The Pulpit Commentary on Hosea 7:11-16

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

Ephraim's flight from God.

Every sinner may read a warning in the words here addressed to Ephraim.

I. FLEEING FROM GOD. (Hosea 7:11, Hosea 7:12) The wicked "say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways" (Job 21:14). They themselves try, though vainly, to escape from God. They would fain put a great distance between him and them (Jonah; the prodigal).

1. Fleeing from God is sin. It is an attempt on the part of the creature to establish an independence which the Creator does not allow. Even the attempt at such flight God must check and punish.

2. Fleeing from God is folly. It is foolish

3. Fleeing from God is destruction. God declares that when the sinner flees, he will pursue (Hosea 7:12). No matter how lofty their soarings, he will spread his net for them, and bring them down. He has forewarned them of this, and they will find it true, Jonah found, when he tried to escape, that God's net was spread for him. Every sinner will find the same. The net which God spreads for the haughty, would-be independent ones is that of his punitive justice. Their pride will end, as all evil ends, in destruction.

II. FALSE DEALING WITH GOD. (Verses 13-16) A main part of the charge against Ephraim is falsehood (verses 1, 3). The falsehood is primarily falsehood towards God. We have here three phases of it.

1. Insincerity in repentance. "They have not cried with their heart, when they howled upon their beds, etc. (verse 14). The insincerity of their repentance was evinced:

2. Speaking lies against God.

3. Faithlessness in promises. Even when, for a brief moment, they seemed wishful of amendment, their goodness did not last (Hosea 6:4). Their promises were broken. They did not keep faith with God. They were as "a deceitful bow" (verse 16). The deceitful bow:

III. A LAUGHING-STOCK TO MEN. (Verse 16) "This shall be their derision in the, land of Egypt." Their princes had used boastful language—"the rage of their tongue." Once their pretensions were exposed, they would become a mockery to those for the sake of whose friendship and help they had deserted God.—J.O.

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