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"I will be like a lion to Ephraim"

Text: Hosea 5:14

THE IMAGERY OF A LION

The responses of both Israel and Judah were disappointing. They should have turned to the LORD their God for His mercy and to seek His help. Instead, they turned to Assyria for help.

“For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I, even I, will tear them and go away;
I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.
I will return again to My place
Till they acknowledge their offense.
Then they will seek My face;
In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
Hosea 5:14-15

1. “For I will be like a lion to Ephraim”

a) The lion was a predator.

b) The prey was Ephraim.

2. “like a young lion to the house of Judah”

a) There is no essential difference between “a lion” and “a young lion”.

b) Judah will be prey to the lion.

3. “I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.”

a) This is a description of how a lion would attack a prey.

b) No one would be able to stop the lion when it attacks.

c) This was a description of what God would do to both Ephraim and Judah.

4. “I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense”

a) God will withdraw Himself.

b) Until Israel/ Judah acknowledge their wrong and their iniquity which were offensive to God.

5. “Then they will seek My face”

a) God knew that Israel/ Judah would return to Him.

b) There was no one else to turn to.

6. “In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me”

a) This was spoken predictively.

b) We are reminded of a text in Psalm 107.

i) “Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble” Psalm 107:19a

ii) “And He saved them out of their distresses” Psalm 107:19b