What happens when the powerful dig a pit for the vulnerable? It reverses on them, and they get snared in the net they have spread for the less fortunate.
Hear this, O priests!
Give heed, O house of Israel!
Listen, O house of the king!
For the judgment pertains to you,
For you have been a snare at Mizpah
and a net spread upon Tabor
and a pit dug deep in Shittim,
but I will punish all of them. (Hosea 5.1-2)
The three commands – “hear this,” “give heed,” and “listen” – emphasize that this message demands our attention and immediate response.
Israel’s leaders were responsible for ensuring justice and protection for the nation. However, they used their powerful positions to secure favorable outcomes for themselves, often at the expense of the poor and oppressed.
Here is a current example of how deceptive practices harm God’s beloved humans.
The subprime mortgage crisis of 2008 exemplifies how the powerful exploited weaker citizens. I think of it as men in suits convincing those in blue jeans of a good deal, only for those in blue jeans to realize, to their dismay, that they were misled.
I recently discovered that urban churches played a role in the subprime mortgage issue. When these churches referred a lender to their members and helped secure a home loan, the members were assured by both their pastor and the bank that they could own the home.
For each person who used these services, the church received a $500 kickback.
When the housing market collapsed in 2008, the people who had trusted their leaders lost their homes. They now owe significant amounts of money and had to return to the rental market.
Spiritual Malpractice
When individuals who have sworn or committed to care for others abuse that responsibility, they cause tremendous harm.
When those tasked with speaking for God instead defile those they are meant to serve, it is among the most disgusting behaviors we can encounter.
The priests of Hosea’s time not only failed to distinguish between clean and unclean, but their behavior contributed to the problem.
I know Ephraim,
and Israel is not hidden from me,
for now, O Ephraim, you have prostituted yourself;
Israel is defiled. (Hosea 5.3)
The sex scandals involving Protestant and Catholic clergy bring tremendous shame to the name of Christ and cause immense pain to their victims.
When individuals in positions of authority misuse their power and defile those they are supposed to serve, they inflict irreparable damage. This harm affects themselves, the church, and most significantly, the individuals who have been victimized.
Like the sub-prime mortgage issue in 2008, the abuse of church members by clergy is but one of many examples that can tragically be applied to illustrate how modern American Christianity is like 8th-century Israel.
No Return
One of the greatest tragedies I have witnessed is people reaching a point of no return to God. This was the situation for Hosea’s audience.
Their deeds do not permit them
to return to their God.
For the spirit of prostitution is within them,
and they do not know the Lord.
Israel’s pride testifies against him;
Ephraim stumbles in his guilt;
Judah also stumbles with them. (Hosea 5.4-5)
People who can no longer return to God have certain internal characteristics.
First, there is a spirit of prostitution. They have so merged their understanding of God with that of false gods that a spirit keeps them bound away from God.
Another trait is their lack of knowledge of the Lord. When we maintain an intimate relationship with God, He can correct us. However, if we neither know Him nor desire to know Him, He cannot reach our hearts and minds.
Finally, there’s the issue of pride, a major characteristic of Satan. If someone believes they know better than God, they are unteachable. This attitude prevents them from seeking transformation from God.
Our Response
Our response to this passage in Hosea begins with an inside look, where we ask God to correct us as He deems necessary. Let’s seek His guidance to align ourselves with His will.
We also can pray for those in positions of authority in business, government, or the church.
We should ask God to influence the hearts of these individuals so they align with His will and responsibly care for those under their care.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage from Hosea on YouTube. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 
I had not thought about this idea of a spirit of prostitution before. I do think some institutions are so corrupted that the members can’t stay and fix it. It is like Sodom and Gomorrah. There is a point of corruption where even foundational issues are affected. The foundation has to be built again from scratch.
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