HOSEA 13:1

The Bible says in Hosea 13:1-3, “When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.[2] And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.[3] Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.” The first two verses of this passage give details of the sinfulness of the Israelites, and the last verse presents the consequences. Concerning Israel’s sins, it says in Hosea 13:1 that Israel “exalted himself.” It is never good to exalt yourself, and especially not when it comes to your spiritual condition. Jesus pointed out the righteousness of someone who humbled himself instead of exalting himself. Jesus said in Luke 18:10-14, “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.[11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.[12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.[13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.[14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

It says in Hosea 13:2 that the Israelites “sin more and more.” Someone who exalts himself instead of humbling himself is on the road to sin and going away from God. It says in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” There is another important aspect to the statement that the Israelites “sin more and more.” It shows the practical side of repenting and turning to the Lord. When you honestly turn to the Lord Jesus and ask for forgiveness, you are turning away from sin and therefore, you are breaking the downward slide into more and more sin.

Another problem that the Israelites had is stated in Hosea 13:2 that says that they made “idols according to their own understanding.” What is the source of false religion? The primary source is man’s imagination. All the religions of the world come from man except for one: the worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. People make a big mistake when they look into their own mind and say, “What do I want to believe?” Everyone should recognize their lack of understanding of spiritual truth and should turn to the Lord and say, “O Lord, enlighten me.”

It is interesting to notice all of the symbolism of Hosea 13:3. Everything that God created has some kind of spiritual significance to it. Think about the world and understand the world that God created, and you will understand truth. God said about the Israelites in Hosea 13:3, “Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.”

God said in Hosea 13:4-9, “Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.[5] I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.[6] According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.[7] Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:[8] I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.[9] O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.” Notice the little word, “Yet.” In the previous verses we were told once again how much the Israelites had failed. But God is stronger than man and wiser than man. God’s purposes go forth even when man fails. And God’s purpose id to save Israel and make them the shining example of His love and truth on this earth. That was God’s purpose when He took them out of Egypt by the hand of Moses, and it’s still God’s purpose. He saved them them back then, and He is still their Savior. Jesus is the Savior of the whole world. Jesus saves Jews and Gentiles. And Jesus will save the Jewish people in the context of their national identity.

When Israel first came out of Egypt, they were in the wilderness, just as it says in Hosea 14:5. But God blessed them, led them into the land of milk and honey, and caused them to prosper. What did they do with their prosperity? God described them in Hosea 13:6, “their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.” When human beings prosper, the temptation is to think that it was due to their own efforts and abilities and intelligence, without recognizing that it was also due to God’s blessings. That is exactly what happened to Israel in the days of Hosea the prophet, and it appears to be what is happening to America also.

Once again in Hosea 13:7-8, God uses examples from His creation to demonstrate exactly what will happen to the Israelites who went away from Him. God mentions a lion, a leopard, and a bear. Just as these wild beats track down their prey and catch them, God would lie in wait and at just the right time, the Israelites would be trapped. But just after God states this doom and this judgment to come, God also re-states His grand plan to save Israel. This truth supports the teaching that we call “eternal security.” God says in Hosea 13:9, “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.” In spite of the total failure of believers, God still promises to save His own. Jesus is a great Savior. He will always save, and help, and bless His children. Yes, even when they fail.

The Bible says in Hosea 13:10-13, “I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?[11] I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.[12] The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.[13] The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.” Back at the beginning of the history of the nation of Israel, they wanted a king. That was not God’s original plan for them. God wanted to be their king so that they would be a nation unlike the other nations of the world. God warned them what a human king would do. First of all the land of Israel is described very simply before they had a king in Judges 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” They had no king. They had freedom instead. It says in First Samuel 8:5-18, “And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.[6] But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.[7] And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.[8] According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.[9] Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.[10] And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.[11] And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.[12] And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.[13] And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.[14] And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.[15] And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.[16] And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.[17] He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.[18] And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.” One of the problems with most human government is that usually the leaders become too powerful, and therefore the average person loses freedom. It has a great deal to do with human nature. We can see it in the Bible with the first kingdom that was established: the Kingdom of Babylon under Nimrod. It says in Genesis 10:8-10, “And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.[9] He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.[10] And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” History certainly does repeat itself. It is interesting that the last great human kingdom that is described in the book of Revelation is also called Babylon. One of its main characteristics will be how much it dominates and controls every aspect of the lives of human beings both economically and religiously. It says about the antichrist who will rule the Babylon of the last days in Revelation 13:16-18, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:[17] And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.[18] Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” In Revelation chapter 17 Babylon is called “the great whore” because of the false religion that will characterize it. It says in Revelation 17:15-18, “And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.[16] And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.[17] For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.[18] And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”

Of course, God knows what human governments do, and He tried to warn the Israelites, but they did not listen. God will still accomplish His plan of having a government that is not controlled by selfish human nature. It will happen when Jesus returns and becomes the benevolent monarch who rules as King over the earth in Jerusalem. This type of government will work when God is King. That is what the Lord tried to tell Israelites way back during the time of the Judges before they had their first king. We who are Christians understand that Jesus is our King, and we understand His teaching when He said in John 18:36, “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” Christians are respectful and obedient to the rulers of this world in this present age because we know this is God’s command to us, and we know their time is limited. The King is coming, and we are patiently waiting for Him to come and take over. It says in Revelation 11:15, “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

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