An Exposition of Hosea 4-7, Biblical commentary 2 · Chapter 7 · Verse 13
VER. 13.
Wo unto them, for they have fled from me: deſtruction unto them, becauſe they have tranſgreſſed againſt me, though I have redeemed them, yet they have ſpoken lyes againſt me.
WO in Scripture ſometimes ſignifies pity, and miſery; here it is to be underſtood of miſery, deſtruction to them.
They forſake me] The word here interpreted, forſake, ſignifies to wander; it is a woful thing to depart from God, much more to wander from God: Wo be to you, when I depart from you, but if you depart from me, what will you do? In wandring from God, thou wandereſt from the only Infinite good, and then, where wilt thou reſt the ſole of thy foot? what ſhall comfort thee in the time of thy diſtreſs? It is evil to wander from God, but much more to make haſt from God. It is the Devils plot and cuſtom, to hurry backſliding ſinners from God, that they ſhould not conſider what they do, and whither they are going, he poſteth them on in their evil waies as a bird to the ſnare, and knoweth it not that it is for his life, Prov. 7.23. Oh how much more ſhould the Saints be put on for God? not to be kept off with impediments, but let our ſouls with Davids, in Pſal. 63.8. follow hard after God; and Pſal. 119.63. I made haſt and delaied not, to keep thy righteous judgments. It follows.
Deſtruction to them.
This is the end alwaies of ſuch as depart from God: and happy were it if thou couldſt ſee it beforehand. Oh how many when they have come to ſee the end of their waies upon their death beds, have given a moſt dreadful ſhriek as ſeeing themſelves paſt recovery.
They have tranſgreſſed againſt me.
They have not only ſinned againſt me, but have broken covenant alſo, they have now dealt perfideouſly with the Lord. Before God ſaid He would chaſtiſe them: but now He would deſtroy them,Covenant breakers ruin. make an end of them: Utter ruin is the portion of thoſe that break Covenant with me.
Though I have redeemed them, yet they ſpeak lyes againſt me.
Some reade it in the future: Though I would, and was ready to do it, yet they ſay that the way of worſhip I preſcribed is not ſo ſucceſſeful, and no ſuch bleſſing follows it; they ſay my Prophets threaten nothing but judgment and utter deſolation: now ſaith God, All theſe are lyes, it is no ſuch matter, I was ready to do them good. But the future is often uſed for the pretertenſe in the Hebrew, and ſo here: the ſenſe is, I have not only redeemed them out of Egypt, but very often ſince out of the hands of their enemies. And the ſtory which this Scripture refers unto, is, in 2 Kings. 14.27. the Lord wonderfully proſpered them in their wars, and the Lord ſaid not, that he would blot out the name of Iſrael from under heaven? but he ſaved them by the hand of Jeroboam the ſon of Joaſh. It follows.
But they ſpoke lyes againſt him.
That is, They attributed their redemption unto thoſe helps which they had, or to their Idols, ſaying in this manner: Other people that ſerved not God were delivered as wel as we, we ſee not ſo much of Gods hand in our deliverance as you ſpeak of. Or elſe, They fathered their errors upon me becauſe I delivered. Now ſaith God, in this you lye againſt me: They made falſe interpretations of Gods mercies; As that God was no ſuch enemy to this way of worſhip, becauſe he had redeemed them. The Notes are:
Gods reedeeming mercies, are great aggravations of our ſin. When Obſ. 1 God delivers, and we attribute it to any thing in us, o… that we have done, is mighty provoking to God, becauſe it takes away his glory in delivering.
When God delivers a people or perſon from danger, and they now Obſ. 2, think to ſin by this means more freely againſt him, is a lying againſt God. As they, in Jer. 7.10. ſaid they were delivered for to do all theſe abominations. Or as that wicked King,Philip King of Spain. being delivered in a ſtorm, ſaid it was to this end, That he might root out all the Lutherans. So, are there not many ſo vile who being delivered in a ſickneſs, or from any great danger, think it is, that they might ſin more freely: which is a moſt hurrible wickedneſs, and lying againſt the Lord.
For any man to urge any falſe doctrine or opinion upon another, is Obſ. 3 a lying againſt God. Therefore take heed how you bring Scriptures to prove any error which you hold, or is maintained by any, for God will look upon it but as a lying againſt him. It is a dangerous thing to counterfeit the Kings Stamp;ſimile and is it not much more to counterfeit the Truths of God, by errors ſeemingly maintained by Scripture?
But to apply this ſpiritually: Uſe. Many whom God hath redeemed from ſin, hell, and wrath to come, the hazard of their miſcarrying being over, yet dare not, will not ſay, that God hath ſhewed mercy unto them, they are ſtil complaining, Oh they are ſtill in their ſins, there is no work of Gods Spirit upon them; or if they wil grant there is ſome change, God hath done ſomething upon me, that's true, but it is only to aggravate my condemnation, it is not in truth, God will leave me at the laſt, al this is but in hypocriſie, I may periſh at laſt for ought I know. Now take heed of this kind of ſpeaking, beware what you ſay in this caſe, leſt you be found lyars againſt God, ſpeaking lyes againſt the Truth of God in your hearts. Luther upon theſe words takes much notice of Gods ſpeaking ſo in his own perſon: They have departed from Me, they have tranſgreſſed againſt Me, done wickedly againſt Me, ſpeak lyes againſt me, call not upon Me &c. Here note,
That the great evil of ſin lyes in this, That it is againſt God. This Obſ. 1 conſideration laid David very low, Againſt thee only have I ſinned. And this is that which humbles a gracious heart, that it ſhould ſin ſo unkindly againſt God.
Obſ. 2 The more a mans ſins are directly againſt God, the greater is the ſin. For now God ſuffers more immediately in his glory, and this puts the aggravation upon the ſin.