The Legitimacy of God’s Judgment
Text: Hosea 8:1-6 Date: 8-23-26
Knowing about God and knowing God are two different things. A person or nation can say or claim anything, but if it isn’t backed up by actions, then it is laughable at best, sin at worst, and overtly hypocritical.
They had honored God with their lips, but that had become a substitute for what should have come from their hearts.
If we only draw near to the Lord in a cold, formal, ritualistic way, while our hearts are far from Him, our loyalty and trust will be in pretense only. If our hearts are wicked, our lips cannot truly draw close to the Lord. Outward conversion without a heart change is worthless. Conversion to God, true repentance, always begins in our hearts and is manifested in outward works.
Israel wanted God’s protection without committing to His authority. The nation thought they knew God, but in reality they ignored the alarms and continued to reject His commandments. Today, many so-called Christians want Jesus but not Him as Lord. They want the blessings without the commitment. They want to go to heaven but not live or long for heaven. Receiving Jesus into your heart is not enough. Praying a prayer isn’t enough. Believing and repenting are demanded. We must then live sanctified lives.
3. God’s punishment will come because the nation refuses to give up its sinfulness. (Hosea 8:1b; 4-6).
**Breaking God’s covenant and rebellion against His laws (Hosea 8:1b)
Judgment will come since the people continue to transgress against the covenant.
The word rebelled has the idea of the breaking of a legal relationship. This was spelled out in the breaking of the Law. Israel continually despised His covenant and disobeyed His commandments. This goes against the physical and normal design of creation. Even animals, who know how to live and who their masters are, know how to operate in the way they were designed without straying away. Yet Judah, God’s chosen people, created in His image, does not recognize nor know God and has wandered away.
**Raising kings without God’s guidance or leadership (Hosea 8:4a)
A leader without God’s guidance is nothing more than a heathen leader.
When a cycle of wickedness becomes ingrained in a nation, it is very difficult to change that cycle before everything comes crumbling down.
**Love for idolatry (Hosea 8:4b-6)
How long will they fail to be innocent? How long will they be clear of this guilt? While this question is left unanswered, the answer is clear: as long as they continue in idolatry.
Innocence or purity can never be attained without a Godly walk and pursuit of His ways. Living a life tainted with idolatry is the antithesis of following the Lord. A failure to live untainted through idolatry will bring God’s consuming anger upon His people or any people. Psalm 101:5 (ESV) says: Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.
These idols were not made by God, nor were they God, nor could they represent God. The picture is clear: The idol could not save the people or itself. The making of idols by humans is the ultimate effort in futility with its complete failure to survive.
Conclusion