Hosea 8:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

There is also truth in explaining that those who turn away from God’s love are, in some fashion, consumed and become sustenance for the many-headed dragon referenced by the Psalmist, who states that he has been given as food to the nations of Ethiopia: “Thou hast broken the head of the serpent, thou hast given that bracon to the people of Ethiopia” (Psalms 73:14). The term “Ethiopians” rightly refers to those, both acknowledged by ourselves and by God, who possess the darkest and most corrupt thoughts. They nourish the many-headed dragon, yet in turn, they are also nourished by him. Thus, “Israel was swallowed up, and was among the Gentiles as a vessel not meant to be consumed.” When taken to the Assyrians and the Medes, it became completely useless, forced to comply with their desires. Because it was consumed and departed from its homeland to dwell among the Gentiles, it became an empty vessel. The Sovereign Lord also conveyed this through Jeremiah concerning a ruler of Israel based in Samaria: “Jechoniah was dishonoured as a vessel, for he was rejected and cast out into the land where he did not reign. To the earth, to the earth, to the earth, hear the word of the Lord, write this man rejected” (Jeremiah 22:28-30). Israel was thus rendered unprofitable and dishonoured; what value can a soul that is deceived and loves sin, inclining towards all that is disgraceful, have in the service of God? What led to Israel's suffering? “Forasmuch as these have come up,” they are described as intruders fleeing to the Crags. How did this come to be? Fearing their assault, they sought not God's assistance through repentance, but instead attempted to appease their oppressors with gifts. In a certain regard, he mocks this futile and fruitless strategy, referencing a king from the tribe of Ephraim who also offered gifts to the Assyrian oppressors: “Ephraim shall prosper of himself.” This is to imply that the Ephraimite king, destined to be cut down like a parched tree and vulnerable to the flames of divine wrath, believed he could thrive independently, without Me and against My will, and thought he could take root deep down without losing his reign. He sought not to receive gifts, but to give them, purchasing only a brief and minor postponement of disaster. What was the result? No advantage; in contrast, they will be “delivered into tongues,” and through their circumstances will realize that no one may prosper on their own, and that those who provoke God will not gain from offering gifts to their foes, for they will soon face punishment.

They were not sheep under the Lord’s guidance; they misused their freedom and were taken captive. The prophet laments over them, declaring, ‘Ephraim has given gifts to the Assyrians and hired those he loves; as Ezekiel notes, “All prostitutes receive compensation, but you have paid your lovers,” and you resisted (Ezekiel 16:33-34). Having given gifts to the nations and hired aid for a reward, they will gather for conflict, yet all will be overcome and taken captive. Because they take pleasure in offering gifts to their adversaries, they will temporarily enjoy the benefit of not paying tribute to the rulers, until they reach Assyria, where they will no longer be free from taxes but will face severe enslavement. Regarding the heretics, there is no doubt that by turning to the Assyrians, misguided by their folly, they believe they are ascending rather than descending. Thus, Isaiah speaks to them, saying, "What are you doing now that all have gone up to the empty temples?" (Isaiah 22:1). The ruler of these Assyrians is pride. Ephraim began to prosper in his own domain, mistakenly believing himself to be elevated. He has become like a solitary wild donkey, wandering not in the fields of the church, but in the desert of the evil one. He loves gifts, lured either by the hope of reward or motivated by shameful gain. He gave gifts and payment to his deceivers, setting him up for betrayal by the nations. Just as the pagans honor physical idols, so the heretics revere the false gods they have created in their hearts, and thus they will be counted among the pagans. However, he states, if they repent now and in this present life, and I receive them, they will stop appointing for themselves the lesser king and his rulers. By the lesser king, we must understand the devil, in contrast to the Great King, who has no fellowship with Belial. Upon being received by believers, He immediately casts out the lesser king and his rulers from their hearts. According to the Hebrew text, those who were once scattered and hired nations will be gathered together in the Church of God, freed from the dominion of the king, regarding whom the apostle admonishes those who have distanced themselves from the church, saying, "Without us, you reign in vain; oh that you might truly reign!" (1 Cor. 4:8), and from the rulers they had appointed in the synagogues of the devil.