Hosea 7

CHAPTER 7

Further Words of Judgment Against Israel (7:1–16)

1–7 God’s desire was to restore and heal Ephraim, but whenever He sought to do so, Ephraim’s sins were exposed—visible—to Him (verse 1). Ephraim’s capital, Samaria,²¹ was also a center of crime. The people’s adulterous lusts burned like an oven; the fire of their political intrigues never went out (verse 4). The people devoured their own rulers (verse 7); even on the day of the king’s festival (birthday or coronation), the princes conspired against him (verse 5). Indeed, within a twenty–year period, four kings of Israel were assassinated (2 Kings 15:10,14,25,30).

8–10 Ephraim mixed with other nations (verse 8); the Ephraimites (Israelites) adopted the customs and religious practices of the ungodly people around them. Ephraim’s international policies were unwise and unbalanced; Ephraim was like an unturned cake that is burnt on one side and raw on the other. The Israelites shouldn’t have been relying on other nations at all; they should have been relying on God alone.

Part of Israel’s problem was arrogance (verse 10). The people didn’t even notice that as a nation they were getting weak and old (verse 9). They certainly didn’t think they had any need for God.

11–16 In these remaining verses, the Lord again promises judgment on Ephraim (Israel). The Israelites’ alliances with EGYPT and Assyria will not help them, because the Lord Himself is about to catch them and destroy them (verses 11–13). And yet, at the same time, the Lord desires to redeem them;²² even though they have rebelled against Him and spoken lies against Him, the Lord still loves His people and longs to save them (verse 13).

But like a loving father who must discipline his wayward child, so the Lord must punish His rebellious people (see Hebrews 12:5–11). They don’t listen to Him, they don’t turn to Him; they go after grain and wine instead (verse 14). They even plot evil against God (verse 15); that is, they promote the worship of false gods. For all these sins, the Lord’s judgment must fall on Ephraim.