Sharper Iron — Majoring in the Minors - Hosea 6:11-7:16: The Sickness Grows

Even as the LORD attempts to heal His people, more of Israel’s disease becomes apparent. Hosea speaks about the sin in Israel with vivid images. As the heat of an oven that leavens dough before the blazing fire bakes it, so the treachery in Israel grows until it blazes with destruction, even as the people fail to call upon the LORD. As an aging man tragically does not realize the loss of his faculties, so Israel tragically cannot recognize its own sin. Israel continues to seek help from foreign nations, but they are only a bird caught in a net. Even as the LORD proclaims such judgment, His aim is to bring His people back to Him.

Rev. Peter Ill, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Millstadt, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Hosea 6:11-7:16.

To learn more about Trinity Lutheran, visit trinitymillstadt.org.

“Majoring in the Minors” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the books of Hosea, Joel, Jonah, Micah, and Nahum. Although the books of these prophets are shorter, the Word of God they preached was important in the years leading up to the coming of the Christ, and that Word remains important for the Church today. Just as we still need to listen to their call to repentance over our idolatry, so we still need to heed their call to trust in the Savior, Jesus.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund. Together in faith, LCEF helps to start, sustain and strengthen LCMS ministries through financial and strategic partnerships. Visit lcef.org.

Hosea 6:11-7:16

¹¹For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed.

When I restore the fortunes of my people,
7 when I would heal Israel,
    the iniquity of Ephraim is revealed,
    and the evil deeds of Samaria,
for they deal falsely;
    the thief breaks in,
    and the bandits raid outside.
²But they do not consider
    that I remember all their evil.
Now their deeds surround them;
    they are before my face.
³By their evil they make the king glad,
    and the princes by their treachery.
⁴They are all adulterers;
    they are like a heated oven
whose baker ceases to stir the fire,
    from the kneading of the dough
    until it is leavened.
⁵On the day of our king, the princes
    became sick with the heat of wine;
    he stretched out his hand with mockers.
⁶For with hearts like an oven they approach their intrigue;
    all night their anger smolders;
    in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
⁷All of them are hot as an oven,
    and they devour their rulers.
All their kings have fallen,
    and none of them calls upon me.

⁸Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples;
    Ephraim is a cake not turned.
⁹Strangers devour his strength,
    and he knows it not;
gray hairs are sprinkled upon him,
    and he knows it not.
¹⁰The pride of Israel testifies to his face;^[a]
    yet they do not return to the Lord their God,
    nor seek him, for all this.

¹¹Ephraim is like a dove,
    silly and without sense,
    calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.
¹²As they go, I will spread over them my net;
    I will bring them down like birds of the heavens;
    I will discipline them according to the report made to their congregation.
¹³Woe to them, for they have strayed from me!
    Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me!
I would redeem them,
    but they speak lies against me.

¹⁴They do not cry to me from the heart,
    but they wail upon their beds;
for grain and wine they gash themselves;
    they rebel against me.
¹⁵Although I trained and strengthened their arms,
    yet they devise evil against me.
¹⁶They return, but not upward;^[b]
    they are like a treacherous bow;
their princes shall fall by the sword
    because of the insolence of their tongue.
This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Footnotes

Hosea 7:10 Or in his presence
Hosea 7:16 Or to the Most High

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).