Notes from Joel 1

This chapter is the description of a lamentable devastation made of the country of Judah by locusts and caterpillars. Some think that the prophet speaks of it as a thing to come and gives warning of it beforehand, as usually the prophets did of judgments coming. Others think that it was now present, and that his business was to affect the people with it and awaken them by it to repentance.

I. It is spoken of as a judgment which there was no precedent of in former ages (v. 1-7).
II. All sorts of people sharing in the calamity are called upon to lament it (v. 8-13).
III. They are directed to look up to God in their lamentations, and to humble themselves before him (v. 14-20).

Notes from Hosea 14

The strain of this chapter differs from that of the foregoing chapters. Those were generally made up of reproofs for sin and threatenings of wrath; but this is made up of exhortations to repentance and promises of mercy, and with these the prophet closes; for all the foregoing convictions and terrors he had spoken were designed to prepare and make way for these. He wounds that he may heal. The Spirit convinces that he may comfort. This chapter is a lesson for penitents; and some such there were in Israel at this day, bad as things were. We have here,

I. Directions in repenting, what to do and what to say (v. 1-3).
II. Encouragements to repent taken from God's readiness to receive returning sinners (v. 4, 8) and the comforts he has treasured up for them (v. 5-7).
III. A solemn recommendation of these things to our serious thoughts (v. 9).

Notes from Hosea 13

The same strings, though generally unpleasing ones, are harped upon in this chapter that were in those before. People care not to be told either of their sin or of their danger by sin; and yet it is necessary, and for their good, that they should be told of both, nor can they better hear of either than from the word of God and from their faithful ministers, while the sin may be repented of and the danger prevented. Here,

I. The people of Israel are reproved and threatened for their idolatry (v. 1-4).
II. They are reproved and threatened for their wantonness, pride, and luxury, and other abuses of their wealth and prosperity (v. 5-8).
III. The ruin that is coming upon them for these and all their other sins is foretold as very terrible (v. 12, 13, 15, 16).
IV. Those among them that yet retain a respect for their God are here encouraged to hope that he will yet appear for their relief, though their kings and princes, and all their other supports and succours, fail them (v. 9-11, 14).

Notes from Hosea 12

In this chapter we have,

I. A high charge drawn up against both Israel and Judah for their sins, which were the ground of God's controversy with them (v. 1, 2). Particularly the sin of fraud and injustice, which Ephraim is charged with (v. 7), and justifies himself in (v. 8). And the sin of idolatry (v. 11), by which God is provoked to contend with them (v. 14).
II. The aggravations of the sins they are charged with, taken from the honour God put upon their father Jacob (v. 3-5), the advancement of them into a people from low and mean beginnings (v. 12, 13), and the provision he had made them of helps for their souls by the prophets he sent them (v. 10).
III. A call to the unconverted to turn to God (v. 6).
IV. An intimation of mercy that God had in store for them (v. 9).

Notes from Hosea 11

In this chapter we have,

I. The great goodness of God towards his people Israel, and the great things he had done for them (v. 1, 3, 4).
II. Their ungrateful conduct towards him, notwithstanding his favours towards them (v. 2-4, 7, 12).
III. Threatenings of wrath against them for their ingratitude and treachery (v. 5, 6).
IV. Mercy remembered in the midst of wrath (v. 8, 9).
V. Promises of what God would yet do for them (v. 10, 11).
VI. An honourable character given of Judah (v. 12).

Notes from Hosea 10

In this chapter,

• I. The people of Israel are charged with gross corruptions in the worship of God and are threatened with the destruction of their images and altars (v. 1, 2, 5, 6, 8).
• II. They are charged with corruptions in the administration of the civil government and are threatened with the ruin of that (v. 3, 4, 7).
• III. They are charged with imitating the sins of their fathers, and with security in their own sins, and are threatened with smarting humbling judgments (v. 9-11).
• IV. They are earnestly invited to repent and reform, and are threatened with ruin if they did not (v. 12-15).

Notes from Hosea 9

In this chapter,

I. God threatens to deprive this degenerate seed of Israel of all their worldly enjoyments, because by sin they had forfeited their title to them; so that they should have no comfort either in receiving them themselves or in offering them to God (v. 1-5).

II. He dooms them to utter ruin, for their own sins and the sins of their prophets (v. 6-8).

III. He upbraids them with the wickedness of their fathers before them, whose steps they trod in (v. 9, 10).

IV. He threatens them with the destruction of their children and the rooting out of their posterity (v. 11-17).