HOSEA 5
The princes of Judah have become like those who move the landmark;
upon them I will pour out wrath like water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment,
because he was determined to go after filth.
12 But I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like dry rot to the house of Judah.
13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound,
then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king.
But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.
14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry off, and no one shall rescue.
15 I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face,
and in their distress earnestly seek me. – Hosea 5:10-15
HOSEA 5 UNTIL THEY ADMIT THEIR GUILT & SEEK ME
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When we have rebelled against God by sinning
We will experience God’s wrath until we admit it
When we dismiss the gravity of the sin we committed
We are defying God and choose to rebel against him
Return to the Lord, admit your sins and ask for mercy
Until we recognize our guilt and seek him, we won’t repent.
According to Jamieson’s commentary, verse 10 refers to “Ahaz and his courtiers (the prince of Judah) setting aside the ancient ordinances of God, removed the borders of the bases, and the laver, and the sea, and introduced an idolatrous altar from Damascus (2 Kings 16:10-18); he also burnt his children in the valley of Hinnon, after the abominations of the heathen (2 Chronicles 28:3).” Verse 11 refers to God’s people following the command of King Jeroboam to worship idols instead of staying faithful to the One true God. As a result, the wrath of God is upon them since they pursued filthy gods instead of worshiping him alone. In Verse 12, God declares war with Ephraim and Judah. God is disgusted with all the idols that they have sought instead of staying faithful to him. What adulterous people! They have completely forgotten that God is their husband and they have committed adultery by worshiping other idols. Surely, they will receive God’s wrath although verse 15 was still an invitation for confession and repentance of their sin.
REFLECTION
- What character of God was manifested in these following verses?
