Hos 13:2 And 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 were totally given over to the worship of Baal, kissing the calf idols. This literally reads "sacrificers of men kiss calves". The Bible speaks of child sacrifice by worshipping the god Molech. There may have been human sacrifices to Baal as well. We call it abortion in our time.
Lev 18:21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
They made idols of silver and kissed the calf. Can we compare this to a people worshipping a bull market? Making idols of their silver and gold. Gold currently sells for $1600 an ounce, showing how the dollar is failing and how people kiss their silver and gold for security. Well kiss it goodbye for we had better kiss the Son of God instead.
Psa 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
Judas betrayed the Son of God with a kiss, loving silver more than the Lord.
Luk 22:48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
Mat 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
Mat 27:4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
Mat 27:5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
Judas like Ephraim had gone too far and had to face imminent death. If you feel you have gone too far into sin, repent and turn to Jesus for forgiveness and a new life. Open your heart and eyes to Jesus who came to save you and all who will believe in him.
Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Hos 13:3 Therefore 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.
Hos 13:4 Yet 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.
Jas 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Our life is like a vapor in comparison to eternity. The God of Israel sent his Son Jesus to be your savior from sin and death; he is our savior.
Luk 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Hos 13:5 I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
Hos 13:6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.
The LORD met their needs in the wilderness and established them in the promise land. Prosperity and ease had turned their hearts away from obedience and the worship of their true God. We hear so much on prosperity and the spirit. Be careful less ye turn from the LORD God of Israel unto prosperity gods of the people around you. Beware also that you not forget Jesus in your spirit talk. Some are leaving God and Jesus, the Bible and truth for the words of other spirits. Seeking higher and higher levels, but not after their God who gave them all truth and good things.
Psa 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Psa 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Hos 13:7 Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them:
Hos 13:8 I 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.
Israel had left the safety of their LORD and the LORD was forced to stalk them as wild beasts, to repay them for their choices. They walked in danger. This is the LORD of the old covenant who has given us grace through his Son Jesus, by the New Covenant of faith.
Leopards, bears, lions, all are under the dominion of God. The children of God had become children of satan. The unruly parents often raise unruly children. Do not offend God or his servants. The following story of Elijah is for our learning.