A Broken Relationship

Introduction

Background to Text:

In our study we have seen in the first three chapters an introduction to this book. We’ve been given the illustration of Hosea and Gomer compared to God and Israel.

Israel has cheated on God. They have disregarded His Word. Hosea is given as a real life example to the people of how they are mistreating God, just as Gomer was mistreating him, and warns them of judgment that is to come.

So now the plot of the story is directed to God and His relationship with Israel. And we’ll find the adultery of Israel versus the faithfulness of God in these next several chapters.

So tonight we look at “A Broken Relationship.”

READ HOSEA 4:1-3

PRAY

For a relationship to work, there are components that are necessary for it to work.

Many of us attended a wedding yesterday. And it’s a reminder to all of us who are married of the fact that we made those same vows at point. That we entered into a commitment with one another.

But the sad reality is that sometimes those commitments can be broken. And as a result, a relationship can be damaged.

We find that that is the case in these opening verses. God has a controversy, or in other words, a contention. A dispute against His people.

As shown in chapter 2, God compares His relationship to Israel as a marriage. They have broken the covenant. They have messed up the relationship. God spells this out for them, as He tells them what the relationship lacks.

He says in verse 1: there is no truth (faithfulness), no mercy (stedfast love), or knowledge (personal understanding).

Without these components the relationship was broken. This was evidenced by the people’s actions as described in verse 2.

What happens when we lack these components in our relationship with God? How is this played out in the life of someone who is backslidden from the Lord?

Transition

Tonight we find from this passage Four Truths about Israel and how their sin effected their relationship with God. If these same things are true of our lives, our fellowship with God will be effected as well.

When We Fail to Know Who God Is We Will Follow A Destructive Path (v. 4-6)

In these verses God is pointing out a group of people in the nation with which His wrath is hot against. They would be the last people you would expect for God to have to address. They were the priests.

The very people that were to lead Israel in worship, and teach them about God. They didn’t live any differently than everyone else in the nation.

How in the world did they get to this point? How could they get to a place where they accepted sin and even in some cases, no doubt, indulged themselves in the same?

There was probably a time where they had a love for God. Where they had the Word passed down from their fathers, and grandfathers to them. They knew what it meant to serve God and love Him. How did they find themselves at this point?

And we ask the personal question, how can we get to a place where we live a life that displeases God to this same point?

Verse 6 shows us the answer:

Hosea 4:6 KJV 1900

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

That word knowledge comes from the Hebrew word “yada.” It doesn’t refer to a book knowledge. It refers to a personal knowledge.

-Just like I could say, “I know who Peyton Manning is.” How many of you know who Peyton Manning is? (Solicit response) Now, how many of you have actually met Peyton Manning in person? How many of you have his cell phone number and could call him right now?

-Most of us have a very limited knowledge of Peyton Manning don’t we? Because we don’t know him on a personal level.

That’s what verse 6 is saying. These people would be destroyed because they didn’t know God! They didn’t know God on a personal level.

And this is further explained in that they had forgotten the law of their God. They ignored what God’s Word said. Since they did not heed the Word, their knowledge of God was limited, and the very people that should have been directing the people’s eyes back to God, had already been off of Him altogether!

The illustration is given of falling in verse 5. As if they were walking in the dark. The priests leading the nation of Israel was like the blind leading the blind! They were going down a destructive path.

Matthew 15:14 KJV 1900

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

That’s the direction these people were going!

Let me just say, if you have forgotten the law of God. If you have overlooked His Word. If you don’t heed God’s Word. You’ll not display faith in living out this book.

And if you don’t put feet to your faith, you’ll never know God more than you do right now! You sure won’t know Him more if you walk in darkness down a path of wickedness.

When we don’t know who God is, we’re just like these priests. We’re walking in darkness.

Ephesians 5:8 KJV 1900

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

When We Try to Find Pleasure in Sin, We Will Never Fully Be Satisfied (v. 7-10)

These people had tangible blessings. They had possessions. They lived life the way they wanted to live it. They did whatever they felt like good. You couldn’t even see a distinction between the preachers and the people.

They were enjoying their sin. It’s very interesting in verse 8 as it says that “they eat up the sin of my people.” Then in verse 10 it makes reference to eating once again.

This phrase in verse 8 could mean that the priests were eating up all the wickedness of the people around them, used in a metaphorical sense. It could also be literal though.

They literally ate up the sin of the people. What would the people do after they committed sins? They would sacrifice animals, meat.

Leviticus 6:25–26 KJV 1900

Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the Lord: it is most holy. The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.

How twisted would this be, if the priests encouraged the people to sin, so that they could fill their bellies with a bunch of lamb chops? How messed up is that!

God says, “You’ll eat, but you won’t ever be filled.” “You’ll live your promiscuous life, but you’ll not see more children.” Because you’ve forsaken me.

What a strong warning tonight in this age of materialism and consumerism. Where whatever you want could be at your fingertips in just a matter of moments or on your front porch in a matter of days.

That we can try to fill ourselves with the sin of this world. And try everything out there. For a little while it will be pleasurable. It will be fun. It will satisfy for a while.

But the amusement park of sin is only open for a season, and eventually it’s not going to do for you what it once did. You’ll go back to that thing that made you feel so good, and it won’t make you feel so good. It’ll only leave you wanting more.

You’ll be looking, longing, and craving for satisfaction, but you won’t be able to fill that void. The only way you’ll be able to fill that longing and desire you have is to run to Jesus!

John 4:14 KJV 1900

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again, and I’ll probably say it until I die, the things of this world were never meant to take the place of God, all that’s in this world should be a big finger pointing back to our Creator that stirs within us worship to Him!

They had glory in all the stuff they had and all the stuff they were doing. God was going to strip that away from them, and direct their attention to what truly satisfies.

When We’re Unfaithful to God We Fall into Corruption (v. 11-14)

It is clear that these people had been unfaithful to God. They had forgotten His Word. They were living however they wanted to. Because they were in their sinful state, they turned to other places for direction.

This is what I find interesting. They were seeking wisdom. They were trying to discern what they were supposed to do. Instead of gulping their pride and turning to God, they turn to other gods.

They prayed to a piece of wood, that resembled an idol that could give them wisdom. They threw sticks or staffs in the air and wherever it landed or pointed, that’s the direction they went.

It was like them trying to find wisdom from a fortune cookie and direction from a horoscope. How bizaare, right? Then they went to the mountains to sacrifice to Baal. And took it a step further with crude and ungodly temple worship.

It was believed if they performed those acts in the temple, that their corn would be plentiful.

Instead of seeking God, instead of looking to Him. They were unfaithful. And it corrupted their minds. That’s why I believe verse 11 is there. Promiscuous living and drunkeness led to clouded judgment. Verse 11 says it takes away heart, which means takes away understanding.

That’s what sin does to us. It makes us think things we shouldn’t and do things we shouldn’t.

I’ve counseled people before and I just kept thinking, “What in the world were you thinking?!” How could you come to conclusions like that?!

I mean even something like abortion. How in the world could you come to the conclusion that killing a baby is okay?

The reality is, when we are far from God. When we turn to the world for wisdom. We are going to have clouded judgment. We’re going be talking to pieces of wood and throwing sticks in the air to tell us what to do next. Which in turn often leads to a fall as it would here.

Could I implore you tonight, don’t live like this? Write Proverbs 3:5-6 on your forehead if you have to, but don’t trust in your own understanding. Look to the Lord for your wisdom and to be your guide.

When We Continue in Sin, We Will Not See God’s Blessings (v. 15-19)

God sends out a warning to the southern kingdom of Judah, to stay away from their neighbor Israel.

In fact, the prophet Amos would give the same warning, in a more sarcastic tone:

Amos 4:4 KJV 1900

Come to Beth-el, and transgress; At Gilgal multiply transgression; And bring your sacrifices every morning, And your tithes after three years:

Hosea even makes reference to Bethel here, which means house of God.

But instead of calling it Bethel, He calls it Beth-aven which means house of evil. Ephraim, which is synonymous in this book to Israel, is wrapped up into idolatry. And I want you to notice the warning in verse 16:

Hosea 4:16 KJV 1900

For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: Now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

He’s saying, Israel is stubborn like a heifer, a young cow. Their bull headed. So since they’re in that state, do you think God could feed them like lambs in a big pasture?

Or in other words, do you think God can bless them if they aren’t going to follow Him? God couldn’t lead them to blessing if they wouldn’t follow Him.

We have to remember where these people are as a nation. They are prospering. They are at an all time high in their wealth. They have alliances with top dogs like Assyria and Egypt.

They had it made. They are enjoying their lives. Because of all this stuff they have, it is clouding out their need for God and His blessing. Eventually, the Assyrians, who they made a pact with, would turn on them and destroy them in 722 BC.

Hosea is trying to warn them of that in this whole book. The impending judgment and destruction that would come to Israel by these Assyrians, but they wouldn’t listen because they were stubborn.

Matthew 23:37 KJV 1900

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

God warned them. He was trying to protect them. He wanted to take them to pasture and eat. He wanted to give them His blessings. But they wanted to do their own thing.

May it not be said of us, that we miss out on God’s blessings because of our stubborn hearts. You may be in prosperity right now. You may have it made in the shade right now.

But you could be feeding in the pastures of God, but instead, if you continue in your stubbornness, it will lead to destruction and heartache.

God can’t lead you to blessings if you won’t follow Him.

Conclusion

The broken relationship that God had with Israel was due to three characteristics: No Faithfulness, No Love, and No Personal Understanding.

This whole chapter shows us what happens when those three items are lacking in our relationship with God. So let me ask you, are you faithful? Are you cheating on God?

Do you love Him? Is your love stedfast and not fickle? Do you know God tonight? I’m not just asking, are you saved, I’m asking how well do you know Him? Are you growing in your understanding of Him?

If there are issues in your relationship with the Lord, I would remind you, God is not the one who needs to change, it is us.