Verse 9
"Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall therein."
Most of the commentators set this verse at naught, making of it a somewhat insipid comment by some later editor; but we will have none of that. Hosea had just written a chapter that doubtless appeared enigmatical even to himself, one that seemed totally at variance with practically the entire message of previous chapters in his prophecy. It was the astounding prophecy of the ultimate Israel of God to be attained in the church of Jesus Christ; but the homely metaphors of it seemed to him no doubt to be impossible of understanding in the light of all God had previously revealed to him. This ninth verse is the proof that Hosea very well knew that something lay in this chapter which was totally beyond the reach of his earthly vision; yet he faithfully declared it, uttering the warning in this verse, to the effect that there was a lot more in it than met the eye. Hosea was profoundly correct. Most of the commentators we have read regarding this chapter do not even now have any adequate understanding of it, applying it to all kinds of millennial theories, restorations of secular Israel in Palestine and otherwise missing totally the glimpse of the Church of Christ which shines in every line of it. How wonderful are the words of the Lord.
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