The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 392

pe.bulum, He believed the fa.lee prophet& who preached "peace" to him. He built himself up in his own counsels. He greedily listened to the voice of seducers. 2. Hs practiced ie. Deceit he.d become part of his being. It corrupted his whole existence. Heligion, politics, trnde-all was penetrated by the spirit of lies. All partook of the charncter of unreality. 'fhere was: (1) Deceit in religi<m. "Ephraim compaeHeth him- self about with lies, e.nd the house of Israel with deceit." 'l'his was towards God (eh. xi. 12). With plenty of the outward show of religion-altars, sacrifices, feasts, etc.- there was no heart-reality. All was hypocrisy, pretence, lip-worship. God was owned in name, but denied in fact. His worship was aeeociated with that of idols, and con- ducted in e. way which was a scandal to morality. (2) Deceit in politi<:8. "He daily increaseth lies and desolation ; and they do make a covenant with the ABByrians, and oil is carried into Egypt" (ver. 1; cf. eh. x. 4). '!'his duplicity in national transactions brought forth its natural fruit in desolation. Treachery is a. dangerous game to play in political engagements. (3) Deceit in cummerce. This also is charged against Ephraim in the chapter (see below, ver. 7). 3. He pwrBv.ed it. "Feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind." Pursuing their ungodly aims, the people were a.a those chasing the scorching blast of the desert. Their hopes deceived them, and they were destroyed (cf. eh. xiii. 16). II. JUDAH's INCONSTANCY, -(Ch. xi. 12.) Judah vacillated with God. Ephraim sought to practise deceit on the Faithful One. Judah trifled with the Holy One. Religious inconstancy shows itself: 1. In the maintenance of a right theory of religirm with numerous infidelities in practice. Judah maint.ained, in form and theory, the right order in religion. They had the temple, the Levitical priesthood, the Davidic line of kings, etc. They set up no calves, as Jeroboam had done. Yet, with this show of orthodoxy, they tolerated many things that were not right, and idolatry was winked at when it ought to have been suppresHed. 2. In the alternati<m of great fervours in, religi<m with times of backsliding and coolness. Under good kings, Judah had fre- quently reformations of religion. At these times there seemed no bounds to the piety and fervour of the people. But the enthusiasm did not last. There was reaction and greater coldness than before. 3. In divided service. Judah had of late begun to swerve from the service of the one God. They imported idols. More and more the people were being drawn to idol-service. Their hearts vacillated between Jebovah and the false gods. Inconstancy as often takes this form as any other. The heart is ostensibly God's, but is really divided between God and the world. III. JEHOVAH'B FAITHFULNESS. God is "the faithful HolyOne"(ch. xi.12). In virtue of his faithfulness and holiness, God: 1. Resented Ephraim's deceit. He would punish Jo.cob (ver. 2). 2. Was displeased at Judah's incowrtancy. He had "a contro- versy with Judah" (ver. 2). 3. Nevertheless would not utterly destroy them. This point is implied in what follows. 4. In punishment would be strictly just. "Accord- ing to their ways."-J. 0. Vere. 3-6.-Power with God. The people are incited to repentance by the example of their progenitor Jacob. His wrestling for the blessing sets their unfaithfulness iu darker contrast. I. GoD'B ELECTION DOES NOT SUPERSEDE MAN'S EFFORT. Before Jacob was born God be.d said, "The elder shall serve the younger" (Gen. x.xv. 23). Yet the blessing had to be striven for, and won from God by wrestling and supplication. 1. Jacob had from the first an impulse to realize his destiny. (Ver. 3.) Even as an unconscious babe he gave token of this. He stru~gled in the womb (Gen. xxv. 22). His hand took holtl of tbe heel of his elder brother Esau as he was born (Gen. xxv. 22). As he grew older we see the same impulse manifesting itself, not always in right ways. The catching of his brother's heel was a type of the attempts he afterwards made to take the blessing from Esau by force and guile. He got Esau to sell the birthright for a mess of pottage (Gen. xxv. 29-34). He obtained the blessing from his father by fraud (Gen. x.xvii.). The act~ were indefensible, but they testify at least to his appreciation of the blessing, and to his desire to obtain it. 2. His efforts were purified as years advane1td. (Ver. 4.) The bless- ing was at length won, but by far other meauR than Jacob had at first employed. It was won from God by earnest, agonizing supplication. 'fhe narrative is given in Gen. x.xxii. 24-32. There Jacob, as a llfince, had power with God, and prevailed (Gen. x.xxii. 28).  8!)4 'l'RE BOOK OF HOSEA. [CH, Xll, 1-14,