Hosea 7:8-11, 16 – Going, Going, Gone – Bible study

Hos 7:8-11, 16 Going, Going, Gone Hosea is a very relevant book. It was the last recorded word to the northern nation called Israel, also called Ephraim. Israel is about to be conquered by Assyria for their sins. Judah, the name given to the southern tribes, will not be conquered but they are already on that same road because of their sin. Israel and America, I think, have some things in common. 1. Both of these nations were birthed by the divine hand of God. (Some disagree with that but all one has to do is to read the the history of our country and I believe you will see it.) 2. Both countries were founded on the Bible. Ignorant sheep can deny that truth all they want but God did not magically put His name and His Book into almost 100% of all this nations founding documents, on nearly 100% of our first government buildings and monuments, and throughout the laws of land. a. The founding fathers did. b. And why? Lets let John Adams tell us. Adams served: (1) In the Continental Congress which declared Americas independence, (2) Wrote his own copy of the Declaration of Independence, (3) Served as George Washingtons (the nations first president) vice-president, (4) And was the nations second president. "The general principles, on which the Fathers achieved independence, were the only Principles in which that beautiful Assembly of young Gentlemen could Unite. And what were these general Principles? I answer, the general Principles of Christianity, in which all these Sects were United: And the general Principles of English and American Liberty. "Now I will avow, that I then believe and now believe, that those general Principles of Christianity, are as eternal and immutable, as the Existence and Attributes of God; and that those Principles of Liberty, are as unalterable as human Nature and our terrestrial, mundane System." Adams wrote this on June 28, 1813, excerpt from a letter to Thomas Jefferson. https://www.thoughtco.com/christian-quotes-of-the-founding-fathers- 700789 3. Both have been empowered by God to serve Him. a. Israel was to be a nation of priests. A priests job is to teach the people the truth about God and to intercede on their behalf to God. b. America has been the torch of evangelism, first to its own shores and then throughout the world through missions. 4. And sadly, both nations turned away from God. Israel often turning away from God and given many centuries to repent, America gradually turning away, but I think, will not be allowed nearly as much mercy as Israel had. So, I think, both of these nations are very much alike. So much that I believe the things that God said about Israel in this book, may be true of our nation today. I. What were the sins that brought Israels destruction? A. \#4:6\ They lack knowledge Ho 4:6 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. That is an astonishing statement to me. a. Almost everything in the Jewish culture and Law idea with teaching the Word of God to the people. (1) Priests were called to teach the Bible throughout Israel. (2) Monuments were established to remind the people what God had done. (3) Sacrifices, holy days, even the food they ate, what their clothes were made of, and their methods of sowing and repeating were all given in such a way as to make the people want to know WHY? b. Yet, instead of fostering curiosity, the people responded with rebellion. c. America has gone two steps beyond that. Because of our lack of respect for God at all, we have responded with: (1) Indignation (2) Wrath (3) Example – On June 27, 2017, 32 year old man, yelling "Freedom," drove his car into the newly installed Arkansas monument symbolizing the 10 commandments, less than 24 hours after they were installed. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/watch-man-yells-freedom-as-he- drives-vehicle-into-ten-commandments-statue-at-arkansas-capitol/ article/2627313 (4) I have heard that the man may have some personal issues but even before the monument was installed, the ACLU had threatened a lawsuit even though the Supreme Court had already ruled the same type of monument was legal in Texas. 2. What kind of knowledge can we suppose the people of Israel lacked? a. They lacked a knowledge of truth. b. They lacked an accurate knowledge of God. c. They lacked a knowledge of sin. d. They lacked a knowledge of His salvation. 3. Everyone then as today, think they know things that they just do not know! a. I spoke with a lady last week, rather she spoke with me. Three times during our short conversation, she made the statement, "You know the Bible says." and went on to say something that if it is in the Bible, no verses came to my mind. b. It is interesting to me how many people think they know something about God and they have never even read the Bible through a single time! (1) Most Christians have not. (2) I dare say that many preachers have not. (3) But even reading the Bible through once would not begin to reveal the truths that it contains about God. (a) I have been reading and preaching through this book for over 40 years and I am still discovering truths that if I ever saw them before, I have forgotten them. (b) The Bible is a living Book. It will never give up all the truth that it contains. 4. People today are probably more ignorant of the Bible than any generation since the invention of the printing press. a. Most peoples knowledge comes from what they reasoned while talking to someone else who did not know anything more than them. b. Or they got it from television. Dont get your theology from an electronic device. Get it from the Bible. B. \#8:4\ Ungodly kings or leaders. Ho 8:4 They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. 1. You can read of the kings of Israel in the books of Kings and Chronicles. Israel never had a righteous king. 2. In our nation during the last election cycle, the phrase I heard most often used was "the lesser of two evils." When any democratic nation is reduced to those options, it is not getting the rulers that God would desire. C. \#8:9\ Alliances of wickedness Ho 8:9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers. 1. Assyria was the nation that conquered and destroyed Israel. 2. How did Assyria first get involved with Israel? a. Israel paid them to be their ally. b. Alliances built on greed, graft, and bribes are wicked and flimsy. Am 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? 2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 3. It is better to be alone with God than with others without God. D. Abominable religions Ho 8:11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. 1. There was only supposed to be one altar in all of Israel and it was to be at the temple in Jerusalem. 2. Having many altars meant they were worshipping many false gods. 3. America has become a nation where any and every religion is shown partiality except for Christianity. 4. I know many of you are wanting prayer back into the public schools and some may be backing the Republicans initiative to allow churches to endorse candidates, but consider that we are now living in a country where most people do not know who God is. E. \#4:1-2\ Abounding sins Ho 4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. Ho 4:2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. 1. These were the sins that brought Israel to destruction. 2. America has jumped many steps past these. II. Listen to how God described Israel in this condition. A. \#7:8\ "a cake not turned" – A cake not turned is a cake ruined. B. \#7:9\ "gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not." – They have become weak but do not know it. C. \#7:11\ "a silly dove without heart" – flying every where without purpose D. \#7:16\ "a deceitful bow" – You think you can trust them but you cannot. III. What is God going to do? Many things, but let me show you the worst. A. God will not punish sinners. Hos 4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall. 1. If there are no negative consequences to a wrong action, people will continue in the wrong direction until they destroy themselves. 2. The absolutely worse thing you can do to someone doing something wrong is nothing. It always emboldens them to do more wrong. B. God told the preachers to left Israel alone. Hos 4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. 1. When God tells the preachers to quit preaching, there is little hope left. 2. However, things can get even worse. a. Three times in the book of Jeremiah, God told Jeremiah to not even pray for the people. b. \#Jer 7:16, 11:14, 14:11\ c. Friends, how bad is it when God forbids the righteous to even pray for the wicked?? C. God withdrew from Israel. Hos 5:6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them. 1. Ezekiel recorded this event happening to Judah some years later. \#Eze 10:4, 10:18, 11:23\ 2. Some have asked me do I think this is what is happening to America. a. I do. b. God is not gone, but he seems to be well out of Americas front door. c. And with each passing day it becomes a bit more unlikely that the revival we need to get God back is going to come.