A Divine Indictment

Introduction

In a court trial, there are three main parties: the prosecution, the defense, and the judge. The prosecution is the party who accuses an individual of a crime, and thus presents their case against them. The defense is the party in accusation. The judge weighs the cases brought by both the prosecution and defense and ultimately issues a verdict.

What ushers in a case initially is an indictment, a formal accusation that a particular party has committed a crime. In the U.S., an indictment must contain:

A plain, concise, and definitive written statement of the essential facts of the offense charged

The suspect’s identity

The regulation that was violated

A signature from a government attorney

While this is what an indictment looks like in our American context, what happens when an indictment is divine? When God accuses a people of crimes against Him, what does the case look like? What are the results and consequences of our crimes? And when we as a people are accused, how are we to respond?

This morning I invite you to turn with me to Hosea chapter 4 where we will examine a divine indictment against the people of Israel, and unpack how this indictment still stands before all people today.

I. From Authority

A. Listen to the word of the Lord

An indictment is essentially a long paper which outlines the specific charges which have been levied against an individual. A government attorney will sign the paper to signify the charges have been issued by authority.

God wastes no time in saying on whose authority this accusation is given by. Right at the beginning of Hosea chapter 4, He definitely states it is on His authority. It is His word.

B. God is our Prosecutor, our Defense, and our Judge

There is not three parties in this indictment and trial. God brings the case against His people. God is the only one who can act as His people’s defense. And ultimately God will judge the people for their actions and response.

Note about satan

The Hebrew word for satan literally means ‘accuser.’ The Greek word literally means ‘adversary.’

Revelation 12:10 NASB95

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.

While it is certainly possible that satan is accusing Israel before the throne as well, this accusation comes straight from the throne.

II. The Defendants

A. Who is the case against? The sons of Israel, the inhabitants of the land.

God specifically declares His problem is with Israel, His people. It is the case of God v. Israel.

1 Peter 2:9–10 NASB95

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

While this divine indictment is specifically issued to Israel, the indictment stands for us as Christians, God’s people, as well, lest we fall into the same path. And right now, in America, this divine indictment stands before American Christians.

III. The Offense

A. There is no truth, or mercy, or knowledge of God in the land

In the case evidence we will soon discuss, you will see that all of Israel’s sins lead back to these three themes. Ultimately though, each stems from failure to know God.

Why? Because if I am in made of the image of God, would not knowing God be essential to knowing myself?

When people forsake God, truth is discarded and mercy disappears.

Proverbs 9:10 NASB95

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

B. Truth is not just under attack, it is on life support

2 Thessalonians 2:10–12 NASB95

10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

3 in 5 Americans believe there is no absolute moral truth

4 in 5 millennials believe there is no absolute moral truth

1 in 2 CHRISTIANS believe there is no absolute moral truth (best statistic a 50%)

Gender:

Genesis 1:27 NASB95

27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

“[G]ender isn’t about someone’s anatomy, it is about who they know them self to be. There are many different gender identities, including male, female, transgender, gender neutral, non-binary, agender, pangender, genderqueer, two-spirit, third gender, and all, none or a combination of these.

There are many more gender identities then we’ve listed. Gender can be complex and people are defining themselves in new and different ways as we gain a deeper understanding of identities.” (TeenTalk)

Not only does society tell us there are many genders (90+), but they even say you can ‘transition’ from one to the other. A multi-billion dollar industry has emerged under the lie of ‘gender-affirming care.’ True gender affirming care would be treating a boy as a boy, and a girl as a girl. Instead, doctors are surgically castrating young children for a major profit.

Education:

One of the primary ideas taught in schools today is that of ‘systematic racism.’ America, despite her faults, is the least racist country in the world. We fought a bloody civil war to abolish slavery.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” (Declaration of Independence)

Yet, many American students are being taught Critical Race Theory, or CRT. Essentially, CRT is an outgrowth of the institutional racism argument of the 1960s. For about 100 years after the end of the American Civil War, laws were put in place to deny African Americans the right to vote, hold jobs, marry interracially, use the same public facilities, or receive an education. The understandable belief of many African Americans, though wrong, was that America itself was rooted in racism. The Declaration of Independence however is a ringing rejection of this idea. Certainly change was needed.

However, the argument against American institutions quickly morphed into what is known today as CRT: that any disparate outcome is the true measure of racism.

“You don’t have to have racial language in an idea, or even in a policy, for it to be racist. Is it creating inequity? That is the true measure of whether something is racist.” (Ibram X Kendi)

In America, we are promised ‘equality of rights’ not ‘equality of outcome.’

Why is this important to address? Because CRT is one of the most damaging ideas being taught to the next generation, and it is rooted in a lie. And we have already begun to see its effects: a generation who desires to tear down the greatest nation in the history of the world, but more importantly a generation who abhors the biblical values that nation was founded upon.

Economics:

Never, in the history of the world, has there been a socialist state that has survived, flourished, and maintained individual freedom, yet 3 in 4 college students believe we should transfer to socialist governance.

Media:

Do you trust anything the ‘experts’ say on television anymore? Every few months a new ‘conspiracy theory’ is attacked and then a few years later, when everyone has forgotten about it, we find out it was true.

C. Mercy has disappeared

There is no mercy or kindness to fellow man

D. No one knows God

God’s people have ceased caring to know about God or His truth

This does not mean that every person has forsaken God and His truth. Remember the story of Elijah after his showdown with the 850 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel? He flees from Jezebel and tells the Lord, ‘I am going to die because I am the only one left.’ And what does God say to Elijah? He tells him to get up because there are 7,000 others who have not bowed their knees to Baal. Even in the most perilous of times, even in the midst of apostasy, there will always be a remnant who faithfully serve the Lord.

Ultimately, this disinterest in God leads to moral depravity and lawlessness

IV. The Evidence

A. There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery, violence, and bloodshed upon bloodshed.

They break all restraint

No knowledge of God leads to no restraint. With the most godless American generation ever, we see this become more and more true every day.

Deception: Lies are told throughout our government and media in order to evoke strong emotions and reactions.

Murder: Ever since the BLM riots in 2020, murder rates have skyrocketed due to defunding police.

Stealing: In San Fransisco, Portland, Chicago, and other major cities, large corporations such as Walmart and Starbucks are pulling out of the cities because of the tremendous theft that is taking place. Under California law, those who are caught can’t even be prosecuted if the total amount stolen is less than $950. Those that have stayed, such as Target in San Fransisco, have resorted to placing everything in the store under lock and key.

Adultery: OnlyFans creators in 2021 earned $3.86 billion.

Bloodshed upon bloodshed: This means that all of these, specifically violence and murder, have become so common place that they seem to happen one right after the other. Every single day you turn on the news or scroll through social media, you will be hard pressed to not see a story about some sort of violent crime or murder.

B. The land mourns

We have to remember that this indictment was first given to Israel. After the Israelites were scattered around the world, Israel remained a barren wasteland until the eventual return of the Jews in 1948. However, ever since the sin entered the world, the all of creation groans.

Romans 8:22 NASB95

22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.

Reversal of Roe v. Wade June 24, 2022 - Value Them Both Amendment (59% voted ‘no’) - Current agricultural struggles in Kansas - Does God still judge this way today? While unknown specifically, it is certainly biblical.

Leviticus 26:14–20 NASB95

14 ‘But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, 15 if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, 16 I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that will waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up. 17 ‘I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you. 18 ‘If also after these things you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. 19 ‘I will also break down your pride of power; I will also make your sky like iron and your earth like bronze. 20 ‘Your strength will be spent uselessly, for your land will not yield its produce and the trees of the land will not yield their fruit.

C. Weak, cowardly, and false priests

God had chosen the priests to serve Him directly and to teach the people (Deut. 17:11-12)

For your people are like those who contend with the priest

The priest mentioned here is the true God-fearing priest. The people were commanded to listen to the teachings of the priest, but instead they argued against them.

I will destroy your mother

In other words, because the people continue to disobey God, God will destroy their nation, Israel.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge

Only 9% of Christians today read their Bible daily. This means there is a deficiency in consumption of truth.

John 17:17 NASB95

17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

The people are destroying themselves by neglecting their spiritual nourishment, but even more than that, the priests have neglected their God-given duties, and are leading the people astray.

I also will reject you from being My priest

God rejects the priests because they have abandoned knowledge, they have abandoned God. In other words, the priests are deciding for themselves what is right based on what the people desire to hear.

2 Timothy 4:3 NASB95

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,

In America, we are witnessing many pastors who claim to serve on behalf of God, yet teach a message contrary to Scripture.

Andy Stanley, pastor of one of the largest churches in America, recently affirmed homosexuality

Nadia-Bolz Weber, a progressive, Lutheran ‘pastor,’ says Christians should feel comfortable consuming pornography and having sex outside of marriage.

Many churches have held drag shows in church

How do you know if your pastor is weak, cowardly, and false?

Did your pastor celebrate the reversal of Roe v. Wade?

Does your pastor say, ‘I only preach the Gospel.’

Does your pastor neglect to teach and instruct on cultural issues for fear of offending people?

Pastors are held to a high standard because they are called to be shepherds for the Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 5:2 NASB95

2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;

Many pastors in America are not just failing in their duties, they are active opposing the will of God in order to please men.

The more they multiplied … the more they have sinned

As the priests gained wealth and status, they stopped depending on God and seeking His will.

We see the same effects in the church in America. The more a church prospers, the easier it is for the leaders of that church to abolish their biblical positions.

While this passage specifically pertains to the prospering of the priests, we can see it in our culture as well. The more America has prospered, the greater she has flourished, the quicker the people have forgotten and neglected God.

They feed on the sin of my people

According to the Law, the priests were to receive a portion of the offerings brought to the temple. In this way, God provided for those whose lives were set apart to serve Him. However, the priests were abusing this. Because they received portions of the offerings, they relished the wickedness of the people.

Today, too many pastors in America relish the sins of the people. They either don’t speak out or encourage people to continue living sinful lives in order to grow their congregations and ensure their growing wealth and power.

. Like people, like priest

In other words, as the people go, so go the priests. This has a double meaning:

It means rather than teaching according to God’s standards, the priests changed their teaching according to the standards set by the people.

The priests thought they were immune to God’s judgment, but all, people and priest, will ultimately be judged by God.

V. Conclusion

Isaiah 59:1–2 NASB95

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

A. How are we to respond?

In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan rebukes David for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, her husband. When confronted, David’s immediate response is to cry out to God in repentance. When confronted with the sins of our nation, it is our duty to immediately cry out in repentance. It is our duty as Christians to seek God’s grace, mercy, and justice. Why? Because under the blood of Jesus Christ, through our repentance we are brought into right relationship with God. He hears us. The world stumbles in darkness. They cannot see the way and chaos abounds.

But we walk in the Light, the path before us is clear, and God’s will has been firmly planted at our feet. Therefore, we are to cry out to God on behalf of those for whom there is no truth, mercy, or knowledge of God.