Hosea 5

8. In the line of hill summits between Jerusalem and Bethel Gibeah and Ramah are prominent. So the prophet represents an alarm sounded out from Jerusalem, as passed on from one of these signal stations northward to another, exclaiming, “Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah and the trumpet in Ramah; cry aloud at Beth-aven (Bethel), behind thee, O Benjamin!” N. C. Burt.

11. Ephraim is crushed utterly under the Divine judgments because he heartily consented to walk after the commandment of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, who bade the people worship the golden calves at Bethel and at Dan (1 K. 12: 28-33). This is the commandment referred to as the first fatal step—the occasion of the sad relapse which was so soon to end in the utter ruin of the people and the kingdom.

12. Ephraim (2 K. 15: 19, 20), threatened by Pul, king of Assyria, “gave him a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.” Judah (2 K. 16: 7), threatened by Rezin of Syria, sent to Tiglath-pileser of Assyria for help. In neither case was this call for help of any avail. H. C.

14. If God tear by afflicting providences, and yet by His graces and comforts stays with us, it is well enough; but our condition is sad indeed if He tear and go away; if, when He deprives us of our creature comforts, He does Himself depart from us. When He goes away He will take away all that is valuable and dear, for when God goes, all good goes along with Him. He will take away, and none shall rescue him; as the prey cannot be rescued from the lion (Mic. 5: 8). None can be delivered out of the hands of God’s justice but those that are delivered into the hands of His grace. It is in vain for a man to strive with his Maker. H.

15. God elsewhere declares, “that He hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” God withdraws Himself from His people, not that He would finally reject them, but that they might know their wickedness and folly in rejecting and forsaking Him, and so “acknowledge their offence, and seek His face.” Pocock.

In their affliction they will seek

Mc. It may reasonably be expected that affliction will bring those to God that had long gone astray from Him and kept at a distance. Therefore God for a time turns away from us, that He may turn us to Himself and then return to us. Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. H.—Prayer is one design of trouble. God has an end in afflicting us worthy His wisdom and goodness, and this end He accomplishes—He brings the people whom He loves to His throne. “I will go and return to my place,” He says, “till they acknowledge their offence and seek My face;” and then He adds, “In their affliction they will seek Me early.” C. B.

It is for the inward strife with sin, the struggle with pride and appetite and passion, with sloth and sensual indulgence, with all the forms of selfishness—this strife with self in order to conquest over self—it is for this that anxiety and trouble, pain and disappointment, disease and bereavement are sent upon every soul. They alone, as Divine instruments, successfully withstand the force of selfish desire and guilty pursuit. And through this warfare and victory every Divine grace is quickened and augmented in its power over the heart. When Pleasure’s spell is broken before adversity then is the humble heart bowed and broken before God. When its earthly props are removed, then does the believing soul cling more closely to its heavenly support. When worldly expectations fade, then do the Spirit’s hopes cluster around that inheritance which fadeth not. When time’s frail, perishing objects fall from our grasp, then do we take firmer hold of eternal realities. We live, we act more for God, for eternity, for heaven! Thus, through suffering, God endues the Christian soul with a larger measure of the graces of His Spirit. Through pain and sorrow He gives vigor to the Christian’s energies, efficiency and success to all his efforts for higher spiritual attainments. He imparts elevation to his thoughts, purity to his purposes, strength and glow to his affections, grandeur to his hopes, and produces his rapid advancement in the Divine life. “Before I was afflicted,” says David, “I went astray, but now have I kept Thy word.” B.