Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning. Sermons
I. IT IS A GREAT SIN. 1. It is a very propagative sin. "Ephraim hath made many altars." "It men leave the rule," says an old author, "they know not where to stay; hence the multiplying of things thus amongst the Papists - five hundred altars in some one temple." How sublimely antagonistic the Jews were to the introduction of any altar but one (Joshua 22:11)! But now they had "many." Once admit a wrong thing in worship, and that one thing will multiply itself; superstition will give it fertility. The Romish Church is a sad illustration of this, and the Anglican Church in some sections is multiplying examples. 2. It is a self-punishing sin. "Altars shall be unto him to sin." The idea probably is, "As you have gone on persisting to multiply altars contrary to my will, I will let you alone; you shall go on. Your altars shall be a sin to you." That is, thus seeing they will have them, they shall have them; they shall have enough of them. Let them go on in their ways; let them multiply their sin. They make a great deal of stir for it, and have it they must; they refuse to see the light; they are prejudiced against the way of God's worship. Let them have their desires; let them have, saith God, governors to establish by their authority, and teachers to defend by their subtle arguments, what they wish for. They multiply altars to sin, and they shall be to sin, even to harden them; their hearts are set upon them, and they will have them and love them, and they shall be hardened in their heart's desire in what is evil. And as it shall be to them for sin, so it shall be to them for misery, the fruit of sin; for so sin is taken very frequently in Scripture for the fruit of sin. They will have them to sin, and they shall find in them the fruit of sin - misery. The text leads us to remark that - II. IT IS A SIN AGAINST GREAT LIGHT. "I have written to him the great things of my Law, but they were counted as a strange thing." They could not say they sinned in ignorance. God gave them directions most concise and abundant concerning the nature and object of true worship. Some translate the words," I may prescribe my laws to them by myriads; they will treat it as a strange thing." 1. God has given us laws concerning worship. 2. Those laws are oft repeated. By myriads or by thousands. We have "line upon line, precept upon precept." 3. These oft-repeated laws leave false worshippers without excuse. - D.T.
Ephraim hath made many altars to sin. Homilist. Israel was to have only one altar. Ephraim had built a number of altars in different places. Men have perverted worship, not only by making false gods, but by making false altars for the true God.I. FALSE WORSHIP IS A GREAT SIN. 1. It is a very propagative sin. Once admit a wrong thing in worship, and that one thing will multiply itself; superstition will give it fertility. 2. It is a self-punishing sin. This is the heavy judgment of God, to give men their heart's desire in what is evil. II. IT IS A SIN AGAINST GREAT LIGHT. Israel could not say it sinned in ignorance. 1. God has given us laws concerning worship. 2. These laws are oft repeated. 3. These oft-repeated laws leave false worshippers Without excuse. (Homilist.) People Hosea, ZechariahPlaces Assyria, Egypt, SamariaTopics Altars, Built, Cause, Ephraim, E'phraim, Increasing, Multiplied, Multiply, Offerings, Sin, Sinning, YeaOutline 1. Destruction is threatened both to Israel and Judah for their impiety and idolatry.Dictionary of Bible Themes Hosea 8:11 6616 atonement, in OT Library The BibleOh! how ten-thousand-fold merciful is God, that, looking down upon the race of man, he does not smite it our of existence. We see from our text that God looks upon man; for he says of Ephraim, "I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing." But see how, when he observes the sin of man, he does not dash him away and spurn him with his foot; he does not shake him by the neck over the gulf of hell, until his brain doth reel and then drop him forever; but … Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855 And First, Can it be Said that Mammmon is Less Served by Christians... That the Unskilful Venture not to Approach an Office of Authority. That Whereas the City of Jerusalem had Been Five Times Taken Formerly, this was the Second Time of Its Desolation. A Brief Account of Its History. "For they that are after the Flesh do Mind the Things of the Flesh,", The Instrumentality of the Wicked Employed by God, While He Continues Free from Every Taint. A Few Sighs from Hell; Hosea Links Hosea 8:11 NIVHosea 8:11 NLT Hosea 8:11 ESV Hosea 8:11 NASB Hosea 8:11 KJV Hosea 8:11 Bible Apps Hosea 8:11 Parallel Hosea 8:11 Biblia Paralela Hosea 8:11 Chinese Bible Hosea 8:11 French Bible Hosea 8:11 German Bible Hosea 8:11 Commentaries Bible Hub |