set by God's commandments? It was the substituting of a human statnte for a. Di vim, -the setting aside of a prohibition or the Decalogue. (2) The people of Ephra.im "walked willingly after the commandment," i.e. after the man-made statute; but so also did the people of Judah. They followed the example of their princes. Both kingdoms were antinomian. 2. Judah's punishment and Ephraim's punishment would accordingly be alilce. "'l'herefore will I be unto Ephraim as a. moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness." The agency at work in their destruction, while supernatural in origin, would work through natural causes and in accordance with natural laws. Destruction is prepared for by a process of internal decay. This decay is gradual, secret, sure, ruinous. It affects a.II parts of the social fabric. It so eats away its substance that it needs but a touch to make it fall in pieces. This is precisely what happens in a state when moral laws a.re tampered with.-J. O. Vere. 13-15.-17ie/alse physician and the true. The aid of the King of Assyrfa was, when times became troublous, freely sought by both Ephraim and Judah. Ephraim, however, was the chief offender. The relations between Israel and Assyria. were at this time very close. I. THE FATAL BI0KNEBB. (Ver.13.) "When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound," etc. The sickness was a deadly one. Its diagnosis is not difficult. "The real disease," one has said," was apostasy from the Lord, or idolatry, with its train of moral corruption, injustice, crimes, and vices of every kind, which destroyed. the vital energy and vital marrow of the two kingdoms, and generated civil war and anarchy in the kingdom of Israel." It was the disease of Bin, which in more or less aggravated forms afflicts us all. "The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint" (Isa. i. 5). II. THE PHYSICIAN THAT COULD NOT HELP. (Vers. 13, 14.) "Then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to King Jareb [the warlike king]," etc. 1. 17ie sinner will apply to any helper rather than to God. Israel had God to come to, bnt he would not avail himself of this aid. He preferred to send to the Assyrian. The reason was that be did not believe much in God's help. He knew, too, that, did he come to God, he would require to "acknowledge his offence" (ver. 15) and give up his evil ways. For this he was not prepared. In like manner, the sinner's first resort is usually to earthly helpers. He neglects the great Physician. He looks to man for his comfort, counsel, strength, assistance, and happiness. He tries the "broken cisterns" (Jer. ii. 13). He seeks remedies, not in the gospel, but in science, philosophy, politics, literature, and art. It is in vain. The physician is not to be found there. 2. No helper other than God can heal the sickness. "Yet could he not heal you, nor cure yon of your wound." "King Jareb" could not heal Israel, and neither can these earthly physicians we speak of heal the trouble of the sinner. It passes their skill. The Assyrian could not heal Israel; for: (1) 'fhe ea.use of the trouble lay, not in anything outward, but in the moral state. Social, moral, and political evils need a deeper remedy than any earthly helper knows how to apply. Unless a cure can be discovered for sin, other remedies will fail. The seat of the mischief is in the heart. It is that which needs healing. (2) God's hand was against Israel. " For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah," etc. So long as God had this" controversy" with the people it was vain to look for healing. God being against them, no human being could make things go well. They might heal, but he would rend again. They might rescue, but he would take away. They might gather, but he would scatter. There is no help so long as God is an"ry 0 with us. (3) After all, the Assyrian was not honest in his help. He did not really mean to help Israel. He sought only his own ends. Once be got the nation in his power, be would turn and rend it. Instead of helping, Assyria became the chief instrument in God's hand in inflicting the threatened punishment. Equally vain is the help we seek from earthly physicians. 'l'hey cannot render it, even supposing they were willing, and they often are not willing. Our_ own age_ finds no real balm for its wounds in its theories and systems. It needs Chr1St. He 1s tbe only true Physician. III. THE PHYSICIAN THAT COULD HELP. (Ver. 15.) This was Jehovah. But him, ns yet, Israel would not oeek. 1. Only on one condition could his help be bestowed. 'l'his was that tbey should "acknowledge their offence, and seek his face." lt was th@ 166 THE BOOK OF HOSEA. [OH. VI, 1-11.
in~isposition to do this which kept Israel back. 2. Till Israel was broucrht to this :pomt of acknowledgment God would hide himself in chaRtisements. "I ~ill ~o and return to my place," etc. It is the sinner that must change. God cannot. 3. There re~am~ t!1e hope t~at affliction might ultimately lead them to seek him, "In their affi1ct1on they will seek me ea.rly."--J. O,