Sermon Tone Analysis

Hosea 10

July 27, 2006

 

*Intro:* (A man once wrote)  "A Democracy can not exist as a permanent form of government if the majority always votes for the candidate who promises the most benefits.

Then democracy collapses over a loose fiscal policy.

This is usually followed by a dictatorship.

The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been about 200 years.,

(we are now in 230).

The progress of nations is usually been something like this: from bondage to spiritual faith.

From spiritual faith to great courage.

From courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance.

From abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, and from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependence, and from dependency to bondage".

*A- This analysis was done by  historian Alexander Fraser*

*              Tytler , who was born in **Scotland** in 1747.*

*                   *1- *With **Israel* it’s NOT a Democracy BUT a Theocracy

                       even though the process is the same.

*                             a- They’ve gone from:*

*> The bondage of Exodus, to the Spiritual faith of Deuteronomy, to the courage of Joshua, to the liberty of Judges, to the abundance of 1 Kings (Solomon), to the selfishness of Chronicles, to the complacency and apathy of Hosea, to the dependence on idols during the times of the Prophets, to the bondage of Assyria and Babylon and on.*

*                                      *- So that which Alexander Tytler theorized in

                                        the 1700’s Israel exemplified in 700BC.

*B- What **Israel** has found is SUFFERING through *

*              **selfishness.*

*                   *

*                    *1- *This is a people who,* when things are going so well,

                       they haven’t really needed to seek God, have now

                       forgotten to glorify God, and now instead of living *in*

                       the Spirit have gone to living *for* the flesh.

*Romans 8:13, *For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

a- Living for the flesh is the ultimate in selfishness.

- To live in the Spirit is to be others orientated.

*> So Hosea searches society in his time, just as we need to do in ours, and sees the writing on the wall.*

*Read Daniel 5:23-31*

*                    *1- The writing on the wall today?

a- Earthquakes, Tsunami (2), Hurricanes,

                                Pestilences (AIDS), Wars and rumors of wars.

*Matthew 24:8, *All these /are/ the beginning of sorrows.

*#1- So the 1st statement Hosea sees plainly written on the wall: *

*      SELFISHNESS IS NOT THE WAY TO **prosperity.*

*Read Verse 1-2*

*          A- That which should have been offered to God is being*

*               kept for self.*

*                   *1- And even the overtones of idolatry here speak of

                      self.

a- See Israel has increased alters; *The idea of an*

*                                offering place to God.*

                             b- They have also “embellished their sacred pillars”

 

                                      - The idea is that of a society that has more

                                       alters (places of worship) that ever before.

Even it’s become popular to have mega-

                                       alters.

*                                                ~* See how godly we are.*

                                      - They also have their sacred pillars and are

                                        even embellishing them (or made them

                                         titillating).

~* “Sacred pillars” = asherah poles = sex

                                                  symbols fashioned from stumps or

                                                  trees.

                                                          - Pornography

                                                ~* Embellished = Casino Marengo.

*B- Instead of offering to God, instead of worshipping God,*

*              man worships that which is of himself.*

*1 Corinthians 4:1-2, *Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.*, *Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

1- A true servant of Jesus Christ seeks to be faithful and

                       not famous.

a- *Most popular TV show* = American Idol.

b- Who want to be a million heir.

*1 Corinthians 4:7, *For who makes you differ /from another?/

And what do you have that you did not receive?

Now if you did indeed receive /it,/ why do you boast as if you had not received /it?/

/ /

* *

*                   2- It’s not about how high I can jump with what I got *

*                      *BUT* how straight I will walk with what’s been given *

*                      to me.*

*Read Verse 2*

*                             *a- *When all burns here on the earth: *the churches

                                are going to go with the strip joints.

*#2- So the 2nd statement Hosea sees plainly written on the wall: *

*      BE CAREFULE WHAT YOU ASK FOR YOU MIGHT GET IT.*

*Read Verses 3-4*

*          A- **Israel** says they have no king because the kings of the*

*               time were inept and assonated before they could do *

*               anything of notoriety.*

*                   *1- And really impure representation comes from impure

                       people.

BUT in reality the 2 go hand in hand.

a- The Bush elections a reaction to the Clinton

                                 years.

*Matthew 15:14, *...

And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

*Read Verse 4*

*          B- Who are these false leaders of today THOSE WHO ARE*

*               REALLY OUR LEADERS (most influence upon our lives)*

*                   *1- The alphabet kings (CBS, ABC, NBC)

                             a- They tell us what to buy, what to think, and how

                                 to react (laugh tracks).

2- There are the arts kings.

b- Actors, Musicians.

3- The net kings, video kings, ...

                             c- Al that rules our lives with no accountability, no

                                supervision, no responsibility.

*Read Verse 4*

*Hosea 8:7, *“They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind.

* *

*#3- So the 3rd statement Hosea sees plainly written on the wall: *