II. 'l'HE AOTUAL LIFE OF ISRAEL, Thie was quite the reverse of the ideal above described. Its wrongness had begun very early, for tbe nation had "sinned from tho days of Gibeah" (Judg, xix., xx.); and, alas! it persisted in the sin of Gibcah still. 'l'ho corruption of the community was deeply rooted in ancestral ha.bit. In describing the actual life of Israel, Hosea refers to: 1. Its basis. (Ver. 13.) The foundation of the whole lay in sinful self-confidence. Israel "trusted in his way," i.e. in his own political devices and idolatrous worship. He relied also upon "the multitude of his mi"'hty men," as if Providence were on the side of the strong battalions. 2. Its p11rs~its. Ephraim led a self-indulgent life. In the days of Jeroboam II., when he was victorious and prosperous, he was "as a heifer that loveth to tread out the corn" (ver. 11). The nation was self-reliant, and it gr~w rich; so it _became pampered an~ selfish. Really, however, the people all the while were followmg a career of labonous sin. "They ploughed wickedness, and reaped iniquity" ~ver. 13). Like self-made slaves they "bound themselves in their two transgressions ' (ver. 10)-their double sin of apostasy from Jehovah and revolt from the dynasty of David. 3. Its results. As sin is the evil of evils, the consequence of the people's long course of iniquity could not but be ruinous. Disaster fell upon them as the outcome of natural law, and also because at last it was God's "desire to chastise them" (ver.10). Hitherto the ten tribes, although they had lived in the commission of the sin of Gibeah, had not been destroyed in war, like the Gibeahites ; now at last, however, the Divine vengeance is to descend npon them. There is to be: (1) Invasion. (Ver.10.) The .A.ssyrians, with their allies," shall be gathered against them." (2) Boodage. (Ver. 11.) A heavy yoke shall be put upon the "fair neck " of the heifer Ephraim; and in her state of subjugation she shall have to perform hard labour. Judah also shall undergo a similar punishment. This threatening was fulfilled in the two captivities, the Assyrian and the Babylonish. (3) Disappointment. (Ver.13.) Israel's reward for his wickedness was that he had "eaten the fruit of lies." 'l'he idolatry which he practised was a lie; and this, instead of pro- moting the prosperity of the nation, as for a time it seemed to be doing, led to its utter humiliation and decay. (4) National ruin. (Vers. 14, 15.) The" tumult" of war is soon to arise. Shalmaneser shall overthrow the strongholds of Ephraim, as he had lately "spoiled Beth-arbel." The land shall be devastated, and its inhabitants cruelly murdered. And, in consequence, the kingdom of Israel shall he destroyed for ever. LESSONS. 1. God's long forbearance with a wicked nation before he proceeds to visit it according to its works (ver. 9). 2. The determination to which at length he must inevitably come, to vindicate his justice (ver. 10). 3. The folly of those who expect to enjoy the comforts of religion while neglecting to discharge its duties (ver. 11). 4. The history of the kingdom of the ten tribes an illustration of the truth that "pride goeth before destruction" (ver. 11). 5. The deceitfulness of sin, as being " the fruit of lies" (ver. 13). 6. 'l'his passage should lead us to cherish gratitude to Almighty God for his goodness to our nation, and should suggest to Great Britain to take wami □ g from the doom of Ephraim.-C. J.
Ver. 2 (first clause).-The divided heart. The preceding verse describes the sin of the people; this points us to its source. Like a vine, luxuriant in branch yet yielding no sound fruit, Israel deserved the curse which, during the ministry of our Lord, fell on the barren fig tree. The first verse may be compared advantageously with the descrip- tion given of Israel in Ps. lxxx. 8-15. The third clause in that verse does not continue to develop the figure, but makes a declaration which was literally true, viz. that in proportion as the fields were fruitful Israel multiplied idolatrous altars; and as the land was made ,goo_d, so the images they worshipped were adorned with beauty. In other words, Gods gifts were abused, and were dedicated, not to him, but to false gods. The fear of Moses was justified. Now they enjoyed the goodly land they were forgetting the Lord_ their God: Point out the enervating effect of prosperity in such_ men as Hezekiah, and in the decline and fall of great nations. The cause of Israel's sm was to be lound in the fact that they were not whole-hearted in the worship of God; but while they kept up still the outward forms of the old religion, with" divided hearts" they mingled with it, or supported beside it, idolatrous practices. The question of Elijah, "How long halt ye between two opinions?" needed repetition in those days, and in these. :ns THE ~OOK OF HOSEA. [OR, X, 1-lo,