Question 1

What does it mean that God wanted to heal Israel but their sin was discovered?

Accepted Answer

The picture is of God like a doctor who comes to heal his people. He has already helped them in the past, giving them strength and restoring their life as a nation. But when he comes again to heal, their deep sins come into the light. Instead of turning to him, they are full of lies, stealing, and violence. Their evil is not new, but now it is clearly seen. The point is that God is willing to heal, yet their hidden sins and refusal to repent block the healing they need.

Question 2

Why are the king and princes glad with the people’s wickedness in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The leaders should have hated evil and turned the people back to God. Instead, they enjoy it. The king and princes are happy when the people sin because it keeps their own power and lifestyle in place. The court is full of drinking, flattery, and adultery. Rather than grieving over sin, they join in it. This shows how far the whole nation has fallen. When rulers celebrate wickedness, it spreads through the people and makes real repentance even harder.

Question 3

What does it mean that they are all adulterers like a heated oven?

Accepted Answer

The image of a hot oven pictures their strong, uncontrolled desires. Just as an oven stays hot and ready, their hearts burn for adultery and other sins. This includes both sexual sin and spiritual unfaithfulness, since they have broken their covenant with God and chased idols. Their desires are not cooled or checked, but kept ready until the right time to act. It shows sin that is not sudden or accidental, but warmed up, fed, and carefully kept alive inside.

Question 4

What is meant by Ephraim being a cake not turned?

Accepted Answer

A cake not turned is burned on one side and raw on the other. It is useless as food. Ephraim, meaning the northern tribes, is like that. They have mixed with other nations in their ways and worship. They are not fully given to God, yet they are not fully like the nations either. Their religion is half and half, insincere and patchy. They look religious at times, but their hearts are not truly for God. So, like a cake not turned, they are spoiled and unfit for the purpose God gave them.

Question 5

Why is Ephraim called a silly dove without heart?

Accepted Answer

A silly dove without heart is a bird that flutters about with no sense. It is easily trapped. Ephraim is like this because, instead of calmly trusting God, they run to Egypt and then to Assyria for help. They chase one human helper after another, never settling in faith. This shows lack of wisdom and courage. They do not ask what God wants or seek his protection. So God says he will spread his net over them, catching them in the very plans they made without him.

Question 6

What does this passage teach about false repentance and empty cries to God?

Accepted Answer

The people do cry out, but not with their hearts. They howl on their beds when trouble comes, but their main concern is grain and wine, not God himself. They gather for their own gain while still rebelling against him. This shows that loud words and strong feelings are not the same as real repentance. Real turning to God comes from the heart, admits sin, and seeks him, not just his gifts. Here, their “return” is only outward, so God calls them like a deceitful bow that cannot be trusted.

Question 7

What does this passage show about God’s character and his response to sin?

Accepted Answer

God comes as a healer, ready to restore his people. He has redeemed them in the past and strengthened their arms. He remembers all their works, which means nothing is hidden from him. He is patient and calls them to return, but he will not ignore ongoing rebellion. When they keep lying about him, seeking idols, and trusting other nations, he announces woe and coming destruction. So we see both his mercy in wanting to heal and his justice in bringing judgment when people refuse to turn back.

Question 8

How does the image of gray hairs on Ephraim help explain their condition?

Accepted Answer

Gray hairs here picture signs of decline and weakness. Israel’s strength has been eaten up by enemies and troubles, yet they do not notice. Like a person who is aging but refuses to admit it, they go on pretending all is well. The gray hairs are here and there, but they do not know it. This shows how sin can quietly drain spiritual strength. A person or nation can be far gone and still blind to it, unless God’s word wakes them up to see their true state.

Question 9

How can someone apply the warning of this passage to their own life today?

Accepted Answer

This passage invites us to ask hard questions: Am I only crying out to God when I want something, or do I seek him with my whole heart? Are there sins I hide or excuse while still using religious words? Do I trust more in people, money, or power than in God? The people here mixed with the world’s ways and lost their strength without noticing. A wise response is to come honestly to God, confess known sin, and ask him to give a heart that truly returns to him, not just outward change.

Hosea 7:1

When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.

Ephraim’s Iniquity

Ephraim’s Iniquity

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Hosea 7:1

When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.

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Ephraim’s Iniquity

Ephraim’s Iniquity

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