Hosea 8
-The transgression of the covenant and the disregard for God’s
laws will bring the enemy’s wrath, which is prophesied here in chapter 8. The
eagle represents Assyria, who would take them away into captivity and disperse
the Northern Kingdom among the nations, never to be heard from again in the
economy of God’s salvific plan.
-Israel cried out to God as if they knew Him, yet they were
unwilling to change any of their demonic ways pertaining to idolatry. *Application*
When you sow the wind (emptiness, false gods), you eventually will reap the
whirlwind (the wrath of God Almighty). God is not mocked; whatever a man sows
he will also reap (Galatians 6:7).
-The LORD had given Moses ten thousand precepts of His law,
but Israel regarded them as a strange thing (Hosea 8:12). They forgot about
their Maker building their own palaces, and in Judah, fortified cities. God
would take His retribution with fire on their cities and consume their extravagant
dwellings (Hosea 8:14). Because of their stubbornness and lack of repentance, the
LORD promises to remember their iniquity (Hosea 8:13). *Application* This is a
stark contrast to the mercy of God that we want to think of more often. Psalm 103:12-13 states, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He
removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion
on those who fear Him.” We tend to focus so much on the grace of God that we
neglect that last little prepositional phrase there at the end. Fear of God is
required. This will lead us to repentance and ultimately God’s forgiveness. God’s
compassion only rests on the repentant. As we see in this Scripture, His wrath
abides until we actually know Him by humbling ourselves to His purpose and
plan. Jeremiah 31:34 goes on further, "And they shall not teach again, each
man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they
shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,"
declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will
remember no more." This is the beautiful result that the LORD wants and
can give when we believe in what He accomplished for our sake through Jesus
Christ His Son! But until we come to Him on His terms we are left in our sins
with no hope for deliverance.
Verse to Memorize:
Hosea 8:12
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