What is the meaning of Hosea 7:15? Although I trained • Here the Lord reminds Israel that He personally tutored them, just like a loving father teaching a child to walk (see Hosea 11:3–4; Deuteronomy 1:31). • His “training” covered every aspect of life—deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 13:17), instruction through the Law (Psalm 78:5), and guidance by prophets (2 Kings 17:13). • The note of tenderness highlights how far Israel has drifted; divine investment makes their betrayal all the more serious (Isaiah 5:4). and strengthened their arms • “Arms” points to military and national power. God had repeatedly given Israel victories they never could have secured on their own (Joshua 24:12; Psalm 44:3). • Even during Hosea’s era, God had mercifully preserved the northern kingdom when it might have been wiped out (2 Kings 14:26-27). • Every success—harvests, commerce, security—was a gift. Yet the people credited idols like the Baals (Hosea 2:8) or foreign treaties (Hosea 7:11), forgetting the true Source (Isaiah 45:5). they plot evil against Me • In spite of all God’s care, Israel’s leaders formed conspiracies and alliances that defied Him (Hosea 7:3; 2 Kings 15:8-12). • Idolatry was not a passive lapse but an intentional strategy: “They set up kings, but not by Me” (Hosea 8:4). Their worship on high places, reliance on Assyria, and exploitation of the poor were calculated insults to their covenant Lord (Jeremiah 18:12; Amos 5:12-13). • The verse exposes the heart of sin: receiving God’s goodness while scheming against His authority (Romans 1:21). Betrayal, not ignorance, is the charge. summary Hosea 7:15 is a concise indictment. God lovingly trained Israel and endowed them with strength, yet they used those very gifts to undermine Him. The verse warns that privilege does not equal fidelity; blessings can be twisted into weapons of rebellion. It invites us to remember who equips us, to credit Him openly, and to align our plans with His rather than plotting against the One who gave us everything. |