(3) The development of idols, of the culture’s choice of religion (Hos. 127:1) here the sin is compounded by the alienation from the messianic line. It is always the case that unless the Lord builds the house, those who labor do so in vain (Ps. But they were the choice of the northern tribes nonetheless, insofar as they preferred these to allegiance to David’s line. They were not “chosen” in any democratic sense frequently they succeeded one another in bloody coups. That is what is meant by the charge, “They set up kings without my consent they choose princes without my approval.” The Lord set his seal on the Davidic dynasty, but to preserve their independence from Jerusalem the northern ten tribes, now constituted as Israel, opted for their own monarchs. (2) Defiant alternatives to the Davidic dynasty (Hos. This is the rejection of what is good-and there are consequences (Hos.
8:2) while breaking the covenant and rebelling against God’s law (Hos. What makes it hypocritical is that Israel cries out, “O our God, we acknowledge you!” (Hos. (1) A hypocritical allegiance to the covenant (Hos. Evidences of sinful self-sufficiency include:
The people might be living in relative prosperity and peace, but the ominous signs were there for those with eyes to see. A “ … over the house of the LORD” is a way of saying that Jerusalem is as good as dead: the carrion eaters are already gathering for their feast. The “eagle” in Hosea 8:1 is probably a vulture. Perhaps the single element that holds together the various sins condemned in Hosea 8 is human self-reliance.