Daily Devotions
Hosea
"Set the trumpet to your mouth"
Text: Hosea 8:1
THE USE OF TRUMPETS
There were two kinds of trumpets in the ancient days. They were used to signify a number of things:
1. The shofar (made from the horns of rams) Leviticus 23:24-25
a) This was called the Feast of Trumpets. There was to be a special day of rest from normal labour.
b) This signaled the commencement of the seventh month.
c) The celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles of Booths was held in the seventh month.
2. The two silver trumpets Numbers 10:1-10
a) If the first trumpet was sounded, the leaders are being summoned to meet.
b) If both trumpets were sounded, all the congregation must give heed.
c) The trumpets were used as a special means of communication to Israel.
THE SOUNDING OF THE TRUMPET
The trumpet would be used urgently in a prophecy of Hosea. A solemn word was being communicated to Israel.
“Set the trumpet to your mouth!
He shall come like an eagle against the house of the LORD,
Because they have transgressed My covenant
And rebelled against My law.”
Hosea 8:1
1. “Set the trumpet to your mouth”
a) The context would suggest that this was not a call to celebrate the seventh month.
b) The sound of the trumpet in this context:
i) A word of warning.
ii) War was coming to Israel.
2. “He shall come like an eagle against the house of the LORD”
a) The eagle here is seen as a predator.
b) Israel was the prey.
c) The house of the Lord is a reference to Israel.
3. Two sins were highlighted:
a) “They have transgressed My covenant”
i) The Covenant God had established with Israel was described in Exodus 19-20, 24.
ii) Israel had sworn to be the people of the Lord but had violated the covenant repeatedly.
b) “And rebelled against My law”
Israel had no regard for the law that God had given through Moses! His laws were broken wantonly.