Hosea 9:7-9

Nationalism, can be a form of idolatry, it is not Gods’ way. 

God, in the gift of salvation, sees the world as a whole. He shows no partiality. 

Romans 2:11 For there is no partiality with God.

Jesus is the only way to unite creation to His glory.

God’s commandments are fulfilled in placing Him above EVERYTHING and loving others as much as He loves you!

Jesus understands the plight of the poor and disadvantaged. During His life on earth, He gave without ceasing, even giving His own life to redeem us. Our faith continues to challenge us today as we follow His example. First 5

Acts chapter one: “Then [the disciples] went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. They all continued praying together with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus’ brothers” (Acts 1:12, 14 NCV). What a change! The ones who had mocked him now worship him. The ones who had pitied him now pray to him.

What if Jesus had disowned them? Or worse still, what if he’d suffocated his family with his demand for change? He didn’t. He instead gave them space, time, and grace. So don’t lose heart – God still changes families. Max Lucado

Hosea 9:7-9

7 The days of punishment have come; The days of recompense have come. Israel knows! The prophet is a fool, The spiritual man is insane, Because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity. 8 The watchman of Ephraim is with my God; But the prophet is a fowler’s snare in all his ways— Enmity in the house of his God. 9 They are deeply corrupted, As in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity; He will punish their sins. The New King James Version

The man of the spirit refers to the prophet who experienced God’s revelation through His spirit. Israel never repented from iniquity, making the prophet’s conditional message of restoration appear foolish. A prophet, like a watchman, was responsible for giving warnings about danger. Faithlife Study Bible

Sinful Israel disdained God’s true prophets, regarding them as raving maniacs.

Enmity refers to strong resentment that can give rise to violent behavior. 

A watchman would look for approaching armies and then warn the people so that they could secure the city and prepare for battle. The prophets were like watchmen because they were sent by God to warn the people of judgment and urge them to repent. 

As in the days of Gibeah: The reference here is to the rape and murder of a young woman by men of Gibeah, an event that started a civil war.  Those who witnessed this violent deed remarked that it was the worst crime committed in Israel’s history until that time. The NKJV Study Bible

Time had been when the spiritual watchmen of Israel were with the Lord, but now they were like the snare of a fowler to entangle persons to their ruin. The people were become as corrupt as those of Gibeah, and their crimes should be visited in like manner. 

At first God had found Israel pleasing to Him, as grapes to the traveller in the wilderness. He saw them with pleasure as the first ripe figs. This shows the delight God took in them; yet they followed after idolatry. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

English Version means Israel’s “hatred” of God’s prophets and the law. The spiritual watchmen, are the true prophets, formerly consulted my God: but their so-called prophet is a snare, entrapping Israel into idolatry. Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible.