Hosea 8 · The Lantern

Put the ram’s horn to your lips! An eagle looms over the house of the LORD, because the people have transgressed My covenant and rebelled against My law.

Israel cries out to Me, “O our God, we know You!”

But Israel has rejected good; an enemy will pursue him.

They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.

When Peter is speaking to the people concerning the bishop to be ordained in the place of Judas, it says, "Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, for the multitude was together." But we notice that the apostles observed this, not only in the ordination of bishops and of priests but also in the ordinations of deacons.

"They themselves have reigned, and not by me; principalities have arisen, and I have not known them. They made for themselves idols of their silver and gold, so that they should be destroyed." LXX: "they themselves have reigned, and not by me; principalities have arisen, and have not declared it to me: they have made idols for themselves with their silver and gold, so that they…

But it can be reasonably asked, How it is said in this place that the Lord makes the hypocrite to reign, when by the Prophet He complains especially of this thing, saying, They have reigned, but not of Me: they have become princes, and I know them not? For, who that thinks rightly, can say that the Lord does that of which He knows nothing?

He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?

For this thing is from Israel—a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.

For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. There is no standing grain; what sprouts fails to yield flour. Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up.

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: standing stalk, there is no grain in it, it shall not make flour: and if it should make any, strangers would devour it. " LXX: "Because they have sown corruption, they shall reap a fall: a handful of corn hath not the beauty of ear; they shall yield no flour; and if it should yield, strangers shall devour it.

For you pluck no fruit from the idol's service, but their bundles are like ears of wheat destroyed by the wind, which show full stalks from the outside but which internally have no grain.

For it is infinite folly to labour painfully, and pant after the breath of applause, to apply one's self to the heavenly precepts with hard toil, but to aim at the reward of an earthly kind of recompense.

Israel is swallowed up! Now they are among the nations like a worthless vessel.

For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey on its own. Ephraim has hired lovers.

Though they hire allies among the nations, I will now round them up, and they will begin to diminish under the oppression of the king of princes.

Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning.

Though I wrote for them the great things of My law, they regarded them as something strange.

Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to Me, and though they eat the meat, the LORD does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins: They will return to Egypt.

Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has multiplied its fortified cities. But I will send fire upon their cities, and it will consume their citadels.

Hosea8