Hosea 4:1-19

     God brought legal charges against Israel for violating the Mosaic Covenant, and some of the charges included “no faithfulness or kindness or knowledge of God in the land” (Hos. 4:1). In addition, there was “swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery [and] they employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed” (Hos. 4:2). As a result, there was judgment upon the whole land, such that people and animals suffered (Hos. 4:3). God’s people were not to accuse each other, for the Lord’s main charge was against the priests (Hos. 4:4), who, along with the false prophets, were stumbling into sin (Hos. 4:5). Israel was being destroyed because of a lack of knowledge of God’s Word (Hos. 4:6a), and because the priests had rejected knowledge, God was going to reject them (Hos. 4:6b); and because of multiplied sin, He would turn their glory into shame (Hos. 4:7). The priests should have been teaching Scripture (Deut. 33:8-10; Mal. 2:7), but instead, were capitalizing on Israel’s sins, because it brought them more sacrifices and food to eat (Hos. 4:8). God promised to punish people and priest (Hos. 4:9), and to deprive them of the food they desired, because they had abandoned God (Hos. 4:10). Idolatry and drinking destroyed their understanding of God (Hos. 4:11), as the people consulted their idols rather than God (Hos. 4:12). Idolatry had become a family affair, as men, women and children gathered on mountains and hilltops, and under the trees for pleasant shade to worship idols and engage in sexual fertility practices, assuming it would please their pagan gods who would make the land productive (Hos. 4:13). Wives and daughters, as well as husbands and fathers, were all guilty of idolatry and sexual sins (Hos. 4:14a), demonstrating the point that ignorance of Scripture leads to ruin (Hos. 14b). Ignorance of God’s Word, rather than alleviating their guilt, actually added to it, as God charged Israel with not having knowledge of Him (vs. 1), forgetting His law (vs. 6), not heeding Him (vs. 10), and departing from Him (vs. 12), which ignorance and disobedience eventuated in their ruin (vs. 14). The tragedy is that God’s people had access to His Word, but they willfully rejected His light for darkness. Because people are influenced by the actions of others, Hosea warned Judah not to associate with Israel, who had abandoned God and was committed to idolatry (Hos. 4:15-17). Hosea revealed that the idolatry included everyone in Israel, including their rulers, who are described as those who “dearly love shame” (Hos. 4:18). As a result of their idolatry, Israel would experience the wind of God’s judgment, and “be ashamed because of their sacrifices” (Hos. 4:19).