Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Hosea
Book: Hosea
Chapter: 1
Overview:
Under a figure, is represented the shameful
Idolatry of the
ten tribes.
(1-7) The
Calling of the
Gentiles, and the uniting
Israel and
Judah under the
Messiah.
(8-11)
1-7 Israel was prosperous, yet then
Hosea boldly tells them of
their sins, and foretells their
Destruction. Men are not to be
flattered in sinful ways because they prosper in the world; nor
will it last long if they go
On still in their trespasses. The
Prophet must show
Israel their
Sin; show it to be exceedingly
hateful. Their
Idolatry is the
Sin they are here charged with.
Giving that
Glory to any
Creature which is due to
God alone, is
an injury and affront to
God; such as for a
Wife to take a
Stranger, is to her
Husband. The
Lord, doubtless, had good
reasons for giving such a command to the
Prophet; it would form
an affecting picture of the
Lord's unmerited
Goodness and
unwearied patience, and of the perverseness and ingratitude of
Israel. We should be broken and wearied with half that
perverseness from others, with which we try the patience and
grieve the
Spirit of our
God. Let us also be ready to
Bear any
Cross the
Lord appoints. The
Prophet must show the ruin of the
people, in the names given to his children. He foretells the
fall of the royal family in the name of his first
Child:
Call
his name
Jezreel, which signifies "
Dispersion." He foretells
God's abandoning the nation in the name of the second
Child;
Lo-
Ruhamah, "not beloved," or "not having obtained
Mercy."
God
showed great
Mercy, but
Israel abused his favours.
Sin turns
away the
Mercy of
God, even from
Israel, his own professing
people. If pardoning
Mercy is denied,
No other
Mercy can be
expected. Though some, through unbelief, are broken off, yet
God
will have a
Church in this world till the
End of time. Our
Salvation is owing to
God's
Mercy, not to any merit of our own.
That
Salvation is sure, of which he is the Author; and if he
will work, none shall hinder.
8-11 The rejection of
Israel for a time, is signified
By the
name of another
Child:
Call him
Lo-Ammi, "not my people." The
Lord disowns all relation to them. We
Love him, because he first
loved us; but our being cast out of
Covenant, is owing to
ourselves and our folly.
Mercy is remembered in the midst of
wrath; the rejection, as it shall not be total,
So it shall not
be final. The same
Hand that wounded, is stretched forth to
heal. Very precious promises are here given concerning the
Israel of
God, and they may be of use to us now. Some think that
these promises will not have accomplishment in full, till the
general
Conversion of the Jews in the latter days. Also this
promise is applied to the
Gospel, and the bringing in both the
Jews and
Gentiles to it,
By St.
Paul, Ro 9:25,26, and
By St.
Peter, 1Pe 2:10. To believe in
Christ, is to have him for our
Head, and willingly to commit ourselves to his guidance and
government. And let us pray for the coming of the glorious
Day,
when there shall be one
Lord through all the
Earth.