54.
The craftsmen of Israel had made with their hands the calf which was the object of worship. How can an object made by man be greater than the man which crafted it? Therefore, it could not be greater than its creator and could not be a superior being. Hos. 8:6 It has no voice, therefore it cannot communicate. A god of this nature must be carried about by those who worship it. It cannot be mobile of its own power, for it has none. It can do neither harm nor good. Jer. 10:5 Their gods are fraudulent. They cannot breathe, consequently they have no life, no breath in them. Not even animal life. When the hour of judgment comes their uselessness will be made evident. Jer. 10:14 Israel had forsaken the Most High for such vain and totally useless gods. Their gods were far from being gods and in the ultimate world be totally destroyed.
We have an example in the history of the Ark of the Covenant when taken captive by the Philistines. The placed it in the temple of their god, an idol named Dagon, the fish god. 1 Sam. 5:2 The people of the city of Ashdod, (meaning fortress or stronghold), on rising the next morning found their god on his face before the Ark of the Lord. 1 Sam. 5:3 Pathetically, they had to physically set him upright again. He had no ability to lift himself upright again. The next day, not only was he on his face but his head and hands were severed from his body. 1 Sam.5:4 He was prostrate before the Lord and severely damaged. Because of fear and the demonstration of the exceeding greatness of the true and living God, the priests and the people ceased to worship in that place, and did not enter their temple again.
1 Sam 5:5
Whatsoever a man sows, that will he also reap. It is an established law of the Creator that seed will reproduce its own likeness. In the situation which we find in Hosea they have sown the wind and they are destined to reap the whirlwind. Most likely in their own sight and having been deceived, their actions were minor, much like a gentle breeze. The Lord did not look upon the slightest deviation as a minor thing for He would know the end from the beginning. It must be remembered that it is the cute, playful, entertaining little foxes which spoil the vine. SOS. 2:15 We are warned to abstain even from the appearance of evil. 1 Thess. 5:22 Winds have been officially clocked at 372 km (231mph) while there was a tornado in Oklahoma where unofficial winds were clocked at 509 km (316 mph). The sight, the sound of such a mighty wind would be awesome and exceedingly fearful. The increase of that which is to be reaped far out weighs that which is planted. Sowing to the flesh, to the carnal nature can only reap eternal corruption. Gal. 6:7-8.