The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 352

1 1. MA~ 11 RF.llF.U,lON is implird in the toxt e.110. rleecribed gre.phice.lly in other prnte nf t lw prophecy. 1. Its signR, &11 they e.re lllustrntcd in the moral cundition of IHrncl. (1) The dethronement of God. He WM no longer the object of worship or the source ,,f Ruthority. Baal WM worshipped in the high ple.cee, and Aste.rte in the grovca, In other worda, confidence in one's own pnwcr, or contentment with scnsuoue ple11~ures, now displaced devotion to God. '1'1:.is is not brought about with etnrtling rapidity. 'l'here is no ecnsible shock felt when a man breaks with God. Thero is o. progressivenCRs in evil almost imperceptible. Israel firet profeesed to worship God in the calf, ~ut 11.t last wo1:11hippe~ the devil in As!,&r~. Sin is generally pl'ogressive in the hold 1t gets upon its v1ct1ms. Judas Iscariot 1s 11.n exe.mple of this. (2) The wnfidenu in man. Many shrewd men in Israel held e.loof from idolatrous worship a~ <lcgrn.ding superstition, yet were equally with the worshippers in rebellion against Gori. l<'or ne.tional deliverance they would not truet to Ba.al, but they would trust in Egypt, which was equally distrust of Jehovah. Many now are free from the folly and the degT&dation of heathendom, yet are in God's 11ight rebels against his authority. Jn their jud.gment they are righteous enough to do without bis pardon, strong enough to do without his aid, wis~ enough to do without his revelation. 2. It6 comequences. (1) J?isappointment. !Read ver. 5.) Hoshen. was su~ject ~ Assyria, but joined Egypt to wm independence. fhe result was that the Assyne.n king destroyed Israel, oarryini:r the people away into an exile from which there was nu return. Similarly, one who from a spirit of self-reliance says of Christ," We will not he.ve this man to rule over us," becomes the slave of human opinion, of popular customs, of evil passions, etc. Others who live in forbidden pleasure find in old e.ge, not only the pleasure gone, but the retribution come, physically 88 well as morally. "Wherefore do ye spend money for tbe.t which is not bread?" Happy is it if the prodigal grows sick of the husks t.he swine ee.t, before it is too late to return to the Father's house, where there is bread enough and to spare. (2) Pt1,nish~nt. In the wilderness days the people, in plagues and defeats, had si.,,ans of this. Here it wne foretold that the sword should abide on their cities (ver. 6). And in our text reference is made to e. standing example of Divine retribution-the destruction of the cities of the plain. Adme.h and Zeboim are selected, as the smallest or least known, to indicate that the most insignificant would not escape the judgment of God. In relerence to the coming punishment of the impenitent, even ,)ur loving Se.viour spee.ks awful e.nd ominous words. It is in the New Testament, the specie.I revelation of God's love, that we read of "the fire that cannot be quenched ; " of "the second death;" of the "outer darkness, where she.11 be weeping, and we.Hing, and gnaRhing of teeth." II. Goo's coMPASSIOl'I'. 1. It i8 descri'bed by the prophet. He represents God as saying, " How shall I me.kc thee 88 Admah '!" etc. " 'l'hy sin merits a punishment fearful as we.s that, yet my heart is heavy within me e.t the thought of its coming to thee, my child ; yea., my strong comp88sions a.re kindled by my love." Buch le.nguage is in harmony with the whole teaching of Scripture. '' God is not willing the.t any should perish," etc. Note: It would be well if a.LI the children of God in this were like him. Some however, are indifferent to the sine of their fellows, as if sins were of little conse- qnen~e, or as if they themselves had no more sense of responsibility than Co.in acknow• ledged when he said, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Others are indignant and angry with the fallen, as were the Pharisees in the boWIC of Simon. But in the eye of him who abhors evil, the sinner, going away from hope and light and heaven is too pitiful for rCRCntment, though too wilful for excuse. 'l'herefore he says," How shall I give thee up?" etc. 2. It i, proclaimed in the go,pel. The coming of the beloved Son is well described by the Lord himself, in his parables of the wicked busbandmen, of the good shepherd seeking the one sheep that was lost, etc. Bee in these the unmerited love, the infioite tenderness, of him who so loved UB as to give his only Son for our redemp- tion. In the minilltry of him who wu the express Jmagll of God's Person we see proofs of the truth in the text; not only in his miracles, but in his invitations, notably in the words, "0 Jerusalem Jerusalem, ... bow often would I have gathered thy children together 1111 11. hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not l" In tho wmmi.a,i.o,n, given to the apostlea the text reappears. What pathetic meaning in the words, "heginning at Jerusalem" l In the experience of the redeemed this assurance is rc-cr;r,o,,rl. Kaul of TarRus, the chic,f of sinners, obtained mercy :'111 a pattern for thoaf' whc, sl,oul<l berca.lter believe.  OH, xr. 1-12.J THE BOOK OF HOSEA. 35?,