Hosea 8:4

"They have set up kings, but not by me; they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off."

"They have made them kings ..." Most of the commentators limit the prophet's rebuke in this place to the murderous overthrow of one king after another in the closing year's of the northern monarchy; but we believe much more is included. The very conception of an earthly ruler over God's people was contrary to the will of God (1 Samuel 8:7ff). All of their kings, even Saul, were nothing more than a total rejection of the Theocracy; and, although God accommodated himself to their rebellion in that instance, there is no evidence at all that the secular kings were ever anything other than a snare and a pit for the chosen people. "The princes" were necessarily corollary to the existence of kings; hence both were mentioned here. The Pentateuch which was designated by Jesus as God's Word (John 10:34,35) had provided judges for Israel; and all of their kings were a violation of the prior written Law of God.

"Of their silver and their gold have they made them idols ..." This was a sin compounded by the fact that God had given them the very wealth which they were intent upon squandering in the promotion of their vulgar, orgiastic paganism.

"Idols ..." Not only were there the golden calves which Jeroboam I had set up at Dan and at Bethel, these, in all probability had proliferated (see under Hosea 8:5-6, below). Also May tells us that, "Besides the bull images at Bethel and Dan, figurines and plaques of various deities designed for use in private rites were abundant."[8] Now the big thing about Hosea's citation here is that the Decalogue specifically forbade the making of any graven image (Exodus 20:3-6,23; 34:17), not merely the worshipping of such devices; but the very making of them (as religious items) was also forbidden. If Israel's breaking of their agreement with God regarding idols is not in focus here, it may be inquired then, as to why God was any more provoked with Israel than he was with a whole world of pagan nations all around Israel? For this prophecy to have any claim whatever to validity, the prior existence of the Decalogue and the Old Testament laws related to it is absolutely necessary.