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Decline and Fall of Israel
133
The prophets lifted their voices against the rampant oppression,
flagrant injustice, the unbridled luxury and extravagance, the shame-
less feasting and drunkenness, and the gross immorality. But their
protests were in vain. “They hate the one who rebukes in the gate,”
declared Amos, “and they abhor the one who speaks uprightly.”
[106]
Amos 5:10
. Finally nearly all the land’s inhabitants had given them-
selves over to the alluring practices of nature worship. Forgetting
their Maker, Israel became “deeply corrupted.”
Hosea 9:9
.
Hosea’s Gracious Appeals
The transgressors were given many opportunities to repent. In
their hour of deepest apostasy God gave them a message of forgive-
ness and hope. “O Israel,” He declared, “you are destroyed, but your
help is from Me. I will be your King; where is any other, that he
may save you?”
Hosea 13:9, 10
. “Come, and let us return to the
Lord,” the prophet pleaded, “for He has torn, but He will heal us.
... Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going
forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain,
like the latter and former rain to the earth.”
Hosea 6:1-3
.
“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely,” the Lord
declared. “‘I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall grow like the lily.
... Those who dwell under His shadow shall return.’ ... For the ways
of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but transgressors
stumble in them.”
Hosea 14:4-9
.
“Seek Me,” the Lord invited, “and live.” “So the Lord God of
hosts will be with you, as you have spoken. Hate evil, love good;
establish justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God of hosts
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”
Amos 5:4, 14, 15
.
The words of God’s messengers were so contrary to the people’s
evil desires that the idolatrous priest at Bethel sent a message to the
ruler in Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst
of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.”
Amos 7:10
.
The evils that overspread the land had become incurable, and
God pronounced the dread sentence on Israel: “Ephraim is joined to
idols, let him alone.” “The days of punishment have come; the days
of recompense have come. Israel knows!”
Hosea 4:17
;
9:7
. The ten