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"Gilead has idols"

Text: Hosea 12:11

THE PROBLEM OF IDOLATRY

The problem of idolatry was deep and menacing. It affected all of Israel and severely.

“Though Gilead has idols-
Surely they are vanity-
Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal,
Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field.”
Hosea 12:11

1. Gilead may be understood in at least two ways:

a) A mountainous region

i) In this region Reuben, Gad and Manasseh would be included.

ii) It also bordered Moab.

b) Gilead may also mean “a heap of stones”

i) An alternative spelling for Gilead was “Galeed” (Genesis 31:48).

ii) A heap of stones bore witness of the covenant that Laban and Jacob made with each other (Genesis 31:52).

2. “Though Gilead has idols”

a) No region was spared.

b) Even mountainous regions were influenced by idolatry.

3. “Surely they are vanity”

a) Israel believed that their idols would help them.

b) They practiced idolatry earnestly.

c) But idols would be worshipped in vain.

4. “Though they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal”

a) Gilgal was a place that was remembered by many.

b) It was here that Joshua made the second generation of Israelites who survived the Wilderness journey to be circumcised (Joshua 5:8).

c) It was here that the Passover was kept after Israel had entered into Canaan (Joshua 5:10).

d) At Gilgal in the days of Hosea, this place was given to the offering of sacrifices to idols.

5. “Indeed their altars shall be heaps in the furrows of the field”

a) The altars dedicated to idols would be broken down.

b) They would become mere heaps of stone.

c) The land would be ploughed and furrowed, and they would bear testimony that idols were a vanity.