Hosea Chapter 4

Scripture Reading:  Read Hosea Chapter 4. 

The Guilt of a Nation:

Hosea 4:1 – "Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel!  The LORD has brought charges against you, saying: "There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land." (NLT)

The camera has now been zoomed out. The first few chapters of Hosea focused on the intimate details of this prophet's life, but now the sins of the entire nation of Israel are in focus. The prostitution of Hosea's wife was the focus of the first few chapters; now, the prostitution of the nation is in view. God's people have turned away from the Lord to chase after other lovers.  

There are three powerful indictments leveled against Israel; these can also be easily applied to our nation today:  

• You are no longer Faithful:  Simply put, they are no longer walking in obedience to the word of God. Unfortunately, in our nation today, it is strange for someone to love God with their whole heart and pattern their lives in faithfulness to His word.  

• You are no longer Kind:  Other translations use the word "mercy." Our God cares for the poor and broken; Israel has stopped providing for needy people. 

• You no longer have the Knowledge of God:  Ignoring the truths of God is a sure sign of godlessness. Today, we need a revival of God's word in our personal lives and the church.  

Dr. Warren Wiersbe described it well when he said: "As goes spiritual leadership, so goes the church; as goes the church, so goes morality; and as goes morality, so goes the nation."