Book of Hosea Chapter 11 Vs. 1

 

The Lord's Love for Israel

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. Hos. 11:1

When Israel was... The 13th prophecy in Hosea (Hos. 11:1, fulfilled). Next, Hos. 11:5. The prediction concerned the Christchild and bringing Him up out of Egypt after Joseph had been warned to take Him there to save His life (Mat. 2:13-15).

called my son... Quoted of Christ in the N.T. in Mat. 2:15; cp. Exo. 4:23.

In tender words reminiscent of the Exodus from Egypt (compare Exodus 4:22-23), the Lord reassured Israel of His intense love for her. His compassion for her was aroused (compare Isa. 12:1; 40:1-2; 49:13; Jer. 31:10-14; Zech. 1:12-17; see Matthew 2:15 for Matthew’s analogical use of this verse in relationship to Jesus Christ).

Israel was known as the family of Jacob for their stay in Egypt. They became known as the nation of Israel on their journey to the Promised Land. God had seen them in their destitute condition, and He had mercy upon them. God took them for His family and brought them out of Egypt. God redeemed them from heavy bondage in Egypt and declared them to be His son. God loved them above all other nations.

THE FATHERHOOD AND HUMANITY OF GOD

FROM the thick jungle of Hosea’s travail, the eleventh chapter breaks like a high and open mound. The prophet enjoys the first of his two clear visions-that of the past. Judgment continues to descend. Israel’s sun is near his setting, but before he sinks-

A lingering light he fondly throws

On the dear hills, whence first he rose.

Across these confused and vicious years, through which he has painfully made his way, Hosea sees the tenderness and the romance of the early history of his people. And although he must strike the old despairing note-that, by the insincerity of the present generation, all the ancient guidance of their God must end in this!-yet for some moments the blessed memory shines by itself, and God’s mercy appears to triumph over Israel’s ingratitude. Surely their sun will not set; Love must prevail. To which assurance a later voice from the Exile has added, in Hos. 10:10-11, a confirmation suitable to its own circumstances.

The early history of Israel was a romance. Think of it historically. Before the Most High there spread an array of kingdoms and peoples. At their head were three strong princes-sons indeed of God, if all the heritage of the past, the power of the present, and the promise of the future be tokens. Egypt, wrapt in the rich and jeweled web of centuries, basked by Nile and Pyramid, all the wonder of the world’s art in his dreamy eyes. Opposite him Assyria, with barer but more massive limbs, stood erect upon his highlands, grasping in his sword the promise of the world’s power. Between the two, and rising both of them, yet with his eyes westward on an empire of which neither dreamed, the Phoenician on his sea-coast built his storehouses and sped his navies, the promise of the world’s wealth. It must ever remain the supreme romance of history, that the true son of God, bearer of His love and righteousness to all mankind, should be found, not only outside this powerful trinity, but in the puny and despised captive of one of them-in a people that was not a state, that had not a country, that was without a history, and, if appearances be true, was as yet devoid of even the rudiments of civilization-a child people and a slave.

That was the Romance, and Hosea gives us the Grace which made it. When Israel was a child then I loved him. The verb is a distinct impulse: I began, I learned, to love him. God’s eyes, that passed unheeding the adult princes of the world, fell upon this little slave boy, and He loved him and gave him a career: from Egypt I called him to be My son.

Now, historically, it was the persuasion of this which made Israel. All their distinctiveness and character, their progress from a level with other nomadic tribes to the rank of the greatest religious teachers of humanity, started from the memory of these two facts-that God loved them, and that God called them. This was an unfailing conscience-the obligation that they were not their own, the irresistible motive to repentance even in their utmost backsliding, the unquenchable hope of a destiny in their direst days of defeat and scattering.

Some, of course, may cavil at the narrow, national scale on which such a belief was held, but let them: remember that it was held in trust for all mankind. To snarl that Israel felt this son-ship to God only for themselves, is to forget that it is they who have persuaded humanity that this is the only kind of son-ship worth claiming. Almost every other nation of antiquity imagined a filial relation to the deity, but it was either through some fabulous physical descent, and then often confined only to kings and heroes, or by some mystical mingling of the Divine with the human, which was just as gross and sensuous. Israel alone defined the connection as a historical and a moral one. The sons of God are begotten not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Son-ship to God is something not physical, but moral and historical, into which men are carried by a supreme awakening to the Divine love and authority. Israel, it is true, felt this only in a general way for the nation as a whole; but their conception of it embraced just those moral contents which form the glory of Christ’s doctrine of the Divine son-ship of the individual. The belief that God is our Father does not come to us with our carnal birth-except in possibility: the persuasion of it is not conferred by our baptism except in so far as that is Christ’s own seal to the fact that God Almighty loves us and has marked us for His own. To us son-ship is a becoming, not a being-the awakening of our adult minds into the surprise of a Father’s undeserved mercy, into the constraint of His authority and the assurance of the destiny He has laid up for us. It is conferred by love, and confirmed by duty. Neither has power brought it, nor wisdom, nor wealth, but it has come solely with the wonder of the knowledge that God loves us, and has always loved us, as well as in the sense, immediately following, of a true vocation to serve Him. Son-ship which is less than this is no son-ship at all. But so much as this is possible to every man through Jesus Christ. His constant message is that the Father loves every one of us, and that if we know that love, we are God’s sons indeed. To them who feel it, adoption into the number and privileges of the sons of God comes with the amazement and the romance which glorified God’s choice of the child-slave Israel. Behold, they cry, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. (1Jhn. 3:1-24)

Israel’s ingratitude punished.

Once again, the Lord recalled Israel’s early history to contrast the past with the present (cf. Hos. 9:10; 10:1). At the beginning the Lord’s relationship with Israel had been like that of a father to a son (cf. Exo. 4:22-23). (On the quotation of this passage, see Mat. 2:15.) The Lord displayed His love toward the nation by summoning her from Egypt (cf. Deut. 7:8; also cf. Hos. 12:9, 12:13; 13:4).

Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 40

 The Final Judgment

Matthew 25:40 “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.”

Inasmuch as ye... The reason and basis of the judgment of the nations. God will curse or bless according to how men have dealt with Israel. He will forever respect and fulfill the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 12:1-3).

unto one of... This refers in particular to other disciples. Some would apply this to national Israel, others to needy people in general. But here Christ is specifically commending those on His right (verse 34), for the way they received His emissaries.

the least

The word in the Greek order is emphatic: One of these my brethren, the least. So Rev., even these least.

my brethren, ye... The brethren of Jesus according to the flesh (Mat. 10:6; John 1:11; Rom. 9:5).

You see, when we do anything to help someone else, Jesus counts it as we are doing these things for Him. We cannot directly do these things for Him, but everything, regardless of how small it is, that we do for our fellowman is counted as being done for Jesus. God really smiles on those who help women and children who cannot help themselves.

We read love your neighbor as yourself. This is not a principle that the world understands. But besides getting a reward stored up in heaven for the good things we do, doing good makes you feel good about yourself.

It is true that the preceding parables have each given a partial view of the judgment, -the first as affecting those in office in the Church, the second and third as applied to the members of the Church; but just as those specially contemplated in the first parable are included in the wider scope of the second and third, so these contemplated in the second and third are included in the universal scope of the great judgment scene with which the whole discourse is fitly and grandly concluded.

The King will answer that they performed these services for the least of these brothers of Mine, and by so doing were ministering to the King (Mat. 25:40).

The expression these brothers must refer to a third group that is neither sheep nor goats. The only possible group would be Jews, physical brothers of the Lord. In view of the distress in the Tribulation period, it is clear that any believing Jew will have a difficult time surviving (cf. Mat. 24:15-21). The forces of the world dictator will be doing everything possible to exterminate all Jews (cf. Rev. 12:17). A Gentile going out of his way to assist a Jew in the Tribulation will mean that Gentile has become a believer in Jesus Christ during the Tribulation. By such a stand and action, a believing Gentile will put his life in jeopardy. His works will not save him; but his works will reveal that he is redeemed. Known as tribulation saints.

Book of Hosea Chapter 10 Vs. 15

 ONCE MORE: PUPPET-KINGS AND PUPPET-GODS

So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off. Hos. 10:15

So shall Beth-el... Which had been a place of God, had been turned into a place of calf worship. God's fury was kindled against them, because of this worship of a false god. The time this happened, was a time when it appeared they were gaining in prosperity. They were prosperous in the flesh, but their spiritual lives were greatly lacking.

Hosea (ca. 732-722 B.C.).

the king of... The king was cut off and helpless. It happened so suddenly; it seemed like a morning.

Bethel, which here represents the nation as a whole, would experience a similar fate because of her great sin (cf. Hos. 4:15; Amos 7:10-17). The fall of Israel’s king would signal the conquest of the nation by Babylon (cf. Hos. 10:3, 10:7; 2Kgs. 17:4-6).

Thus, shall I do to you, O house of Israel, because of the evil of your evil: soon shall the king of Israel be undone-undone.

The political decay of Israel, then, so deeply figured in all these chapters, must end in utter collapse. Let us sum up the gradual features of this decay: the substance of the people scattered abroad; the national spirit dissipated; the national prestige humbled; the kings' mere puppets; the prophets corrupted; the national vigor sapped by impurity; the idolatry conscious of its impotence.

Bethel, which here represents the nation as a whole, would experience a similar fate because of her great sin (cf. Hos. 4:15; Amos 7:10-17). The fall of Israel’s king would signal the conquest of the nation by Babylon (cf. Hos. 10:3, 10:7; 2Kgs. 17:4-6).

Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 39

 The Final Judgment

Matthew 25:39 “Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?”

Or when saw... For though he bore the sicknesses of his people, yet we never read of his being sick himself, nor was he ever cast into prison. But this has been the case of many of his servants, such as John the Baptist, Peter, and Paul, and multitudes of others, who have been tenderly and affectionately used by their fellow Christians.

These are valid questions. They had never literally fed Jesus, or visited Him, or given Him water to drink, or clothed Him. They could not understand what Jesus was saying, because they could only think of literally doing these things for Jesus and not His brethren.

All, all is naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

Again, The King’s statement will prompt the sheep to respond that they do not recall ever having ministered directly to the King (Mat. 25:37-39).

Hosea Chapter 10 Vs. 14

 ONCE MORE: PUPPET-KINGS AND PUPPET-GODS

Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children. Hos. 10:14

a tumult arise... The chapter ends with a grim description of the devastation that would come to the wayward people of God.

as Shalman spoiled... The name Shalman may refer to Salamanu, a Moabite king who invaded Gilead (around 740 B.C.), or to Shalmaneser V, the Assyrian king who conquered Israel (in 722 B.C.), who played a role in Israel’s demise (2Kgs. 17:3-6).

Betharbel in the... Although the location of Beth-arbel is uncertain, the memory of the heinous crimes committed there was vividly etched into their minds. Perhaps Arbela on the east of Jordan.

Even though this happened in battle, it was really a judgment of God against these people. This all happened because of their sins. The attack was against the fenced cities. We can see from the mother being dashed to pieces upon her children, just how cruel and inhuman this conflict was. This was possibly, the battle where Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, comes against Samaria three years. This was a very cruel time, when many died horrible deaths.

For the tumult of war shall arise among thy tribes, and all thy fenced cities shall be ruined, as Salman beat to ruin Beth-Arbel in the day of war: the mother shall be broken on the children"-presumably the land shall fall with the falling of her cities. Thus, shall I do to you, O house of Israel, because of the evil of your evil: soon shall the king of Israel be undone-undone.

In response to Israel’s pride the Lord said He would destroy a source of her false confidence (fortresses, cf. Hos. 8:14). The severity of the judgment is emphasized by a comparison with a historical incident that was apparently well known to Hosea’s contemporaries. But the identity of Shalman and the location of Beth Arbel are uncertain. The most popular identifications of Shalman have been: (a) Shalmaneser III (an Assyrian ruler who campaigned against the West in the ninth century B.C), (b) Shalmaneser V (the Assyrian ruler from 727 to 722 B.C; but his invasion of Israel postdates Hosea’s prophecy), and (c) Salamanu (a Moabite king mentioned in a tribute list of the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III and a contemporary of Hosea). Beth Arbel has been identified by some (e.g., Eusebius) with modern Irbid (Arbela) in the northern Transjordan region about 18 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee and by others with modern Arbel two miles west of the Sea of Galilee (Arbela in the apocryphal 1 Maccabees 9:2, JB). At any rate this particular battle was vividly remembered for its atrocities, especially the wholesale slaughter of women and children.

Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 38

The Final Judgment

Matthew 25:38 “When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]?”

When saw we... As they had never seen Him hungry and thirsty, in His own person, though He was both in the days of His flesh and were ministered to. Both by angels, and by good women out of their substance.

They had never seen Him a stranger and took Him into their houses; yet they had, seen Him hungry and thirsty, and as a stranger in his members, and had done these good deeds to Him in them, and to them for His sake.

or naked, and... For so Christ in person never was, until stripped of his raiment by the soldiers, and officers. But they had seen many of His poor saints without clothing, and had covered their nakedness.

There are those who, looking at this conversation in the most superficial way, find in it the doctrine of salvation by works, and imagine that they are warranted on the strength of this passage to set aside all that is written in other parts of Scripture as to the necessity of change of heart, to dismiss from their minds all concern about creed or worship, about doctrine or sacraments or church membership. Be kind to the poor-that will do instead of everything else.

Again, The King’s statement will prompt the sheep to respond that they do not recall ever having ministered directly to the King (Mat. 25:37-39).

Book of Hosea Chapter 10 Vs. 13

 ONCE MORE: PUPPET-KINGS AND PUPPET-GODS

Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. Hos. 10:13

plowed wickedness, ye... Sown wickedness and reaped iniquity. Instead of working righteousness (verse 12), you have taken a great deal of pains in the service of sin, to compass your wicked designs.

have reaped iniquity; ... Four things that will bring a curse:

1. Sowing wickedness

2. Eating the fruit of lies

3. Trusting in own way

4. Trusting in men—even a multitude of mighty men

Ye have in return, received the fruit of iniquity, namely punishment or calamity.

ye have eaten... Fed yourselves with vain hopes, which have deceived and will deceive you. Or, you have trusted to that which has been only deceptive, not really satisfying or profitable.

because thou didst... I. e., not God's. They forsook God's way and followed ways of wickedness and misbelief. While displeasing God, they trusted in the worship of the calves and in the help of Egypt and Assyria, making flesh their arm, and departing from the living God. So long as a man mistrusts his ways of sin, there is hope of his conversion amid any depths of sin. When he trusts in his ways, all entrance is closed against the grace of God. He is as one dead; he not only justifies himself but is self-justified. There is nothing in him, neither love nor fear, which can be awakened.

in the multitude... Their valiant soldiers, their numerous armies, and the generals of them, well skilled in war, and courageous. Also in their auxiliaries, which they had from the Egyptians and others. These they put their confidences in, to protect them, also in their garrisons and fortresses.

They had placed their faith in false gods, they lived wicked lives. They dealt unfairly with the people around them. They had planted wickedly, and they would reap iniquity. They would lie, or cheat or steal, if it would benefit them. They had left Holy God to worship false gods with no morals. They were doing whatever was right in their own sight. They looked to the outward might of men, and not at their hearts. They were respecters of persons, because of their position in the community.

Ye have ploughed wickedness; disaster have ye reaped: ye have eaten the fruit of falsehood; for thou didst trust in thy chariots, in the multitude of thy warriors.

The exhortation in Hos. 10:12 actually summarizes the appeal made by Israel’s prophets throughout her history. But the sinful nation had not responded properly, producing instead wickedness (cf. Hos. 10:15), evil, and deception. Rather than relying on the power of God, the nation had depended on her own military might. The contrast between God’s desires and Israel’s response heightens her guilt. So the call to repentance (Hos. 10:12) had a twofold function: it testified to the Lord’s grace and contributed to the development of the prophet’s accusation.