ALL CHARGES HAVE BEEN DROPPED!
Hosea 4
A legal indictment has been brought against the nation of Israel, because a crime has
been committed in the land! Our text today reminds us that God is just! He does not
issue frivolous charges and accusations. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in
Your sight — That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. Psalm 51:4; NKJV
In criminal law, there is what is termed “substantive law” and “criminal procedure.” For
example, the law prohibiting murder is a substantive criminal law. The manner in which
government enforces this substantive law is through the gathering of evidence and prosecution.
This is generally considered a procedural matter. Israel had violated God’s substantive law – the
First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3 Now, God enforces the law
through the procedural phase of the case against Israel. In (v.2-19), God presents evidence for the
prosecution (judgment) of His rebellious people.
(v.1b-6) EXHIBIT A: Godlessness prevails in the land. “…no truth or mercy or
knowledge of God…” The Hebrew word for truth means “stability, trustworthiness.” Mercy,
“courtesy; to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior.” Knowledge, “to know, ascertain by
observing, recognition; a relationship of instruction, designation (identification), and punishment
(discipline).” In other words, God is not speaking here about religious information, but a
relationship of transformation!
Notice: In (v.2), godlessness is the antithesis (opposite) of godliness. Truth vs.
“swearing and lying”; mercy (kindness) vs. “killing and stealing”; and the knowledge of
God vs. “adultery, unrestrained carnality.” Freedom from God only produces two
things. 1) Mourning (sorrow) (v.3). Amos 5:16 provides more details regarding the
debilitating conditions under which Israel would suffer. 2) Carnal relativism (v.4).
Relativism: “The philosophized notion that right and wrong are not absolute values, but are personalized
according to the individual and his or her circumstances or cultural orientation.”
God declares: Do not
“contend” (grapple, hold a controversy) with another; there is no need to try and take
the beam out of your brother’s eye; every beam you justify, because there is no right or
wrong in the land! They were like those who “contend with the priest”; not the false
priests of Northern Israel, but true priests, who upheld the word of God. In the Old
Testament, the priests judged in God's name. They were to “keep knowledge”
(Malachi 2:7); and settle the hard cases of the people (Deuteronomy 17:8-12). Thus,
to "contend" with the priests in the Old Testament was an act of great disrespect
toward God.
(v.5, 6) Because Israel traded righteousness for relativism, the nation “stumbled”
along; just as a Christ-rejecting America stumbles along today. My people (followers of
God) perish for lack of knowledge! Those who should know don’t know, because they
had willfully abandoned the fear of the Lord for the gratification of the flesh! Apart
from the “fear of the Lord” there is no true (eternal) knowledge or understanding.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs
9:10
Thus, (v.6b) God rejects their priests. God rejects their man-made religion. Jeroboam
(first king of Northern Israel, who rebelled against God), in 1 Kings 12:29-31, made
priests of every class of people, which was a violation of God’s word; only the tribe of
Levi was authorized to be priests! (Deuteronomy 10:9; 21:5). Thus, Israel had defiled
the priesthood by violating God’s word! LESSON: No matter how sincere the religion, if
it violates God’s word, it is sincerely wrong! In (v.6b), God mentions their children in
hopes of stirring them up to repentance. Unfortunately, as with many people, Israel
held on to their sin, even to the detriment of their children.
EXHIBIT B: Greed overflowed in the land. (v.7-10) The more God blessed them, the
more they “sinned.” This is a clear sign of national apostasy. A form of religion was
preferred over a true relationship with God. "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by
the commandment of men.” Isaiah 29:13
There are two characteristics of apostasy found here:
1) “shame” (v.7b); and 2) no satisfaction (v.10). Note: The priests were just as vile as
the people; in fact, they prospered from the “sins” of the people; just as many false
prosperity teachers in the church prosper through the covetousness of God’s people!
Like people like priests (v.9a).
EXHIBIT C: The pursuit of pleasure ruled the land. (v.11-14) When pleasure becomes
our primary pursuit, it produces 1) A spirit of harlotry (v.11), which causes us to stray
from God, because we cannot serve two masters! Notice: Satan promises freedom, but
delivers bondage! (v.11). 2) Strong delusion. (v.12, 13) We hear what we want to hear;
we seek the “good shade” (v.13b) – a non-challenging faith in Christ that requires
nothing of us! “Delusion,” is also one of the signs that identifies the end times. And for this
reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who
did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
3) Void in male leadership. (v.14). As men of a nation go, so go the women of that
nation. “Adam where are you?” Genesis 3:9 When men abandon their role as leaders,
the innocent are “trampled” (v.14b), and overrun by evil men! “All that is necessary for the
triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” - Edmund Burke
EXHIBIT D: Pride prevails in the land. (v.15-19). God exhorts Judah, yet Judah, Israel’s
sister, will also fall (Jeremiah 3:7, 8). (v.16) Because of “stubborn” pride, Israel will be
prey like a lamb in open country. (v.17) “…let him alone…” LESSON: Do not chase after
the “rebellious” brother/sister (1 Corinthians 5:11-13). Have no fellowship with an
immoral brother or sister. Like Israel, the sacrifices they have made to their gods
(flesh), will result in their shame, as they are blown away like chaff! (v.19).
CONCLUSION: What have we learned? Primarily, God’s “charge” is the only charge
that really matters. The good news is, though we too are guilty, all charges have been
dropped, through faith in Christ! And there is no double jeopardy (being tried twice for the
same crime) in Him! Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who
condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
makes intercession for us. Romans 8:33-34