HOSEA 5:7

The Bible says in Hosea 5:7-13, “They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.[8] Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Beth-aven, after thee, O Benjamin.[9] Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.[10] The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.[11] Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.[12] Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.[13] When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.” These verses show the fact that the Israelites had now entered into a phase of life that was under the judgment of God. The words used to describe their sad estate are “devour them,” “be desolate,” “rebuke,” “wrath,” “oppressed and broken,” “sickness,” and “wound.” The thing to do once someone is in such a situation is to turn back to the Lord. The Israelites knew that something was wrong and that they needed help, but they went to the wrong place for their help. Instead of turning to the Lord, they turned to unbelievers. It says in Hosea 5:13, “then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.”

Even though judgment from God has come into the lives of the children of Israel, we see clearly that judgment on people is not the end of God’s plan. God’s work, and God’s plan, and even God’s judgments leads people to repentance. God wants to be merciful to people. That is why the central part of God’s plan in the Old Testament was for the Messiah Jesus Christ to come and die for the sins of the world. That plan was fulfilled in spite of the failures of the Israelites or any of the other nations of the world. God always accomplishes His plans. A person fits into God’s plan by finally surrendering to Jesus. Look at the last two verses of Hosea chapter 5. It says in Hosea 5:14-15, “For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.[15] I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.” Notice very carefully the phrase, “in their affliction they will seek me early.” If you will not seek Jesus when He blesses you, then maybe you will seek Him when you are afflicted. And we see that even the judgments and afflictions and chastisements that God brings, He brings for the purpose of having a good result in the end. Right now we live in the age of grace. Tremendous blessings are showered on the entire world. As it says in John 3:16 concerning the coming of Christ, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” But when too many people refuse to believe, the Lord will try another method to lead people to Christ. It is called the Great Tribulation. The entire world and all of its human systems are heading towards the worst time the earth has ever known. There will be war, and disease, and famine, and sufferings such as the world has ever known. It will be a short time, just seven years. The time of suffering will be used of God for several reasons, not the least of which will be to wake people up so that they will turn to the Lord Jesus in their affliction. The Lord will always be there with open arms because He wants to forgive.

The following is the attitude that God hopes everyone will acquire. The Bible says in Hosea 6:1-2, “Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.[2] After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” These verses show how anyone can find forgiveness. It shows that a decision was made to turn to the Lord. They said, “Let us return unto the Lord.” The Lord Jesus is willing to forgive. Every person needs to be forgiven. What makes the difference in one person finding forgiveness and another person not finding it? The difference is a decision. Of course, it is a decision combined with faith: faith in Jesus. To believe means to trust. Faith means “depending upon” or “trusting in.” It says in Romans 10:12-14, “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.[14] How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Notice the expressions of faith that the Israelites made in Hosea 6:1 and 2. They said, “he will heal us,” “he will bind us up,” “he will revive us,” “he will raise us up,” and “we shall live in his sight.”

The Bible says in Hosea 6:3, “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” It says in the first part of Hosea 6:3, “Then shall we know.” Know what? Know the most important spiritual truth of all, which is to know Jesus as Savior. That is why it says in the second phrase of Hosea 6:3, “to know the LORD.” True Christianity is not a religion, but it is a relationship with Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.[22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

After we come to know Jesus, He becomes our constant companion. He is at work, and we become His fellow-workers. It says in Hosea 6:3, “his going forth is prepared as the morning.” Just as surely as the morning follows the night, Jesus will be with you today and He will be at work. Because Jesus is with you, He will supply your needs and He will shower you with blessings. That is why it also says, “he shall come unto us as the rain.” Rain symbolizes the blessings of God that come down from heaven abundantly. Every time you see rain, may it remind you of how much the Lord blesses you and supplies your needs.

The Bible says in Hosea 6:4, “O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.” What is said about “goodness” in this verse is true not only about the Israelites, but about all human beings. It has to do with the sinful nature of mankind. It says in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” It also says in Psalms 53:1-3, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.[2] God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.[3] Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” This does not mean that no human beings ever do any good deeds, but it refers rather to the basic nature of man. Man is depraved, that is, devoid of the basic goodness that he really needs in order to be rightly related with God. That is where Jesus comes in. Once a person is saved through faith in Christ, that person is credited the righteousness of Christ. Christians have a standing in Christ that is a righteous standing, not because of their own good deeds but because the righteousness of Christ has been credited to their account. That is why it says in Romans 4:3, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” Paul an Apostle wrote in Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

The Bible says in Hosea 6:5-6, “Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.[6] For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” Once again we have some very revealing verses. This verse shows us how God brings judgment both in the Old Testament and in the age in which we live. God’s judgment comes with God’s truth. Notice that God speaks of “the prophets,” “the words of my mouth,” and “the light that goeth forth.” It says in Ephesians 4:15, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” We speak the truth with love, but once the truth is spoken, if the hearers do not turn to the Lord, then they are in danger of judgment. God speaks through His servants when they use His Word. That is the primary definition of the word prophet: one who speaks forth the Word of God. Once someone speaks forth the Word of God with love, there are only two possible reactions: the Word will be accepted or the Word will be rejected. Notice what Jesus said after He took the Word of God to some people and it was rejected. It says in Luke 10:10-16, “But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,[11] Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.[12] But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.[13] Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.[14] But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.[15] And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.[16] He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” Of course, this importance of the Word of God and this emphasis on the Word of God, the Bible, is found all though Scripture. If you preach, make sure you preach the Word…not your own words.

God’s will for the children of Israel is the same as His will for everyone today. It is expressed in Hosea 6:6, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” First notice what God did not desire. God did not desire “sacrifice” or “burnt offerings.” Who originated the sacrifices and the burnt offerings? God originated them. They had a purpose: to teach about the need to have a propitiation for sin. Christ is our propitiation. The sacrifices and the burnt offerings were performed as a part of ceremony. Of course things must be done decently and in order. There is an order and a sequence to doing things, but for the Israelites the ceremony was all there was. They had come to the point of performing the ceremony without thinking about the true meaning of what was going. God is a Spirit, and we are in tune with Him when the true spiritual meaning of things motivates us. God wants us to increase in our knowledge of God and His nature so that we can become more like Him. God said, “I desired mercy.” God is merciful. His dealings with human beings are all about mercy. Jesus came and died on the cross of Calvary to prove God’s love and mercy towards us. Those who know Jesus as Savior will go to heaven only because of God’s mercy. Our relationship with the Lord is based upon His mercy towards us, and not based upon our good deeds. Once we have tasted God’s mercy through trusting in Jesus, the Lord wants us to be merciful to others. This concept of knowing and understanding the mercy of God and showing mercy is among the first principles of understanding and serving God. We must appreciate Jesus for His great mercy, and we must show mercy to others if we are to become servants of God.

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