Being Committed to God's Ways
Being Committed to God’s Ways Hosea 4 EBC Sunday School 9/16/07
All sin is bad for us, spiritually, physically and emotionally. Sin damages relationship, finances and life perspectives. God’s ways are the best ways of handling any project. We would probably agree with this statement. If this is true, why does sin continue.
To put things in order we need to know what the people had done to their religion. In some cases they had rejected God outright, some cases they had merged their religion with the religion of Baal.
Amos prophesied between 760 B.C. and 722 B.C. Many saw this as an age of prosperity but Hosea saw thru all that.
I. Serious Charges (Hosea 4:1-4)
A. Absence of Goodness
Hear the word- this phrase begins the indictment. Hear- to listen with intent to obey, imperative mood- a command (not an option). Controversy- quarrel or dispute. What follows is a bill of particulars against the people.
1. There is no truth- another word for truth is faithfulness or reliability. It is not merely loyalty, although it often includes that, but it is instead the wholesomeness of soul that comes from a life that follows principle rather than expediency
a. Ex. 18:17-21-
b. 1 Cor. 4:2-
1. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL TO?
2. There is no mercy – another word is goodness, kindness, expressions of love.
a. John 13:35-
1. There is a lack of commitment to each other.
b. Phil. 2:4-
c. Rom. 12:15-
d. Rom. 15:1,2-
e. James 2:8-
3. There is no knowledge of God in the land
a. This describes an intimate mindfulness of God.
b. Without these qualities society deteriorates.
1. Knowing God has both objective and subjective poles. Objectively, it is correct doctrine about God—for example, objective knowledge of God includes the fact that God abhors the cult of Baal and the fertility religion that surrounds it. Subjectively, it is the personal relationship one has with God whereby one can honestly say, “You are my God”
2. Hosea 4:6- Hosea mourns the lack of objective knowledge of God among the people; the priests have not taught them, and so they stumble in error. J. Vernon McGee- although there is a church on almost every corner and a Gideon bible in every Motel room we are a nation of ignoramuses.
c. If we know God as he is in himself and as he stands in his relations to us, we shall conform our conduct to his character and our actions to his will. If we know God to be a God of truth, who delighteth in truth in the inward parts, we shall cultivate truth in our hearts, express it with our lips, and practice it in our lives. If we know God as a God of mercy, who has shown such boundless mercy to us in pardoning our multiplied and aggravated offences, we shall imitate that mercy in our relations to our fellow-man.
B. Presence of Wickedness (2)
The absence of good creates a vaccum for bad. We have just seen the things that weren’t there. Now we see the things that were there. We see the decay that takes over when the people ignore morality and decency. #1 problem in Fluvanna County High School in 1968- chewing gum in class.
1. The society can trace its cause of this to one things – the rejection of God and His standards. These sins are those that weaken society.
2. The New American Commentary- Hosea is pointing out basically that the people have abandoned God and these things are the off-springs. Hosea is here describing the social manifestations of their apostasy, and these manifestations then serve as proof of their apostasy. They have no knowledge of God and thus civil life is in disintegration.
3. Blood toucheth blood- violence dominates society
C. Presence of mourning (3)
1. Moral evil translates into physical evil.
2. Sin effects all of God’s creation down to the fishes.
a. Rom. 14:7-
3. Keil & Delitzsch- These words affirm not only that the inanimate creation suffers in consequence of the sins and crimes of men, but that the moral depravity of men causes the physical destruction of all other creatures. As God has given to man the dominion over all beasts, and over all the earth, that he may use it for the glory of God; so does He punish the wickedness of men by pestilences, or by the devastation of the earth.
4. Matthew Henry- The whole land is infected with sin, and therefore the whole land shall mourn under God’s sore judgments. They had broken all God’s commandments, and now God threatens to take away all their comforts.
5. D.A. Garrett – The New American Commentary - This text implies that the land is suffering drought. Hosea sees the entire population, including wildlife, withering away. In declaring that land animals, birds, and fish are disappearing, Hosea has presented all of creation (earth, sky, and sea) as suffering the wrath of Yahweh.
D. Absence of Integrity (4)
1. We can’t be pointing fingers at one another the problem is probably as much my fault as any one else. Everyone should look to their own lives. Israel was striving to rationalize their sin. Today, our society wants to rationalize our sin by saying the times have changed since the Bible was written so the Bible is no more accurate.
a. 2 Chron. 7:14-
2. God sent the nation Priests and they argued with them.
a. Deut 17:12- the people were guilty of rebellion. Tom Constable- Israel’s guilt was so clear that the Lord forbade the people from denying His charge against them.
b. Matt. 7:3-6-
c. Rom. 10:21-