The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 76

Ver. S.-Mercies abused. Ingratitude and insensibility are odious vices; when dis- played by God's intelligent creatures towards their Maker, they are hateful sins. The case is still worse when, as with Israel, the bestowments of a beneficent Deity are employed in the service of a rival and a foe. Jehovah gave to the people silver and gold ; the people made of the precious metals shrines to Baal. Yet this is a just picture of the conduct of those who receive gifts from Heaven and use them in the service of sin. L GIFTS MAY BE RECEIVED AND THE GIVER UNBECOGNIZED. The produce of the soil-corn, wine, and oil; the mineral wealth of earth-silver and gold,--iP.re all the provision of Divine bounty. But, whilst God opens his hands, multitudes, like Israel, take the gifts but give no thought to the Divine Benefactor. The powers of body and of mind which we possess are provided by Divine wisdom and goodness. Yet how often men use them as if they were absolutely their own, and involved no responsibility I II. THE GIFTS OF Goo ARE SOMETIMES TRAOED, NOT TO GoD, BUT TO HIS FOES. To take from Jehovah, and then to offer thanks and praise to Be.al-such was the base and brutish proceeding of Israel And now men praise themselves, or they praise fortune, or they praise the sinful arrangements of society, for the gifts they owe to Heaven. They "do not know," even as Israel "did not know." It is ble.mable, inexcusable ignorance, and only Divine forbP.arance could endure it. III. THE GIFTS OF GoD MAY EVEN BE TURNED AGAINST BDt: AS WEAPONS OF REBELLION, Israel took Jehove.h's gold and me.de of it images of Baal. How often do men employ the wealth which God has enabled them to get, age.inst the Giver, and in the promotion of the cause of error and of vice I How often do they prostitute the faculties and influence which they owe to God, to the service of Satan I The state, the Church, are from God ; yet both have too often been me.de instruments of evil. Only infinite long-suffering could permit such an abuse of what was provided and intended for man's highest good. APPLICATION. Ingratitude should be succeeded by repentance ; and the abuse of God's gifts should be laid aside, and followed by lowly consecration.-'r. Ver. 13.-Betribution. It was part of the office of the prophet to exhibit the righteousness of the Most High. Justice and mercy, the attributes which appear so harmonious in the gospel, are equally apparent in the writings of the inspired seers of the old covenant. I. THE SIGNS oF APOSTASY AND INFIDELITY. These are age.in set forth under the similitude of e. loved and well cared for, yet unfaithful and adulterous wife. 1. For- getfulness of the Lord, the Husband. If he had been remembered, honoured, and loved, others would not have been permitted to be his rive.ls and successors. To forget God i.A to fling one's self in the way of temptation. 2. The quest of other objects of affection and intimacy. When faithless Israel went after strange gods, "lovers," or paramours, she furnished an example of human infidelity to God, Men, forgetting God, worship the works of their hands, make idols of their talents, their wealth, their influence, their position in life, etc. 3. Devotion to the service of God's rive.Is. .As the abandoned woman adorns herself, and sets forth her charms in order to e.ttre.ot the e.tleDtiun and admiration of men, so idolaters consume their substance and waste their energies in superstitious observances; and so all who forsake God encompass the vain objects of their devotioo and affection with much lavish display of zee.l. on, u. 1-28.J THE BOOK OF HOSEA.