The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 270

s_tnlk," ~to. Tho thought here is that of designs frustrated at every stage. It appears first as if thoro would be no etal~ .. Then such stalk as there is yields_ no fruit. Or if, porchance, thero should be any, 1t 1s devoured by strangers. Thus lile without God proves to be but deceptive show, promise without performance, eff~rL without resnlt. ~t has_to reckon with God's frown at every stage. He may nip its designs in their mcopt1on. He may thwart them a stage further on. He may prevent them fro,n aUaining final success. Or, if success be permitted, it is only that he may make their overthrow more striking in the end (Ps. Ix.xiii. 18; cf. eh. ix. 11, 16).-J. O. Vers. 8-10.-Israel rumong the Gentiles. We have here the Nemesis of a false desire of independence. I. MINGLING WITH THE WORLD LEADS TO ABSORPTION BY THE WORLD. (Ver. 8.) It was the complaint against Ephmim that he bad mixed himself among the people (eh. vii. 8). He was not content to remain separate, as God had ordained. He must have his freedom (cf. Luke xv. 11-13). We now see the end of this: "Israel is swal- lowed up." He was: 1. .Absorbed by the world. The Gentiles got wholly the pos- session of him. It is so spiritually with those who try to serve both God and mammon. The attempt to serve two masters proves vain. The world gains ground in the heart; God loses ground. By-and-by the world has the whole. The backslider is "swallowed up" (cf. 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10; 2 Tim. iv. 10). 2. .An object of contempt to the world. "Among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein there is no pleasure." The world in its heart secretly despises those whom it has got under its influence, having turned them away from God. It holds them in contempt. Two kinds of men the world has respect for- its own kind, and the thoroughly godly. It has no respect at all for the third something, that tries to be both and yet is neither-the trimmer, the compromiser, the backslider. Nor, once it has them in its power, is it slow to show its contempt for them. II. THE DESIRE TO BE INDEPENDENT OF Goo LEADS TO DEl'ENDENCE ON THE WORLD. (Ver. 9.) Israel went up to Assyria-" a wild ass alone by itself." We understand the figure to allude to Israel's untractable spirit and desire of independence. The nation must, at all costs, be rid of God's yoke, and go out " alone by itself." The use it makes of its independence, however, is to go to Assyria. The motive is not, of course, to have Assyria's yoke imposed on it instead of God's; but this is the result. Seeking independence of God, it sinks into dependence on Assyria. Herein is imaged the end of all attempts at a false independence. 1. True freedom for man-true independence-Ues in loyal acceptance of the rule of God. This gives inward eman- cipation and superiority to the seductions of the world. 2. Renouncing this, the soul sinks into a dependence on finite things, alien to its nature. It falls into bondage. It exchanges God's service for a. worse. It is ruled by the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John ii. 16). The prodigal, leaving his father's house for freedom, ended by joining himself to a citizen in the" far country," who sent him into his fields to feed swine (Luke xv. 15, 16). III. TRAFFICKING WITH THE WORLD LEADS TO OPPRESSION BY THE WORLD. (Ver. 10.) Israel trafficked with the world for its favour-" hired among the nations;" the resn\t being that it was given up by God to be oppressed by the world-" the burden of the king of princes." The stages a.re (1) sinful desire towards the world-" hired lovers" (ver. 9); (2) propitiation of the world, by gifts, alliances, etc.; (3) absorption by the world and subjection to the world, a.s already described; (4) oppression by the world. This power of Assyria over Israel was: 1. Divinely given. "Now will I gather them." It was God, and no one else, who gave this people into the hands of the foreigners. 2. Distressing. Israel would suffer much in exile. Her burden would be heavy; her numbers would be diminished. The world is a terrible tyrant over those whom it gets in its power. 3. Equitable. We trace here the same proportionatene.ss between sin and pu~ishment as falls so frequently to be noticed. They voluntarily "hired" among the nations; now they are oppressed by Gentile tribute.-J. 0. Vere. 11-14.-Religion become sin. Israel's holiest things became sin to them through their disreg11.rd of God's commandments. I. THE ALTAI\ DECOME BIN. (Ver. 11.) The Jaw required that there should be but une altar, an,J that in the place where God had put his Name (Deut. xii.). Ephrni!ll  270 THE '300K OF HOSEA.