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THEBOOKOFHOSEA
Lesson05,Chapter2Continued
Thefirst3versesofHoseachapter2soughttomakesomethingveryclearabout
thewordsthatcamebeforeit,andthosethatwouldfollow.Itisthatthegoal
(andtheoutcome)ofGod’sharshdisciplineofIsrael(symbolizedbyGomer)was
restorationofrelationshipandrevitalizationofblessings,notabolishmentofthe
covenantHehadmadewiththem(theCovenantofMoses)noradivorcefrom
them.Itiswiththisunderlyingthemeandpurposethatwearetostudyand
understandtheBookofHosea.I’msorrytosaythatthebulkofbiblical
commentariesonthisbookignorestheseopeningversesandinsteadconcludes
thatGodwaspermanentlythroughwithIsraelandthisopenedthedoorforHim
toadoptanewcovenantpeople,thegentileChurch,toreplacetheoneHenow
rejected:Israel.Andtoadoptanewcovenant,replacingtheCovenantofMoses.
IsupposeIcouldendthisthoughtrighthere,butthequestionmustberolling
aroundthemindsofatleastsomeyou:whywouldBiblecommentatorsholdsuch
aviewthatseemssocountertowhattheHolyScripturestellus?
Perhapstheanswerissimplerthanwemightthink.ThenotableChristian
PhilosopherDouglasGroothuissaysthisaboutthesubjectofbiblicaltruth:
“Truthisadaunting,difficultthing;itisalsothegreatestthingintheworld.Yet
wearechronicallyambivalenttowardit.Weseekit…andwefearit.Ourbetter
sidewantstopursuetruthwhereveritleads;ourdarkersidebalkswhenthe
truthbeginstoleadusanywherewedonotwanttogo.”
Justasthedoctrinesandtraditionsofthestrangesortofhybrid
Hebrew/CanaanitefaiththatKingJeroboamledthepeopleoftheNorthern
KingdomofIsraeltoadoptweremeanttopursuehisagendaandnotGod’struth,
soitwasthatasearlyasthe4
th
centurytheRome-basedleadershipofthenew
gentilefaithofChristianitymadeafatefuldecisiontocreatedoctrinesand
traditionsthatledgentilestoadopttheiragendainsteadofScripturaltruth.One
ofthefoundationalassumptionsofthesenewRomanizedChristiandoctrinesand
traditionswasthatGodabolishedthecovenantHehadmadewithIsrael,and
transferredtheblessingsthatshouldhavebelongedtoIsrael,insteadtothe
newlycreatedgentiles-onlyChurch.Virtuallyalldoctrinethatfollowedwasbased
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uponthatbedrockprinciple.Whatthatmeansforusisthatthere’salotof
undoingtodoinordertoreturnustoatruththatmostofourbrothersandsisters
inthefaithdonotwanttohear,because,asProfessorGroothuiscomments,it
takesuswheremostdonotwanttogo.Thissamedynamicofbeingtakenwhere
theydonotwanttogoiswhyHoseawasshunnedbythe10tribesofIsraeland
itcostthemdearly…formillennia.ShunningGod’struthbringsenormous
consequencesthatmaynotbeimmediate,butarecertaintocome,andcanhave
devastatingeffectsforverylongperiodsoftime.
Let’sre-readaportionofHoseachapter2.
RE-READHOSEACHAPTER2:4–15
Whatwejustreadissymbolismthatisspokenwithinaliterarycontextconsisting
ofamixofmetaphorandallegory.Therefore,Iprefertothinkofitmoreaspoem.
Thereisreasonablescholarlydebateoverwhetherornotitisactuallymeantas
poemorjustbearstheearmarksofancientHebrewpoetrywithoutitnecessarily
beingthat.Nevertheless,thebackdropforthisinterestingpoeticnarrativeisa
courtcase;ajudiciarysetting.Theaccuser,judge,andjuryareGodwhois
portrayedastheaggrievedhusband,Hosea.Theaccused,thewife,isIsraelthat
isportrayedastheadulterouswoman,Gomer.Inverse4thechildrenofGomer
areaddedtothemixwithGod(Hosea)declaringthathischildren(symbolicof
thepeopleofIsrael)aretoaccuseIsraelofadultery(atthismomenttheterm
IsraelcannotmeanmuchelsebutIsrael’sleadership).Weneedtokeepinmind
thatadulteryisstrictlyahuman-to-humanoffense.AdulteryinrelationtoGodis
butametaphoricalexpressionbecausethereisnoactualmarriagebetween
humansandGod.AsconcernsGod,then,adulterytowardsHimmeansidolatry.
So,thisentiresceneismeanttorepresentaseriouslybadcircumstancebetween
YehovehandHispeople,Israel.However,atthistimeIsraelonlyreferstothe10
tribesoftheNorthernKingdomofIsraelandnottothe2tribesoftheSouthern
KingdomthatiscalledJudah.Thestatementthat“sheisn’tmywifeandI’mnot
herhusband”isnotajudgment;itisastatementthatwhenadulteryoccursthis
estrangementbetweenhusbandandwifeisthetheoreticalconditionthatit
necessarilythrustsbothpartiesinto.NowhereintheOldTestamentdoweever
hearofsuchastatementbeingmadeassomesortofHebraicword-formulaina
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divorceproceeding.Infact,inthisnarrativethehopeofthehusbandistoreform
andregainawifethatbehavesasawifeshould.Thisisn’tmyconjecture;itis
clearlystatedinverses16and17aftertheseriesofaccusationsandthreats
haveconcluded.We’llleapaheadthereforjustamoment.
CJB
Hosea2:16-17
16
"ButnowIamgoingtowooher-Iwillbringherouttothe
desertandIwillspeaktoherheart.
17
Iwillgiveherhervineyardsfromthereand
theAkhorValleyasagatewaytohope.Shewillrespondthereasshedidwhen
young,asshedidwhenshecameupfromEgypt.
Ijumpedaheadtomakethispointearlyintheprocessofstudyingthisportionof
Hosea.Theratherstandardideathatthisisadivorceproceedingisas
preposterousasisthepopularideathatHoseawastoldtogofindaprostitute
andmarryher.ThiswouldbebreakingGod’slawstothemax.Prostituteswere,
byGod’scommands,uncleanandofflimitstomen.Thethoughtofarighteous
Hebrewmalemarryingaprostitutewasoutofthequestion.Thesameconcerns
divorce.WhocanforgetwhatwereadinMalachiaboutGod’sattituderegarding
divorce?
CJB
Malachi2:16"ForIhatedivorce,"saysADONAItheGodofIsra'el,"andhim
whocovershisclothingwithviolence,"saysADONAI-Tzva'ot.Thereforetake
heedtoyourspirit,anddon'tbreakfaith.
However,shouldadivorceoccur,amanwasnottoremarryhisformerwife.This
wouldespeciallyapplyinthecaseofHoseaandGomer(wereitactuallyadivorce
proceeding),becauseGodisinvolved.
CJB
Deuteronomy24:1"Supposeamanmarriesawomanandconsummatesthe
marriagebutlaterfindsherdispleasing,becausehehasfoundheroffensivein
somerespect.Hewritesheradivorcedocument,givesittoherandsendsher
awayfromhishouse.
2
Sheleaveshishouse,goesandbecomesanotherman's
wife;
3
butthesecondhusbanddislikesherandwritesheraget,givesittoher
andsendsherawayfromhishouse;orthesecondhusbandwhomshemarried
dies.
4
Insuchacaseherfirsthusband,whosentheraway,maynottakeher
againashiswife,becausesheisnowdefiled.ItwouldbedetestabletoADONAI,
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andyouarenottobringaboutsininthelandADONAIyourGodisgivingyouas
yourinheritance.
Biblicallyspeaking,awifecommittingadulteryhas(theoretically)already
marriedanotherman.ThisisessentiallytheargumentthatGod(asHosea)is
makingbysayingthattheresultofGomer’sharlotryisthat“sheisnotmywife
andIamnotherhusband”.So,ifHoseaweretoactuallydivorceGomerforher
adulterynoremarriage…noresumptionofrelationship…wouldbepossible.This
isalawofGod,notamanmadetradition.
Itisthe2
nd
halfofverse4thatexplainswhatGomer(theunfaithfulwife)mustdo
toremediatethisuntenablesituation.Shemustremoveherwhoringfromher
face,andheradulteriesfrombetweenherbreasts.Whatever,exactly,this
means,Gomermustdohastodowithheroutwardappearance.Thisisnearly
certainlyreferringtosomecombinationofmake-upandjewelryoramulets.
SomescholarsthinkitisthattherewerewomenBaalworshippersthatwore
specialjewelrytoindicatetheirdevotion,butintruthnothinghaseverbeen
foundtosupportthattheory.So,howsheappearsinpublicis,accordingtoGod,
step#1towardsbeingrestored.Ladies,takeheed.Whatthisisspeakingtois
howmuchappearancecanindicateyouridentityandyourmorals.Throughout
theBiblemodestyisputforthasahighvirtueofthegodlywoman.Iamnot
abouttosteponalandminebysayingexactlywhatthatmodestyistolooklike
intoday’sculturesandsocieties.ButIthinkweallknowwithinourownsociety
whenweseeprettysuggestiveattirethatcrossesoversomedifficult-to-define
boundaryoffeminineandflatteringandintowhollyinappropriateforaGod
fearer.AsaBeliever,yourconsciencethathasbeenreformattedbytheHoly
SpirittomoreconformtothewillofTheFather,willtellyouwherethatboundary
is;theissueiswhetheryou’llpayattentiontoit.
Verse5speaksofwhathappensifsherefusestotakethis1ststep:Godsays
He’llstriphernaked.BynottakingthatfirststepGomerwouldbeadmittingher
guiltandherdeterminationtoremainonherruinouspath.Let’srevertback,now,
towhoGomerrepresents:Israelatlarge.Whataretheoutwardappearancesof
Israel’sadultery(theirwhoring)beforeGod?WorshippingBaalandallthevisible
trappingsofidols,attendingthosepaganfestivals,andsettingasideofthe
commandsoftheLawofMosesthatnecessarilygowithit.Thephrase“tobe
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strippednaked”or“tobestrippedlikeawhore”isfoundinotherancientNear
Eastcovenantsandpeacetreaties.Thatis,itreferstothebreakerofthe
covenantinthoserathernastyterms.Theideaisthattobestrippednaked
meanstopubliclyshamethecovenantbreaker,andthissortofactionisnearly
unthinkableforapersonoftheancientNearEastsocieties.It’snotthataperson
necessarilyhadalltheirclothesremoved;it’slikeourexpressionofwarningto
someonethatwe’ll“skinthemalive”.
SomeverygoodcommentatorssaythatthetermIsraelhasinthisversesortof
momentarilymorphedintomeaningtheland.Thisisbecausethenextthreatis
makingGomerlikeadesertwildernessandkillingherwiththirst.Icannotrule
thisinterpretationout;butIthinkitislesslikelythanthisbeinganallegorical
referencetothewomanbeingbarrenandinfertile(likeawilderness)andher
dyingofthirst(meaninglongingforchildrenshecannotproduce).Thisisarather
standardbiblicalcurseonaprostituteoradulterouswoman.Ontheotherhand,
onecouldseeitreferringtothelandofIsraelbeingdenudedoftreesand
vegetation,andsufferingdrought.It’sjusttheideaofasuddenswitch
mid-sentencefromIsraelbeingpeopletobeingthelandthatI’mskepticalabout.
Verse6sortofthrowsacurveballwhenitsaysthatthosesamechildrenthat
weretoldtoaccusetheirmotherofwhoringarenowcondemnedas“thechildren
ofwhoredoms”andthusGodwillshowthemnopity.Here’ssuchanimportant
truthtotakefromthis.BecausethechildrenarereferringtothepeopleofIsrael,
andbecausetheyareaccusingtheirmotherofbeingadulterous,theyare
essentiallydoingthesamethingandsocondemningthemselves.Whilethe
motherisleadingthemthatway,nonethelessGodholdsthechildrenresponsible
fortheirownchoicesandactions.
IregularlypointtothepulpitandsaythatGodholds,aboveall,theleadersofour
faithresponsibleforhowweleadandteachyou.Weareheldtoahigherstandard
becausetheLordputusinapositionofleadership,andleadershipaffectsmany.
However,youarenotmindlessrobots.Youhaveeverymeanstoseeifwhatany
ofusaresayingmatchesupwithHolyScripture.Whenitdoesn’t,thenit
shouldn’tbefollowed.Inancienttimes,however,itwasnearlyimpossibleforan
averageIsraelitetobeabletofact-checkwhattheirleadersaidwhereasinour
dayittakesonlyalittleeffortandtime.So,whileIwillbeheldaccountable
Lesson05-HoseaChapter2cont
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beforeGodforwhatIteachyou,youwillbeheldaccountablebeforeGodifyou
aretoodisinterestedorlazytoreadthosesamewordstobecertainI’mnot
leadingyouastray.Bottomline:thepeopleofIsrael(thechildren)
mightwishtheycoulddefecttheblamefortheiridolatrytowardstheirleaders
(Gomer,theirmother)andthereforenotsuffertheconsequences,butGodsays
thatissimplynotgoingtobethecase.
Sonowthatthechildrenandtheirmother(thepeopleandtheleadershipof
Israel)arebeingmoreorlesslumpedtogetherintheirguilt,Godsaysthatshe
ranafterherlovers.HerloversaretheBaalsandthepagansofothernations
withwhomIsraelmadepeacetreaties.Thesetreatiesnearlytoafaultinvolved
economicbenefitstobothsides.Thetreatiesweremadetoincreaseprosperity.
Thisisexpressedbysayingthatthewoman’sloverswouldprovideherwith“food,
water,wool,flax,oliveoilandwine”.Thatis,thefullspectrumofwhatahusband
wastoprovideforhiswife.ConvertingthisthoughttoGodandtoIsrael,itmeans
thatIsraelwenttothefalsegodsofthepaganworshipsystemsofothernations
hopingtoreceivefruitfulnessinreturn.Andwhenfruitfulnesshappened,they
praisedthoseothergods,andpresentedtheirFirstfruitsofferingstothem,
insteadofhonoringtheGodoftheirForefathersAbraham,Isaac,andJacob.In
culturaltermsofthatancientera,thisisaratherfulldefinitionoftheterm
idolatry.
IsuspectIcouldspendtheremainderofourtimetogethertodayoverlayingthis
ontothelandscapeofourmodernWesterncultures;I’lltrytokeepitbrief.The
principleisbasic:wearetoseekoutYehovehforourwell-beinginvirtuallyevery
areaofourexistence.WeshouldnotseekoutthoseopposedtoGod,oroffering
othergods,tobolsterthishoped-forwell-being.Therearetoday,astherehave
beenthroughouthistory,nationsandsubstantialpeoplegroupsthatmightbest
becalledpariahs.Ofteninordertoobtainsometypeofincreasetoourwealth,or
perhapstogiveussomenecessaryrawmaterialordevicesthatwethinkwe
need,we’llmakea“pactwiththeDevil”(sotospeak).Thisnearlyalways
involvesadilutionofourprinciplesandwillinevitablyleadtosomeamountof
adoptionof,ortoleranceto,theprinciplesandpracticeswithwhomeveritisthat
wemakeatreaty.Weareseeingthisplayouttodaybeforeoureyes,andnoone
issurehowtoextractourselvesfromitbecausewehavebecomedependenton
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thesepariahsformanythingsthatwedesire,orbecausetheseothernations
provideuswithaprofitablemarkettosellthingsto.
DoesthismeanthatnoamountofinteractingortradecanoccurbetweenaGod
worshipperandsomeonewhoisnot?Notnecessarily.Theissueisthedepthof
involvementandcommitment;whataGodworshipperhastoacquiescetoorto
giveupinorderforittohappen.TherewasnothingwrongwiththeIsraelites
buyingspicesanduniquegoodsfromtravelingmerchantcaravansthatcame
fromfarawayplaces;nocultural,religiousorgovernmentaltieswere
established.NorwasthereanyneedforIsraeltohavebeenhostiletowards
thosemerchantsortotheirpaganneighbors.Butthat’snotwhatIsraeldid;they
connectedthemselvesthroughtreatiesandintimeintentionallyformedadeeper
levelofrelationshipwithneighboringnations.Theyco-mingledsocieties.They
encouragedtheirsonsanddaughterstomarryintofamiliesofthosepagan
neighbors(andviceversa),andtheIsraeliteswouldattendtheirpagan
festivitiesinordertobegoodneighborsandpromotepeace(andprobablysome
ofthosepaganswouldattendsomeofIsrael’sfestivals).Farbeforethesepast
fewyearsinmoderntimesthatthecryhasarisentoafeverpitchfortolerance
anddiversityatallcostsintheWesternworld,Israelthoughtthattoleranceand
diversitywastheirpathwaytoeconomicsuccessandsecurity.
Becauseallancientsocietieshadtheirowngodsystems,thenthosegodsystems
playedalargeroleintheeverydaylivesofthosecitizens.Ifonewasgoingto
havegoodrelationsbetweennations,arespectforoneanother’sgodswasa
requirement.Fromahumanstandpointthatmightsoundpragmatic,even
intelligent,kindandwise.ButfromGod’sstandpointitisfoolish,itisanaffront
toHimandboundtoleadtosinandworse.Today,withtheresurgenceofIslam
intheworldontheonehand,andatheistichumanismontheother,therehas
beenarushamongthenationsandevenwithintheChristiancommunitytofind
awaynotonlytopeaceablycoexistbutalsotoexploitthisvastmarketofpeople
foreconomicandotherreasons.IhavepersonalknowledgeoflargeChristian
missionaryorganizationsthat,inordertofulfillthatagendaofpeaceful
coexistence,openlycontendthatIslamisgood,andthattheirholybook(the
Quran)shouldnotbeseenaslesscorrectorholythanourholybook,theBible.
TheydeclarethatweareallmerelyworshippingthesameGod.Alternatively,our
recentnationalleadershavetoldusthatfaithinanythingisagoodandvalidfaith,
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butfaithinscienceisthebestfaith.Ladiesandgentlemen,thisispreciselywhat
we’rereadingaboutthatwashappeningwithinIsraelinHosea’sday,andIsrael
wasabouttoloseGod’sblessingandtheirnationinconsequence.Unfortunately,
theydidn’tbelievethat.ForsomereasonawidelyacceptedChristianmantra
existsthatJesuschangedallofGod’srulessothatwecandotheverythingsthat
Israelcouldnot.ThisgoesbacktowhatIopenedwith,today.Thereisatruth
thatsomanyBelieversdon’tseemtowanttohear.Why?
Manyyearsago,Iwashavingatalkwithmyfather(aboutasubjectIdon’t
honestlyrememberwhatitwasabout).Whateveritwas,Imusthavebeen
prettyseriouslyoff-beambecausemyfatherdidsomethingherarelyeverdid:
hetoldmeIwaswrongandwhy.ItoldhimIdidn’tbelievehim.Helookedatme,
studiedmeforamomentandsaid:“Oh,Ithinkyoubelieveit.Youjustdon’tlike
whatitmeans.”EventhoughI’mquitesureIstilldidwhatIthoughtbest(no
doubtwithpoorresults),nonethelesshiswordshaveneverleftme.Ibelieved
whatIwantedtobelieve,becauseIwantedwhatIwanted.
Verse8saysthatbecauseofhowunfaithfulGomer(Israel)hasbecome,
Yehovehisgoingtoerectbarrierstoblockherway.Thatis,sincethedelinquent
wife(Israel)hasn’tgotthesensetorestrainherself(behavingmorelikeadumb
animalthathasatendencytowanderoff),Godisgoingtotrytofenceherin.Or
better,GodisgoingtocreateakindofbarrierthatwillresultinIsrael’sraceafter
herloversnotproducingwhatshehadhopedfor.Rather,Godwouldseetoitthat
thepreviousadvantagesthatIsraelhadbeenreceivingfortheseillicit
relationshipswouldbegintodisappear.How?HistoryshowsthatAssyriawould
keepgobblingupthemanynationsaroundIsraelwithwhomIsraelhadmade
treaties,thuschanginghowIsraelandthosenationscouldrelateanddobusiness.
Israel’sfoolishdependence…perhapsaddictionisabetterterm…onthosepagan
nations,andnowAssyriacuttingthemofffromit,ledtoarapiddeclineinIsrael’s
prosperity;buteventhatwasn’ttheendofit.SoonitwouldmeanthatAssyria
wouldlaytheirsightsonIsrael’sterritoryandexpelthemfromtheirownland.
Thesinsoftheadulterouswife,Israel,wouldfinallyfindtheirdevastating
consequences.
Verse9explainsthatIsrael,despitethewarningfromHosea,willnonetheless
continuethepursuitofherlovers…thosesamepaganrelationshipsthatupto
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nowhaveprofitedher.Shewillbedeterminedtodosotoherowndestruction.
TheideaisthatonlythenwillIsraeldiscoverthatheronlyhopeisinYehovehand
NOTinsomenon-existentBaals.Butit’stoolate.Disasterisgoingtoovercome
IsraelasthewheelsofherdestructionhavebeensetinmotionbyAssyriaand
theyaren’tabouttorelentbecausetheyarewinning.Inpanic,Israelwillsay“'I
willgoandreturntomyfirsthusband;becausethingswerebetterformethen
thantheyarenow.'Thisisn’tastatementthattherewouldbeadivorceand
thenremarriage.Thereturnisanexpressionofregretmorethanofrepentance.
Itisahypotheticalstatementthatcaptureswhattheadulterouswoman’s
attitudewillprobablybe,becausehercharacterissopoor.Itisself-serving.
Whateverbenefitsherthemostshe’lldo.IfservingtheBaal’s(herlovers)gets
herthemostshe’llchoosethat.IfservingYehoveh(herhusband)getsherthe
mostshe’llchoosethat.Rightandtruthhavenothingtodowithit.Thisisa
thoroughlyruinedwoman…ruinedasaresultofheradultery...herflirtationswith
othergods.
Whyisshebehavingassheis?Whydoesshethinkshecanjuststepinandstep
outofGod’sfavoraccordingtoherwillandwhim?Verse10tellsus.
CJB
Hosea2:10Forshedoesn'tknowitwasIwhogaveherthegrain,thewine
andtheoil;Iwhoincreasedhersilverandgold,whichtheyusedforBa'al.
Letthosewordssinkinforasecond.Israeldoeswhatshe’sdoingbecauseofa
lackofknowledge.Alackofknowingthatitwasherhusband(Yehoveh)whohad
beenprovidingherwiththesegoodthingsallalong.Instead,shetookwhat
YehovehprovidedandpresentedthankstoBaalforthem.Acoupleofchapters
fromnow,thissamethoughtofalackofknowledgewillberepeatedand
expanded.
CJB
Hosea4:6Mypeoplearedestroyedforwantofknowledge.Becauseyou
rejectedknowledge,Iwillalsorejectyouascohenforme.Becauseyouforgot
theTorahofyourGod,Iwillalsoforgetyourchildren.
Themorefamiliarquotewegetisthatitis“becauseyouforgotthelawofyour
God”.Whatlaw?Theonlylaw.TheHebrewisveryspecific:thelawoftheTorah.
Israelhassubstitutedcustoms,traditions,anddoctrinesforthetruth.Shehas
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setasidetheTorahinfavorofmanmaderulesandregulations…andeconomic
treaties.Manmadereligiousrulesandregulationsarefoolishness.TheTorahis
knowledge;andIsraelnolongerhasthisknowledgesoshecontinuestomake
thepoordecisionsshehasbeenmakingforthepastcentury.
I’llconfrontyouallwithapersonalquestion.HaveyouforgottenGod’sTorah?
Theterm“forgotten”inbiblicaltermscanmeanyouknewitatonetimebutithas
leftyourmemory;oritcanmeanthatyouneveractuallyknewitinthefirstplace
becauseyouplacedlittlevalueinit.DoyouthinkthiswarninginHoseaisonlyfor
theancientpeopleofIsrael?TheChurch,formanycenturies,hassaidthatitis.
Infact,muchoftheChurchsaysitissintolearntheTorahanddoingsocould
evendriveyouawayfromChrist.WhatdoesJesus,theonewhosupposedlysaid
thatweshouldforgettheTorah,actuallyhavetosayaboutit?Ourgoodfortune
isthatitisrecordedsowedon’thavetoguess.
CJB
Matthew5:17-19
17
"Don'tthinkthatIhavecometoabolishtheTorahorthe
Prophets.Ihavecomenottoabolishbuttocomplete.
18
Yesindeed!Itellyou
thatuntilheavenandearthpassaway,notsomuchasayudorastrokewillpass
fromtheTorah-notuntileverythingthatmusthappenhashappened.
19
So
whoeverdisobeystheleastofthesemitzvotandteachesotherstodosowillbe
calledtheleastintheKingdomofHeaven.Butwhoeverobeysthemandso
teacheswillbecalledgreatintheKingdomofHeaven.
TonotknowGod’sTorahistorejectknowledge.TorejectTorahknowledgeisto
rejecttruth.Andwhenthathappenstheresultiscatastrophic,eventhoughthe
catastrophemightbealongtimecoming.Verse11speaksofthearrivalofthat
catastropheforIsrael.
CJB
Hosea2:11
11
SoIwilltakebackmygrainatharvest-timeandmywineinits
season;Iwillsnatchawaymywoolandflax,giventocoverhernakedbody.
Judgment.GodhadbeenprovidingforIsrael(Hoseahadbeenprovidingfor
Gomer),butIsraelcreditedherloversforit.IwillreiteratesomethingIsaidafew
minutesago.Becauseeverynation’sgodsystemwaspartandparceloftheir
everydaylife,thenforIsraeltocreditneighboringnationsfortheirprosperity
automaticallymeanttocreditthoseneighbors’godsforit.Allpartieswouldhave
Lesson05-HoseaChapter2cont
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seenitthatway.ThedayhascomethattheprovisionfromGodends.Hewillstop
givingIsraelgoodgrainandgrapeharvests.Thesheepthatprovidewoolwillno
longerthrive;flaxforlinenwon’tgrow.Gomer,withhernakedness,willbe
exposedforhershamewithnothingtocoverherup.Inotherwords,Israel’s
confidenceintheirabundancecomestoahalt.Thehouseofcardsfinallyfalls.All
theirbravadoastowhytheyhavesuchabundanceismuted.Peopleofthe
modernWesternworldI’llsaythisbluntly:whateverabundancewehave
enjoyed(anditisenormous)isbecauseGodhasprovidedit.However.thenew
godsofscienceandhumanintellectarewhatisbeinggiventhecredit.Don’tfor
amomentthinkthisisn’tidolatryorthinkthatthisisn’thowGodjudgesit.
Scienceandhumanintellectarewonderfulthings;butthese,too,areGod’s
provisionandHeistobepraisedandglorifiedforthem.Thetrulyterrifyingissue
isthis:longbeforeonearthweseethefruitsofouridolatryandsincomeupon
onus,itisdecidedandputintomotioninHeaven;so,itisunstoppable.Andonce
acrisislevelonearthhasbeenreached,andallofman’sattemptstofixit
ourselveshaveprovedweakandineffective,andthenwefinallyturntoGodand
admitoursin,itistoolate.ThischapterinHoseaisexplainingthistousin
unflinchingterms.Dowehavetheearstohear?
Verse12sortofexpoundsonverse11bylinkingthe“nakedbody”remarkwith
“uncoveringshame”(thetwoareessentiallysynonymous).Gomer’sloverswill
bewitnessestoherfallintoshameanddeprivation,andcertainlynolongerbe
herlovers.Thatis,thosewithwhomIsraelhadsuchtightrelationsinthegood
times,Israelcreditingthemforthegoodtimes,willfleeinthebadtimeseven
mockingIsraelforhertroubles.
YehovehisshowingIsraelandtheirregionjustwhoisincharge.It’saveryhard
lessonthatifIsraelonlyhadtheknowledgeoftheTorahtheyneverwouldhave
tobesuffering.Herformerloversgawkathernewandterriblecondition,while
Yehovehstandsatadistanceandletsithappen.HehaswithdrawnHiscovenant
obligationtofeedher,clotheher,andprotectherbecauseshehasbeen
unfaithfultothecovenantagreementwhileHehasbeencompletelyfaithful.
Thisnextversewarrantssomeextrascrutiny.
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CJB
Hosea2:13
13
Iwillendherhappiness,herfestivals,Rosh-Hodesh,and
shabbats,andallherdesignatedtimes.
HereitisintheKingJamesVersion.
KJV
Hosea2:11Iwillalsocauseallhermirthtocease,herfeastdays,hernew
moons,andhersabbaths,andallhersolemnfeasts.
I’llbeginbytellingyouthewaythisismostwidelyinterpretedtomean.Sincethe
conclusionisthatGodisdivorcingIsrael,thenthismeansGodisabolishingHis
covenantwithIsrael(theCovenantofMoses).Therefore,quitenaturally,the
feastdays,newmoons,sabbathsandotherfestiveoccasionsthatarecontained
ascommandsintheCovenantofMosesmustalsobeabolished.Becausethe
beginningassumptionisbiblicallyincorrect,thenthefinalassumption
concerningfeastsandsabbathsisalsoincorrect.
Whatthisverseisspeakingaboutisthis:Israelwillnolongerbeintheirownland
andabletocelebratetheseseveralappointedtimesaslistedintheTorah.The
realityforIsraelatthistimewasthatmostIsraeliteshadceasedtravelingfrom
theNorthernKingdomtoJerusaleminJudah,inordertogototheTempleand
worshipandsacrificethereaspertheTorahcommandments.Rather,King
Jeroboamhadinstitutedotherplacesofworship(oneinDan,andanotherin
Bethel)forHiscitizenstogotosacrificeandworship.So,formostofthepeople
ofthe10tribes,theyhadlongagostoppedobservingtheTorahrelated
commandsregardingthesespecialholydaysinthewaysandtheplacewhere
theyweresupposedtoobserved.Instead,somemanmadeimitationsofthese
occasionsweresubstitutedforwhattheTorahprescribed.However,sinceitwill
dawnonIsraelwhattheyhavedonewrongandwhythisterribleevilhasbefallen
them,duetotheirexileandoppressionbypagannationstheynowwon’tbeable
torepentandgototheTemple,observingtheseholydaysastheyshouldhave
beenallalong.Theywon’tbeabletocelebratethebiblicalfeastsandnewmoons
thatinvolvesacrifices.Allofthesehappyandholyoccasionswillberemoved
fromtheirabilitytocelebratethem;it’snotthatthey’vebeenabolished.Infact,
Judahwillcontinuetocelebratethesesameappointedtimesforanother130
yearsorsoafterAssyriaexilestheIsraelitesintheNorth.Tobeclear:nothing
wasabolished.It’sonlythatIsraelwouldbebarredfrombeingabletoparticipate
Lesson05-HoseaChapter2cont
13/13
mostlyduetothevastdistancesthattheplacestheywouldbesentto,which
werefarfromJerusalem.
Inverse14GodturnstothelandandsaysthatHewillcausethetreesandfields
tostopproducing,becauseIsraelhasgivencredittotheBaalsfortheformer
abundance.Instead,thefieldsandorchardsandvineyardswillgofallow,become
overgrown,andonlywildanimalswilleatofwhatgrowstherenow.Verse15
continuesthethemeofpunishmentfortheiridolatrybysayingthatIsraeloffered
incense(offeredritualworship)totheBaalsonthefeastdaysoftheBaalgod
systems,withIsraelfullyjoininginwiththeirpaganneighborsbybedecking
themselvesinthejewelryandrevelryoftheseoccasions….andtheydidthis
becauseinsteadofpursuingGod,theypursuedtheirlovers…thepagansand
theirBaals.
Ifthiswastheendofthestory,itwouldbefullyajustendforIsrael.Yetourjust
GodisalsoamercifulGodandsowhatweseenext,beginninginverse16,isGod
revealingHischaracterofloving-kindness(chesedinHebrew)toHiswayward
people.That’swherewewillpickupnexttime.