Thursday
Evening Bible Study
February 23, 2006
Introduction
The prophet Hosea lived during the time of the divided kingdom. The
southern kingdom was made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and it was
usually called by the name of “Judah”.
The northern kingdom was made up of the remaining ten tribes and was known
either as “Israel”
or “Ephraim”. Hosea’s job was to speak for God to the people of the northern
kingdom.
Hosea had an unusual home life. God has asked him to marry a prostitute
named Gomer. He had children with Gomer. Gomer went back to work. And God asked
Hosea to get his wife back. Hosea’s life was to be a picture of God’s
relationship with His people. They were like a prostitute because they always
fell away from God and worshipped idols. When we fall away from the Lord, it’s
the same kind of pain to God that we would experience if our spouse was
unfaithful to us.
Hosea’s main ministry was to get the people ready for the coming judgment
on the northern kingdom. God was warning the people to turn back to Him or they
would eventually face the collapse of their nation followed by being taken
captive by the terribly cruel Assyrian empire.
Hosea 4
:1-10 God’s Charge against Israel
:1 Hear the word of the LORD, You children of Israel,
For the LORD brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: "There
is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land.
truth – ‘emeth – firmness,
faithfulness, truth
Not just the idea of “telling the truth”, but also the idea of being
“faithful”, being counted on by God, following through.
mercy – checed – goodness,
kindness, faithfulness
This is one of the Hebrew words used to describe God’s love towards us.
But God wants us to take His love and turn it around and love others.
knowledge of God – they did not tell people about God. They did not
raise their families to know God.
:2 By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery,
They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed.
bloodshed upon bloodshed – one murder after another
Look at all the commandments that were broken.
:3 Therefore the land will mourn; And everyone who dwells there will waste
away With the beasts of the field And the birds of the air; Even the fish of
the sea will be taken away.
Perhaps talking about a drought coming on the land.
:4 "Now let no man contend, or rebuke another; For your people are
like those who contend with the priest.
like those who contend with the priest – the priests acted as judges
in the land. When a person had a problem with someone else, the court they went
to was the priest. But these people didn’t want to accept the decisions of the
judges.
People who resist authority in their lives and will only do what they want
to do.
:5 Therefore you shall stumble in the day; The prophet also shall stumble
with you in the night; And I will destroy your mother.
stumble – sin
destroy your mother – the nation itself will be destroyed
The sin comes because they don’t want to recognize the authorities in their
life (“like those that contend with a
priest”)
Lesson
Authorities
Who are the authorities in your life?
Parents
(Eph 6:1-3 NKJV) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this
is right. {2} "Honor your father and mother," which is the first
commandment with promise: {3} "that it may be well with you and you may
live long on the earth."
You ought to honor your parents.
Illustration
John invited his mother over for dinner. During the meal,
his mother couldn’t help noticing how beautiful John’s roommate was. She had
long been suspicious of a relationship between John and his roommate and this
only made her more curious. Over the course of the evening, while watching the
two interact, she started to wonder if there was more between John and the
roommate than met the eye. Reading his mom’s thoughts, John volunteered, “I
know what you must be thinking, but I assure you, Julie and I are just
roommates.” About a week later, Julie came to John and said, “Ever since your
mother came to dinner, I’ve been unable to find the beautiful silver gravy
ladle. You don’t suppose she took it, do you?” John said, “Well, I doubt it,
but I’ll write her a letter just to be sure.” So he sat down and wrote: Dear
Mother, I’m not saying you did take a gravy ladle from my house, and I’m not saying
you didn’t take a gravy ladle. But the fact remains that one has been missing
ever since you were here for dinner. Several days later, John received a letter
from his mother which read: “Dear Son, I’m not saying that you do sleep with
Julie, and I’m not saying that you do not sleep with Julie. But the fact
remains that if she was sleeping in her own bed, she would have found the gravy
ladle by now. Love, Mom
The government
(Rom 13:1-5 NKJV) Let every soul be subject to the governing
authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities
that exist are appointed by God. {2} Therefore whoever resists the authority
resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on
themselves. {3} For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you
want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise
from the same. {4} For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do
evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's
minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. {5} Therefore
you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.
Illustration
The Speeder
A pastor was forced to stop by a traffic cop to pull over
for speeding. As the cop was about to write the ticket, the pastor said to him,
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” The cop handed the
pastor the ticket and said, “Go thou and sin no more.”
God’s Word
(2 Tim 3:16-17 NKJV) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, {17} that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped
for every good work.
This ought to be the most important authority in your life.
1Ki. 13 – a
young prophet received a message from God to go to the northern kingdom and
rebuke King Jeroboam and the new altar he had set up in Bethel. He was also
told by God to not stop and eat, but to go directly home. He delivered the
message and when the king asked him to stay, he said he couldn’t because God
told him not to stick around. When an older, false prophet heard about this, he
went to meet the young man and asked him to come home with him.
(1 Ki 13:16-22 NKJV) And he said, "I cannot
return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water
with you in this place. {17} "For I have been told by the word of the
LORD, 'You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the
way you came.'" {18} He said to him, "I too am a prophet as you are,
and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with
you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.' " (He was lying
to him.) {19} So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank
water. {20} Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the
LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back; {21} and he cried out to the
man of God who came from Judah, saying, "Thus says the LORD: 'Because you
have disobeyed the word of the LORD, and have not kept the commandment which
the LORD your God commanded you, {22} 'but you came back, ate bread, and drank
water in the place of which the Lord said to you, "Eat no bread and drink
no water," your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.'"
And when the man left, he was killed by a lion. The point?
Pay attention to God’s Word. Do what it says.
Be careful about rebelling against the authorities in your life.
:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
It is through the study of the Scriptures that we gain the right kind of
knowledge, the knowledge of God.
It’s important that this is what the church is all about. The true strength of a church can be measured
by the emphasis it places on teaching the Bible.
:6 Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being
priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will
forget your children.
In a sense, the entire nation of Israel
was to be a nation of priests.
(Exo 19:6 NKJV) 'And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a
holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
What is a priest? A bridge between God and man.
Because they rejected God’s authority in their lives, He would pull the plug
on their being a priest, on representing Him.
:7 "The more they increased, The more they sinned against Me; I will
change their glory into shame.
:8 They eat up the sin of My people; They set their heart on their
iniquity.
eat up the sin of My people – perhaps referring to the “sin
offering”. When a priest helps a person give a sin offering to atone for a
particular sin, the priest was given a portion of the offering as a sort of
payment. The priests were getting rich on the people’s sin.
(1 Cor 13:6 NKJV) (love) does not rejoice in iniquity…
We ought to be loving people, not profiting from their fall.
:9 And it shall be: like people, like priest. So I will punish them for
their ways, And reward them for their deeds.
The priests would be punished as well as the people.
:10 For they shall eat, but not have enough; They shall commit harlotry,
but not increase; Because they have ceased obeying the LORD.
:11-19 Israel’s
Idolatry
:11 "Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.
:12 My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, And their staff informs
them. For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray, And they have played
the harlot against their God.
their staff informs them – they claim to get an answer from a piece
of wood.
Hosea and Gomer were a picture of how the people had played the harlot
against God.
:13 They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops, And burn incense on the
hills, Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, Because their shade is good.
Therefore your daughters commit harlotry, And your brides commit adultery.
The places of sacrifices to the various idols were often on the top of
hills or mountains, perhaps to be “closer” to their gods. Often the worship of
other gods involved immoral practices (harlotry).
:14 "I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, Nor
your brides when they commit adultery; For the men themselves go apart with
harlots, And offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot. Therefore people who do not
understand will be trampled.
The women aren’t the only ones to blame. It takes a man to make a woman a
harlot.
:15 "Though you, Israel,
play the harlot, Let not Judah
offend. Do not come up to Gilgal, Nor go up to Beth Aven, Nor swear an oath,
saying, 'As the LORD lives';
Gilgal – formerly known as a “holy city”, a place where the people
in the northern kingdom worshipped.
Beth Aven – Beyth ‘Aven =
“house of vanity” or “house of wickedness”. This is Hosea’s name for “Beth-el”,
which meant “house of God”. Bethel
was one of the two main worship places in the northern kingdom where Jeroboam
had set up his golden calves to be worshipped. The other main place was in the
tribe of Dan.
:16 "For Israel
is stubborn Like a stubborn calf; Now the LORD will let them forage Like a lamb
in open country.
Like a stubborn calf – doesn’t want to go where it should. Digs in
it’s heals.
Like a lamb in open country – usually a shepherd checks out the
pasture before letting the sheep graze. He will remove the dangerous plants
that the sheep might eat and get poisoned by. A lamb will just wander off.
:17 "Ephraim is joined to idols, Let him alone.
Ephraim – another name for the northern kingdom, Israel.
Judah is
warned to leave the northern kingdom alone.
There is a time to reach out and rescue those who are caught in sin.
(James 5:19-20 NKJV) Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the
truth, and someone turns him back, {20} let him know that he who turns a sinner
from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of
sins.
(Gal 6:1 NKJV) Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you
who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering
yourself lest you also be tempted.
But there is also a time to leave them alone.
(Mat 15:12-14 NKJV) Then His disciples came and said to Him,
"Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this
saying?" {13} But He answered and said, "Every plant which My
heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. {14} "Let them alone. They are blind leaders
of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a
ditch."
:18 Their drink is rebellion, They commit harlotry continually. Her rulers
dearly love dishonor.
Is “drink” the thing that leads to harlotry? Their “rebellion” led to
spiritual harlotry.
:19 The wind has wrapped her up in its wings, And they shall be ashamed
because of their sacrifices.
Hosea 5
:1-15 Judgment for Israel
and Judah
:1 "Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel!
Give ear, O house of the king! For yours is the judgment, Because you have been
a snare to Mizpah And a net spread on Tabor.
Mizpah, Tabor – two sites of idol worship in Israel.
:2 The revolters are deeply involved in slaughter, Though I rebuke them
all.
:3 I know Ephraim, And Israel
is not hidden from Me; For now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry; Israel
is defiled.
:4 "They do not direct their deeds Toward turning to their God, For
the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, And they do not know the LORD.
:5 The pride of Israel
testifies to his face; Therefore Israel
and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah
also stumbles with them.
Judah joins
in the sin.
:6 "With their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the LORD, But
they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them.
Actions without the heart behind it. They brought their flocks to sacrifice
to the Lord, but they weren’t doing it because they were sorry for their sin,
they were just doing it.
Sacrifice without a change of heart was a waste of time.
:7 They have dealt treacherously with the LORD, For they have begotten
pagan children. Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.
:8 "Blow the ram's horn in Gibeah, The trumpet in Ramah! Cry aloud at
Beth Aven, 'Look behind you, O Benjamin!'
Gibeah, Ramah – cities on hills. Perhaps this is talking about
sounding alarms about an approaching army.
Benjamin – part of the southern kingdom – the meaning of this phrase
is uncertain…
:9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; Among the tribes of Israel
I make known what is sure.
:10 "The princes of Judah
are like those who remove a landmark; I will pour out my wrath on them like
water.
like those who remove a landmark – this was a crime (Deut. 19:14). Landmarks were the things that were
used to describe boundaries. Moving a landmark was the idea of stealing land
from your neighbor by moving the boundary in your favor.
:11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, Because he willingly
walked by human precept.
Jeroboam divided the kingdom and set up his own religion (1Ki. 12:28).
The northern kingdom decided to follow a man’s rules rather than God’s
rules.
We don’t want to become “man-pleasers”, doing things just to please people.
(Col
3:22-24 NKJV) Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the
flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing
God. {23} And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
{24} knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance;
for you serve the Lord Christ.
:12 Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth, And to the house of Judah
like rottenness.
like a moth – a moth put holes in the clothes in your closet.
(Mat 6:19-21 NKJV) "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on
earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; {20}
"but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor
rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. {21} "For where
your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
:13 "When Ephraim saw his sickness, And Judah saw his wound, Then
Ephraim went to Assyria And sent to King Jareb; Yet he cannot cure you, Nor
heal you of your wound.
King Jareb – Yareb – “contender”.
Probably Tiglath-Pileser III
When Hoshea lead a conspiracy and overthrew King Pekah, he formed an
alliance with the Assyrians. But that didn’t stop them from wiping out Israel.
It was at the same time that Ahaz, king of Judah,
also made an alliance with the Assyrians, but it didn’t help him either.
Lesson
The wrong help
Sometimes the things we do to help our situation only make things worse.
Illustration
Will The Real Doctor Please Stand
Up?
A business executive injured his leg skiing one weekend. By the time he got
home Saturday, the leg was very swollen and he was having difficulty walking,
so he called his physician at his home. The doctor told him to soak it in hot
water. He tried soaking it in hot water but the leg became more swollen and
painful. His maid saw him limping and said, “I don’t know, I’m only a maid, but
I always thought it was better to use cold water, not hot, for swelling.” He
tried switching to cold water and the swelling rapidly subsided. On Sunday
afternoon he called his Dr. again to complain. “Say Doc, what kind of a doctor
are you anyway? You told me to soak my leg in hot water and it got worse. My
maid told me to use cold water and it got better.” “Really?!?” answered the
doctor, “I don’t understand it; my maid said hot water.”
(Jer 2:13
NKJV) "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the
fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns; broken cisterns that
can hold no water.
When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, He compared the well water
with the water that He offered.
(John 4:13-14 NKJV) Jesus
answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,
{14} "but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never
thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of
water springing up into everlasting life."
There are things inside of us that only Jesus can fix. Sometimes we try and mask the pain and
emptiness with things like drugs, self-help books, sex, alcohol, or just being
with friends.
Go to the right place for help. Go to Jesus.
:14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, And like a young lion to the house
of Judah. I,
even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall
rescue.
like a lion – I don’t think this is talking about a very safe lion.
no one shall rescue – the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom
in 722 BC and carried them into exile. The Babylonians conquered Judah
in 586 and took them into exile.
:15 I will return again to My place Till they acknowledge their offense.
Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek
Me."
This is what the judgment is all about – getting the people to the point
where they will turn from their sins and seek God’s face.