In Lesson 1 of our Hosea study, we observed that the people were perishing because there was no knowledge of God in the land. Today, let's consider the responsibility carried by the priests for that condition. I am not sure if the religious leaders go the way of the people ... or if the people go the way of the religious leaders. In the NIV, verse 9 says, "Like people, like priests" which makes me think that the religious leaders just made themselves say and do whatever the people wanted. In the New Testament, Paul describes that condition like this: "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 4: 3 - 4) Paul then tells Timothy "But you, keep your head in all situations ..." That sounds a lot like our "But As For Me" group!
It is a powerful temptation to say what we know people want to hear ... to make them feel good ... to be politically and culturally 'correct' ... even when it means softening or even mis-representing the Word of God. The religious leaders in the days of Hosea did not speak the truth ... nor practice it. They carried the responsibility for communicating the Word of God, the practices of God, the sacrifices that pointed to Messiah. They were the ones to keep the people aware of their place in God's economy - their place as light for Jehovah to the world. But ... there were so many things that they loved more than they loved God ... there was the ...
idols and the divination (4:12 - 13)
(idolatry - ANYTHING placed over God)
temple prostitutes (4:14)
(sexual sin)
financial benefit from people's sin offerings (4:8)
(the love of money)
love of strong drink to the point of losing understanding (4:11)
(my PLEASURE)
So God builds His case against Israel. He lays out in this message the depth of Israel's depravity, the distance they have place between themselves and God. He is clear in describing the depth to which Israel has fallen ... impossible to come back? It seems that way in much of what Hosea says. But God never leaves His people without hope. NEVER. In Post 3 we will focus on the hope that God offers - the future He promises. But for today ... let's think again about this issue of "first place". We speak of it so often. But we violate it so often! Hear again the words of God ... and go to prayer ...
Exodus 20: 2 - 7 I Am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD you God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.
And from Jesus ... Matthew 22: 37 - 38 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.
It's foundational ... it's the core ... it cannot be disregarded ... it is not conditional ... it is not culturally dependent ... it was core for Israel ... and it is core for you and me.
Lord ... forgive us for the times we have been more interested in the world than in You. Forgive us for the times we have been lulled into thinking that a little church attendance, a little ceremony, a little sacrifice is what You want from us. Today ... we give You ourselves again. Wash us clean ... again. Make us ... again ... a living sacrifice, wholly devoted to You.
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