The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 36

Ver. 1.-Scripture, kings, and truth. "The word of the Lord that oa.me unto Hosea, the ron of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, Kings of Judah, and in t.he days of ,Jeroboam the son of Joa.sh, King of Israel." This verse leads us to consider three things. I. THE ESSENCE OF SCRIPTURE. What is the essence of the Bible? It is here called " The word of the Lord." Analyze the expression : 1. It is a" word." A word fulfils two functions; it is a revel,a,tion and an instrument. A true word reveals the mind of the speaker, and is at the same time an instrument to accomplish his purpose. 'l'he Bible is the manifestation of God; it shows his intellect and heart; and is his instrument as well, by which he accomplishes his purpose on the human mind. By it he is said to e11l,ighten, quicken, cleanse, conquer, etc. 2. It is a Divine word. "The word of the Lord." Words are always powerful and important according to the nature and character of the speaker. The words of some men are unclean and weak, the words of others pure and mighty. Because the Lord is all-mighty and holy, his word is all- powerful and pure. 3. It is & Divine word concerning men, The prophecy came to Hosea in relation to Israel. The Lord has spoken many words, words to other intelli- gences unknown to us. If all the words he has spoken in the universe were written in books, what globe or system would contain them? But the Bible is a word to man. 4. It is & Divine word concerning man coming through men, The Lord's word came now through Hosea to Israel. In the Bible God speaks to man through man, 'l'his gives the charm of an imperishable humanity to the Bible. 11. THE MORTALITY OF KINGS. Several kings are here mentioned who appeared and passed a.way during the ministry of Hosea. He prophesied "in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, Kings of Judah, and in the days of ,Teroboam the son of .Joash, King of Israel." Uzziah was the eleventh king of Judah, His example was holy, and his reign peaceful and prosperous. Ahaz was a son or Jotham; at the age of twenty he succeeded his royal sire. He gave himself up to idolatry, and sacrificed even his own children to the gods of the heatheo. Hezekiah, the son and successor of Ahaz, was a man of distinguished virtue and religion, animated by true piety and patriotism. Jeroboam was the son of Joash, and great-grandson of Jehu, aod followe<l the former Jeroboam, the man who made Israel to sin, and, like him, sank into the lowest idolatry and corruption. Some of these kings had come and gone during the ministry of Hosea ;-Kings die, etc. 1. This/act is a blessing, Royalty has a_tendency so to feed and fatten the depravity of hum&n nature, that, were not death to interpose, the lives of men would become intolerable. When we thiok of such kings as those of which Ahaz and Jeroboam were types, we thank God for death,_and rej?ice in the " king of terrors," wbo comes to strike the desP?ts do~. 2.. T_his fact is a lesson. What does the death of kings teach? (1) The ngorous 1mpart1ahty of death. Death is no respect.er of persons; it treats the pauper and the prince alike. "The hie.ck ea.me! death kneeleth once at each door, And mortal must mount to return never more," (2) The utter powerlessness of wealth. The wealth of empires cannot bribe death, nor can all the armies of war ward off his blow or keep him at bay. (3) 'l'hc sad hollow- 11<,ss of worldly glory. Death strips sovereigns of all their pageantry and reduces them to common dw,t, "It is a monitory truth, I ween, That, tw-ning up the ashes of the grave, One can diBCern no difference between The richest sultan and the poorest slave." [JI. THE PERPETUITY OF TRUTH. Although these kiogs successively appeared and JJu,s~d away, tLe ministry or Hosea kept on. l, 'l'be" Word of the Lord" is adapted OJ[, I, 1-11,] 'l'HE BOOK OF HOSEA.