Daily Bread

You Have Ignored the Law of Your God

Hosea 4:1-19

In this chapter the Lord lists the charges against Israel and tells of the consequences of their sins.

First, there is no faithfulness (1-6a).

Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites,
    because the Lord has a charge to bring
    against you who live in the land:
“There is no faithfulness, no love,
    no acknowledgment of God in the land. (1)

Sin is a broken relationship with God. It is characterized by unfaithfulness, lack of love toward God and man and no acknowledgment of God. We could add many more things to the list such as no fear of God, lack of trust and so on. The symptoms of sin (which are also sins) are cursing, lying, murder, stealing, adultery, etc. In other words, there was rampant immorality, deceit and violence (1-2). But the primary charge that God brings against Israel is in not being faithful to their God who saved them; they had no love toward God and no acknowledgement of God in the land. Then there are further consequences of sin such as the land and water being polluted, beasts of the field, birds and fish dying. The creation also suffers because of the consequences of man’s sin. In fact, Paul writes that the creation itself has been groaning ever since man sinned and awaits the day of liberation when the sons of God are revealed (Ro 8:18-22). 

We live in a sinful and cursed world. We cannot change the world fundamentally. We are waiting for the Second Coming of Christ. We are waiting for the day of freedom and liberation from bondage to sin and the cursed world. What should we do while we wait? We are now the new Israel. I must be faithful to the new covenant in Jesus’ blood. I must follow Jesus and be a loving and caring disciple of Jesus. I must acknowledge God in all my ways and He will direct my paths (Pr 3:5-6). I have made a small decision to eat Daily Bread every day. Some days it is difficult but I see that by this one decision God is guiding me and giving me his word each day. It is joy to have God’s word in my inner being and to acknowledge God. It is my protection and blessing for my family and my community of faith and the world. I want to live as a friend of God and a friend of sinners, as a forgiven sinner who has been redeemed by grace. I want to live and walk in love. Some may not understand but I find pleasure in greeting everyone even the so-called little people around me.

Second, you have rejected knowledge (6b-19). Why had all this happened? Hosea brings a charge against the priests and the so-called Bible teachers and spiritual guides of Israel? 

“Because you have rejected knowledge,
    I also reject you as my priests;
because you have ignored the law of your God,
    I also will ignore your children. (6b)

The priests had rejected knowledge. They had forgotten God’s law. They were leading the way in sinning against God and causing others to stumble. We might trace this back to the sin of Jeroboam who made golden calves to worship in Northern Israel (a political maneuver) or even further back to Aaron who made a golden calf for Israel in the desert to worship. Then sin increased as the priests fed on it. When priests reject the knowledge of God and become a stumbling block to the nation, it is a terrible sin. Therefore, God rejected them as priests. He would also reject their children because they had rejected the law of God. Here, knowledge means the knowledge of God and God’s word. In order to fulfill his role as a priest, he should meditate on God’s word and pray for the people. Also, he should be a Bible teacher who can correctly handle the word of truth (2 Ti 2:15). 

We see the same in our time. Priests and even so-called leaders of the church have committed some of the worst sins abusing the flock of God and setting a bad example. What must I do? I must recognize that I am called to be a royal priesthood and holy nation (1 Pe 2:9). I am a representative of God’s kingdom. I must hold on to the knowledge of God and teach the Bible and above all set a good example through my life. In this way, I can be a good influence on others. 

Lord, help me to hold to the knowledge of God and be faithful to my duties as a royal priesthood. In Jesus’ name Amen.

One Word: Do not ignore God’s law