Hosea 5:1-5
“Hear this, priests! Pay attention, house, of Israel! Listen, royal house! For the judgment applies to you because you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread out on Tabor. Rebels are deeply involved in slaughter; I will be a punishment for all of them. I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me.
For now, Ephraim, you have acted promiscuously; Israel is defiled. Their actions do not allow them to return to their God, for a spirit of promiscuity is among them,
and they do not know the Lord. Israel’s arrogance testifies against them. Both Israel and Ephraim stumble because of their wickedness; even Judah will stumble with them.”
and they do not know the Lord. Israel’s arrogance testifies against them. Both Israel and Ephraim stumble because of their wickedness; even Judah will stumble with them.”
Who is the Lord addressing is it not the leaders, the priests and when there is a void in Leadership or evil what happens to the people and the nation? The answers are easily found in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge I reject you from being a priest to me.” And in 14b “a people without understanding shall come to ruin.” Israel and Ephraim the North Kingdom and Mizpah and
Tabor seem to be an unauthorized sanctuary where false religion was practiced.
In judgment you need someone to state the charge against the one being charged with the wrongdoing, and this is God’s condemnation of Ephraim and Israel, found in Hosea 4:1-2, “Hear the word of the Lord, people of Israel,
for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land! Cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.” The one who saw us before we were formed in our mother’s womb knows all about us, but often we, like Israel do not know him. You and I would be wise to ponder on what the apostle Paul is telling us in Romans 6:16, “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?”
for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land! Cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.” The one who saw us before we were formed in our mother’s womb knows all about us, but often we, like Israel do not know him. You and I would be wise to ponder on what the apostle Paul is telling us in Romans 6:16, “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?”
Now this was Israel’s problem, sin had become the way of life and it is my opinion that the same thing has happened in the United States of America. Listen to verses 4-5, “Their actions do not allow them to return to their God, for a spirit of promiscuity is among them, and they do not know the LORD. Israel's arrogance testifies against them. Both Israel and Ephraim stumble because of their wickedness; even Judah will stumble with them.”
We have men who go by the name Christian running for the office of President of the United States, and they have brought shame on the one they say they are following. Now I’m not saying their faith is not real, but it is clear they are slaves of the one whom you obey, their flesh has been on display for all to see.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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