Hosea 5:1-7
1 Hear this, you priests!
Pay attention, house of Israel!
Listen, you of the house of the king!
For the judgment applies to you,
Because you have been a trap at Mizpah,
And a net spread out on Tabor.
2 And the rebels have gone deep in depravity,
But I will discipline all of them.
3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me;
Because now, Ephraim, you have been unfaithful,
Israel has defiled itself.
4 Their deeds will not allow them
To return to their God.
For a spirit of infidelity is within them,
And they do not know the Lord.
5 Moreover, the pride of Israel testifies against him,
And Israel and Ephraim stumble in their wrongdoing;
Judah also has stumbled with them.
6 They will go with their flocks and herds
To seek the Lord, but they will not find Him;
He has withdrawn from them.
7 They have dealt treacherously with the Lord,
For they have given birth to illegitimate children.
Now the new moon will devour them with their land.
Charges Against the Nation’s Leaders
Responsibilities of the leaders
In chapter 4, the sins of the northern kingdom of Israel were exposed and condemned. In today’s passage, a prophecy of judgment is spoken against the entire people. Among them, the responsibility of the religious leaders (the priests) and the political leaders (the house of the king) is especially pursued. Idolatry had spread throughout the entire nation. (1) Mizpah was a region located east of the Jordan River. (2) Tabor was a region located west of the Jordan River. (3) At that time, Israel’s territory extended on both sides of the Jordan. In both regions, idolatrous worship was being widely practiced. The responsibility for this lay with the national leaders. (4) Because of the sins of idolatry and unfaithfulness, God’s judgment was about to fall upon the people.
The knowledge of God and the ignorance of the people
(1) The Lord knew everything Ephraim (the northern kingdom of Israel) was doing. As it says, “I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me.” (2) In contrast, the people did not know the Lord. The reason was that a spirit of infidelity (the spirit of idolatry) had taken hold of them. Here, the knowledge of God and the ignorance of the people are portrayed in sharp contrast. (3) Moreover, even while they were living in sin, the people’s hearts had become proud. (4) The sin of idolatry did not belong only to the northern kingdom of Israel; in time, the southern kingdom of Judah would fall into the same sin. (5) They take sheep and cattle with them and seek the Lord, but it is useless, because the Lord has already withdrawn from them. “New moon” likely refers to the sacrifices offered to idols at the time of the new moon. That idolatrous worship is what brings destruction upon the people. The central theme of the book of Hosea is “God’s love toward a faithless people,” but running parallel to that is another theme: “the knowledge of God and the ignorance of the people.” God knows everything about us. Yet many people live their lives without knowing God or His love. Did you know that God’s love is being poured out upon you? “Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love” (John 15:9). Amen.
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ, I have wandered selfishly, not knowing Your love. Now I entrust myself into Your hands. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.