The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 268

.. Ver. 14.-Neither the religion nor security of a nation to bejud7ed by appearances. "For Israel bath forgotten," etc. The "tem pies " referred to here are the idolatrous temples which Israel .bad built after the models of those built by tb~ Syro-pbre:nicians ; and the ".fenced cities" refers to those fortified places which they had erected against foreign invaders. The words imply that neither the temples nor the "fenced cities" were any proof either of their religion or their secnrity. I. THE MULTIPLICATION OF TEMPLES IS NO INFALLIBLE PROOF OF THE GROWTH vl" RELIGIOf IN A COUNTRY; Temples. were now multiplied in Israel. And the reason assigned is forgetfulness of their Maker. When strangers visit England and witness the number of our churches of all sects, and measures of beauty and size, their first impression would be-What_a religious people these English are! But when we think of the moral causes that often lead to the erection of temples, they rather prove onr for- getfulness of God. 1. There is greed. Churches are sometimes built as an investment. 2•.. There,is spite. One or two, or m_ore, have received a grievance at the neighbouring Church, ~nd, in.spired by spite, they set to the erection of another. 3. There is sectism. Episcopalians, W esleyans, Congregationalists, all seek to rival each other in this respect; so that the multiplication of temples, we fear, must not be taken as a proof 0f the growth of religion. _ . II. THE INCREASE OF NATIONAL DEFENCES IS NO PROOF OF THE IllCREASE OF NATION.AL SECURITY. "I will send a :fire upon bis cities/' When noble foreigners visit our shores, we, \Vith our national vanity, seek to impress them with the greatness of our national defences ... We exhibit our fleets, our standing armies, our fortifications; we have 01ir naval and military reviews. What fools are they who think that national security is in these things I 'l'he safety of a people is in the moral excellence of their character and the guardi~nsbip of Heaven.-D. T. Vere. 1-4.-l)oqmsday. The trumpet sounds the approach of judgment. H is judgment which begins at the house of God (1 Pet. iv. 17). The "eagl~" is the_ A~syriau; in later times the Roman (cf. Deut. xxviii. 49). The cause of tbeJurl~ment is that constantly insisted on: "They have transgressed my covenant, and tre,passed against my Law" (ver.1). . I. KNOWLEDGE Oil' GOD THROUGH JUDGMENT. (Ver. 2.) In the day of doom Israel would cry to God, "My God, we know thee, we IsraeL" So at the last judgment: 1. Those who have hith~rto denied God will be forced to acknowledge him. Their startled cry, when it is too \ate, will be, "My God, we know thee." They will know h_im t? their cost, ,,They will i;i.o longer be able to discruise to themselves the fact of his existence or. the reality of })is poweL·.. No more pretence of ignorl\Dce, no more c,williug, no more blasphei:n,ous defiance. 2. Those who have hitherto forgotten God will be forced 10 remember liim; They will experience a rude- awakening from the careless security ia which they have been living. They will find God's words to be true, his warnings real, the" wrath to come" a dreadful certainty. It will be impossible longer to put off renection, or to shut out thouahts of him :with whom they have to do. 3. Those who have hitherto slighted God's Jriendsl.ip will be eager to make friends with hi1,1. '!'hey will address him as their Gap. (" My God"), will recall past knowledge of him,  268 TllE BOOK OF HOSEA. [en. v1tt, 1-14.