Hosea 6-8

"^6:4 O Ephraim [i.e. the leader of The Northern Kingdom], what shall I do unto thee? O Judah [i.e. the leader of The Southern Kingdom], what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. ^6:5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth" (Hosea 6:4-5 KJV) is an analogy of how Israel, both Israel and Judah, had the truth at the beginning, but failed to live it through the "day."

"I have slain them by the words of my mouth" in the above verses is Jesus Christ speaking (see also Christ The Creator and Why Did Christ Put Moses To Death?), a statement that will be again "spoken" at His return, not merely to physical Israel, but to all the world i.e. "^19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. ^19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. ^19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" (Revelation 19:13-15 KJV).

"^6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us [see Choose Life!]; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. ^6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up [see also The Son Rose As The Sun Set], and we shall live in his sight. ^6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

^6:4 O Ephraim [see The Israelite Patriarchs - Ephraim to understand why "Ephraim" is specified as the leader of Israel here], what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. ^6:5 Therefore have I hewed them by the Prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth. ^6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. ^6:7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me. ^6:8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood. ^6:9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness. ^6:10 I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

^6:11 Also, O Judah [see Israelite Dynasties to understand how Christ was descended not from "Israel," but from the Israelite tribe of Judah], he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people." (Hosea 6:1-11 KJV)

Hosea Chapter 7

Samaria became the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel (i.e. the northern ten tribes who became the "lost ten tribes" after The Galilee Captivity); the first king of the breakaway northern kingdom (see The Division Of Israel) was of Ephraim, hence the statement "^7:1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without" (Hosea 7:1 KJV). Also, both Shechem and Shiloh were in the territory of Ephraim.

"^7:1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without. ^7:2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face. ^7:3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. ^7:4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. ^7:5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners. ^7:6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire [see Awaiting The Fire?]. ^7:7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.

^7:8 Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. ^7:9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not. ^7:10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

^7:11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. ^7:12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven [see Heavens Below, Heavens Above]; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard. ^7:13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. ^7:14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for Corn and wine, and they rebel against me. ^7:15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me. ^7:16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt." (Hosea 7:1-16 KJV)

Hosea Chapter 8

To "reap what you sow" applies directly to salvation (see also The Great Tribulation to understand how "tribulation" is about a harvest), as used in this chapter of Hosea (i.e. ^8:7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind"), and as used much later, for example by the apostle Paul (see Paul's Ministry) e.g. "^6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. ^6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. ^6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6:7-9 KJV).

"^8:1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle [see also Eagles] against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant [see Why A New Covenant?], and trespassed against my law. ^8:2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. ^8:3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. ^8:4 They have set up kings, but not by me [see I Did It My Way]: 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. ^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? ^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.

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

^8:11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. ^8:12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing. ^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. ^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." (Hosea 8:1-14 KJV)

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