Hosea 9:7

The days of visitation. Evidently the false prophets of Hosea’s day, like those of other days, had scoffed at the idea that the days of God’s wrath would come, assuring the people that they need have no fear (see Jer. 14:13-15; Eze. 13:9, 10; Amos 6:3). Unfortunately, many believed and desired this deceptive doctrine (see Isa. 30:8-14). But God’s purpose prevails; the day of divine visitation and recompense is here. Israel cannot avoid knowing it, for what they would not believe, they will now experience. The spiritual man. Literally, “the man of the spirit”; that is, the man who has a spirit. Some understand this reference to mean that the prophet and the man of the spirit are the false prophets (see on v. 8) who claimed divine inspiration and flattered Israel with false hopes and assurances of security and safety (see Jer. 8:11). Bitter experience would teach Israel the folly of those who deluded the people by their false predictions. It seems that whenever God raises up a true prophet, Satan sends forth false prophets. Moses had to contend with the magicians of Egypt and with Balaam (Ex. 7:10, 11; 8:6, 7; Num. 22-24). Elijah at Mt. Carmel had to meet the 450 prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). Micaiah at Samaria had to meet another 400 (1 Kings 22:6-23). Such false prophets would arise even until the closing days of the earth’s history (see Matt. 24:11, 24). Others understand this reference to mean that the prophet and the man of the spirit are the true prophets, whom the people called fools and madmen, and contemptuously treated as such, despising and persecuting them. Worldly-minded men have ever regarded God’s true prophets as mad, as did Festus when dealing with the apostle Paul (Acts 26:24); and Jehu’s captains when Elisha sent the young prophet to anoint Jehu as king (2 Kings 9:1-11); and Shemaiah when he denounced Jeremiah (Jer. 29:24-29). Was not our Lord declared “mad” by the Jews of His day (John 10:19-21)? Great hatred. Evidently the hatred of the apostates, either against their fellows, against their God, or against the Lord’s prophets. In his downward path of sin the transgressor first neglects God, then he willfully disobeys God. Finally, when he falls under God’s chastisement because of his willful course, he hates his Maker.