. new spirit~ (Ezek. xviii. 31). 2. &wing m tM IOl,7. 'l'he sowing _ie to be "in righteousness," ~.e. in the practice of truth, kindness, justice, merer, godlme~A, and everything else which the Law of God requires. Each must sow for himself. The sowing cannot be done by proxy. Sowing in r…

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SECTION 330

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 330

for from their vooth onward I have loved they turned a deaf ear to those who were ibem, and delivered them out of the ha.nds their truest friends and best advisers. Pur- of their enemie8. But when they tmnsgress Slling their idolatrou1 prnoticee, they sacri- mv <'ommaudment.e it is incumbent on me to ficed to De.e.l…

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SECTION 331

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 331

them by his Law throughout their entire Just e.s one lesds n. boy that he me.y occnstom history. Hoehl rematks that "they knew himself to go little by little without trouble, it verr. well, but ,liesembled [liteully, so I led them from station to statirm, when • trod 1t dO\vn with the heel,' equivalent I brrmght the…

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SECTION 332

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 332

mooern interpreters, (I) taking c~) &11 the of Divine graoe, 10 long extended to that fln,1 pen,on future e.poo .. Hiph., from Ml!ll, sin-laden people, had at length expired: and trauslR te, "And I Nlll.Cbro. them food to eRt," thRt on account of their stubborn and un- nRrnely. the me.nne. in the wildern011e. This g…

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SECTION 333

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 333

\,onilnge, where in tho present pMso.ge the word prererred by Gesenius. (c) Ewald typicnl sense i• inadmissible, owing to the nnderatanrls it in the sense of "fortreases," contrast with A•syrin. Into Egypt Israel especiftlly on the frontier, by which n J,.n,I Rhonl,I not return, Icat the object of tho Exo- ia shnt ngai…

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SECTION 334

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 334

the orii:-inBI !.l{IDse of the word, 1md expl11,ina tmnele.te (S) the second cle.uee RB follows: it Al! follows: "Litemlly, hung to it I 88 "But God shall be angry with his preoioua we I'll:,', '11, man's whole heing hangs on & thing11, and ehall not at all exl\lt him," thing.' A thing hung to or on 11,notber hl\vin…

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SECTION 335

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 335

ond perished in one common cola.mity. In the oitiee of the plain for their entire and Deut. xxix. 28 these cities ore oil nomed, final ruin; or, (b) if the alternative render- though Aclmoh ond Zeboim ore not men- ing be preferred, he would not come into tioned by nome in the norrotive of the burning wrath. The fier…

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SECTION 336

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 336

For I nm Gnd, l\nd not nmn; The re~ult would be R. spccrlv return of Hnly in th<' midst of thee, though I in- hie ohil,lren from the lnnds nf the West- hithit not thy eities." the conutries round or beyond tho Meditcr- Ver. 10.--Thcy ah&ll w&lk &fter the rnnonn. Lord: ho shall ::-o&r like & lion: wh,,n ho Ver. 11.-T…

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SECTION 337

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 337

easily spoken ns the call which one man arldrcR~cs to another when he woulrl invit11 him from some diHtRnce to his side. Strange indeed it may appear to us that G•l<l"., people Israel had been Ao long loft in Egypt, and equally strange it is that the dear I y beloved of his soul nre often delivered into the hand of …

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SECTION 338

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 338

ir<)J] 1:iands, He draws us by rational means, nddressing himself to our intelligence and nppenling to our 11ffections. Thus Paul says," I speak as to wise men· jt1d<Te ye what 1 sny.'' He clraws us by persuasion and argument. He draws \\8 with' gentleness, nnd nc>t by force. He employs the mildest means a.nd tho ten…

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SECTION 339

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 339

prophet, "0 thou aword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put np thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still." But it is added, in answer to this inquiry "How can it be quiet, seeing the Lord bath given it a. charge a.~ainst Ashkclon and ngaiost the sea-shore? there bath he appointed it." 3. The Prop…

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SECTION 340

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 340

p117,7,Jing queetione which follow. Four questions are followod by four 1mswere. (1) "How iaha.11 I give thee up, Ephraim?" to which tho an,wer is, 11 N.:lnc hc:irt is turne<l within me." (2) "How she.II I <l<>livcr thee, Israel?" to which the r!'plv ie, "My repentin~ are kindled toii;ct.her." (3) "How shall I make …

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SECTION 341

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 341

Pentecostal plenty, men shall, as at the first Pentecost, when they were a886mbled from many lands, join them8elves to God's people. They shall not only come hastily, but swiftly. Their hasty arrival is compared to a flight resembling that or the dove, which flios swiftly, as implied in the psalmist's words, "Oh that I…

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SECTION 342

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 342

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 1.-Called out of Egypt. These words refer primarily, of course, to the historical event of the Exodus. But they are also prophetic words, and as such they have been already verified, and still await further verification. When a stone is thrown into a pond, a series of e,·er-enln.r~…

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SECTION 343

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 343

the sis.very of sin (Titus Ii. 14). The very word "Redeemer," which is so dear to the renewed heart, wo.s first consecrated as a sacred name at the time when God "called his Son out of Egypt." 'l'o the Christian the song of Moses is also the soncr of the Lamb (Rev. xv. 3); a.nd the preface to the ten commandments (Exod…

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SECTION 344

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 344

upon Jsrnel were oonntleBS. The Divine forbearance with the people ,v11s wonderful. On!' speci11! mark of God's f11vour w&s his raising up the prophets, one 11fter 11nother, to "call them" (ver. 2) from their idols, and t.o "dr11w them" back to himself. And does not the Lord de&! just thus with men Rtill? His method…

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SECTION 345

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 345

moral freedom. The force which draws hie mind is reason-" cords of a. man ; " a.nd the power which influences hiA heart is tenderneBII-" bands of love." God uses these forces: 1. In liis common providence. His love for hie creatures is a.naJoc,ous to parental nffection : it is ns human, and more tender than that of …

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SECTION 346

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 346

Parmta. The fl\mily bond is love. Wo must throw "cords of a. man" around our children, if we would train them to live t.o the Redeemer. Our training must be humane, and in harmony with the moral nature of its subjects. A father ought as soon as possible, to enlist his child's reason on tho side of obedience, When ~u…

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SECTION 347

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 347

is to pass into the possession of the heathen. Such was only the natural reenlt of Israel's wickedness, nnd it stands in history as an affecting warning against ungodly counsels. "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesil his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord" (Jer. xvii. 6-8). "My brethre…

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SECTION 348

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 348

mercy ? Jehovah's "ttitude ie like that or the t.ender-hMrted monarch who trembles when the death-warrant is placed before him, e.nd hesitates whether he will sign it. But he declares at length that he cannot sacrifioe his brooding yearning love for Ephraim even to the most righteous anger. He is resolved to exercis…

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SECTION 349

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 349

Ver. 3 (first clause).-Tlie tenderness of Divine discipline. Amidst Hosea.'s strong denunciations of sin, such a description a.s this of Divine tenderness to wayward men is sweet as a song amidst a storm, Both sternness and sweetness must of necessity appear before us in order to give a true apprehension of the method …

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SECTION 350

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 350

diRohedicaoe t,o Law, they lea.rot that God WM King, that ho WIUI nMr tl1at ho WAI wleo, and imperfect though tho revelation WR.I!, it WM the most they o~uld receive. God RpRke R.B they were able to hoor it. He de11.lt with them BA we deal with children. Nor is he Jei;s wi~e or Iese ternlcr in our cnlture, but beRrs…

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SECTION 351

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 351

thorn with cords of n. man, with bands or love." Let na consider tho evidence and the lnfluonco or the Divino attractiveneee. I. !Te EVIDENCE. 1. .As ezMbited in the mission of a!vrut. Instead of coming in the clouds of heo.ven to compel the homage of the world, he came in the likeness of men, o.nd won the love of tho…

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SECTION 352

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 352

1 1. MA~ 11 RF.llF.U,lON is implird in the toxt e.110. rleecribed gre.phice.lly in other prnte nf t lw prophecy. 1. Its signR, &11 they e.re lllustrntcd in the moral cundition of IHrncl. (1) The dethronement of God. He WM no longer the object of worship or the source ,,f Ruthority. Baal WM worshipped in the high pl…

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SECTION 353

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 353

Co~cl,URIO:tl, llewcire of pesumin,q tm ])fointJ long-suffering. What more mad and poriloua than to leap into the e.ngry sea. becau11e the lifeboat ie there J Whllt m,mi nngonerous e.nd unmanly than the conduct of him who says in hiA heart "I will be hard, because God is so tcnrler ; I will withdraw further from him…

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SECTION 354

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 354

Ver. 8.-" Bow shall I give thee up 1" It was an idolatrous and rebellious genera-, tion to which Hosea prophesied. Sundered from Jerusalem, Israel had lapsed from the worship and service of Jehovah The prophet was not sati$6ed merely to discover in forcible language the sin of the people, merely to threaten with des…

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SECTION 355

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 355

Vor. 0.-God an~ not man . . ~ell is it for us that there a.re respects in which God ls as mn.n; that he 1s sympath1z1ng and (as we say) humane. But better is it for us that in other respects God is not as man; for, had he been subject to like passions with ourselves, he would not have borne with us, and we should have …

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SECTION 356

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 356

proplc ! And h11.11 be not been even more klnd to ue, the favoured men or thle IAuu Ano RgC? JI. A l!JGNALLY U'N0ll.A'l'EFUT, l'EOI'I,E. 1. They duo1,,,yed Goel', eeacliin,g. "Ae they c1Llled them, RO they went from them." "They "-the lnwgivera, judgeii, pricetff, prophets, whom he employed. "They went from them." '…

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SECTION 357

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 357

in tendernees over the helpless e.nd the 1111fferlng. Now, in the heart of God this love BBsume1 these two phBBeB or manifestations. 1. Material 11atwre shows that there is the stern e.nd th.e mild in God. Winter reveals hie sternness, summer hie amiability e.nd kinclness. 2. Provider,,~ shows that there ie the stern…

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SECTION 358

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 358

I. TeE NATURE oF THE J.TEA OF A NATION, Ll011 are All abundant in Englirnd to-day &a they were in Ephraim centuries ago. The IOClal atmoRphere 11 lnfeatetl with falae• hoods. 1. There are commercial liea. From the larglll!t warehou■e to tho pcc\lar'a paltry stall hes abound. 'l'hcy infest the commercial world moro d…

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SECTION 359

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 359

IJ. Oo1>'A LOVI': To lffRAP:T, 11'1 me OBtT,»l'l:OOD. "I loved him, and ce;lled my eon out of Egypt," etc. (v61'11. 1, 3, 4). <;nd'11 love to lffrael was shown: 1. In hi6 adoption. He choHo the nation, and called it "My son, my firstborn" (Exod. iv. 22). "farael was " type of Christ, and for the sake of him who was t…

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SECTION 360

The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 360

rn. IsRAE1.'s REQUITAL OF THIB LOVE, (Vera, 2, 3.) Israel had made God a ehl\meful return for all his goodnees to them. They : 1. Ref,ued obedience, "As they [the prophet~] called them, so they went from them." '!'hey flatly turned thoir bnck on ,luty. They weut further in sin the more they were warned. 2. Disliono1…

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