The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 164

"fer. 13.- Wrong methods <if relief. "When Ephraim saw hie sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to King Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound." 'l'h11" moth" had .so far eaten into the political heart of Ephraim and Judah that they began to feel the wound and to grow conscious of their weakness. They felt, it may be, that from the sole of the foot to ihe crown of the head there was no soundness in them, but wounds and bruises and putrefied sores. Under a grievous ~ense of their disease and weakness, instead of apply- ing to Jehovah for help, they went" to the Assyrian, and sent to King Jareb." The AssYria.n king was ever ready for his own aggrandizement to mix himself i,ip wit:h the affairs of neighbouring states, and profess to undertake Israel and J udah's cause. As the real disease of the two kingdoms was apostasy to the Lord, which ever gives _rise to all the evils that destroy political states as well as individual souls, we are justified in giving the text a spiritual application; and we raise from it the following remarks:- I. :Men are OFTEN IUDE CONSCIOUS of their spiritual malady. Depravity is-~ disease of the heart; it is often represented as such in the Bible, and it is ,so. As a disease it impairs the energies, mars the enjoyment of the soul, and incapacitates it for the rig]lt discharge of the duties of life. Often men remain insensible to this disease, but the time comes when they become deeply conscious of it. As "Ephraim saw his sickn_ess, and Judah saw his wound," they see their moral wretchedness, and cry out, "Who shall deliver us from the bondage of this sin and death?" A great point i11 gained wb,e:i;i. the sinner becomes conscious of his sins. , . _ . .. II. :Men under a consciousness of their spiritual malady FREQuENTLY REli!ORT ,To WRONG MEANS OF BELIEF. Ephraim now "went to t4e Assyrian, and sent to_ King J areb." The A.ssyrians had neither the power nor the disposition to effect their restora- tion to political health. How often men whose consciences a.re toµch!:ld by tl;ie. events of providence and the trnths of the gospel appeal for help to soi;ne moral Assyrian I Sometimes they go to scenes of carnal amu.sement; sometimes to sceptical .philosophiz- ings; sometimes to false religions. These are all " miserable comforters," " broken cisterns." •• . Ill. That resorting to wrong methods of relief WILL PROVE UTTERLY INEFFECTIVE. "Yet could he not heal you, nor cure yon of your wound." What can worldly amuse- ments, sceptical reasonings, and false religions do towards healing a sin-sick soul? Nothing. Like anodyne, they may deaden the pain for a minute only, that the anguish may return with intenser acuteness. 'l'here is but one Physician, and that is Christ. Public amusers, sceptical philosophers, entertaining novelists, ceremonial priests,-these have been tried a thoUBand times, and have failed-signally failed. Christ only can bind up the broken-hearted. "Come unto me, a.11 ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give yon rest."-D. T. Vers. l-7.-God <I/Tld man. All classes are addressed by the ptophet-priests, king, nobles, the whole house of Israel. The prophecy makes an advance. In the previous chapter judgment is threatened; in this it is announced as imminent. Judah also is mena.eed with punishment (vers. 5, 10, 12). I. Gon WILL ENSNARE THE ENSNABEBS. (Ver. 1.) The dignitarieS-:-priests, kings, and nobles-had led the people :M>tray. They had put stumbling-blocks in Uieir way. 'l'hey had become a snare to them. Mizpah and Tabor may be referred to as conspicuous centres of wickedness. 'l'he figure is taken from the ensnaring of birds. We may ensnare: 1. Through evil ezarrple. The example of a court, of the aristo9racy, of ministers of religion, of the wealthy,-has a powerful influence on the tone of morals- and religion. If evil, it gives an immense impetus to corruption. The multitudes thirik nothing wrong which they see in their betters (cf. Massillon's sermon on' Des Exemples des Granda'). 2. Thr()'ll,[lh trap, ,et /0'1" virtue, The idolatrous festivals patronized b1 OH, V, 1-16.] THE BOOK OF HOSEA. 163