Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Hosea
Book: Hosea
Chapter: 4
Overview:
God's judgments against the sins of the people.
(1-5) and of
the priests.
(6-11) Idolatry is reproved, and
Judah is
admonished.
(12-19)
1-5 Hosea reproves for immorality, as
Well as
Idolatry. There
was
No Truth,
Mercy, or knowledge of
God in the land: it was
full of murders, 2Ki 21:16. Therefore calamities were near,
which would desolate the country. Our sins, as separate persons,
as a family, as a neighbourhood, as a nation, cause the
Lord to
have a controversy with us; let us submit and humble ourselves
before Him, that he may not go
On to destroy.
6-11 Both priests and people rejected knowledge;
God will
justly reject them. They forgot the
Law of
God, neither desired
nor endeavoured to retain it in mind, and to transmit the
remembrance to their posterity; therefore
God will justly forget
them and their children. If we dishonour
God with that which is
our honour, it will, sooner or later, be turned into shame to
us. Instead of warning the people against
Sin, from the
consideration of the sacrifices, which showed what an
Offence
Sin was to
God, since it needed an
Atonement, the priests
encouraged the people to
Sin, since
Atonement might be made at
So small an expense. It is very wicked to be pleased with the
sins of others, because they may turn to our advantage. What is
unlawfully gained, cannot be comfortably used. The people and
the priests hardened one another in
Sin; therefore justly shall
they share in the
Punishment. Sharers in
Sin must expect to
share in ruin. Any
Lust harboured in the
Heart, in time will eat
out all its strength and vigour. That is the reason why many
professors grow
So heavy,
So dull,
So dead in the way of
religion. They have a liking for some secret
Lust, which takes
away their hearts.
12-19 The people consulted images, and not the Divine
Word.
This would lead to disorder and
Sin. Thus men prepare scourges
for themselves, and vice is spread through a people. Let not
Judah come near the idolatrous
Worship of
Israel. For
Israel was
devoted to idols, and must now be let alone. When sinners cast
off the easy
Yoke of
Christ, they go
On in
Sin till the
Lord
saith, Let them alone. Then they receive
No more warnings, feel
No more convictions:
Satan takes full possession of them, and
they ripen for
Destruction. It is a sad and sore
Judgment for
any
Man to be let alone in
Sin. Those who are not disturbed in
their
Sin, will be destroyed for their
Sin. May we be kept from
this awful state; for the wrath of
God, like a strong tempest,
will soon hurry impenitent sinners into ruin.