i;iven that ho will not destroy Ephmim is that he is" God, and not man"-" the Holy One," 1111 attribute of whose character is fa.ithfulness (ver. 9). The apparent contra- dioUon is to bo resolved, not by turning what is said of the Divine relentinus into a mere anthropomorphism, but by remembering-what immutability involves..'.'..that the Bl\mo prinoiples which operate in the Divine breast in the execution of his purposes operated also in the forming of them. God, that is, in the forming of hie purposes bad in view.both w~at ju8tice would di~tate and ".l'hat love would deei_rc. . His purpose was framed in the mtt,reet of both. 1ho evolut10n of the purpose m h1gtory brings God into living relations with men, and calls the forces of the Divine nature into active and intensely real exercise. 1. God is not man in his long-suffering. Man would not bear with man as God bears with sinners. He would not forgive as God for!!:ivee. He would not show the same patience in working for his fellow-man's recovery. He would not be so easily entreated. He would not stoop, as God stoops, to love the worthless. He would not make the sacrifice which God has made for the salvation of enemies(Hom. v. 6-8). 2. God is not man in his unchangeability. He "is not a man, that be should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent" (Numb. xxiii. lD). He is not swayed by passing feelings to change hie intentir•nM. "I am the Lord, I change not; there- fore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed" (Mal. iii. 6). God had in view the promise to the fathers, and would not be fa.lee to it. God's fa.ithfulnese is the saint's consolation and the repentant sinner's hope. "If we confess our sins, he is faithf~ and just to forgive us our sins" (1 John i. 9). "He abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself" (2 Tim. ii. 13). ill. REJEOTING, YET PROlllISING TO BESTOBE. (Vere. 10, 11.) Israel was to become a" No-people" to Jehovah (eh. i. 9), but not absolutely. They would ultimately be restored, A day of grace was set for them. 'l'hc returu would be: 1. ln response to a Divine call. "He shall roar as a lion; when he shall roar, then the children shal 1 tremble from the west." God's call would be lond, fa.r-reaching, effectual. God's call precedes the sinner's return. Believers are designated" the called." This call came in a preliminary way to Israel at the time of the return from captivity nnder Cyrus (Ezra i. 1-3). It was then but very partially answered. It comes spiritually in the preachin~ of the gospel. '!'he complete fulfilment is yet in the future. 2. Joyful and prompt. '!'hey "shall tremble from the west. They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, ;ind as a dove out of the land of Assyria." 'fhe trembling would be in holy joy an,l fear. '!'he return would be in haste, as a bird flies to its nest, and a dove to its dove- cote. It would be from west and east, i.e. from all quarters whither God had scattered them. 3. Permanent. "And I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord." The prediction will have its main fulfilment in the reception of Israel back into the kingdom of God. It may have a lower temporal fulfilment in the restoration Qf the nation to their own land.--J, 0.
Ver. 12.-(See next chapter.}--J. 0.
EXPOSITION. threatened with such punishment as their OHAPTER xn. doings deserved. The mention of their great In vers. 1-6 God contiuuee his com- ancestor Jacob naturally sug11:ests a con- plaint a,go.inst Ephraim, charging them trast; while hie conduct is proposed to them apecinlly with the pursuit of vain a,nJ futile for an example. They are e.ccordingly i11- courses to their great detriment. Instead of vited to follow in his footsteps, imito.te the repairing to the true nnd everlusting source piety 11nd wisdom of his course, e.nd so entcr- of safety and so.lvu.tion, they Jmd recourRe to taiu goocl hope of simillll' success from thu foreign Bllinuces to support and strengthen uncho.Dging and uucho.ngeo.ble God of their their decBying state and sinking interests. pious ancestor. And yet the only staying power was Jehovah. Ver, 1.-Eph!·a.im feedcth 011 wind, and. 'fhe con trovorsy now embrnoes J udBh 11!&>; fo!loweth after the ell.8t wiud. "Wind" i~ and thus Jacob-both lsmel and Judah-is employed figuratively to denote what iii l'HE BOOK OF HOSEA. [ Oil, XU, 1-14.