Question 1

What does “rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people” mean?

Accepted Answer

This line tells Israel to stop celebrating like other nations, even if the harvest looks good or life seems to be going well. Their outward success is not a sign that God is pleased. God says they have acted like an unfaithful spouse, leaving Him for idols and loving the “reward” they think idols give on the threshing floor. So their joy is out of place. Instead of parties and feasts, they should be mourning and turning back to God, because judgment for their unfaithfulness is close.

Question 2

Why does God say Israel has “gone a whoring” from their God?

Accepted Answer

God uses marriage language for His bond with Israel. He had chosen them, cared for them, and given them their land and harvests. When they bowed to idols and trusted them for grain, wine, and safety, it was like a wife running after other men for gifts. Calling it “whoring” shows how serious this is. It is not just breaking a rule, it is personal betrayal. Their worship on the cornfloor and winepress, done for idol gain, shows a heart that would rather take gifts from false gods than live in faithful trust in the Lord.

Question 3

Why are Israel’s sacrifices called “bread of mourners” and unclean?

Accepted Answer

In this passage, God says their sacrifices are like “bread of mourners,” meaning like food touched by death and uncleanness. Their offerings are not accepted because their hearts are far from God. They keep the motions of religion, but mix it with idolatry and disobedience. Also, when they are driven from the land and scattered, they will not be able to bring offerings to God’s house at all. What they eat will only be to keep themselves alive, not true worship to God. So their religion turns into something polluted and empty.

Question 4

What are the “days of visitation” and “days of recompence” in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The “days of visitation” and “days of recompence” are the times when God comes to deal with Israel’s long-standing sins. For a while, they thought they were safe because nothing terrible had happened yet, and false prophets told them all was well. But God says a day is coming when He will visit them in judgment and repay their iniquity. Then they will know they were wrong to ignore His warnings. Exile, famine, and loss will show that God took their unfaithfulness seriously and that His patience had an end.

Question 5

Why are the prophets called fools and snares in this chapter?

Accepted Answer

This passage describes a sad change. At first, the watchman of Ephraim was “with my God,” meaning prophets were meant to guard the people and point them to the Lord. But because of the people’s sin and hatred of the truth, many so-called prophets became like traps. Instead of warning, they misled Israel with lies of peace. So, when judgment comes, it will be clear that these prophets were fools and like bird snares, catching people in sin instead of rescuing them. Their false comfort helped harden the nation against God’s real word.

Question 6

What is the meaning of God finding Israel like grapes in the wilderness?

Accepted Answer

The picture of grapes in the wilderness and first ripe figs shows how God once delighted in Israel. Grapes in a desert and early figs are rare and precious. That is how God saw their fathers when He first chose them and brought them into the land. But soon they turned aside at Baal-peor, joining themselves to a shameful idol. The passage says their abominations matched what they loved. In other words, their hearts clung to filthy worship, so their lives became filthy too, turning early sweetness into deep offense.

Question 7

Why is there so much focus on children, birth, and barrenness in this passage?

Accepted Answer

Children were seen as a sign of blessing and future strength. Here God says Ephraim’s glory will fly away “from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.” Even if they have children, the children will face danger, exile, or death. The prophet even cries that it would be better for them to be barren than see their children handed to the murderer. This sharp language shows how heavy the coming judgment is: the very thing they counted as blessing will be touched, to wake them up to how far they have gone from God.

Question 8

What happened at Gilgal, and why is all their wickedness placed there?

Accepted Answer

Gilgal had once been a place tied to God’s work among His people, but by this time it had become a center of false worship and twisted religion. God says, “All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them.” It is not that they sinned only in that town, but that Gilgal represents their stubborn idolatry and corrupt practices. Instead of true worship, they mixed God’s name with disobedience. So God announces He will drive them out of His house and love them no more in that way, because their leaders there are rebels.

Question 9

What does this passage teach about God’s character and His judgment?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God is both tender and severe. He once delighted in Israel like rare fruit, planted them like a pleasant vine, and gave them His land and worship. But He does not ignore long, stubborn unfaithfulness. When His people cling to idols, trust in false prophets, and refuse to listen, He warns and then acts. Judgment here means loss of land, worship, harvest, and even children. It shows that God’s love is not empty; He cares enough to discipline, and He will not let His name or covenant be treated as nothing.

Question 10

How can this warning against false joy and idolatry speak to people today?

Accepted Answer

This passage warns against feeling safe just because life looks good on the surface. Israel had harvests, feasts, and religious activity, but their hearts chased other gods. Today people can do something similar when they trust money, success, or religion without obedience, thinking God must be pleased because things seem to go well. The message is to check where our love and trust really lie. It nudges us to turn from anything we treat like an idol and seek real faithfulness to God, knowing that outward prosperity without Him will not last.

Hosea 9:1

Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.

Israel’s Punishment

Israel’s Punishment

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Hosea 9:1

Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.

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Israel’s Punishment

Israel’s Punishment

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