Hos 12:7 | KingComments | STEP | How necessary the call to repent of the previous verse is, is evident from the verses that follow now. The people here are called “a Canaanite” to indicate that they are not acting like their ancestor Israel, but according to the customs of the former inhabitants of the country. The sudden introduction of this name implies contempt for the attitude that Israel now adopts. Israel has had to give a clear testimony of his God to the Canaanites and their horrors. Instead, they have adopted the atrocious practices of the Canaanites. An application of the name Canaan for this time is that God addresses a local church with ‘World!’ There are churches where hardly any difference can be seen between the church of God and the world. The borders have practically disappeared there. The church is supposed to be a blessing for the world, but she has merged into it by allowing the world into her midst. Canaan means ‘trader’. The Phoenician Canaanites were at that time one of the most successful trading people (cf. ; Ezekiel 26-27). Hosea thus connects the wrong attitude to his neighbor, which always follows a wrong attitude to God. This is manifested in the trade with one’s neighbor where “false balances” are used ( ; ). False balances seem to be fair, but the counterweight does not meet the standard. In this way they oppress their neighbors. That is already wrong, but they also find the greatest pleasure in it. Conscience does not react at all with these people anymore. But even if the buyer does not notice that he is being deceived, God sees it. He also sees how we ‘weigh’ things in their spiritual application, also within the church. If things are to be judged there, it must also be done with honest ‘balances’. Unfortunately, that does not always happen. James points to the use of ‘false balances’ when he points out the difference in treatment of the rich and the poor ( ). Every good or bad deed should be judged without regard to the person. And let’s be honest: how inclined are we to charge a bad deed of someone we do not like more than that of one of our friends? Then deeds are weighed with false balances.

‏ Hosea 12:7

What Canaan does

How necessary the call to repent of the previous verse is, is evident from the verses that follow now. The people here are called “a Canaanite” to indicate that they are not acting like their ancestor Israel, but according to the customs of the former inhabitants of the country. The sudden introduction of this name implies contempt for the attitude that Israel now adopts. Israel has had to give a clear testimony of his God to the Canaanites and their horrors. Instead, they have adopted the atrocious practices of the Canaanites.

An application of the name Canaan for this time is that God addresses a local church with ‘World!’ There are churches where hardly any difference can be seen between the church of God and the world. The borders have practically disappeared there. The church is supposed to be a blessing for the world, but she has merged into it by allowing the world into her midst.

Canaan means ‘trader’. The Phoenician Canaanites were at that time one of the most successful trading people (cf. Isa 23:8; Ezekiel 26-27). Hosea thus connects the wrong attitude to his neighbor, which always follows a wrong attitude to God. This is manifested in the trade with one’s neighbor where “false balances” are used (Lev 19:36; Deu 25:13-16). False balances seem to be fair, but the counterweight does not meet the standard.

In this way they oppress their neighbors. That is already wrong, but they also find the greatest pleasure in it. Conscience does not react at all with these people anymore. But even if the buyer does not notice that he is being deceived, God sees it.

He also sees how we ‘weigh’ things in their spiritual application, also within the church. If things are to be judged there, it must also be done with honest ‘balances’. Unfortunately, that does not always happen. James points to the use of ‘false balances’ when he points out the difference in treatment of the rich and the poor (Jam 2:2-4). Every good or bad deed should be judged without regard to the person. And let’s be honest: how inclined are we to charge a bad deed of someone we do not like more than that of one of our friends? Then deeds are weighed with false balances.