Sin Ushers in God's Wrath

Hosea 7:1-16

Hosea 7:1–16 NET

whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is revealed, and the evil deeds of Samaria are exposed. For they do what is wrong; thieves break into houses, and gangs rob people out in the streets. They do not realize that I remember all of their wicked deeds. Their evil deeds have now surrounded them; their sinful deeds are always before me. The royal advisers delight the king with their evil schemes, the princes make him glad with their lies. They are all like bakers, they are like a smoldering oven; they are like a baker who does not stoke the fire until the kneaded dough is ready for baking. At the celebration of their king, his princes become inflamed with wine; they conspire with evildoers. They approach him, all the while plotting against him. Their hearts are like an oven; their anger smolders all night long, but in the morning it bursts into a flaming fire. All of them are blazing like an oven; they devour their rulers. All of their kings fall— and none of them call on me! Ephraim has mixed itself like flour among the nations; Ephraim is like a ruined cake of bread that is scorched on one side. Foreigners are consuming what his strenuous labor produced, but he does not recognize it! His head is filled with gray hair, but he does not realize it! The arrogance of Israel testifies against him, yet they refuse to return to the Lord their God! In spite of all this they refuse to seek him! Ephraim has been like a dove, easily deceived and lacking discernment. They called to Egypt for help; they turned to Assyria for protection. I will throw my bird net over them while they are flying, I will bring them down like birds in the sky; I will discipline them when I hear them flocking together. Woe to them! For they have fled from me! Destruction to them! For they have rebelled against me! I want to deliver them, but they have lied to me. They do not pray to me, but howl in distress on their beds; They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from me. Although I trained and strengthened them, they plot evil against me! They turn to Baal; they are like an unreliable bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because their prayers to Baal have made me angry. So people will disdain them in the land of Egypt.

Context

It seems that Hosea is trying to convince the people of Israel that they are the sinners, which God is about to destroy. The first group of people are those who fill the political positions of their day. They are entertained through drunkenness and sex. They are murderers, plotting to kill those who hold higher positions than they. Second, the leaders of the religion are no longer preaching or proclaiming the wrath of God, but instead are consoling and compromising with the world around them. Even though God called them to be Holy, they do not want to be separate from the other nations. Finally, God’s grace comes to end. Instead of relying on God, the nation of Israel relies on their own powers, defenses, and means by which to overcome their enemies.

Content

The justification for God to destroy this nation is laid bare before the people of Israel. Hosea preaches a sermon that should have drawn the nation of Israel to a repentance, but instead it appears that this sermon emboldens the arrogance of Israel, bringing them to point of destruction. The lists of sins is almost the same list as found in Paul’s letter to the Church in Corinthians: Sexual immorality, Drunkenness, Partying, greed, and false accusations.

Intent

The intention of this sermon, is much like the intention of the entirety of the Bible, a call to repentance. The belief is simply of self. God is watching, waiting, and at the appointed time will return with vengeance.

Circumstance

Everything has become permissible. The end justify the means. Toleration and acceptance are the main goals of Israel. There are no longer moral absolutes, no longer is there any religion, no more boundaries. Self-Reliance, self-centered, self-indulging, and self-serving lead the nation of Israel. This will usher in the wrath of God.

Situation

The situation is bleak. The grace of God is coming to end, and the wrath of God is about to appear. The people are hardening their hearts. Through deceit and manipulation they are attempting to secure their protection. They have become godless.

The Bridge

Not much is different with our nation today, Celebrity Christianity, and changing our belief from a God whose grace is running out, to a God who will overlook the blatant disobedience and lack of fear that mankind has for God. We truly have become like god; a self-serving people who seems to no longer recognize sin, who appears to no longer care that the wrath of God is coming, and who no longer seems afraid of what God is about to do. God has not changed and neither has His word. God still hates sin, and He still is planning to remove the evil from this world. We all will give an account for our deeds, is your account covered by the Blood, or you are relying on your own merits and self?