Hosea 8

Sowing the wind, reaping the whirlwind

Hosea 8:1 Set 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 LORD shall call the Assyrian armies to battle against His own people. Why would he do that? To punish their evil doing in following after false idols.

Hosea 8:2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.

They cry unto God, we know you, we are intimate friends with you. Were they really? Are we intimate with God because we put "In God We Trust" on our coins? Some are, but most are rebellious and do not know the God of Israel. Jesus spoke of those who claimed to serve him in strong rebuke.

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Psa 101:4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.

Hosea 8:3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
Hosea 8:4 They 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.

Putting in kings and leaders who were ungodly, who were liars and cheats and hiding their sins and their motives has only made the nation more unrighteous. The people made silver and gold their idols, much as we have today. Prosperity and financial gain was the god of America and it has gotten into the churches who teach financial prosperity more than repentance and coming to the cross.

1 Tim 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1 Tim 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
1 Tim 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Hosea 8:5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?

"O Samaria, I reject this calf––this idol you have made. My fury burns against you. How long will you be incapable of innocence? (NLT)

Hosea 8:6 For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

It shall be broken to pieces as was the golden calf that Aaron made while Moses was on the mountain receiving the ten commandments.

Exo 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Exo 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
Exo 32:20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strowed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
Exo 32:21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
Exo 32:22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
Exo 32:23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Exo 32:24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
Exo 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)
Exo 32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

We will be people pleasers, giving them what they want to hear and do, or we will come out from among them and stand with the people of God. What will you choose? Will you choose gold? The golden calf, the bull market above the Lord your God? He is separating a people unto himself and separating a people to be punished. I want to be with God; a closer and closer walk with him. We all shoiuld want to obey him in living in the grace and responsibilities of a follower of Jesus Christ.

Hosea 8:7 For 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.

The law of sowing and reaping. We reap more than what is sown. What was sown over many years may produce a harvest seems unbearable, but it is the justice of God. What good fruit we should have gathered, others will gather. The devil promises much, but he is a theif.

Hosea 8:8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
Hosea 8:9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

Ephraim will be alone in a strange land, rejected, as a wild ass alone by itself with hired lovers. Ephraim had sold themselves into spiritual adultery first, followed by harlotry.

Hosea 8:10 Yea, 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.

The LORD will not forsake them forever, for they shall be gathered again to their land. Not that generation, but in the future they shall be gathered again.

Hosea 8:11 Because 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 very altars became places for sinning! (NLT)

Hosea 8:12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.

How sad that the word of God is not valued by so many people. If you have the Spirit of God you should hunger for more truth and righteousness. Sin has kept many from the word.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Many pagans today see the Bible as just a book or as a book of power. They think in terms of magic and supernatural powers to control others or to make money from others. Sometimes the word of God is misused for evil gain, this should not be so.

Simon the sorcerer was one such person

Acts 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
Acts 8:19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
Acts 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Acts 8:21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Acts 8:23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Acts 8:24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hosea 8:13 They 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 had empty sacrifices that they themselves ate of, but that God rejected because they did not want to serve him in truth.

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Hosea 8:14 For 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 built temples, but not to the God of Israel. Judah has built fenced cities. They trusted in their mighty cities and wealthy homes, this had become their security. Wow, God sent destruction to them, this should wake us up in America remembering the destruction of the twin towers on 911. But I shall send fire upon his cities...as God sent for the Assyrians he could use Islam today to punish this adulterous nation. Islam shall not escape God's judgment, but God is more concerned for those who call upon his name.

1 Pet 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1 Pet 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1 Pet 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Father God, I want more of you. Please have mercy on our nation and use your people to awaken America to trust in you more than prosperity and adulterous idols. I am under the blood of the Lamb. His grace is with me and by His Spirit I keep him close every minute of every day. Amen