Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 7

 The Lord Will Punish Israel

The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. Hos. 9:7

are come, the... False prophets had continually predicted that the days of visitation would never come, or that they were in the distant future and there was therefore nothing to worry about. God simply told them that the time was near, it would come, and Israel would be the one to know it.

prophet is a... Five facts about a false prophet:

1.He is a fool (Hos. 9:7).

2. He is mad.

3. He is a snare and a fowler in all his ways (Hos. 9:8).

4. He is the cause of hatred in the house of God.

5.He is deeply corrupted by sex perversion (Hos. 9:9).

The people of Israel ignored and derided Hosea, calling him a fool and insane.

This visitation is speaking of the day of judgment which came upon them. God has judged them and found them guilty of spiritual adultery. The prophet will not have to warn them any further. The prophet, spoken of here, is the false prophet who was still promising good times.

the spiritual man... And the false prophet had been bringing flattering messages to the people, and the people had accepted it for the truth. They were not only full of sin (idolatry), but they were lacking in love, as well. They were an angry, unloving society. It sounds all too familiar, doesn't it? Preachers preaching to itching ears are not warning their people even now.

The days of visitation have come, have come the days of requital. Israel already experiences them! A fool is the prophet, raving mad the man of the spirit. The old ecstasy of Saul’s day has become delirium and fanaticism.

The people’s hostility toward the true prophets of God was one of several reasons for judgment (Hos. 9:7-9). Maniac refers to one who is insane (cf. 1Sam. 21:13-15). The term is used elsewhere by godless men who ridiculed true prophets (cf. 2Kgs. 9:11; Jer. 29:26-27). Hostility (also used in Hos. 9:8) refers to intense animosity, such as Esau felt toward Jacob after Esau had been cheated of the paternal blessing (Gen. 27:41, held a grudge).