They were spiritually bankrupt and morally corrupt. Part of worshiping the heathen gods involved prostitution, and so, when the "spirit of harlotry" is mentioned here, actual demonic influences could be implied...
(Hosea 5:1-4) Hear this, O priests! Give heed, O house of Israel! Listen, O house of the king! For the judgment applies to you, for you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread out on Tabor.
2 The revolters have gone deep in depravity, but I will chastise all of them.
3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me; for now, O Ephraim, you have played the harlot, Israel has defiled itself.
4 Their deeds will not allow them to return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, and they do not know the Lord.
2 The revolters have gone deep in depravity, but I will chastise all of them.
3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me; for now, O Ephraim, you have played the harlot, Israel has defiled itself.
4 Their deeds will not allow them to return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, and they do not know the Lord.
Another city center of depravity was Gilgal...
15 (Hosea 9:15-17) All their evil is at Gilgal; indeed, I came to hate them there! Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of My house! I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels.
16 Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up, they will bear no fruit. Even though they bear children, I will slay the precious ones of their womb.
17 My God will cast them away because they have not listened to Him; and they will be wanderers among the nations.
16 Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up, they will bear no fruit. Even though they bear children, I will slay the precious ones of their womb.
17 My God will cast them away because they have not listened to Him; and they will be wanderers among the nations.
Depravity only keeps going downhill. As people kiss their loved ones, or the rings of highly esteemed leaders, they were kissing the calves that they worshiped...
(Hosea 13:1-3) When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Israel, but through Baal he did wrong and died.
2 And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves molten images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!”
3 Therefore they will be like the morning cloud and like dew which soon disappears, like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor and like smoke from a chimney.
2 And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves molten images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. They say of them, “Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!”
3 Therefore they will be like the morning cloud and like dew which soon disappears, like chaff which is blown away from the threshing floor and like smoke from a chimney.
This was the ultimate betrayal, considering all that the Lord had done for Israel, and all that He is going to do for them, and considering what He was going to do on the cross - for them - and the entire world.
And because pride and their sin, they will suffer...
(Hosea 13:4-11) Yet I have been the Lord your God since the land of Egypt; and you were not to know any god except Me, for there is no savior besides Me.
5 I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of drought.
6 As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me.
7 So I will be like a lion to them; like a leopard I will lie in wait by the wayside.
8 I will encounter them like a bear robbed of her cubs, and I will tear open their chests; there I will also devour them like a lioness, as a wild beast would tear them.
5 I cared for you in the wilderness, in the land of drought.
6 As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me.
7 So I will be like a lion to them; like a leopard I will lie in wait by the wayside.
8 I will encounter them like a bear robbed of her cubs, and I will tear open their chests; there I will also devour them like a lioness, as a wild beast would tear them.
9 It is your destruction, O Israel, that you are against Me, against your help.
And still, the Lord loves them and will not forget His promises to the nation of Israel.
Because of their sin, they will suffer through the Tribulation, but through that - they will see the signs of Jesus' second coming - and they will turn to their Messiah. Jesus will then take all those who have become believers into the Millennial kingdom...
(Hosea 11:8-11) How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned over within Me, all My compassions are kindled.
9 I will not execute My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.
10 They will walk after the Lord, He will roar like a lion; indeed He will roar and His sons will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt and like doves from the land of Assyria; and I will settle them in their houses, declares the Lord.
9 I will not execute My fierce anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.
10 They will walk after the Lord, He will roar like a lion; indeed He will roar and His sons will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt and like doves from the land of Assyria; and I will settle them in their houses, declares the Lord.
Here is the hope of redemption and restoration to all those who believe! Anyone will be part of this beautiful picture when they belong to God's kingdom. Satan's kingdom is opposite this!
Those who become believers during the Tribulation will see the blessings of the Millennial kingdom (and then eternity in heaven). And for anyone becoming a believer now, they will be extra blessed because they will avoid going through the wrath to come, and will (in time) be resurrected in order to enjoy the Millennial blessings (and eternity in heaven)...
(Hosea 14:1-9) Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
2 Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.
3 “Assyria will not save us, we will not ride on horses; nor will we say again, ‘Our god,’ to the work of our hands; for in You the orphan finds mercy.”
2 Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.
3 “Assyria will not save us, we will not ride on horses; nor will we say again, ‘Our god,’ to the work of our hands; for in You the orphan finds mercy.”
4 I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from them.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily, and he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
6 His shoots will sprout, and his beauty will be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
7 Those who live in his shadow will again raise grain, and they will blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily, and he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
6 His shoots will sprout, and his beauty will be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
7 Those who live in his shadow will again raise grain, and they will blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like a luxuriant cypress; from Me comes your fruit.
9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but transgressors will stumble in them.
From this we see:
- the spirit of harlotry brings about sexual depravity and corruption (5:2-4)
Personal experience: when I was 15 years old, my parents took the family on a long road trip. They had friends and family scattered throughout the U.S., and so one of the cities we visited was Las Vegas.
This is like a "center-of-evil", really. I'm sure one could go there and have innocent fun, but even though the only areas we saw were the "kid-family-friendly" portions, there was still a very oppressive feeling everywhere we went.
Besides seeing people intent on gambling their lives away, there was this overt obsession with sex. My parents had taught me that God created sex, and it is beautiful - when - you respect it and follow God's prescription. But - Las Vegas - was NOT THAT!!! Satan loves to pervert all that is good which God has created.
I have never been back there, and I have no desire to go. Because of business, my husband has been to both New Orleans and Las Vegas, and he will say that New Orleans has a cloud of oppression hanging over it, but not as much as Las Vegas.
Today's takeaway: no matter where we are, we will struggle with impure thoughts. That in itself is not a sin, but acting on the temptation is. Satan wants us to pervert the good gifts that God has created and given to us. But God wants us to enjoy these things as He intended. To do that, we are to remain pure, and so, we need to dwell on what is pure...
(Philippians 4:8-9) Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
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