Lesson08-HoseaChapters4&5
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THEBOOKOFHOSEA
Lesson08,Chapters4and5
Recentlyacouplespoketomeabouttheirfaithjourneyandhowithadledthem
toTorahClass.TheyhadbeenMormons.Theydidn’tfindanygreatfaultwith
theirMormonismortheirMormoncommunity,butratheronlythatwhenitcame
tothesermonsandBibleteaching,ittroubledthemthatwhatwasbeingtaught
didn’tseemtomatchwhattheirBiblessaid.So,theyexploredacoupleofother
well-knownmainstreamChristiandenominations,onlytofindthesametroubling
issue.Theysimplywantedtoknowthetruth;theywantedtoknowthe
unvarnishedGod’struthinordertolivealifeoftruththatwaspleasingtoGod.
TherecanbeavastgulfbetweenacommunityofGodworshipperslivinglivesof
kindnessandnicetyandtolerancethanthoselivinglivesofobediencetoGod.
ThisiswhatHoseachapter4highlights,andespeciallythewordsofverse6:
CJB
Hosea4:6Mypeoplearedestroyedforwantofknowledge.Becauseyou
rejectedknowledge,Iwillalsorejectyouascohenforme.Becauseyouforgot
theTorahofyourGod,Iwillalsoforgetyourchildren.
HerethesourceofknowledgeofGodisdirectlypinnedtoknowledgeoftheTorah.
EveryindicationisthatthepeopleoftheNorthernKingdomofEphraim/Israel
weredecentenoughtooneanother;evennicepeople.Weknowthattheywere
quitetolerantastheygotalongfamouslywiththeirpaganneighborsand
seeminglyoneanother.Theseparticularvirtuescontinuetobevaluedbymodern
societies,andespeciallywithintheChurch.YetaswearelearninginHosea,
kindness,nicetyandtolerancemustbedefinedbyGod’sTorahandnotbythe
societiesofmen.LetmepauseheretomakeclearthatinnowayamIsuggesting
thatthebooksoftheNewTestamentfalloutsideofthisknowledge.Ontheother
hand,theNewTestamentdidn’tchangethedynamicsandprinciplesandlawsset
downintheTorahasitisusuallysaidtohave;itaffirmedthem.
CJB
Romans3:29-31
29
OrisGodtheGodoftheJewsonly?Isn'thealsotheGod
oftheGentiles?Yes,heisindeedtheGodoftheGentiles;
30
because,asyouwill
admit,Godisone.Therefore,hewillconsiderrighteousthecircumcisedonthe
groundoftrustingandtheuncircumcisedthroughthatsametrusting.
31
Doesit

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followthatweabolishTorahbythistrusting?Heavenforbid!Onthecontrary,we
confirmTorah.
GodisabouttodestroythepeopleofIsrael(meaningdestroyingtheirKingdom
andsendingthem,scattered,intothenations)NOTbecausetheyweren’tnice
peoplebut,rather,becausewhattheythoughttobetruthcamefromsomething
elsethanGod’sTorah;which,bydefinition,meanswhattheybelievedtobetruth
wasn’ttruth.Assomanyofusknow,inmoderntimestofollowGodintruthand
obedience,andtotakecouncilonthewholeWordofGod,feelslikeweare
swimmingagainstastrongcurrent.Theharderpartofthatstruggleisthatwhile
wecanunderstandthatrealityasitconcernssecularhumanistsociety,attimes
itfeelsasifwe’reswimmingagainstthatsamecurrentwithininstitutionaland
normativeChristianity.Itwouldbesomucheasierifwecouldjustbeneutral,
wouldn’tit?Ifwecouldfindahappycomfortableplaceinthemiddleasakindof
religiousSwitzerland.AndyetGodgivesusnosuchoption.There’struth,and
there’snottruth.Ephraim/Israelwasn’tintentionallyabandoningYehoveh;they
justwantedtoexistinthatmiddleground.So,Jeroboam’spriestsfashioneda
newreligionthatbroughtpartoftheirHebrewfaithalongwiththem,added
elementsofpaganworshipvaluedbytheirneighborsandfriends,andsubtracted
anythingthatwascontroversialandmightupsetthepeace.Theywantedtoget
alongamongthemselvesandwiththeirgentileneighbors.Yehoveh,through
Hosea,respondswithanemphatic“no!”tothat,andHeisabouttometeout
devastatingconsequencesforsuchamisguidedattempt.
SirHectorHetherington,whowasfor25yearsthePresidentoftheUniversityof
GlasgowinScotland,spoketheseintriguingwordsasregardsahardlesson
aboutourearnestsearchforspiritualtruth:
“Thereareissuesonwhichitisimpossibletobeneutral.Theseissuesstrikeright
downtotherootsofman’sexistence.Andwhileitisrightthatweshould
examinealltheevidence,andmakesurethatwehavealltheevidence,itis
equallyrightthatweourselvesshouldbeaccessibletotheevidence.Wecannot
liveafulllifewithoutknowingexactlywherewestandregardingthese
fundamentalissuesoflifeanddestiny”.

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TheconceptofneutralityexistsnowhereintheBible;neutralityisnotpartof
God’scharacterbiblically,andthereforeisnottobepartofours.ToGod
knowledgeonlymeansknowledgeofHistruth.Wisdomonlymeanswisdomfrom
Heaven.Andthiskindoftruthisnotfoundinournicethoughts,orourmany
humanlawcodes,oncollegecampuses,norinincreasedintellectualism.Thereis
onesourcealoneforit:theBible.Andmorespecifically,accordingtotheHoly
Scriptures,theTorah.ItisquitetellingthatinthefinalbookoftheBible,
Revelation,wefindateachingaboutthesubjectofneutralityandwherespiritual
knowledgeissupposedtocomefrom…buttoooftendoesn’t.
CJB
Revelation3:14-19
14
"TotheangeloftheMessianicCommunityinLaodicea,
write:'HereisthemessagefromtheAmen,thefaithfulandtruewitness,the
RulerofGod'screation:
15
"Iknowwhatyouaredoing:youareneithercoldnor
hot.HowIwishyouwereeitheroneortheother!
16
So,becauseyouare
lukewarm,neithercoldnorhot,Iwillvomityououtofmymouth!
17
Foryoukeep
saying,'Iamrich,Ihavegottenrich,Idon'tneedathing!'Youdon'tknowthat
youaretheonewhoiswretched,pitiable,poor,blindandnaked!
18
Myadviceto
youistobuyfrommegoldrefinedbyfire,sothatyoumayberich;andwhite
clothing,sothatyoumaybedressedandnothavetobeashamedofyour
nakedness;andeyesalvetorubonyoureyes,sothatyoumaysee.
19
Asforme,
IrebukeanddisciplineeveryoneIlove;soexertyourselves,andturnfromyour
sins!
ThesewordscouldhavebeenspokentoEphraim/Israelbecausethey
encapsulateexactlywhatGodistellingthem.Israelislukewarm:theyhave
createddoctrinesinordertobeneutral.Theyhavereshapedtheirformerly
orthodoxHebrewfaithinordertobettergetalongintheworldasitexistedand
astheywantedittobe.IsraelhasretainedYehoveh,butaddedelementsoftheir
neighbors’religiousbeliefsinordertodemonstratetheirtoleranceandneutrality.
IsraelatthispointintheBookofHoseawasstillveryprosperous(“Iamrich,I
havegottenrich,Idon’tneedathing”).ButtoGodtheywere,spiritually
speaking,derelict(“Youdon’tknowthatyouaretheonewhoiswretched,
pitiable,poor,blindandnaked”).GodinHoseasaysthatIsraelisdestroyedfor
lackingtheknowledgeofTorah(“Myadvicetoyouistobuyfrommegoldrefined
byfiresothatyoumayberich,andwhiteclothingsothatyoumaybedressed

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andnothavetobeashamedofyournakedness”).Andforthislackofknowledge
thepriests,whoaresupposedtobeteachersoftruth,areblamed.
Let’sre-readaportionofHoseachapter4.
RE-READHOSEACHAPTER4:7–end
The“they”whoincreasedinnumberwerethepriestsofthehybridizedreligionof
Ephraim/Israel.Itseemsthatthemoreprieststhatbecameattachedtothis
priesthood,theevengreatertheysinned.Howisthat?It’sbecauseasagroup
expandsandadoptsthesametroubledmindset,theyfindinitavalidationfor
theirthoughtsandbehavior.However,becausethisgroup-thinkamountedto
idolatryandrebellionagainstYehoveh,theyhaveexchangedtheirGloryfor
shame.Herewefindanotherterm“Glory”thatissooftenmisunderstood.Justas
WisdomisseenbiblicallyasalivingpersonofGod,andaswehavelearnedsois
TheWord,TheGloryisyetanothermanifestationofGod.Thatis,theirGloryisa
livingentity;itisapropername.TheProphetJeremiahalsoexposesthisname
asaspecificmanifestationofGod.
CJB
Jeremiah2:10-12
10
CrosstothecoastsoftheKitti'imandlook;sendto
Kedarandobserveclosely;seeifanythinglikethishashappenedbefore:
11
has
anationeverexchangeditsgods(andtheirsarenotgodsatall!)?Yetmypeople
haveexchangedtheirGloryforsomethingwithoutvalue.
12
Beaghastatthis,you
heavens!Shudderinabsolutehorror!"saysADONAI.
So,whileinHoseaknowledgethatTheGloryisanameforamanifestationofGod
isassumed,inJeremiahitisexplained.TheGloryistheGodthattheHebrews
exchangedforsomethingwithoutvalue,anditisanabsolutehorror!Thus,tobe
clear:GodisdirectlysayinginHosea4:7thatIsraelhasexchangedtheirGod,
herecalledTheGlory,forgodsofshame…thegodsoftheBaalsystem.
Inverse8,thepriestsareaccusedoffeedingonthesinsofthelaymenofIsrael.
IlovewhatDouglasStewartinhiscommentaryonHoseasays:

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“Insteadofteachingthepeoplethenatureofrighteousnessandmotivatingthem
toseekit,thepriestsareprosperingviatheOTequivalentofselling
indulgences”.
Foryouwhomightnotknow,anindulgenceisauniquedoctrineandpracticeof
theCatholicChurch.Itstemsfromthebeliefthatrepentanceforasinis,alone,
notsufficient.Rather,theremustbeapenaltysufferedaswell.Oftenthiswould
involveakindoffinetobepaid.Uponpaymentfortheindulgence,priestswould
grantremissionofthatsin.Thus,initsfullestsense,indulgencesareboughtand
sold.Apersoncanpayamonetaryamountandbuytheirwayoutoftheguiltof
havingcommittedasin.Naturally,thisisquiteaprofitcenterfortheChurch.
WhilethiswasnotpreciselywhatwasgoinginwiththepriesthoodofIsrael,it’s
agoodanalogy.Themorethepeoplesinned,allthemoresinofferingshadtobe
broughttothealtar.Thegreatestpartofasinofferingwasnotburntup,but
rathergiventothepriests.Further,atthistimebecauseIsraelhadseveralholy
siteswithaltarsandprieststoaccompanythem,thenonecanonlyimaginehow
manysinofferingswerebroughtbythecommonpeopleeveryday,andhow
muchthepriestsprofitedfromit.So,thepriests’motivationwasnottoteachthe
peoplecorrectly,butrathertovirtuallyleadthepeopleintosinsothatthepriests
couldbenefitfromit,doingitallunderthecoverofreligion.
Theconclusionandconsequenceforthissituationisfoundinthenextverse.The
NASexpressesitmostliterallyand,Ithink,mostclearly.
NAS
Hosea4:9Anditwillbe,likepeople,likepriest;SoIwillpunishthemfor
theirways,Andrepaythemfortheirdeeds.
ThethoughtisthatjustasGodisgoingtopunishthepeopleofIsrael,their
priestswillnotescape.They,too,willsufferrightalongwiththepeople.I’dlike
togiveyouananalogythatismeantonlytohelpthisverseimpactusasit
should.
IntheusualChristianunderstandingoftheRaptureevent,Believerswillbetaken
awaytoHeavenwhilenon-Believerswillbeleftbehind.Itisgenerallypictured
thatmanyChurchgoerswhoareconvincedinthemselvesthattheyareindeed
Believersandsavedwillbeleftbehindbecausetheyarenottrulyfaithfulorthey

Lesson08-HoseaChapters4&5
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havebeensomekindofpretenders.However,itisunimaginablethatthoseleft
behindcouldeverbethemenstandingbehindthepulpits.So,whilemany
laymenintheChurchmightnotbeterriblysurprisedatnotbeingRaptured,it
wouldbeunthinkabletothemenwhowenttoSeminaryandwholeadmanyin
prayer,andhavededicatedtheirlivestoleadingcongregations.Theidea
underlyingverse9isthatthepriestsinEphraim/Israelarecertainthattheymust
beexemptfromGod’spunishmentsimplybecausetheyarepriests.Godsays:
notsofast.Peopleandpriestwillbetreatedthesame.
Verse10refersbacktoverse8.The“eatbutitwillnotbeenough”referstothe
portionsofthesinofferingstheyreceive.Thisisbothliteralandametaphor.Not
beingenoughmeansdespitealltheyget,it’sneverenough;theyalwayswant
more.It’sprettyhumanthatthemoreweget,themorewewant;satisfaction
andcontentmentwithourparticularlevelofabundanceisonlysometimes
fulfilling,especiallyifouraimistoconstantlyincreaseourabundance.Simply
put:thepriestsaregreedyandunethical.Theremainderoftheversespeaksof
thepriestsconsortingwithprostitutesandhavingnochildren.Thisisbecause
theypaidnoattentiontoGod.
TheconsequenceslistedherefromthepriestsnotpayingattentiontoGod(here
meaningtoGod’sTorah)arehungerandchildlessness.Thecursesareactually
curseslistedintheTorahfortheseparticularoffenses.Atthesametime,these
resultsarebothliteralandsymbolic.Theircomingexilewillindeedcausethem
hunger(lackoffood).Prostitutionmeansthepriestsindeedconsortedwith
whores.Andchildlessnessmeantthatbecausetheylefttheirseedinwhores
insteadoftheirwives,theyhadnolegitimateoffspringtocarryontheirfamily
line.Ontheotherhand,symbolicallyspeaking,theirhungerwillbespiritualin
natureastheywillhavelosttheirconnectiontoGodandbeempty.And,Yehoveh
seesthemhavingintimacywithprostitutesasametaphorfortheidolatrythey
arecommittingagainstHim.Havingnochildrenmeans,symbolically,their
careersaspriestswillhavebeenanutterfailure.
Verse11shiftstheattentionawayfromthepriestsandinsteadtowardsthe
populationingeneral.

Lesson08-HoseaChapters4&5
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CJB
Hosea4:11Whoringandwine,botholdandnew,takeawaymypeople's
wits.
SomethingI’dlikeyoutonoticeisthis:theversespeaksofbotholdwineand
newwine,andtheybothtakeawaypeople’swits.OftenintheChurchitissaid
thatwine,yayininHebrew,isn’talcoholic;itisbutgrapejuice.Or,sometimesit
issaidthatoldwinemighthavealcoholinitbutnewwineisgrapesthathaven’t
gonethroughthefermentationprocessyet,andthusisjustgrapejuice.Noneof
thisisaccurate.Newwinemeansitcomesfromarecentharvestandindeedhas
fermentedbuthasarelativelylowalcoholcontentsuitableforreligiousritual,
comparedtoolderwinethathasonlygottenstrongerwithtime.I’llparaphrase
thisversetogiveyouthesenseofit.Thepeoplehavebecomesoeagertodrink
andgetdrunkthatithasdriventhemtothebrinkofmadness.Pleasurehas
becomeeverythingatanycost,andtheyderivetheirpleasurefromexcessive
drinkingandthenmakingthetypicalbaddecisionsthatcomefromthat
inebriatedandthereforeuninhibitedstateofmind.Forthemen,indulgingtheir
sexuallustswithprostituteshasgonehandinhandwiththatdrunkenness.It’s
importantthatweunderstandthatmostmenweremarried;itwasjustthe
culture.So,wearetounderstandthattheyhavewhorestheyvisiteventhough
theyhavewivesathome.Isaythisnowbecausesomeversescominguprequire
thatweknowthat.Verse12thendrawsaparallelbetweenthesedrunkensexual
lustsandhowthisaffectstheirspiritualrelationshipwithYehoveh.
CJB
Hosea4:12Mypeopleconsulttheirpieceofwood,theirdiviner'swand
speakstothem;forthespiritofwhoringmakesthemerr,theygooffwhoring,
desertingtheirGod.
Thissamemindsetthatallowsthemtocommitthesedebaucheriesandto
behaveinsuchanimmoralwayisentirelyconnectedtotheirworshippractices.
The“pieceofwood”theyconsultisn’tanidol;itisfurtherdefinedasthediviner’s
wand.Itisprobablyreferringtoastickthatwasstoodupinthecenterofacircle.
Thecirclewouldhavedifferentwordswrittenindifferentsectorsofthecircle.A
diviner(apriest)wouldletgoofthestick,anditwouldfallintooneofthesectors
suchthatwhereveritdidlandwasconsideredasthedivineanswerfromGodfor
theirinquiry.Yehoveh,here,mocksthisentirereligiousritualasnonsense.What
causesHispeopletodothisabsurdthing?Theirspiritofwhoring(metaphorically

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meaningidolatry);theresultistodesertYehoveh.Andyet,theirspiritof
whoring(idolatry)isdirectlyconnectedtoactualwhoringwithprostitutes.
Folks,fromthe30,000-footview,here’swhatwearetounderstand:inGod’s
eyesthereisnowaytoseparateourspirituallifefromourphysicallife,andin
realitywecan’t,either.Adementedspiritualviewpointandadementedphysical
lifeandbehavioraredirectlyconnected.Thisdoesn’tmeanthatbecauseperhaps
weholdacoupleofquestionabledoctrinalviewsaboutGodthatwe’regoingto
becomepleasureseekingpartyanimalsandsexaddicts.Butthereissomelinein
thesandouttherethatonceourspiritualunderstandingstraysfarenoughfrom
actualtruth,itwillhaveaterribleeffectonourearthlylife;andviceversa.Idon’t
thinkanillustrationisevenneeded,becausedruguseandalcoholismandits
awfuleffectsaresovisibleandrampantinWesternsocietiesthatallwehaveto
doispayattentioninsteadofbecomingdulledtoit.Ithinkitisprobablycloseto
non-existentthatyoucouldfindapersonwholivesinaperpetualdrugoralcohol
inducedhaze,whohasanykindofanactualrelationshipwithGodthatGod
accepts.Thisisthesortofthingverse12isspeakingabout.
Verse13continuesthissamethought.
CJB
Hosea4:13Theysacrificeonthemountainpeaksandofferincenseonthe
hillsunderoaks,poplarsandpistachiotrees;becausetheygivegoodshade.
Thereforeyourdaughtersbehavelikewhores,Andyourdaughters-in-law
commitadultery.
Whilethereissomescholarlydisagreementoverexactlywhichspeciesoftrees
arebeinglisted,themeaningisclear.Itwastheusualmodethatwhenapagan
holysitewasselectedforworshipbyBaalreligionsthattheypickedahilltop,
erectedasmallaltar,andplantedatree.Ortheyfoundapre-existingtreeona
hilltopandbuiltanaltarunderit.Thatthetreehasgoodshadeismeantas
sarcasm.Theydiditbecausethesetreesrepresentedfertilityandthusthe
fertilitygoddessAshtoreth(shadewasasidebenefit).Recentfindsthroughout
thehillcountryofIsraelhaveunearthedthesesitesallovertheplace.It’shard
toknowhowmanythereultimatelywere2700yearsago,buthundredsarelikely.
Anyonethatfeltlikemakingtheirownholysitedidso,andoftenitwasoutof

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convenience;it’slikegoingtoaChurchbecauseit’stheoneclosesttoyour
house.
Likelymanyoftheanimalsacrificesthattookplaceatthesemanyaltarswere
dedicatedtoYehoveh,andyetwithovertonesofitalsohavingsomeeffectin
theirworshipofBaalaswell.ForHebrewstheofferingofanysacrificesother
thanatJerusalemisexpresslyforbiddenbytheTorahaswastheeatingofany
portionofthesacrifice(asconcernedthepriests).Asaresult,thedaughtersand
daughters-in-lawofthemenwhohadperformedtheseillicitritualsbehavedlike
prostitutesandcommittedadultery.Onceagain;improperunderstandingofGod
resultsinimproperworshipofGod,whichresultsinfamilydysfunctionand
immoralbehavior.Verse14followswithsomethingtrulyextraordinary.
CJB
Hosea4:14Iwon'tpunishyourdaughterswhentheyactlikewhores,or
yourdaughters-in-lawwhentheycommitadultery;becausethemenare
themselvesgoingoffwithwhoresandsacrificingwithprostitutes.Yes,apeople
withoutunderstandingwillcometoruin."
Thesenseofthisisnotthatthesewomengetapassfortheirimmoralbehavior.
Ratheritisthatthemenareblamedforit.DespitethefactthatbyChrist’sday
adulterywasconsideredbytheJewsasonlyasafemalecrime,anddespitea
beliefbymanyintheChurchthatintheOldTestamentwomenwereheldtoa
differentstandardthanmenwhenitcametomarriageandsex,thatsimplyisn’t
true.Now;didIsraelitesocietyregularlytrytoreframeGod’sTorahtomakeitto
thebenefitofmales?Constantly.There’snodenyingthatIsraelwasalwaysa
maledominantsociety.And,there’snodenyingadominantfamilyrolethat
malesaretoplay,accordingtotheTorah.Yet,womenwerenottobetreatedas
cattle,secondclasscitizens,norwasitthatwomendidn’thaverights.Men
weren’tgivenapassforthesamesinsthatwomenmightcommit,especially
whenitcametomaritalunfaithfulness.Evensoithadbeenanearlycontinuous
customtosetwomeninthebackseatandsimplywinkatthesexualsinsofmales.
So,Godissayingthisinverse14:men,I’mnotabouttocondemnyourwomen
andlooktheotherwayforyou.Youthinkit'sfineforyoutocommitadulteryby
havingsexwithwhores.Butthenturnaroundandwantseverepunishmentfor
yourdaughters(andbyextension,yourwives)forbecomingthewhoresthat
othermenvisit.Thisentiresocietyissooutofcontrolandwickedbecauseyou

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havenounderstandingofrightandwrong.Thisentiresocietyisutterlyruined;
men,women,husbands,wives,sons,daughters…thewholelotofyou.
Iwanttobrieflytouchonsomethingthatthemoretimegoesby,andthemore
Ilearn,I’mlessconvincedabout.Thatsomethingiscultprostitution.Thatis,
thatthevariouspagangodsystemshadwomenthatworkedfortheminwhich
ritualsexwasperformedasaregularworshippractice.It’snotsomuchthatI
don’tthinkithappened;Iamjustmoreandmorecomingtotheconclusionthat
itwasnotasrampantandusualasitisregularlythoughttohavebeen,andwas
actuallyakindofoutlier.So,theincreaseofthatactivityseemstohaveoccurred
mainlyatvariouspaganfestivalsandlikelyhadmoredotowithapopulation
influxofmaleslookingforagoodtime,andsolikecottoncandyvendersatafair,
theprostitutescameoutindrovestotakeadvantageofthecrowds.Thisas
opposedtoanincreaseofprostitutionforpurelyreligiousreasons.
Whatwasjustsaidinverse14,isfollowedbywhatisreallyaparenthetical
statement.
CJB
Hosea4:15Ifyou,Isra'el,prostituteyourself,stillY'hudahhasnoneedto
incursuchguilt.Don'tgotoGilgaloruptoBeit-Aven,anddon'tswear,"As
ADONAIlives.
ThereareanumberofBibleacademicsthatdon’tthinkthisstatementbelongs
here;ratherthatitwasaglossaddedmuchlater.Ifindthatnotcredible.There’s
nogoodreasontodecidethatthisstatementdoesn’tbelongherebecauseitwas
earlierestablishedinHoseathatthesecircumstancesdon’tcurrentlyapplyto
Judah.ThisseemstobeaveiledcallforthoseofIsraelwhodesiretolivea
differentandbetterlifestylethantheirbrothers,togotoJudahwherethey
weren’tcommittingidolatry.Andintheend,notsufferexile.Godsaystothose
IsraelitesthatmightbeheedingHosea’smessagetoturnfromthey’rewaysand
tonotgouptoGilgalortoBeit-Aven(inordertoworship).Further,they
shouldn’tswear;thismeansnottomakeanoathatthoseplacesprobably
inappropriatelyusingYehoveh’snameastheguarantoroftheoath.So,what
waswrongwithworshippingatGilgalandBeit-Aven?

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GilgalwasactuallywheretheWildernessTabernaclewassetupforawhileafter
allthetribesofIsraelcrossedtheJordanRiver(althoughthereweremorethan
oneGilgal).However,intime,theTabernaclewentintodisrepairandalotof
wrongworshippracticesoccurredtheresothatitgainedabadreputation.
Biet-AvenmeansHouseofTrouble.Verylikelywhatthisisactuallyreferringto
istheplacecalledBiet-El,HouseofGod.Inliteraturewhatwemightbeseeingis
calledametonymy.Thatis,itisasarcasticrebukebygivinganameto
somethingthatistheoppositeofitsoriginalmeaning.Theplacewasactually
calledHouseofGodbutithadbecomesodegradedthatamoreappropriate
nameforitwouldbeHouseofTrouble.It’salittlelikehowLasVegasisalso
calledSinCity.LasVegasmerelymeansTheMeadows.Apeacefulplace.But
whatactuallygoesontherecharacterizesitmoreasaplaceofpartyingand
sinning.BethelwasoneofmainplaceswheretheEphraim/Israeliteworship
practicesoccurredandlikelyhadoneofJeroboam’sgoldencalfgodsplaced
there.
Let’sjumpbackuptothe30,000-footleveltogetthegistofwhat’sbeingsaid.
TheProphetAmos,acontemporaryofHosea,speakingofthesameissue,says
thisinhisprophecy.
CJB
Amos5:21-23
21
"Ihate,Iutterlyloatheyourfestivals;Itakenopleasurein
yoursolemnassemblies.
22
Ifyouoffermeburntofferingsandgrainofferings,I
willnotacceptthem;norwillIconsiderthepeaceofferingsofyourstall-fed
cattle.
23
Sparemethenoiseofyoursongs!Idon'twanttohearthestrumming
ofyourlutes!
Godsaysanyoldworship,atanyoldplace,isn’tacceptedjustbecauseyoucall
onMyName.Infact,itisinfuriatingtoMethatyouwouldeventryto.It’sworse
thanifyoudidnothingatall.Asakindofcompanionmessageinthispassageto
JudahGodissayingtothem:don’tdowhatIsraelisdoing.Thingsaregoingtobe
muchhappierforyouifyouabstain.
Let’sre-establishthatthroughoutourHoseastudytheunderlyingcausefor
Israel’spunishmentisbreakingtheircovenantwithGod:TheCovenantofMoses.

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CJB
Hosea4:16
16
ForIsra'elisstubbornasastubborncow;willADONAInow
feedthemlikealambinabigpasture?
Israelgoesfrombeingcharacterizedasacowtothatofalamb.Acowthat
doesn’twanttobeledcanbeveryhardtomove.Nomatterwhichwayyoupush,
theanimalalwaysseemstogoadifferentdirection.Israelhasbecomeso
hardenedthatGodcannolongerbeashepherdtoHispeople.Alambis
vulnerable.Theymustbemorecarefullycaredforandprotectedthanacow.But
howcanGodtreatalamblikealambwhenitactslikeastubborn,immovable
cow?Noticehowsuddenlythisnarrativebeginstousetermsaboutraising
domesticanimals,whenbeforeitwasusingmarriageterms.Andtermsabout
prostitutionanddebauchery.Thisterminologyisselectedbecausethepeople
thatGodistalkingtoarefamiliarwiththem.ItwouldbelikeinmoderntimesGod
mightlikenourbehaviortothatofcars.Ortellusaboutthingsintermsofthe
InternetandSmartphones.Thesethingsarepartofoureverydaylivesandsowe
allhavesomeknowledgeofthemandthereforemakeforgoodillustrations.
Verse17saysthatsinceEphraimissoextensivelyjoinedtoidols,theyshouldbe
leftalone.NoticefirstofalltheuseofthenameEphraimallbyitself.This
indicatesthatthenamesEphraim,Israel,andNorthernKingdomallmeantthe
sameplace.Butitalsosaysthatotherthanthatthepunishmentofexileis
coming,nothingfurthertodissuadethemorcoaxthemawayfromtheir
unacceptableconditionisgoingtohappen.TheirfatebeforeGodisfixedandnot
changeable.Itwouldbeawasteoftimetomakeanyefforttotrytoreformthem.
MightyoubelievethatwiththeadventofJesusthatthisharshnessandseverity
ofaworshipperofGodbeingbarredfromHisforgivenessanddeliverancefor
theirwrongdoingisathingofthepast?
CJB
Matthew7:22-23
22
OnthatDay,manywillsaytome,'Lord,Lord!Didn'twe
prophesyinyourname?Didn'tweexpeldemonsinyourname?Didn'twe
performmanymiraclesinyourname?'
23
ThenIwilltellthemtotheirfaces,'I
neverknewyou!Getawayfromme,youworkersoflawlessness!'
TheNASBibleversiondoesamuchbetterjobwiththisnextverseinHoseathan
doestheCJB.

Lesson08-HoseaChapters4&5
13/13
NAS
Hosea4:18Theirliquorgone,Theyplaytheharlotcontinually;Theirrulers
dearlyloveshame.
“Theirliquorisgone”justmeansthattheyhaveimbibedsomuchthattheycan’t
drinkanymoreandnowturntoanotherevenworseactivity;theyplaytheharlot.
Clearlythisisacaseofmostlysymbolism.Thatis,aftermakingthemselves
drunkandirrational,theytakeontheroleofthecommunityharlot.Thisisinthe
senseofthewifethatissodrunkshedoesn’tknowwhat’sshe’sdoing,soshe
becomesunfaithfultoherhusband.AsIsaidatourintroductiontoHosea,we
don’thaveareallygoodcopyinourdayofHoseathatisfullyintact.This
particularverseisparticularlyproblematicandsowhatthesewordsactuallyare
orarecommunicatingisprettytoughtoobtain.Soratherthanjustadd
speculationtospeculationwe’llmoveontothefinalverseofchapter4:verse19.
CJB
Hosea4:19Thewindwillcarrythemoffinitswingsandtheirsacrificesbring
themnothingbutshame.
Weprobablyhaveaplayonwords,here.Theterm“thewind”isinHebrewruach,
andasyoumightknowitisalsothewordforspirit.Itseemstomethatifitisa
playonwords,thenontheonehandbeingcarriedoffbythewindmeansIsrael’s
exiletowhereverthewindblowsthem.Ontheotherhand,italsoisprobablya
referencetotheprostitutingspiritthatGodsaysnowcharacterizesIsrael.
Therefore,asaresultofthisprostitutingspirit,theirsacrificestoYehoveh
amountstoshamebecauseHedoesn’tacceptthem.Let’smoveontochapter5.
READHOSEACHAPTER5all
Verse1isasummonstojudgement.Threedifferentgroupsaretoldtopresent
themselvesbeforeGod.First,Israel’spriests.Second,thepeoplethemselves.
Andthird,theroyalfamily(theKing,Israel’srulers).Thisisrepresentativeof
everylevelofIsrael’ssociety;nonearegoingtobespared.Theircrimeshave
thusbeenlaidoutinearlierchapters,nowtheverdictisbeingread.Thepriests
arementionedfirstprobablybecauseinGod’seyestheybearthemost
responsibilityforhavingledGod’schosenpeopleawayfromtruth,installing
insteadamanmadepoisonousconcoctionoffalsebeliefsandworshippractices.

Lesson08-HoseaChapters4&5
14/13
GodsaysthatIsrael…allofit…hasentangledMizpahinasnare…ananimaltrap.
TherewereanumberofMizpah’sinIsrael,withtheonelocatedinBenjamin’s
territoryperhapsthemostwell-known.ItseemsunlikelythisistheMizpahbeing
referredtosinceBenjaminwaspartofJudah,andnotIsrael.Sinceit’shardto
seewhereeitherofthese2placesmentioned(MizpahthenTabor)haveany
logicalreasontobesingledout,itmightbethattheyareonlymentionedtobe
sortofrandomrepresentativeofmanyplacesinIsrael.Otherwise,it’sentirely
unclear.Thatsaid,somefairlyrecentreconstructionsofverse2seemtosay:
“…anetstretchedoverTabor,apitdugdeepatShittim.ButIamachastiserfor
youall”.Itappearsthatifthisnewreconstructioniscorrect,theremightbea
thirdplacementionedcalledShittim.ShittimmeansAcaciatree.Thesignificance
ofShittimisthatitisthefinalplaceallofIsraelencampedontheeastsideofthe
JordanbeforebeingledacrossitintoJerichobyJoshua.Further,ithasan
additionalconnectionthatbecomesevidentwhenwegototheTorahtoread
aboutShitttimintheBookofNumbers.
CJB
Numbers25:1Isra'elstayedatSheetim,andtherethepeoplebegan
whoringwiththewomenofMo'av.
ThementionofwhoringatShittimcannotbecoincidentalandseemstomarry
quitewellwiththewhoringthatGodhasbeenaccusingIsraelof.We’llstophere
fortoday.