The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 309

HOMILETICS. Yers. 1-3.-Sin and •fl retnouwm. I. PEBVEBTED UBB OP PROBPEBITY, Israel is a vine not empty, nor emptied, nor plundered, according to Calvin, BBY, by the tribute paid to Pu!; for, if empty, how then could he bring forth fruit, except, indeed, at some ~11 lisequent season? He is compared, rather, to a wide-spreading vine, pouring out its :-tr<'ngth in luxuriant lea.Cage and show of fruit; or even suitable fruit. But the fruit tL us yielded v.as not fruit to God, as it should have been, but fruit to itself e.nd for it.-<elf. The figure of a flourishing vine, condensed by the prophet here, is fully expanded. nnd developed by the psalmist in the eightieth psalm: "Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast CBSt out the heathen, andlplanted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were co~ered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars, She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river." Such had lsrael been aforetime. Their fruit trees produced abundantly; their land was very fortile: the fruit of man and beast and tree multiplied, and their land increased in fertility; but these blessings of Providence were abused. Instead of leading them to repentance, these good gifts of God's providence were sadly misused and shockingly pe•,·erted; instead of being employed in the service and to the glory of the Giver, they werf used /or idolatrous purposes, and thus they ministered to sin. Altars were reared t< idols and statues set up; they multiplied their altars and made goodly images. 11 PUNISHMENT IS SUBE TO FOLLOW SUCH PEBVEBSION. God had blessed them with prosperity and plenty, but they made a poor return; nay, they returned evil for his goodness. They might well be compared to an emptying vine, CBSting its fruit before it was ripe, according to one explanation of the word, for they emptied them- selves of the riches he conferred on them by sending presents to foreign princes, or purcha.s!.ng their alliance, or paying tribute to their conquerors; or they wasted their wealth on their idols and in idolatrous practices, or on self and sin in some form, Or, if they brought forth fruit nnto maturity, that fruit did not redound to the Divine glory; the fruit borne by them was not the fruit of righteousness; the seemingly good works doue by them were not to the praise and glory of God. What they did they did for their own profit or pleasure, or to gain the praise of men. The blessings bestowed on them were not used to promote the Divine glory, or to help the Divine service, or to advance the caUBe of true religion in any way, but were lavished on their own lusts, or selfuh gratifications, or abominable idolatries, multiplying altars to their idols, offering sacrifices more numerous and expensive, making pillars or statues of costlier metal and with richer ornaments. 1. The root of the evil was within. The seat of all their sin was within, and out of the heart it proceeded; their heart was divided, or hypocritical, and therefore not right with God. Persons guilty of such sin and folly and gross inontitude God could not hold guiltless. They were dealt with as guilty and punished, or°,re, e left dtsolate-their land wasted, and themselves led into captivity. 2. Accumu- lated wrath issues in aggravated punishment. The means God graciously gave them for charitable and noble purposes of benevolence, or for high and holy service, they threw away recklessly on vile and worthless objects; as the means increased, the wickedness increased. God tried them with prosperity ; he proved them, but they did not stand the test ; every day they persisted in their mad career of sia. 'l'hey were treasuring up for theIIU!el vea wrath against the day of wrath. 3. God corrects in measure that men ruay repent or sin and turn to God. If the day of visitation is improved, it is well; if, when God withdraws his hand and grants a respite, or suspends the st;roke, his gracious <ltsi~n is duly responded to, the chastisement is sanctified, and the person so treated OH, X, 1-16,] THE BOOK OF HOSEA.