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Hosea 4 (ESV)

1 Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel,

for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.

There is no faithfulness or steadfast love,

and no knowledge of God in the land;

2 there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;

they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

3 Therefore the land mourns,

and all who dwell in it languish,

and also the beasts of the field

and the birds of the heavens,

and even the fish of the sea are taken away.

 

4 Yet let no one contend,

and let none accuse,

for with you is my contention, O priest.

5 You shall stumble by day;

the prophet also shall stumble with you by night;

and I will destroy your mother.

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;

because you have rejected knowledge,

I reject you from being a priest to me.

And since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.

 

7 The more they increased,

the more they sinned against me;

I will change their glory into shame.

8 They feed on the sin of my people;

they are greedy for their iniquity.

9 And it shall be like people, like priest;

I will punish them for their ways

and repay them for their deeds.

 

REFLECTION:

• From Chapter 4, there is no mention of Hosea’s wife, but the relationship between Israel and God. This chapter begins to describe in the manner of a court trial. “The Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land” (1). “Controversy” was a legal term at the time, meaning that the Lord accused the people of Israel. There are three charges: 1. No honesty; 1. No goodness (loving and faithful in keeping the covenant); 3. No knowledge of God. Chapter 4 mainly describes the third charge.
• “No knowledge of God in the land” (1) refers to people’s lack of correct knowledge of God. This knowledge is not theory or information, but “the law of God” (6)—it is the revelation of God in the covenant with Israel, and the demands of His people. The sins listed in verse 2 reflect the non-observance of the Ten Commandments. Not knowing God is actually rejecting, forgetting (6), and disobeying God’s commandments (10).
• The priests have to take a great responsibility, because they did not teach the people to understand God’s law, and only benefited from the sacrifice ceremony (8). The Israelites were also condemned by God. They worshipped idols, were drunk, and committed adultery. They were corrupt and degenerate in faith and morality. This is a testament to abandoning God, and it is also a consequence.
• Do we know God? Does God’s word become the norm and guide in our lives? How much do we obey His commands?

 

PRAYER:

Thank God for knowing you and understanding you; ask God to reveal to you so that you also know Him. Ask God to make you grow in God’s grace and knowledge.

 

HYMN: