The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 445

publio teaching during his prolonged ministry, this closing verse in like manner sets before us the 9-uintessence of that written record. The conclusi~n "unspecialize~ the prophecy, as it were, and extracts the general moral lesson which uI1derlics it all" (Cheyne). Two main points are suggested here for our consideration. I. A SUMMARY OF 'l'HE PBOPHET'B TEACHING. This is given in the second half of the vorse. The Book of Hosea is full of precious instruction : 1. About Goo. That " tbe w&ys of Jehovah are right" is the sum of its theology. God's " w'iAys" are to be understood to mean his dealings with men as the supreme moral Governor. And the prophefe aim in these pages is akin to that which Milton announces in the beo'innin,, of bis great epic, viz. to '' assert eternal Providence, and justify the ways of 'hod t~ men." (1) His ways in judgment Q/Te right. "These things" cannot but include all the lamentations and obidings and announcements of punishment with which the book is so largely occupied. Ephraim had sinned against the voice of God's Law aaainst the assurances of hie love, and even against the pleadings of his mercy; so the°Lord could not be" unrighteous in taking vengeance," however dreadful and prolonged that vengeance might be. Hosea's message, on its side of sternness, announced that "righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne." God's ways are right in his dealings with every ungodly nation, despite all the difficulty and mystery which may gather round them. And his ways are right in his dealings with each individual transgressor, albeit that the reasons of his procedure may be" past finding out." The rectitude of the Divine ways is attested by experience; for, although they prove stumbling-blocks to the ungodly, "the just walk in them," and by-and-by arrive at "a city of habitation." To his own people Jehovah is "just," and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. (2) His ways in mercy are right. If there be any book of Old Testament Scripture which exhibits the Divine grace and compasaion, that book is ;Hosea. The strain of it is not ethical alone; it is evangelical also. The prophet represents the love of God as the fundamental ground of God's relations to his ancient people. Hosea conceives of Jehovah as Israel's Husband (eh. ii.) and Father (eh. xi.). But, as the prophet was persuaded that it W9.8 not wrong for himself to continue to love Gomer, his adulterous wife, and to yearn for the well-being of her children, when they followed in her evil ways,-so God's dealings in mercy towards apostate Israel, and towards sinners of the Gentiles, are right also. " Our book is, therefore, truly a classic for .the right understanding of the Old Testament conception of God with its interaction of love and wrath, and of the nature of the Old Testament revelation concerning God. Only suc;h a God who can be so angry and so loving, who in all his love so displays anger, aud in all bis anger so displays love, could give up his only begotten Son to the accu~sed death for the deliverance of rebellious man" (Lange). But the Book of Hosea is also full of teaching: 2. .About men. It separates them into two cla.'!Ses,-" the just" or righteous, and "the transgressors;" those who" walk in" the Lord's ways, and those who "stumble thereon." In other words, this book deals with the great theme of spiritual apostasy and revival (1) Spiritual apostasy. There are always m&ny "transgressors," who, like Ephraim, s.tumble and fall in the right ways of the Lord. And this book is written to warn men against becoming such. Hosea points out the earliest sy'f11,ptoms of backsliding; e.g. the "morning-cloud goodness" (eh. vi. 4); the "grey hairs" (eh. vii. 9); the "removing of the bound" (eh. v. 10); the "forgetting of one•~ Maker" (eh. viii. 14); the "hiring of lovers" (eh. viii. 9), etc. He inrlicates its further manifestations; e.g. "counting God's Law a strange thing" (cl\. viii. 12); "mixing among the people;" being like "a cake not turned" (eh. vii. 8); becoming "an empty vine" (eh. x. 1); "sowing the wind" (eh. viii. 7); "sinning more and more" (eh. xiii. 2), etc. And h8 warns against ultimate results; e.g. idols "broken in pieces" (eh. viii. 6).; "the land mourning" (eh. iv. 3); "reaping the whirlwind " ( eh. viii. 7) ; "joined to Jdo!s" ( eh. iv. 17); "cast &way by God" ( cb. ix. 17), etc. (2) Spiritual revival. The prophet deals with this more pleasant side of his message in eh. ii. 114-23, vi. 1-'3, and especially in eh. xiv. (For an outline of his teaching reg&rding the rise, progress, and fruits of revival, see the three preceding homilies.) I!. THE MORAL QUALIFICATION NECESSARY II' WE WOULD l'BOFIT BY THIS TEACHING, The student of Hosea, who desires to get at the mind of the Spirit contained in these uracles, urnst be "wise" and "prudent." The "just" or pious man " walkli in the  THE BOOK OF HOSEA. [oH, XIV, 1-9,