The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 215

Vere. 8-11.-T/ie ,illy sinful pride and obduracy of Israel, in spite of many manifest tolcens of decay, or their disastrous foreign policy. The prophet had dcscri bed the cor- ruption; he now turns to the state of the country. From the iniquity of the princes he descends to the sin of the people. The figure of baking is stlll present to the prophet as is evident from the metaphor of a cake. ' I. 'l'mi; INOONBISTENOY AND WORTHLESSNESS 011' DIVIDED ALLEGIANCE, God had intended to separate Israel from the rest of the nations, and by proh:bitin"' inter- marriages to keep them distinct. 1. The great purpose of this separation was to"prcvcn t their associating with their heathen neighbonrs, and conforming to their idolatries anrl immoralities. Thus they were to conserve the doctrines of the Divine unity, the know- ledge of the true God, and the purity of his worship. But by intercourse with their neighbours, and forming alliances now with one then with another, in order to secure their help-the help of one against another-they got mixed up with them, and became like a cake in which two ingredients at least, Judaism and Gentilism, were kneaded together. The consequence of such admixture, as the word(',',::,.) implies, was confusion. 2. But, in addition to baking the cake of such heterogeneous elements, there was the defective ovening, or rather imperfect hardening of the cake by fire, so that one side was bul'Ilt and blackened, the other doughy and damp-neither roast nor raw, and conse- quently useless. Thus Israel was often, as in the days of Ahab, halting between God and Baal; now zealous for the latter and indifferent to the former, or the converse; more commonly cold towards Jehovah and warm for Baal; frequently neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm. They blended Gentile idolatry with the worship of the true God; they joined in the calf-worship at Dan and Bethel, while they swore by the Name of Jehovah. It is thus also with many professing Christians: they have a name to live, but are dead ; they have a form of godliness, but want the power; they are bypocri tical professors, but are devoid of real godliness. Whatever outward services they perform, it is for parade or to be seen of men, while they are strangers to the practice of piety and exercise of charity. ,The Targum explains this of punishment rather than of position. "The house of Ephraim is like to a cake baked on coals, which before it is turned is eaten ; " that is, they are suddenly destroyed by their enemies, who a.re like hungry men that, without waiting for the turning and proper baking of a cake, snatch it up, though only half baked, and speedily devour it. II. TOKENS OF DIVINE DISPLEASURE. When God is displeased with a person or e. people, one way in which he manifests such displeasure is by desertion. He leaves them in the hands of their enemies. On the contrary, when a. man's v;-ays please the Lord, he makes his enemies to be at peace with him. When Israel, in consequence of sin, was thus deserted, strangers devoured his strength, that is to say, his substance; they robbed him of his wealth, they wasted the fruits of his field, they dismantled his fortresses, they destroyed the flower of the population, and they imposed oppressive tribute. The strangers referred to included several nationalities. The Syrians had so weakened and distressed Israel in the reign of Jehoahaz that they had made them "like the dust by threshing." Then ea.me the Assyrians under Pul in the days of Menahem King of Israel, and exacted a tribute of a thousand talents of silver, thus draining their resources and devouring their strength. Subsequently, Tiglath-pileser, monarch of Assyria, captured me.ny of the Israelitish fortresses, and carried the inhabi- tants into captivity. By such exactions and devastations strangers exhausted the strength of Israel. Ill. MARKS OF NATIONAL AND SPIBITUAL DECAY. Grey hairs, if plentiful, are a sign that old age he.s already arrived; grey he.irs, when sprinkled here and there, a.re symp- toms of its approach, and of life's decline. 1. Grey hairs had at this time appeared here and there in Israel, and thus proved the kingdom to be in a weak and declining state; they were not only symptomatic of the present, but prognostic of the tutu re. They afforded proof pie.in and palpable of national declension at present existing thnmgh the depredations and exactions of the enemy; they also foreboded the melancholy fa, t the.t utter deca.y was near e.t hand. 2. But there is also spiritual decay, e.nd the lile ot the ~onl is subject to it. How rnany professing Christians-members of the vi~ible 2H T~ .BOOlt -OF HOS:lil..