(Calvin on Hosea, part 34)
Chapter 13.
Lecture Thirty-fourth.
Hosea 13:1
When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when
he offended in Baal, he died.
Interpreters agree not in their view of this verse. Some say
that trembling was excited in Israel when Ephraim, that is,
Jeroboam, who was born of that tribe, exhorted the people to worship
the calves. By the word "ratat", "trembling," they understand, that
the people were so astonished, that they without thought immediately
obeyed the will, or rather the humour, of their impious king. And if
this sense be approved, the word, trembling, may be in another way
explained, even in this, - that the people did not immediately
embrace that perverted worship, but dreaded, as is wont to be the
case with regard to new things, and which seem to have nothing
reasonable in their favour. But these expounders wholly depart, in
my judgement, from the intention of the Prophet; for, on the
contrary, he sets forth here the twofold state of the kingdom of
Israel, that it might hence be manifest that the ten tribes had been
through their own fault rejected by the Lord, and had thus fallen
from that dignity unto which the Lord had raised them.
He therefore says, "When Ephraim spake formerly, his voice
dreaded, and he raised himself in Israel"; that is, among the whole
race of Abraham. But now "he is dead", or is fallen, "after he has
begun to sin in Baal". Then, in the first sentence, the Prophet
records the honours with which God had favoured that tribe. Ephraim,
we know, was the younger of the sons of Joseph. Manasseh ought not
only to have had the pre-eminence, but also to have reigned alone in
that family; for the people were divided into twelve tribes. But God
intended to raise up two chiefs in the house of Joseph, and
preferred the younger to the first-begotten. Hence Ephraim, who had
increased in number and power, and had at length obtained the royal
dignity, ought to have acknowledged the singular favour of God. And
by way of reproach, the Prophet here says, that all trembled at the
single voice of Ephraim; that is, when he became endued with
authority, and then, that he was exalted in Israel. He ought to have
been deemed of no account, he ought to have been inferior to his
brother, who was the first-born, and yet he excelled all the tribes.
Since, then, God had conferred so much honour on the tribe of
Ephraim, the more grievous was his fault, that he afterwards had
fallen away unto idols; yea, that he began his reign with
superstition, when God was pleased to choose and anoint Jeroboam
king. And surely that he, when raised beyond all hope to the throne
by the hand of God, should, instead of testifying his gratitude,
immediately corrupt the whole worship of God, this was extremely
inconsistent.
But the Prophet says, in the second place, that they "died"
from the time they had thus fallen away from true and lawful
worship, in order that they might understand that they received the
just reward of their impiety when God's hand was opposed to them,
when they were oppressed by adversity. We now perceive the obvious
meaning, of the Prophet to be, that the Israelites formerly
flourished, especially the tribe of Ephraim, from whom Jeroboam
arose, so that, by their voice alone, they subdued all their
neighbours, and that beyond the expectation of men, they suddenly
emerged and erected a new kingdom among the children of Abraham.
He afterwards adds, that after "they had sinned by Baal, they
became dead": for God deprived the tribe of Ephraim of the power
with which he had before adorned him, so that they were but little
short of being destroyed. For though his kingdom had not wholly
fallen, it had yet come to such an extremity that the Prophet might
justly say that they, who were so far removed from their former
state, were dead. But when he says that they "sinned by Baal", he
does not mean that this was the beginning of their idolatry; for
Jeroboam at first made the calves, and it was his successor who
built Baal, and borrowed that superstition, as it is supposed, from
the neighbouring Sidonians. But God records here what is more
grievous, and less excusable, - that the Israelites polluted
themselves with the filth of the Gentiles, so that they differed
nothing from the profane and unbelieving, who had no acquaintance
with sound doctrine.
We are moreover taught in this place, that when kings are
endued with any authority, when they are strong in power, all this
comes from God; for unless God strikes terror into men, no one would
receive the yoke of another, at least all would desire equality, or
one would raise himself above others. It is then certain, that when
any one excels among many in power, this is done through the secret
purpose of God, who constrains to order the common people, and
causes them not to deny obedience to the command of one man. This is
what Hosea now teaches, when he upbraids the tribe of Ephraim with
respect to this terror; for if Ephraim had been formidable through
his own power, there would have been no room for the Prophet's
reproof: but as this was the peculiar gift of God, the Prophet
justly says, that the tribe of Ephraim were in great honour until
they had fallen into superstition. Let us now proceed -
Hosea 13:2
And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of
their silver, [and] idols according to their own understanding, all
of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that
sacrifice kiss the calves.
In this verse the Prophet amplifies the wickedness of the
people, and says, that they had not only in one day cast aside the
pure worship of God, and entangled themselves in superstitions; but
that they had been obstinate in their own depravity. "They have
added", he says, "to their sin, and have made a molten thing of
their silver". When Israel, as we have said, departed from the
worship of God, they made calves, and made them under a specious
appearance; but when many superstitions were added, one after
another, there was, as it were, an accumulation of madness, as if
the Israelites designedly wished to subvert the law of God, and to
show that they cared nothing for the only true God, by whom they had
been redeemed. This is the reason why the Prophet says that they
made progress in wickedness, and observed no moderation in sinning,
and this is what usually happens, unless God draws men back. As soon
as they fall away, they rush headlong into evil; for they take a
greater liberty in sinning, after they have turned their back on
God.
Hence this reproof of the Prophet ought to be noticed, for he
inveighs against the obstinate wickedness of Israel; and says, that
"they made" for themselves "of their silver a molten thing". As we
have seen above, they abused the gifts of God by devoting to
superstition what the Lord had destined for their use. The end for
which God has bestowed silver, we know, is, that men may carry on
commerce with one another, and apply it also to other useful
purposes. But when they make to themselves gods of silver, there is
an astonishing stupidity in their ingratitude, for they pervert the
order of nature, and forget that silver is given for another end,
and that is as we have said for their use. The Prophet at the same
time intimates, that the Israelites were less excusable, inasmuch as
when they were enriched, they became proud of their wealth. Satiety,
we know, is the cause of wantonness, as, it will be shortly stated
again.
But what the Prophet adds ought to be especially observed,
"According to their own understanding". Here he severely reproves
the Israelites, because they had not subordinated all their thoughts
to God, but, on the contrary, followed what pleased themselves. It
was then according to their own invention. The word which the
Prophet uses is not unsuitable, though "understanding," the word
which the Prophet adopts, is among the Hebrews taken in a good
sense. But what is treated of here is the worship of God, with
respect to which all the prudence, all the reason, all the wisdom of
men, and, in short, all their senses, ought to be suspended: for if,
in this case, they of themselves adopt any thing, be it ever so
little, they inevitably vitiate the worship of God. How so? Because
obedience, we know, is better than all sacrifices. This then is the
rule, as to the right worship of God, - that men must become
foolish, that they must not allow themselves to be wise, but that
they are only to give ear to God, and to follow what he commands.
But when men's presumption intrudes, so that they devise a new mode
of worship, they then depart from the true God, and worship mere
idols. The Prophet then by the word, "understanding," condemns here
whatever pleases the judgement and reason of men; as though he said,
"The true rule of religion, as to the worship of God, is, that
nothing human is to be mingled, that no one is to bring forward what
is his own, or what seems good to himself." In short, the
understanding of men is here opposed to the command of God; as
though the Prophet said, "One great difference between the true
worship of God and all fictitious and degenerated modes of worship,
is obedience to the word of God; if we be wise according to our own
judgement, all we do is corrupt." How so? Because whatever men
devise of themselves is a pollution of divine worship. Hence Paul,
in Col. 2, refutes all the fancies of men by this one argument,
"They are," he says, "the traditions of men, though they may have
the show of wisdom."
We now apprehend what the Prophet meant, and why he added the
word "understanding;" it was, that the Israelites might learn, that
all the worship which was in use among them, was perverted and
vicious; for it was not founded on the command of God, but flowed
from a different source, even the understanding of men. It then
follows, as we have said before, that in religion nothing is to be
attempted by us, but we are to follow this one law in worshipping
God - simply to obey his word.
He afterwards adds, "Idols, the work of artificers altogether".
The Prophet, in the second place, derides the grossness which had
fascinated the minds of the people, as they worshipped in the place
of God the works of men. For it is usual with all the Prophets, in
order to render the stupidity of men as it were palpable, to show
that it is wholly unreasonable to worship idols; for a material
cannot with any propriety be worshipped. When there is before us a
great mass or a great heap of gold or silver, no one imagines that
there is in it any divinity: when one passes through a wood, he
transfers not to trees the glory due to God; and the same may be
said of stones. But when the hand of the artificer is applied, the
plate of gold begins to be a god; so also the trunk of a tree seems
to put on the glory of God, when it receives a certain form from the
workman; and the same is the case with other things. Now it is
extremely absurd to suppose that an artificer, as soon as he has
hewn some wood, or as soon as he has melted gold or silver, can make
a god, and convey divinity to a dead thing; and yet it is well known
that this is thought everywhere to be the case. Superstitious men
allege in excuse, that this does not proceed from the hand of the
artificer, but that as they wish for some sign of God's presence,
and as they cannot otherwise set forth what God is, God is in that
form. But this still remains true, that workmen by their skill make
gods of lifeless things, to which no honour can belong. Since it is
so, the Prophet now justly says, that what the people of Israel
worshipped was the work of artifices; and he said this, that they
might know that they became shamefully foolish, when they left the
true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and prostrated themselves
before idols made by hands.
But he adds, that "they say to one another while they sacrifice
men, Let them kiss the calves". Though this place is in various ways
explained, I am yet content with the obvious meaning of the Prophet.
He again derides them for exhorting one another to worship the calf:
For by kissing he means by a figure a profession of worship or
adoration, as it is evident from other parts of Scripture. It is
said in 1 Kings 19, I have preserved for myself seven thousand men,
who have not bent the knee before Baal, nor kissed him. To kiss Baal
then was a sign of reverence. And this practice, we see, has been
retained by the superstitious, as the case is at this day with the
Papists, who observe this special custom of kissing their idols. But
what does the Prophet now say? "They encourage one another", he
says, "in the worship of the calves", and in the meantime "they
sacrifice men". The Prophet doubtless condemns here that abominable
and savage custom of parents sacrificing their children to Moloch.
It was utterly repugnant to the feeling of nature for parents to
immolate their own children. For though this was once commanded to
Abraham, we yet know that the design was, that God intended by this
proof to try the obedience of his servant: but Abraham was not at
last suffered to do what he purposed.
They then immolated men. If it was right to sacrifice men,
surely such a service ought to have been rendered at least to the
only true God. If it was lawful to sacrifice man for the sake of
man, it was certainly ridiculous to do so to conciliate the calf;
and it was especially strange, when parents hesitated not to appease
dead statues by the blood of their children. This absurdity then the
Prophet now points out as with the finger, that he might try to make
the Israelites ashamed of their base conduct. "See," he says, "how
brutish ye are; for ye immolate to the calves and kiss them, and
more still, ye sacrifice men. Is there so much worthiness in the
calf, that man, who far excels it, must be killed before it? Is not
this wholly inconsistent with every thing like reason?" We now
understand what the Prophet meant. They say then one to another,
while they immolate men, Let them kiss the calves.
But we learn from this and similar places, that we ought to
notice those absurdities in which wretched men involve themselves,
when they are lost in their own devices, after having left the word
of God: for this word is to be to us as a bridle to keep us from
going astray with them in their monstrous devices; for when we
observe these delirious things which even nature itself abhors, it
is evident that God thereby restrains and preserves us as it were by
his outstretched hand. With this design the Prophet now shows how
stupid the Israelites were, and how prodigious was their frenzy when
they kissed the calves with great reverence, and also sacrificed
men. So at this day with respect to those under the Papacy, we ought
not only to adopt this argument, that they departed from the true
God when they sought for themselves new and strange modes of
worship, without the warrant of his word, but we ought also to bear
in mind that their puerilities are to be ascribed to the same cause.
And we see how God has given them up to a reprobate mind, so that
they throw aside no kinds of absurdities. And this consideration, as
I have said, will serve to awaken those who are as yet healable,
when they understand that they have been infatuated; having been in
this manner admonished, they may return to the right way. And that
we ourselves may give thanks to God, and detest more and more that
filth in which we were for a time involved, and remember that there
is nothing more to be dreaded than that the Lord should allow us
loose reins, the very example of his vengeance as to all idolaters
is made known to us; for as soon as they departed from the pure
worship of God, they gave themselves up, as we have stated, to the
most shameful stupidity. Let us proceed -
Hosea 13:3
Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew
that passeth away, as the chaff [that] is driven with the whirlwind
out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.
The Prophet employs here four similitudes to show the condition
of Israel. How much soever they flourished for a time, and might be
deemed happy, their state would yet be fading and evanescent. "They
shall be", he says, "as the morning cloud": though they be loftily
proud, the Lord will yet shake off from them whatever power they may
have. Secondly, they shall be "as the dew that rises up in the
morning" - having nothing substantial in them. Thirdly they shall be
"as the chaff which from the floor is driven by a whirlwind". And,
lastly they shall be, he says, "as the smoke"; for as the smoke
produces thick darkness, and, after having gone out of the chimney,
disperses and disappears, so these proud people, how much soever
they may have praised themselves, would not continue in a permanent
condition.
We hence conclude, that the Israelites were not so much like
the dead, but that yet they had some power remaining in them: for
God would have otherwise threatened to no purpose, that they should
be made like a cloud, and the dew, and the chaff, and the smoke: but
they had been already in a great measure consumed. And God denounces
on them here utter destruction, that they might not think that they
had already suffered the last punishment, and that they might not
suppose that they could gather new strength: for proud men entertain
vain confidence, through which they remove to a distance the
judgement of God. Lest, then, they should delude themselves with
such allurements, the Prophet here declares that their condition
would be fading, such as would soon come to ruin. It follows -
Hosea 13:4,5
Yet I [am] the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt
know no god but me: for [there is] no saviour beside me.
I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
The Prophet now repeats the sentence which we have noticed in
the last chapter for the sake of amplifying the sin of the people.
For had they never known sound doctrine, had they never been brought
up in the law, there would have been some colour for alleviating
their fault; because they might have excused themselves by saying,
that as they had never known true religion, they had gone astray
according to the common practice of men; but as they had from
infancy been taught sound doctrine, as God had brought them up as it
were in his own bosom, as they had learned from their first years
what it was to worship God purely, when they thus retook themselves
to the superstitions of the heathens, what could there be for an
excuse for them? We then see the bearing of the complaint, when God
says, that he had been "the God of Israel from the land of Egypt".
"I am then", he says, "Jehovah your God". By calling himself
Jehovah, he glances at all their fictitious gods; as though he said
"I am doubtless justly, and in mine own rights your God; for I am of
myself - I am the Creator of the world, no one can take away my
power: but whence have these their divinity, except from the madness
of men?" He says further, "I am thy God", O Israel; that is, "I have
manifested myself to thee from the land of Egypt, from thy very
nativity. When I redeemed thee from Egypt I brought thee out as it
were from the womb to the light of life; for Egypt was to thee like
the grave. Thou didst then begin to live, and to be some sort of
people, when I stretched forth my hand to thee."
And now also ought to be noticed what I have said before, that
the people were redeemed on this condition, that they should devote
themselves wholly to God. As we are at this day Christ's, and no one
of us ought to live according to his own will, for Christ died and
rose again for this end, that he might be the Lord of the living and
of the dead: so also then, the Israelites had been redeemed by God,
that they might offer themselves wholly to Him. And since God ruled
by this right over the people of Israel, how shameful and
inexcusable was their defections when the people wilfully abandoned
themselves to the superstitions of the Gentiles?
"A God", he says, "besides me thou oughtest not to know". These
words the Prophet had not before used. This sentence, then, is
fuller, for it more clearly explains the import of what he had said,
that God had purchased Israel for himself by bringing them out of
Egypt, and that is, that Israel ought to have been content with this
one Redeemer, and not to seek for themselves other gods. A God,
then, besides me thou shalt not know. For if this one God was
sufficient for redeeming his people, what do the people now mean,
when they wander, and seek aid here and there? For they ought to
render to God the life received from him, which they now enjoy, and
ought to acknowledge to be sufficiently safe under his protection.
We now then see why this was added, Thou shalt not know a God
besides me.
A reason, confirmatory of this, follows: "For no one, he says,
is a Saviour except me". The copulative "waw" ought to be regarded
here as a causative, For no one, &c., or, Surely no one is a Saviour
except me. And this is a remarkable passage; for we learn that the
worship of God does not consist in words, but in faith, and hope,
and prayer. The Papists of the present day think that they do not
profane the worship of God, though they fly to statues, though they
pray to dead men, though they look here and there for the
accomplishment of their hopes. How so? Because they ever retain the
only true God, that is, they do not ascribe the name of God to
Christopher or to Antony. The Papists think themselves free from all
blame, since God retains his own name. But we see how differently
the matter is regarded by the Lord. "I am," he says, "the only true
God." How is this? "Because I am the only Saviour: feign not to
thyself another God, for thou shalt find none that will save thee."
Then God puts an especial value on the honour that is due to him
from hope and prayer; that is, when our soul recumbs on him alone,
and when we seek and hope for salvation from no other but from him.
We see then how useful is the doctrine contained in this passage, in
which the Prophet clearly shows, that the Israelites acted absurdly
and shamefully when they formed another god for themselves, for no
Saviour, except the one true God, can be found.
He afterwards adds "Thee I knew in the desert, in the land of
droughts". God here confirms the truth that the Israelites had acted
very absurdly in having turned their minds to other gods, for he
himself had known them. The knowledge here mentioned is twofold,
that of men, and that of God. God declares that he had a care for
the people when they were in the desert; and he designates his
paternal solicitude by the term, knowledge: I knew thee; that is, "I
then chose thee a people for myself, and familiarly manifested
myself to thee, as if thou were a near friend to me. But then it was
necessary that I should have been also known by thee." This is the
knowledge of men. Now when men are known by God, why do they not
apply all their faculties, so that they may remain fixed on him? For
when they divert them to other objects, they extinguish, as much as
they can, this benefit of God. So also Paul speaks to the Galatians,
'After ye have known God, or rather after ye are known by him,'
(Gal. 4: 9.) In the first clause, he shows that they had done very
wickedly in retaking themselves to various devices after the light
of the gospel had been offered to them: but he increases their sin
by the next clause, when he says, 'Rather after ye are known by
him;' as though he said, "God has anticipated you by his gratuitous
goodness. Since, then, God has thus first known you, and first
favoured you with his grace, how great and how shameful is now your
ingratitude in not seeking to know him in return?" We now then see
why the Prophet added that the Israelites had been known by God in
the desert, in the land of droughts.
And there is an express mention made of "the desert": for it
was then necessary for the people to be sustained miraculously by
the Lord; for except God had rained manna from heaven, and had also
given water for drink, the people must have miserably perished.
Since, then God had thus supported the people contrary to the usual
course of nature, so that without his paternal care there could have
been no hope of life, the Prophet now rightly adds, In the desert,
in the land of droughts; that is, in that dry solitude, where not a
grain of corn grew, so that the people could not live except God
had, as it were, with his own hand, given them meat, and put it in
their mouth. We now see that the extreme impiety of the people is
here manifestly proved; for having been taught in God's law, and
been encouraged by so many benefits, they yet went astray after
profane superstitions. And the Prophet, at the same time, adds -
Hosea 13:6
According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled,
and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.
The Prophet shows here that the people were in every way
intractable. He has indeed handled this argument in other places;
but the repetition is not superfluous. After he had said that the
people were ungrateful in not continuing in the service of their
Redeemer, by whom they had been so kindly and bountifully treated in
the desert, where they must have perished through famine and want,
had not the Lord in an unwonted manner brought them help in their
great necessity, he now adds, "The Lord would have also allured you
by other means, had you not been of a wholly wild and barbarous
disposition: but it is hence manifest, that you are utterly
disobedient; for after you have been brought out of the desert, you
came to rich pastures." For the land of Israel is here compared to
rich and fertile pastures; as though he said, "God has placed you in
an inheritance where you might eat to the full, as when a shepherd
leads his sheep to a spot especially fertile." What did take place?
"To their pastures they came, and were filled; they were filled, and
elevated became their heart, and they forgat me".
Since, then, the Israelites had extinguished the memory of
their redemption, after the Lord had fed them when hungry in the
desert, and since in their fulness they rejected God, and shook off
his yoke, and, like ferocious horses, kicked against him, it became
evident that their nature was so unnameable, that they could by no
means be reduced to obedience or submission. We shall defer the rest
till tomorrow.
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that as thou dost so kindly call on us daily by
thy voice, meekly and calmly to offer ourselves to be ruled by thee,
and since thou hast exalted us to a high degree of honour by freeing
us from the dread of the devil, and from that tyranny which kept us
in miserable fear, and hast also favoured us with the Spirit of
adoption and of hope, - O grant, that we, being mindful of these
benefits, may ever submit ourselves to thee, and desire only to
raise our voice for this end, that the whole world may submit itself
to thee, and that those who seem now to rage against thee may at
length be brought, as well as we, to render thee obedience, so that
thy Son Christ may be the Lord of all, to the end that thou alone
mayest be exalted, and that we may be made subject to thee, and be
at length raised up above, and become partakers of that glory which
has been obtained for us by Christ our Lord. Amen.
Calvin on Hosea
(continued in part 35...)
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