Tuesday, February 07 2012
Hosea 4
Verse of the Day: V6 “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.”
1. The People (V1-8)
V6 “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.”
The people of Israel, God’s chosen people, God’s priests to all nations, had forgotten God. After all the miracles that God performed before them, such as the opening of the Red Sea and the River Jordan, the defeat of Jericho and Ai, the people soon forgot God and disobeyed His commandments. They were determined in their hearts to forget God and disobeyed His commandments, than to remember God and obeyed His commandments.
V8 “They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.”
2. The Priests (V9)
V9 “And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.”
When the priests realized that the people had forgotten God and disobeyed His commandments, they went along with them in order to please them. It was a sad day for the nation of Israel, God’s chosen nation, as the priests who were supposedly to warn the people to repent of their sins intentionally forgot God and disobeyed His commandments.
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
3. The Punishment (V10-19)
V10 “For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.”
The people and the priests shall never be satisfied with their lives because they had forgotten God. They might enjoy the fun and pleasures of the lust of their eyes, the lust of their flesh and the pride of life for a season, but soon they shall reap the consequences of their deadly sins. Just a sip will eventually lead you to drunkenness, just a puff will eventually lead you to smoking and just a flirt will eventually lead you to immorality.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to remember You and obey Your commandments.
