The
Book of Hosea

Hosea (meaning salvation), son of Beeri, and the first of what
many call the minor prophets. However, there is nothing minor about this book.
Hosea was a prophet to the ten tribes (Northern Kingdom), but he had warnings
for Judah also, as well as promises of future blessings. During Hosea's
lifetime, the kings of the Northern Kingdom, their aristocratic supporters, and
the priests had led the people away from the Law of God, as given in the
Pentateuch. Forsaking the worship of God, they worshiped other gods, especially
Baal, the Canaanite fertility god. Other sins followed, including homicide,
perjury, theft, and sexual sin. Hosea declares that unless they repent of these
sins, God will allow their nation to be destroyed, and the people will be taken
into captivity by Assyria, the greatest nation of the time.
Hosea 1
1The
word of the LORD that came unto
Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the
days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz,
and Hezekiah, kings of Judah,
and in the days of Jeroboam the
son of Joash, king of Israel.
The Lord
gave this message to Hosea
during the years when Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were
kings of Judah, and Jeroboam was
king of Israel.
2The
beginning of the word of the
LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said
to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a
wife of whoredoms and children
of whoredoms: for the land hath
committed great whoredom,
departing from the LORD.
He was instructed
by the Lord to go and marry a
woman of the northern kingdom
among the Israelites, who were a
people remarkable for spiritual
fornication or idolatry. "This
was to illustrate how Israel has
acted like a prostitute by
turning against the LORD and
worshiping other gods." Also to
warn us of the end times when
the judgment of the great whore
takes place that sits upon many
waters (people). With whom kings
of the earth have committed
fornication and have been made
drunk with the wine of her
fornication. (Revelation 17:1-2,
17:5). "Babylon the great, the
mother of harlots."
3So
he went and took Gomer the
daughter of Diblaim; which
conceived, and bare him a son.
So Hosea
married Gomer, and she became
pregnant and gave Hosea a son.
4And
the LORD said unto him, Call his
name Jezreel; for yet a little
while, and I will avenge the
blood of Jezreel upon the house
of Jehu, and will cause to cease
the kingdom of the house of
Israel. The Lord told him to name the
child Jezreel (meaning God will
sow), also the name of two
places in Palestine. The Lord
was about to punish King Jehu's
dynasty to avenge the murders he
committed at Jezereel. (II Kings
10:10-11, 10:29-31).
5And
it shall come to pass at that
day, that I will break the bow
of Israel, in the valley of
Jezreel. I
will break its military power
(Psalm 46:9, Jeremiah 51:56), in
the Jezreel valley.
(Joshua17:16).
6And
she conceived again, and bare a
daughter. And God said unto him,
Call her name Loruhamah: for I
will no more have mercy upon the
house of Israel; but I will
utterly take them away.
Gomer became
pregnant again and had a
daughter. The Lord told Hosea to
name her Lo-ruhamah (not
compassionated), for I will not
longer show love to the people
of Israel or forgive them.
(Isaiah 27:11).
7But
I will have mercy upon the house
of Judah, and will save them by
the LORD their God, and will not
save them by bow, nor by sword,
nor by battle, by horses, nor by
horsemen. I will show love to the people
of Judah. I will free them from
their enemies by My power, not
theirs. "God does not need
weapons, armies, or horses."
(This looks forward to the
future fulfillment, which will
exhaust the prophecy in the
destruction of antichrist).
8Now
when she had weaned Loruhamah,
she conceived, and bare a son.
Gomer
became pregnant again and gave
birth to a second son.
9Then
said God, Call his name Loammi:
for ye are not my people, and I
will not be your God.
The Lord said to
name him Lo-ammi (not My
people), for Israel is not My
people, and I am not their God.
(Jeremiah 15:1).
10Yet
the number of the children of
Israel shall be as the sand of
the sea, which cannot be
measured nor numbered; and it
shall come to pass, that in the
place where it was said unto
them, Ye are not my people,
there it shall be said unto
them, Ye are the sons of the
living God.
Israel's people
will become like the sands of
the sea, to many to count!
(Genesis 32:12, Romans 9:27-28,
Hebrews 11:12). This is end time
prophecy. "They will become
children of the living God."
(Romans 9:25-26, II Corinthians
6:18). Those ten lost tribes
that went north over the Caucus
mountains and settled in Europe
and the Americas.
11Then
shall the children of Judah and
the children of Israel be
gathered together, and appoint
themselves one head, and they
shall come up out of the land:
for great shall be the day of
Jezreel. The people of Judah and Israel
will unite together. They will
choose one leader for
themselves, and they will return
from exile together. "Referring
to the future conversion and
restoration of the Jews and
Israelites, under one head,
Jesus Christ; so that there will
be one flock and one Shepherd.
(Ezekiel 34:23-24).
Hosea 2
1Say
ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and
to your sisters, Ruhamah.
In that day you
will call your brothers "Ammi"
(My people), and your sisters "Ruhamah"
(Pitied One, having obtained
mercy). (Jeremiah 31:33, Hosea
2:23).
2Plead
with your mother, plead: for she
is not my wife, neither am I her
husband: let her therefore put
away her whoredoms out of her
sight, and her adulteries from
between her breasts.
But now bring charges against
Israel-your mother-for she is no
longer My wife and I am no
longer her husband. God divorced
Israel. (Isaiah 50:1, Jeremiah
3:6-8).
3Lest
I strip her naked, and set her
as in the day that she was born,
and make her as a wilderness,
and set her like a dry land, and
slay her with thirst.
Otherwise I will
strip her as naked as she was on
the day she was born. Leave her
to die of thirst in the
wilderness. In the future sense,
God will send a famine in the
land, not for food, but for the
Word of God. (Amos 8:11), They
will seek the Word of the Lord
but will not find it. (Amos
8:12-13).
4And
I will not have mercy upon her
children; for they be the
children of whoredoms.
I will not love
her children, because they were
conceived in prostitution. "They
are all idolaters; and have been
consecrated to idols." (Isaiah
57:3).
5For
their mother hath played the
harlot: she that conceived them
hath done shamefully: for she
said, I will go after my lovers,
that give me my bread and my
water, my wool and my flax, mine
oil and my drink.
Their mother is a
shameless prostitute. Mystery
Babylon of the end times, "the
mother of harlots." (Revelation
2:20-23, 17:1-5).
6Therefore,
behold, I will hedge up thy way
with thorns, and make a wall,
that she shall not find her
paths. I
will fence her in with thorns
and make her lose her way.
7And
she shall follow after her
lovers, but she shall not
overtake them; and she shall
seek them, but shall not find
them: then shall she say, I will
go and return to my first
husband; for then was it better
with me than now.
She (Mystery
Babylon, Satan's political
system), runs after her lovers
but won't be able to catch them.
She will search for them but
will not find them. Then they
want to return to the Lord.
(Jeremiah 3:22-25, Hosea 6:1).
8For
she did not know that I gave her
corn, and wine, and oil, and
multiplied her silver and gold,
which they prepared for Baal.
I gave her
everything and she gave all My
gifts to Baal.
9Therefore
will I return, and take away my
corn in the time thereof, and my
wine in the season thereof, and
will recover my wool and my flax
given to cover her nakedness.
Because of
this I will take back all My
gifts from her and she will be
naked.
10And
now will I discover her lewdness
in the sight of her lovers, and
none shall deliver her out of
mine hand.
I will strip her
naked in public while all her
lovers watch and no one will be
able to rescue her from My
hands. (Ezekiel 16:36, 23:29).
11I
will also cause all her mirth to
cease, her feast days, her new
moons, and her sabbaths, and all
her solemn feasts.
I will put an end
to all her annual festivals and
her new moon celebrations.
(Jeremiah 16:9, 25:10).
12And
I will destroy her vines and her
fig trees, whereof she hath
said, These are my rewards that
my lovers have given me: and I
will make them a forest, and the
beasts of the field shall eat
them. I
will destroy her grapevines and
fig trees, the things she claims
her lovers (false gods) gave
her. (Isaiah 5:5), she will be
made desolate.
13And
I will visit upon her the days
of Baalim, wherein she burned
incense to them, and she decked
herself with her earrings and
her jewels, and she went after
her lovers, and forgat me, saith
the LORD. I will punish her for all the
times she burned incense to the
image of Baal. All dressed up in
earrings and jewels looking for
her lovers and forgot all about
Me. (Idol worship and never
bringing God into the picture).
14Therefore,
behold, I will allure her, and
bring her into the wilderness,
and speak comfortably unto her.
I will win
her back again and speak
tenderly to her in the desert.
15And
I will give her her vineyards
from thence, and the valley of
Achor for a door of hope: and
she shall sing there, as in the
days of her youth, and as in the
day when she came up out of the
land of Egypt.
I will return to
her the vineyards and turn the
valley of trouble into a gateway
of hope. She will give herself
to Me there as she did when I
freed her from captivity in
Egypt. (Ezekiel 37:11-14), They
are spiritually dead, but will
be brought back to life again
through prophesy. (The Word
makes you spiritually alive).
16And
it shall be at that day, saith
the LORD, that thou shalt call
me Ishi; and shalt call me no
more Baali.
"When that day
comes they will call Me husband
instead of master." (Revelation
19:7).
17For
I will take away the names of
Baalim out of her mouth, and
they shall no more be remembered
by their name.
I will wipe the
many names of Baal from your
lips, never to be mentioned
again. (Jeremiah 10:11). No more
false gods and idol worship.
Just one God and one system
under God.
18And
in that day will I make a
covenant for them with the
beasts of the field and with the
fowls of heaven, and with the
creeping things of the ground:
and I will break the bow and the
sword and the battle out of the
earth, and will make them to lie
down safely.
On that day all
the wild animals will no longer
be harmful (Isaiah 11:6-9,
Ezekiel 34:25), and all the
weapons of war will be destroyed
and removed. (Psalm 46:9, Isaiah
2:4). We will live in peace and
safety. What day? The day of the
Lord at His return at the second
advent. We will be in a new
earth age with the living God.
19And
I will betroth thee unto me for
ever; yea, I will betroth thee
unto me in righteousness, and in
judgment, and in lovingkindness,
and in mercies.
I will make you
My wife (Spiritually speaking),
and show you love and
compassion.
20I
will even betroth thee unto me
in faithfulness: and thou shalt
know the LORD.
I will be
faithful to you and you will
finally know Me as the Lord.
(Hebrews 8:11, I John 5:20).
21And
it shall come to pass in that
day, I will hear, saith the
LORD, I will hear the heavens,
and they shall hear the earth.
Again, what day? "The Lords
Day."
22And
the earth shall hear the corn,
and the wine, and the oil; and
they shall hear Jezreel.
The earth will be
plentiful with it's grain,
grapevines, and olive trees.
(This word Jezreel means God
will sow). The children of
Israel and Judah will be
gathered back together. (Hosea
1:11), This took place on May
14th, 1948 when Israel became a
nation.
23And
I will sow her unto me in the
earth; and I will have mercy
upon her that had not obtained
mercy; and I will say to them
which were not my people, Thou
art my people; and they shall
say, Thou art my God.
Those who were
scattered abroad will return and
God will show love to them and
call them My people and they
will call Me their God. (Lo-ammi
"not My people" to Ammi "My
people"), (Romans 9:25-26,
Revelation 21:3-4).
Hosea 3
1Then
said the LORD unto me, Go yet,
love a woman beloved of her
friend, yet an adulteress,
according to the love of the
LORD toward the children of
Israel, who look to other gods,
and love flagons of wine.
Hosea was
instructed to go and love a
woman, not Gomer, she had died
and this was a (second
marriage), from the northern
tribes (adulteress, i.e. an
idolatress), even though she
commits adultery with another
lover for it's own special
signification. "This will
illustrate that the Lord still
loves Israel, even though the
people have turned to other gods
and love to worship them."
(Judges 9:27, Amos 2:8).
2So
I bought her to me for fifteen
pieces of silver, and for an
homer of barley, and an half
homer of barley.
Bought her for 15
pieces of silver, or fifteen
shekels (the price of a slave),
and five bushels of barley.
3And
I said unto her, Thou shalt
abide for me many days; thou
shalt not play the harlot, and
thou shalt not be for another
man: so will I also be for thee.
You must
live in my house for many days
and stop your prostitution. No
sexual relations with anyone,
not even me.
4For
the children of Israel shall
abide many days without a king,
and without a prince, and
without a sacrifice, and without
an image, and without an ephod,
and without teraphim.
This will show that Israel will
go a long time without a king or
prince, and without sacrifices
and idols.
5Afterward
shall the children of Israel
return, and seek the LORD their
God, and David their king; and
shall fear the LORD and his
goodness in the latter days.
The
children of Israel will return
and devote themselves to the
Lord their God and to David's
descendant in the last days.
(Ezekiel 38:8, Micah 4:1). Who
is this descendant of David in
the last days? "Jesus Christ."
"King of Kings and Lord of
Lords." (I Timothy 6:15,
Revelation 17:14, 19:16).
Hosea 4
1Hear
the word of the LORD, ye
children of Israel: for the LORD
hath a controversy with the
inhabitants of the land, because
there is no truth, nor mercy,
nor knowledge of God in the
land. The
Lord had brought charges against
Israel because of no knowledge
of the truth in His Word. He is
saying here that My people are a
little stupid and have no
understanding. They are wise to
do evil, but to do good they
have no knowledge. (Jeremiah
4:22, I Corinthians 15:34).
2By
swearing, and lying, and
killing, and stealing, and
committing adultery, they break
out, and blood toucheth blood.
You make
vows and break them. You kill,
steal, and commit adultery.
"Killing all the prophets I sent
you." (Acts 7:52, I
Thessalonians 2:15, Revelation
17:6).
3Therefore
shall the land mourn, and every
one that dwelleth therein shall
languish, with the beasts of the
field, and with the fowls of
heaven; yea, the fishes of the
sea also shall be taken away.
This is
why your land is morning, and
everyone is wasting away. Even
the wild animals and birds of
the sky are disappearing.
(Isaiah 24:4-12, Jeremiah 12:4).
4Yet
let no man strive, nor reprove
another: for thy people are as
they that strive with the
priest. Don't put the blame on anyone
else. "My complaint is with you
priests." (Bunch of hypocrites
and false teachers).
5Therefore
shalt thou fall in the day, and
the prophet also shall fall with
thee in the night, and I will
destroy thy mother.
You will stumble
in broad daylight, and your
false prophets will fall with
you in the night. I will destroy
Israel, your mother. "The whole
nation." Put her away and cut
her off. (Isaiah 50:1, Jeremiah
50:12).
6My
people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge: because thou hast
rejected knowledge, I will also
reject thee, that thou shalt be
no priest to me: seeing thou
hast forgotten the law of thy
God, I will also forget thy
children. My people are destroyed because
they do not know Me. Your
priests refuse to know Me, so I
will refuse to recognize them as
My priests. (Isaiah 28:7,
Jeremiah 2:8, Malachi 2:7-8).
7As
they were increased, so they
sinned against me: therefore
will I change their glory into
shame. The
more priests there are, the more
they sin against Me. They
exchange the Glory of God for
the shame of their idols.
(Jeremiah 2:26-27).
8They
eat up the sin of my people, and
they set their heart on their
iniquity. When the people bring their sin
offerings, the priests get fed.
So the priests are glad when the
people sin. (Romans 16:18),
"just bring us a little donation
and confess your sins to us and
all will be fine." (It's going
on in churches today my friend).
9And
there shall be, like people,
like priest: and I will punish
them for their ways, and reward
them their doings.
"And what the
priest do the people also do."
(Matthew 15:14), The blind
leading the blind. "I will
punish both priests and the
people for their evil doings
says the Lord." (Jeremiah 5:31,
23:11-12).
10For
they shall eat, and not have
enough: they shall commit
whoredom, and shall not
increase: because they have left
off to take heed to the LORD.
They will
eat and still be hungry, and
continue to whore after false
god. "Just as the famine in the
end times is not for bread or
water, but for hearing the truth
of the Word." (Amos 8:11).
11Whoredom
and wine and new wine take away
the heart.
Worshiping other gods. "Wine has
robbed My people of their
understanding." (Isaiah 28:7).
12My
people ask counsel at their
stocks, and their staff
declareth unto them: for the
spirit of whoredoms hath caused
them to err, and they have gone
a whoring from under their God.
They ask a piece of wood
or statues made of stone for
advice. They think these things
can tell them the future.
Longing after idols has made
them foolish, serving other gods
and deserting the living God. (Look at the people
today that are praying to
idols and statues).
13They
sacrifice upon the tops of the
mountains, and burn incense upon
the hills, under oaks and
poplars and elms, because the
shadow thereof is good:
therefore your daughters shall
commit whoredom, and your
spouses shall commit adultery.
Your daughters turn to
prostitution. (Well, that would
never happen to my daughter).
Hmmm. Really? They are
also sacrificing and burning
their incense, turning to
idolatry. (Romans 1:23-28).
14I
will not punish your daughters
when they commit whoredom, nor
your spouses when they commit
adultery: for themselves are
separated with whores, and they
sacrifice with harlots:
therefore the people that doth
not understand shall fall.
Why should
I punish your daughters for
prostitution and adultery? Your
men are doing the same thing,
sinning with whores and
sacrifice with prostitutes. (I
Corinthians 6:16), "You refuse
to understand, so you will be
punished." Why? Because they are
alienated from God through
ignorance that is in them.
(Ephesians 4:18).
15Though
thou, Israel, play the harlot,
yet let not Judah offend; and
come not ye unto Gilgal, neither
go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear,
The LORD liveth.
"Though you,
Israel, are a prostitute, may
Judah avoid such guilt. Don't
join in on the false worship of
Gilgal (Jeroboam had erected a
idolatrous temple there), or
Beth-aven. (Beth-aven means
House of naught), (Hosea 9:15,
10:5).
16For
Israel slideth back as a
backsliding heifer: now the LORD
will feed them as a lamb in a
large place.
Israel is like a
stubborn heifer. (Jeremiah 8:5,
14:7, Zechariah 7:11), So why
should the Lord feed her like a
lamb in a lush pasture?
17Ephraim
is joined to idols: let him
alone. Leave Israel alone, because she
is married to idolatry. (Psalms
81:12, Revelation 22:11).
18Their
drink is sour: they have
committed whoredom continually:
her rulers with shame do love,
Give ye. (Deuteronomy 32:32-33, Isaiah
1:21-22), They love shame more
than honor.
19The
wind hath bound her up in her
wings, and they shall be ashamed
because of their sacrifices.
The mighty
wind (the spirit of whoredoms)
will sweep them away, and their
sacrifices to idols will bring
them shame. (Jeremiah 51:1). In
the future sense the four winds
of (Revelation 7:1-3), held back
till we have sealed the servants
of our God in their foreheads.
There will be no shame for those
who have the seal of God.
However, those who receive the
beast mark through
deception will be in trouble.
Hosea 5
1Hear
ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of
the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah,
and a net spread upon Tabor. Listen you priests, leaders
of Israel, and members of the royal family. Judgment has been handed down
against you. You led the people into a snare by worshipping idols. (False
teachers who deceive the people).
2And
the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of
them all. You dug a deep pit to trap them and I will
settle with you for what you have done.
3I
know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest
whoredom, and Israel is defiled. Ephraim being the largest
of the ten tribes. You left Me as a prostitute leaves her husband. (Never
listening to what God has to say).
4They
will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms
is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.
Your evil deeds will not let you return to God and you do not
know the Lord. (I John 2:3-4, John 16:3).
5And
the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim
fall in their iniquity: Judah also shall fall with them. The pride of Israel testifies against her. (Pride was the downfall of Satan).
Israel and Ephraim will stumble and Judah will fall with them. (Amos 2:4-5).
6They
shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall
not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them. They
come to offer their sacrifices to the Lord, but they will not find Him. (Amos
5:21-23, Micah 3:4, John 7:3).
7They
have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have begotten strange
children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.
They betrayed the Lord, bearing children (apostates), that are
not His. Their false religion will devour them along with their wealth.
8Blow
ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after
thee, O Benjamin. Sound the alarm in Gibeah (the hill),
and Ramah, and Bethaven (house of vanity). Lead on into battle, you warriors of
Benjamin.
9Ephraim
shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made
known that which shall surely be. Israel will become a
heap of rubble on their day of punishment. (Amos 7:9). And so it will be in the
last days when Christ returns. "Not one stone will stand upon another in
Jerusalem." Were not talking about the siege on Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by Titus,
(walls were still standing), but when Christ returns at the second advent.
(Mathew 24:1-2, Mark 13:1-2).
10The
princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out
my wrath upon them like water. The leaders of Judah have
become thieves, so I will pour My anger upon them like water. The wrath of God
from the seven vials of the end times. (Revelation 16).
11Ephraim
is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the
commandment. The people of Israel will be crushed because
they continue to worship idols. (The idolatrous commandment of Jeroboam). (I
Kings 12:26-33).
12Therefore
will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.
I will destroy Israel like a moth consumes wool.
13When
Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the
Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of
your wound. When Israel and Judah saw how sick they were,
Israel turned to Assyria, to the great king there, but he could not help or cure
them. (II Chronicles 28:20-21).
14For
I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I,
even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
I will be like a lion to Israel and Judah. I will tear
them to pieces and carry them off and no one will rescue them.
15I
will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my
face: in their affliction they will seek me early. I will
return to My place until they admit their guilt and turn to Me. When the trouble
comes, they will search for Me. (Proverbs 1:27-28, Jeremiah 2:27, Zephaniah
2:1-3). And so it is today, people always seem to turn to God when the trouble
starts. "He will return from His place in Heaven at the second advent." Be ready
for Him and do not be deceived. Stay in His Word so that you can show yourself
approved by God. (II Timothy 2:15).
Hosea 6
1Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. Let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces; but now He will heal us. "This would be in the future." (Jeremiah 3:22, 50:4). 2After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. The Lord will revive us, referring to the resurrection of new Israel in the end times. (Ezekiel 37:11-13), when Ezekiel was told to prophecy to the dry bones (the spiritually dead). This would also resemble the resurrection of Messiah. (I Corinthians 15:4, 15:20).
3Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. Know what? The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 13:11). What is this former and later rain? The latter rain, ripening earth's harvest, represents the spiritual grace that prepares the church for the coming of the Son of man. But unless the former rain has fallen, there will be no life; the green blade will not spring up. Unless the early showers have done their work, the latter rain can bring no seed to perfection. This was spoken about by the prophet Joel. "That in the last days (the later rain), God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh." (Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:16-21).
4O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Your love for the Lord vanishes like the morning mist and disappears like the dew in sunlight. (You cannot hang on to the truth).
5Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth. I sent My prophets to cut you to pieces with My Words.
6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. I don't want your burnt offerings, I want your love.
7But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me. But like men (Adam), you betrayed My trust. (Genesis 3:6, 3:11, Job 31:33).
8Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood. Gilead is the city of sinners referring to the sin of Idolatry.
9And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness. Gangs of robbers in the company of priests wait for men and ambush their victims.
10I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled. Worshipping idols and other Gods. (Jeremiah 5:30-31), A bunch of false prophets and teachers that mislead the people and the people love it. (You can see it going on in many churches today).
11Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people. The end time harvest is coming when it is ripe. (Jeremiah 51:33, Joel 3:13, Revelation 14:15).
Hosea 7
1 When
I would have healed
Israel, then the
iniquity of Ephraim
was discovered, and
the wickedness of
Samaria: for they
commit falsehood;
and the thief cometh
in, and the troop of
robbers spoileth
without.
I
want to heal Israel,
but its sins are too
great. Samaria is
filled with liars
and thieves.
2 And
they consider not in
their hearts that I
remember all their
wickedness: now
their own doings
have beset them
about; they are
before my face.
Their sinful deeds
are all around them,
and I see them all.
(You can't hide
anything from God).
3 They
make the king glad
with their
wickedness, and the
princes with their
lies.
They
entertain the king
with their
wickedness, and the
princes laugh at
their lies. (I John
4:5), Applying to us
today.
These
men and women belong
to the world and are
always concerned
about world affairs;
that is why the
world pays attention
to them. (False
teachers and false
prophets).
4 They
are all adulterers,
as an oven heated by
the baker, who
ceaseth from raising
after he hath
kneaded the dough,
until it be
leavened.
They
are all adulterers
always aflame with
lust, just like an
oven that is kept
hot while the baker
is kneading the
dough.
5 In
the day of our king
the princes have
made him sick with
bottles of wine; he
stretched out his
hand with scorners.
Partying on the
royal holidays and
carousing with those
who mock them.
(Proverbs 20:1).
6 For
they have made ready
their heart like an
oven, whiles they
lie in wait: their
baker sleepeth all
the night; in the
morning it burneth
as a flaming fire.
Their
heart is like a
blazing oven and
their plots smolder
through the night.
In the morning it
breaks out like a
raging fire. (Micah
2:1).
7 They
are all hot as an
oven, and have
devoured their
judges; all their
kings are fallen:
there is none among
them that calleth
unto me.
They
consume their
leaders and kill
their kings one
after another. No
one cries to Me for
help. (Of the two
houses of Omri and
Jehu: Nadab, Zimri,
Tibni, Jehoram,
Zachariah, Shallum,
Pekahiah, and Pekah,
were all slain by
their successors, or
others).
8 Ephraim,
he hath mixed
himself among the
people; Ephraim is a
cake not turned.
The people of Israel
mingled with godless
foreigners, making
themselves as
worthless as a
half-baked cake!
(Psalm 106:35).
9 Strangers
have devoured his
strength, and he
knoweth it not: yea,
gray hairs are here
and there upon him,
yet he knoweth not.
Worshipping foreign
gods has drained
their strength, but
they don't even know
it. They are getting
old and grey but
they still don't
realize that they
are old and weak.
10 And
the pride of Israel
testifieth to his
face: and they do
not return to the
Lord their
God, nor seek him
for all this.
Their
arrogance testifies
against them, but
they still won't
return to the Lord
or even try to find
Him. (Deuteronomy
4:29, Psalm 10:4)
"Remember that
"pride" was the
downfall of Satan."
11 Ephraim
also is like a silly
dove without heart:
they call to Egypt,
they go to Assyria.
The people of Israel
are like silly,
witless doves. First
calling to Egypt,
then flying to
Assyria for help.
(II Kings 15:19,
17:3-4).
12 When
they shall go, I
will spread my net
upon them; I will
bring them down as
the fowls of the
heaven; I will
chastise them, as
their congregation
hath heard.
When
they fly about, I
will throw My net
over them and bring
them down like a
bird from the sky. I
will punish them for
all the evil they
do. (Ecclesiastes
9:12).
13 Woe
unto them! for they
have fled from me:
destruction unto
them! because they
have transgressed
against me: though I
have redeemed them,
yet they have spoken
lies against me.
Only
sorrow awaits those
who have deserted
Me! Let them die,
for they have
rebelled against Me.
I wanted to redeem
them, but they have
told lies about Me.
(Isaiah 59:13, I
John 1:10).
14 And
they have not cried
unto me with their
heart, when they
howled upon their
beds: they assemble
themselves for corn
and wine, and they
rebel against me.
They
don't cry to Me with
sincere hearts.
Instead, they sit on
their couches and
wail, begging other
gods for grain and
new wine, and turn
from Me.
15 Though
I have bound and
strengthened their
arms, yet do they
imagine mischief
against me.
I had
trained them and
made them strong,
but now they plot
evil against Me.
(Psalm 18:34,
144:1), made them
strong in war.
16 They
return, but not to
the most High: they
are like a deceitful
bow: their princes
shall fall by the
sword for the rage
of their tongue:
this shall be their
derision in the land
of Egypt.
They
look everywhere
except to the Most
High God. They are
as useless as a
crooked bow. (Psalm
78:57). Their
leaders will be
killed by their
enemies because of
their boldness
towards Me. Then the
people of Egypt will
laugh at them.
Hosea 8
1Set
the trumpet to thy mouth. He
shall come as an eagle against
the house of the LORD, because
they have transgressed my
covenant, and trespassed against
my law. The enemy
descends swift as an eagle like
a large bird of prey. Why? The
moral climate had plummeted.
Lack of faith, murder, stealing,
adultery, deceit, drunkenness
and dishonesty in business etc.
While there might be some
differences between our
condition today, the
similarities are very familiar
in today's society.
2Israel
shall cry unto me, My God, we
know thee.
They say they
know God but their works deny
Him. (Titus 1:16).
3Israel
hath cast off the thing that is
good: the enemy shall pursue
him. It is
to late because the people of
Israel have rejected what is
good and their enemies will
chase after them. "It seems
today that everything that is
good is evil and everything that
is evil is good." (Isaiah 5:20),
Just the opposite of what it
should be.
4They
have set up kings, but not by
me: they have made princes, and
I knew it not: of their silver
and their gold have they made
them idols, that they may be cut
off. They bring on their
own destruction because they
have known God and were free,
but turn again to weak and
beggarly elements putting
themselves in bondage again.
(Galatians 4:9). It is going on
today when people are put into
bondage with false teachings and
traditions of men. Don't let
your church or any man or woman
keep you in bondage. The truth
of God's Word will set you free!
(John 8:32).
5Thy
calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee
off; mine anger is kindled
against them: how long will it
be ere they attain to innocency?
The Lord's fury is
against them for idol worship
and false teachings. (Isaiah
45:20, Acts 7:41).
6For
from Israel was it also: the
workman made it; therefore it is
not God: but the calf of Samaria
shall be broken in pieces.
Just another man made
idol. Not of God! (Acts 17:29).
7For
they have sown the wind, and
they shall reap the whirlwind:
it hath no stalk; the bud shall
yield no meal: if so be it
yield, the strangers shall
swallow it up.
Whatever
you sow you shall reap. They sow
iniquity and that is what they
will reap. (Proverbs 22:8,
Ecclesiastes 5:16, Galatians
6:7).
8Israel
is swallowed up: now shall they
be among the Gentiles as a
vessel wherein is no pleasure.
The people of Israel have
been swallowed up; and they live
among the heathen nations.
(Leviticus 26:33, Jeremiah
22:28).
9For
they are gone up to Assyria, a
wild ass alone by himself:
Ephraim hath hired lovers.
Went to Assyria and sold
themselves to many idols.
(Ezekiel 23:5-9).
10Yea,
though they have hired among the
nations, now will I gather them,
and they shall sorrow a little
for the burden of the king of
princes. Even though they
have sold themselves to many
allies, I will gather them back
together for judgment.
11Because
Ephraim hath made many altars to
sin, altars shall be unto him to
sin. Israel has built
many altars to take away sin,
but these altars became places
for sin. (Remember that judgment
begins at the pulpit).
12I
have written to him the great
things of my law, but they were
counted as a strange thing.
I gave them My law, but
they think the law does not
apply to them. An arrogant
rebellious people and lying
children that will not hear the
law of the Lord. (Isaiah 30:9),
Many think that the law of the
Lord does not apply today. (Just
break one of the ten
commandments and see if you
don't get into trouble).
13They
sacrifice flesh for the
sacrifices of mine offerings,
and eat it; but the LORD
accepteth them not; now will he
remember their iniquity, and
visit their sins: they shall
return to Egypt.
They
love their rituals and
sacrifices, but to Me they are
meaningless. I will hold them
accountable for their sins. Look
at the rituals and traditions
going on in many of the churches
today. God's judgment is coming
upon the nations real soon."
(Again, judgment begins at the
pulpit).
14For
Israel hath forgotten his Maker,
and buildeth temples; and Judah
hath multiplied fenced cities:
but I will send a fire upon his
cities, and it shall devour the
palaces thereof.
Israel
has forgotten their Maker and
built great places, and Judah
has fortified its cities. But, I
will send fire upon their cities
and burn them up. (Amos 2:5),
Remember that God is a consuming
fire. (Hebrews 12:29), A fire
that can destroy evil, or warm
the hearts of the good people
who believe in Him.
Hosea 9
1Rejoice
not, O Israel, for joy, as other
people: for thou hast gone a
whoring from thy God, thou hast
loved a reward upon every
cornfloor.
Don't rejoice
Israel because you have been
unfaithful to your God, whoring
yourselves like prostitutes
worshipping other Gods. How does
this apply to us today. What
many are not taught is that the
antichrist comes first
pretending to be Christ. "Many
will whore after him thinking he
is Christ."
2The
floor and the winepress shall
not feed them, and the new wine
shall fail in her.
Your harvest will
be to small to feed you and the
new wine shall "fail" you. This
word "fail" Strong's H3584 is "kachash"
to be untrue, disappoint,
deceive, deal falsely, to lie.
Remember that the famine in the
end times is for hearing the
Words of the Lord. (Amos 8:11).
3They
shall not dwell in the LORD's
land; but Ephraim shall return
to Egypt, and they shall eat
unclean things in Assyria.
No longer
in the Lords land. You will
return to Egypt and in Assyria
you will eat unclean food. Not
into Egypt itself, but into
another bondage as bad as that.
Never let any church,
denomination, or man put you in
bondage. (God Word is meant to
set you free).
4They
shall not offer wine offerings
to the LORD, neither shall they
be pleasing unto him: their
sacrifices shall be unto them as
the bread of mourners; all that
eat thereof shall be polluted:
for their bread for their soul
shall not come into the house of
the LORD. Any sacrifices to the Lord will
be unclean to Him. Why? Because
they have been deceived, and
won't listen to God.
5What
will ye do in the solemn day,
and in the day of the feast of
the LORD? How will you observe the Lord's
feasts. "They love to listen to
their false prophets." (Isaiah
10:3, Jeremiah 5:31).
6For,
lo, they are gone because of
destruction: Egypt shall gather
them up, Memphis shall bury
them: the pleasant places for
their silver, nettles shall
possess them: thorns shall be in
their tabernacles.
This word
"nettles" Strong's H7057 is "qimmosh
qiymosh" to sting, a prickly
plant. (Isaiah 34:13), This
should bring your attention to
Christ's teaching of the tares.
(Matthew 13:24-30).
7The
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. It
is coming soon in the end times.
The day of reckoning (Israel's
punishment). Because of their
great sin and hostility. Even
the prophets have been deceived.
(Ezekiel 14:9-10, II
Thessalonians 2:10-12), God
sends them strong delusion so
that they will believe a lie.
(Look around you today and see
how many understand nothing
about God Word, only what they
hear from man).
8The
watchman of Ephraim was with my
God: but the prophet is a snare
of a fowler in all his ways, and
hatred in the house of his God.
You are
supposed to be a watchman for
God. However, these prophets had
a trap set for them wherever
they go because of their ways.
(Lamentations 2:14, 4:13).
9They
have deeply corrupted
themselves, as in the days of
Gibeah: therefore he will
remember their iniquity, he will
visit their sins.
The things my
people do are as depraved as
they did in Gibeah long ago.
(Judges 19:22-30), rape and
perversion.
10I
found Israel like grapes in the
wilderness; I saw your fathers
as the firstripe in the fig tree
at her first time: but they went
to Baalpeor, and separated
themselves unto that shame; and
their abominations were
according as they loved.
When I first
found you it was like good
fruit, then you deserted Me for
Baal, giving yourselves to
shameful idols. "You are what
you eat, you are what you
worship." (Deuteronomy 32:17,
Jeremiah 5:31, Ezekiel 20:8).
11As
for Ephraim, their glory shall
fly away like a bird, from the
birth, and from the womb, and
from the conception.
Comparing to the
rapture (fly away) doctrine of
today. They whore after Satan in
the end times. Brought up all
their lives with traditions of
men and false teachings. (Luke
23:29).
12Though
they bring up their children,
yet will I bereave them, that
there shall not be a man left:
yea, woe also to them when I
depart from them!
The Lord is very
mad at Israel and removed them
from His sight. Just as it will
be in the end times. (II Kings
17:18), Why? Because they turned
against the Lord. (Hosea 7:13).
13Ephraim,
as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a
pleasant place: but Ephraim
shall bring forth his children
to the murderer.
I have watched
Israel become as beautiful as
Tyre. (Ezekiel 28:12), Now they
will bring their children to the
slaughter. Keep in mind who the
king of Tyre is in the end times
as a type. (The anti-Christ). He
will deceive many and bring many
to the slaughter.
14Give
them, O LORD: what wilt thou
give? give them a miscarrying
womb and dry breasts.
This should also
bring our attention to the end
times when many are deceived and
are whoring around with
anti-Christ at his return before
the real Christ. (Matthew 24:19,
Mark 13:17, Luke 21:23). Christ
is returning for a virgin bride
spiritually speaking. But, He
will return and find that many
have become spiritually
impregnated by antichrist.
Nursing along his teachings, not
God's Word. Stay a spiritual
virgin for the return of Christ.
Do not be deceived by Satan!
15All
their wickedness is in Gilgal:
for there I hated them: for the
wickedness of their doings I
will drive them out of mine
house, I will love them no more:
all their princes are revolters.
Their
wickedness began in Gilgal. The
place where Jehovah was
rejected, and man's king set up;
and where, on account of his
impatience and disobedience Saul
got his first message of his
rejection. (I Samuel 13:4-15),
and his second (I Samuel
15:12-33).
16Ephraim
is smitten, their root is dried
up, they shall bear no fruit:
yea, though they bring forth,
yet will I slay even the beloved
fruit of their womb.
The people of
Israel are struck down. They are
all dried up and produce no
fruit. Even their children will
be spiritually dead. (You can
see it going on in churches
today). No truth in them because
they do not obey the laws of the
Lord. (Isaiah 5:24).
17My
God will cast them away, because
they did not hearken unto him:
and they shall be wanderers
among the nations.
God would reject the people of
Israel because they would not
listen or obey. They would be wonderers and homeless among
the nations. (Amos 9:9). To the
tribes that were scattered
abroad. (James 1:1), many of
them do not know who they are as
the lost tribes of Israel went
north over the caucus mountains
into Europe and the Americas.
Hosea 10
1Israel
is an empty vine, he bringeth
forth fruit unto himself:
according to the multitude of
his fruit he hath increased the
altars; according to the
goodness of his land they have
made goodly images.
Your an empty
vine Israel. (Empty of the
truth), but your loaded with
your own fruit. (False teachings
and traditions of men), the
richer the people get, the more
pagan alters you build. Look
around you today and see the
fancy buildings and the
traditions in the churches. They
look good and act so holy, but
their is no truth in them. They
teach what you want to hear to
keep the people coming back.
(Philippians 2:21).
2Their
heart is divided; now shall they
be found faulty: he shall break
down their altars, he shall
spoil their images.
Their hearts are
divided and they can't make up
their minds whether to listen to
man or God. Living the ways of
the world instead of the ways of
God. (James 1:8, 4:4, I John
2:15, Revelation 3:15-16).
3For
now they shall say, We have no
king, because we feared not the
LORD; what then should a king do
to us? They had a King, and He was the
"King of Kings and Lord of
Lords," but they crucified Him.
(John 19:15).
4They
have spoken words, swearing
falsely in making a covenant:
thus judgment springeth up as
hemlock in the furrows of the
field. They spout empty words that mean
nothing (traditions of men), and
make contracts they don't keep.
Injustice springs up among them
like hemlock in the fields.
(This word "hemlock" Strong's
H7219 is "Poppy" a poison
plant). They poison your minds
with false teachings and despise
anything that is good. (II
Timothy 3:3).
5The
inhabitants of Samaria shall
fear because of the calves of
Bethaven: for the people thereof
shall mourn over it, and the
priests thereof that rejoiced on
it, for the glory thereof,
because it is departed from it.
The people
of Samaria (meaning watch
station), fear for their idol of
Bethaven (meaning house of
vanity). Their idolatrous
priests wail, because its glory
will be stripped away. (II Kings
23:5, Revelation 18:11-19).
6It
shall be also carried unto
Assyria for a present to king
Jareb: Ephraim shall receive
shame, and Israel shall be
ashamed of his own counsel.
Their idols will be carried away
to Assyria (Turkey, Iran, Syria,
Iraq of today), and they shall
be ashamed and will go into
confusion. (Isaiah 45:16). Syria
of today is best explained in:
(Isaiah 33:1-4). Never let anyone
keep you in bondage. Gods
Word and the truth will set you
free.
7As
for Samaria, her king is cut off
as the foam upon the water.
Samaria
and its king will be cut off.
8The
high places also of Aven, the
sin of Israel, shall be
destroyed: the thorn and the
thistle shall come up on their
altars; and they shall say to
the mountains, Cover us; and to
the hills, Fall on us.
Their pagan
shrines of Aven, a place in
Coele Syria, one in Egypt, and
one in Palestine (Bethel), the
place of Israel's sin will
crumble. Thorns and thistles
will surround their altars and
they will beg the mountains to
fall on them. Why? Because they
are ashamed for worshipping the
wrong God. "Just like in the end
times when many fall for the
anti-Christ." (Luke 23:30,
Revelation 6:16, 9:6).
9O
Israel, thou hast sinned from
the days of Gibeah: there they
stood: the battle in Gibeah
against the children of iniquity
did not overtake them.
Ever since Gibeah
(the hill), you just kept on
sinning with no progress at all.
(Hosea 9:9, Judges 19:22-30),
performing wicked perverted
deeds.
10It
is in my desire that I should
chastise them; and the people
shall be gathered against them,
when they shall bind themselves
in their two furrows.
Whenever it fits
My plan, I will attack you with
the armies of the nations to
punish you for your many sins.
(Zachariah 14:2-3, Jeremiah
16:16, Ezekiel 23:9), and so it
is in the end times, the nations
(the people), will come against
Israel and will be delivered
into the hands of the Assyrian.
11And
Ephraim is as an heifer that is
taught, and loveth to tread out
the corn; but I passed over upon
her fair neck: I will make
Ephraim to ride; Judah shall
plow, and Jacob shall break his
clods. A
yoke will be put on Israel's
neck and she will be forced to
break up the hard ground and
Judah will pull the plow.
12Sow
to yourselves in righteousness,
reap in mercy; break up your
fallow ground: for it is time to
seek the LORD, till he come and
rain righteousness upon you.
If you
plant the good seeds of
righteousness you will harvest a
crop of love. Plow up the hard
ground of your hearts and seek
the Lord. This word "rain" here
is the later rain of teaching
that will be poured out upon the
children of Israel. (Hosea 6:3,
Isaiah 44:3, Ezekiel 34:26), and
in the end times the Spirit of
the Lord will pour out upon His
servants and they will prophecy.
(Acts 2:18).
13Ye
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.
However,
you have cultivated the wicked
and harvest sin. You eat the
fruit of lies and deception
trusting in men. "If you listen
to man (or the flesh), instead
of God you will only reap
corruption." But if you listen
to things of the Spirit (the
Holy Spirit), you will reap
everlasting life. (Galatians
6:7-8). In other words, you reap
what you sow.
14Therefore
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.
The terrors of war will rise
among your people and your
fortresses will fall, just as
Shalman (king of Assyria),
destroyed Beth-arbel (house of
God's ambush). Look around and
you can see it going down today
in the middle east.
15So
shall Bethel do unto you because
of your great wickedness: in a
morning shall the king of Israel
utterly be cut off.
You will share
the same fate. Bethel (house of
God), will do the same to you
because of your great
wickedness. In the day of
judgment, the king of Israel
will be completely destroyed.
The false king (antichrist of
the end times), who stands in
the holy place claiming to be
God. Not our King which is Jesus
Christ. "The King of Kings and
Lord of Lords."
Hosea 11
1When
Israel was a child, then I loved
him, and called my son out of
Egypt. I
called Israel My son out of
Egypt. (Exodus 4:22, Matthew
2:15).
2As
they called them, so they went
from them: they sacrificed unto
Baalim, and burned incense to
graven images.
The more I called
to him (Israel), the farther he
moved from Me. Offering
sacrifices to the images of
Baal. (Isaiah 65:7, Jeremiah
44:15).
3I
taught Ephraim also to go,
taking them by their arms; but
they knew not that I healed
them. They
didn't even know it was God who
took care of them. (Trusting in
their false Idols).
4I
drew them with cords of a man,
with bands of love: and I was to
them as they that take off the
yoke on their jaws, and I laid
meat unto them.
I the Lord led
Israel along and broke the yoke
from their neck. God even fed
them from heaven when they were
without. (Psalms78:23-25,
105:40).
5He
shall not return into the land
of Egypt, and the Assyrian shall
be his king, because they
refused to return.
They refuse to
turn to Me, so they will be
forced to serve the Assyrian
king. So it will be in the end
times for those who fall for the
antichrist who comes before the
real Christ. Zephaniah describes
the Assyrian as the king of the
north. (Zephaniah 2:13). Daniel
similarly describes "the king of
the north" at war with the king
of the south, until the king of
the north finally places the
"abomination of desolation" in
the temple. (Daniel 11:31), Also
noted by Jesus to be an event in
the future times.
When ye
therefore shall see the
abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
stand in the holy place, whoso
readeth, let him understand.
(Matthew 24:15) The
abomination that makes
desolate. (From this point on he
is enforced by Satan). You will
find the same antichrist in
(Daniel 11:36), the king of the
north. His wicked career begins
in (Daniel 11:21). In (Daniel
11:40), we find that "in the end
times" the king of the south
will collide with the king of
the north. The wicked king of
the north "comes to his end" in
(Daniel 11:45), as does the
wicked prince of (Daniel 9:26).
Note: Neither reference can be
to Titus in AD 70, because he
died naturally; and was not the
"king of the north." Finally the
king of the north meets his
death at the time of the great
tribulation and resurrection
spoken of in (Daniel 12:1-2).
6And
the sword shall abide on his
cities, and shall consume his
branches, and devour them,
because of their own counsels.
War will
be throughout their cities and
the enemies will trap them in
their own evil plan. (Malachi
4:1). Keep in mind that God is a
consuming fire. His fire can
destroy the wicked, or warm the
hearts of the righteous.
7And
my people are bent to
backsliding from me: though they
called them to the most High,
none at all would exalt him.
Always
backsliding, that is why God
divorced Israel. (Jeremiah 3:8).
They speak of the Most High God,
but they don't truly honor Me.
The same goes on today. Just a
bunch of pew potatoes in most of
the churches. They seem so holy,
but they never get around to
knowing the truth to truly honor
the Heavenly Father.
8How
shall I give thee up, Ephraim?
how shall I deliver thee,
Israel? how shall I make thee as
Admah? how shall I set thee as
Zeboim? mine heart is turned
within me, my repentings are
kindled together.
I will not give
up on her and will not cause My
anger to fall on her. (Jeremiah
3:12). God is not angry at you,
only the evil ones.
9I
will not execute the fierceness
of mine anger, I will not return
to destroy Ephraim: for I am
God, and not man; the Holy One
in the midst of thee: and I will
not enter into the city.
I could destroy
you Israel, but I have not come
to destroy, but to be the Holy
One who lives among you. "The
Living God."
10They
shall walk after the LORD: he
shall roar like a lion: when he
shall roar, then the children
shall tremble from the west.
He shall
summon His people with a lions
roar and they will prevail over
the enemy. (Isaiah 42:13,
Jeremiah 25:30, Joel 3:6).
11They
shall tremble as a bird out of
Egypt, and as a dove out of the
land of Assyria: and I will
place them in their houses,
saith the LORD.
He will gather the house of
Israel from the people among
who, they are scattered.
(Ezekiel 28:25).
12Ephraim
compasseth me about with lies,
and the house of Israel with
deceit: but Judah yet ruleth
with God, and is faithful with
the saints.
Israel surrounds
Me with lies and deceit, but
Judah still obeys God and is
faithful to the Holy One.
Hosea 12
1Ephraim
feedeth on wind, and followeth
after the east wind: he daily
increaseth lies and desolation;
and they do make a covenant with
the Assyrians, and oil is
carried into Egypt.
The people of
Israel feed on the wind of
foreign alliances and they pile
up lies and violence. They send
olive oil to buy support from
Egypt. (Hosea 5:13, II Kings
17:4-6).
2The
LORD hath also a controversy
with Judah, and will punish
Jacob according to his ways;
according to his doings will he
recompense him.
The Lord brings
charges against Judah. He will
punish Jacob for all his
deceitful ways. Why? Because of
their backsliding. (Jeremiah
3:8-11).
3He
took his brother by the heel in
the womb, and by his strength he
had power with God:
Jacob struggled
with his brother and even fought
with God. (Genesis 32:24).
4Yea,
he had power over the angel, and
prevailed: he wept, and made
supplication unto him: he found
him in Bethel, and there he
spake with us.
Jacob wrestled with the Angel
and won where he met God face to
face. (Genesis 32:9-12).
5Even
the LORD God of hosts; the LORD
is his memorial.
His memorial name
Jehovah (Yahveh).
6Therefore
turn thou to thy God: keep mercy
and judgment and wait on thy God
continually.
Come back to your
God and depend on Him. (Always
wait and depend on God, not
man).
7He
is a merchant, the balances of
deceit are in his hand: he
loveth to oppress.
The people are
like crafty merchants selling
from dishonest scales and they
love to rip people off for their
money. Sound familiar? It's
going on in many churches today,
always begging for money and
ripping off the people with
traditions of men and false
teachings. (I Timothy 6:9-10).
8And
Ephraim said, Yet I am become
rich, I have found me out
substance: in all my labours
they shall find none iniquity in
me that were sin.
They boast about
the fortunes they made and say
that no one has caught them
cheating. Making the house of
God a house of merchandise.
(John 2:16). The same as when
Jesus entered the temple and
turned over the tables of the
money changers.
9And
I that am the LORD thy God from
the land of Egypt will yet make
thee to dwell in tabernacles, as
in the days of the solemn feast.
I am the
Lord your God who rescued you
from Egypt. I will make you live
in tents again, as you do each
year at the festival of
shelters.
10I
have also spoken by the
prophets, and I have multiplied
visions, and used similitudes,
by the ministry of the prophets.
I sent My
prophets to warn you, but you
did not listen.
11Is
there iniquity in Gilead? surely
they are vanity: they sacrifice
bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their
altars are as heaps in the
furrows of the fields.
The people of
Gilead and Gilgal are worthless
because of their idol worship.
12And
Jacob fled into the country of
Syria, and Israel served for a
wife, and for a wife he kept
sheep. Jacob fled to the land of Syria
(Aram, Mesopotamia), and tended
sheep.
13And
by a prophet the LORD brought
Israel out of Egypt, and by a
prophet was he preserved.
The descendants
of Jacob (Israel), were brought
out of the land of Egypt by a
prophet. (Genesis 32:27-28). The
prophet Moses.
14Ephraim
provoked him to anger most
bitterly: therefore shall he
leave his blood upon him, and
his reproach shall his LORD
return unto him.
But the people of
Israel provoked the Lord and
they will pay for their sins.
(Micah 6:4, Acts 3:22-23,
7:35-37).
Hosea 13
1When
Ephraim spake trembling, he
exalted himself in Israel; but
when he offended in Baal, he
died. When
the tribe of Ephraim spoke, the
people shook with fear and they
were important in Israel. But
now they sinned by worshipping
Baal. (II Kings 17:16-18).
2And
now they sin more and more, and
have made them molten images of
their silver, and idols
according to their own
understanding, all of it the
work of the craftsmen: they say
of them, Let the men that
sacrifice kiss the calves.
They
continue to sin by making hand
crafted idols and they even kiss
their silver calf idols.
(Jeremiah 10:8, Romans 1:22-25).
"They do it today."
3Therefore
they shall be as the morning
cloud and as the early dew that
passeth away, as the chaff that
is driven with the whirlwind out
of the floor, and as the smoke
out of the chimney.
They will
disappear like the morning mist
and like smoke in a chimney.
(Our Heavenly Father is not
happy with them).
4Yet
I am the LORD thy God from the
land of Egypt, and thou shalt
know no god but me: for there is
no saviour beside me.
There is no other
Savior. (Isaiah 45:21-22).
5I
did know thee in the wilderness,
in the land of great drought.
I fed you
in the wilderness in a dry and
thirsty land. (Fed them angels
food called manna).
6According
to their pasture, so were they
filled; they were filled, and
their heart was exalted;
therefore have they forgotten
me. Once
you had eaten and were full,
then you forgot about Me.
(Jeremiah 2:31). Once they get what
they want, they forget about God
and where it came from.
7Therefore
I will be unto them as a lion:
as a leopard by the way will I
observe them:
So, I will attack
you like a lion and the leopard.
(Amos 3:8).
8I
will meet them as a bear that is
bereaved of her whelps, and will
rend the caul of their heart,
and there will I devour them
like a lion: the wild beast
shall tear them.
Like a bear whose
cubs were taken away, I will
tear out your heart and devour
you like a hungry lioness.
9O
Israel, thou hast destroyed
thyself; but in me is thine
help. You
are about to be destroyed by
your only helper.
10I
will be thy king: where is any
other that may save thee in all
thy cities? and thy judges of
whom thou saidst, Give me a king
and princes?
Where is your
king now to save you. Where are
all your leaders of the land
that you demanded of Me.
"Remember that king Hosea was in
prison." (II Kings 17:4).
11I
gave thee a king in mine anger,
and took him away in my wrath.
In My
anger I gave you kings because
you wanted them, and in My fury,
I took them away.
12The
iniquity of Ephraim is bound up;
his sin is hid.
Ephraim's sin has
been stored up for punishment.
13The
sorrows of a travailing woman
shall come upon him: he is an
unwise son; for he should not
stay long in the place of the
breaking forth of children.
You pains
are like the pain of childbirth,
but they are like a child who
resists being born. (Isaiah
37:3).
14I
will ransom them from the power
of the grave; I will redeem them
from death: O death, I will be
thy plagues; O grave, I will be
thy destruction: repentance
shall be hid from mine eyes.
I will not
pity them anymore. Repentance
will be hid from their eyes, and
I will bring the plagues of
destruction on them. What
plagues? The seven vials of
wrath in the end times. Judgment
day! (Revelations 20:13,
Revelation 16).
15Though
he be fruitful among his
brethren, an east wind shall
come, the wind of the LORD shall
come up from the wilderness, and
his spring shall become dry, and
his fountain shall be dried up:
he shall spoil the treasure of
all pleasant vessels.
Ephraim was the
most fruitful of all his
brothers. But the east wind, a
blast from the Lord will rise in
the desert and will dry up all
their springs and wells.
(Ezekiel 17:10).
16Samaria
shall become desolate; for she
hath rebelled against her God:
they shall fall by the sword:
their infants shall be dashed in
pieces, and their women with
child shall be ripped up.
They must pay for
their rebellion against God.
They shall fall by the sword.
Taken by the king of Assyria.
(II Kings 17:6). What is the
double edge sword of the end
times? The sword of the Lord.
(Psalm 149:5-6, Revelation 1:16,
2:16). The sword of the Lord in
the end times is the Word of God
that comes out of His mouth. "It
can cut you down, or build you
up." It is up to you.
Hosea 14
1O
israel, return unto the LORD thy
God; for thou hast fallen by
thine iniquity.
Your own sins
have brought you down because
you don't listen to God. Repent
and return to the Lord.
(Jeremiah 2:19).
2Take
with you words, and turn to the
LORD: say unto him, Take away
all iniquity, and receive us
graciously: so will we render
the calves of our lips.
Quit your
backsliding and confess your sin
to the Lord.
3Asshur
shall not save us; we will not
ride upon horses: neither will
we say any more to the work of
our hands, Ye are our gods: for
in thee the fatherless findeth
mercy. Assyria and it's war horses
cannot save us. We won't say to
the idols that they are our
gods, but you alone are our God.
4I
will heal their backsliding, I
will love them freely: for mine
anger is turned away from him.
I will
heal you from your backsliding.
He justifies them through faith
in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians
2:4-9).
5I
will be as the dew unto Israel:
he shall grow as the lily, and
cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
I will be
to Israel like a refreshing dew
from heaven and send their roots
deep into the soil like the
cedars in Lebanon. Israel will
blossom and but, and fill the
face of the world with fruit.
(Isaiah 27:6), the fruit being
the truth in the Word.
6His
branches shall spread, and his
beauty shall be as the olive
tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
It's
branches will spread out like
beautiful olive trees. (The oil
of our people). The true vine is
Christ. (John 15:1).
7They
that dwell under his shadow
shall return; they shall revive
as the corn, and grow as the
vine: the scent thereof shall be
as the wine of Lebanon.
Those who put
their faith in God and live
under the shadow of the Holy
Spirit. (John 11:25), Those who
believe in Christ, even though
they may have been spiritually
dead, will live. (Eternal life).
8Ephraim
shall say, What have I to do any
more with idols? I have heard
him, and observed him: I am like
a green fir tree. From me is thy
fruit found.
Stay away from
the idols and traditions of men
and your prayers will be
answered. Here is where God
compares Himself to the
evergreen tree (fir tree), and
we are the fruit of the tree.
(Isaiah 60:13).
9Who
is wise, and he shall understand
these things? prudent, and he
shall know them? for the ways of
the LORD are right, and the just
shall walk in them: but the
transgressors shall fall
therein. Those who are wise in the Lord
will understand these things.
Those who can discern the truth.
The path of the Lord is true and
righteous, but the path of the
sinner will stumble and fall.
(Romans 9:32-33, II
Thessalonians 2:9-12, I Peter
2:7-8). Remember that Christ is
our rock. The rock of the
righteous, but Satan is their
rock, the rock of the unjust.
Satan is coming soon and will be
a stumbling rock to many who
have been deceived in the Word.
Trust in the Lord and be His
people. "Lo-Ammi" (not My
people), Israel then, and "Ammi"
(My people), Israel now.
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