Hosea 5:8-7:16 "The Return of Israel" April 15, 2007 This passage is all about return 5:15 God says I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me. 6:1 the prophet then pleads: Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. 6:11 God says, For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed, when I restore (or return) the fortunes of my people. 7:10 After speaking of the judgment that is coming on Ephraim, Hosea says The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this. 7:16, Hosea says of Israel, They return, but not upwards. To summarize this theme, God will come in judgment against Israel, and then return to his place (5:8-15). The prophet will plead for Israel to return (6:1-6), but Israel is like Adam, and God will "return" the fortunes of Judah as well (6:7-7:7). 7:8-16 then speaks of how Ephraim will indeed return, but not upwards. They will return to Egypt to Assyria but not to God. Hosea uses this word 21 times so it is a regular theme throughout the book. But it is especially helpful in giving us a window into this passage. The reference to Assyria in 7:11 reminds us of the context. We know that Hosea prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II, until the time of Hezekiah of Judah. During that time the northern kingdom of Israel wavered back and forth between a pro-Assyrian stance or at least placating the Assyrians (Menahem and his son Pekahiah)-- and an anti-Assyrian alliance with Syria (Pekah the son of Remaliah seems to have rebelled against Pekahiah's pro-Assyrian policies). Isaiah refers to how the "son of Remaliah" was conspiring with Damascus in order to force Judah to help them resist the Assyrian invasion. But in the days of Hoshea, the last king of Israel, the Assyrians discovered that Hoshea had sent to Egypt and rejected Assyria. It would appear that 5:8-7:16 is referring to this back and forth between Egypt and Assyria. Israel keeps wavering between Egypt and Assyria looking for a protector but neglecting the very one who had promised to protect them! They return, but not upwards. 1. The Return of God (5:8-16) Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah. What's this all about? Ephraim is coming under God's judgment Gibeah was the hometown of Saul the first king of Israel. It was also the scene of the great apostasy of Benjamin in Judges 19-21, where Benjamin became like Sodom and Gomorrah. Hosea will make explicit reference to this in chapters 9 and 10. To say "Gibeah" in the days of the prophets is like saying "Sodom and Gomorrah." Ramah was the hometown of Samuel, and in the days of the divided kingdom it became a fortified border town between Israel and Judah. So to speak of blowing a horn in Gibeah and the trumpet in Ramah is to speak of a border dispute between Israel and Judah between the house of David and those who would divide the people of God. The next line is curious: Sound the alarm at Beth-aven; we follow you, O Benjamin. We saw last time (4:15) that Beth-aven is a play on the name of Beth-el. Bethel means "house of God," but of course Bethel was the center of Israel's corruption of worship, and so Hosea calls Bethel "Beth-aven" house of idols (or house of nothingness). (Joshua refers to a city called "Beth-aven" near Bethel in Joshua 7:2 and 18:12, but in 10:5 Hosea even speaks of the "calf of Beth-aven" making it clear that he is referring to Bethel) But why does Israel say, "we follow you, O Benjamin." After all, Benjamin followed Judah! The reference to Gibeah and Ramah reminds us of Saul and Samuel as well as the apostasy of Benjamin that resulted in the near annihilation of Benjamin. Hosea is saying that Israel is following Benjamin, even as Benjamin followed Sodom and Gomorrah! "We follow you, O Benjamin," even as Saul departed from following the LORD! And so not surprisingly, Ephraim shall become a desolation in the day of punishment; among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure. The judgment that came against Sodom and Gomorrah is coming against Israel. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and even as Gibeah was laid waste in the days of the Judges, so now all Israel will fall under the wrath of God. And what is worse, The princes of Judah have become like those who move the landmark. Rather than see the house of David as the solution, Hosea recognizes that the house of David has become part of the problem. Jesus reminds us of Hosea's prophecy when he sends out the 72 in Luke 10. This is in the context of Jesus' preaching the coming judgment, and he says of those who refuse to hear the preaching of the kingdom, It will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. (Luke 10:12) And so God says through Hosea, upon them I will pour out my wrath like water. Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because he was determined to go after filth. But I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like dry rot to the house of Judah. (5:10-12) God is going to consume his people. Verse 13 then speaks of Ephraim's response: 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! They do not realize that it is God who opposes them and so they run to Assyria for help! And so God says that he is finished with Israel: 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. And then, like a lion returning to its lair, I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me. (5:15) Having torn Israel to pieces, and sent them into captivity, God will return to his heavenly throne, where he will wait and see how Israel will respond 2. The Plea for Israel to Return (6:1-6) And at first, verses 1-3 of chapter 6 sound quite promising: Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. Yes, God has torn us us, but he is also the one who heals. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him!" God is the one who brings trials into your life and God is the one who will deliver you from evil as well! After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. This is a common Hebrew wisdom device you see it often in Proverbs and in other places in the prophets. It is not intended literally after all, it does not say "after two days he will revive him" but "us." In other words, Hosea's point is that God will allow Israel to suffer indeed, God is the one who has brought this suffering upon Israel! But that after two days of this (not a literal statement), God will raise up Israel on the third day in other words, after a short period of suffering. There is no indication that Hosea was thinking of an individual here. He was thinking of Israel. But of course, Jesus is the true Israel. And God brought suffering upon Jesus for a short period of time and after two days he revived Jesus; on the third day he raised Jesus from the dead, so that Jesus might live before God. And because God has raised Jesus, therefore he will raise those who trust in Jesus. Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. God had said that he would pour out his wrath like water in 5:10, now Hosea replies with confidence that if they return to the LORD, then he will come like the spring rains. Water is a good thing so long as there is not too much of it! We saw last time the importance of knowing God not just with an intellectual knowledge, but with an intimate knowledge like that of a husband and wife. And here Hosea calls Israel to press on to know the LORD. Last time I suggested that in Philippians 3 Paul is echoing the language of Hosea "I want to know him" Here again we hear language that Paul will use in Philippians 3: Let us press on to know the LORD. Notice that Israel does not respond to Hosea's plea. Rather, in verses 4-6 God responds to Israel's silence: What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away. Remember the central theme of Hosea the wife of whoredom Gomer? Ephraim and Judah are like a wife of whoredom and their love is fleeting. Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Israel thought that as long as they kept the sacrifices coming, God would protect them. Their relationship with God was like the gold-digging wife who married for money, and her only desire is that her husband keep it coming! I don't want your sacrifices I don't care about your burnt offerings I want your love. I want you to know me! 3. Israel's "Return" Is like Adam's (6:7-7:7) But Hosea's plea and Yahweh's plea fall on deaf ears. But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me. (6:7) The word "Adam" means "man," so some have said that this means that "like man" they have transgressed the covenant. But where in scripture does "man in general" transgress the covenant? The only place you could possibly cite would be Genesis 3. Others have pointed out that "Adam" is the name of a city in the Jordan valley (Josh 3:16). But there is no known story about the city of Adam, so this doesn't help us! It is true that the book of Genesis does not use the word "covenant" to describe God's relationship with Adam in the garden. But it is clear in Exodus 3-4 that God is calling Israel to be his son, and in that way, to become the new Adam. The book of Deuteronomy ends with Israel returning to the "garden" in a sense. The promised land is portrayed as a new Eden, and Israel is to take possession of the land and dwell with God in the land (just like Adam). But God warns in Deuteronomy 28-34 that Israel is going to fail (just like Adam) And when Israel fails, God will cast them out of the promised land, (just like Adam). Hosea seems to have put two and two together. Israel is like Adam. They have broken the covenant, and so they will experience the same fate as Adam. In verses 8-10, Hosea describes this in geographic terms: Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood. As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem; they commit villainy. In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's whoredom is there; Israel is defiled. Gilead was the leading city in the 2 « tribes that were on the east side of the Jordan. And Gilead had become the word used to describe the eastern tribes. Before the days of Hosea, the Syrians had captured Gilead (2 Kings 10:33), but Jeroboam II had retaken it. During the days of Hosea, the Assyrians captured Gilead (2 Kings 15:29). And not surprisingly, when a region experiences constant instability, it also becomes lawless and corrupt. The problem is that it is not just the rulers that have become corrupt. Rather, the priests have become like robbers. They have corrupted the whole nation. And so in 6:11-7:7 God describes their "return." For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed, when I restore the fortunes of my people. The word "restore" is this little word "shub" "return." And in the context, we must hear this word with a little cynicism. Yahweh has brought judgment and returned to his throne. Hosea has called Israel to return, without any real effect. And now Yahweh says that he will "return" the fortunes of his people and that a harvest is appointed. John the Baptist will speak of the coming harvest as well! A harvest where the wheat is stored up in the barn, and the chaff is burned with unquenchable fire. God's disposition toward Israel is merciful but they don't see it. When I would heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria; for they deal falsely; the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside. But they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face. By their evil they make their king glad, and the princes by their treachery. They are all like adulterers; they are like a heated oven whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened. (7:1-4) (You need a consistent temperature, so you don't mess with the fire) On the day of our king, the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers. For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue; all night their anger smoulders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire. All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me. (7:5-7) This is an apt description of the kings of Israel. Dynasties came and went every king did evil in the sight of the LORD; all the kings fell; none called on Yahweh. 4. They Return, But Not Upwards (7:8-16) So what is the result of this fiery oven called Israel? Continuing the image of the baker, Hosea says Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned. A cake not turned is like a pancake that you never flipped over: burnt on one side and raw on the other. It is inedible. Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not. (In other words, he has neither strength nor wisdom, but he doesn't realize it!) The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this. (7:10) And so God describes Ephraim as a "senseless dove" calling to Egypt, going to Assyria (7:11). Why on earth would you call Egypt? Why would you go to Assyria? Why would you not call upon the LORD the God who delivered you before! It is easy to scoff at Ephraim, the silly and senseless dove. But I would ask you the same question! You know that God is the only one who can deliver you from your troubles! And yet you constantly flee to other saviors! When you are sad, you eat. When you are provoked, you take it out on others. We are silly and senseless doves who fly in the wrong direction only to fall into the trap: As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the heavens; I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation. Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me. (7:12-13) Hosea warns us against apostasy. In the midst of your trials, call upon the LORD in truth, seek him and you will find him! Hosea points out that They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves; they rebel against me. Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me. And then in a statement that summarizes the whole message of this passage: They return, but not upwards (or possibly "not to the Most High") They are like a treacherous bow; their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. They return, but not to God. Instead, they return to Egypt. Israel started in Egypt, but now Israel will return to Egypt. In some cases this will be literal (Jeremiah speaks of those who fled to Egypt), but Hosea's point is broader. The exile is a return to bondage a return to slavery and captivity. Whether in Assyria, Babylon, or Egypt, the people of Israel will be cast out of their land, and returned into captivity. They will return but not to God. Our hope is not that we can ascend to God. Our hope is that God will have mercy. Because while we were yet sinners, covenant-breakers, like Adam while we were flitting about like silly, senseless doves while we were whoring after our selfish desires, Hosea goes to the city gate to buy back his adulterous wife, and God sends his only-begotten Son to go to the cross to buy back his adulterous people. And so come, let us return to our God, because he has raised Jesus from the dead, and because Jesus has returned in glory to the right hand of the Father, we may came before the living God with confidence and joy! Let us pray: