Hosea 5:6Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Consequently, Israel could not find the Lord through the legalistic ministry of the law, for it is written, "they have forsaken the Lord." Their spiritual estrangement has progressed to the point where they have become the progenitors of "children of strangers." This term designates those who, effectively from birth, have been dedicated to idol worship, as parents have seemingly presented gifts and offerings to demons for successful births. Therefore, "children of strangers" refers to those not born in God’s household, or those born of foreign women, since the Israelites brazenly intermarried with the daughters of Gentiles who persisted in idol worship, despite the clear directive of the law which states, "Thou shalt not give thy daughter unto his son, neither shalt thou take his daughter unto thy son: for they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods" (Deut. 7:3-4). Because of such transgressions, God warns of impending disaster and devastation from enemy invasion, which may consume them and their possessions like rust. This foreshadows the immediacy of the forthcoming conflict; it will not be delayed but rather will arrive swiftly, as indicated by His proclamation, "Now I will make the rust appear." This could be interpreted as a warning that after the utterance of these words, suffering is close at hand. Hence, it will befall those who transgress against God that they will fail to find Him despite their efforts to seek Him, resulting in them becoming the progenitors of illegitimate offspring—not rooted in noble and righteous living. Instead, they will face destruction, eroded by the rust of their own malice and unworthiness, ultimately forfeiting their inheritance from God. This theme resonates in the song of David as he cries out to God, the Savior of all, "Into thy hand are my lots" (Ps. 30:16). Every share and possession lies within God's dominion, for He alone dispenses crowns.

Not just Israel and Ephraim, but also Judah will accompany them, as previously mentioned, in their quest for the Lord: Judah will bow down alongside them, endeavoring to placate Him with sacrifices, even though they have offended Him through their turning away; yet they will not encounter Him whom they seek, as He too has distanced Himself from those who have forsaken Him. For He has declared elsewhere, "Will I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?" (Psalms 49:13). Additionally, through Isaiah, He states, "I do not delight in the burnt offerings of bulls or in the fat of lambs and goats" (Isaiah 1:11). They have betrayed the Lord, for in their idolatry they have given birth not to children of God, but to those hostile to Him. Some interpret this as a reference to what is noted later in the book of Ezra, concerning the foreign wives and children that had to be left behind. However, it is more prudent to interpret this as referring to children born from mingling with idols, or dedicated to them through fire. Because of these acts, not in some distant future but very soon, the Assyrian and the Chaldean will arrive and lay waste to them and their inheritance, that is, to the possessions allotted to them by the division of the land. The term "month" is understood to indicate the regular assaults from enemy forces. The translation of "rust" in the LXX is notable, as it captures the destruction that will come upon them, remembered as "what remains after the locusts has been consumed" (Joel 1:4). The term for "month" in Hebrew is "hodes." Aquila translated this as new-months, implying that the invaders will come repeatedly, month after month. Historical records, such as those in the books of Kings and Chronicles, describe how Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, invaded during the reign of King Pekah, leading many from Samaria to exile. This occurred when the Greeks had recently entered their first Olympiad, and the Romans were not yet established.

Certain heretics mistakenly believe they can satisfy God through numerous sacrifices, thinking that those within the Church can compensate for their sins with acts of charity; they assume each sacrifice atones for past transgressions only. Thus, they do not realize His departure and withdrawal from them. In truth, they have been untrue to God, producing offspring not of Christ but of wickedness; therefore, their deeds are perpetually tainted, consumed by a rust stained by blood, as they stand on the brink of destruction. It is said that rust descends with the evening dew and casts a pall over the bread, reminiscent of the color of the mealybug. The deeper meaning reveals that it destroys the possessions of heretics, as stated: "Their possessions will not benefit them" (Jeremiah 12:13).