The story of Hosea and Gomer’s marriage set the scene for the message that now comes to God’s people. The pain of seeing Gomer not being satisfied in knowing Hosea but drifting to know other men is mirrored by the pain of God’s own heart. His people do not know Him. They believe in Him. They sing to Him. They talk to Him. There is evidence that they do know Him. However there is also evidence that they don’t.
“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. There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away.” (Hosea 4 v 1-3)
God brings a charge against everyone, including in the following verses the priests and prophets. But here it is for all the people. This is an opening introduction to the detailed charges that will follow. God is bringing His case to them. They are being judged in the court of law.
No faithfulness – the people cannot be trusted, they are not true.
No love – the people are not kind to each other.
No knowledge – this is the central theme and God will keep returning to it.
As a result then community breaks down; “cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed” there seems to be no restraint only pain in the one place where God wants to dwell: within the community of believers.
With the breaking down of true community then the knock-on effect is blessing dries up. Life becomes harsher; cruelty and pain seem everywhere; the world is less enjoyable.
This message is as much for today as in Hosea’s day.
The Church:
- The inner character does not match the words.
- Unbreakable community friendships are breaking down.
- The lifestyle of the world is that of the church.
- The pain within the world is getting worse.
Why?
Like Hosea, alone in the marital home; or like the father scanning the terrain for his prodigal son; God is standing, waiting; for we have left (again!), we have gone our own way (again!) and we have lost our knowledge of God (again!)
I pause and look back on every problem I have tried to Pastor whether that be family/marriage breakdown or disunity in the church and I ask myself this question: “If the individuals concerned knew God more would that have helped to fix the problem?” The answer is definitely YES.
I pause and reflect on this one fact: of the things I will regret at the end of my life, knowing God will not be one of them. So I press on to do just that.
Missions Paul 