Hosea 7:1-16
1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickednessa of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
2 And they considerb not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.
3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottlesc of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
8 Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.
11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destructiond unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.
15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
IX. Hosea 7:8-9 (NASB) EPHRAIM MIXES HIMSELF WITH THE NATIONS; EPHRAIM HAS BECOME A CAKE NOT TURNED.
9 STRANGERS DEVOUR HIS STRENGTH, YET HE DOES NOT KNOW [IT]; GRAY HAIRS ALSO ARE SPRINKLED ON HIM, YET HE DOES NOT KNOW [IT.]
A. The "cake not turned" was burnt on one side and raw on the other. A metaphor for just how mixed up their lives were.
1. And the "gray hairs" is a reference to their lifestyles. They were getting old before their time. SIN DOES THAT!
X. Hosea 7:14 (NASB) AND THEY DO NOT CRY TO ME FROM THEIR HEART WHEN THEY WAIL ON THEIR BEDS; FOR THE SAKE OF GRAIN AND NEW WINE THEY ASSEMBLE THEMSELVES, THEY TURN AWAY FROM ME.
A. Please notice that they are miserable and cry themselves to sleep, but they will not turn to the Lord!
1. Why? Prosperity. They like the materialism that comes with their rebellion.