APATRISTICCOMMENTARY

The Book
of

FR.TADROSY.MALATY
2007
Translatedby
DR.GEORGEBOTROS
EnglishTextrevisedby
YoustinaMohsen
ST.MARKCOPTICORTHODOXCHURCH
WashingtonD.C.USA
COPTICORTHODOXCHRISTIANCENTER
Orange California
In the name of the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit
one God.
Amen
Title: ThebookofHosea.
Author: Fr.TadrosYacoubMalaty.
Translatedby:Dr.GeorgeBotros.
Edition: 2007(inEnglish).
Publishedby: St. George's Coptic Orthodox Church,
Sporting,Alexandria.
St.MarkCopticOrthodoxChurch,
WashingtonD.C.USA
INTRODUCTION
THEMINORPROPHETS:
ThistermMinorProphetscameintheseptuagenarianversionand
intheVulgate,butnotintheHebrewversion.Thisnominationisnotdue
toalesser importanceofthoseprophetsamongtheotherprophetsofthe
OldTestament,buttothesmallsizeoftheirbooksofprophecy.
The Jews gave so much importance to those books that they put
them together in one book as they serve one integral goal. That is
coveringthedarkperiodthroughwhichbothkingdoms,IsraelandJudah,
lived, whether prior to the captivation of Israel by Assyria or the
captivationofJudahbyBabylon,duringthoseperiodsofcaptivation,and
after them. We have already distributed the periods of those prophets
ministriesoverthelongcaptivationperiod.
HOSEA:
Hosea is a Hebrew word meaning (Jehovah saves), from which
the name Joshua or Jesus was derived. Hosea was one of the
prophets before the captivity who witnessed the captivation of Israel or
the fall of Samaria by Assyria in the year 722 B.C. He was also a
contemporaryoftheprophetsIsaiah(SeeHosea1:1Isaiah1:1),Micah
inJudahandAmosinIsrael.
MentioningEphraim,doesnotrefertothetribeofEphraimalone,
but to the northern kingdom of Israel as a whole. Yet mentioning it 36
times,wouldprobablyhintthathewasacitizenofMountEphraim.
HoseaisconsideredaprophetofIsrael.Thefactthathisprophecies
sometimes include Judah is explicable as it is claimed that he lived his
lastdaysinJudahandprophesiedthere.
CIRCUMSTANCESOFHISPOROPHECY:
1. This book gives us an idea about the extent of the ethical and
religiouscollapsethatprevailedafterthesecondreignofJeroboamII.In
hisprophecies,thereisaclearechoofthechaosevents,murders,idolatry,
pride and adultery. The prophecy also describes the situation of spiritual
stagnancy that prevailed over the people of all levels, whether the
religious and civil leaderships, or the general congregation, who forgot
the Lord (Hosea 13:6). Those circumstances led Hosea to talk about
Israel as a land: For like a wanton this land is unfaithful to the Lord
(Hosea 1: 2) There is no good faith or mutual trust, no knowledge of
god in the land (Hosea 4: 1) Therefore the land shall be dried up
(Hosea4:3)etc
Israel became land and ashes because of its corruption. Hosea
concentrated in several locations on its deprivation of the knowledge of
God(Hosea4:1,65:46:3,6)althoughhe,infaithfulness,betrothedit
tohimself,soastomakeitknowtheLord(Hosea2:20).
2. The prophet Hosea was contemporary of six kings of Israel and of
about eleven years during which the throne was vacant as indicated by
hiswords:Wellmaytheysay,Wehavenoking,forwedonotfearthe
Lord(Hosea10:3)
BecauseofthoseunsettledsituationsandbecauseofthenearbyAssyrian
attack,hisprophecycamewithsuchharshandconcisewords.
FEATURESOFTHEBOOK:
1. The most important feature of this bookof Hosea is revealing the
relationshipoftheLordwithHispeople.AlthoughitlikenedIsraeltoa
harlot wife, it revealed Gods longing for humanity as being His bride,
with whom He seeks to unite, to live together with Him in His heavens,
Hisuniquehouseofmatrimony,andtogiveHimchildrenwhoareholyin
the truth. She is the one bride! All believers are members in that one
bride,towhomHetalks,notasindividualsassembled,butasmembersof
onebody!
Because the relationship between God and humanity is based upon
thepersonal internalrelationship bindingGodtoman,Hecommandsus,
saying When you pray, go into a room by yourself, shut the door, and
pray to your Father who is there in the secret place (Matthew 6: 6).
However, this relationship is not based upon isolated individualism, but
God encounters us as being members of His holy bride. That is why He
provided us with His Lords prayer as a living model of the accepted
prayer,inwhichwedonotfindasingleindividualsupplicationbuteach
memberpraysinthenameandtotheaccountofthewholecongregation.
It says Our Father who art in heaven, and not My Father Give us
thisdayourbreadofthemorrow, and notmy breadandForgiveus
our trespasses, and not my trespasses, and so on. It is as though the
Lord provides us, through this prayer, with a collective spiritual way of
thinkingabolishinganytendenciesofisolation.
Thistendency isconfirmednotonly inthe bookofHosea,butalso
intheentireHolyBible,especiallyinthebooksoftheprophets.Here,the
prophettalks aboutIsraelasonecongregation,committedtoacollective
holylifeintheLordcountingthetendencytoselfishnessandisolationas
their major sin saying: For, like a wild ass that has left the herd, they
haveruntoAssyria(Hosea8:9)
2. Ifthis bookintroducesthepeopleofGodasHis bride yetshewas
inflicted with a sickness (Hosea 5: 13), and being her Groom, He
approachesherasthetruePhysician,whoalone,cancureher(Hosea
14:4).Sopromisingher,Hehadtoexposetoherthenatureandextentof
her sickness, that once she realizes the seriousness of her condition, she
wouldacceptfromHishandthescalpelthatcutstocureandthathurtsto
bringcomfort.
In short, we can set the broad lines of the sickness of the people as
introducedbythebookofHoseainthefollowingpoints:
First: The lack of knowledge: My people destroyed for lack of
knowledge (Hosea 4: 6). Sin has corrupted the insight of both the
congregation and their shepherds. Everyone has become like blind,
unable to behold God and recognize His secrets. If this book, in its
essence,isacalltorepentanceandreturningtoGodinordertoenjoylife
withHim,throughrisingfromthedeathofsin(6:2)itwouldbethrough
knowing Him (6: 3). Have the knowledge of the bride raised from the
deadtoliveinthebosomofhergroom thegrantorofresurrection.That
is why we should not marvel to hear Him confirm to His bride, who is
sickwiththelackofknowledge:Goddesiresnotwholeofferingsbutthe
knowledgeofGod (Hosea6:6).
Second:Theattachmenttotheland:Israelslackofknowledgeof
itsheavenlygroomhasdrawnittoanother,namelytotheBaalthrough
whomitbowedwithallitsenergiestothecarnallustsandtheloveofthe
earthlythings,thatitbecameitselfaland.ThatiswhyHecallsitland
insteadofIsraelsaying:Forlikeawantonthislandisunfaithfultothe
Lord(Hosea1: 2).ItforsooktheHeavenly,tobeconfinedtotheearthly
and, instead of having a heavenly heart, it turned into a land, in which
casetheheavenlyPhysicianisneeded,whoalone,canbringitbackfrom
thatcorruptnature. Iwillhealtheirapostasy(Hosea14:4)
Third: Its loss of fulfillment: Bowing toward the land, with the
assumptionthatitwouldenjoytemporalpleasures,itdidnotrealizethatit
wasactuallylosingeverypleasureandfulfillmenttobecomeinbitterness,
hunger,andthirst.Goddiagnoseditssicknesssaying:Theyshalleatbut
neverbesatisfied,behavewantonlybuttheirlustwillneverbeovertaxed,
for they have forsaken the Lord (Hosea 4: 10) Israel sows the wind
andreapsthewhirlwind(Hosea8:7)and,Theirrootiswithered,and
theyyieldnofruit (Hosea9:16).
Insteadofthehearrejoicingfruit,thornsandthistlesgrowoverher
altars(Hosea10:8).Insteadofdelight,theytastebitterness:Litigation
spreadslikeapoisonousweedalongthefurrowsofthefields(Hosea10:
4).Astothetruegroom,namelyGod,Hisfruitissweet(Songs2:3),His
wordsaresweet(Psalms119:103),Hislightissweet(Ecclesiastes11:7),
evenHisyokeissweettothesoul(Matthew11:30).
Fourth: The disability of differentiation: The desire of the heart
of the heavenly groom is to see His bride like Him, bearing His Holy
Spirit, that of wisdom and distinction. Having rejected Him, and bowed
downtofeedonthedust,itwouldneverfeelsaturated.Itbecameawild
as a heifer (Hosea 4: 16), a silly senseless pigeon (Hosea 7: 11).
About the princes of Judah, He says that they became like those who
removetheirneighborsboundary(Hosea5:10)whichmeansthatthey
removed the distinctive marks between the kingdom of God and that of
the devil, between the worship of the living God and that of Baal, and
between the good and the evil. They lost the spirit of distinction
commanded by God: between sacred and profane, between clean and
unclean (Leviticus 10: 10) and between living creatures that may be
eatenandlivingcreaturesthatmaynotbeeaten (Leviticus11:47).
Fifth: Nonchalance: Every weakness would draw the bride to
another weakness, and every sin would cast her into another sin. Losing
the spirit of distinction, leads to a loss of seriousness in life and of the
longing for eternity, this would make one walk carelessly for anything.
Manwouldhearthevoiceof Godcallinghimwithoutresponding(Hosea
7:1,2).
Sixth:Pride:Israelsarrogancecriesoutagainsthim(Hosea5:
5).InsteadofsubmittingtoGodinabidanceandacceptingHiscounselto
behealed,Israelchoseitsdestinybyitsownmind,resorted toothersthan
itshealingGroom.WhenEphraimfoundthathewassick,Judahthathe
wascoveredwithsores,EphraimwenttoAssyria,hewentinhastetothe
Great King but he has no power to cure you or to heal your sores
(Hosea 5: 13). In all their affairs, they refused to humble themselves
beforeGod:Theymakekings,butnotbymywilltheysetupofficers,but
withoutmyknowledge(Hosea8:4).
Seventh:SeekingHisgifts,andnottounifywithHim:Asmuch
asGodproclaimedHisloveforHisbridethoughbeingaharlot,tomake
her holy anew, and even while angry with her because of her increasing
evils, He says: My heart is changed within me, my remorse kindles
already (Hosea 11: 8). Israel, His bride, met His flaring jealousy with
greatunconcern.WhenshecriedouttoGodinhardship,Hesays,There
isnosincerityintheircrytomeforalltheirhowlingontheirpalletsand
gashing of themselves over corn and new wine, they are turning away
fromme. (Hosea7:14)ItisasiftheyasforHisgratuityandnotfortheir
uniting with Him. They ask Him to save them, yet would not give Him
theirhearts.
Thesearesomeofthesymptomsofthesicknessinthebelovedpatient,as
revealed by her true Physician, neither to expose her, nor to justify His
chastisementsagainsther,buttobringherbacktoHimbylove.
3. Seeing how the people have diverted to the worship of Baal, and
plunged into its rites, including drinking wine and eating cakes made of
discsofpressedraisinsand figs.Hoseasawthat,insteadof beinga holy
vine,orablessed figtree(Hosea8),thepeople have becomeraisins and
figseatentotheaccountofthedemons.Whatbringsgrieftotheheartof
God, is that what should have been holy for Him, became unclean and
used forevil. Whatshould have broughtpleasuretoHim, brought joyto
the devil. The Lord says, I came upon Israel like grapes in the
wilderness, I looked on their forefathers with joy like the first ripe figs
but they resorted to Ballpeor and consecrated themselves to a thing of
shame(Hosea9:10).
WhenGodseesHischurchthenewIsraelasavineyardinthemiddle
of a barren wilderness or as a virgin fig tree among the world fruitless
trees, He rejoices in her, and says: The green figs will ripen on the fig
treesandtheblossomvinesgiveforththeirfragrance.(Songs2:13)Itis
Hisown figtreeandHisown vineyard!Yet,unfortunately, itsometimes
presentsitselfasfoodforHisenemy BaalPeor,namely,masterorlord
of abominations. Instead of presenting herself to her true Planter, who
watered her with His precious blood, and refreshed her with His Holy
Spirit, being the Firstfruit of the whole humanity, she delivers herself to
abomination,tobecomeacorruptgrapeandfig!ThatiswhyHesays:I
will ravage the vines and the figtrees, which she says are the fee with
which her lovers have hired her, and turn them into jungle where wild
beastsshallfeed (Hosea2:12).
4. The sin of Israel at that time concentrated more on the worship of
Baal,withwhatitincluded:ofpracticingmagic,adultery,andallkindsof
abominations. It also tended toward leaning upon the human arm. This
way it entered into a continuous debate between being allied to the
Pharaoh of Egypt orthe king of Assyria, to have the supportof the one
against the other. The prophet Hosea was a contemporary when Israel
madeanalliancewithAssyriaagainstEgyptaswellaswhenitcastitself
into the bosom of the Pharaoh of Egypt against the king of Assyria. In
either ways, Israel did not resort to God by repentance and returning to
him through a holy life, but it leant upon the human arm instead, and
rejecteditstrueKing.Itbecamelikeanationwithnoking,orasthoughit
haschosenforitselfkingsaccordingtoherownwhims,whodonotwalk
accordingtotheSpiritofGod.Wellmaytheysay,Wehavenoking,for
wedonotfeartheLordand what canthekingdoforus?(Hosea10:
3). Also: But Israel is utterly loathsome and therefore he shall run
before the enemy. They make kings, but not by my will they set up
officers,butwithoutyknowledge(Hosea8:3,4)
5. Having sometimes resorted to the Pharaoh of Egypt to support it
against the king of Assyria, instead of resorting to God, God rebukes
Israel, reminding it of the time when He saved it from the bondage of
Pharaoh,whenhewasjustachild.Godbroughtitouttothewildernessto
shepherd it by Himself, brought it to the promised land, and set for it
fortified cities. How could it now get back to Pharaoh to seek his
protection?!
TheLordadmonishesHispeople,saying:WhenIsraelwasaboy,I
lovedhimIcalledmysonoutofEgypt(Hosea11:1).Theirguiltwill
be remembered and their sins punished. They shall go back to Egypt, or
inAssyriatheyshalleatuncleanfood (Hosea8: 13,14)
Forlook,theyhavefledfromasceneofdevastation:Egyptshallreceive
them,Memphisshallbetheirgrave(Hosea9:6).
HemakestreatywithAssyriaandcarriestributeofoiltoEgypt(12:1)
YetIhavebeentheLordyourGodsinceyourdaysinEgyptIwilmake
youliveintentsyetagain,asintheolddays (12:9)
6. ThebookofHoseaisoneofthemostprominentbooksoftheHoly
Bible that deals with the issue of repentance, and demonstrates its
concepts,especiallyinitslastchapter.
This book is characterized by a spirit of hope, given to all sinners
amiddivinethreatsoffirmandbitterchastisementssaying:Come,letus
return to the Lord for he has torn us and will heal us, he has struck us
and he will bind up our wounds (Hosea 6: 1). In the first chapter, God
threatens to chasten them and not to have mercy, to forsake them, and
warning them that neither they will be His people anymore, nor will He
be their God. Then, in the same talk, He gets back to open before them
the door of hope saying: The Israelites shall become countless as the
sandsoftheseawhichcanneitherbemeasurednornumbereditshallno
longerbesaid,Theyarenotmypeople,theyshallbecalledSonsofthe
Living God (Hosea 1:10). With all love, He says about His rebellious
bride(Israel): Butnowlisten,I will wooher,I will go withherintothe
wildernessandcomforther(Hosea2:14).Astothesubjectofherhope
istheLordChristwhograntshertheresurrectionatthedawnofthethird
day:Aftertwodayshewillreviveus,onthethirddayhewillrestoreus,
that in his presence we may live whose justice dawns like morning
light(Hosea 6: 2, 3). He will grant us His Holy Spirit in the fullness of
timelikespringrainsthatwatertheearth(Hosea6:3).
If this book has demonstrated how far the people have reached in
theireviluntiltheycametobeinastateofneardeath,yetthecurtainhas
notyet fallen inthischapter,buttheprophetrevealsthegreatnessofthe
salvation granted to us, that would swallow death to the end. He said,
Oh, for your plagues, O death! Oh, for your sting, Sheol! (Hosea 13:
14)
7. Ontheonehand,GodconnectsbetweenHisfirmchastisementsand
thehopeopenbeforeallsinners,lestanyonewouldfallindespair.Onthe
other hand, God, while proclaiming His unlimited love for His people,
reveals His bitterness because of their betrayal. Although He loves His
bride,yetHedoesnotacceptherbetrayal,andwouldnevertruceher.He
seeks herhand,sanctifying her fromspiritualadultery. Bythis,Hetakes
awayfromsinnersanyprobabilityoftakingthesinlightly.Neitherwould
thefirmnessofGodclosethedoorbeforehope, norwouldHis love lead
ustoslothfulness.
8. MansbetrayaltoHisGodcannotbeseparatedfromhisbetrayalto
his fellow man(Hosea4:14).Betrayal is anaturethat,ifone falls in it,
he would practice it, even in his relationship with himself! Hence, the
repentanceof man,andhisreturntoGod,doesnotimply a merechange
in his outer behavior, but also an inner change that touches the inner
natureofman.Hesays,Sowforyourselvesinjustice,andyouwillreap
what loyalty deserves (Hosea 10: 12). I pray that the Lord Christ
Himself would sow the true righteousness, so that we would reap His
goodnessinus,andwouldbearHisfeaturesworkinginsideus.
THEBOOKOFHOSEAANDTHEKNOWLEDGEOFGOD:
ThisbookspokeoftenabouttheknowledgeofGodwhobroughtthe
followingchargeagainstHispeople: noknowledgeofGodintheland
(Hosea 4: 1). He considered the sin of harlotry that prevailed among
them, as connected to, and caused by their lack of knowledge of God
saying: For a wanton spirit is in them, and they care nothing for the
Lord(Hosea5:4).Tothepriests,Heconcentratedonthesamecharge,
saying, My people destroyed for lack of knowledge. You have rejected
knowledgeandI willrejectyoufromservingmeaspriest.(Hosea4:6)
Because of their lack of knowledge, God did not receive their sacrifices
orofferings:GoddesiresnotwholeofferingsbuttheknowledgeofGod
(Hosea6:6).
This is regarding the negative aspect. Regarding the positive aspect,
this book, being a book of the spiritual matrimonial unity between God
and His people, proclaims the goal of this unity: I will betroth you to
myselfforever,betrothyouinlawfulwedlockwithunfailingdevotionand
loveyoushallknowtheLord(Hosea2:19,20).Thechurchacquires
thisknowledgethroughitsenjoymentoftheresurrectiontogetherwithits
Savior,accordingtoHiswordsOnthethirddayhe willrestoreus,that
inhispresencewemaylive.Letushumbleourselves,letusstrivetoknow
theLord(Hosea6:2,3).
WewouldhopefullyacquiretheknowledgeofGodinus,tohearHim
say: But I have been the Lord your God since your days in Egypt
(Hosea13:4).
So,whatdoesitmean,ToknowGod?Thisknowledgepresentedby
GodtoHisbride,raisedupfromthedead,whoistheultimategoalofHis
unitywith her.Theunitywithoutwhich,Hewouldrejectthepriestsand
wouldnotreceivetheofferingsofthepeople.
Our study of this book will give us a clear answer to this question.
WhatistobeconfirmedhereisthattheknowledgeofGoddoesnotmean
a mere recognition of Him. It is neither through a bare dogmatic mental
study,northrougharealizationofHisdivinesecretsbyhumanlogic.On
the contrary, it is recognizing Him through uniting with Him in Jesus
Christ.ItisrealizingthesecretsofHis loveandcare,whichwork inour
life.KnowingHimissharingHisexalteddivinefeaturesandenteringinto
HishiddengloriesOr,inshortaccordingtoSt.Erinaositis:Lifting
manuptothelifeofGod.AccordingtoSt.Clementof Alexandria it is
enteringinto: TheperfectionofChrist.
IfGodisdwellinginanunapproachablelight(1Timothy6:16),and
nooneisabletoseeHisface(ThebookofprophetEzekiel33:20),then
we cannot recognize His nature, as it is beyond our comprehension.
However, according to the saying of St. Erinaos, God makes Himself
known to us, proclaiming Himself through His condescension, granting
thisgreatgifttoHiselect,accordingtotherichnessofHisexaltedgrace.
AlthoughnomancanbeholdGod,yet, wishingformentobeholdHim,
HeletsHimselfbeseenbytheelect,whenandinthewayHechooses.If
we cannot lift ourselves up to comprehend His high secrets, He, in His
love,getsdown,proclaimingHimself insideusand settingHiskingdom
withinustoletuscomprehendthe incomprehensibleandtheunutterable
things. St.Clement of Alexandria said: The pious, knowledgeable
ChristianGnosticcanrealize whatotherscouldnot,becausehebelieves
that there is nothing unrealizable for the Son of God and nothing that
couldnotbelearned.So,Hewhosufferedforthesakeoflovingus,would
not keep from us any knowledge necessary for our edification. He also
says,WhoeverbelievesintheWord, wouldknowthetruthofthings, as
theWordistheTruth.
St. Oghris says, Know that the Holy Spirit would not make Himself
knownthroughwatchingthecarnalbeings,northroughcontemplatingin
the spiritual ones. On the contrary, it is through the condescension of
graceinthesoul,toprovidethatknowledgeWhilethecreationcameto
beingfromnaught,theknowledgeoftheHolySpirit,ontheotherhand,is
essentialandincomprehensible.
MosesdesiredtoseeGodfacetoface,andsaidtoHim:Showmethy
glory(Exodus33:18).Godresponded:Myfaceyoucannotsee,forno
mortal man may see me and live (Exodus 33: 20). However, that does
not mean the deprivation of man of encountering God and seeing His
glory,forGodhasfoundasolutiontothat.HesaidtoMoses:Hereisa
place beside me. It is as though He says to him, The door is open for
youtorealize yourheartsdesire!I haveprepared foryouaplacewhere
you can see me and get to know me What was that place by God?
Takeyourstandontherockandwhenmyglorypassesby,Iwillputyou
in a crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed
by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my
faceshallnotbeseen.(Exodus33:2023)OurteachertheapostlePaul
saidthattherockwasChrist(1Corinthians10:4).TheLordChrististhe
place for the prophet Moses or for humanity, through which the Father
can be seen. It is said about the Christ: Gods only Son, he who is
nearesttotheFathersheart,hehasmadehimknown(John1:18).The
Lord Himself says, No one knows the Father but the Son and those to
whomtheSon maychooseto revealhim(Matthew11:27).So,wecan
recognizetheFatherintheLordChrist,theSon.
Therefore, let us entertogether with the prophetMoses intothe cleft
oftheRock,namely, intothe insideofChrist,theRockofages,through
Hispiercedside, inordertogetintouchwiththeheartofHisfireflaring
love, to realize the work of His exalted grace and to comprehend His
secretstowardus.
Let us recognize the Father and behold Him in His Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ, through the holy inner insight, namely, by the pure heart,
accordingtothepromiseoftheLord:Howblestarethosewhosehearts
are pure they shall see God (Matthew 5: 8). We can recognize and
behold God by the true holiness, whereas by sin, our insight would be
blind and we would not be able to recognize Him. By sin we would be
counted unworthy to be known by Him. That is how knowledge is
connected to the holy life, both in worship and behavior. Father Oghris
saysaboutthat:IfyouareaTheologian(namelyaGnostic),youwould
be truly praying and if you truly pray, you would be a Theologian.
Besides, as said by St. Anthony: Whoever knows God, would be good.
Andincasesomeoneisnotgood,thatwouldmeanthathedoesnotknow
God, and is not known by God, as goodness is the only way to know
God.St.MarktheHermitsays:Ifyouloveknowledge,youshouldlove
work as well, because knowledge without work puffs man up. He also
says, If you wish to be saved and to reach the knowledge of the Truth,
admonishyourselftoexaltabovethesensedthingsandholdfast,hoping
forGodalone.Moreover,St.ClementofAlexandriasays,BytheSon,
wewouldenjoyloveandrecognizetheFather,whoisLoveasthelikeis
knownbythelike.
By that, we may know God By uniting with Him in Jesus Christ
whosanctifiesusbyHisHolySpirit,grantingustheenlightenedspiritual
insight,torecognizetheexaltedsecrets.Thatwouldbealifewelivewith
God,andwithwhichwegetpracticallyintouch.
THEBOOKOFHOSEAANDTHENEWTESTAMENT:
TheNewTestamentquotedmuchfromthisbook.Forinstance:
1. In the epistle to the Romans, it came: As it says in the Book of
Hosea: Those who were not my people I will call My People, and the
unlovednationIwillcallMyBeloved (Romans9:25Hosea9:10).
2. InthegospelofMatthewitcame:AndtherehestayedtillHerods
death.ThiswastofulfillwhattheLordhaddeclaredthroughtheprophet:
IcalledmysonoutofEgypt (Matthew2:15Hosea11:1).
3. TheLordsays,Irequiremercy,notsacrifice(Matthew9:1512:
7Hosea6:6).
4. InatalkbytheapostlePaulconcerningtheresurrectionoftheLord
Christ, working in us, he says, Oh Death, where is your victory? O
Death,whereisyoursting?(1Corinthians15:55Hosea13:14).
5. In the book of Revelation, it came: They called out to the
mountainsandthecrags,FallonusandhideusfromthefaceoftheOne
whositsonthethrone (Revelation6:16Hosea10:8).
THE BOOK OF HOSEA AND THE PROPHECIES OF JEREMIAH
ANDEZEKIEL:
Both prophets, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were influenced by the prophet
Hosea and quoted from his writings. The prophet Jeremiah was
influenced by what the prophet Hosea revealed aboutthe relationship of
God with His people as being like that between a groom and His bride.
Hosea also showed that sin destroys this matrimonial unity and, thus,
abolishesthe voiceof joy andturnsthe land intodesolation.So, itcame
in Jeremiahs book: From the cities of Judah and the streets of
Jerusalem I will banish all sounds of joy and gladness, the voice of the
bridegroomandthebrideforthelandshallbecomedesert(Jeremiah7:
34), (See also Jeremiah 16: 9 25: 10). Ezekiel as well quoted the same
thought,saying:Iwillsilencetheclamorofyoursongs,andthesoundof
yourharpsshallbeheardnomore(Ezekiel26:13).WhileHoseasays,
I will put a stop to her merrymaking, her pilgrimages and new moons,
her sabbaths and festivals I will woo her, I will go with her into the
wilderness and comfort her I will betroth you to myself forever.
(Hosea2:11,14,19)
In the book of Ezekiel, God admonishes His people who took from
Hishandsgiftsandblessings,andusedthemtotheaccountofevil:You
tookthesplendidornamentsofgoldandsilverwhichIhadgivenyou,and
made for yourself male images with which you committed fornication.
Youcoveredthem withyour robesofbrocadeandofferedupmyoiland
myincensebeforethem. YoutookthefoodIhadgivenyou,theflour,the
oil, and the honey, with which I had fed you, and set it before the as an
offering of soothing odor. (Ezekiel 16: 17, 19). Those were the same
words,whichGodusedtoadmonishHispeopleinthebookofHosea.(2:
8,9)
In Ezekiel, God also talks aboutthe east wind that dried the fruitage
of the land, that is it corrupted Israel, it dried and broke its strong
branchesandconsumeditbyfire(Ezekiel19:11).Hoseaspokeaboutthe
same east wind: Though he flourishes among the reeds, and east wind
shall come, a blast from the Lord, rising over the desert Ephraims
spring will fail and his fountain run dry. It will carry away as spoil his
wholestoreofcostlytreasures.(Hosea13:15)
Ezekiel also quoted Hoseas description of Israel as a dry land
deprivedoftherainthatwatersthesoul,meaningthatitisdeprivedofthe
workof the Holy Spirit: Now it is replanted in the wilderness, in a dry
and thirsty land (Ezekiel 19: 13). In Hosea it came: I will make her
bareasthewilderness,parchedasthedesert(Hosea2:3).
Jeremiah talked to us about the salvation granted to Israel through
David,theirking,thatisthroughtheSonofDavidtheSaviorMessiah
(Jeremiah 30: 9). This was confirmed by Ezekiel after him (Ezekiel 34:
23),andprecededbyHoseain(3:5).
THEBOOKOFHOSEAFROMALITERATURESTANDPOINT:
1.This book came poetic in most of its parts, with short and
concentrated sentences and expressions like serious, quick, and strong
warnings,againstaneminentdanger.
2.Thisbookispackedwithanalogieslike:fire(8:14),light(6:5),water
(5: 10), rain (6: 2), morning cloud and early dew (6: 4 13: 3), moth (5:
12),rottenness(5:12),lionandyounglion(5:14),lion,leopard,andbear
(13:7,8),wilddonkey(8:9),birdsoftheair(7:12,9:11),sillydove(7:
11), eagle 8: 11), sparrow (11: 11), wind and whirlwind (8: 7), cloud,
dew, and smoke (13: 3 14: 4), loved for reward (9: 1), a woman in
childbirth(13:13),asnareandanet(5:17:12),anoven(&:47),bow
(7:16),amiscarryingwombanddrybreasts(9:14),Lily(14:5),anolive
tree (14: 6), grain, vine, and wine (14: 7), the green forests of Lebanon
(14:5):thorns(9:6),...
DIVISIONSOFTHEBOOK:
1. ThesituationinIsrael 1to3
2. TheLordbringschargesagainstHispeople 4to10
3. Chastisementwiththeshiningofsalvation 11to13
4. Thefruitsofrepentance 14
CHAPTER1
THEPROPHETANDTHEHARLOTWIFE
GodusedeverypossibleanalogytorevealHiscloserelationshipwith
humanity and His love for it. He also revealed the bitterness of His soul
because of every sin committed by man to hurt that relationship. This
book presents the people of God as an unfaithful bride to her heavenly
groom, yet the groom presents all His divine possibilities to bring her
backtoHim,aftersanctifyingher.
1. Introduction 1
2. Gomer,thedaughterofDiblaim 23
3. Childrenofharlotry 94
4. Longingforreturn 1011
1 INTRODUCTION:
Although Hosea is considered a prophet to Israel (the northern
kingdom),yet,theHolyBookdatesthetimeofhisprophecybythekings
ofJudah, mentioningonlyoneofthekingsofIsrael.Ifthat manof God
wascalledtoministertothepeopleofthekingdomofIsraelandtowarn
them against captivation, yet his heart was spacious with love for the
salvationofallandsorejoicesinGodsworkwithall,Thenthepeople
ofJudahandofIsraelshallbereunited(Hosea1:11).Thisshowsthat
whoever ministerstoGodknowsnolimittolove, butdesirestheservice
ofeveryoneandthesalvationofall.
SomescholarsbelievethatHoseamentionedonlyoneofthekingsof
Israel, because all the kings of Israel were evil and not worthy of
mentioning. He mentioned only one who, although was equally evil, yet
washonoredtobedesignatedastheonewhosavedhispeople(2Kings
14: 27). His reign was characterized by a series of riots, assassinations,
andchaosthatendedbycaptivation.
The prophet starts his book by The word of the Lord which came to
HoseasonofBeeri(Hosea1:1),asifhewantstoprovethathisbookis
not from him, but it is the word of the Lord. Hosea only transfers the
wordofGodtothepeopleandtestifiesit.
Being described in this book as a desolate land and a barren
wilderness,whosespringwillfailandhisfountainrundry(Hosea13:
15),Israelbecame in needofsittingtogetherwiththeSaviorbythewell
like the Samaritan woman, to quench her thirst from the water of His
springthatneverdriesup.Hoseaswordsofsalvationarefromthatdivine
well, Whoever drinks the water that I shall give him will never suffer
thirstanymore(John4:14).
2 GOMER,THEDAUGHTEROFDIBLAIM:
Some people may wonder, how could God command His prophet to
take for himself a harlot in marriage, and to beget from her children of
harlotrytelling him:Go,takea wantonforyourwifeandgetchildren
ofherwantonnessforlikeawantonthislandisunfaithfultotheLord
(Hosea1:2).
First: As this term is translated in English as harlot and not as
adulteress, some believe that it may not mean a woman who practices
adulteryaccordingtothegeneralconcept,butmaymeanonewhoselifeis
dedicated to Baal, and hence is counted as a harlot especially that
worshipping the Baal is related to practicing adultery. Gomer, the
daughter of Diblaim, was probably one of those who dedicated their life
totheaccountofBaal.
As Idolworship was actually called harlotry, so being related to
theworshippersofBaalwasenoughtobecalledaharlot,evenwithout
practicingharlotry.Thisconceptisprobablytrue,asmostoftheIsraelite
women at that time, if not all of them, were connected to idolworship,
that it was almost impossible for the prophet to find for himself a wife
whowasnot,althoughnotallofthempracticedactualphysicaladultery.
Second:Afewscholarsbelievethatwhatcameinthischapterandin
chapter3isjustavisionorasymbolicportraitpresentedtothepeople,so
astorevealthehorroroftheirfall,theirdiversionfromtheworshipofthe
living God and their betrayal to Him. That was what they did instead of
committingthemselvestotheircovenantwithHim,despitewhichHestill
seeksthem,andlongsfortheirreturnandforsanctifyingthem.
However, the majority of scholars believe that what came in these
chaptersarefactsthroughwhich,ontheoneaspect,GodintendedforHis
prophet to experience, together with Him, the great bitterness He feels
because of the diversion of Israel, and on another aspect, to proclaim to
humanitytheextentofHisloveandcareforman.
AndassaidbyfatherSherimon:ThedivineWordportrayedtheextent
ofGodscareforusonthetongueoftheprophetHosea,bysymbolizing
Jerusalem as a harlot, who diverted in a zeal, full of denial He
comparesJerusalem(thehumansoul)toaharlotwifewhoseeksanother
man andcomparesHisloveforustosomeone wholoveshisbrideuntil
death.GodpersistonproclaimingthatHisgoodnessandloveforallmen
are only overcome on our part through forsaking our own care for our
salvation, and fleeing from Gods care for us. In other words, they are
overcome by our evils. It could only be compared to someone consumed
by the fire of his love for his wife, despite seeing how she keeps on
despisinghim.
Third: Most scholars believe that the prophet Hosea got married to
Gomer, and loved her immensely and only then did he discover her
harlotry(whetheraccordingtothegeneralphysicalconcept,orasamere
connectiontoBaalworship).Hechosetokeepherashiswifeanddidnot
divorce her. On the other hand, some scholars believe that the prophet
wasawareof herpastandof herharlotry, yethe consentedtomarry her
forthesakeofthedivinecommandrealizing,byhisownlife,asymbolic
portraitofwhatwasactuallythecasebetweenGodandHispeople.
Fourth:ThewordGomerinHebrewmeanstheendofperfection
especiallytheperfectionof futility,whereasthewordGeblaimmeansa
doublecakeofpressedfigorraisindiscs.Thistypeofcakewasusedin
thefeastsofidolworship,asitwassaidaboutthepeopleofIsrael:They
resort to other gods and love the raisincakes offered to their idols
(Hosea3:1).Thus,HoseasmarriagetoGomer,thedaughterofDiblaim,
refers to the connection to the people of Israel who reached the end of
blamelessness (Gomer), begotten to the idolworship with all its
abominations (Diblaim). Or as though Israel, having become Gomer,
sheisbutadaughtertoDiblaim,whichmeansthatsheisadaughterto
the filthy feasts that prevailed on the whole land. She became as a cake
offeredtoBaal,afilthyfood,andanuncleanbanquetforthedevilandhis
followers!
As Gomer kept on her evil ways, giving birth to children of
harlotrydespitehermarriagetoapuremanandablessedprophetsoalso
Israelkeptonitsspiritualharlotry,despiteGodsproclamationsaboutHis
unity with it. Although Hosea was not defiled by his marriage, Gomers
judgment,ontheotherhand,would become moresevere,becauseof her
marriage to the prophet, unless she returns remorsefully in purity to her
man. The punishmentof Israel will be also greater and bitterer, unless it
returnstoGodbyfaith.
St.JeromeseesinGomerasymbolicimageofthechurch:What
shallIsayabouttheprophetsmarriagetoaharlot,whichisasymbolof
thechurchformed,eitheroftheGentilesoroftheJews?!Itwasfirstset
by Abraham an idolworshipper, and now, having denied the Savior,
confirmsitsbetrayaltoGod. Consequently,it willbedeniedofitsaltar,
its priests and its prophets. And it will remain as such for a long time
untilshereturnstoitsfirstman(Hosea2:73:11),asbythefullnessof
theGentiles,Israelwouldbesaved(Romans11:25,26).
St.JohnChrysostomsays,Likeinthepast,whentheytookharlots
astheirwives,GodacceptednaturethatplayedtheroleofaharlotasHis
(blameless) bride. The prophets proclaimed from the beginning that this
happenedintheJewishSanhedrin(Jeremiah3Ezekiel23:4,5,11).Yet,
this bride has been a denier concerning her Man, whereas the church,
having got rid of the evils it inherited from its fathers, remained
embracedbyherGroom.
TheLordsaystoHoseaForlikeawantonthislandisunfaithful
to the Lord(Hosea 1: 2). It is as though adultery is a natural status for
man by his departure from the Lord and by forsaking the unity with the
eternal Groom of his soul. It is strange that God says For the land
instead of For Israel. As mentioned in the introduction, Israel has
become land with no heaven by bowing toward the earthly things.
Regardingus,bymeldingwiththedust,wewouldhearthevoiceofGod
saying: Dust you are, to dust you shall return (Genesis 3: 19). We
wouldreturntowhereandwhatourheartlongedtobe.Onthecontrary,if
wetakeoffourancientearthly manthatweworethroughourrelationto
the earthly Adam, and if we put on the new man, the image of our
heavenlyJesus,wewouldhearthedivinevoicesaying:Becauseyouare
heaven, to heaven you will return. In yourself, you have carried the
heavenly, and your inner man has become heaven, that is why you will
return to where you longed to be, and to what you have become to
heavenitself.
Wehavebecomealandbyhavingforsakenourheavenlygroom,so
what would this groom do to us, his bride? He has carried our earthly
body, yet with no corruption, and came down to the earth to which our
heart got attached. Temporal things had no place in his heart. He did all
this in order to make out of us a new heaven and a new earth
(Revelation 21: 1). It is said thatthis earth is dwelt by the righteousness
itself,namelybytheheavenlyLord,thesecretofourjustification.
3 CHILDRENOFHARLOTRY:
TheLordnotonlycommandedhisprophettomarryaharlot,butto
have from her children of harlotry as well. God gave them the names:
Jezreel, Loruhamah, and Loammi. Calling them children of
harlotrydoesnotmeanthattheyarethefruitofharlotry,butthefactthat
they are born from a harlot mother who was connected to Baal (idol
worship) is the reason for calling them by that name, although they are
actuallythechildrenoftheprophet.Theywouldhavethisnameuntilthey
acceptthemessageoftheirfatherandrejecttheoldspiritoftheirmother.
1. Jezreel means God plants. He is the first child of Hosea and
Gomer.HisnamereferstothatthechastisementsthatGodplantsinusare
the fruit of our doing. Jezreel reminds us of what Jeho did to
Joram,the son of Ahab and of the wicked Jezebel, who murdered
and took possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite by force.
Thedogslickedherbloodinthesamefieldthatshegrabbed(1Kings22:
38). The way she sought and possessed the field by force and shed
innocentblood inordertohavewas howshegother heartsdesire,and,
thus,sheperishedatthesamelocationasanaturalfruitofherdeed.The
LordsaysaboutthechildrenofIsrael:becameasloathsomeasthething
heloved(Hosea9:10).Mangetswhatheloves,togetherwithitsnatural
fruits. Whoever loves the mortal earth and the corrupt body lusts would
getcorruptionandwouldbecomeearthhimself.Onthecontrary,hewho
lovestheeternalheavenlyGodwillenjoytheeverlastinglife.
2. LoruhamahmeansIshallhavenomercy. When man has no
mercyonhimself,hefallsbybeingconnectedtoidolworship,andsohe
shallnotexpectmercyfromGod,becausewhodespisesthelongsuffering
and mercy of God is like: you are laying up for yourself a store of
retributionforthedayofretribution (Romans2:5).
The Lord says, For I will never again show love to Israel, never
again forgive them. Then I will love Judah and will save them. I will
save them not by bow or sword or weapon of war, by horses or by
horsemen,butbytheLordtheirGod. (Hosea1:6,7)
IsraelplungedinevilandforsookGoditsSavior.Itcannotbesaved
by bow, by sword, by horses or by horsemen. On the other hand, Judah
will get salvation by the Lord her God. That is because it refers to the
church of the New Testament, which is the body of Christ, who comes
outofthetribeofJudah.
AbouttheSavior,Hesays,TheLordtheirGod.HerefersHimself
to them as being their God, in case they are sanctified. Moreover, he
would beproudofthem justasHecallsHimself TheGodofAbraham,
theGodofIsaac, andtheGodofJacob.Goddoes notreferHimselfto
the wicked, to whom He says: I will not be your God (Hosea1:9).
AccordingtotheGreekversion,itisToyou,IamnotJehovah.
TheLordsays,IwillsavethembytheLordtheirGod.Here,God,
the Father, talks about God, the Son and the Savior. As said by father
Novatian: If God says that He saves by God, and as He does not save
except by Christ, so how could anyone hesitate to call Christ God, as
proclaimed by the Father Himself in the Holy Book?! Yes, if God, the
Father, does not save except by God, so noone could be saved by God,
the Father, unless he confesses that Christ is God in whom, and by
whom,GodpromisestograntHissalvation.
3. Loammimeansnotmyuncleornotmypeople,astheword
am in Chaldean means people or tribe. Therefore, if sin produces
nomercy,sothebitternessofnomercyisformaneithertobedenied
of being referred to God, or of God being referred to him. How can
someonereferredtoGodifheisreferredtoBaal?Ourhighestrewardwill
be to enjoy new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God
(Revelation 21:2) which is Now at last God has his dwelling among
men! He will dwell among them and they shall be his people, and God
himselfwillbewiththem.(Revelation 21:3)
4 LONGINGFORRETURN:
God combines chastisement with hope as He proclaims here that
His chastisements would not be absolute and that rejecting them would
notlastforever,butuntil acertaintime.HeanticipatestheirreturntoHim
to give them more splendor and glory to make them one strong and
greatkingdom,plantedinHimandenjoyingchildhoodtoHim.Tothem,
HewillbetheHead:TheIsraelitesshallbecomecountlessasthesands
of the sea which can neither be measured nor numbered it shall no
longer be said, They are not my people, they shall be called Sons of
the Living God. Then the people of Judah and of Israel shall be
reunited and shall choose for themselves a single head, and they shall
become masters of the earth for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
(Hosea1: 10,11)
Amidthebitterchastisement,Godoffersanewpromise,andenters
with hispeople intoanewcovenantthatwasrealized notbytheirreturn
from captivity, but more by their enjoyment of the Messianic era whose
featuresare:
First:TheIsraelitesshallbecomecountlessasthesandsofthesea
whichcanneitherbemeasurednornumbered.ThatwayHerealizesthe
promise previously given to Abraham, namely: I will bless you
abundantly and greatly multiply your descendants until they are as
numerousasthestarsintheskyandthegrainsofsandontheseashore
(Genesis22:17). It is the promise that Jacob held fast and said to the
Lord: But thou didst say, I will prosper you and will make your
descendants like the sand of the sea, which is beyond all counting
(Genesis32:12).
Indeed,Hemaypunishcruelly,yethewillhavecompassioninthe
fullnessofhislove(Lamentations3:32).ByourLordJesusChrist,the
failingsoul,andthedryboneswillturnintoamightyhost(Ezekiel37:
10). It would not be like Jerusalem, majestic as the starry heavens
(Songs6:4)thatthedevil,withallhishostsanddeceit,wouldnotbeable
totakeupforhimself,butwouldbelikeamultitudeofstronghorsesthat
carry the divine chariot in the procession of conquest. That is why the
Groom says to his bride (the human soul): I would compare you, my
dearest,toPharaohschariothorses(Songs1:9).
The apostle Paul says: with the Lord one day is like a thousand
years and a thousand years like one day (2 Peter 3: 8). The believer,
being like one day that passed, would become in Jesus Christ as a
thousand years. He would carry the heavenly feature (thousand) with
strong and mighty energies in the spirit. Instead of being one day, he
becomes many years with no limit, and instead of his human weakness,
he would carry the qualities and qualifications of Christ: his mind, will,
features,andglory!
That is the feature of the Messianic era, which transformed our
human life into a life in Jesus Christ. Instead of the debasement, we
came to have an inner supernal glory and instead of the temporal mind,
wecametoliveintheheavenliness.
Second: Mercy does not stop atthe abundance (quantity) or atthe
strength(quality),butwhatbringspleasuretoourheart is beingreferred
to God as His children: It shall no longer be said, They are not my
people, they shall be called Sons of the Living God (Hosea 1: 10).
Instead of being rejected, we shall be counted as children and heirs of
God,heirstogetherwithChrist,theonlybegottenSon!Wehavebecome
the children of the living God and we would be living by our living
Father. The Jews carried the dead nature of their parents, by calling the
dead Baal their father and his wife Ishtarouth their mother. Gods
promisewasgiven,notonlytotheJewswhoafterbeingrejectedwill be
received at the end of time when they receive the Savior Messiah, but it
touchesourlivesaswell,we,theGentiles,whowerepreviouslyrejected
becauseofourpastrejectionofHim.Now,thedoorofchildhoodtoGod
is open to us. In addition, as said by St. Augustine: The apostle
understood that promise, as a prophetic testimony about the call of the
Gentiles, who were before not referred to God. But now, having
spiritually become children of Abraham, they are truly called Israel.
That is whyhegoeson saying: ThechildrenofJudahandthechildren
of Israel shall be gathered together, and appoint for themselves one
head(Hosea1:11).
Third:TheexaltedmerciesofGodareproclaimedintheMessianic
erathroughourunitytogetherinJesusChrist,thesinglehead(Hosea1:
11).ByacceptingfaithinJesusChristandtheenjoyingourchildhoodto
Godthroughbaptism,wewouldallhavethesinglehead.
He does not say, they will be gathered together under one king,
but he demonstrates the perfection of unity in having the Savior as a
Headfromwhichthebodycannotseparate!Itisanexaltedloveandan
inexpressiblebondbetweentheCreatorandHisbelovedcreation!
Fourth:Throughthatheavenlybond,weshallbearHishighnature,
and rise above our earthly nature: They shall become masters of the
earth(Hosea1:11).Theapostlesays:Wereyounotraisedtolifewith
Christ? Then aspire to the realm above, where Christ is, seated at the
righthandofGod,andletyourthoughtsdwellonthathigherrealm,not
onthisearthlylife (Colossians3:1,2).Wedonotbelongtotheworld
(John15:19),butarecitizensofheaven (Philippians3:20).
ByJesusChrist,weascendaboveouroldearthlynaturetoenjoythe
new heavenly one, which resembles the image of our Creator, and truly
sing:LetusgoandascendtothemountainofGod.Itisanexodus,not
fromthelandofEgypttothelandofpromise,butitisanewexodusfrom
theearth,thatenslavedthesoulandreceivedPharaoh(thedevil)asking
to enslave the people. It is ascension under the leadership of the Lord
Christ Himself, not to bring us forth to the Mount of Sinai where
lightening,thunder,andamountainupinsmokeare,buttobeunitedwith
the Lord Christ, the Holy Mountain, and to bring us over by His Holy
SpirittothebosomofhisFather.
Fifth:Heendsthepromise by saying:Forgreatshallbetheday
ofJezreel(Hosea1:11).Afterrepresentingthreatandbitterness,asGod
chastises us through the fruit of our sins, Jezreel came to represent a
promise, as the word Jezreel means God plants. He would sow us
withHishandsanewplant,asacredpole(Isaiah6:13).Hewouldsow
us members in the body of His onlybegotten Son to be watered by the
watersoftheHolySpiritandcarrytheholinessofChristinus.Hewould
place us in His stabbed side to feed upon life itself, instead of the death
that we had. That is what God confirms by saying: Israel shall be my
new sowing in the land, and I will show love to Loruhamah and say to
Loammi, You are my people, and he will say, Thou art my God.
(Hosea2:23).
CHAPTER2
THEFRUITSOFMATRIMONIAL
BETRAYAL
Inthefirstchapter,GodproclaimedIsraelsbetrayalofthecovenant
between them and God, which lead totheir becoming a wife of harlotry
who gives birth to children of harlotry. In this chapter, He reveals the
fruits of this matrimonial betrayal, opening the door of return anew to
Him.
1. Bringingchargesagainstthemother 14
2. Seekingvanity 57
3. DefilingthegiftsofGod 813
4. Acallforreturn 1423
1 BRINGINGCHARGESAGAINSTTHEMOTHER:
Then you will say to your brothers, You aremy people, and to
yoursisters,Youareloved.Pleadmycausewithyourmother,forshe
is no longer my wife nor I her husband. Plead with her to forswear
thosewantonlooks,tobanishtheloversfromherbosom.(Hosea2:1,
2)
Having proclaimed that this nation has committed harlotry and
forsaken itstrueGodtounitetotheBaal,Godcould no morecall itHis
wife,becauseHehasdivorceditforitsbetrayal.Hecallsittheirmother
to provoke it into repentance and into returning to Him, on both, a
collective and an individual level of each of its members. Despite all
Israels evils, God begins His talk through the prophet, and ends it, by
proclaimingtherenewalofHiscovenantwithit.Hedeclaresthattheyare
His people and the object of His mercy. The apostle Paul says with this
spirit: Brothers, my deepest desire and my prayer to God is for their
salvation.(Romans10:1).
TowhomdoesHeaddressHistalk:saytoyourbrothers,Youare
mypeople,andtoyoursisters,Youareloved?(Hosea2:1).IfGomer,
thedaughterofDiblaim,gavebirthtoJezreel,LoruhamahandLoammi,
there are a few remnants among the people who are sanctified for the
Lord,or at least longing to the holy life in the Lord. God addresses His
talk to those, to open the door of hope before their fallen siblings,
proclaimingthatHelongstoembracethem,tohavemercyonthemandto
makethemHispeople.Yet,itshallnotbewithoutsanctificationorstrife,
asHesays,Plead.
Bringing charges against their mother who has lost her relation to
God, and so has become His wife no more, because of her harlotry and
adultery. It is a trial, taking place within the soul by the Holy Spirit, in
which man judges himself before being exposed in the great day of the
Lord. Each of us should say to himself, Plead my cause with your
mother. We should judge ourselves before being judged. I hope we do
not stay still regarding the corruption of our soul, the bride of the Lord.
Or then we would hear, inside us, what St. Basil the Great wrote to a
fallen virgin: If John the Baptist daringly rebuked the king until death
whenhesawaweddingthatshouldnothavebeen,howmuchmorewould
his reaction be, if he sees such a defilement of a wedding that concerns
theLord?!Youhavecastawayfromyourselftheyokeofthedivineunity.
You have run away from the holy matrimony of the true King. You have
fallen into that corrupt and defiled perdition. Who would not sadly say,
Howthefaithfulcityhasplayedthewhore(Isaiah1:21).
ThegoalofthistrialisToforswearthosewantonlooks,tobanish
theloversfromherbosom(Hosea2:2).Forwhenwe judgeourselves,
weputdisgraceaway fromoursightand feelashamedofourweakness,
and then we seek to be covered by His grace. We would then hear the
voice of our heavenly groom saying to us: Rise up, my darling my
fairest, come away. My dove, that hides in holes in the cliffs or in
crannies on the high ledges, let e see your face, let me hear your voice
for your voice is pleasant, your face is lovely (Songs 2: 13, 14). He
wouldgrantusthestrengthofHisresurrection,sayingRiseup.Thatis
thewaythroughwhicheachdefilementthathas smearedourfacewould
dieaway,andHisdivinefeaturesandHissightwouldbeseeninoureyes,
glorified by His resurrection and adorned with the work of His Holy
Spirit.
LetHimtakeawaytheadulteriesfrombetweenourbreastswithHis
HolySpirit.LetHimtakethemawayfrominsideourhearts,sowewould
beabletosingtoHim,andsay:Heliesonmybreast(Songs1:13).As
the Holy cannot lie where corruption is Can light consort with
darkness?CanChristagreewithBelial?(2 Corinthians6:14).
Whatdoesitmeantoputawayadulteriesfrombetweenthebreasts?
If the heavenly Groom has two breasts namely, the Old and the New
Testaments, then these would be the breasts of His bride as well, being
theHolyBookofthechurch.Itistobebefittingforthechurchtopresent
itsHolyBookthroughitsholy lifeintheLord,andtokeepanyonefrom
corrupting its mission by his evil life which might cause missteps to
othersinenjoyingtheHolyBookandtakingitasfoodfortheirsouls.In
thissense,St.Jeromewrote:Givehimyourbreasts,tosucklefromyour
piercedbosom,andtofindcomfortinhisheritage.Bythis,hewantedto
encouragethemonkBamachiustostudytheHolyBook.
Ifwejudgeourselves,weshallnotbejudged.Onthecontrary,ifwe
are slothful with ourselves concerning sin, we shall fall under this same
judgment:OrIwillstripherandexposehernakedasthedayshewas
bornIwillmakeherbareasthewilderness,parchedasthedesert,and
leavehertodieofthirst.I will shownoloveforherchildrentheyare
theoffspringofwantonness(Hosea2:3,4).
What is meantbyOrI will stripherandexposehernakedasthe
dayshewasborn? IfsheforsakesHimbyherownwill,shewouldnot
beboundtoHimandwouldthusloseHimasashelterforherinnerlife.If
she rejects Him, she would lose Him as a garment of righteousness by
which she gets clothed. This would expose her in her corrupt nature, as
she was on the day of her carnal birth, with nothing to cover her
weakness. She would deprive herself of the Lord Christ by her own
doing. She would deprive herself from the Lord with whom she is
clothed,accordingtothewordsoftheapostle(Galatians3:27).
As tothe saying: I will make her bare as the wilderness, parched
asthedesert,andleavehertodieofthirst.(Hosea2:3),thatisbecause
sherejectsGodanddoesnotacceptHisHolySpirit.Thiswhichpourson
ourdesolatelandlikeraintowaterit,andturnsitsbarrenwildernessinto
afruitfulparadisetomakeitsaytoitsgroom:Mybelovedmaycometo
hisgardenandenjoyitsrarefruits(Songs4:16).
Andastosaying:Iwillshownoloveforherchildrentheyarethe
offspringofwantonness(Hosea2:4)referstothe fruitthatgrowsinus
byourselves,notbyourunionwiththeheavenlyGroom.Thefruitabout
which the Lord Christ says: Any plant that is not of my heavenly
Fathersplantingwillberootedup(Matthew15:13)asitisalienfrom
the kingdom of God and is worthy of being burnt by fire! Those doings
that are not from God are the offspring of wantonness, whereas those
worksplantedbyGodareconnectedtohim,andcannotbetouchedbythe
devil. Those by God made works would accompany us during all our
eternityaccordingtothewordsofthechurch:Happyarethedead who
dieinthefaithofChrist!Henceforth,saystheSpirit,theymayrestfrom
their labors for they take with them the record of their deeds
(Revelation14:13).
2 SEEKINGVANITY:
SeekingHis bride, threatening heragainstrefusal orratherwarning
her that she would end up naked, barren and denied of His mercy, God
revealsthatwhathappenstoherisnotcrueltyonHispart.Actually,itisa
natural fruitof her forsakingthetruth,which isthe secretof her lifeand
fulfillment.Itisalsoaconsequenceofseekingvanity,whichwouldbring
onlydeathanddeprivation.
Godsays:Andtheirmotherisawanton.Shewhoconceivedthem
is shameless she says, I will go after y lovers they give me my food
anddrink,mywoolandflax,myoilandmyperfumes(Hosea2:5).He
revealed to her that the secret behind her perdition is her harlotry and
putting herself to shame, not in the general physical sense, but doing it
firstinternally inthe heartwhereherneedsdwell:giving her food,drink
(my food and drink), clothing (my wool and flax), medications and her
pleasure (my oil and perfumes). That is the spiritual harlotry, when man
leansonsomebodyelseotherthanonGod,theGroom ofhissoul,toseek
hisneedsandfindhisfulfillmentandpleasure. Workingonourreturnto
Him,Godnarrowsthewaybeforeus,inordertoletusrealizethatgoing
afterotherswouldonly bringus mirage,saying: ThereforeI willblock
her road with thornbushes and obstruct her path with a wall, so that
shecannolongerfollowheroldways.Whenshepursuesherloversshe
willnotovertakethem,whenshelooksforthemshewillnotfindthem
(Hosea2:6,7).Ifsin bringstohumans thornsandthistles(Genesis3:
18) and The crooked mans path is set with snares and pitfalls
(Proverbs22:5)assaidbythewiseSolomon,God,inHislove,wouldlet
these thorns block our way, hoping that we would realize our fault and
return to Him. It is said that God With the savage man thou showest
thyself savage (Psalm 18: 26) and that If after all this you have not
learnt discipline but still defy me,I in turn will defy you(Leviticus 26:
23,24).Hedoesso,firstlyasanaturalfruitofourevil,whichwewould
reap, and secondly as a sign of His divine love, for He chastises us, so
thatweforsakeourwrongways.Ifwestilldonotcare,Hewouldsetfor
us a wall of afflictions and troubles to shut before us our perverted way
andtoletusrealizethatwalkingonitisonlyvain.
Through this affliction, we realize the vanity of going after the
others,aswewouldcomeclosetoourloversandseekthem,butnotfind
them. Who are those lovers? By them, He probably meant the king of
Assyria, the Pharaoh of Egypt and the like. Joining forces with one of
themagainsttheotheroutoffear,isavanity,becausewhattheyalldois
actually for their own interest and benefit. They exploited Israel and
Judah,butneverhelpedthematthetimeofaffliction.Theywerelikea
splintered cane (2 Kings 18:21). He might have also meant the Baal,
Ishtarouth and the magic that accompanied the pagan worship. Israel
hasdedicatedallitslife,energies,andfeelingstoallthose,althoughthey
wereincapableofhelpingorsavingit.
The goal of all these troubles is to bring the bride back to her
wisdom, to forsake her harlotry and return to her true man, Then she
willsay,IwillgobacktomyhusbandagainIwasbetteroffwithhim
than I am now (Hosea 2: 7). As though she is the prodigal son who
said,Iwillsetoffandgotomyfather(Luke15:18).
3 DEFILINGTHEGIFTSOFGOD:
In our study of the book of Ezekiel, we saw that God admonishes
His bride, not only for betraying Him, but also for taking His treasures
andsanctuariesandusingtheminherbetrayal.Here,Godcommentsthat
HisbridetakesHisgrain,newwine,oil,goldandsilver,andoffersthem
toBaal.Sheusesthedivinegiftstoserveevil.Thesymbolsandspiritual
conceptsof thesegiftswerepreviouslyexplainedinsomedetail.
Astothefruitsofthisbehavior,theyare:
First:GodtakesawayHisgiftsinduetime:ThereforeIwilltake
backmycornattheharvestandmynewwineatthevintage,andIwill
take away the wool and the flax which I gave her to cover her naked
body (Hosea 2: 9). Despite misusing His gifts and talents, God lets His
bride do what she likes with them, in the hope that she may eventually
realize her fault and return to Him. Yet, this would only be temporary
because,induetime,HewouldtakebackwhatHegaveher,toleaveher
hungry, thirsty, and naked. That is the way she would be consequently
exposedtoherlovers.Godislongsufferingwithus,however,ifwegofar
in misusing His gifts to us, He would take away what He had given us
and would make us a cause for ridicule, even among the wicked. The
prophet Jeremiah realized that when Jerusalem was captivated and said:
All those who had honored her held her cheap, for they had seen her
nakedness. What could she do but sigh and turn away? Uncleanness
clung to her skirts, and she gave no thought to her fate. Her fall was
beyondbeliefandthere wasnoonetocomforther.(Lamentations1:8,
9)
Second: She will not only lose the gifts and talents, but also both
her temporal and eternal joy and peace: I will put a stop to her
merrymaking, her pilgrimages and new moons, her sabbaths and
festivals(Hosea2:11).Hecauseshertoenterintoaperpetualbitterness,
depression and anguish and to know no more joy or feasts, whereas the
believer, even while bearing the cross, his heart would be drawn to the
rejoicing and power of resurrection. Amid his sufferings, he would taste
the inner comfort on a heavenly level, and amid his grief, he would
rejoice,andnoonecantakehisjoyawayfromhim.
St. John Chrysostom confirmed in more than one occasion that
manspeaceand joyevolve from hisown innerdepths,throughhis holy
lifeintheLord.Moreover,hisharmdoesnotresultfromoutsidesources,
but from his own sin. He said, That is why I do not fear the plots of
enemies,butIfearonlyonethingthesinIwanttoteachyoualesson.
Havenofearfromthedeceitsofthosewithauthority,butfearratherthe
authority of sin. Nobody can harm you, if you do not harm yourself by
your own. If you do no wrong, even if ten thousands of swords threaten
you, God will save you from them, that not even one of them would
approachyou. Nevertheless,ifyoudoevil,evenifyou wereinparadise,
youwouldbedrivenoutofit.
Third:Iwillravagethevinesandthefigtrees(Hosea2:12).In
theintroductionofthisinterpretation,wesawthatthevineandthefigtree
aretwosymbolsofthesufferingchurch, yet featuredbytheunityofthe
Spirit.ItisasthoughwhoeverforsakestheGroomofhissoulwouldlose
the features of the church and his fellowship in it. It would even: turn
them into jungle where wild beasts shall feed (Hosea 2: 12), namely,
becomeapreytothedevilandabanquettothesin.
Fourth:Theendofallthatwouldbegettingherdivinepunishment:
I will punish her for the holy days when she burnt sacrifices to the
Baalim,whenshedeckedherselfwithearringsandnecklaces,ranafter
her lovers and forgot me. This is the very word of the Lord.
(Hosea2: 13) God would elaborately punish her for burning incense to
theidolsofBaal,foradorningherselfforthemwithearringsandjewelry,
andforgoingafterherloverstocommitadultery,leavingGod,thesource
of holiness. She Burnt incense as a symbol of praying and resorting to
Baal,adornedherselfasasignofherwishtobringhimpleasureandunite
withhim,andwentafterherloversasasignofhavingherheartattached
tothem By offering all her possibilities to Baal instead of her groom,
whom she completely forgot, she became worthy of falling under the
eternalpunishment.
4 ACALLFORRETURN:
After proclaiming the evil committed by the betraying bride, who
scattered the gifts of her groom to the account of His enemy, and after
revealingthefruitsofhervainbehavior,HeproclaimedHisdesireforher
return to Him in compassion and gentleness. This can be read in his
saying: But now listen, I will woo her, I will go with her into the
wildernessandcomforther(Hosea2:14).
Is it possible to find a groom who so treats his bride after her
betrayal,andafterscatteringHisgiftstotheaccountofanother?!That is
theextent,towhichGodlongsforman.Heshowsthehumancompassion
hoping that he/she would return and unite with Him. Sanctifying human
freedom,GoddoesnotcommitmantoreturntoHim,butHeallureshim
tothewilderness.TherehewouldnotfindahelperbutGodtreatinghim
withsuchcompassion, loveandcare, likewhatHedidtothechildrenof
IsraelinthewildernessofSinai.
HowdoesGodallureHisbridetoreturntohim?
First: There I will restore her vineyards (Hosea 2: 15). Even
though He takes her to the wilderness, yet, He would give her, her
vineyards there. These vineyards would give her food (grapes), drink
(grape juice), and joyful wine in return. Those vineyards that the Lord
gives are Himself: I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener
(John15:1).ItisasifHegivesherHislifeforfulfillmentandjoyandfor
enjoyingHim,forheisthebreadcomingdownfromheaven(John6:50).
HeoffersHimself,sothatshedrinksfromHim,beingthelivingfountain
(Jeremiah2:13),andgetsevendrunkbyHis loveandsings:Yourlove
ismorefragrantthanwine(Songs1:2).
Even if the world has become a barren wilderness with nothing to
offerus,yetinit,wecanfindthetruevinethatcamedowntous.Wecan
acquire itandeven beattachedtoitasbranchesandsoitproducesmore
fruits(John15:5).Thisisthesecretofourjoy,andourheartsrejoicein
themidstofthewildernessofthisworld.
Second: Turning Emeckachor (the Vale ofTrouble) toPethah
tikvah (the Gate of Hope), and there she will answer as in her youth,
whenshecameupoutofEgypt(Hosea2:15).ThewordAchormeans
troubleoranguish.ItisthevalleywhereAchan,thesonofZerahwas
stoned (Joshua 7: 26), ten miles south of Jericho. This means that God
takesHisbrideintothewildernessandoffersherHimselfasvineyards
there. At the same time, she accepts sufferings together with the
vineyards (according to the meaning of the word Achor). Whoever
receives the Lord Christ in the wilderness of this world, would receive
him to fulfill his soul, but not without anguish. As St. John Chrysostom
says,WhereisChrist,thereisalsotheantiChrist.
Achor is Gods grant. The apostle Paul said about the gift of
suffering: For you have been granted the privilege not only of
believinginChristbutalsoofsufferingforhim(Philippians1:29).St.
JohnChrysostomalsosaid,Heexaltsoursouls,countingoursufferings
asHisown.So,whatjoywouldcoverus,tobecomefellowsofChrist,and
to suffer for His sake?, and As He suffered from others, we suffer
together with Him Therefore, it would be befitting for you, not to be
disturbedbythesesufferings,butrathertorejoice.
WhichisstrangeisthatGodgrantsusAchorasadoorofhope.In
themidstofsuffering,thedoorofhopeopenstous.Wetastethestrength
and joy of resurrection through the cross together with the Lord Christ,
whichtakesusbacktothedaysofourrenewingyouth,opensourmouth
with praise and turns our life into a praise of inner joy. There she will
answerasinheryouth,whenshecameupoutofEgypt(Hosea2:15).
Third: The bride would enjoy the unity with her heavenly Groom
OnthatdaysheshallcallmeMyhusbandandshallnomorecallme
MyBaal(Hosea2:16).Thismeansthatshewillaccepttheunitywith
God, without using the pagan vocabulary (Such as Baal or Master).
He would sanctify her completely, even the terms she uses: And I will
wipefromherlipstheverynamesoftheBaalimneveragainshalltheir
namesbeheard(Hosea2:17).
She would enter with Him into a matrimonial covenant that
sanctifiesherbodyandmind,andgrantsheranexaltedpeace,evenatthe
timeof herdeparturefromthisworld.ThenIwillmakeacovenanton
behalfofIsraelwiththewildbeasts,thebirdsoftheair,andthethings
thatcreepontheearth,andIwillbreakbowandswordandweaponof
war and sweep them off the earth, so that all living creatures may lie
downwithoutfear(Hosea2:18).
ItisThatdaywhentheLordChristcametothisworld,andwashanged
on the cross for our salvation, offering His blood as a new covenant,
throughwhichoursanctificationwouldberealizedthateventhebeastsof
the wilderness in us would become domesticated. The birds of the air,
namely, the thoughts of our minds would become holy, and even the
creeping things of the ground, namely the lowest carnal energies, would
become blessed. He would destroy the bow of the sin, and the devils
sword using His cross and would snatch the war from the body (the
ground), as both body and soul would be sanctified in Him. He would
bring peace even when we lie down in the grave, so neither can Hades
takeusbyforce,norcandeathdestroyourpeace!
Thesecretofthisdivinework inour life isHis sayingthreetimes:
Iwillbetrothyoutomyself forever(Hosea2: 19,20),confirming to
myself,becauseGodgrantsusHimself.AssaidbySt.JohnChrysostom
to the church on the tongue of the Lord Christ, I promise you the
KingdomYes,Ihavegrantedyouthegreatestportion,Ihavegivenyou
even the Lord of the Kingdom. The features of this heavenly betrothal
are:
a. I will betroth you to myself forever (Hosea 2: 19). It is an
eternalbetrothal,whichcannotbedissolvedbytimeordeath.Abetrothal
foundeduponlove,thatmanywaterscannotquench(Songs8:7).
b. betroth you in lawful wedlock with unfailing devotion and
love (Hosea 2: 19). What is lawful wedlock, devotion, love and mercy
butthepersonoftheLordChristwhocamedowntous,sothathumanity
can enjoy the wedding in Him. God, the Father, approached us by the
LordChristtobearusinHisbosom,andinHimwe,inturn,approachthe
FatherasabridefortheonlybegottenSon,withtherightofchildhoodto
Him and the unity with Him. By uniting with the heavenly groom, we
carryHisfeatures,whicharelawfulwedlockwithunfailingdevotionand
lovetobecomeheavenly,too.St.JohnChrysostomsays,Contemplate:
WhatdidtheSpiritdo?Findingtheearthfullofdemons,Heturneditinto
heaven.
c.I will betroth you to myself to have and to hold, and you shall
know the Lord (Hosea2:20). The foundation of this betrothal is faith,
bywhichweareunitedwiththegroomwhobringsusforthtohisFather
to recognize Him. It is the type of knowledge, which is not by dry
thought,butratherbylifeandunity.TheLordChristHimselfproclaimed
previously about this knowledge: No one know the Father but the Son
andthosetowhomtheSonmaychoosetorevealhim(Matthew11:27).
If notknowingGod isthe fruitofunitingwiththeBaal,thentheaimof
uniting with the Son is to enter into the bosom of the Father, recognize
HimandbeattachedtoHim!
Fourth: At that time I will give answer, says the Lord, I will
answer for the heavens and they will answer for the earth (Hosea 2:
21).Theheavenssymbolizethesoul,whichcarriestheLordChristinside
itasitsgroom.TheFatherrespondstothesoulthatunitestotheheavenly
groom, as He can smell the fragrance of pleasure in it. The soul would
become the subjectof His gladness. As tothe earth, namely the body, it
will become holy together with the soul, and will no more oppose the
work of God, but will rather become a tool working on His account.
Hence, the Lord will respond to this holy earth, in which the
righteousnessdwells.Neitherwillearthopposeheaven,norwillthebody
wrestle against the holy soul. On the contrary, it will respond to it and
bringforththefruitsoftheSpirit,whichGodHimselfplants:Theearth
willanswerforthecorn,thenewwine,andtheoil,andtheywillanswer
forJezreel(Hosea2:22).
Finally,GodendstheblessingsofthisMessianicera,inwhichman
returnstoHisgroom,byconfirmingthefavorofGodsgraceuponus.He
says,Israelshallbemynewsowingintheland,andIwillshowloveto
LoruhamahandsaytoLoammi,Youaremypeople,andhewillsay,
ThouartmyGod(Hosea2:23).ThehandofGodHimselfwillstretch
toplantus,sowewillnomorebewithnomercy,andnomorerejectedto
be His people. On the contrary, we will enjoy His mercy and our
relationshipwithHim.
Jezreelturnedintoapromiseafterithadbeenathreat.Itbecamea
sign of the Gods work, who plants His church by Himself, instead of
being a sign of the vineyard that was taken by force by the wicked
Jezebel. AstoHispromise:I willshowloveto Loruhamahandsayto
Loammi,You are my people,the apostle Paul quoted it in his epistle
totheRomans.HesawitasaprophecyaboutthecalltotheGentileswho
hadnotobtainedmercyandwerenotthepeopleofGod: Asitsaysinthe
Book of Hosea: Those who were not my people I will call My People,
andtheunlovednationIwillcallMyBeloved (Romans9:25).
CHAPTER3
GODSPRACTICALLOVEFORMAN
After the divine inspiration had demonstrated the fruits of
matrimonialbetrayalorthoseofbreakingthecovenantbetweenGodand
man, it again confirms Gods love for man and His longing for uniting
withhimaftersanctifyinghim.
1. Marriagetoaharlot 1
2. Buyingtheharlot 2
3. Sanctifyingtheharlot 3,4
4. AreturntotheGroom 5
1 MARRIAGETOAHARLOT:
The scholars refuse to consider what came here as a second
marriage,differentthantheonementionedinthefirstchapter.So,whyis
therepetitionoftheepisodeofmarryingaharlot?
First: Some scholars believe that the prophets wife Gomer, the
daughter of Diblaim, deserted the house of matrimony, sold herself to
corruptionandbecameaslave.However,theprophetboughtherbackfor
himselfashiswife(Hosea3:2).
Second:Otherscholars believethatwhatcame here inthischapter
is the same like in the first chapter. They believe that what came in the
first chapter was a command from Godtothe prophetto marry a harlot.
Ontheotherhand,they believethatinthischapterwearetoldaboutthe
realstorythattheprophethasexperiencedhimself.
Third:A few scholars believethatthe firsttalk wasdirectedtothe
northern kingdom (Israel), whereas here it is directed to the southern
kingdom (Judah) despite saying the Israelites (Hosea 3: 1). That is
becausethe firstkingdomwasdivorcedandcaptivated,whilethesecond
kingdom remained another century and then, it was divorced and
captivatedaswell.
Fourth: Some others believe that what came here is nothing but a
repetitionofwhatcameinthefirstchapter,asaconformationofthelove
of God for His fallen bride and as giving her more than one chance to
considertheloveofherfirstman.
Inthefirstchapter,GodsaidtoHosea:Go,takeawantonforyour
wifewhereashere,Hesaystohim:Goagainandlovea womanloved
byanotherman,anadulteress.He iscommandedbythe Lordnotonly
tomarryher,butalsotoloveherdespitehisknowledgethatsheisloved
byanotherand isa harlot.Bythat,Godintended forHoseatoenter into
thefellowshipoflovetowardHispeople,despitewhattheydid,loveher
asI,theLord,lovetheIsraelitesalthoughtheyresorttoothergodsand
lovetheraisincakesofferedtotheiridols(Hosea3:1).
2 BUYINGAHARLOT:
SoIboughtherforfifteenpiecesofsilver,ahomerofbarelyand
ameasureofwine (Hosea3:2).
This woman has sold herself to the account of evil, became a
humble slave forthepriceof fifteen shekelsofsilver,which is lessthan
the regular price of a slave. The lusts of her heart let her run after her
loversanddedicateher lifetothem,andsoshe becameworthlessofany
price. She has lost her honor, her glory and the image in which her God
createdher,throughwhich sheusedtoresembleHim.
Anyway,asHoseaisasymboloftheLordandSaviorJesusChrist,
buying a harlot refers to Jesus Christ who purchased us by His precious
blood, and saved us from the bondage, under which we captivated
ourselvesbyourselves.
Hosea says, I bought her for Himself. He did as our Lord Jesus
has acquired us to Him as a bride to dedicate all her energies to His
account,andnottotheaccountoftheworldorthedevil.
Astothepricepaid by Hosea forthatwoman, it was very modest:
fifteen shekels of silver, which is less than the price of a slave (Exodus
21: 22). In addition, he paid one and onehalf homers, not of wheat
(Psalm81:16),butofbarley,thefoodofthepoororofthebeasts.Inhis
eyes and the worlds eyes, she is not worth more than that. Our Lord
Jesus Christ acquired us, not for gold or silver, nor for wheat or barley,
butforHisprecious blood.Theapostlesaidregardingtothat:Wellyou
knowthatit wasnoperishable stuff,likegoldor silverthatboughtyour
freedomfromtheemptyfollyofyourtraditionalways.Thepricewaspaid
in precious blood, as it were of a lamb without mark or blemish the
bloodofChrist(1Peter1:18,19).
3 SANCTIFYINGTHEHARLOT:
God,withHisgreatlovefortheharlothumanity,seeksandredeems
it with His blood. He does that to sanctify it and prepare it for the
heavenly wedding:AndIsaidtoher,Manya long dayyou shalllive
in my house and not play the wanton, and have no intercourse with a
man,norIwillyou(Hosea3:3).TheHolySonofGoddedicatedHis
life tothe accountof this wedding, saying, I will also be toward you.
Moreclearly,Hesaid,FortheirsakeInowconsecratemyself,thatthey
toomaybeconsecratedintruth(John17:19).TheHolySonsanctified
His life and dedicated it for our salvation. He did that to sanctify us by
Him,andsowewouldpresentourlivestoHimthroughthesanctification
by His blood through His Holy Spirit. It is remarkable that the spiritual
matrimony of the soul to God not only takes away its defilement or its
spiritualharlotry,butalsograntsitvirginity.St.JohnChrysostomsaid,
Thechurchiscalledavirgin,althoughitwasbeforeaharlot.Thisisthe
miracledonebythegroom:Hetookthechurchasaharlotandturnedit
intoavirgin!Whatanamazingandnewthing!Bymarriage,welooseour
virginity, whereasbymarriage,Godgivesvirginitybacktothechurch
Whenwehearthesethings,weshallnotcarnallyconceivethem,butshall
considerthemthoughtfully,asthechurchthatwelive,isspiritualandnot
material.
The prophet goes on to say, For the Israelites shall live many a
long day without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar,
withoutimageorhouseholdgods(Hosea3:4). Thisisareferencetothe
periodofcaptivity,duringwhichthepeopleweredeprivedofthefreedom
toworshipGod,ofalltheirprivilegesandofeveryappearanceofbeinga
nationorachurch.Godprobablyallowedthattohappen,asapreparatory
period for them to be able to receive the true worship, especially after
their deprivation of it because of their evils. God, in His glory, may
sometimesdenymantheblessings,foracertaintime,toreceivethemina
greaterandmorepureway.
4 ARETURNTOTHEGROOM:
GodendsHistalkaboutreceivingthe harlotwith matrimonial love
bythereturnoftheJewishpeopletotheknowledgeofGod.Thescholar
Origen believes that the period of deprivation does not only refer to the
period of captivity, but also to the rejection of the Messiah by the Jews.
However,attheendoftimetheywillreceivefaithandjoinasmembersin
thebodyofChristtoenjoysalvation:Butafterthattheywillagainseek
theLordtheirGodandDavidtheirking,andturnanxiouslytotheLord
forhisbountyindaystocome(Hosea3:5).Attheendoftimetheywill
comeinfearortremblingtotheLord.
Why does he say turn anxiously to the Lord? Probably, because
they would realize what sin has done totheir king David, namely tothe
Lord Christ who is the scion and offspring of David (Revelation 22:
16).Theywill hastentoHimtoconsummatetheirsalvation infearand
trembling(Philippians2:12).
CHAPTER4
DECLARATIONOFTHETRIAL
GodrevealedtoIsraelitspositioninHisheartasthebrideHeloved
andtowhomHepresentedallthepossibilitiestolivewithHim, yetthis
bride betrayed Him and broke the covenant. He opens the door of hope
several times to her, namely through repentance especially in the
Messianicera.Withgreatlove,Hedoesnotgiveheranycommands,but
enters with her into a conversation, a debate, and even a trial, not to
overcome, but rather to proclaim His loving fatherhood and to make it
clear to her that He is the nondespotic groom. In this chapter, He starts
by declaring a trial against Israel, and in particular, against its corrupt
religiousleadership.
1. Declarationofthetrial 13
2. Thepriestsrejectionofknowledge 410
3. Thepagan abominations 1119
1. DECLARATIONOFTHETRIAL:
God brings charges against the children of Israel, calling them
landortheinhabitantsoftheland:
HearthewordoftheLord,OIsraelfortheLordhasachargeto
bring against the people ofthe land: There is no good faith ormutual
trust,noknowledgeofGodin theland,oathsareimposedandbroken,
theykillandrobthereisnothingbutadulteryandlicense,onedeedof
bloodafteranother. (Hosea4:1,2)
Having connected themselves to the love of earthly objects and
affairs,theybecamelandthemselves.Theaccusationis:
First: On the negative aspect, He says, no good faith or mutual
trust,noknowledgeofGodintheland. Israelenteredintothetrial,being
alandthatlostitsunitywiththeheavenlygroom,becauseithasnotruth,
mercy, or the knowledge of God. Without this inseparable trinity in the
lifeofman,hewouldgodowntothemortalearthlynature.
Hestartswiththefaithfulnessortruth,aboutwhichthelordChrist
in His farewell prayer said: Consecrate them by the truth thy word is
truth(John17:17).Theyhaverejectedthetruthbyrejectingthewordof
God,although it is notfar fromthem:The wordisnearyou:itisupon
your lips and in your heart. This means the word of faith which we
proclaim (Romans 10: 8). This truth should be welded with mercy, so
thatthewordofGodorthefaithinitwouldnotbejustwordsknownby
bare mental thought, but should rather touch our life. As the truth in us
turnstowork,ourknowledgeofGodwouldgrow,andourinsightwould
accordingly,bemoreenlightened.Thatishowthetruthreactswithwork
and knowledge. The three of them represent interacting aspects that
concernourlifeinJesusChrist.
Second: Having lost this trinity faith, work, and spiritual
knowledge,Israelproducedcorruption:Oathsareimposedandbroken,
theykillandrobthereisnothingbutadulteryandlicense,onedeedof
bloodafteranother (Hosea4:2).
ThislistofsinsproclaimtheirbreakingoftheTenCommandments
(Commandments 3, 9, 6, 8, and 7) namely breaking the covenant with
God.Astosaying:breakingallrestraint,itmeanstheuseofviolence,
which is contrary to the meek Spirit of God. It probably also means,
violentlycrossingtheir limitswithGod,orthatthey challengethe mind,
the conscience, orthe law by through their sins notoutof weakness, or
lackofstrongwill,butdeliberatelyandviolently.Astosaying:onedeed
of blood after another, He probably means shedding the blood of
Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who was stoned at the
commandment of king Joash, in the court of the house of the Lord (2
Chronicles24:21).Hisinnocentbloodwasmixedwiththatoftheanimal
sacrifices,whichtheyusedtoofferwithaspiritfarfrombeingstraight.
Third:HeendsHischargesagainstthechildrenofIsraelbysaying:
Therefore the land shall be dried up, and all who live in it shallpine
away, and with them the wild beasts and the birds of the air even the
fishshallbesweptfromthesea(Hosea4:3).Bybreakingthecovenant
ofGod,Israelwillturnintoawildernessthatknowsnojoyorpeace,but
only mourning and disturbance. It will have no fruits, but only draught
and dryness. Even the beasts of the wilderness, the birds of the air, and
the fish of the sea, will find no food. Everything will waste away. The
fruits of breaking the covenant are a complete desolation that prevails
overthewholeland,withitsbeasts,birds,andfish.
He says: The land shall be dried up. If the land refers to our
body, for whose sake and pleasure we commit evil, then the fruit of this
evil will be the bodys deprivation of comfort and joy, to remain
mournful!ThisisthefruitofbreakingthecovenantwithGod,theGrantor
of peace, whereas unity with Him grants man true peace. Father John of
Kornstadtsays,WhenChristdwellsintheheartbyfaith,peaceandjoy
wouldlikewisedwellinit.ItisnotwithoutcausetosaythatGodisHoly
and finds comfort in His saints. He also says, With the eyes of my
heart,Iseehow,IcanmentallybreatheChristinmyheartHow when
Heentersintoit,Hepromptlygrantsitpeaceandjoy.Therefore,donot
letmedwellalonewithoutYou,OGrantorofLife,mybreathandmyjoy!
ItisdifficultformetobeforsakenbyYou.
Allwholiveinitshallpineaway.Alltheenergiesandtalentsof
manwouldwasteawayandscatter,justaswhathappenedtotheyounger
brother who scattered his wealth in a wasteful way and ended up like a
valuelessandlifelessbody.Whereastherealbelieverwouldtrulypraise:
Thou dost visit the earth and give it abundance, as often as thou dost
enrichit,brimmingintheirchannels,levelingitsridges,thepastures
inthewildarerichwithblessingandthehillswreathedinhappiness,the
valleysmantledincorn,sothattheyshout,theybreakintosong.(Psalm
65:913)Itisasthough hesaystoGod:AlthoughIam adry land, yet
Youtake careof it, make it flow with holy abundance. You sanctify the
talentsYouhavegiven meandYou increasethem.You fill my lifewith
the waterof the Holy Spirit that flares all the energies tothe account of
Yourkingdom.Youblessmyinnerproduce,whichareYourfruitsinme.
You make my life fruitful, filled with joy and gladness, to utter praises
andspiritualsongs.
Saying, And with them the wild beasts and the birds of the air even
thefishshallbesweptfromthesea referstothecorruptionofmanslife
on all aspect: the land with the beasts, the air with the birds and the sea
with the fish. It is an overall desolation, that even the animals that are
used to live in the barren wilderness are unable to survive the severe
drought,thebirdsfindnothingtofeedonandthefishmigratetofaraway
waters.
On the one hand, God probably intended by this trial to reveal the
serious consequences of sin and the extension of the desolation even to
the irrational creation like the beasts, the birds, and the fish. This is the
way it happened at the beginning of human life, when the earth was
cursed because of the sin of Adam and Eve, to bring forth thorns and
thistles.Ontheotherhand,thebeastsprobablyrefertothecarnallife,the
birds tothe mind, which is supposed to soar upwith heavenly thoughts,
andthefishoftheseareferstofaith.Itisasthoughmandestroyshislife
on all aspects (body, mind, and spirit) by forsaking his heavenly groom,
andsolooseseverything.
2. THEPRIESTSREJECTIONOFKNOWLEDGE:
God also confirms the trial of the priests and the false prophets, as
beingresponsibleforeverythingthepeoplehavereached.Hesays:
But it is not for any man to bring a charge, it is not for him to
prove a case and your people are like those who quarrel with a priest.
By day and by night you blunder on, you and the prophet with you.
Your mother is destroyed. (Hosea 4: 4, 5) He probably means that
everyoneisresponsibleforhimself.Nooneshouldjustifytheactionsofa
priest,justbecauseheisapriest.Thepriestsstumbleduringtheday,and
the false prophets during the night through vain dreams, and so all of
them partake of the desolation of Samaria, the capital of their mother
Israel. The wicked priests have joined forces with the false prophets to
stumbletogether,destroyingthewholepeople.
Some believe that the talk here is addressed to the people, as God
demands from those who truly rebuke to keep quiet and stop their
endeavor, because nobody head their rebuke. Everyone rejects guidance,
even when directed by a priest. Everyone is against an outspoken priest
andmayevenpersecutehim,justlikewhatJoashandhispeopledidwhen
theystonedZechariahthesonofJehoiadathepriestintheLords house,
becauseheutteredthewordsofGod(2Chronicles24:21).
God addresses His talk to the priests, proclaiming to them that they
have destroyed the people because of their lack of knowledge: My
people destroyed for lack of knowledge. You have rejected knowledge,
and I will reject you from serving me as priest. (Hosea 4: 6) What is
meant by knowledge of God was already clarified in the introduction to
thebook.Itwasalsoexplainedhowitisconnectedtotheholypiouslife
intheLord.ThepriestshaveforsakenthelifeoffellowshipwithGodand
preoccupied themselves with their own interests, and so they lost the
piousknowledgeandbecameasthoughinthedarknessofignorance.He
did not say, Because you are ignorant, but said, You have rejected
knowledge. As though He says to him: You have no excuse, because
knowledgeisavailabletoyou,andthelightissetbeforeyou,butitisyou
whorejecttheknowledge,anddonotwanttoreceivethelight.ToGod
theysay,Leaveusalone wedonot wanttoknowyour ways(Job21:
14).Thesecretoftheirrejectionofknowledgeisthattheyhaveforsaken
the word of God and His commandment: You have forgotten the
teaching of God, and I, your God, will forget your sons (Hosea 4: 6).
Here,HeconnectstheknowledgeofGodwiththe lawofGod,the latter
being its source. Father Kronstadt says, The Holy Book is the center of
Gods wisdom,His word,andHisSpirit.Init,HeproclaimsbyHimself:
ThewordsthatIspeaktoyouarespirit,andtheyarelife(John6:63).
In the Holy Book we see God face to face, and see ourselves as we
actually are. We know ourselves through it and perpetually walk in the
Godspresence.
Ifwetakeitontheallegoricalside,whoisthepriest,whosepeople
would be destroyed because of his rejection of the knowledge of God?
Who is that priest whose children will be forgotten by God, because he
forgetsGodslaw?Heistheheart,that,insteadofbeingthecenterofthe
Godskingdominman,itisboundtotheworldandthetemporalthings.
This heart loses its purity and becomes unable to behold God. It is as
though, becoming in a state of spiritual blindness, with no living
knowledge, it would forget Gods commandment. This heart, rejecting
knowledge through purity, would cause the destruction of the whole
people, namely, the entire body with all its energies and possibilities.
Forgetting the divine commandment, the commandment would have no
fruition in it, and would thus become as though it has forgotten his
children.
Bythis,wereconfirmwhatwehavepreviouslysaid,thatknowledge
is not acquired by reading alone, but through the holy pious life of
worship in the Lord through the inner priest in man, the pure heart that
intercedesforthewholebodybeforetheLord.
The Lord goes on admonishing the priests, saying: The more
prieststhereare, themoretheysinagainstmetheirdignityIwillturn
into dishonor. They feed on the sin of my people and batten on their
iniquity.Butpeopleandpriestshallbetreatedalike.Iwillpunishthem
for their conduct and repay them for their deeds: they shall eat but
never be satisfied, behave wantonly but their lust will never be
overtaxed, for they have forsaken the Lord (Hosea 4: 710). Because
they depended on their great number, or on the quantity and not the
quality of their work, the more priests there are, the more they sin
againstme. Insteadoftheir innersanctificationandtheirtruetestimony
of God before the people, they sinned more against God. Because they
preoccupied themselves with the pagan banquets and fell into
abominations, they will be judged with no partiality together with their
people.
They feed on the sin of my people which means that they eat up
the sacrifices of sin offered by the people. They do not care for the
repentance of the people or for their return from evil, on the contrary,
theyare happyaboutthesacrificesoffer, forthesakeoftheirenjoyment
of those sacrifices. The more the people sin, the more would be their
portionofthesacrificestheyoffer!Therefore,becausetheyonlycaredfor
filling their bellies with the meat of the sacrifices at the expense of the
sanctification of the people, they shall eat, but not have enough.
Moreover, because they commit harlotry through taking concubines,
blessingwill betakenaway fromthem.Sucha horribleportraitdoesnot
fit for the priest. Father Kronstadt warns us saying, As the priest is an
angel, more than being a man, it is fittingfor him to cast every worldly
thingawayfromhimandbehindhisback.Letthypriestsbeclothedin
righteousness(Psalm132:9).Letthemalwaysrememberthegreatness
oftheircall.Letthemnotfallinthesnaresofthisworld,andofthedevil,
butgetawayfromworldlycaresandthefalseglamourofwealthandall
kindsofevildesire(Mark4:19)enteringintotheirhearts.
3. THEPAGANABOMINATIONS:
After declaring the trial of all the Israelis, especially the religious
leaderships,Herevealstheabominationsinwhichallofthemhavefallen:
First: Prostitution, new wine and old embolden my people
(Hosea4:11).TheirdeviationfromtheworshipofGodtothatoftheBaal
is caused by their bodily lusts. St. Augustine said that behind every
atheism, there is a lust left with no control. The lusts of the body would
corrupttheheart,killiniteverylongingtowardGodasthegroomofthe
soul and would make man flee from God, considering Him as a
suppressorofhisbreathandadestructorofhispersonality.
Second: When people let themselves fall into the enjoyment of
bodily lusts with no control, they go down into unbefitting and
unacceptablebehaviorsliketheworksofmagic,whichwereconnectedat
that time with the worship of Baal. God says, They ask advice from a
blockofwoodandtaketheirordersfromafetish(Hosea4: 12).Instead
of resorting to God for counsel, they turned to the idol of Baal and the
worksofmagictoshowthemthewayandinformthemaboutthefuture.
Everyone who forsakes the wordof God and resortstothe world and to
men,wouldbelikesomeoneaskingcounselofapieceofwoodorastaff.
Third:Theyrushtoidolworship:Youmensacrificeonmountain
tops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak and poplar and the
terebinths pleasant shade (Hosea 4: 13). There were mountains on
Israel,thatshouldhavebeenaholymountain(Jeremiah31:23),toward
whichthosewhoseeksalvationshouldflee(Genesis19:17).Mountains,
on which the heavenly groom would come leaping (Songs 2: 8) and on
whichthecityofJerusalemwouldbeset(Matthew5:14)andcouldnever
disappear.Onthosemountains,theLordChristwouldascend(John6:3),
which will let those mountains drip of new wine and incessant spiritual
juice (Joel 3: 18). Instead of all that, those mountains turned into the
accountofthedevil,anddefiledaltarswerebuiltonthem.
Otherthanthosemightymountainsthatturnedtotheaccountofthe
Baal, Israel also had smaller souls, namely smaller hills, on which the
Lord Christ should have come leaping (Songs 2: 8). These became
corruptaswellandborethesmellofabhorrentincense.
The same thing that was said aboutthe mountains and hills is also
said about the oaks, poplars, and terebinths trees that became centers
servingthekingdomofdarkness,insteadofglorifyingGod.
TheJewschosethe highplaces likethe mountainsand hills, notto
raise their thoughts above the earthly things, but assumed that, on them,
they were closer to heaven. What actually happened was that they slid
down to the pit. They chose the dense trees believing that their great
shade would help them in their spiritual contemplations, instead of
resortingtothecrossandfindingcomfortinthepiercedside.
Finally, Hosea presents a horrible portrait of the extent of harlotry
and adultery in their life, mentioning the following features of their
defiledlife:
a. Both, the unmarried girls and the married brides, committed this
sin.Itisasthoughitbecameageneralthingamongallwomen,thatthey
donotfeelashamedof.
b. It is as though God despaired in them. They commit sin, out of
neither weakness, nor ignorance, but they sin continuously and
shamelessly,withtheirownfreewill,Godnomorechastensthem.Thatis
theworstpunishmentthatmanmaycomeundernamely,tobedeniedthe
fatherhoodofGod,whorefusestochastenhim,saying,Iwillnotpunish
your daughters for playing the wanton, nor your sons brides of their
adultery (Hosea 4: 14). Father Theodor says, God is like an able
Physician,whousedallthepossible waystocure,andhasnothingmore
to apply. He became fed up of their oppression, had to stop His gentle
chastisements and tend to expose them, saying: Then I will abate my
fury,andmyjealousywillturnawayfromyou.Iwillbecalmandwillno
longerbeprovokedtoanger(Ezekiel16:42).
St.Jerome alsosaid,Luckyisthe man whobecomeschastenedin
thislifeAsGodsafflictionwill notriseupasecondtime(Nahum1:
9). How great would be the wrath of God, when He stops punishing us
here, and keeps us like bulls for slaughtering. He says to Jerusalem,
becauseofitsmanysinsandgreatevil,Hewillnomorebejealousonit,
or angry against it (Ezekiel 16: 42). In other words, He says, When
youwereamereharlot,Ilovedyou,andIwasjealousonyou,but when
you came to be with many lovers, I despised you and stopped being
jealous on or angry with you. He will say no more: I will visit your
transgression with the rod (Psalm 89: 32), but will say: I will not
punishyourdaughterswhentheycommitharlotry(Hosea4:14).
c. What the girls and the brides do is a natural fruit of the horrible
thingsdonebythemen,aboutwhomHesays:Becauseyourmenresort
to wanton women and sacrifice with templeprostitutes. A people
without understanding comes to grief.(Hosea 4: 14). Because men go
to the altars of Baal distributed all over the country, go apart with
harlotsandofferevilsacrificeswiththepriestesses,whodedicatedtheir
life to the account of Baal. They behave with no understanding and fall
under such horrible sin that God delivered their daughters and brides to
theselusts,saying:Thereforeyourdaughtersplaythewantonandyour
sonsbridescommitadultery(Hosea4:13).Thatisthebitterway,God
chastenstheadultererstoletthemrecognizethehorroroftheirbehavior,
like what He did when He punished David by defiling his wives (2
Samuel12:11).
d. God likens Israel to a stubborn calf (Hosea 4: 16) that refuses to
beunderyoke,butstumblesandgoesbackwards,insteadofforward.The
people rejected the yoke of the commandment of God and went madly
aftertheirownwill,whichgrabbedthembackwardsinsteadofforwards.
They set forth to the locations where harlotry and idolworships
prevailed, like Gilgal and Beth Aven (House of vanity). They behaved
likethelambsthatfeedinaspaciouspasturetobepreparedforslaughter,
growsfatandkick(Deuteronomy32:15).
e. He says, Ephraim, keeping company with idols, has held a
drunken orgy (Hosea 4: 17). He so bound himself to idols that he
becametheirfellowandcarriedtheirfeatures.Hisheartbecameofstone,
just as the idols are of stone and he delivered himself to perdition and
vanity,becausetheidolsarenothingbutfalseandfake.
Ephraim was so connected to the idols and became as if he was
chained to their servitude and could not set himself free of them and
couldnomorelistentoanysoundadvice.Thisisthenatureofsin,andas
saidbySt.AnthonytheGreat,Whenthesoulisignorantofthesin,she
lovesit,andinitsbondageitbecomescaptivated.
f. Whenwillallthisend?Howwillthisbitterdrinkingendup?They
have preferred dishonor to glory. The wind shall sweep them away,
wrapped in its wings, and they will find their sacrifices a delusion
(Hosea 4: 18, 19). They dearly loved dishonor, namely, corruption and
earned shame. Finally, when they will be carried away by the wind, as
though on the wings of evil to captivity to bring them over to the
humiliationofbondage,theywillthenbeashamedbecauseoftheirpagan
sacrificesthatcouldnotsavethem.
HavinglonglivedbythespiritpftheGentilesandworshippedtheir
idols,theywillgettheirheartsdesireandbecarriedawayascaptivesto
where those idols are, where there is deprivation of Jerusalem, and the
templeoftheLord.Theywilltastethebitternessoftheirdoing.
CHAPTER5
JUDAHJOINSISRAELINTHETRIAL
If Israel and its priests were corrupted because of rejecting the
divineknowledge,Judahweredivertedaswell,despitealltheprivileges
they had, being the royal tribe set in Jerusalem and worshipping in the
temple of the Lord. Because they also diverted like Israel, God entered
with them in an adversity, debated against them, admonished them,
revealedtothemtheirwounds,andchastisedthem.
1. Godchastiseswithnopartiality 15
2. GodwithdrawsHimselffromthem 67
3. Thedeclarationofageneralstateofchastisement 812
4. TheydidnotreturntoGod. 13
15
1 GODCHASTISESWITHNOPARTIALITY:
GodconfirmsHisimpartialityforonecategoryattheexpenseofthe
other,or forone person at the expense of another. Everybody has fallen
into iniquity when having sinned. God said, I will punish them all
(Hosea 5: 2). He will punish the Israelis, because they started evil by
settingforthemselvesatempleotherthanGodstempleinJerusalem,and
divertedtopaganism.Atthesametime,HewillpunishJudah,despiteall
the privileges it has like being the royal tribe, having Jerusalem as its
capitalandthetempleofGodinit,becauseitspeoplehavesinned,evenif
later than Israel: Israels arrogance cries out against him Ephraims
guiltishisundoing,andJudahnolessisundone.(Hosea5:5)
If a trial was declared, against the priests in particular in the
previous chapter, because the people of God were destroyed for lack of
knowledge,althoughthis isthe mainresponsibilityofthepriests, yetthe
peoplethemselves(thehouseofIsrael)arenotexcused:Hearthis,you
priests,andlisten,allIsrael(Hosea5:1).Inaddition,Hesaystothose
of honor, Let the royal house mark my words sentence is passed on
you(Hosea5:1).
He judges all as He searches the hearts and minds, and nothing is
hidden from Him He says: I have cared for Ephraim and I have not
neglectedIsrael(Hosea5:3).HestartedwithEphraim, meaningeither
all the kingdom of Israel, or Ephraim himself, who was the head of the
rebels, becauseofwhomtherestofthetentribesgotdefiled.Therefore,
heisworthyofpunishmentmorethantheothers.
WhatdoesGodknowaboutthem?
First: Because you have been a snare at Mizpah, and a net
spread out on Tabor (Hosea 5: 1). Here, He probably addresses the
leaderships,whoweresupposedtosupporttheweakandkeepthemfrom
falling. Insteadof that,they became snares and nets set by the enemy to
catchthemtotheaccountofevil.Insteadofguidingthemtorepentance,
they seduced them to fall and drew them with every possible way to
idolworship. Some believe that they used to place spies on the
intersections of roads, and in particular on the two mountains Mizpah
and Taborduringthedaysof feasts, inordertowatchthosewhogoto
Jerusalemandinformaboutthemtobetrialed.
Itisnotwellknownhere,ifMizpahistheoneinGileadatTel
Remeth (Judges 11), where Jacob and Laban set a heap of stones as a
testimony to the covenant made between them (Genesis 31: 49), the
children of Israel assembled together to fight the Ammonites (Judge 10:
17), and Jephthah encountered his daughter (Judges 11: 34). The other
possibility is that Mizpah is the one in Benjamin, where Saul was
chosentobeking(1Samuel10:1721),theoneenforcedbyAsa,kingof
Judah (1 kings 15: 32), and where Gedaliah was killed (2 Kings 25: 23,
25). It is also said to be the village, from which Prophet Samuel comes.
Anyway, Mizpah and Tabor, were at that time two centers of idol
worship,andbecametwosymbolsofthedesolationthatdweltbecauseof
thepaganworship.
Second: Their persistence on committing the sin with no
repentance, as it comes from their depths, and because of their lack of
knowledge of the Lord: Theirmisdeeds have barred their waybackto
theirGodforawantonspiritisinthem,andtheycarenothingforthe
Lord (Hosea 5: 4). They are stubborn and insist ignorantly on adjuring
fromGod.
Third: Their haughtiness and the pride of their hearts made them
despise the words of the Lord, uttered on the tongues of His prophets:
Israelsarrogancecriesoutagainstthem(Hosea5:5).Indeed,Pride
goesbeforedestructionandahaughtyspiritbeforeafall.Bettertobeof
a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.
(Proverbs16:18,19)GodproclaimedHishatetowardspride:TheLord
God has sworn by Himself, The Lord God of hosts says: I abhor the
prideofJacob,andhatehispalacesThereforeIwilldeliverupthecity,
andallthatisinit(Amos6:8).Also:ThuswillIspoilthegrosspride
ofJudah,thegrossprideofJerusalem(Jeremiah13:9,10).
2 GODWITHDRAWSHIMSELFFROMTHEM:
In their pride and ignorance, they thought thatthey could bring pleasure
to God by the material offerings and the sacrifices, without actually
changing their hearts. That is why He says: They go with sacrifices of
sheep and cattle to seek the Lord, but do not find him. He has
withdrawn himself from them. (Hosea 5: 6). They approach Him, but
not with their hearts, hence, they do not find Him. He would not be
presentorbeseenexceptbytheheart:Blessedarethepureinheart,for
theyshallseeGod(Matthew5:8).
God withdrew himself from them, because they betrayed Him, and
broke the covenant between Him and them. Instead of uniting with Him
to give forth the fruits of the Spirit, that bring pleasure to the heart of
God, they united with evil and have begotten foreign children namely
fruits that are foreign to God. They have been unfaithful to Him, and
theirsonsarebastards.(Hosea5:7).
He ends His talk by: Now an invader shall devour their fields.
(Hosea 5: 7). He probably means, that they do no get fulfilled with the
spiritual fruits, rejoice in the Lord or let the Lord rejoice in them,
although they practice the rite of the feast. However, they would lose
everything, even their possessions (their heritage or portion), or the
defiled banquets that they set to celebrate the Baal, the thing that has
becometheirportion, insteadofGodandHiskingdom.Thisportionthat
theyhavechosenismortal,whichiswhytheywilllose.
3 THE DECLARATION OF A GENERAL STATE OF
CHASTISEMENT:
Hornswereusuallyused in caseofwars.However,Goddemanded
the rams horns to be blown in both Israel and Judah, as though He
intendedtoproclaimtothemwhatsindoestothem.SinshowsthemGod
asanenemyfightingagainsttheminsteadofaLovingGod.Anyway,He
demanded the horns to be blown in Gibeah as well as in Ramah, and
askedthemtocryoutinBethAven(8)
Gibeah means a hill and Ramah means a height. It is as
though God demands the horns to be blown on very high places, where
theythinktheyarestrong.Hewantsthemtorealizethattheyareinastate
of war. By accepting the idolworship, they have entered into animosity
with God, who accordingly allowed them to be chastised by attacks of
their enemies who also worship the Baal. Those enemies will rob and
captivate them. They loved the Baal, his banquets, and his pleasures, so
letthemacceptservitudetohisworshippers.
Gibeah, which is in Judah, is very close to Ramah, which is in
Israel.Itisasthoughdesolationwoulddwelluponbothkingdoms,asthey
bothwerecorrupted. AstoBeth AvenorThe houseof vanity,there
is noneedtoblow horns,as it has completelygonedownand has fallen
hopelessly.Nothing is heard in it butthecriesofdefeat,aftertheenemy
hadtakenitover.
He consummates His talk by saying, Look behind you, O
Benjamin(Hosea5:8),andaccordingtosomeversions:Getterrified,
OBenjamin.AstheenemyhastakenovertheMountainofEphraimand
came very near tothe boundaries of Benjamin, there is no need to blow
thehorninBenjamin,butitisenoughtolookattheirbacktogetterrified
and repent, returning to the Lord, lest what dwelt upon Ephraim would
alsodwelluponthem.
ThenHegoesontosay,OnthetribesofIsraelIhaveproclaimed
this unalterable doom The rulers of Judah act like men who move
their neighbors boundary on them will I pour out my wrath like a
flood (Hosea 5: 9, 10). God has proclaimed what is sure in Israel
namely,thechastisementthatwouldsurelydwelluponthemandnotmere
threats without action as they presumed. As to the rulers of Judah, God
wouldpouronthemHiswrathlikewater,becausetheybecamelikethose
who remove the landmarks. That is they remove the marks designating
thekingdomofGodfromthatoftheBaal.Theyhavelostthespiritofthe
discernment between the Egyptians (symbolic) and Israel (symbolic).
There is nothing more grieving to Gods heart than seeing the spiritual
leaders lose the spirit of discernment, which should be obtained by each
believerwithinhim.
Removingthelandmarkswouldalsomeangreedortakingbyforce,
aboutwhichthecommandmentcametosay: Youshallnotremoveyour
neighbors landmark, which the men of old have set in your inheritance
whichyouwillinheritinthelandthattheLordyourGodisgivingyouto
possess(Deuteronomy1:14).Notribe maytakeoverapartofanother
tribesland,buteachtribeownswhatGodhasgivenit.
Ephraimisanoppressortramplingonjustice,doggedlypursuing
whatisworthless.ButIamafesteringsoretoEphraim,acankertothe
house of Judah (Hosea 5: 8, 9). Ephraim has fallen under oppression
andwascompletely crushedthatthere is nobreathof life in itanymore.
He has also lost his strength, privileges and rights, because he willingly
went afterthe commandment of Jeroboam and the kings who followed
him,whocommittedtheirpeopletovainworshipoftheBaal.Thatiswhy
the word the commandment came as the vanity in the Septuagint
version,whichmeansthatEphraimchosetogoafterthevanityinsteadof
after the commandment of God, which is the truth. That behavior made
people losetheblessingsofGod intheir lifeand,tothemGodwould be
like moth that devours the garment, and would expose their nakedness
and shame. To Judah, He would be like termites that rot the wooden
pillarsofthehouse,soitwillcollapse.Judahwouldbecomehomeless.
4 THEYDIDNOTRETURNTOGOD:
ThosechastisementsrevealedthesicknessofIsraelandthewounds
of Judah. It was befitting for them to return to God by repentance, but
IsraelresortedtoAssyriaforsupport(Hosea5:13).Then,Assyriaandits
men showed up to be miserable comforters (Job 16: 2), worthless
physicians (Job 13: 4) and they afflicted them instead of supporting
them (2 Chronicles 28: 16, 18). Having not benefited from the
chastisement, Israel entered under more cruel and bitter chastisement.
God is no more like moth or rottenness tothem, but is like a lion and a
young lion. Despite all that, God hopes that they return to Him: I will
maulthepreyandgo,carryitoffbeyondhopeofrescueI,theLord.I
willgoawayandreturntoMyplaceuntilintheirhorrortheyseekMe,
andlookearnestlyforMeintheirdistress(Hosea5:14,15).
What does He mean by saying: I will go away and return to My
place? He probably means to clarify, that at the moments of
chastisement or punishment of the wicked, He seems as though He got
out of His place (Isaiah 26: 21), looking cruel, while returning again to
His place means His longing to proclaim His love and compassion
towardsthem.
Finally,afflictionmakesthesoulhastentogoearlytoGod,whichis
why the apostle advises us: Is anyone among you suffering? Let him
pray. (James 5: 13) As said by Father Kronstadt: We mostly resortto
Godwithallourheartsinthetimeofaffliction,asnoonebutGodcould
save us from it. Nevertheless, in the time of abundance and prosperity,
especiallywhenwethirstforrichesandglorywelosethefaithfromour
hearts, forget God, our Judge, the eternity of our souls, and forget our
commitmenttoloveGodfromallourheartsandtoloveourrelativeslike
ourselves.
CHAPTER6
ATALKABOUTSALVATION
IfGodhaschastisedthemallinHislove,andyetneitherIsraelnor
Judah returned to Him, but leaned upon the kings of the world instead,
God allowed those firm strikes to grant healing through His salvation in
JesusChrist,thegrantorofresurrection.
1. OurresurrectionwithHim
2. Aninnerdivinereform
1. OURRESURRECTIONWITHHIM:
As God makes it hard on His fallen children, they will diligently
seek Him (Hosea 5: 15): Come, let us return to the Lord for he has
torn us and will heal us, he has struck us and he will bind up our
wounds (Hosea 6: 1). Hetears us as a lion to heal us, and strikes us to
healourwounds.St.JohnChrysostomwrotetoayoungwidow,wounded
bythedeathofherbelovedhusband,whichwasallowedbyGod:Isend
you this message to be the first and greatest testimony about Gods
providence toward you, lest grief would swallow you up, and your
thoughtswoulddestroyyou.Itiswritten:HehastornusandHewill
healus(Hosea6:1).Godhastaken yourhusband,andHewilltakeup
his place for you. His hand that firmly holds the scalpel to wound
actuallyexposesourdepthsthatcarrythestenchofdeathandcorruption.
His hand will remain stretched out to bind the wounds and grant us the
resurrectionfromthedeathwesufferfrom.Hegoesontosay,Aftertwo
days He will revive us, on the third day He will restore us that in his
presencewemayliveinHissight (Hosea6:2).
Saying, They will diligently seek Him (Hosea 5: 15) means that
they stand early before the Lord Christ, who is raised from the dead, to
find a resurrection for themselves in His resurrection. Indeed, it is
befittingforustoentertogetherwithHimintoHisholySepulcher,andto
beburiedtwodaystogetherwithHim,toraiseusuponthethirddayin
order to live before Him, bearing His features in us. We shall no more
fearthetomb,aslongaswearemembersinthebodyoftheLordChrist,
thatwillseenocorruption,anddeathwillnotbeabletotakeholdofHim.
Thatway,theprophetsawthesecretofthespiritualstrength inthe
resurrection of the Lord from the dead more than 700 years before the
coming of the Lord Christ He will revive us, in his presence we
mayliveandletusstrivetoknowtheLord(Hosea6:2,3).Wewould
enjoythe new life inHim by Hisresurrection. WegettoknowtheLord
by this high heavenly life. It is as though we would be like the two
disciples of Emaos, whom the Lord accompanied after rising from the
dead.Whiletalkingtothem,theireyeswereopenedandtheyknewHim:
Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road
andwhileHeopenedtheScripturetous(Luke24:32).
By his spirit of prophecy, Hosea gave us the time of the Lords
resurrection namely, as the dawn of the third day breaks: On the third
day He will restore us and its dawning is as sure as the sunrise
(Hosea 6: 3). The church is used to mentioning His resurrection all the
time since the era of the apostles, especially in the first hour prayer. St.
Cyprian says, We should also, always pray early at dawn to celebrate
theresurrectionoftheLord.
TheLordwasraisedatdawnonthethirdday,toraiseusupatthe
dawnofourspiritual life. Whenwe seekHim,Heperpetually proclaims
thepowerofHisresurrectioninourlives.
Saying, Its dawning is as sure as the sunrise confirms that He
willappearandscatterthedarkness.AccordingtotheSeptuagintversion,
itcameas Hisgoingforthisestablishedasthe morning(Hosea6:3).
St.AugustinesaidthatGodisalwaysthereevenifwedonotrealizeHim,
He wasintheworld,buttheworld,thoughitoweditsbeingtohim,did
notrecognizeHim(John1:10).Comebacktome,andIwillcomeback
to you, says the Lord of Hosts (Zechariah 1: 3). St. John Chrysostom:
TheprophetreferstothecontinuousreadinessofHisgoodnessAswe
approachHimwefindHimwaitingforourmove.
AfterdeclaringtheresurrectionoftheLordatdawnofthethirdday
as the secret of our salvation, He introduces to us the work of the Holy
Spirit,whichwasprovidedtouslateroninthefullnessoftimeafterthe
ascension of the Lord Christ. It will come to us like a shower, like
springrainsthatwatertheearth(Hosea6:3).HisHolySpiritcomesto
us,dwellsuponusliketherainandtransformsusfromdraughttoajoyful
paradisethatbearsthefruitsoftheSpirit,whichbringjoytotheFathers
heart.Thesoulwouldhearthepraiseofthegroom:Mysister,mybride,
isagardencloselocked(Songs4:12).
St. Hypoletes the Roman believes that this rain refers to the Lord
ChristHimself.InhisessayabouttheholyTheophany(Baptismofthe
Lord),he spokeaboutthehonorofthewater intowhichtheLordChrist
was baptized: Concerning water, there is a fact greater than anything
else. That is that Christ, the Creator of everything, came to us like a
shower (Hosea 6: 3), was known as a spring always welling up for
eternal life (John 4: 14), flows like a river of living water (John 7: 38)
and arrived at the Jordan t be baptized (Matthew 3: 13) Isnt it
incredible that He, who is a limitless river (Psalm 46: 4), plunges in a
little water? He is the one who makes the city of God glad. How is it
possible that He, who is the endless fountain, the one who bears life for
allmankindbecomescoveredbysomemodestandtemporarywater?He,
who is present all over and everywhere all the time, and He who cannot
be fathomed bytheangelsorseen by humans,cametobe baptizedwith
Hisgoodwill.
2 ANINNER,DIVINEREFORM:
GodHimself isoursavior.He isrisen fromthedeadtoraiseusup
together with Him, He grants us His Holy Spirit like a latter rain that
takes away our draught and grants us His fruits in us. That is why He
said:OEphraim,howshallIdealwithyou?HowshallIdealwithyou,
Judah? Your loyalty to me is like the morning mist, like dew that
vanishes early (Hosea 6: 4). Ephraim and Judah have forgotten the
Lord, their God, and thought that they were capable of faithfulness or
goodness on their own. However, this goodness was no more than a
morning cloud or early dew that was unable to stand before temptations
andafflictions.ItisasthoughGodsaystothem:WhatshallIdotoyou?
IhavegivenyouMyresurrectionasasecretofyoursandgrantedyouMy
Holy Spirit to water your hearts. So why do you deprive yourselves of
such gifts of Mine, leaning on your self righteousness, which is like the
morning cloud or early dew that would soon go away?! St. John
Chrysostomsaid,onthetongueoftheLord,AstoMe,Ireallygaveyou
everything,butthehotsuneventuallycomes,scattersyourcloudandlets
youendinnothing.YourevildeprivesyouofMyunutterablegoodness.
Then the Lord goes on to say, Therefore have I lashed you
throughtheprophetsandtornyoutoshredswithMywords(Hosea6:
5). According to the Septuagint version I hew (cut) your prophets I
slay them with the words of My mouth. They have leaned upon false
prophets, who calmed down their consciences by their sweet lies.
Therefore God chastens those wicked prophets with His judgments that
would be like a killer to them or like light that would expose their
darkness.Assaid,Hismouthshallbearodtostrikedowntheruthless,
andwithawordheshallslaythewicked(Isaiah11:4).
If the words of God are the grantors of life, they are the killers of
evilanddeathlikewise.ByHiswords,Hetakesawayandkillsthefalsity
intheheart,shinesHislighttoscatterdarknessinsideus,goesforthwith
Hisjudgmentinusanddestroyseviltobuildupvirtue.
Mancannotmaterializetheinnerreformoftheheart.Hecanindeed
present sacrifices, burnt offerings and worship rites, but it is only God,
who grants mercy, love, the knowledge of God and faithfulness to the
covenant!That iswhyHesays:Loyaltyismydesire, not sacrifice,not
wholeofferingsbuttheknowledgeofGod.AtAdmah(Adam)theyhave
broken my covenant there they have playedme false (Hosea 6: 6, 7).
He demands the inner works and the heartily change, which they would
beunabletoreachontheirown,asitistheworkofGodHimself.
Godistheonewhoworksinsideustograntusmercyorabiding
love, which brings gladness to His heart. The Lord Christs message
cametoconcentrateonbearingHisfeaturesinuseandchangingourcruel
nature to the likeness of His nature, which is filled with love and
compassion.
St.JohnChrysostomsaysaboutthismercydemandedbyGodinus:
Now is notthe time for judgment, but for mercy. We shall not demand
account, but demonstrate love. We should not bring forth charges, but
forsake them. It is not the time for vengeance, but for mercy and doing
goodness. This mercy is the nature of God Himself, as written by St.
Ambroseinhisessayonrepentance,againstthefollowersofNovatius
who close the doors of Gods mercies before those who commit certain
sins. He says: We should know that God is a Godof mercy, who leans
towardforgivenessandnotoncruelty.Thatiswhyitiswritten:Idesire
mercy and not sacrifices. So, how would God receive your offerings,
youwhodenymercy?!ItwassaidaboutGodthatHehasnodesireinany
mansdeath,butHeratherdesiresthereturnofsinners(Ezekiel18:32).
WegettoknowGodthroughthedivinemercythatwebearinus.It
is the knowledge of our fellowship of His features, something that God
demands. He desires not wholeofferings but the knowledge of God.
That is how we bear within us faithfulness towards the covenant set
betweenGodandus.Moreover,wewouldnotbecountedastransgressors
againstHimorasdealingtreacherouslywithHim.
Letourreformbedivinefromwithinus,lestitwouldbesaidabout
us:AtAdmahtheyhavebrokenmycovenant,theretheyhaveplayedme
false.Gileadisahauntofevildoers,markedbyatrailofblood(Hosea
6: 7, 8). Let us not be like Adam who transgressed the divine covenant
whilehewasintheparadisesetforhimbyGod,andwasthuscountedas
having dealt treacherously with His Creator. Let us enjoy His gifts and
notdenyHisPerson.IwishwewouldnotbecomelikeGilead,thecityof
evildoers, defiled with blood. It is probably Ramoth Gilead, one of the
threecitiesofrefugeacrosstheJordan,andacityofLevites.Althoughits
menareoftheholytribe,theywereevildoersanddefiledthemselveswith
blood through oppression and corruption. They used to have the
appearanceofpietyandworshipasLevites,yetintheirdepths,theywere
evil. I wish we would not be like the priests, who wear the splendid
garmentsofpriesthoodandpracticetheouterformalitiesofworshipwith
noinnerlifeinsidethem.Theyarelikerobberslyinginwaitforaman,
priestsarebandedtogethertodomurderontheroadtoShechemtheir
deedsareoutrageous.(Hosea6:9).Letusnotbelikethem,likerobbers
bearingthespiritofmurderandperdition,coveringitwiththeclothesof
priests.
CHAPTER7
REJECTIONOFTHEPHYSICIAN
TheLorddebatesHispeoplefranklyandclearly,approachesthem
asaphysicianintendingtohealtheirwoundsafteruncovering,and
proclaimingthemtothepatient,whichshouldconvincehim(thepatient)
toacceptthetreatment.Unfortunately,theyrejectedthetruephysician
andHistreatment.
1. ThePhysicianproclaimstheailment 12
2. Theailmentoftheleaderships 37
3. Theailmentofthepeople 812
4. RejectionofthePhysician 1316
1 THEPHYSICIANPROCLAIMSTHEAILMENT:
AsGodapproachesthesoulsasaphysicianintendingtohealthem,
He has to declare the nature of the ailment and reveal its extent and
dangertoconvincethepatientstoreceiveHistreatments:WhenIwould
heal Israel, then the guilt of Ephraim stands revealed, and all the
wickednessofSamariatheyhavenotkeptfaith.Theyarethieves,they
break into houses they are robbers, they strip people in the street
(Hosea7:1).
By healing Israel, He revealed the corruption of Ephraim, the tribe
thatoccupiedtheforemostpositioninevilandexposedthewickeddeeds
ofSamaria,thecapital.Asaphysician,Hedoesnotcomplimentorflatter,
butHeexposesthe ailment, inordertostretchHis handwiththe scalpel
and cut, firmly but with love. He proclaims the iniquity of the most evil
tribe, and the most corrupt city, with no partiality on the expense of
healingthem!Thetypeofdeceasethatinflictedthemwasthattheyhave
keptnofaith(Hosea7:1).Thisisthemostdangerousailmentthatcould
inflict man, namely, to deceive others, probably himself, his conscience,
and to assume that he can deceive God as well. His heart is full of
robbery,whilehisattireispriestly.HiscityislikeGilead,embracesmen
of God, the Levites, yet in the truth, they are a haunt of evildoers
(Hosea 6: 8). Israel masked its iniquity by presenting offerings and
sacrifices to God, and practicing rites of worship, while its heart was
apostateandfarawayfromGod.
Israel intendedtodeceiveothersbyouterappearances, yet its inner
corruptionwasalsoreflecteduponitsapparentbehavior.Itwasdestroyed
from boththe insideandtheoutside:Theyarethieves,theybreakinto
houses they are robbers, they strip people in the street (Hosea 7: 1).
Decease crawled like a thief to the inside and the hidden depths, so the
door was wide open to the invaders and robbers from the outside. Man
has become corrupted as a whole. On the one hand, his heart, mind and
intention need to be healed from inside and on the other hand the
apparentbehavioranddealingsfromoutsideneedhealingaswell.
Themostserioussideintheirconditionwasnottheirailmentitself,
but rathertheir disregard of it and their assumption that it was not a big
deal.Theythoughtthattheirsin is notworthrememberingorcaring,not
evenbyGod:LittlethinkingthatIhavetheirwickednesseverinmind.
Nowtheirmisdeedsbesetthemandstaremeintheface.(Hosea7:2)If
their iniquities are hidden from their eyes or do not preoccupy their
minds,yettheyareinfrontofthefaceofGod.Herememberstheirsinsin
ordertotakethemaway.
They might ask: Why should God reveal the iniquity of Ephraim
anduncoverthewickednessofSamaria?Tothis,Heanswers:Nowtheir
misdeedsbesetthem(Hosea7:2).ItisasthoughHesaystothem:Do
not get offended against Me, because I reveal your weaknesses, but you
should rather be offended against yourselves, because of your wicked
behavior. If I expose your wounds, it is to heal them, whereas you are
makingyourailmentincurablebydisregardingit.
2 THEAILMENTOFTHELEADERSHIPS:
Inthefourthchapter,GoddeclaredHistrialofthepriestsbecauseof
their lack of knowledge and it was explained how they represent the
impureheart,whichcannotbeholdGodandwouldbringthewholebody
into the darkness of ignorance and lack of knowledge. Here, He judges
thekingandtheprinces.Thekingreferstothecorrupt,evil humanwill,
whichwoulddirectmanasawholetowardcorruptionandevil.Therulers
refer to leadership centers in the soul and the energies and talents that it
bears.
He says, They win over the king with their wickedness and
princes with their treachery (Hosea 7: 3). This is the most horrible
portrait of leadership, which is not only evil, but is also glad with the
wickedness and lies of others King after king falls from power, but
notoneofthemcallsuponme(Hosea7:7).Theirgladnessistemporal
and temporary, and thus does not fulfill their life or support their souls,
butmakesthemfallanddeprivesthemofresortingtoGod.Itmakesthem
losethetruesourceoftheirlifeandjoy.
He describes those kings and princes (namely, mans inner
leaderships), as being: lecherous all of them, hot as an oven over the
fire which the baker does not stir (Hosea 7: 4). The defiled soul
becomes like a heated oven, ignited by evil lusts and uncontrolled
emotions. St. Jerome describes this soul: A heated oven that would not
bequenchedbyGodsmercies,together withintensefasting(becauseof
their lack of repentance) and like fiery darts (Ephesians 6: 16), by
whichthedevilwoundsmen,andmakethemasthoughonfire.Insucha
fire,thekingofBabylonputthethreeyoungmen,among whomafourth
appeared in the image of the Son of God. He calmed down the horrible
fire,andmadetheheatedovencool.
St. Jerome believes thatthis fiery oven, flared by evil lusts, cannot
bequenchedexceptbythefieryHolySpiritofGod,whowouldconsume
thecorruptfireandflaretheholyfireofGodintheheartinstead.Hesays,
Theheartcannotovercomethelust,unlessitisflaredbytheHolySpirit,
which flares the heart and consumes the fire of lust. About the Holy
Fire,hesays,LetuspraytotheLord,totransformanycrueltyinusinto
compassion, and to wipe out our sins, so that we become like fire that
amputates the coolness of the devilfrom our hearts, and we grow in the
warmthbytheHolySpirit.
Not only them, but also their evil plans and hidden plots have
become likea heatedoven:Whiletheyarerelaxedallnightlongtheir
passion slumbers, but in the morning it flares up like a blazing fire
(Hosea 7: 6). Those wicked people go to sleep all night after throwing
aroundtheirfuelofevilcounsels,tofindoutinpropertimethattheoven
hasbecameaflamingfire, justlikethebakerthrowsthewoodinsidethe
oven, goes to sleep all night, and wakes up in the morning to find it a
flamingfire.
Theyallgrowfeverish,hotasanoven,anddevourtheirrulers.
(Hosea7:7).They havedevouredthe fewremnantsofgoodjudgeswho
used to condemn their evil deeds They turned into a consuming fire,
notfortheevil,butforthejustjudges.
3 THEAILMENTOFTHEPEOPLE:
Having revealed the ailment of the leaderships, who became as an
ovenheatedbythefireofevillusts,consumingtheirgoodjudges,Healso
revealstothepeopletheirailment,saying:
a. Ephraim and his aliens make a sorry mixture Ephraim has
become a cake halfbaked (Hosea 7: 8). The boundaries that separate
Ephraim from the pagan nations have been removed, although Gods
prior confirmation: I see a people that dwells alone, that has not made
itself one with the nations. (Numbers 23: 9), They mingled with the
nations,learningtheirways(Psalm106:35).Itisabitterportraitofthe
church, which embraces the worlds spirit in it, living with a temporal
earthly mind and not realizing its commitment of leading people to the
kingdom of heaven. It is indeed befitting for the church not to separate
itself from the world in pride or take a position of selfjustification. It
shall rather bow down with love and wash every foot, like its Lord. It
shallopenitsheartandshowcompassiontowardeveryone,inordertolift
allpeopletotheheavenlyliferatherthantakingitselfdowntothecarnal
earthlythoughts.
Astosayingthatithasbecomeacakehalfbaked,itreferstothe
bread, whose upper side would become leavened, while its lower side
would not, because it was not turned over before being put in the oven.
By doing this, its upper side would be well done, while its lower side
would remain raw. Ephraim is like this bread, as it has a religious
appearancebecauseofthesacrificesitoffersandtheworshipitpractices,
while its hidden face bears an apostasy from God. Hypocrisy makes an
evil man like unturned bread. What the face shows is contrary to what
thehiddenheartbears.
An evil person, especially a hypocritical person resembles the
unturnedbread.Inthiscase,thedevilislikeabakerwhobringsoverthe
personintohisoven,whichisheatedwiththefireoflusts.WhiletheLord
ChristenterswithHisholybodyintotheovenofhisdivinelove,bearsin
Hisbodythewoundsofloveandthesignsofthecross,toofferittousas
thebreadwhichcamedownfromheaven(John6:41).Onthecontrary,
the devil intends to catch us, take us into the oven of his evil and make
outofusanunturnedcake,whichhecovets,playswithanddespises!
b. Foreigners fed on his strength, but he was unaware (Hosea 7:
9).Thoseforeignersrepresentthenationskings,onwhomthepeopleof
Godhaveleaned.Thosekingsdevouredthemandtookawaytheirriches
insteadofsavingthem, likealltherestthekingofAramhaddestroyed
and made like dust under foot (2 Kings 13: 7). The Pharaoh of Egypt
andthekingsofAssyriadidlikewiseaswell.Whoeverdoesnotreturnto
God,hissavior,wouldbecomeaspoilforforeigners.
Those foreigners are also the devil, his demons and his works (the
sins). When the soul opens the door to them, they captivate it and take
awayitsmostpreciouspossession,i.e.itseternallife.Thatway,thedevil
is counted as an alien or a foreigner, because he refers the world to
himselfalthough he has notcreated it,andwishestopossesseverysoul,
bringitoverintohisheatedoven,turnitintoanunturnedcake,devour
andplaywith.
c. Evenhisgreyhairsturnedwhite,buthewasunaware(Hosea7:
9). They entered into a stateof spiritual aging and were aboutto vanish
away(Hebrew8:13).FatherMosessaid,Manyhavecrossedovertoold
age,becauseoftheirslothfulness.
Thebelieversheart,ontheotherhand,nevergetsold,butThough
our outward humanity is in decay, yet day by day we are inwardly
renewed (2 Corinthians 4: 16)my youth is ever new like an eagles
(Psalm103:5).Suchapersondoesnotbeartheagingofthehairorofthe
heart, which indicate the deterioration of the body and soul, but carries
the gray hair of wisdom, according to the words of the wise Solomon:
Understanding is gray hair for anyone, and a blameless life is ripe old
age(Wisdom4:9).Thedignityofoldageisnotshownbythegrayhair
of the head, but rather by the wisdom of virtuous life, and reaching the
roadofperfectioninourLordJesusChrist.
d. They were proud and had selfesteem, instead of leaning on God:
SoIsraelsarrogancecriesoutagainstthembuttheydonotreturnto
theLordtheirGodnorseekhim,in spiteofitall.(Hosea7:10).God
hadalreadyrebukedthemforthatin(Hosea5:5).
e. Ephraimisasillysenselesspigeon,nowcallinguponEgypt,now
turning to Assyria for help. (Hosea 7: 11). The kingdom of Israel was
always perplexed by forsaking its true nest (the temple of the Lord in
Jerusalem).ItoncesetatempleforitselfinSamariaaccordingtoitsown
desire,andnowitjoinsforceswiththePharaohofEgyptagainsttheking
ofAssyria,andviseversa,whileactuallybothofthemuseitfortheirown
account.
Itisasillydove,withnodignityorwisdom,anditdoesnothavethe
heartwhere it shall bearthe spiritof love forGod,whowouldtake itto
heaven without perplexity. On the other hand, the true church is the one
about which God says: My dove, that hides in holes in the cliffs or in
crannies on the high ledges (Songs 2: 14). It hides in the Lord Christ,
theRockofages,walkingindignityandwisdom,andbearingaheartthat
lovesboththeheavenliestandtheearthliest.
Letusnotbelikethatsillydovethatknowsnorestingplace,butlet
usratherresorttotheLordthroughHisholyaltartoencounterHiminHis
sacrifice, which grants salvation. Let us all say with David: Even the
sparrowfindsahome,andtheswallowhashernest,wheresherearsher
broodbesidethyaltars,OLordofHosts,myKindandygod.Happyare
those who dwell in thy house they never cease from praising thee
(Psalm84:3,4).
4 REJECTIONOFTHEPHYSICIAN:
They did not accept the revelation of their wounds by the divine
Physician or his declaration of the ailment on the level of both the
leadership and the people, and they proclaimed their rebellion: Woe
betide them, for they have strayed from Me! May disaster befall them
forrebellingagainstMe!(Hosea7:13).Hetriedtohealthem,butthey
countedHimasanenemy,fledfromHimlikeasillydovethatfleestogo
astray,havingnoplacetorest.Bythat,theyinsultedGod,theirShepherd,
and transgressed against Him. Because they paid back His love with
rebellion, and His compassion with animosity, He admonishes them,
saying: I long to deliver them, but they tell lies about me. (Hosea 7:
13). When they fell under anguish, they reacted by telling lies against
God.TheyreturnedtoHimonlytohavetheiranguishtakenawayandnot
bytruth.TheycametoGod,forthesakeofHistemporalgifts,whiletheir
heartswerefarawayfromHim:Thereisnosincerityintheircrytome
for all their howling on their pallets and gashing of themselves over
cornandnewwine(becauseofthelackofrain),theyareturningaway
fromme. (Hosea7:14).
Theycriedoutwiththeirlips,whiletheirheartswerefarawayfrom
God. They forgot how God listened and responded to Moses and to the
criesof his heart,although hedid notutterawordwith his lips(Exodus
14:15).
ThoughIsupportthem,thoughIgivethemstrengthofarm,they
plot evil against me. (Hosea 7: 15). That is why they do not return to
GodorseekHim fromtheir heartsonthecontrary,theyonlypretendto
bedoingthat.Theyhavebecomelikeabowgoneslack(Hosea7:16).
They assemble and cry out, but instead of striking their enemy with the
sword and the bow, they destroy themselves and their inner energies:
Their talk is all lies, and so their princes shall fall by the sword
(Hosea7:16).ThentheyresorttothePharaohofEgypt,wheretheywill
beinderision,becauseGodhasforsakenthem.
CHAPTER8
GODSCHASTISEMENTSAGAINST
THEM
Having submitted themselves to the ailment and rejected God as
their physician, God committed them to anguish, so that once they feel
thebitternessoftheirstate,theymightseekHim.
1. Chastisingthembyenemyattacks 1
2. Destroyingthemselvesbythemselves 26
3. Deprivationoffulfillmentandjoy 710
4. Deliveringthemtotheirpastservitude 1114
1 CHASTISINGTHEMBYENEMYATTACKS:
Put the trumpet to your lips! A vulture hovers over the sanctuary of
theLord(Hosea8:1).Godopenedthe insightoftheprophettorealize
thebitternessthatwouldcomeoverthepeople, becauseoftheirrejection
tobetreatedonthehandoftheirtruePhysician.His soul moaned inside
him and he did not know what to do. God commanded him to set the
trumpet to his mouth, because the hour of warning was at hand. He
commanded him to blow the trumpet to call the whole people to
assemble, so thatthey watch the enemy coming down like a swift eagle
againstaprey.
God confirmed that the enemy would come like a vulture hovers
over the sanctuary of the Lord, so that the people do not assume that
God would never allow their captivation, because they are the people
electedbyHim.ItisasthoughHeissayingtothem:Iknowthatyouare
My household (Hebrew 3: 6), yet I allowed the enemy to come down
against you like an eagle, because you have defiled My sanctuary. I do
lovemyhouse,dwellinit,andkeepitbyMyangels,butIshallsendthe
enemy to come like an eagle against it to snatch and fly up, in case you
daretodefilemysanctuaries.
2 THEY DESTROYED THEMSELVES BY
THEMSELVES:
Although God allows what dwells upon them, yet it is they, who
destroyed themselves by themselves. That is what God proclaims,
explainingthereasonsoftheirchastisementasfollows:
First: They have broken my covenant and rebelled against my
instruction.(Hosea8:1).ItisasthoughHesaystothem:Ihavechosen
you to be My bride, and set with you a covenant of matrimony, yet you
brokethecovenantandbetrayedMe.IhavechosenyoutobeMychildren
and provided you with My canon as a fatherly commandment, but you
disobeyedMycommandmentanddespisedMyfatherhood.
Second: While betraying the covenant and disobeying the
commandment, they masked themselves with the outer appearances of
spiritless worship. God says to them: They cry to me for help: We
know thee, God of Israel. (Hosea 8: 2). They reject Him with their
deedsand hearts,yettheyseekHim withtheir lips.TheygiveHimtheir
backs in their daily life. Nevertheless, they assemble in worship to say
Weknowthee, GodofIsraelasthoughtheywanttoremindHimthat
theyareHischosenpeople,whomHewouldneverallowtobeharmed,as
theyassume.
Third: Their betrayal of the matrimonial covenant and their
disobedienceofthefatherlycommandmentarenotoutofweaknessorby
merechance,butcomeoutofanuncleanheart,anevilwillandanintense
hatred for the holy life: But Israel is utterly loathsome and therefore
heshallrunbeforetheenemy(Hosea8:3).Havinghatedtheholylife,
GoddeliveredHis house namely, HispeopleIsrael,whoweresupposed
to be holy to God, to the king of Assyria who invaded the northern
kingdom. When Judah hated the Lord as well, He delivered Judah
including the city of Jerusalem and His temple to the hand of
Nebuchadnezzar. Anyway, if we reject God, He will deliver us to
chastisement, even if He acknowledges us as His special people: For
youalonehaveIcaredamongallthenationsoftheworldthereforewill
Ipunishyouforallyouriniquities(Amos3:2).
Fourth: He adds the following transgression to their hatred for
goodness: They make kings, but not by my will they set up officers,
but without my knowledge (Hosea 8: 4). In our study of the seventh
chapter, we saw thatthe king refers tothe human will that reigns over
man as a whole, and the princes or officers refer to his energies and
talents,particularlythoseofleadership.Sayingthattheymakekings,but
notbymy will,referstotheirbehavingaccordingtotheirown will and
controlling the things of their life without resorting to Godor asking for
His counsel. As to saying: they set up officers, but without my
knowledge, means that their talents and energies did not support the
Kingdom of God to the extent that they become aliens to God, did not
knowHim,andwerenotworthytobeknownbyHim.
God loves us very much and wants us to return to Him in every
thing.WeshallnotsetkingsorprinceswithoutHiscounsel,butratherdo
like Jephthah: And at Mizpah, in the presence of the Lord, Jephthah
repeatedallthathehadsaid(Judges11:11),lestitwouldbesaidabout
us:donotlooktotheHolyOneofIsraelorseekguidanceoftheLord
(Isaiah31:1).St.JohnChrysostomsays,Helongsforustoperpetually
take refuge in Him, ask Him for everything, and do nothing or utter a
wordwithoutHisconsent.Thisiswhatthosewholovedemandfromtheir
belovedones.
What we say concerning the kings and princes within the soul
namely, the human will, energies, and talents, we say also about the
churchasacongregationofbelievers.Itisnotbefittingtosetabishopor
priestwithoutaskingthecounseloftheLord.St.Cyprianwroteinoneof
hismessagesabouttheheretics:Thereareamongyoubishops,whoare
notsetaccordingtothewillofGod,contrarytothesystemandtradition
ofthegospel.TheLordsaysthroughHisprophetaboutthem:Oh,rebel
sons! says the Lord, you make plans, but not of my devising, you weave
schemes, but not inspired by me, piling sin uponsin (Isaiah 30: 1).In
another message,hewrote,Sometimes,unworthybishopsareordained,
notaccordingtothewillofGod,butaccordingtohumanordinances,ina
waywhichisneitherlegal,norpioussomethingthatbringsgrieftoGod,
asHeproclaimsthroughtheprophetHosea.
Carrying on His admonition of His people, the Lord says, They have
made themselves idols of their silver and gold (Hosea 8: 4). By doing
that, they lost the silver and gold they possessed, to acquire instead the
wrath of God. As though they purchase with their silver and gold what
wouldbefortheirdestructionandperdition.
Silver refers to the words of God purified seven times, and gold
refers to the spiritual life, some people often misuse them for their
perdition instead of their spiritual edification. It happens that way, when
thewordofsermonorthemonasticlifeispracticedbysome,notwiththe
spiritof humility beforeGod,butwith anegoisticspirit in favoroftheir
owndignity.
He also says, Your calfgods stink. O Samaria my anger flares up
against them. (Hosea 8: 5). He refers to the beginning of the revolt,
when Jeroboam dissented from the kingdom of David and made two
calvesofgold,setoneinBethel andtheother inDan, because he feared
thatpeoplesheartswouldturnbacktoJerusalemandthentheymightkill
him andgobacktoRehoboam,kingofJudah.Jeroboamthensaidtothe
people, It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem here are
your gods, Israel, that brought you up from Egypt (1 kings 12: 28). It
seems that making calves was not meantto worship them as idols atthe
beginning, but they probably assumed that Jehovah would dwell upon
them, but it turned gradually into actual idolworship. It also seems that
thecalf setinDanwas movedtoSamaria, when itbecamethecapitalof
the northern kingdom. Anyway, even if God allowed Jeroboam to
consummate His counsel against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, as a
chastisement for the sake of the sins committed by His father Solomon,
yetJeroboamwascondemnedforsettingsanctuariesoutofJerusalem,the
thing that turned into serious centers of idolworship with all its
abominations.
ThecalfofSamariawasrejectedanditlostitssplendoreveninthe
sightofitsworshippers,asitcouldnotsaveitselfnorsavethemfromthe
hands of the king of Assyria. the calf of Samaria will be broken in
fragments (Hosea 8: 6). They made for themselves a god with their
hands,whichwasdestroyedanddestroyedthem,too.Itisabitterportrait
ofmanyofus,whosetforthemselvesagodintheirSamariaoutoftheir
gold. They namely set themselves and their ego gods in their corrupt
hearts.Thisegothathasbecomeagodandoccupiedthepositionofthe
livingGodontheirinnerJerusalem,willfalldownfromtheheightofits
haughtinessandbebrokeninfragments.
Gods anger flares up against them (Hosea 8: 5), because they
took His gold, set out of it an ugly, breakable calf in their Samaria,
insteadofusingittotheaccountofthegloryofGod.Astheyrejectedthe
HolyGod,Hesaystothem:Longwillitbebeforetheyproveinnocent
(Hosea8:5).
3 DEPRIVATIONOFFULFILMENTANDJOY:
After proclaiming to them that they will be chastised through the
attack of the enemy, who will take away everything they possess and
afterrevealingtothemthereasonsbehindthischastisement,HeendsHis
talk by sayingthatevil would nevergive man fulfillment,norbring him
joy:Israelsowsthewindandreapsthewhirlwind(Hosea8:7).They
laboredmuchtosow,buttheysowedthewind,andwhentheyintendedto
reap, they reaped a whirlwind of worries and disturbances. Indeed, they
toil in vain (Isaiah 65: 23), their labor is all for the wind
(Ecclesiastes 5: 16), and weary themselves for a mere nothing!
(Habakkuk2:13).Theapostlealsosays,Ifhesows seedinthefieldof
hislowernature,hewillreapfromitaharvestofcorruption(Galatians
6:8).
There are no heads on the standing corn, it yields no grain
(Hosea 8: 7). After so much labor to sow and plant, they did not reap
grainthatproducesmealtofeedon.Theyreapedearsofgrains,thinand
blighted by the east wind, as those seen by the Pharaoh of Egypt in his
dream.
And, if it yielded any, strangers would swallow it up (Hosea 8:
7).They havedeliveredthemselvestoforeigngods,whodonotgive but
swallow,donotblessbutdefile!
Not only was their sowing and reaping in vain, and their harvest
swallowedbyaliens,buttheyalsolosttheirdignitybybeingdespisedby
the nations whose gods they intended to worship and whose evil ways
they imitated. Israel is now swallowed up, lost among the nations, a
worthlessnothing.For,likeawildassthathaslefttheherd,theyhave
runtoAssyria(Hosea8:8,9).Assyria, fromwhichtheysoughtrefuge,
observed them as a wild donkey alone by itself. Having lost their
compassion, love, gentleness by forsaking their God, the Grantor of the
holyandvirtuouslife,theybecamelikeawilddonkey.Insteadofbearing
the spirit of love, which shall salt the earth, so that it does not get
corrupted, they bore the spirit of isolation and have become themselves
corrupted.Theyhavebecomesaltthatisnowgoodfornothingbuttobe
thrownawayandtroddenunderfoot (Matthew5:13).
Sintakesawaythespiritualsplendorfromthesoulevenintheeyes
of the wicked, and creates in it the spirit of inner isolationism and
selfishness,insteadofthegivingtruelove.
Ephraimhasbargainedforlovers(Hosea8:9).Thismeansthat
Ephraim offered much to the nations to gain their friendship and favor,
however,hisevilmadehimlosehissplendorandspiritualbeauty,evenin
theeyesofthosehehired. Whentherighttimecame,thosehiredfriends
did not support Ephraim or Israel, but swallowed them up (Hosea 8: 8).
Now, Israel did not need a human hand, but only Gods strong hand to
savethemfromthecruelservitude:Iwillnowroundthemup,andthen
theywillsoonabandonthissettingupofkingsandprinces.(Hosea8:
10).
4 DELIVERING THEM TO THEIR PAST
SERVITUDE:
As the Israelis intended to gain the nations friendship and favor,
theymadepaganaltarsinwhichtheypracticedabominations,besidetheir
worshipofGod.Therefore,Godrejectedtheirworshipandofferingsand
counted their sacrifices as mere flesh (meat) and food: Though they
sacrifice flesh as offerings to me and eat them, I, the Lord, will not
accept them (Hosea 8: 13). Because they have forsaken God, their
Savior, and leaned upon the nations, God will forsake them to return to
their past servitude, from which He had previously saved them: Israel
hasforgottenhisMakerandbuiltpalaces,Judahhasmultipliedwalled
cities but I will set fire to his cities, and it shall devour his castles
(Hosea8:14).
CHAPTER9
THEVAINJOY
Israel thought that it would rejoice like the other nations, if it set
forth from worshipping the living God to the pagan worships. They did
like the prodigal son when he demanded his portion from his father to
joinhisfriendsandpassthedaysinpleasureandfun.Thatkindofjoyis
vain, and is accompanied by an inner bitterness and depression of the
soul,becauseofthefollowingreasons:
1. Theirworshipwillturnlikethebreadofmourners 16
2. Thedayofpunishmenthascome 79
3. Theywillproducenofruition 114
4. TheywillbedrivenoutbeforetheLord 15
17
1. THEIR WORSHIP WILL TURN LIKE THE BREAD OF
MOURNERS:
Donotrejoice,Israel,donotexultlikeotherpeoplesforlikeawanton
youhaveforsakenyourGod,youhavelovedanidoloneverythreshing
floor and winepress shall know them no more, new wine shall disown
them. (Hosea9:1,2).
The Israelis assumed that the surrounding nations with their pagan
worship, characterized by several banquets and abominations, were
happier and more joyful. Therefore, they longed to follow suit and walk
their ways. Even if those nations rejoiced and had fun in their
abominations, it is only an outer appearance accompanied by inner grief
and depression. By imitating those nations, Israel was counted as an
adultereragainstitsGod,andwillfallunderbitterchastisement.Godhas
chosen the Israelis as His own people, who should be committed to His
holy law, so if they divert and play the harlot, they would be worthy of
stoning.Goddealsthesamewaywithusnowadays,soifabelieverfalls
into sin, his chastisement would be quicker and firmer than that of an
evildoer, because he was chosen by God to be His son and should be
disciplined. The Psalmist says: Do not strive to outdo the evildoers or
emulate those who do wrong Depend upon the Lord, and he will
grantyouyourheartsdesire(Psalm37:1,4).
Individuals sometimes assume that going after lusts would fulfill
them:Iwillgoaftermyloverstheygivememyfoodanddrink,mywool
and flax, my oil and my perfumes (Hosea 2: 5). This reward that one
longs to get from the other gods, may look better in his eyes than the
blessingoftheLord,proclaimedinallthethreshingfloors.Byseeking
the temporal reward, and not the perpetual blessing of the Lord in the
storehouses of wheat that fulfill his soul, he would lose both. The
threshing floor and the winepress will not feed him, and the new wine
willfailhim,althoughhethoughtthatitwouldbehisjoyandgladness.
Historically, this happened in the life of the Israelis, who hastened
after the abominations of the surrounding nations. This happened
specificallywhentheyfellintothecaptivityofAssyriaandweredeprived
of their freedom, possessions, the good produce of their land, as well as
loosing their worship to the living God. They lost both the earthly
pleasuresandthespiritualblessings.
Theirdeprivationof joywasa naturalconsequenceoftheirplaying
the harlot against their God, who therefore rejected their worship, their
wine offerings (a sign of joy), and their sacrifices, which did not please
Him. Their sacrifices have turned to bread of mourners that returns to
themtoeatitinbitterness,insteadofacceptingitasapleasingscent.
Thepunishmentwasnotonlydeprivingthemoffulfillmentandjoy,
butitwentfartoanultimateexpulsionfromthelandoftheLord,thathe
had previously granted them as a promised land, that flows of milk and
honey. They shall not dwell in the Lords land (Hosea 9: 3). They
would be carried over to captivity, where they shall be deprived of
everything: They shall pour out no wine to the Lord, they shall not
bring their sacrifices to him that would be mourners fare for them,
andallwhoateitwouldbepolluted.Fortheirfoodshallonlystaytheir
hungeritshallnotbeofferedin thehouseoftheLord.(Hosea9:4).
In the land of captivity, they lived as though on a defiled land, and had
nothingpuretooffertothe holyLord!They have beenonthe holy land
of the Lord before, but when their hearts drew out of His house, and
broughtabominations intothesanctuaries,theyweredrivenoutof itand
were deprived of the right to practice a pure worship accepted by the
Lord.
It is a bitter portrait of the unfaithful soul that the Lord does not
bringitovertothePromisedLand,butsetsinitHiskingdom,givesitHis
holybloodasasignofitssalvationandgrantsitHisSpirittodwellinit.
Yet,in lackof faithfulness,thissoul breaksthe newcovenant,andbinds
itselftotheabominations,despisingthe exaltedgiftsofGod.Assaid by
the apostle: If a man disregards the Law of Moses, he is put to death
without pity on the evidence of two or three witnesses. Think how much
moresevereapenaltythatmanwilldeservewhohastrampledunderfoot
the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was
consecrated, and affronted Gods gracious Spirit! (Hebrew 10: 28, 29)
Such a person loses Gods gifts to him, and the blessings of the new
covenant would become the secret of judgment and a testimony against
him.Ifsuchasouloffersworship,whateveritisGodwouldrejectit
aslongasthesoulispersistentonitsbetrayaltothecovenantandonthe
uncleanness of its heart. Its worship would be returned to it as bread of
mourners.AboutthisSt.JohnChrysostomsaid,Itisnotfittingtooffera
sacrifice of something unclean, as it would be counted as firstfruit of
other works. I hope we would offer our hands, feet, mouths, and all our
otherorgansasfirstfruittoGodinpurity,whichwouldpleaseHim.
St Cyprian also spoke about the sacrifices rejected by God, and
returnedtothosewhoofferthemasbreadofmournersandsaidthatthey
were theteachings, worship and baptism of the heretics. Specifically, he
said,HereHeteachesusclearlyaboutthosewhoareboundtosin,and
aredefiledbythesacrificeofanevilpriest.Hesaidaswell:HereHe
teaches us about those who get united to judged leaders, being defiled
togetherwiththembytheircrimes.
ThepriestsofIsraelofferedsacrificestotheLord,whiletheirhearts
wereboundtotheBaal,soGodreturnedtheirsacrificestothemasbread
of mourners and drove them completely out of His house by their
captivationtoAssyria. Lestthe listeners mightsaythatwhattheprophet
says are just theoretical threats that would never really happen, He goes
on to say, What will you do for the festal day, the day of the Lords
pilgrimfeast? For look, they have fled from a scene of devastation:
Egypt shall receive them, Memphis shall be their grave the sands of
Syrtes shall wreck them, weeds shall inherit their land, thorns shall
growintheirdwellings(Hosea9:5,6).
Theymaysay:IneveryappointeddayandinthefeastsoftheLord,
weassembleinthehouseoftheLord,rejoicebypsalmsandpraises,and
spend these days in joy and gladness, and not in grief or bitterness, so
how can the prophet say that our sacrifices will be returned to us like
bread of mourners? To this, the prophet responds by saying that he
foresees the desolation coming swiftly from Assyria. The prophet
continuestosaythattheywouldseekrefugeinthePharaohofEgypt,flee
tothelandoutofwhichtheLordhadpreviouslybroughtthem,anddiein
its capital Memphis. Therefore, they would lose the promises of God to
them, namely His word (the silver), instead of which they would inherit
the nettles (the rust), and their tents (the houses) in the Promised Land
will turnintowildernessthatproducethornsandthistles.
AlthoughGodspromisestousarelikesilverthatwouldneverrust,
andthespiritualhouseshehassetforusgiveusjoyandsecurity,yetthe
diversion of our hearts from Him would turn us from silver to rust, and
from houses to a wilderness with thorns and thistles! Therefore, one
wouldlosetheinnerpeaceofGod,togetherwiththejoyandgladnessof
heart.Hewouldevenlosehislife,beburiedinMemphislikeastranger,
hislifewouldturnintorust,andhisinnertentintoawilderness!
On a symbolic aspect, silver refers to the soul, and the tent to the
bodyinwhichitdwells.Byseekingthetemporaljoyandpleasurelikethe
pagannations,onessoulwouldbecomerust,andtheholinessofhisbody
wouldfallanewundercurseandproducethornsandthistles!
2. THEDAYOFPUNISHMENTHASCOME:
Israelwronglyassumedthatitlivesinthepleasuresandlustsofthis
world in joy and rejoice and did not realize that: The days of
punishment are come the days of vengeance are come (Hosea 9: 7).
Theday hascome, onwhichIsrael shall bepunished foritsevil,andthe
prophets recompensed for their true testimony and for enduring the
reproaches and sufferings: Israel shall be humbled. Then the prophet
shall be made a fool and the inspired seer a madman by your great
guilt.(Hosea9:7)TheIsraeliswillknowthattheonetheyconsideredas
afoolwasthebearerofthespiritofwisdom,andthatwhomtheysawas
mad was the man of the Spirit! They will know that their great iniquity
and hostility have blindedtheir insight fromrecognizingtheprophet,the
true man of the Spirit. On the other hand, they will realize thatthe false
prophet who flattered them by his smooth words saying, All is well
although All is well? Nothing is well! (Jeremiah 6: 14), was the real
fool, who has given Israel false comfort at the expense of the truth! By
that, the true prophet will be recognized, even though he may have
inflicted wound by words of truth for the sake of edification from the
falseprophet,whoisafowlerstrapbyalltheirpaths(Hosea9:8).
Thedayofrecompensehascome,forIsraeltorealizethattheywere
leaddeepintosinasatthetieofGibeah(Hosea9:8).Whileacertain
Levitesojourned intheremotemountainsofEphraim, hespentthenight
in Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. Then, the men of the city took his
concubine, knew her and abused her all night.They let her go when the
day began to break, so she fell down and died with her hands on the
thresholdofthehousewhere her masterwas.The mantookaknife, laid
hold of his concubine, dismembered her intotwelve pieces, and sent her
throughoutalltheterritoryofIsraeltoletthemknowthehorrorthattook
placeinthatplace(Judges19).IfthiseventofGibeahuncoveredtheevil,
thedayofpunishmenthasalsocometoexposethehiddenwickednessof
thepeople!
3. THEYWILLPRODUCENOFRUITION:
Israelhaslosttheinner,spiritualjoyforthefollowingreasons:
First: They sought the joy and the pleasure of the nations and
committed adultery toward their God. Their worship turned into
mournersbread(16).
Second:Thedayofpunishmenthascome,andtheyshallrealizethe
falsity of their measures. The one, whom they assumed to be fool and
mad, proved to be the true prophet, whereas he, who gave them false
hope,wasthemadandfoolprophet(7 9).
Third: The change that happened to the nature of Israel: I came
upon Israel like grapes in the wilderness, I looked on their forefathers
with joy like the first ripe figs but they resorted to Baalpeor and
consecrated themselves to a thing of shame, and Ephraim became as
loathsomeasthethingheloved(Hosea9:10).
Instead of being joyful grapes to God in a dark wilderness, Israel
delivered itself by its free will to Satan Baal Peor, the master of
abomination. Its nature turned from the state of fruition, joyful to God
andtoitself,intoastateofbarrennessandfromajoyfulnatureintoone
fullofdepressionandbitternessofsoul.
IsraelsbindingtoBaalPeordestroyedtheirnature,tookawaytheir
honor,andbroughtthemovertoshameanddisgrace:Ephraimbecame
as loathsome as the thing he loved. Their honor shall fly away like a
bird: no childbirth, no fruitful womb, no conceiving even if they rear
theirchildren,Iwillmakethemchildless,without posterity.(Hosea9:
11,12).Becauseofitsevil,Ephraimhasbecomelikeabirdflyingallthe
time,asithasnonesttosettledown,layitseggsorhaveoffspring!Itisa
painful portrait of a person, who is taken away from his true nest (the
altar of the Lord of hosts) by sin, and so flies around in the air with no
place to settle down, spends the days of his sojourn with no comfort or
security. Moreover, he would have no offspring, meaning that he would
havenospiritualfruitiontomaintainhisnameineternity.Thisbarrenness
is a natural product of fleeing away from the divine nest and departing
from God, the Grantor of fruition. By departing from Him, He departs
from Israel, and they would fall under the eternal woe: Woe to them
indeedwhenIturnawayfromthem!(Hosea9:12).
Israel fell into a state of barrenness through their worship of Baal
andIshtarouth,believingthatthosewerethegodsoffruitionandfertility.
Hence, the prophet says: Give them, O Lord what wilt thou give
them? Give them a womb that miscarries and dry breasts (Hosea 9:
14).
4. THEYWILLBEDRIVENOUTBEFORETHELORD:
Finally,what is bittererthan havinga miscarryingwombandadry
breast instead of fruition and fertility, is that God would drive Israel out
before His face, and deprive them of His holy house: For their evil
deeds I will drive them from my house, I will love them no more
(Hosea 9: 15).They shall bear no fruit. Moreover, if they bore children,
Godwouldkillthebelovedfruitoftheirwomb.Hewillcastthemaway,
because they did not obey Him. They shall be wanderers among the
nations (Hosea 9: 16, 17). This is the portrait of the soul of every
believer, who forgets the law of his God and seeks the pleasures of this
world.Hewouldloseeverythingandbecomeafugitiveintheworldwith
nogoaloraim.
CHAPTER10
THEWITHERINGVINE
God has often likened His people to a vine (Isaiah 5 Matthew 21:
33), seeking from it grapes to the account of His kingdom, as a fruit of
Hislaborandcareforit.However,despiteitsenjoymentofamultitudeof
gifts and of very divine possibilities, it did not provide the owner of the
vine with its fruits, but gave them to the devil, the enemy of the Lord.
That is why He issues on Israel a verdict of dryness and barrenness, so
that it seeks a basic change in its being from Him, once it realizes its
weaknessandthecorruptionofitsnature
1. Diversionofthevine 18
2. Innercorruption 911
3. Theneedforanewplantation 1215
1. DIVERSIONOFTHEVINE:
In order to reveal the extent of the peoples corruption when they
divertfromGod,ortheextentofcorruptionofthehumansoulthroughits
apostasy from its savior, God used several analogies in the book of
Hosea.Forinstance:Awomanlovedbyanotherman,anadulteress(3:
1),wildasaheifer(4:16),lambsinabroadmeadow(4:16),men
who move their neighbors boundary (5: 10), hot as an oven over the
fire (7: 4), a cake halfbaked (7: 8). Also a silly senseless pigeon
(7:11),a wildassthathaslefttheherd(8:9), abird:nochildbirth,
no fruitful womb, no conceiving (9: 11), lioncubs emerge only to be
hunted (9: 13) a shepherd whose flock is but wind, a hunter chasing
theeastwindallday(12:1)HereHelikensthemtoAvine,which
He provided with all the possibilities of abundant fruition, so it fruited,
notto His account, buttothatof sin and abominations: Israel is like a
rankvineripeningitsfruit(Hosea10:1).Itisavinethathasnoexcuse,
because God created it with a good nature and provided it with the
strength of growth, so that it can have an abundance of branches that
carryitsfruits,however,itbroughtforthfruitsforitselfandaccordingto
itsselfmind,andnotinsubmissiontoitstrueVineDresser.
It is astonishing that we use our possibilities and energies, which
wereactuallygrantedtousbyGod,tofulfillthelustsofourevilbodyand
according to our own mind, instead of using them for the glory of His
name.Hisfruitgrowsmoreandmore, andmoreandmorehisaltars
the fairer his land becomes, the fairer he makes his sacred pillars
(idols). (Hosea 10: 1) Denial is the way, how one pays back the
generosityofGod.
Theyarecrazynow,theyaremad(Hosea10:2).Someofthem
divertedtoacertaingod,whileothersdivertedtoanother,ormaybetheir
heartsweredividedbetweentheirloveforluststhatwereconnected tothe
worshipofBaal,andtheirdesireforgivingcomforttotheirconscienceby
practicing the worship of the living God, yet spiritless and only in a
formal way. Because they faltered between both ways, and their hearts
were not upright, they cried out to God, yet not with their whole hearts
and so, they did not find Him, as a divided heart could never encounter
theHolyOneorrecognizeHim.
ThedivisionoftheinnerheartcausesittolosethefearoftheLord,
whichhasconsequencesinthelifeof thecongregationasawhole,aswell
as in that of everyone of its members in particular. Concerning the
congregation,theywouldlosetheirsubmissiontotemporalauthorityand
would have no leadertoordaintheir interests, ifthey lostthe fearofthe
Lord:Wehavenoking,forwedonotfeartheLordandwhatcanthe
king doforus?(Hosea10:3).Astothe individual member, losingthe
fearoftheLordthroughthedivisionsofhisheart,hewouldlosehistrue,
holy will, which was symbolized by the king. Moreover, he would walk
as though with no will, live in humiliation to every lust, and in
submission to every evil habit. Therefore, he would be unable to take a
spiritual decision or to free himself of the bondage of the devil He
would walk as though he was with no king. On the contrary, the real
believer would have an undivided, pure heart and carry authority like a
spiritualking.Hewouldhavethepowertoallowthisthoughttocomein,
soitdoes,andtothatthoughttogoout,soitdoes.By theLord,hewould
haveastrongauthorityonhisthoughts,looks,feelings,andemotions.
When a person loses his spiritual authority, as well as his royal
(heavenly) nature, he turns from an active man of God to one of vain
words: There is nothing but talk, imposing of oaths and making of
treaties,alltonopurposeandlitigationspreadslikeapoisonousweed
alongthefurrowsofthefields.(Hosea10:4).Suchpeopleturntomen
of merewordswithoutaction. Asthey feeltheir weakness,theyconfirm
theirwordswithemptyoathsthattheycannotfulfill,andmakecovenants
that they would soon break. The litigation becomes like a plowed field
thatbrings forthpoisonous,bitterweeds.Therefore,whentheyassemble
in courts of justice, everyone makes false oaths, and covenants they
cannotfulfill.Theplaceofsecuritywouldturnintoabitternessofsoul.
Thatwillbethecaseofthespreadingvine,towhichGodprovideda
multitudeofabilitiesforfruition,ifitshutsitselfuparounditself,tobring
forth fruits tothe accountof the ego and the Baal refusing to produce
fruitsforthetrueVineDresser.ItlosesthefearoftheLord,entersintoa
divisionoftheheart,whichendsupinadeprivationoftheking(theholy
will) and in taking away every authority. It would not stop atthis point,
but its life would turn up to wailing and terror, when it loses its inner
glory and watches the gods that it had chosen for herself, falling before
hereyes.Theprophetsays:TheinhabitantsofSamariatrembleforthe
calfgod of BethAven the people mourn over it and its priestlings
howl,distressedfortheirimage,theirglory, whichiscarriedawayinto
exile (Hosea 10: 5). What is meant by this phrase? The inhabitants of
Samaria (the capital) watch how the calf of BethAven (the house of
vanity)haslostitsgloryandhowithasbeenhelplessinsavingthepeople
from the affliction, under which they have fallen. The inhabitants of
Samaria would fear, lest what dwelt upon BethAven would also dwell
upon them, and the priests would become terrified, lest they lose their
dignityandtheofferings.
After having losttheir hope in the Baal, the inhabitants of Samaria
went to the king of Assyria, offering him gifts to gain his satisfaction,
instead of returning to God by repentance and confessing their sins. It
shallbecarriedtoAssyriaastributetotheGreatKing(Hosea10:6).
What would be the end of this diverted vine? Disgrace shall
overtakeEphraimandIsraelshallfeeltheshameoftheirdisobedience.
Samaria and her king are swept away like flotsam on the water the
hillshrines of Aven are wiped out, the shrines where Israel sinned
thorns and thistles grow over her altars. So they will say to the
mountains,Coverus,andtothehills,Fallonus.(Hosea10:6).
Inshort,wesaythatitsendwillbeasfollows:
a Disgrace shall overtake Ephraim. The tribe thattookthe lead
inadoptingthemovementofidolworshipwillbeashamedbeforeallthe
othertribes,becauseitsgodsappearweakfacingtheenemy.
b Israel shall feel the shame of their disobedience. Israel
suggested paying tributes to the king of Assyria. Now it should feel
ashamed,becauseAssyriahumiliatedanddespisedit.
c Samaria and her king are swept away like flotsam on the
water. The kings of Samaria, who dissented from the house of David
arrogantly,becamelikeatwigonthesurfaceofthewater.Theirkingdom
ended up in captivation by Assyria. One would eventually end up like a
twig floating on the surface of the water as a cause of every dissension,
nomatterthehonorsthathegetsatthebeginning.
d The hillshrines of Aven are wiped out, the shrines where
Israel sinned. The places that were high and unapproachable will be
destroyed,andthegloryofthegoldencalvesofBethAvenwillcollapse.
Therewillbedesolationinsteadofthebanquets.
e Thepeoplewill fallundercurse:Thornsandthistlesgrowover
her altars. On the great day of the Lord, they will say to the
mountains, Cover us, and to the hills, Fall on us, because it is a
terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrew 10: 31).
Besides, it came in the book of Revelation: And they called out to the
mountainsandthecrags,FallonusandhideusfromthefaceoftheOne
whositsonthethroneandfromthevengeanceoftheLamb(Revelation
6:16).
2. INNERCORRUPTION:
God confirms that Israels corruption was not only regarding the
outer appearances, but it is also regarding its inner life. Therefore, the
treatmentshouldgointothedepthofitsnature:SincethedayofGibeah
Israelhassinned(Hosea10:9).Itisalongperiodaboutsixcenturies
of war between the tribes, one against the other, which means that
danger was not from an outer enemy, but from an inner corruption. We
have seen how the men of Benjamin did evil with a daughter of Israel
(Judges 19, 20). Therefore, if God chastens them by an affliction on the
outside,theyshouldnotconcentratetheireyesontheafflictionitself,but
ontheinnercorruption,inordertobesanctifiedbytheLord,whowould
savethemfromtheaffliction.Ihavecomeagainsttherebelstochastise
them, and the peoples shall mass against them in hordes for their two
deedsofshame (Hosea10:10).
Finally, He shows how Israel has submitted itself to the inner
humiliation, bowed its head under the yoke of sin and became like a
trained heifer that loves to thresh grain and feed on what it threshes
(Hosea10:11).
3. THENEEDFORANEWPLANTATION:
If the vine has become barren because of its inner corruption, the
need is urgent for a new plantation by the Lord Himself to grant it the
fruitofknowledgeandrighteousness:Sowforyourselvesinjustice,and
youwillreapwhatloyaltydeserves.Breakupyourfallowforitistime
toseektheLord,seekinghimtillhecomesandgivesyoujustmeasure
ofrain(Hosea10:11).IftheLordChristisourrighteousness,then it
istimeforanewplantation,astheLordChristdwellsinus,asthoughHe
wouldbeplantedinsideustorenewournature,whichwillmakeusbear
thefruitoflifeandwillopenoureyesbyHisHolySpirittoenlightenour
insight.Thus,Heconfirms,seekinghimtillhecomesandgivesyoujust
measureofrain,astherighteousnesswegetisnotofourown,butitis
theworkoftheLordinus.
Yet, God does not work in the lazy and the slothful, which is why
He says sow, reap, break up your fallow, seek. This confirms
our positive role to gain the work in us. Commenting on the phrase
Enlighten yourselves with the light of knowledge, Father Nestor says,
You are committed to strive diligently to read, which I see you are
doing,togetherwithseekingseriouslytogainthepracticalknowledgeby
actual experience namely the knowledge by behavior, without which no
theoreticalpuritycouldbeacquired.
Let us seek the Lord Himself, who would grant us the fruit of His
righteousness, and let us not lean upon ourselves or upon our human
abilities, lest we hear the words of reproach. You have ploughed
wickednessintoyoursoil,andthecropismischiefyouhaveeatenthe
fruit of treachery, because you have trusted in your chariots, in the
numberofyourwarriors.(Hosea10:13)Whoever leansupon hisown
way or upon the multitude of his mighty men, would plow wickedness,
reap iniquity and eatthe fruit of lies. Israel leaned upon its own counsel
without returning to God, and so caused the people to face tumult and
disturbanceand losetheir fortresses.Moreover,womenand children fell
underthecrueltyofShalmannezzar,thekingof Assyria:Thetumultof
war shall arise against your people, and all your fortresses shall be
razed as Shalman (Shalmannezzar) razed BethArbel in the day of
battle, dashing the mother to the ground with her babes. (Hosea 10:
14).Whoever leansupon himselfwould havea lifeturned intoatumult,
losehis spiritual fortressesand becomea victimofthedevil,whowould
captivatehim,asShalmannezzardidtomany.
Then He ends His talk by saying: So it shall be done to you,
Bethel,becauseofyourevilschemingassureasdaydawns,thekingof
Israel shall be swept away. (Hosea 10: 15). As though He says, that
what dwells upon them is not by the king of Assyria, but actually by
Bethel, which became a snare for you to catch and deliver you to the
pagan abominations. Do not lean upon the king of Israel, as he shall be
cutoff inthe morning namely,shall bedefeatedatthe beginningofthe
battle.Hewouldfallandneverriseagain!
CHAPTER11
GOD,OURREFUGE
ThepaganidolatryhascausedIsraeltoloseeveryheavenlywisdom
and become like a silly dove (7: 11), sometime seeking refuge in the
Pharaoh of Egypt to protect it from the king of Assyria, and some other
times in the king of Assyria to support it against the Pharaoh of Egypt.
Actually,itisGodalonewhoisitstruerefuge,whoadoptedit,caredfor
itwhilestillinthewomb,andsupportedituntilHebroughtitovertothe
perfection of the true freedom. If the Pharaoh of Egypt or the king of
Assyriahavestretchedtheirhands,itwastosetsnaresandnets,whereas
theLordaloneisthetruesupportandhelpforthesoul.
1. GodscareforHischild 14
2. IsraelspositiontowardGod 58
3. Godistheonlyrefuge 912
1. GODSCAREFORHISCHILD:
In the introduction of this chapter, God talks about Israel, His
people, or about the human soul as a child beloved by God, whom He
longstosetfreeoutofthebondageofthePharaohofEgyptforbeingHis
own child. He calls on this child to accept Him as his Father, holds his
handslikeacompassionategovernesstoteachhimhowtowalkalongthe
wayoftruthandbandageseverywoundinhisdepths,whichinflictedhim
during his servitude. God also draws him by the ropes of compassion,
bindshimbythebondsoflove,liftshimup,caresseshissoftcheeksand
stretches His hands to feed him. It is an exalted portrait of compassion
towardthehumansoul.Godneverletitinneedofanythingandraisedit
untilHebroughtitupfromtheweakinfancytomaturity.
Here arethe very words of the Lord Himself: When Israel was a
boy,IlovedhimIcalledmysonoutofEgypt(Hosea11:1).Israelwas
anunaware childandunabletoofferanythingonhispart,soGodloved
him and called him out of the land of bondage, offering him His
fatherhood. That is how God also loved Jacob, since he has been in the
wombandhasnotstilldonegoodorevil(Romans9:11).Moreover,the
LordsaidtoJeremiahBeforeIformedyouinthe wombIknew youfor
my own before you were born I consecrated you (Jeremiah 1: 5). The
apostlePaulconfirmsthatitisGodwholovedusbeforehand.
Although God loved His child Israel, and set him free from the
bondageofPharaoh,Israelsheartstayedboundtoservitudelikeapatient
who loves his sickness or a prisoner, whose heart remains connected to
the darkness of the prison. Although the Lord Jesus Christ set us free
from the servitude of the devil the true Pharaoh granting us the
childhoodtotheFather by baptism, yetourheartsoftenbringus backto
thelandofbondageandmakesuscovettheleeksandtheonionofEgypt,
thewaythechildrenofIsraeldid.Theycried,Thinkofit!InEgypt, we
had fish for the asking, cucumbers and watermelons, leeks and onions
and garlic. Now our throats are parched there is nothing wherever we
look except this manna (Numbers 11: 5, 6). Their souls dried by the
mannacomingdownfromheaven,andcovetedfreetinyfish,cucumbers,
melons, leeks,onionsandgarlic!There is nowonder,becausewhenone
is connected to the earth, he becomes earth, his soul gets bored by the
heavenly things, and covets the earthly things. It sees dryness in the
heavenly,andjoyandgladnessofheartintheearthlyaffairs.
The Evangelist St. Matthew saw in the divine words: I called My
son out of Egypt a clear prophecy about the escape of the infant Jesus
Christ,theSonofthelivingGod,toEgypt,whichwasoneofthegreatest
centersoftheworldatthattime.ThiswasasymbolofGodsacceptance
ofalltheGentilenations,andofsanctifyingourland.Theplacethatwas
beforeacenterofpaganismturned intoaplaceofcomfortforthesavior
of the world. The Lord still enters our inner Egypt to turn it from its
paganismtoasanctuaryforHimself,whereHewouldsetHisdivinealtar
(Isaiah19:19).LetusrecognizeHim,andpresenttoHimasacrificeand
an offering of love (Isaiah 19: 21) to hear the divine voice, saying: A
blessingbeuponEgyptmypeople(Isaiah19:25).
GoingbacktoGodscareforHischildIsrael,whomHecalledfrom
thelandofservitudetobeHisson,weseethereactionofthissontothat
care: The more I called, the further they went from me they must
needssacrificetotheBaalimandburnofferingsbeforecarvedimages
(Hosea11:2).Israelhasbeenlikearebelliousson,whomhisfathercalls
offering him every protection, but he refuses and flees from his fathers
face to his enemy, the Baal, and the carved images. Israel has been
rebelliousagainstGodsincehisyearsasachild,payingbackGodslove
withstiffness,andHiscarewitharrogance.Despitethat,Goddidnotstop
loving him: It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I who had taken
them in my arms, but they did not know that I harnessed them in
leadingstrings (Hosea 11: 3). He taught them like a governess who
holdstheuncooperativechildshandtoteachhimhowtowalk,sothathe
grows and matures. He loved them: And led them with bonds of love,
thatIhaveliftedthelikealittlechildtomycheekthatIhadbentdown
tofeedthem.(Hosea11:4).Isthereanygreaterlove?!Heofferedusall
hisloveasourFathertoenterintous,makeusresorttoHimandbecome
one with Him. St. Jerome said, Christ stands every day at the door of
ourheart,longingtoenter.LetusopenourheartwidetoHim,sothatHe
entersandbecomesourguest,dwellinus,anddinewithus.
2. ISRAELSPOSITIONTOWARDGOD:
Back they shall go to Egypt the Assyrian shall be their king
(Hosea 11: 5). The Israelis have paid back Gods care with stiffness,
although it was He, who broughtthem outof the land of bondage. They
longed to return back there anew and take refuge under the shadow of
Pharaoh from the king of Assyria. Yet, even if they manage to escape,
theywillbecaptivatedbyAssyriaandwillsubmitunderitsreign.Thisis
aportraitofthehumanityssituationtowardsGod,whocalledonpeople
with love, but they disobeyed Him, and went further from Him (Hosea
11: 2). They stood with their backs to Him, instead of with their faces,
and they sacrificed to the Baalim, instead of offering God sacrifices of
love.That is,they sacrificedtooneBaal,thentoanotherBaal,thentoa
thirdone,andsoon,neverconsideringreturningtoGod.ThatiswhyHe
admonishesthembitterly:bentonrebellionastheyare(Hosea11:7).
They have astrongtendencytowardsapostasy.GodsaysthatHesentto
them messengerscallingthemtoreturntoHim, butthehave refusedto
return to me (5). Confronting such a resistance by Israel, God had to
resort to chastisement: How can I give you up, Ephraim, how
surrenderyou,Israel?HowcanImakeyoulikeAdmahortreatyouas
Zeboyim? (Hosea 11: 8). Admah and Zeboyim were two cities in the
regionofSodomandGomorrah,thatwereconsumedwithfirebecauseof
theirevil.
3. GODISTHEONLYREFUGE:
Evenatthemomentsofchastisement,GoddoesnotbeartoseeHis
people getting hurt: My heart is changed within me, my remorse
kindles already. I will not let loose my fury I will not turn round and
destroy Ephraim for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your
midst. (Hosea11:8,9)
IfGodislikearoaringlion(Hosea11:10)in Hischastisement,
which makes His children hasten in terror and flee to the Pharaoh of
EgyptorthekingofAssyria, yetHebringsthembackinmercy.Hedoes
not do that through their strength or sword, but in their weakness and
helplessness: They will come speedily, flying like birds out of Egypt,
like pigeons from Assyria, and I will settle them in their own homes.
This is the very word of the Lord. (Hosea 11: 11). God would return
them with love to their home, and they would be like a humble bird,
whichHetakesfromtheenemyslandbacktoitshome.Godistherefuge
oftheweakHeprotectsthebird,andsupportsthedove!
CHAPTER12
GOD,OURSHEPHERD
Israel boasts about their reference to great fathers, so here God
presents to them their father Jacob as a typical example of strife with
God, and the enjoyment of His care. God compares Jacob to them,
showing them that they have deceitful scales in their hands, did not
realizeGodscareforthemanddidnotreturntoHimaswell.
1. TheyforsookthegoodShepherd 12
2. AneedforaseriousreturntoGod 36
3. Forsakingthedeceitfulmeasures 711
4. Jacobsserviceforthesakeofawife 1213
1. THEYFORSOOKTHEGOODSHEPHERD:
Godsaysinbitteradmonition:Ephraimisashepherdwhoseflock
is but wind, a hunter chasing the east wind all day he makes a treaty
withAssyriaandcarriestributeofoiltoEgypt (Hosea12:1).
Ephraim forsook his good shepherd, the grantor of true welfare,
went out feeding on the wind and acquired nothing in return. How
miserable is Ephraim, as he labored for no benefit Moreover, it is not
justanywind,buttheeastwind,aboutwhichSt.HypoletestheRoman
says, that it refers to the antiChrist, who appears in the east as an
opponent of the Lord Christ in His church. Specifically, he said: What
could be the burning wind coming from the east, except the antiChrist,
whodestroysanddriesthespringsofwater,andthefruitsofthetreesin
hisdays(Hosea13:15),aspeopleputtheirheartsonhisworks!Whilehe
destroys them because of the truth, they serve him by their cruelty.
Therefore,EphraimturnedfromthekingdomofChristtothatoftheanti
Christ, carrying the features of his new master namely, telling lies,
desolation,andmakingcovenantswiththeworld,insteadofwithGod
2. ANEEDFORASERIOUSRETURNTOGOD:
AstheIsraeliswereproudinparticularbecauseoftheirreferenceto
their father Jacob, God presented him to them as an example of strife,
with both God and people. By his strife, he encountered with God, who
loves those who strive. Even in the womb Jacob overreached his
brother (Hosea 12: 3). While still in his mothers womb, and before
getting outtothe world, he took his twin brother by the heel, drew him
backwards,andtookfromhimbyforcethebirthrightandtheblessing.
InmanhoodhestrovewithGod.Thedivineangelstoodfirmand
heldhisownJacobweptandbeggedfavorfor himself.(Hosea12:3,
4) Jacob demonstrated a magnificent example of strife, as he struggled
with God until dawn, to be taught the strife and the spirit of conquest.
Finally, when he realized that conquest was a gift from God, and not by
thestrengthofhisarms,heweptandcried,soGodhadmercyonhimand
proclaimed Himself to Jacob: Then God met him at Bethel and there
spoke with him. The Lord the God of Hosts, the Lord is his name.
(Hosea12:4,5)
3. FORSAKINGTHEDECEITFULMEASURES:
Israel did not have the spirit of discernment, by which it could
discern between the true shepherd and grantor of goods, and the other
deceitful shepherds. That is why God demands from the Israelis to
forsaketheirdeceitfulmeasures,andcontemplateinthetruecareofGod.
False scales are in merchants hands, and they love to cheat
(Hosea 12: 7). He lost his nature as a son of God, and became like a
gentile,whohasnowisdom,lovestooppressanddeceivesGodandeven
himself.Havingdeceitfulscalesinhishandisasignofbelievingthathe
isrichandinnoneedforGod:SoEphraimsays,SurelyIhavebecome
arichman,Ihavemademyfortunebut allhisgainswillnot payfor
the guilt of his sins. (Hosea 12: 8). He forgot that it was God, who
released him from the land of bondage, sent him prophets, and talked to
himineverywaytoteachandtrainhim:YetIhavebeentheLordyour
GodsinceyourdaysinEgyptIwillmakeyouliveintentsyetagain,as
in the old days. I spoke to the prophets, it was I who gave vision after
visionIspokethroughtheprophetsinparables.(Hosea12:10).
4. JACOBSSERVICEFORTHESAKEOFAWIFE:
IfJacob,theirfather,spentmanyyearsinthedesertofAramserving
forthesakeofawoman,woulditnotbefittingforhischildrentoservein
thewildernessofthisworldforthesakeoftheirtrueShepherd,thegroom
oftheirsouls?! JacobfledtothelandofAramIsraeldidservicetowin
awifetowinawifehetendedsheep(Hosea12:12).
CHAPTER13
GOD,OURSAVIOR
In this chapter, God presents Himself to His people as a true king,
who can alone save them from the servitude of sin, destroying the
authority of death under their feet, especially after they have diverted,
corrupted,andevendiedspiritually.
1. Theirdiversioneventodeath 13
2. Theirsalvationfromservitude 48
3. TheirrejectionoftheSaviorKing 913
4. Theirsalvationfromdeath 14
5. Thedestructiveeastwind 1516
1. THEIRDIVERSIONEVENTODEATH:
InordertopresentHimselfasakingandasavioroftheirsouls,God
revealstothemwhatsinandtheworshipofBaalinparticularhasdoneto
them: When Ephraimites mumbled their prayers, God himself
denounced Israel they were guilty of Baalworship and died. (Hosea
13:1).
WhenEphraimlivedwiththeholyfearofGodlikehisfatherJacob,
hewasexaltedamongthetribesandeveryonewastremblingbeforehim.
God would exalt those, who humble themselves before Him.
Nevertheless,whenEphraimgotboundtotheiniquityofworshippingthe
Baal,hedidnotonlylosehisreputationanddignity,buthealsodied
Therefore,hebecameinneedforasaviorcapableofraisinghimfromthe
dead.
It is remarkable how sin draws ones heart more from one sin to
another, instead of drawing him to remorse on what he came to be, in
spiteofthedeathitbears:Yetnowtheysinmoreandmore(Hosea13:
2). This makes them lose the work of Gods word within them: They
havemadethemselvesanimageofcastmetal,theyhavefashionedtheir
silverintoidols(Hosea13:2).They madetheirgodsaccordingtotheir
skill, understanding and their own desire, not submitting to the mind of
God.
They built idols to worship, Men say of them, Those who kiss
calfimages offer human sacrifice (Hosea 13: 2). This most probably
meansthatthepeopletoldthepriests,whoactuallykilledthemwiththeir
corruption and impurity,toofferthe mostexpensiveanimalsas sacrifice
for the Baal... The priests were evil and the sacrifices were profane no
matterhowexpensivetheywere.
Hedescribesthosewhobehavethatway,asiftheywereinapostasy
fromGodtheirSavior:Thereforetheyshallbelikethemorningmistor
like dew that vanishes early, like chaff blown from the threshingfloor
or smoke from a chimney (Hosea 13: 3). They appear to be like the
cloudthatgivesgoodnewsofprobablerain(asignofGodsgrace),while
they are actually more like the deceiving morning cloud, which
disappears utterly once the sun rises. They are like the early dew that
passes away without irrigating the land, like the valueless light chaff
scattered everywhere, and like the smoke from a chimney that is soon
drivenaway(Psalm68:2).
2. THEIRSALVATIONFROMSERVITUDE:
To confirm His salvation work to them, God presented a practical
lessonfromthelifeoftheirfathers,whomHesavedfromthebondageof
Pharaoh, and for whom He cared and fulfilled their needs in the
wilderness. But I have been the Lord your God since your days in
Egypt,whenyouknewnoothersaviorthanme,nogodbutme.Icared
for you in the wilderness, in a land of burning heat, as if you were in
pasture. So they were filled (Hosea 13: 46). He gave them food and
supportedthem in the land of thirst, when they were in big trouble. But
whentheygotsaturatedfromGodshands,theydeniedHim:And,being
filled,grewproudandsotheyforgotme (Hosea13:6).
When the persons bodygets fulfilled, he forgetsGod, his Creator,
and his soul exalts in haughtiness. As it came in the book of
Deuteronomy, Jeshurun grew fat and unruly, he grew fat, he grew
bloated and sleek. He forsook God who made him and dishonored the
Rockofhissalvation. (Deuteronomy32:15).
Godstoodfirmlybeforethemtoconfronttheirdenial.Hesaid,So
now I will be like a panther to them, I will prowl like a leopard by the
wayside I will meet them like a shebear robbed of her cubs and tear
theirribsapart,likealioness I will devourthemonthespot,Iwill rip
them up like a wild beast (Hosea 13: 7, 8). According to what Isaiah
said, Yet they rebelled and grieved his holy sprit only then was he
changed into their enemy and himself fought against them (Isaiah 63:
10). In the bitterness of soul, God sends on His denying children His
fierce chastisement, which will devour them like wild beasts, because
theybecamevesselswhichwereobjectsofretribution(Romans9:22).
3. THEIRREJECTIOMOFTHESAVIORKING:
Ihavedestroyedyou,OIsraelwhoistheretohelpyou?(Hosea
13: 9). What dwells upon Israel is because of its destructive behavior,
which ledtoitsdeathwhereas its salvation is in theLordtheirGodand
King,whomthey haverejectedand forgotten,asking forakingpleasing
theirownhearts.Hesaystothem:Wherenowisyourkingthathemay
save you, or the rulers in all your cities for whom you asked me,
beggingforkingandprinces_Igaveyouakinginmyanger,andinmy
furytookhimaway(Hosea911).
Bythis,Heprobablyreferstothetimewhentheycovetedtohavea
king to judge them like all other nations (1 Samuel 8: 5), which was a
requestthat grieved Prophet Samuels soul. Still God gave them Saul to
bekingaccordingtothedesireoftheirhearts,then,tookhimawayinHis
wrathbecauseofSaulswickedness.Tochastiseus,Godmayallowusto
getour desire, so that we realize our need to accept His will, and notto
havethingsaccordingtothedesireofourhearts.
Theygotakingaccordingtotheirheartsdesireandtheiriniquity
increased: Ephraims guilt is tied up in a scroll his sins are kept on
record. When the pangs of his birth came over his mother, he showed
himself a senseless child for at the proper time he could not present
himself at the mouth of the womb (Hosea 13: 12, 13). They did as
Apostle Paul said, You are laying up for yourself a store of retribution
for the day of retribution (Romans 2: 5), and that is how they were
destroying themselves. Their sins were bound up to their account, God
would never forgetthem and they were stored up in a secure place until
the day of reckoning. They assumed that their sins were hidden, that no
one could see them, and thatthey would be forgotten by time. They did
not realize that their sins would be stored for their destruction, because
theydidnothavetheminmind,seekingforgiveness.Theybecamelikea
womanwhocarriesafetusinsideher,andtowhomchildbirthiscertainto
come. Ephraim was unwise and fled from thinking about or
contemplating inwhatawaitshimofthepangsbecauseofsin,sothathe
couldgettoknowthereasonofhissufferingandtobesavedofitbyGod,
hisSavior.
4. THEIRSALVATIONFROMDEATH:
He,whoredeemedtheirfathersfromtheservitudeofPharaoh,isthe
onlyonecapableofredeemingthemevenfromdeathandfromSheol(the
pit):ShallIredeemhimfromSheol_ShallIransomhimfromdeath_
Oh,youreyourplagues,Odeath!Oh,foryoursting,Sheol!Iwillput
compassionoutofmysight. (Hosea13:14)
Godrealizesforthemwhatanyotherkingcannotrealize.Hewould
not only release them from captivity, but He has the authority to bring
them forthfromthepit(Sheol)aswellandsavethem fromdeath,which
wasactuallyrealizedwhentheSaviorputHimselftodeathtodestroy its
authority. St. Jerome said, We have the consolation, that the Word of
God has slain death Our Lord Jesus died, so that, by His death, He
brings death itself to death. Talking to death, he said, You have
swallowedourJonah(ourChrist),yetHeisaliveeveninyourbelly.You
carried Him as dead, in order that the storm of the world would calm
down,andthatourNinevehwouldbesavedthroughpreachingHim.Yes,
He has overcome and slain you By His death, you yourself were
brought to death, and by His death, we became alive You swallowed
Him,tofindyourselfswallowed!Whilebeingconsumedbylongingtoget
your claws on the body He took, as a prey for your greed, you were
woundedinsideyourself.
That was Gods promise to us He granted us the authority over
death,andHewouldneverhaveremorse.Hesaid,Iwillputcompassion
outofmysight namely,IshallnotgobackonMypromise.
5. THEDESTRUCTIVEEASTWIND:
IftheLordChristgrants life byHisdeath,bringingdeathtodeath
yetHewouldallowaneastwindtoblow,dryupthefountainoftheHoly
Spirit inside man,and let him lose all His fruits. Thoughheflourishes
amongthereeds,aneastwindshallcome,ablastfromtheLord,rising
overthedesertEphraimsspring will failandhisfountainrundry.It
willcarryawayasspoilhiwholestoreofcostlytreasures.Samariawill
become desolate because she has rebelled against her God her babes
will fall by the sword and be dashed to the ground, her women with
child shall be ripped up (Hosea 13: 15, 16). This talk was literally
realized, with the Assyrian captivity, which came from the east and
utterlydestroyedIsrael with itscapitalSamaria.Itwill berealizedatthe
endoftimeaswell,whenthewindoftheantiChristblows,comingfrom
theeast.ItiscalledthewindoftheLord,becauseitisallowedbyHim.
CHAPTER14
FRUITSOFREPENTANCE
Ifthisbook,initsessenceisthebookofthedivinewedding,
inwhichGodproclaimsHislongingforHispeople,asa
GroomseekingHisbriderevealingtoher,openlyandclearly,
hersinsandiniquities,demandingherreturntoHimHeends
itwithanultimatecallonthepartofthedivineGroom,
demandingthereturnofHisadulteressbride,showingHis
workwithherinaveryrejoicefulwaysomethingthatyou
rarelyfindinanyotherbookintheOldTestament,toendin
suchaway.Inthisultimatecallforherreturn,Healso
demonstratesherhumanroleaswellasthedivinerolein
sanctifyingandglorifyingher.
1Thehumanroleinrepentance 13
2Thedivineroleinsanctification 49
1 THEHUMANROLEINREPENTANCE:
Inthisultimatecall,itcame:
OIsrael,returntotheLordyourGod,foryou
havestumbledbecauseofyouriniquityTakewords
withyou,andreturntotheLord
(Hosea14:1,2)
OurheavenlyGroomsokeepsoncallingusallthedaysofour
sojourn,uptillourlastbreath,provokingustoreturntoHim.
Yet,Hedoesnotcommitustoreturnagainstourwill,but
lovinglytriestoarouseouremotions,andtodrawourheartsby
Hisconsistentcallsandproclamations.Andassaidbyfather
Markthehermit:[Nopowerontheearthcanforceustodo
goodorbadButwhoeveris,towhomwearetobecarried
throughourfreewill whetherGodorSatan wouldprovoke
ustodoaccordingtowhatconcernshiskingdom].
Hecallsus,andkeepscallingus,butwouldnevercommitus
Heappreciatesourhumanfreedom,anddealswithusonthe
levelofmutuallove,andnotasdumbtoolsinHishands.And
assaidbySt.JohnChrysostom:[Beingourownmasters,we
canturneverymemberinusinto,eitheratoolforevil,orfor
righteousness(byJesusChrist)].Asamanofiniquityactsin
hisfreewill,itwouldbelikewisebefittingforhimtoreturnto
theLordhisGodalsowithhisfreewill,seekingthedivinehelp
tosupporthimtoreturn.
Thestartofthewaytorepentanceisafeelingofremorse
saying:[Foryouhavestumbled(fallen)becauseofyour
iniquityItwouldbefittingforyoutoreturntotheLordyour
God,takingwordswithyounamelyaconfessionofyour
iniquity].Ashe,whorealizesinhisdepthsthathehasfallen
becauseofhisiniquity,willnotlackwords,norwonder,
saying:WhatshallIconfess?,orHowshallIconfess?The
HolySpiritwhoexposeshisiniquities,willsupporthiminhis
confessionofthoseiniquities.
Here,wewishtoconfirmthatconfessionisnotjustdoinga
censusofsinsoriniquitiesthatwehavecommittedButitis,
beforeanythingelse,afeelingofbitternessbecauseofwhatwe
havedone.AndasissaidbyfatherMarkthehermit:[Amanof
experience,whohasaknowledgeofthetruth,confesseshis
sinstoGodnotthroughdoingamerecensusofwhathehas
done,butthroughthebitternessofhissoulbecauseofthem].
AndassaidbyfatherJohnofkronstadt:[Letushastentodraw
Godsmercybyourtearsandrepentance.Letusenterintoour
souls,andlookcarefullyatouruncleanhearts,toseehowthe
multitudesofourtransgressionsarekeepingthegraceofGod
awayfromus,andtorealizehowspirituallydeadwehave
become].
Thisconfessionbearstwointegralaspects:Aconfessionofsin,
andafaithinGod,thegrantorofgoodness.AndassaidbySt.
Augustine:[WeconfesstoGodoursins,asweconfessHis
workinusaswell,givingHimpraise.
SaytoHim,Takeawayalliniquity(Acceptthat
whichisgood),andwewillofferthe(fruits)ofourlips
(Hosea14:2).
WeseekfromHimtotakeawayfromuseveryiniquitywe
havecommitted,andtograntusallwhatisgood,thatwemay
havelostofferingassacrificesofthanksgiving,thefruitsof
ourlips,orthe(calvesofourlips),accordingtotheSeptuagint
version.
Ourrealizationoftheiniquitythatkilledourhearts,and
broughtourinnersoulstodeathAndourconfessionofGod,
astheGrantorofthevirtuouslifewillbindustoHimasasole
Saviorandthatweshouldnotleanuponahumanarm,
whoeverhemaybesaying:
AssyriashallnotsaveusWewillnotrideon
horses,norwillwesayanymoretotheworkofour
hands,Youareourgods
(Hosea14:3).
AsfarasthepeopleofIsraelatthattimeareconcerned,They
realizedthatAssyria,uponwhomtheyhaveleaned,failedto
savethem,butratherdestroyedandcaptivatedthemThattheir
militarymight(thehorses),wereincapableofsavingthem
fromthewrathofGod,thatdweltuponthembecauseoftheir
wickednessAndthattheidolsoftheBaal,theworkoftheir
ownhands,werenotthetruegodscapableofsupportingthem.
Onanotheraspect,Godintendedtoproclaim,forthesakeof
theseparationofthepoliticalsidefromthespiritualone,that
salvationwouldnotberealizedbyahumanarm,whateverhis
mightisbygreatness,orauthority,likeAssyriabyatemporal
powerlikethatofhorsesnorbythegods,thataretheworksof
ourownhandsButsalvationisonlyfromGod.Inother
words,IwishwedonotleanuponAssyrianamelyupon
others,noruponourownability,talents,orpossibilities
(horses)noruponourownrighteousness(ourinnergods)But
weshouldsay:
InYou,thefatherlessfindsmercy
(Hosea14:3)
Namely,withoutYou,Ihavebecomefatherless,withno
heavenlyFatherWho,butYou,willhavemercyuponme?!
AndassaidbySt.Jerome:[Thefatherlessarethosewholost
God,theirdivineFather].
2 THEDIVINEROLEINSANCTIFICATION:
IfIsraelhasreachedaconditionofsicknessthatisimpossible
tocureyetitisGodalonewhocandealwithitsaying:
Iwillhealtheirbacksliding
(Hosea14:4)
St.Pavnotiussays:[Thetruesaintswouldneversay,thatthe
perfectprogresswhichtheyhavereached,walkingontheway
ofvirtue,isrealizedbytheirownstrife,butbythegraceof
God,saying:LeadmeinYourtruthandteachme(Psalm25:
5)].
God,motivatedbyHistotallyfreelove,approachesusasatrue
Physician,tohealthebackslidingsoul:
Iwillhealtheirbacksliding,Iwilllovethem
freely,forMyangerhasturnedawayfromhim
(Hosea14:4)
ThedivinePhysicianproclaimingHishealinglove,says:For
GodsolovedtheworldthatHegaveHisonlybegottenSon,
thatwhoeverbelievesinHimshouldnotperishbuthave
everlastinglife(John3:16).
WhatdidthedivinePhysicianprovideHisbelovedpatients?
IwillbelikedewtoIsraelHeshallblossomlike
thelily,HeshallstrikerootliketheforestsofLebanon.
Hisshootsshallspreadout,Hisbeautyshallbe
liketheolivetree,andhisfragrancelikethatof
Lebanon.
TheyshallagainlivebeneathMyshadow.They
shallflourishasagardenTheyshallblossomlike
thevine.
TheirfragranceshallbelikethewineofLebanon.
Ephraimshallsay,WhathaveItodoanymore
withidols?
(Hosea14:58).
Inshort,wecansaythatGodgivesHimselftothemlikedew
comingdownfromheaven:towaterthem,andtorevivethem
liketheblossominglilyTorenewtheminternallymaking
theirhiddenrootsgodeepToletthemspirituallygrow,
spreadingouttheirshootswithnolimitsTograntthem
spiritualbeautyandglory,tobecomelikeanolivetreein
splendorTopourHisfragranceinthemtomakethemsmell
likeLebanonTousethemforthecomfortofmany,embracing
manybeneaththeirshadow,andforthejoyofmany,
blossominglikeavineAndnevertocutofftheirgood
remembrance.
(1) IwillbelikedewtoIsrael (5).Intheold,
GodsaidtoMoses:Iamgoingtorain
breadfromheavenforyou(Exodus16:4)
Anditwassaid:Whenthedewfellonthe
campinthenight,themannawouldfall
withit(Numbers11:9).Now,however,
Hedoesnotrainbreadfromheavenforus,
ButHeHimselfdescendedtous,providing
uswithHisholybodyasheavenlybreadto
fulfilltheheartHedescendedtouslike
dewthatquenchesthefireoflustsHe
dwellsuponourinnercamptomakeitHis
campanddwellingplaceHedescendsupon
ussecretlyinthenight,toturnourdarkness
intoabrightday.
Whenthethreeyoungmenwerecastintothefurnace
offire,theWordofGodappearedwiththem,turning
thefirelikedewforthem.Likewise,Astheworld
becameafurnaceandfire,theLordChrist
transfiguringinus,transformsourlifelikedew!
(2) Blossomslikelilies.Theheavenly
Groomsays:IamtheroseofSharon,and
thelilyofthevalley(Songs2:1)And
hereHemakes,outofHispeople
blossominglilies.Andassaidbythe
scholarOrigen:[Hebecomesthelilyofthe
valleytomakeHisbelovedbride,aswell,
alilylikeHeisNamely,thateverysoul
thatapproachesHim,andfollowsHislead,
wouldalsobecomealily}.AndSt.
Gregory,BishopofNyssabelievesthatthe
soul,asalily,willascenduprighttothe
Messiah,hertrueVinedresser,wholiftsher
upabovetheworriesofthisworld,above
thethornsofsinthatstranglethesoul(Mark
4:18),andabovethedustofthislife,to
spareherfromgettingdefiled.TheLord
ChristwillreviveHischurch,grantingher
everyspiritualblessingintheheavenly
places(Ephesians1:3)tobearHis
heavenlyfeatures,andtorealizeHis
missioninher.
(3) Heshallstrikerootliketheforestsof
LebanonIfthechurch,throughbeing
connectedtotheLordChrist,shallbearHis
uprightnessandthefellowshipofHis
nature,tobecountedasalilyinthe
wildernessamongthethornsThesecretis
itshiddenrootsthatenjoyHisgrace,and
bearHislifeinthemtosayonthetongue
oftheapostlePaul:BythegraceofGod,I
amwhatIam,andHisgracetowardme
wasnotinvain(1Corinthians15:10).
(4) Thedeepertherootsstrikeinthe
ground,tobearinthemthelifeofChrist,
thefartheruptheshootsshallspreadout,to
bearinabundancethefruitsoftheHoly
Spiritknowingnobarrennessornon
fruition.
(5) Hisbeautyshallbeliketheolivetree.
Thebelieverthus,willbearthefeaturesof
theLordandHislifethroughtheroots,His
fruitsontheshoots,aswellasHissplendor
andgloryinsideandoutside.Andasthe
LordsaystoHisbride:Yougrew
exceedinglybeautiful,fittobeaqueen.
Yourfamespreadamongthenationson
accountofyourbeauty,foritwasperfect
becauseofmysplendorthatIhadbestowed
onyou,saystheLordGod(Ezekiel16,
13,14).
Thetruebeliever,anticipatingthefellowshipofthe
gloryofChristineternity,tastesthatgloryandthat
splendorinhisinnerlife.AndassaidbySt.Maccar
theGreat:[Whatheistogetinthefuture,willonly
beanextensionofthedownpaymentheenjoyed
insidehim].
(6) Hisfragrancewillbelikethatof
Lebanon.BearingthesplendorofGod
likeafruitfulolivetree,Inhimthe
fragranceofChristwillappear.Andassaid
bytheapostle:Throughusdiffusesthe
fragranceofHisknowledgeineveryplace.
ForwearetoGodthefragranceofChrist
amongthosewhoarebeingsavedand
amongthosewhoareperishing(2
Corinthians2:14,15).
(7) TheyshallagainlivebeneathMy
shadowTheyshallflourishasagarden
TheyshallblossomlikethevineTheir
fragranceshallbelikethewineof
Lebanon.Theyshallbearaheartspacious
withlove,todrawmanytojointhem
beneaththeshadowoftheLord,offering
themspiritualfood,andjoyfuldrinkAnd
theirbehaviorwillremainagood
everlastingmemory,testifyingtotheir
heavenlyGroom.
(8) Ephraimshallsay:WhathaveItodo
anymorewithidols.IfEphraimwasthe
tribethatprovokedtherestofthetribesto
worshiptheidols,Hewillalsobethetribe
thatshowsremorseonthataction,and
proclaimshishatredofevil.Thusthe
energiesofevilinmanwillturninto
energiesofedification,totheaccountofthe
kingdomofthetrueheavenlyGroom.
ThisisasimplifiedportraitofGodsworkinthelifeofhis
people,andinthatofeveryindividualofthem,whenhereturns
toHimwithrepentance,anddelivershislifeinHishandsto
workinhim.Godrespondstoourrepentanceandtoourreturn
toHim,saying:Ihaveheardandobservedhim(8)As
thoughHehasbeenanticipatingourreturn,observing
everythinggoingoninsideus,andwaitingfortheleast
movementonourpart,tomovetowarduswithHislove.And
assaidbytheapostle:DrawneartoGodandHewilldraw
neartoyou(James4:8).
TheLorddrawsneartouslike(anevergreen)Cypress tree
(8).HecoveruswithHisshadow,andprotectsusfromthe
harmofthesunoftemptations.HealsoconfirmstousthatHe
istheGrantoroffruitioninourlife,saying:Yourfruitfulness
comesfromMe.(8).
Finally,HoseaendsthebookbyanadviceHegivestoallofus,
tobereasonableandreturntotheLordinrepentance,inorder
togainitsfruit:
Whoiswise?Lethimunderstandthesethings.
Whoisprudent?Lethimknowthem.Fortheways
oftheLordarerightTherighteouswalkinthem
Buttransgressorsstumbleinthem
(Hosea14:9).
Bythis,Heflaresthelonginginustounderstandthewaysof
theLord,andtowalkinthemwithwisdomandprudence,soas
nottostumble.AndassaidbyfatherTheophilos:[Whoever
hasthewishtolearn,willlearnwell.Therefore,Itisbefitting
ofyoutostrivetojoinmeinlisteningtothelivingvoice,in
ordertoconceivethetruth].
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TABLEOFCONTENTS
ACOMMENTARYONTHEBOOK
OFHOSEA
ANINTRODUCTION
TheminorprophetsTheprophetHoseaCircumstances
ofhisprophecyFeaturesofthebookThebookof
HoseaandtheknowledgeofGodThebookofHosea
andtheNewTestamentThebookofHoseaandthe
propheciesofJeremiahanEzekielThebookofHosea
fromaliteraturestandpointDivisionsofthebook.
THEFIRSTDIVISION
THESITUATIONINISRAEL
CHAPTER1:THEPROPHETANDTHEHARLOTWIFE
AnintroductionGomerthedaughterof
DeblaimChildrenofharlotryAlongingfortheirreturn.
CHAPTER2:THEFRUITSOFTHESPIRITUALLIFE
BringingchargesagainstthemotherGoing
aftervanityDefilingthegiftsofGodAcallforherreturn.
CHAPTER3:HISPRACTICALLOVEFORMAN
MarriagetoaharlotBuyingaharlot
SanctifyingtheharlotAreturntotheGroom.
THESECONDDIVISION
GODBRINGSCHARGESAGAINSTTHEPEOPLE
CHAPTER4:DECLARATIONOFTHETRIAL
DeclarationofthetrialThepriestsrejection
ofknowledgeThepaganabominations.
CHAPTER5:JUDAHJOINSISRAELINTHE
IMPENDINGJUDGMENT
GodchastiseswithnopartialityGod
withdrawsHimselffromthemThedeclaration
ofageneralstateofchastisementTheydid
notreturntoGod.
CHAPTER6:ATALKABOUTSALVATION
OurresurrectiontogetherwithHimAninner
divinereform.
CHAPTER7:REJECTIONOFTHEPHYSICIAN
ThePhysicianproclaimstheailmentThe
ailmentoftheleadershipsTheailmentofthe
peopleRejectionofthePhysician.
CHAPTER8:GODSCHASTISEMENTSAGAINST
THEM
Chastisingthembyenemyattacks
Destroyingthemselvesbythemselves
DeprivationoffulfillmentandjoyDelivering
themtotheirpastservitude.
CHAPTER9:THEVAINJOY
Theirworshipwillturnlikethebreadof
mournersThedayofpunishmenthascomeTheywill
produceno
fruitionTheywillbedrivenoutbeforethe
Lord.
CHAPTER10:THEWITHERINGVINE
ViversionofthevineHerinnercorruption
Theneedforanewplantation.
THETHIRDDIVISION
THECHASTISEMENTTOGETHERWITHTHE
SHININGOFSALVATION
CHAPTER11:GODISOURREFUGE
GodscareforHischildIsraelsposition
towardGodGodistheonlyRefuge.
CHAPTER12:GOD,OURSHEPHERD
TheyforsooktheGoodShepherdAneedfor
aseriousreturntoGodForsakingthedeceitful
measures
Jacobsserviceforthesakeofawife.
CHAPTER13:GOD,OURSAVIOR
TheirdiversioneventodeathTheirsalvation
fromservitudeTheirrejectionoftheSaviorKingTheir
salvation
fromdeathThe destructiveeastwind.
THEFOURTHDIVISION
THEFRUITSOFREPENTANCE
CHAPTER14:THEFRUITSOFREPENTANCE
ThehumanroleinrepentanceThedivine
roleinrepentance,
TABLEOFCONTENTS
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