Bible Commentaries
Hosea 5

Verses 1-15

1. THEIR DEEDS! (1-3)
   1. (1) Priests, the People, & Political Power heads.
2. THEIR DEEDS KEPT THEM FROM GOD! (4-7)
   1. (4-7) (NIV) "Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. A spirit of prostitution is in their heart; they do not acknowledge the LORD.”
      1. Q: Why do you think that their deeds didn’t permit them to return to God? {Because they were still living in sin}
      2. Q: What do we mean then when we say, “come just as you are”?
         1. We infer that repentance from old deeds is part of the equation. {Here, they still had the spirit of prostitution in their midst!}
      3. Here starts the downward spiral!
         1. Their deeds kept them from God(4); So, God withdrew Himself from them(6); And God would wait there(in His place)until they would admit their guilt(15).
      4. (6) This was a hypocritical quest through sacrificial ritual!
         1. i.e. “with their flocks & herds.”
      5. Sometimes God plays the waiting Father!
         1. Q: Can you think of a NT example of that?(prodigal son)
      6. God withdrawals that we may want Him!
         1. Q: Have you ever felt God was withdrawing(or was quiet) from you in order to help you value Him more? {of course He’ll never leave you or forsake you}
         2. We’ve all said, “you don’t know how much you miss something until it is gone!”
            1. On the mission field…it’s Mexican Food!
            2. On a more serious note, the death of a loved one.
3. THE MOTH & THE ROT! (8-12)
   1. ​​​​​​​(8) This verse reads like a battle cry!
      1. All 3 cities were part of the tribal territory of Benjamin.
   2. (12) To sinning Israel God is like a moth, like rottenness.
      1. Q: Why do you think God likens himself to a moth or to rot?
      2. Moths destroy clothing(Job on a bad day said, “Man decays like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten.”13:28). Rot usually is in reference to that slow progressive bone decay.
4. THE LION! (8-15)
   1. ​​​​​​​(13) Q: Where did Israel go to try to find a substitute for God’s help?
      1. Assyria! – can you identify your own “Assyria”? (where do you turn to, to find help?)
      2. Acts 26:20(Paul to Agrippa re: Jews & Gentiles) “…that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.”
      3. [Martin Luther] “That little bird has chosen his shelter; above it are the stars and the deep heaven of worlds; yet he is rocking himself to sleep without caring for tomorrow's lodging, calmly clinging to his little twig and leaving God to think for him.”
      4. “The more we depend on God, the more dependable we find He is.”
   2. (14) From moth to raging Lion!
      1. A Lion because of its fierceness.
   3. (15) Here the Lion retreats to His Lair! - God withdraws so that we may realize what we are missing & want Him to come back to us again.
      1. Not that God always works this way, but we see sometimes He uses affliction in our lives to draw us unto Him.
         1. It is God’s merciful waves that wash us upon the rock of our salvation!
      2. Affliction = pain, suffering, any cause of suffering. (even emotional!)
      3. When afflicted…
      4. Pray for Personal Revival – Ps.119:107 “I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.”
      5. Remember His Faithfulness - Ps.119:75 “I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.”
      6. Pray for His Knowledge - Ps.119:71 “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.”
      7. Pray for Obedience - Ps.119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.”
      8. Spurgeon, “Losses & adversities are frequently the means which the great Shepherd uses to fetch home His wondering sheep!”
      9. If the chosen soul won’t come to God full-handed, it shall come empty! - If we fail to honor Him on the pinnacle of riches, he will bring us to the valley of poverty.
      10. Recognize tonight the loving hand which chastens, & say, “I will arise & go unto my Father.”