Hos 4:15 | KingComments | STEP | “Gilgal” is the place where God has had the people circumcised for the second time. Because of this, they rolled away the reproach of Egypt ( ). Bethel is the place where their ancestor Jacob received the promises of God ( ). But Gilgal, the place from which the land was conquered, has become a place of idolatry. And Bethel, meaning ‘house of God’, has got a golden calf. That is why the prophet here calls it ‘Beth-aven’, which means ‘house of iniquity’. It is not God Who dwells there, but iniquity has taken up residence there. They do not even hesitate to connect the holy Name of the LORD with their idolatrous practices. They swear by His Name. Thus they connect the Name of the LORD with sin, which is of course abominable. The swearing of an oath is not sinful in itself, as long as it is done in sincerity before God. Israel and Judah are mentioned separately in this verse. There is still a distinction between the two realms. During the last days of the prophet Hosea Judah experiences a time of revival under Hezekiah and even later under Josiah. Then the horrors are removed from the land, but unfortunately not from the hearts. Judah will also stumble ( ). Still, it is as if the prophet looks at Judah with a slanting eye and warns people not to go into the apostasy from God. It may be that people from Judah go to places in the ten tribes realm to celebrate and that Hosea has them in mind. Bethel lies against the border of Judah. Seeking contact with what is sinful puts that sin itself in danger. “Bad company corrupts good morals” ( ). You are infected with that which you associate yourself with. Although Hosea mainly prophesies in the northern realm, he sometimes raises his warning voice to Judah. Here he warns the southern kingdom not to follow his northern neighbor in his horrible forms of worship. In order to stay free from something, it is best to stay as far away from it as possible. It is life-threatening to visit sinful places purely out of curiosity. The atmosphere can get a hold of someone just like that and before one notices it, one joins in. This applies to places where the world seeks its entertainment. But it also applies to all kinds of religious manifestations where emotions are skillfully addressed. Emotions certainly have their place in serving and honoring God. But as soon as they become the norm for serving and honoring God, the heart is taken away from the one true norm: the Word of God. In it the separation between what is of God and what is not of God is clearly stated. The believer is warned to keep away from everything that originated from unbelief, while beautiful promises of obedience are made ( ). Although that part is about the connection to the world, its application to things found within Christianity, but originating in the world, is certainly justified.

‏ Hosea 4:15

Not to Gilgal and Not to Bethel

“Gilgal” is the place where God has had the people circumcised for the second time. Because of this, they rolled away the reproach of Egypt (Jos 5:2-9). Bethel is the place where their ancestor Jacob received the promises of God (Gen 28:10-19). But Gilgal, the place from which the land was conquered, has become a place of idolatry. And Bethel, meaning ‘house of God’, has got a golden calf. That is why the prophet here calls it ‘Beth-aven’, which means ‘house of iniquity’. It is not God Who dwells there, but iniquity has taken up residence there.

They do not even hesitate to connect the holy Name of the LORD with their idolatrous practices. They swear by His Name. Thus they connect the Name of the LORD with sin, which is of course abominable. The swearing of an oath is not sinful in itself, as long as it is done in sincerity before God.

Israel and Judah are mentioned separately in this verse. There is still a distinction between the two realms. During the last days of the prophet Hosea Judah experiences a time of revival under Hezekiah and even later under Josiah. Then the horrors are removed from the land, but unfortunately not from the hearts. Judah will also stumble (Hos 5:5). Still, it is as if the prophet looks at Judah with a slanting eye and warns people not to go into the apostasy from God.

It may be that people from Judah go to places in the ten tribes realm to celebrate and that Hosea has them in mind. Bethel lies against the border of Judah. Seeking contact with what is sinful puts that sin itself in danger. “Bad company corrupts good morals” (1Cor 15:33). You are infected with that which you associate yourself with.

Although Hosea mainly prophesies in the northern realm, he sometimes raises his warning voice to Judah. Here he warns the southern kingdom not to follow his northern neighbor in his horrible forms of worship.

In order to stay free from something, it is best to stay as far away from it as possible. It is life-threatening to visit sinful places purely out of curiosity. The atmosphere can get a hold of someone just like that and before one notices it, one joins in. This applies to places where the world seeks its entertainment. But it also applies to all kinds of religious manifestations where emotions are skillfully addressed. Emotions certainly have their place in serving and honoring God. But as soon as they become the norm for serving and honoring God, the heart is taken away from the one true norm: the Word of God. In it the separation between what is of God and what is not of God is clearly stated.

The believer is warned to keep away from everything that originated from unbelief, while beautiful promises of obedience are made (2Cor 6:14-18). Although that part is about the connection to the world, its application to things found within Christianity, but originating in the world, is certainly justified.