2/11/2022  Wednesday

Hosea
God presents Israel with an indictment or accusation.
Chapter 4
OUTLINE OF HOSEA The Ryrie Study Bible
1. The Prodigal Wife, 1:1-3:5
A. Her Unfaithfulness, 1:1-11
B. Her Punishment, 2:1-13
C. Her Restoration and Israel’s, 2:14-23
D. Her Redemption, 3:1-5
2. The Prodigal People, 4:1-14:9
A. The Message of Judgment, 4:1-10:15
1. The indictment, 4:1-19
2. The verdict, 5:1-15
3. The plea of Israel, 6:1-3
4. The reply of the Lord, 6:4-11
5. The crimes of Israel, 7:1-16
6. The prophecy of judgment, 8:1-10:15
B. The Message of Restoration, 11:1-14:9
1. God’s love for the prodigal people, 11:1-11
2. God’s chastisement of the prodigal people, 11:12-13:16
3. God’s restoration of the prodigal people, 14:1-9
The Indictment (Accusation), Hosea 4:1-19
• As we begin chapter 4, we move from the example of Gomer’s unfaithfulness to that of the nation of
Israel.
• Hosea 4:1-3
• The Lord had a controversy with the people of Israel. What is that?
• A controversy is a strife or dispute.
• There was no truth, mercy nor knowledge of God.
• These are qualities of God. The people were ignoring and rejecting God.
• Note their sins v.2.
• Their sins break out or break down all of God’s barriers.
• Blood toucheth blood – one murder after another.
• The whole land, including all people, animals, birds and fish will suffer because of Israel’s sin (v.3). Sin rarely affects only
the sinner.
The Indictment (Accusation), Hosea 4:1-19
• Hosea 4:4-5
• The people were in no position to argue with God. They were acting like one arguing with the priest.
• Peter Pett states, “In Israel the priests were the final supreme court, and to openly challenge their final decision was
seen as worthy of death (see Deu 17:12-13).”
• God promised that they would fall in the day (v.5). What might that mean?
• They will trip in broad daylight. God would work against them.
• The prophet will fall with them in the night (he is a bit more discerning).
• God will destroy Israel’s mother – the nation itself. (Ryrie)
• We dare not argue with God. He is always right.
The Indictment (Accusation), Hosea 4:1-19
• Hosea 4:6-8
• God said, My people are destroyed for __________________.
• Lack of knowledge. They had no shortage of information, but they rejected it. What 3 results would follow? (v.6)
• God would reject them.
• They would be no more priests, representing God.
• Because they forgot God’s Law, He would forget their children.
• Because of their sin, God would shame them (v.7).
• They eat up sin and have hearts for iniquity (v.8).
• If we lack knowledge of God, we are heading for downfall.
• God delights in us knowing Him (Read Jeremiah 9:23-24).
The Indictment (Accusation), Hosea 4:1-19
• Hosea 4:9-11
• The people and the priests were alike sinful. God would punish both.
• KJBC comments, “It remains true today, unfortunately, that churches still like to call pastors who will be like them,
rather than will help them to be like God.”
• They will eat and remain hungry, be immoral and never satisfied (v.10).
• To be free from God is to be free from His blessings! Ibid.
• Note what God said took away or captured their hearts (v.11).
• Whoredom – sexual sins
• Wine – yayin (either fresh or fermented, cf., Hos 7:5; 9:4; 14:7).
• New wine – tirosh (the clusters of grapes or fresh squeezed juice, cf., Ho 2:8, 9, 22; 7:14).
• We see here that even good things can capture the heart.
The Indictment (Accusation), Hosea 4:1-19
• Hosea 4:12-14
• The people prayed to their idols. God called this spiritual whoredom (v.12).
• God requires our spiritual faithfulness to Him. If we put anything ahead of Him, it is an idol, whether it be work, pleasure,
friends or entertainment.
• They sacrificed to their gods in the high places (v.13).
• THEREFORE when their daughters and spouses committed sexual sins against the fathers and husbands (v.13) …
• God would not punish them. He would allow these sins to hurt their loved ones (v.14).
• The devil wants us to think that our sin is our own business. That is not true. When we sin, we often hurt
those who love us most.
Hosea was warning Israel, but Judah must also take heed.
Israel is green in this map.
Judah is the yellow area.
Orange marks other countries.
The Indictment (Accusation), Hosea 4:1-19
• Hosea 4:15-17
• Though this is addressed to Israel, God sternly warns Judah not to offend.
• Gilgal had once been the place of Elisha’s school for prophets (cf. 2 Kings 2:1; 4:38), but now it was a place of idol worship. KJBC
• Bethaven is literally “the place of vanity”.
• To swear “the LORD liveth” in this context was to claim loyalty to the LORD while worshipping an idol.
• What is a “backsliding heifer”? Does anyone know?
• A heifer is a young female cow.
• Backsliding speaks of being stubborn or rebellious.
• Ephraim is another name for Israel (v.17). Judah must leave him alone!
The Indictment (Accusation), Hosea 4:1-19
• Hosea 4:18-19
• Like their drink, they had soured or gone bad.
• They committed spiritual whoredom continually.
• They love their shameful sins.
• The winds of God’s destruction will blow sudden destruction upon this sinful nation.
• Sin never profits the sinner. It will sour. It will dominate. It will bring shame. Ultimately, it will yield God’s
judgment.
(Galatians 6:7) “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
(Galatians 6:8) “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the
Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
Note similes and metaphors in this chapter
• As they that strive with the priest (v.4) – rebellion against the high court
• Slideth back as a backsliding heifer (v.16) – stubbornly refusing to obey God
• Whoredom and adultery are used in both literal and spiritual senses throughout the chapter.
Applications for Us Today
• Israel did not turn from God overnight. It happened gradually over time. What will keep US from slipping
into the same downward slide as Israel?
• We must know God’s truth. Know what is true and right.
• We must embrace God’s mercy (cf. kindness, faithfulness). Trust God.
• We must have a growing knowledge of God. Understand what God is really like, how He acts, what offends Him, what
pleases Him and how much it hurts Him when we disobey and sin against Him.