This week we
shall finish the study of the Book of Hosea in the Old Testament.
The previous strophe marks the end of a series almost made up entirely of rebuke and judgment. 9:10 begins the last series of prophecies that always begins with recalling God’s choosing of Israel out of love (9:10; 10:1; 11:1; 12:3 and 13:1) and is marked more and more by messages of hope and restoration:
V. 10—When the Lord first found Israel:
(1) In describing His delight in “finding Israel”, what does the Lord mean by the following?
a. It was like finding grapes in the desert
b. It was like seeing early fruit on the fig tree
c. Does the Lord really mean it? Why or why not?
d. What does it say about Him finding you?
(2) How did Israel turn against the Lord in Baal Peor? (Read Num. 25:1-5)
(3) By citing this early incident, the Lord implies that Israel has continued their sin against Him ever since:
a. What then does it mean that they “became as vile as the thing they loved”?
b. Can the same be said of us today?
Vv. 11-17—Judgment pronounced on Ephraim: His glory probably refers to the pride they take in their increase in both prosperity and number.
(4) Why does the judgment appear to focus on their children? (What is most hurtful, a judgment on the parents or on the children?)
(5) The judgment appears to be two fold:
a. No birth, no pregnancy and no conception: What does it mean, especially to Israel as a covenanted people? (Gen. 22:17)
b. What will happen to their existing children? (9:12, 13, 16)
(6) How was Ephraim once blessed like Tyre? (See Ezek. 28:11-19 to get a sense of the prosperity of Tyre, a coastal nation of Palestine.)
(7) Because of their horrible sins against the Lord (of which the one committed at Baal Peor was typical), even the prophet joins in urging judgment in v. 14: Should the prophet curse his people as well? Why or why not?
(8) How does the Lord respond to the urging of the prophet in vv. 15-16? (Note: The wickedness in Gilgal probably does not refer to any single incident, but points to the general apostasy and rebellion of the ten tribes.)
(9) How might you contrast the judgment in vv. 15-16 to the delight the Lord expresses in v. 10?
(10) In hearing the response of the Lord, what conclusion does the prophet draw in v. 17?
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
本週我們會完成研讀舊約何西阿書。請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
我們昨天思想的第九章上半段，可以說是終止了何西阿的默示的頭半部份，主要是帶審判的信息；由9:10開始，信息主要的段落都以重溫神對以色列的恩慈和眷顧作開始(如9:10; 10:1; 11:1; 12:3; & 13:1) ，在審判的信息中卻仍充滿了盼望和救贖的信息。
9:10—神遇見以色列
(1) 在回想到初遇以色列時喜悅之情，神用那些比喻是要表明什麼？
a. 如葡萄在曠野？
b. 如春季初熟的果子？
c. 神那時的感受確是如此嗎？為什麼？
d. 你明白神在找到你時的感受嗎？
(2) 以色列在巴力毘珥怎樣背叛神？(見民25:1-5)
(3) 神在此特提這罪，是顯示以色列是繼續犯同樣的罪：
a. 神責備他們成為他們所愛的一樣可憎，是甚麼意思？
b. 這是否神今日對你的責備呢？
9:11-17—神對以法蓮發出審判：所指的榮耀，相信是指以色列仍享的物質與人口的興盛。
(4) 為何這些審判似乎是針對他們的兒女？(自己遭殃易受？還是兒女遭殃呢？)
(5) 這方面的審判有兩個層面：
a. 不生產、不懷胎、不成孕：對這「約民」有什麼特別的意思？(見創22:17)
b. 對已生的兒女的審判是什麼？(9:12, 13, 16)
(6) 能與推羅相比，以法蓮曾是怎樣的蒙福？(參閱結28:11-19，看看推羅這巴勒斯坦海港城是怎樣興盛的)
(7) 論到以色列這種對神的背棄，先知不禁也加入咒詛他們(9:14)：先知作得對嗎？為什麼？
(8) 神怎樣回應先知的回應和所求？(9:15-16)
(9) 若把9:15-16的話與9:10節開始的話相比，你可以用什麼來形容神現在的心情？
(10) 聽了神這些話，先知最後作了什麼判語？
(11) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree.” (Hos. 9:10)
In reading the words of the Lord given through Hosea, His prophet, I am often moved by how the Lord bares His soul, so to speak, in front of the people, expressing His love for them. In His continuous lament on the faithlessness and adultery of Israel, He shares with them His delight and joy in choosing Israel as His own: “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree.” (Hos. 9:10)
We know that there are no grapes in the desert, and to liken the choosing of Israel to finding grapes in the desert, it shows the Lord is greatly delighted to find among all the nations in the world [i.e. those who have forgotten Him, sinned against Him and turned to other gods], a people in Israel who would worship Him, follow Him and love Him. How delighted He is; how excited He is and what a rare find it is to Him.
And to liken them as the early fruit on the fig tree is to show the high hope the Lord has on them as the first fruit of the season, and that many nations would also follow them in returning to Him.
Such is the delight the Lord has in all of us who have turned from our wicked way and were found by Him, like the 100th lost sheep, like the 10th lost coin and like the prodigal son (Lk. 15). How blessed we are in being treasured by God, in spite of our sinfulness, our unworthiness and our insignificance! Isn’t His love amazing!
「我遇見以色列如葡萄在曠野；我看見你們的列祖如無花果樹上春季初熟的果子。」(何9:10)
在研讀何西阿書時，我常常被神把心中的感受坦白的與以色列分享所感動。9:10就是其中一例。神繼續的為以色列的失信和不忠而哀傷，但卻很坦白的流露祂當初尋找到以色列時，心中是何等的興奮：“我遇見以色列如葡萄在曠野；我看見你們的列祖如無花果樹上春季初熟的果子。” (何9:10)
我們都知道在曠野是沒有葡萄樹的。故此，神以此為喻，是要表明在如曠野般，再沒有人和民族敬畏祂，世人都叛逆祂轉向偶像假神之時，祂卻找到以色列願意敬拜、跟從和愛祂，祂是何等的喜悅、祂是何等的興奮。
至於以初熟的無花果來比喻以色列是表明祂對他們有極大的盼望，就如初熟的果子一樣，隨之而來的是外邦的國民逐一的也因而歸向神。
其實這也是神在找到我們每一只失羊、每一塊失錢、每一個浪子，同樣懷著的喜悅(路15) 。是的，按著我們滿身罪惡、極其的不配和微不足道，神竟然是如斯的寶貴我們；這真是奇異的恩典！
In this segment, the Lord reminds them of their good beginning and brings charges against several aspects of their sins:
10:1-3—Misuse of Blessings
(1) The Lord depicts Israel as a vine (vv. 1-2):
a. Why would God bless this vine and cause it to bring forth fruit?
b. For whom should this vine exist?
c. For whom did they bring forth fruit?
d. How did Israel handle its prosperity and why?
e. What will their consequence be?
(2) What will such a consequence lead to according to v. 3? What kind of a confession is it?
10:4-8—Sins Exposed:
(3) A society of liars (10:4):
a. Why would the people of God degenerate into such a state, becoming even worse than some pagan societies?
b. Why would some Christians also behave as such?
(4) Idol worship in Bethel (10:5):
a. Why does the Lord bring up the sin of Bethel (Beth-Aven is a mocking term for Bethel) so many times? (see 1 Ki. 12:25ff)
b. What will happen to the people of Samaria and their priests? Why?
(5) The sin of foreign alliances (10:6) — the mistake of Israel is not in underestimating the power of Assyria, but in seeking them as their alliance: Why is seeking alliance with Assyria such a sin?
(6) Judgment of their sins (10:7-8)
a. What analogy is used to describe the destruction of their kingdom in v. 7? How appropriate is it?
b. What judgment will befall their high places of idol-worship?
c. How severe will the judgment be on them? (See also Lk. 23:30; Rev. 6:16)
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
在這段信息中，神先提到以色列蒙福的開始，然後指出他們怎樣藐視所蒙之福：
10:1-3—錯用祝福
(1) 神以葡萄樹喻以色列：
a. 神為何要賜福葡萄樹，使其多結果子？
b. 這葡萄樹該為誰(或什麼) 而存活？
c. 現在，卻為誰而結果？
d. 以色列怎樣處理其興盛？為甚麼？
e. 將會帶來什麼結果？(10:2-3)
(2) 在承認自作孽時，為何說：「王能為我們作甚麼呢？」
10:4-8—再斥其罪
(3) 說謊的社會(10:4)
a. 為何原屬神的群體可以變成比不信的社會更糟？
b. 為何今日一些信徒也會如此？
(4) 伯特利牛贖的敬拜(10:5)
a. 為何神屢次提到他們在伯特利的罪，並以伯亞文(即邪惡的家) 來譏諷他們？(參王下12:25ff)
b. 他們(包括祭司在內) 將會怎樣？
(5) 與外邦結盟之罪(10:6)—為何與亞述結盟這計謀是罪？
(6) 罪的審判(10:7-8)
a. 第7節以什麼來喻他們君王的結局？這比喻的重點是什麼？
b. 邱壇(即高處建的祭壇) 將得到什麼結果？
c. 10:8是以極嚴厲的審判作結語；試參路加福音23:30和啟示錄6:16：這是什麼的審判？
(7) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Then they will say, ‘We have no king because we did not revere the Lord. But even if we had a king, what could he do for us.’” (Hos. 10:3)
Throughout the Book of Hosea, the Lord makes it quite obvious that the only way Israel will repent is through discipline and judgment in the hands of God (e.g. 5:15). This is the only way they will awaken from their erring way. In foretelling one of these awakening moments, this is what the prophet says, “Then they will say, ‘We have no king because we did not revere the Lord. But even if we had a king, what could he do for us’.” (10:3). This is, in fact, a double confession:
(1) The prophet foretells that the day will come when they have no king of their own. This of course signifies their destruction as a nation by the Assyrians in B.C. 732-720. Upon their destruction, the prophet foretells that they would come to confess that the root-cause of their destruction is that they “did not revere the Lord”.
(2) But the prophet foretells that their confession would go deeper than such a recognition in that even if they had a king they were not pleasing to God, because by having a separate king and nation in the north, they had not only rejected the God-appointed king — the one from the line of David, they had rejected God as their king.
It is a pity that now that Israel has rebuilt itself as a nation, they still have not recognized their sin of rejecting their God-appointed king, the one from the line of David — their Messiah and King, our Lord Jesus Christ. And their confession of their sins, unfortunately will eventually come, also as prophesied by Hosea: “in their misery, they will earnestly seek me” (5:15).
「我們沒有王，因為我們不敬畏耶和華。王能為我們做甚麼呢？」(何10:3)
在整本的何西阿書中，神是很清楚的指出，以色列惟有經歷到審判，才會真正的悔改(參5:15) 。這是他們醒覺的惟一途徑。在論到他們將來悔改時，何西阿在10:3就有這樣的預言： “他們必說：‘我們沒有王，因為我們不敬畏耶和華。王能為我們做甚麼呢？’” 這句話是指以色列在醒覺時會明白到兩個真理：
(1) 就如先知這裡所預言的，他們將會沒有君王。這預言終於在主前732-720年應驗了—北國被亞述所消滅。那時，他們終於明白到這是全因他們不敬畏耶和華而得到的審判；
(2) 但先知在這裡就指出他們會有更深一層的領會，就是就算仍有君王、就算國家仍存，這並不表示他們是討神喜悅的。是的，成立北國以色列之舉，不但是拒絕了神所膏立、承繼大衛座位的猶大王，他們更是拒絕了耶和華為他們的王。
所以，現在以色列雖然重新的復國了，他們卻仍然拒絕了神所膏立、坐在大衛寶座上，他們的彌賽亞，我們的主基督耶穌為王。當然，聖經亦預言他們至終的悔改；不過也是像何西阿這裡所說的：在“被撕裂……無人搭救……在急難的時候，必切切尋求我”(5: 14, 15) 。
10:9-10—The days of Gibeah
(1) Why does the Lord again bring up the sin of Gibeah as the sin they “have remained” in? (Hos. 9:9; Jdg. 19)
(2) What “double sin” might it represent?
10:11-14a—Call to return: This is “the poetic portion of the passage” (Word, 169).
(3) This poem first recalls God’s blessings (v. 11)
a. What kind of heifer has God intended Ephraim to be?
- What is the difference between being used to plow and being used to thresh the harvest?
- Apart from not having to be yoked, what is the other benefit in being used in threshing? (Deut. 25:4)
b. Because of their double sin, what will Ephraim (not just Ephraim, but Judah and Israel) be subjected to?
(4) In spite of being subjected to the hard work of plowing, the Lord encourages them to repent using the same farming metaphor:
a. What should they sow?
b. What will they reap?
c. While plowing is hard work, they are asked to break up “unplowed” ground. What ground have they not worked on before?
d. What is God’s promise to them?
e. Why do they have to wait?
f. Is there a message for us today?
(5) What have they planted and reaped instead?
(6) What wickedness have they planted?
(7) What fruit will they reap? (v. 14a)
10:14b-15—Judgment
(8) Presumably the “Shalman-Beth Arbel” event was well-known to the Israelites of the time, but is totally unknown to us today: But what is the emphasis used with this event to denote God’s judgment on them?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
10:9-10—基比亞的日子
(1) 為何神又重提基比亞的罪？(參士19)
(2) 為何說是「兩樣/double」的罪？
10:11-14a—呼籲回轉：“這小段是詩歌的體材”(Word, 169)
(3) 神恩待以法蓮(10:11)
a. 神對以法蓮的心意是什麼呢？
i. 用作踹穀和用作耕田有什麼分別？
ii. 踹穀除不用負軛，還有什麼好處？(見申25:4)
b. 因犯罪之故，以法蓮(並全以色列和猶大) 結果會怎樣？
(4) 雖然他們要服苦負軛，神仍用耕種的比喻鼓勵他們回轉：
a. 神對以法蓮的心意是什麼呢？
b. 神希望他們種的是什麼？
c. 收的是什麼？
d. 雖然耕種是勞苦的，但神要他們開墾未耕之地：他們有什麼荒地尚未開墾？
e. 神還給他們什麼應許？
f. 為何仍要等待？
g. 這對我們今天的信息是什麼？
(5) 但是他們種的是什麼？收的是什麼？
(6) 他們種了什麼奸惡？
(7) 因而收的是什麼？(10:14a)
10:14b-15—最終的審判
(8) 「沙勒幔」的事件似乎是當時以色列人所熟悉的，我們今天卻是一無所知：但這裡所預言的審判的重點是什麼？
(9) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers His righteousness on you.” (Hos. 10:12)
As we continue to read the prophetic judgment of Israel as well as the continuous call for their repentance, allow me to share with you the prayer of John Calvin as he ends his commentary on chapter 10 of the Book of Hosea:
“Grant, Almighty God, that as we remain yet in our own wickedness, though often warned and sweetly invited by Thee, and as Thou prevailest not with us by Thy daily instruction — O grant, that we may, in a spirit of meekness, at length turn to Thy service, and fight against the hardness and obstinacy of our flesh, till we render ourselves submissive to Thee, and not wait until Thou puttest forth Thy hand against us, or at least so profit under Thy chastisements, as not to constrain Thee to execute extreme vengeance against us, but to repent without delay; and that we may indeed, without hypocrisy, plough under Thy yoke, and so enjoy Thy special blessings, that Thou mayest show Thyself to us not only as our Lord, but also as our Father, full of mercy and kindness, through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
(Calvin’s Commentaries, VIII, 383)
「你們要為自己栽種公義，就能收割慈愛。現今正是尋求耶和華的時候；你們要開墾荒地，等他臨到，使公義如雨降在你們身上。」(何10:12)
當今天我們繼續讀到神藉先知向以色列所發出責備的信息和悔改的呼籲，讓我與你們分享加爾文在分析這段的說話後，所作的禱告：
“全能的神，當我們仍停留在我們的罪惡中，雖然祢已多次的警告，更柔聲的呼喚，我們仍不聽祢每天的訓誨—求祢賜我們謙卑的靈，至終向祢回轉，並與我頑梗、強硬的肉體爭戰，直到我們向祢降服；不要等到祢加手在我們身上；又或在祢開始管教我們時，在未嘗到更嚴厲的審判之前，就能快快的悔改。又求祢叫我們能沒有虛假地，在祢的軛下開墾，以至能享受祢特別的賜福—就是祢向我們顯現，不但是我們的主、更是我們滿有憐憫、恩慈的父。藉基督我們的主。阿們。” (Calvin’s Commentaries, VIII, 383)
11:1-7—We have read earlier that the Lord recalls that the finding of Israel is like the finding of grapes in the desert (9:10) and its wonderful beginning like a spreading vine (10:1):
(1) What image does the Lord now use to recall the finding of Israel in the beginning? Is it really imagery?
(2) In that God
adopts Israel as His son, consider the following:
a. How does God describe His relationship with this child, Israel? (v. 1)
b. How did God care for them as if they were a toddler? (v. 3)
c. What did God do when they were hurt or injured? (v. 3)
d. How did God lead them throughout their history? (v. 4)
e. Now the imagery changes to that of a master and his animal (an ox, perhaps). How did this Master feed His animal?
(3) What does the Lord want to tell Israel with the above depictions?
(4) How true have such depictions been to your life?
(5) How did Israel respond or repay this Father’s kindness and love? (11:2, 3)
(6) The answers to the rhetorical questions of v. 5 are obvious:
a. What kind of judgment awaits them?
b. Why is their judgment so inevitable? (11:6-7)
11:8-11—The unfailing love of God: As v. 9 says, “nor will I devastate Ephraim again”, this section deals with the restoration of Israel after their destruction.
(7) Read Deuteronomy 4:25-31 about God’s promise of restoration: What is this promise conditioned upon?
(8) In contrast to the rhetorical questions in v. 5, the Lord now asks four consecutive rhetorical “how can” questions: What is the message the Lord seeks to convey? (See Deut. 29:23 about Admah and Zehoyim.)
(9) The reason for His change of heart is “for I am God, and not a man”: How then is God different from man in this respect?
(10) Although when the Lord roars like a lion (in the last days), Israel will come trembling like sparrows and doves, what will be their final destiny?
(11) Has this promise come to fruition yet? Why?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
11:1-7—我們已讀過上一章神怎樣回想到初遇以色列時的美景：如在曠野尋到葡萄(9:10) 和極茂盛的葡萄樹(10:1):
(1) 這裡又用什麼來比喻初尋到的以色列呢？這是否比喻？
(2) 在收納以色列為兒子時：
a. 是以什麼來刻畫這關係的呢？(11:1)
b. 神怎樣形容祂對這幼兒的看顧？(11:3)
c. 當以色列受創傷時，神是怎樣的看顧他(11:3)
d. 在以色列的歷史中，神是怎樣的牽引他？(11:4)
e. 神以另一比喻(主人與牛)來表明祂的愛顧：這比喻的重點是什麼？
(3) 神要藉以上的兩個比喻來表明什麼？
(4) 這些比喻是否合用於你身上？為什麼？
(5) 以色列卻是怎樣回應神的慈愛？(11:2, 3)
(6) 他們叛逆有什麼結果？(11:6-7)
11:8-11—不忍棄以色列的愛
(7) 請先翻到申命記4:25-31，看看神早已論到有關以色列的應許：這應許是帶著什麼條件的？
(8) 神在此連串的自問「我怎能」，祂要表明的是什麼？(至於押瑪與洗扁，參申29:23)
(9) 神說明祂心意的改變是因「我是神、並非世人」：神與我們在此的分別是什麼？
(10) 當耶和華(在末後) 如獅子吼叫時，以色列會怎樣？
(11) 這應許實現了沒有？何以見得？
(12) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.” (Hos. 11:4)
In an effort to call Israel to repentance, even though it is a lost cause for all intents and purposes, the Lord still reminds Israel of how much they are loved, and perhaps, there aren’t more touching words than these in 11:1-4.
(1) Unconditional love: “When Israel was a child, I loved him and out of Egypt I called my son” (11:1).
God reminds Israel that they were once in bondage in Egypt, like a child that no one cared about. But God has adopted them as His child, and loved them as His own — warts and all! Isn’t that a great depiction of God’s love for the world as well, and perhaps even more so, because while the Israelites did leave their bondage ultimately from Egypt because of the blood of the Passover Lamb, God offered His only begotten Son as the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world with His death on the cross (Jn. 1:29).
(2) The love of a father: “It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms” (11:3).
What a great depiction of fatherly love. Israel would never survive the harshness of the desert, like a toddler who would never survive on his own. But Father God took care of them, and indeed, exercised great patience to teach them to walk, and taking them by the arms, lest they fall. We can all identify with the same loving care extended to us by God without which we could never recover from any of our falls.
(3) Leading with cords of kindness and ties of love: “I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love” (11:4).
Israel is so prone to go astray, if not for the boundaries that God puts around them through His law and the chastisements He administers from time to time. Alas, Israel sees them as cords and ties that bind, without knowing that they are for their good. Isn’t this the same with us—we loath the exhortations in the Scriptures and frown at God’s disciplines us in our lives. But all these are not only administered out of love, but will lead us on a path of life, not death.
(4) Healing and nurture: “it was I who healed them…and I bent down to feed them” (11:3, 4).
Indeed, who would care enough to heal our wounds, often self-inflicted? Instead of harsh words which Israel totally deserves, we read such tender words of healing, and that is exactly how God has treated us also. But more, like the oxen who could not feed themselves with their yoke on their shoulders, Israel is fed by God who lifts their cheek and He even bends low to feed them. Such is the extreme humility in the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ who, for our sake, has bent low — so low as to become one of us, even as a slave in total submission to the Father — and feeds us with His own blood and His own body that we may have life eternal!
Such is the love God bares before Israel, and is extended to all of us today! Before such amazing love, we can only bow down and worship!
「我用慈繩愛索牽引他們……」(何11:4)
雖然明知以色列人會不聽，神仍然在眾多的責備和警告中，向他們顯示祂的話。11:1-4這段話，更充份顯出神那希奇的愛：
(1) 無條件的愛：“以色列年幼的時候，我愛他，就從埃及召出我的兒子來。” (11:1)
神提醒以色列，他們曾在埃及為奴，在無人理會他們之時，神竟收納他們為自己的兒子，並愛他們—無條件的愛他們。這正是神向世人所施予的愛，而且是更厲害的愛。祂引導以色列離開為奴之地的埃及，是藉著逾越節羔羊的血；但祂把世人救離罪的權勢，乃是藉著祂自己兒子耶穌基督的寶血。(約1:29)
(2) 是父親無微不至的愛：“我原教導以法蓮行走，用膀臂抱著他們……” (11:3)
這是何等生動父愛的描述。以色列絕對不能在炎熱、乾旱的曠野生存，就如嬰孩自己不能獨立的生存。但父神卻細心的照顧他，用極大的忍耐教他們行走、用膀臂抱著他們，免得他們跌倒。我和你都可以見證神在我們身上這無微不至的愛。沒有祂的愛顧，恐怕我們早已倒地不起了。
(3) 慈繩愛索的牽引：“我用慈繩愛索牽引他們……” (11:4)
以色列總愛偏離正道，若非神立下律例來作規範，他們早已失腳到無影無踪了。可惜的是，以色列以這些為綑綁他們的繩索，卻不知道全是為他們的好處而設的。我們豈不是也是如此？我們看經上的訓誨為枷鎖，對神的管教為繁瑣；卻不知這些都是愛的束縛，為要引導我們走永生、不是永死的道路。
(4) 醫治與餵養：“是我醫治他們……(俯身)把糧食放在他們面前”(11:3, 4)
是的，誰會理會受傷的以色列，況且所受的全是自作孽！但神卻沒有按他們的過犯待他們，反而溫言醫治。這也正是神給我們的對待。不但如此，像負軛的牛，以色列不能自己進食；神就放開他們兩腮的夾板，更俯身的餵養他們。這正是基督耶穌「道成肉身」的寫照。祂為拯救我們，謙卑的成為奴僕，俯就我們，甚至順服父神至死在十字架上—用自己的血、自己的肉來餵養我們，叫我們得永生！
神就這樣把祂的愛向以色列表白，也向我們表白。面對這希奇的愛，我們只能俯伏敬拜！
11:12—This verse serves as a heading of the ensuing section in chapter 12, highlighting the core of the charges the Lord is bringing against them (Ephraim, Israel and Judah alike):
(1) What are the charges?
(2) How does the Lord call Himself?
12:1-6—Lying and deception, the nature of Jacob
(3) Why does the Lord describe their attempted alliance with Assyria and Egypt as feeding on and chasing of wind? (Note: The east wind in Israel that comes from the desert is burning hot and bad for their plants.)
(4) What might have prevented them from relying on and pursuing the Lord? (12:1)
(5) The lies and deception of Israel can be traced to their ancestor, Jacob:
a. Instead of recalling Jacob cheating his brother Esau, the Lord mentions his grasping of his brother’s heel even in the womb (Gen. 25:26). Why?
b. In contrast to the womb, the Lord mentions his grasping as an adult, and this time with God (Gen. 32:24-29):
- What does the result of this struggle with God include?
- Do you think it was Jacob who found God or the other way around?
- Why?
c. Why does the Lord emphasize who He is and what His name is at this point?
(6) At the end of recalling this encounter of Jacob with God, the Lord calls on Israel to repent:
a. What does the Lord ask Israel to do in returning to Him?
b. How is this call related to Jacob’s encounter with God?
12:7-11—Wickedness of lies and deception pinpointed
(7) What is the sin that marks the business world of Israel? (v. 7) What is its underlying cause?
(8) Why would Ephraim think that his wealth could hide their iniquity? What kind of a delusion is this? (v. 8)
(9) As God brought them out of Egypt, where did they live? Where do they live now in their wealth?
(10) What then is the judgment that God declares in v. 9?
(11) In spite of repeated warnings and rebukes through the prophets, how have the people from Gilead (east of Jordan) to Gilgal (west of Jordan) responded to the Lord?
12:12-14—God, the Shepherd
(12) How does the Lord recall the humble and bitter beginning of the forefather, Jacob in v. 12? (Note: Jacob basically served as a slave and sheep tending was considered “the hardest and lowest descriptions of servitude”—K&D, 99)
(13) How was Jacob’s fortune changed? (v. 13)
(14) Why does the Lord describe Ephraim’s response to God’s loving kindness as “contempt”?
(15) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
11:12—這一節是新一段的開始，刻畫著神對他們(以法蓮、以色列和猶大) 的指控：
(1) 這裡的指控的重點是什麼？
(2) 為何神自稱是「忠誠的聖者」(一般的繙譯)？
12:1-6—奸詐是雅各的本性
(3) 為何神以吃風、追風來喻他們與亞述和埃及的結盟？(註：東風是自曠野吹來極炎熱的風)
(4) 你認為是什麼驅使他們不倚靠和追求神呢？
(5) 他們的奸詐是源於先祖雅各：
a. 為何神不提說成年的雅各欺騙哥哥的罪，反而提到出生的事情？(見創25:26)
b. 神提到雅各的死抓不限於與人，更是與神(創32:24-29):
i. 與神較力的結果包括什麼？
ii. 是神遇見(或譯尋到) 雅各，還是雅各尋到神？(參創35:13-15)
c. 為何神在此特別提醒他們祂的名字？(12:5)
(6) 在重述雅各的經歷後，神就呼籲以色列回轉：
a. 神要求他們怎樣的回轉？
b. 與重述雅各的經歷有何關係？
12:7-11—指出他們詭詐的罪
(7) 以色列商業社會是被什麼罪所充斥的？何故？
(8) 為何以法蓮會以為人必不看出他的罪？
(9) 在曠野時，以色列是住在什麼地方？現在呢？
(10) 將來又如何？(12:9)
(11) 雖然神藉眾先知多方的勸戒，以色列人由河東的基列、到河西的吉甲是怎樣回應？
12:12-14—神是牧者
(12) 神在12:12提到雅各生平的那一段日子？這段日子是刻畫著什麼？(雅各其實如奴僕般服侍拉班)
(13) 雅各(後裔) 的命運怎樣得到改變？
(14) 以法蓮卻是怎樣回報神這恩情？結果會怎樣？
(15) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Ephraim boasts, ‘I am very rich; I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin'.” (Hos. 12:8)
In chapter 12, the rebuke of the Lord focuses on the sin of deception, but Israel’s deception goes beyond dishonest scales (12:7). It reaches the point of self-deception, as expressed in Ephraim’s boast: “I am very rich; I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin” (12:8).
This is the very deception of today’s prevalent “prosperity theology” in that its preachers say that it is God’s will that we should prosper and get rich. However, such a deception does not end here, for its implications are even more destructive:
(a) It implies that if we do not prosper materialistically, there is something wrong with us:
This flies in the face of the teachings in the Bible, especially by the Apostle Paul who urges us to pursue contentment instead: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and can take nothing out of it.” (1 Tim. 6:6-7);
(b) Our prosperity and wealth, on the other hand, stand to prove that we are right with God:
This is soundly refuted by Calvin calling such persons, hypocrites, “while they claim to themselves the praise of innocence, for the sake of dissembling, (they) detest ostensibly every wickedness and crime. ‘Iniquity shall not be found in my labors, for this is wickedness; far be it that I should be discovered to be a wicked person in my doings; for I am without fraud in all my dealings.’ But is this the case? By no means; but as they judge of God’s favor by prosperous fortune, they think that God would not be so kind to them unless He regarded them as just and pure.” (Calvin’s Commentaries, XIII, 436-7); and thus
(c) They think we do not need to listen to any preaching concerning sins and repentance:
The teachers of prosperity theology never mention sin and repentance, and Calvin concludes that “We need not then wonder that at this day so much perverseness prevails everywhere in the world”, and may I add that it is not just “in the world”, but “within the church”.
「以法蓮說：我果然成了富足，得了財寶；我所勞碌得來的，人必不見有甚麼不義，可算為罪的。」(何12:8)
在第12章，神主要針對的是以色列人的詭詐。但是以色列人的詭詐何止是在天平的欺騙，更是在乎自欺：“我果然成了富足，得了財寶；我所勞碌得來的，人必不見有甚麼不義，可算為罪的” (12:8) 。
這正是今天「福樂神學」的自欺。這些傳道者說：成為富裕是神的旨意。這種欺騙的理論是非常危險的，因為：
(1) 這是意味著，如果我們是貧窮的，就證明我們不討神喜悅了：這當然是不對。連常理都教導我們：「知足者、貧亦樂」；何況使徒保羅更教導我們說：“然而，敬虔加上知足的心便是大利了；因為我們沒有帶甚麼到世上來，也不能帶甚麼去。”( 提前6:6-7) ；
(2) 這更意味著，我們的富裕是神喜悅我們的明證：這也當然不對。加爾文就稱這樣的人為偽君子：“他們(因此) 自以為正直，更為掩飾自己，就嚴加指摘所有的邪惡和罪行。自言： ‘在我的勞碌中，找不到不義，因我惡惡；無人可以在我生命中找到罪惡，因我所作全無錯誤。’ 但是否屬實呢？當然不是：因為他們以財富定神的喜悅，他們以為如果神不是以他們為正直和清潔，何來這樣善待他們呢？” (Calvin’s Commentaries, XIII, 436-7)；
(3) 結果是：他們以為不用再聽任何聖經對罪的責備和對悔改的呼喚。
故此，只要我們稍為留意，就看出「福樂神學」的傳道者是絕少提到罪和悔改的。加爾文就作出這樣的結論：“我們看到今天世界到處都是如此敗壞，不應以為怪。” 可惜的是，「世界到處」也包括了教會在內呢！
This penultimate message by the Lord through Hosea basically announces the death of Israel:
13:1-3—Ephraim has died
(1) Israel as a separate nation began with Jeroboam who was an Ephraimite (1 Ki. 11:26); while he was exalted in Israel (1 Ki. 12:20), he immediately plunged Israel into the sin of idol worship (1 Ki. 12:25-33), and later on, Israel began Baal worship as well (1 Ki. 16:31):
a. Why does the Lord say that Ephraim has died as a result?
b. If they are dead, how can they sin more and more? (v. 2)
c. In what ways has Ephraim died? (See Eph. 2:1-3)
d. How base is their sin? (v. 2)
(2) What are the images the Lord uses to describe their fate? What do these four images have in common?
(3) These images are not only an apt description of the fate of Ephraim, but for all mankind. Do you agree? (See Ps. 90:3-7; 103:14-16)
13:4-13—Sins of Israel multiply
(4) The sin of forgetting the Lord (vv. 4-8)
a. What grace has God poured upon them in the wilderness?
b. How should they treat the Lord?
c. How did they treat the Lord instead?
d. What images does the Lord use to describe how He will treat them for their sin?
e. What do these images have in common?
(5) The sin of being enemies of the Lord (vv. 9-11)
a. Do you recall what sin Israel had committed by asking for a king? (1 Sam. 8:7)
b. What are they reaping now because of their sin?
(6) The consequence of storing up guilt (vv. 12-13)
a. What metaphor does the Lord use to describe their lack of wisdom?
b. How fitting is it?
13:14a—The Glorious Hope of God’s People
(7) Although the Lord has pronounced them as dead, consider the following:
a. What does the Lord promise them?
b. How will it happen?
c. How does the Apostle Paul speak of its fulfillment in 1 Cor. 15:54-58?
13:14b-16—The present reality
(8) Before their ultimate redemption (through repentance and trust in the one they pierced — see Zechariah 12:10), what fate awaits them?
(9) What do you see as the most severe judgment that will await them? (Read Ps. 137 to get a sense of the severity of the judgment of Judah in the hands of the Babylonians.)
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
來到這末了的兩個信息，神藉著何西阿宣告以色列的死亡：
13:1-3—以法蓮死了
(1) 以色列是由以法蓮的耶羅波安開始自成北國(王上11:26) ，並得十支派的抬舉(王上12:20) ；但他立刻把以色列陷於偶像敬拜的罪(王上12:25-33) ；及後以色列更敬拜巴力(王上16:31):
a. 為何因此神說「以法蓮就死了」？
b. 既死了，為何仍能罪上加罪？
c. 這「死」是什麼意思？(參弗2: 1-3)
d. 神怎樣形容他們的無恥？(13:2)
(2) 神以什麼來喻他們的命運？這四個比喻的共通之處在乎什麼？
(3) 這是否單合用於比喻以色列人的命運呢？(參詩90:3-7; 103: 14-16)
13:4-13—罪上加罪
(4) 忘本的罪(13:4-8)
a. 神在曠野向他們施予什麼恩情？
b. 他們本該怎樣回應神？
c. 他們卻是怎樣待神？
d. 神用什麼的比喻來表明祂的審判？
e. 這些比喻有什麼共通的重點？
(5) 與神為敵的罪(13:9-11)
a. 以色列原先要求有王，所犯的是什麼罪？(見撒上8:7)
b. 這罪將帶來什麼審判？
(6) 收藏罪的後果(13:12-13)
a. 神以什麼來作他們沒有智慧的比喻？
b. 這比喻對繼續留戀在罪中的人有什麼貼切之處？
13:14a—屬神的人榮耀的盼望
(7) 雖然神宣告他們已死了：
a. 在此卻給他們什麼應許？
b. 這脫離死亡的途徑是什麼？
c. 使徒保羅怎樣論到這應許？(見林前15:54-58) ？
13:14b-16—目前的現實
(8) 在這榮耀的盼望實現之先，他們卻要面對什麼命運？
(9) 這裡論到的審判中，你認為那一個最為可怕？(參詩137，看看在審判中，他們的感受如何)
(10) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?” (Hos. 13:14)
In this penultimate message of judgment in the Book of Hosea, perhaps, Hosea is speaking towards the end of the Northern Kingdom; the Lord declares that Ephraim (which represents Israel) has died (13:1).
This pronouncement of death carries at least a two-fold message:
(1) The destruction of Israel in the hands of the Assyrians, though is yet to happen, its certainty is assured, and thus the Lord declares, “You are destroyed, Israel” (13:9). The nation is as good as dead, because God has ordained such a fate and no one can save them (13:10).
(2) But the other message is of greater significance and that is they had already died when they worshipped Baal instead of the Lord (13:1). This is the kind of death described by the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians:
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath” (Eph. 2:1-3).
All sinners are dead in transgressions and sins — separated from the presence of God, incapable of stopping to sin, and will die not only this physical, temporal death, but the eternal death.
However, almost like in the same breath (at least within the same message), the Lord is quick to add that the power of the grave will not have the last say for God’s people, because He will deliver them from death, and the method is through the payment of a ransom (which is the meaning of redemption). With this, the Lord Himself explodes into a song of victory: “Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?” (13:14). But little would these people bent on rebellion, on worshipping Baal instead of God, and on rejecting the Lord as their king know that God’s ultimate redemption is through the sacrifice of His own Son as the ransom for their sins!
No wonder, the Apostle Paul echoes God’s song of victory when he thinks of the day of resurrection and shouts, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” and explains, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:55-57).
What a glorious hope we have in Christ Jesus!
「我必救贖他們脫離陰間，救贖他們脫離死亡。死亡啊，你的災害在哪裡呢？陰間哪，你的毀滅在哪裡呢？」(何13:14)
到了最後的兩段信息，相信何西阿已處身在以色列國的末期了，而神在此向以法蓮宣告死訊(13:1) 。說以法蓮「死了」最少是有兩個意思：
(1) 是指北國必要滅亡：雖然以色列尚未為亞述所滅，但神已宣告：“以色列阿，你……自取敗壞(You are destroyed, Israel)”(13:9) 。意思是說，神既出言，以色列的命運已定，如同死了，無人能拯救(13:10) ；
(2) 但第二個意思是最重要的，就是因他們離棄神、轉向巴力(13:1) ，他們因犯罪而死了；就如使徒保羅所言：“你們死在過犯罪惡之中……那時，你們在其中行事為人，隨從今世的風俗，順服空中掌權者的首領，就是現今在悖逆之子心中運行的邪靈。我 們從前也都在他們中間，放縱肉體的私慾，隨著肉體和心中所喜好的去行，本為可怒之子，和別人一樣。” 所有犯罪的都已死在過犯罪惡之中—與神隔絕了、沒有能力勝罪、不但是肉身要死、靈魂也要進到永死！
但是，在同一個信息中，神卻說這肉身的死亡，不一定是犯罪的人的終局: “我必救贖他們脫離陰間，救贖他們脫離死亡”(13:14a) 。但能走出陰間的途徑，清清楚楚的是要藉著「救贖」，意思是需要付出贖價。神當然知道這贖價是什麼，因而祂發出了極厲害的凱歌：“死亡啊，你的災害在哪裡呢？陰間哪，你的毀滅在哪裡？”(13:14b) 但這些叛逆神、拜巴力的以色列卻不曉得，神竟然願意犧牲祂獨生愛子耶穌基督作以色列和全人類的罪的贖價！
無怪，當使徒保羅想到基督耶穌的救贖，和將來復活的盼望時，就回應神的凱歌，歡呼的說：“死阿，你得勝的權勢在那裡？死阿，你的毒鈎在那種？”( 林前15:55-56)
我們屬主的人，在主耶穌基督裡是有何等的盼望呢！
Now we come to the final message that the Lord gives Israel through Hosea and it is message of hope that begins with a call to repentance:
(1) Before we reflect on this message:
a. Can you pause and see if you can name most of the sins with which the Lord has charged Israel?
b. Which ones, in your opinion, are the most severe?
c. Should there be hope for Israel? Why or why not?
14:1-3—Call to repentance
(2) What are the sins that the Lord teaches Israel to turn from?
(3) What promises should Israel make to the Lord?
(4) On what bases should Israel ask God for forgiveness?
(5) What can we learn about praying for forgiveness from these verses?
14:4-8—Promises of Restoration
(6) The first promise is two fold:
a. The healing of their waywardness: How could such a people bent on apostasy be healed? (v. 8)
b. The restoration of their relationship: What is this relationship marked by?
(7) Vv. 5-6: Their restoration is likened by three images:
a. They will be like a lily:
- In what way will they be like a lily?
- What does this image depict?
b. They will be like a cedar of Lebanon:
- In what ways will they be like a cedar? (vv. 5-6)
- What two aspects does this image depict?
c. They will be like an olive tree:
- In what way will they be like an olive tree?
- What does this image depict?
d. How are these made possible? (v. 5)
(8) V. 7 uses four more images to describe the restored Israel. What does each image depict?
a. Dwelling in shade
b. Flourishing like grain
c. Blossoming like the vine
d. Having fame like the wine of Lebanon
(9) V. 8: The blessing of choosing God over idols:
a. What does the Lord pledge to a person (or a nation) who chooses Him?
b. What will be the basis of their fruitfulness? (See Jn. 15:1, 5)
14:9—Final words
(10) We know that Israel did not listen to God’s message through Hosea:
a. Why did God still choose to speak to Israel through His prophet in such a dramatic fashion, and through such a long period of time?
b. Who have realized and understood His message? Have you?
(11) What would you say is the main message to you in the Book of Hosea and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
這是神藉何以西阿所說的最後信息，是帶應許、具盼望的信息：
(1) 在思想這最後一段信息時：
a. 請先回想神控訴以色列所犯的罪，主要包括什麼？
b. 你認為那些是最嚴重的呢？
c. 你認為以色列還有希望嗎？為什麼？
14:1-3—回轉的呼籲
(2) 以色列要回轉的罪包括什麼？
(3) 他們當向神作出什麼承諾？
(4) 他們求赦罪的基礎是什麼？
(5) 我們從這認罪的禱告可以學到什麼？
14:4-8—重新顧念的應許
(6) 第一個應許是有兩方面的：
a. 醫治他們：背道的病是怎樣可以得醫治的呢？
b. 怒氣轉消：是什麼叫神怒氣轉消的呢？
(7) 顧念的三個比喻(14:5-6)：重點是要表明什麼？
a. 他們必如百合花？
b. 他們必如利巴嫩的香柏樹？
c. 他們必如橄欖樹？
是什麼叫他們成為這樣？(14:5)
(8) 第7節再以四樣東西來作比喻：重點是要表明什麼？
a. 住在蔭下？
b. 發旺如五穀？
c. 如葡萄樹開花？
d. 如利巴嫩的酒？
(9) 第8節是離棄偶像歸耶和華之福：
a. 這樣的人(或國家) 會有什麼福份？
b. 他們的果子是從那裡得來的？
14:9—末了的話
(10) 我們知道，以色列並沒有理睬神藉先知所說的話：
a. 為何神仍要藉先知經這樣長的時間，更藉戲劇性的現身說法來向以色列發預言？
b. 至終，只有那些人會明白、聽勸？你是否這樣的人？
(11) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand.” (Hos. 14:9)
When we began the study of the Book of Hosea, I confessed that my attention was drawn to the insane act of marrying, knowingly, an adulterous wife by Hosea. The act is made even more insane to know that historically, as dramatic as this message was delivered, few would listen to Hosea, and the nation ended in total destruction just as the prophet had warned then. Why then would Hosea bother to deliver the message? Why then would Hosea bother to experience such deep hurt and suffering himself in the process?
Apart from the fact that Hosea, as a servant of the Lord, really had no choice but to obey, and the fact through his obedience, he had no doubt come to identify more fully with the grief and unfailing love of the Lord for His people, even if there was one who was wise and discerning and was willing to turn from his erring way, the message was worth delivering (Ezek. 3:21; Lk. 15:3-7).
Perhaps too, Hosea was conscious of the fact that his words would be recorded for generations to come and would form part of the revelation (the 66 books of the Holy Bible) of the redemption plan of God through Jesus Christ. I can also imagine that in the future when Israel, as a nation, goes through the last days of their calamities (5:15), these words of Hosea will powerfully awaken their conscience and contribute to their repentance, and they would wholeheartedly agree that “the ways of the Lord are right” (Hos. 14:9).
「誰是智慧人，可以明白這些事；誰是通達人，可以知道這一切。因為，耶和華的道是正直的；義人必在其中行走，罪人卻在其上跌倒。」（何14:9）
在與你們一起研讀何西阿書開始的時候，我已坦白的承認，我深被神似乎很不合理，要何西阿娶淫婦一事，感到困惑。讀完了全書的14章，我更感困惑，因為先知付了這樣的代價來傳信息，換來的是以色列人充耳不聞，結果是落到亡國的命運中。為何何西阿要傳這信息？為何要付出這麼大的代價來作先知？
當然，作為神所揀選的僕人，何西阿是沒有選擇的餘地；也因著順服，他的確更能切身的了解到神的憂傷和祂對子民不死的愛—就是只有一個智慧、通達人，願意悔改離惡—這信息還是值得傳講的(結3:21; 路15:3-7) 。
何況，何西阿是知道這些話語要傳給後來的世代，更要成為神救世的啟示的一部份。我可以想像得到，以色列在將來末期的時候，在經歷非常的急難之時(5:15) ，讀到何西阿這裡所傳講的信息，會成為他們極有力的提醒，使他們全心的領會到“耶和華的道是正直的”(14:9) ；因而全家悔改得救(羅11:26) 。