Today we would be looking at in Hosea 4
In this study, the tools we would use for this study are
- Who, What, When, Where, and How tool
- What does it mean?
- How does it apply to me today?
So let’s dig in and turn the bible to Hosea 4
Who, What, When, Where, and How tool
God lay charges against Israel. The charges are; no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God, cursing, lying, murder, stealing and adultery;
No one was to point to the other as the reason for Israel’s sin. Noone could pass the blame. The priests could not point to the people and the people could not point to the priests.
The people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
The priest rejected God’s knowledge, God rejected them as His priest
Israel ignored the law of your God, and God I also will ignore Israel’s children.
As the number of priests increased in the land the more the priests sinned against God.
Israel continued idolatry transferred to Israel’s children the next generation they too continued in the sin of idolatry.
The priests were profiting from the sin of the people. God’s judgement was meted against both the priests and the people.
The nation of Judah can see Israel’s state of affairs, but Judah is given a warning not to follow in the footsteps of Israel.
What does it mean?
The blame of who caused or sinned in Israel was not to be passed from one person to the other. The people could not blame the priest nor could the priest blame the people.
God is holding everyone accountable!
profiting from the sin of the people, and keeping quiet on the sin. The profitter will also be held accountable.
The lack of knowledge brings destruction to the people.. The people didn’t make the effort to become conversant with the knowledge that God gives
Yet the negative repercussion for Israel’s continued sin does not birth repentance rather a digging of their heels to continue in their sin and disobedience
A person or people might be given a chance to repent of their sin, this however should not entice others to copy this sin.
How does it apply to me today?
Everyone irrespective of their gender or age have sinned and each person is to stand accountable not shifting the blame of the corruption or decay of their society to anyone or any group of people.
When I first looked at Hosea 4 it seemed familiar and on pondering I see this attitude to blame everyone else except take responsibility. Which reminded me of a poem I learnt in secondary school. Mr. Nobody. The poem goes like this.
Mr. Nobody – BY ANONYMOUS
I know a funny little man,
As quiet as a mouse,
Who does the mischief that is done
In everybody’s house!
There’s no one ever sees his face,
And yet we all agree
That every plate we break was cracked
By Mr. Nobody.
’Tis he who always tears out books,
Who leaves the door ajar,
He pulls the buttons from our shirts,
And scatters pins afar;
That squeaking door will always squeak,
For prithee, don’t you see,
We leave the oiling to be done
By Mr. Nobody.
He puts damp wood upon the fire
That kettles cannot boil;
His are the feet that bring in mud,
And all the carpets soil.
The papers always are mislaid;
Who had them last, but he?
There’s no one tosses them about
But Mr. Nobody.
The finger marks upon the door
By none of us are made;
We never leave the blinds unclosed,
To let the curtains fade.
The ink we never spill; the boots
That lying round you see
Are not our boots,—they all belong
To Mr. Nobody.
Look at the community you are living in? For the wiles and the deplorable state of it, who is to blame? Is it the older or younger generations, is it the leaders or the followers, is it the male or the female?
The act of blaming others and not taking responsibility is yet to resolve any problem. As we see in Hosea 4, Israel did not take responsibility and repent and gain the knowledge she needed from God but rather continued in her sin that passed onto the next generation. How does this impact you and I today?
Our sins, as individuals, families, communities, and as a nation, causes us to be separated from God. Let us submit, repent and humble ourselves before God, that He may not go on to destroy.
Hosea 4 hints the way forward to restoration. – Repentance and knowledge of God.
Repentance.: Individuals and communities need to repent of the wrong doings that they have allowed in their homes, institutions and communities either by their indifference or ignorance. Not to copy others in their sinful way.
A turning aways from those things that are ungodly and against the knowledge of God.
And the next step in restoration is an active intentionality of gaining the knowledge of God and also ensuring that this knowledge is gained by the next generation.
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. – Proverbs 9:10
Thank you.