The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 388

Ver. 10.-ViBions an,l aimilitudes, In two ways Jehovah shower! himself to be in nn especial manner favourable towe.rds the descendants of Abra.ba.m, Isaac, and ,Jacob. 'l'he first wns by bis providential care of the nation throughout its history. And the second wae that mentioned in this verse: God sent continually to his chosen people prophets, whose communications were the means of instructing, warnin!!, and 0=idin"0 them. Observe the twofold description of the Divine revelation vouchsafed. I. VIBIONB, 1. The name given to the class of inspired teachers and guides of the nation is significant, and is harmonious with this passage. They were seers. 2. By an illumined faculty these Hebrew prophets saw Divine realities. Intuition, insight, inspiration,-euch are the terms by which spiritual vision is designated. "The vision and the faculty Divine" has been attributed to genius; but the order of men in ques- tion were distinguished by their perception of spiritual truth. 3. These visions of Divine realities the prophets, by language or otherwise, conveyed to the people. II. 8IMIL1TUDEB, There is a natural and ordained correspondence between things natural and things sr.iritual, which accounts for the prevalence and the efficiency of pictorial, metaphorica , and allegorical methods of instruction and admonition. 1. Some- times the prophets were directed to make use of parabolic action. We have several instances of this kind recorded in the books of Isaiah, Ezekiel, etc. 2. Similitude often took the form of parabolic language: e.g. Isaiah's comparison of Israel to an unfruitful vine; Ezekiel's comparison of the return from captivity to the revival of the dry boneg, etc. 3. In both these prophetic methods there is a sacred purpose. Condescension to the ignorance and unspirituality of many of the people was one reason. 4. Our Lord Jesus himself "used similitudes," and sanctioned this interesting and impressive method in his parables an<l allegories. APPLICATION. When God has deigned to communicate with ns by visions and similitudes, how great is the responsibility of listening to the inspired prophetic Word!-T. Ver, 13.-The ministry of prophets. The reference of this verse is obviously to Moses, who was indeed a great national leader and legislator, but who, it must not be forgotten, was the :first an<l the greatest of the prophets. The remarkable fa.et here alluded to is, that God made choice and use of a prophet, not simply to teach, but to effect a great deliverance on behalf of the chosen nation. I. 'l'HE SELECTION OF A PROPHET AB THE INSTRUMENT FOB A GREAT WORK WA3 HONOURING TO GoD HIMSELF, If a warrior, a hero, had been employed for this purpose, the minds of the people might naturally have attributed their deliverance to his war- like prowess, his strntegic genius. But when Moses, the meekest of men, the wisest of human teachers, was appointed, it was clear to all that, though the hand was that -,f Moses, the power was that of God. JI, THE GREAT WOBK WHICH WAS DONE :BY THE AGENCY OF THE PROPHET AUTIIEX- TICATED AND ENFORCED HIS RELIGIOUS TEACHING. It could not be otherwise than that the children of Israel should regard with reverence and confidence a man who had led them out from the bondage of Egypt, notwithstanding the opposition of the mighty monarch whom he had defied. His revelations of the Divine character, his declarations of the Divine will, came home to the people with tenfold power because he had been the means of making the presence of God known and felt among them in a way w~ich the whole nation could appreciate. The same principle explains why it was orda1ned that signs and wonders should so usually accompany the ministry of inspired men. III. THE COMBINED MANIFESTATION OF DIVINE WISDOM AND DIVINE POW!':R BENDERS UNBELIEF AND IRRELIGION THE MORE CULPABLE. It was a reproach to Israel that, 11.rter experiencin" manifestations of the Divine presence so unquestionable, they should have cherished a~ evil heart of unbelief. Considering that the Christian dispensation has been marked by an eTen more strikin" display of divinity than the Mosaic, it may well be asked, "How shall we escape, it .;e neglect so great salvation? "-T. Ver. 1.-Worthless soul-food. "Ephraim fecdeth on wind." Delitzsch renders this clause, "Ephraim gmzeth wind." The idea is that it sought for support and satisfac- tion in those things that were utterly unsubstantial and worthless-" wind." I. SENSUAL INDULGENCES aro worthless soul-food. Men seek happiness in the grati-  390 THE :BOOK OF HOSEA. [on. llll. 1-U.