How does Hosea 8:11 connect with the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? Text of the Passages “For Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin; they have become his altars for sinning.” “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Historical Setting and Immediate Meaning • Ephraim (representing the northern kingdom of Israel) built many unauthorized altars, a direct violation of God’s command to worship at the one sanctuary He chose (Deuteronomy 12:5–6, 13–14). • The First Commandment called Israel to singular loyalty—one God, one exclusive covenant relationship. • By multiplying altars, Ephraim effectively multiplied “other gods,” even if they claimed to worship Yahweh. Mixed worship is still idolatry. Direct Connections Between Hosea 8:11 and Exodus 20:3 • Single devotion vs. divided devotion – Exodus 20:3 demands undivided allegiance. – Hosea 8:11 exposes how multiple altars divided that allegiance. • One place of worship vs. many man-made options – God prescribed a single sanctuary as the tangible expression of “no other gods.” – Ephraim’s many altars became substitutes, treating God as one option among many. • Fidelity vs. infidelity – The covenant begins with a loyalty clause (First Commandment). – Hosea shows the clause broken: altars “for sin” rather than for covenant faithfulness. Consequences of Violating the First Commandment (Seen in Hosea) • Spiritual blindness: “Israel has forgotten his Maker” (Hosea 8:14). • Political chaos: “They set up kings, but not by Me” (Hosea 8:4). • Harvest of judgment: “They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7). • Exile: “They will return to Egypt” (Hosea 8:13)—a figurative and literal picture of slavery resulting from idolatry. Supporting Scriptures That Echo the Same Warning • Deuteronomy 6:14—“Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.” • Joshua 24:20—“If you abandon the LORD and serve foreign gods, He will turn and bring disaster on you.” • 1 Corinthians 10:14—“Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” • Matthew 6:24—“No one can serve two masters.” Personal Application Today • Modern “altars” can be careers, relationships, or pleasures we elevate above God. • Multiplying altars still leads to multiplied sin; exclusive worship brings freedom. • Examine any area where loyalty is divided and realign under the First Commandment. • Remember: one Savior, one cross, one empty tomb—no substitutes needed. Summary Hosea 8:11 is a lived-out violation of Exodus 20:3. Where God demanded exclusive worship, Ephraim created many altars, turning the very act of worship into sin. The timeless call remains: have no other gods before Him—one heart, one Lord, one altar. |
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