prophets and kings-第44节
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ey like men have transgressed the covenant： there have they dealt treacherously against Me。〃 Hosea 6：5…7。
〃Hear the word of the Lord； ye children of Israel；〃 was the message that finally came to them： 〃Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God； I will also forget thy children。 As they were increased； so they sinned against Me： therefore will I change their glory into shame。 。 。 。 I will punish them for their ways； and reward them their doings。〃 Hosea 4：1； 6…9。
The iniquity in Israel during the last half century before the Assyrian captivity was like that of the days of Noah； and of every other age when men have rejected God and have given themselves wholly to evil…doing。 The exaltation of nature above the God of nature； the worship of the creature instead of the Creator； has always resulted in the grossest
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of evils。 Thus when the people of Israel； in their worship of Baal and Ashtoreth； paid supreme homage to the forces of nature； they severed their connection with all that is uplifting and ennobling； and fell an easy prey to temptation。 With the defenses of the soul broken down； the misguided worshipers had no barrier against sin and yielded themselves to the evil passions of the human heart。
Against the marked oppression； the flagrant injustice； the unwonted luxury and extravagance； the shameless feasting and drunkenness； the gross licentiousness and debauchery； of their age； the prophets lifted their voices； but in vain were their protests； in vain their denunciation of sin。 〃Him that rebuketh in the gate；〃 declared Amos； 〃they hate； 。 。 。 and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly。〃 〃They afflict the just； they take a bribe； and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right。〃 Amos 5：10； 12。
Such were some of the results that had followed the setting up of two calves of gold by Jeroboam。 The first departure from established forms of worship had led to the introduction of grosser forms of idolatry； until finally nearly all the inhabitants of the land had given themselves over to the alluring practices of nature worship。 Forgetting their Maker； Israel 〃deeply corrupted themselves。〃 Hosea 9：9。
The prophets continued to protest against these evils and to plead for rightdoing。 〃Sow to yourselves in righteousness； reap in mercy；〃 Hosea urged； 〃break up your fallow ground： for it is time to seek the Lord； till He come and rain righteousness upon you。〃 〃Turn thou to thy God： keep mercy and judgment； and wait on thy God continually。〃
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〃O Israel； return unto the Lord thy God； for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity： 。 。 。 say unto Him； Take away all iniquity； and receive us graciously。〃 Hosea 10：12； 12：6； 14：1； 2。
The transgressors were given many opportunities to repent。 In their hour of deepest apostasy and greatest need； God's message to them was one of forgiveness and hope。 〃O Israel；〃 He declared； 〃thou hast destroyed thyself； but in Me is thine help。 I will be thy King： where is any other that may save thee？〃 Hosea 13：9； 10。
〃Come； and let us return unto the Lord；〃 the prophet entreated； 〃for He hath torn； and He will heal us； He hath smitten； and He will bind us up。 After two days will He revive us： in the third day He will raise us up； and we shall live in His sight。 Then shall we know； if we follow on to know the Lord： His going forth is prepared as the morning； and He shall come unto us as the rain； as the latter and former rain unto the earth。〃 Hosea 6：1…3。
To those who had lost sight of the plan of the ages for the deliverance of sinners ensnared by the power of Satan； the Lord offered restoration and peace。 〃I will heal their backsliding； I will love them freely；〃 He declared： 〃for Mine anger is turned away from him。 I will be as the dew unto Israel： he shall grow as the lily； and cast forth his roots as Lebanon。 His branches shall spread； and his beauty shall be as the olive tree； and his smell as Lebanon。 They that dwell under His shadow shall return； they shall revive as the corn； and grow as the vine： the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon。 Ephraim shall say； What have I
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to do any more with idols？ I have heard him； and observed him： I am like a green fir tree。 From Me is thy fruit found。
〃Who is wise； and he shall understand these things？ Prudent； and he shall know them？ For the ways of the Lord are right； And the just shall walk in them： But the transgressors shall fall therein。〃 Hosea 14：4…9。
The benefits of seeking God were strongly urged。 〃Seek ye Me；〃 the Lord invited； 〃and ye shall live： but seek not Bethel； nor enter into Gilgal； and pass not to Beersheba： for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity； and Bethel shall come to nought。〃
〃Seek good； and not evil； that ye may live： and so the Lord； the God of hosts； shall be with you； as ye have spoken。 Hate the evil； and love the good； and establish judgment in the gate： it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph。〃 Amos 5：4； 5； 14； 15。
By far the greater number of those who heard these invitations refused to profit by them。 So contrary to the evil desires of the impenitent were the words of God's messengers； that the idolatrous priest at Bethel sent to the ruler in Israel； saying； 〃Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel： the land is not able to bear all his words。〃 Amos 7：10。
Through Hosea the Lord declared； 〃When I would have healed Israel； then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered； and the wickedness of Samaria。〃 〃The pride of Israel testifieth to his face： and they do not return to the Lord their God； nor seek Him for all this。 〃 Hosea 7：1； 10。
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From generation to generation the Lord had borne with His wayward children； and even now； in the face of defiant rebellion； He still longed to reveal Himself to them as willing to save。 〃O Ephraim；〃 He cried； 〃what shall I do unto thee？ O Judah； what shall I do unto thee？ for your goodness is as a morning cloud； and as the early dew it goeth away。〃 Hosea 6：4。
The evils that had overspread the land had become incurable； and upon Israel was pronounced the dread sentence： 〃Ephraim is joined to idols： let him alone。〃 〃The days of visitation are come； the days of recompense are come； Israel shall know it。〃 Hosea 4：17； 9：7。
The ten tribes of Israel were not to reap the fruitage of the apostasy that had taken form with the setting up of the strange altars at Bethel and at Dan。 God's message to them was： 〃Thy calf； O Samaria； hath cast thee off； Mine anger is kindled against them： how long will it be ere they attain to innocency？ For from Israel was it also： the workman made it； therefore it is not God： but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces。〃 〃The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth…aven： for the people thereof shall mourn over it； and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it。 。 。 。 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to King Jareb〃 （Sennacherib）。 Hosea 8：5； 6； 10：5； 6。
〃Behold； the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom； and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth； saying that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob； saith the Lord。 For； lo； I will command； and I will sift the
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house of Israel among all nations； like as corn is sifted in a sieve； yet shall not the least gain fall upon the earth。 All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword； which say； The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us。〃
〃The houses of ivory shall perish； and the great houses shall have an end； saith the Lord。〃 〃The Lord God of hosts is He that toucheth the land； and it shall melt； and all that dwell therein shall mourn。〃 〃Thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword； and thy land shall be divided by line； and thou shalt die in a polluted land： and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land。〃 〃Because I will do this unto thee； prepare to meet thy God； O Israel。〃 Amos 9：8…10； 3：15； 9：5； 7：17； 4：12。
For a season these predicted judgments were stayed； and during the long reign of Jeroboam II the armies of Israel gained signal victories； but this time of apparent prosperity wrought no change in the hearts of the impenitent； and it was finally decreed； 〃Jeroboam shall die by the sword； and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land。〃 Amos 7：11。
The boldness of this utterance was lost on king and people； so far had they gone in impenitence。 Amaziah； a leader among the idolatrous priests at Bethel； stirred by the plain words spoken by the prophet against the nation and their king； said to Amos； 〃O thou seer； go； flee thee away into the land of Judah； and there eat bread； and prophesy there： but prophesy not again any more at Bethel： for it is the king's chapel； and it is the king's court。〃 Verses 12； 13。
To this the prophet firmly responded： 〃Thus saith the Lord； 。 。 。 Israel shall surely go into captivity。〃 Verse 17。
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The words spoken against the apo
