The Bible

 

Hosea 8

Study

   

1 Let there be a trumpet in thy throat like an eagle upon the house of the Lord: because they have transgressed my covenant, and have violated my law.

2 They shall call upon me: O my God, we, Israel, know thee.

3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good, the enemy shall pursue him.

4 They have reigned, but not by me: they have been princes, and I knew not: of their silver, and their gold they have made idols to themselves, that they might perish.

5 Thy calf, O Samaria, is cast off, my wrath is kindled against them. How long will they be incapable of being cleansed ?

6 For itself also is the invention of Israel: a workman made it, and it is no god: for the calf of Samaria shall be turned to spiders' webs.

7 For they shall sow wind, and reap a whirlwind, there is no standing stalk in it, the bud shall yield no meal; end if it should yield, strangers shall eat it.

8 Israel is swallowed up: now is he become among the nations like an unclean vessel.

9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath given gifts to his lovers.

10 But even though they shall have hired the nations, now will I gather them together: and they shall rest a while from the burden of the king, and the princes.

11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin: altars are become to him unto sin.

12 I shall write to him my manifold laws, which have been accounted as foreign.

13 They shall offer victims, they shall sacrifice flesh, and shall eat it, and the Lord will not receive them: now will he remember their iniquity, and will visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.

14 And Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and hath built temples: and Juda hath built many fenced cities: and I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the houses thereof.

   

Commentary

 

Visitation

  

The final period of the Church in general and of the individual in particular is called visitation in the Word. It occurs prior to judgement, so that visitation is nothing else than an investigation into what such are like, that is, into the nature of the Church in general or of the individual in particular." (Arcana Coelestia 2242)

"The words in particular and in general are used because there is 'a day of visitation' for each person in particular when he enters the next life, as happens when he dies. There is also such a day for the Church in general when it comes to an end. At that time people undergo examination of their characters and separation from one another. Those ruled by evils are cast down to hell and those governed by forms of good are raised to heaven. This does not take place on earth however, but in the next life." (Arcana Coelestia 10509)

'Visitation' is mentioned throughout in the Word and signifies either vastation in reference to the church and to individuals, or deliverance, so exploration of quality. (See Arcana Coelestia 6588).