Hosea 12:7-10

Paying for dishonesty in business -- Hosea 12:7-10: Israel had become deceitful. They enjoyed cheating and taking advantage of other people. These dishonest people would use a heavy weight to buy with and a light weight to sell by. The people of the land had become deceitful, and it was especially sad that their leaders were deceitful also. Their gain caused them to say to themselves, "I'm rich! I earned it all on my own, without committing a sin." Israel was prosperous and as a result had been very vain and rebellious. The situation described in Deuteronomy 32:15 is very parallel to Israel's situation. "But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation."

Even though Israel had rebelled and refused God He said, "I, the LORD, am still your God, just as I have been since the time you were in Egypt." God promised to reduce Israel to a miserable state in Assyrian captivity. He promised, "Now I will force you to live in tents once again, as you did in the desert." When some returned from captivity they also found themselves living in tents. Israel was without excuse for their sinful conduct. God had communicated His message to them in many ways and yet they still rebelled. God said, "I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets." (Hosea 12:10) They would have no grounds for complaint when the captivity came.