The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 18

channel of that authority through whom it ie conveyed. It was through the two Person~ of the blessed Trinity-Son and Father, agent and origin, medium and source-11. direct Divine commission. So with the prophet in this introductory passage. But be not m;ily held hie commission from God, he had his instructions· from God. His position was like that of a diplomatist or ambassador sent out by an earthly soverei~n, who iH commissioned to represent his sovereign, and in that capacity to adhere faithfully to the instructions he has received, correctly interpreting the will and wishes of bis monarch and scrupulously communicating the same. Three several times is the source of Hosea's instructions insisted on. There is the first general statement of the word of the Lord comin" to him; then there is the notification of the beginning of the word of the Lord beino- i;;_ Hosea; and next we !cam that the Lord spake to him. The conveyance of these inst~uc- tions is presented under a threefold aspect. They come to him from the Lord and so with Divine authority; they reach him by direct communication, for the Lord himself spoke to him ; and they are in him, reflected on his mind and retained in his memory, and ready for present and practical use. God made him a depositary of his truth and thus fitted him for declaring it to others; he revealed his will to him, and by the inspiration of his Spirit qualified him to record it without error for the benefit of present and succeeding generations. Though not possessing or presuming to po3sess this special inspiration of prophets under the Old and apostles under the New Testament, the preacher of the gospel is truly commissioned and strictly commanded to declare the whole counsel of God, not with wisdom of words, not with enticing words of man'~ wisdom, not handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God. III. THE PERSEVERANCE OF THE PROPHET. 'fhe official life of Hosea reached the length of an ordinary lifetime, falling little short of the ordinary three score years and ten, 'l'he summer's heat and winter's cold of all those long and weary years still found him at his post, as a. prophet of the Lord. Many a dynastic change had taken place during that period: sovereigns might rise or sovereigns fall; men might come and men might. go, but he went on as ever. Faithful to his God, faithful to his king and country, alike pious and patriotic, he persisted in the work to which God had called him. 'l'o most men work lov.g continued at last becomes irksome; the performance of duties in incessant round and for a lengthened period disposes men to seek re:;pite or release; age itself, with its weight of years, brings manifold infirmities; but however it may have been with the prophet, he does not plead age, or·infirmity, or length of service, or exhausted energies, or enfeebled strength, or failing powers either of mind or body, in order to obtain exemption from further service, or to secure in the evening of his days that ease or rest which he had so well earned ; nay, unceasingly as uncomplainingly he persists in his onerous duties, and plies the task which Providence assigned him. IV. THE PATIENCE OF THE PROPHET. If our work be pleasant, and especially if it prove successful, we are greatly encouraged thereby, and in some sort enabled to per- severe. Want of success, on the other hand, too olten paralyzes men's powers and puts an end to their exertions. Not so with Hosea.. His efforts for the spiritual amelioration of his people were ineffectud; his labours in that direction were not crowned with the desired success. Yet in shadow as in sunshine, through evil report as good report, whether his work was appreciated or despised, with fruit or wanting it, he had learnt to possess his soul in patience. Many an untoward event, many a froward or perverse action on the part of those to whom he ministered, many a hard speech, discouraged his heart, we are sure, from the history of those evil days and the godless generation among whom he lived and wrought. His patience was tried-sorely tried, yet triumphed over all. What a lesson to all who are engaged in work for God ! V. THE PECULIARITY OF THE PERIOD ~'l' WHICH HE PUBLISHED HIS PREDICTIONS. '!'hat peculiarity consists in the fact that it was a period of unwonted prosperity. Had it been otherwise ; had it been a time of positive decline or partial disorganization; had dis- integration actually' and obviously set in as at a later period, it might have been sai,1 that coming events were so castiug their shadows before that a sagacious calculator ot probabilities might readily predict the coming catastruphc. But in the reign of J ero- boam II., son and successor of Joash, and largely by his prow~ss, the power of Israel was 1·evived. During his reign of forty-one years he had enlarged his kingdom beyond t1ll preceding limits from the time of its separation from Judah; he had recovered  'l'HE BOOK OF HOSEA. (cH, l, 1-11.