Unfaithful Love - Hosea 4:1-19

902. So page 902 of the Church Bible, Hosea chapter 4, just starting in verse 1.

Hosea 4 · chapter mention

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 acknowledgement 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 mourns, and all who live in it waste away.

The beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying.

But let no man bring a charge, let no man accuse another, for your people are like those who bring

charges against a priest. You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you.

So I will destroy your mother. My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you

have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests. Because you have ignored the law of your

God, I also will ignore your children. The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against

me. They exchange their glory for something disgraceful. They feed on the sins of my people

and relish their wickedness. And it will be, like people, like priests, I will punish both of them

for their ways, and repay them for their deeds. They will eat but not have enough. They will engage

in prostitution but not increase. Because they have deserted the Lord to give themselves to prostitution,

to old wine and new, which take away the understanding of my people. They consult a wooden idol and are

answered by a stick of wood. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray. They are unfaithful to their God.

They sacrifice in the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar and

terebinth, where the shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law

ought to adultery. I will not punish your daughters when they turn to prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law

when they commit adultery. Because the men themselves consort with harlots and sacrifice with shrine

prostitutes. A people without understanding will come to ruin. Though you commit adultery, O Israel,

let not Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal. Do not go up to Beth-Avon. And do not swear as surely

as the Lord lives. The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the Lord pasture them

like lambs in a meadow? Ephraim is joined to idols. Leave him alone. Even when their drinks are gone,

they continue their prostitution. Their rulers dearly love shameful ways. A whirlwind will sweep

them away, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.

Thank you, Kirsty. Hosea chapter 4. So keep your Bibles open there, please. Alex is just handing

Hosea 4 · chapter mention

around pens and a little sheet which has notes if you want to take and follow along with the talk.

Again, just to remind you and encourage you that if you miss any of the talks, you can find them all

on the church website. And the little booklet that's on the table as well, The Passion and Pursuit of God,

which gives you a review, an overview of what the book is all about, which is always refreshing too.

Thank you. So let's turn to God as we pray

and ask for his help.

Father, thank you for your word.

Thank you for its truth.

Thank you for the way in which it speaks to us today.

And we pray that as we listen, as we engage,

that Father, you would be turning our hearts

away from other lovers and other things.

Turning our hearts and our attention to you,

our true love,

our faithful

and loyal

husband.

Help us to do that well.

We need your help.

So pour out your spirit on us, we pray.

Amen.

All rise.

How does the defendant plead?

Guilty

or not guilty?

Well, I can still remember my day in court.

It was a humbling experience.

The evidence was laid out before the judge,

a witness's account

and the moment captured on CCTV.

Driving across a railway line when the barrier was coming down

was not only stupid,

it was costly.

The judgment

was just

and fair.

I had no excuse.

Well, chapter 4

brings all of us

into

the courtroom.

Not just any court,

God's marriage court.

And on trial

is God's wife,

Israel.

Remember,

God's marriage to his people

was illustrated

through the marriage of Hosea to Gomer.

Just as Gomer

had left Hosea

for other lovers,

so Israel had walked out

on their marriage to God.

But God was not about

to give up on his loved one.

Have a look at chapter 3

and verse 1.

The Lord said to me,

so the Lord is speaking to Hosea,

Hosea,

go show your love

to your wife again,

though she is loved by another

and is an adulteress.

Love her

as the Lord loves

the Israelites.

And so Hosea would

go and love his wife again

and he brings her back

into the family home.

It's a wonderful picture

of God's love and grace

towards people like us.

So if chapters 1 to 3

give us the big picture

of God's marriage

to his people,

then chapters 4 to 14

give us the detail

of how the marriage failed,

how it broke down,

and how God is going

to restore it again.

Hosea and Gomer

may not be mentioned again,

but God's marriage

to his people

is still central

to the story.

And here we are

in chapter 4

and it all starts

in God's marriage court.

God,

the faithful,

loyal husband,

has turned judge,

jury,

and prosecutor.

Israel,

God's unfaithful wife,

is the silent

defendant.

Chapter 4,

verse 1.

You can imagine the scene.

Israel,

the wife,

in the dock.

God,

the judge,

comes in.

Chapter 4,

verse 1.

Hear the word

of the Lord,

you Israelites,

because the Lord

has a charge

to bring against you

who live

in the land.

Now,

as we enter

this marriage court

and listen to the proceedings,

we're not just

spectators up in the gallery.

We are also

in the dock.

We are also

the defendant.

Because we too

have failed

to love God

as we should,

we too

have led

an adulterous

life.

So first,

the charge

against us,

no love.

Look at the second

part of verse 1.

Here's the charge.

There is no

faithfulness,

no love,

no acknowledgement

of God

in the land.

Yes,

Israel was married

to God,

but it was a marriage

on paper,

not in practice.

They enjoyed

receiving all

of God's

wonderful gifts

and his blessings

and provision.

They took it all,

but they did not

want to fulfill

their marriage

obligations.

There was no

faithfulness,

no love,

and no

acknowledgement

of God.

And it seems

that our love

for God

is no different.

You see,

God is not

some distant

impersonal force

away out there.

He is our

loving creator

and he made us

for a relationship

with him.

That's why we exist.

He created us

so that we could

be married to him.

But we've rejected

his advances.

We've turned down

his marriage proposal.

Oh,

we're quite happy

to receive all

his blessings

and all the good

things that we get.

But we don't want

to commit

to him.

And the evidence

is seen

all around us

first

in a breakdown

in society.

Look at verse 2.

Because there's

no love

for God,

well,

verse 2,

there's only cursing,

lying,

and murder,

and stealing,

and adultery.

They break

all bounds

and bloodshed

follows bloodshed.

Now,

you listen to the news

and I think

that's a pretty

accurate description

of the human race.

Because we do not

love God,

society is

completely broken.

There are no

boundaries.

We live and do

as we please,

we do what we like,

and bloodshed

follows bloodshed.

There's wars,

there's crime,

there's violence.

But not only

is society broken,

look at the evidence

all around us

in the physical world.

Verse 3.

Because of this,

because there's

no love for God,

not only is society

broken,

but the world

is broken.

Verse 3.

Because of this,

the land mourns,

and all who live

in it

waste away.

The beasts

of the field,

the birds

of the air,

the fish

in the sea,

they're all

dying.

And isn't that

what we see

in our world today?

Not only is there

the wars,

but there's flooding,

there's famine,

there's earthquakes,

there's disease,

there's pollution.

It just goes on

and on.

Everything is

wasting away.

Creation

is groaning,

it's breaking.

Because we have

not loved God

as husband,

the evidence

is clear to see.

Society is broken.

The world

is broken.

The human race

is broken.

But you say,

well,

I'm not like that.

I'm not that person

that you've just read

in verse 2.

I care for people.

I don't murder,

I don't steal

or lie.

Well,

that's exactly

how the religious

priest thought.

Look at verse 4.

But let no man

bring a charge,

let no man

accuse another,

so stop pointing

fingers at each other,

for your people

are like those

who bring charges

against a priest.

In other words,

here are the priests,

they claim to be

innocent and above

and superior

and better than

everybody else,

but he's saying,

you're just as bad.

In fact,

having more priests

didn't make things

any better.

Having more church services

and more church buildings

didn't make things better,

it only made things worse.

Look at verse 7.

The more that the priests

increased,

the more they sinned

against me.

They exchanged their glory

for something disgraceful.

They feed on the sins

of my people

and relish

their wickedness.

You see,

every time the people

sinned,

they would have to go

to the priest

to go and make a sacrifice.

And the way in which

the priest was paid

was, well,

you would give him

a little bit

of the sacrificed animal.

Maybe a nice bit of steak

or a leg of lamb,

whatever it might be.

So the more sin

that there was,

the more sacrifices

that were required,

and therefore,

the more sacrifices

that were made,

well then,

the more pay

the priests got.

And for the priests,

it was simple maths.

Let's keep the sin going

and we earn more money.

We earn more food

for ourselves.

Verse 8.

That's what it's telling us.

They feed

on the sins

of the people.

They relish

in the wickedness.

It was simply

too profitable

for the priests

to actually deal

with the sin.

their attitude was,

if we try and deal

with the sin,

we're out of a job.

We're not going

to do that.

The smug religious

were just as bad.

And I think

it can be a bit

like us,

like that with us.

We can come along

to our church services

and do the religious

things,

help people out

now and again.

But why would we

want to increase

our giving

to the unreached

peoples of the world

when it would mean

we would have less

to spend on ourselves?

No, I'd want to give

to that because

then I wouldn't be

able to do this.

Why commit to

serving the most

vulnerable in our

community when it

would mean,

well, it stops me

from doing the things

I want to do?

Why bother using

your gifts in the

life of the church

when it means

I'm not going

to get talking

to people

or see my

friends as much?

You see,

sometimes

it's too profitable

for us to deal

with the sin.

We just prefer

to kind of live

our nice,

comfortable,

cosy life.

The reality is

we're all guilty.

That's how it's

summed up in

verse 9.

And it will be

like people,

like priests.

It doesn't

matter who we

are, whether

we're religious

or irreligious,

whether we're a

church leader

or a church

member,

whether we go

to church or

we don't go

to church,

all of us,

the human race,

the evidence is

there to see

society is broken,

the world is

broken.

We have not

loved God

as we should.

So first,

the charge

against us,

no love.

Second,

the sin

within us,

an adulterous

heart.

Look at

verse 12.

They consult,

so again

speaking about

the nation

of Israel,

they consult

a wooden

idol and

are answered

by a stick

of wood.

It's like

you or me

getting a box

of matches,

opening it up,

chucking it up

in the air

and then

seeing where

the matches

lie and

determining

what direction

you're going

to go in

life by the

direction the

matches are

pointing.

That's what

they were doing,

chucking bits

of wood around

to see what

they should

do.

And worst

of all,

rest of

verse 12,

a spirit of

prostitution

leads them

astray,

they are

unfaithful

to their

God.

As a nation,

as a people,

they had

wandered

after other

lovers,

they had

rejected their

marriage to

God and

committed

adultery,

they loved

other things

and other

people more.

It was

really quite

gross.

Look at

verse 13.

They sacrifice

on the

mountaintops

and burn

offerings on

the hills,

under the

oak,

poplar,

terebinth,

where the

shade is

planted.

It was

kind of a

nice thing

to do,

shaded by

the trees.

You see,

when the

people wanted

something,

they would

go up to

the mountaintops

and they

wouldn't,

instead of

turning to

God,

they would

turn to

their made-up

gods.

And as

part of

their sacrifice

of offering

things,

the men

and the

women who

all came

there,

they would

all have

sex with

each other

in the

hope that

somehow it

would sting

the gods

in the

heavens to

have sex,

which would

result in

earthly blessings

and fertility,

that somehow it

would cause

rains to fall

and the sun

to shine and

good harvest to

grow and that

the animals would

reproduce.

It was really

gross.

That's what's

being described

here at the

end of verse

13.

Therefore,

your daughters

turn to

prostitution and

your daughters-in-law

to adultery.

not only the

women,

but the

men.

Look at the

middle of

verse 14.

The men

themselves

consort with

harlots and

sacrifice with

shrine prostitutes.

So this

picture of

physical adultery

not only showed

how messed up

the nation had

become,

it was a

picture of

their spiritual

adultery with

God.

Their joining

with other

people was

a picture of

how they had

become married

to other

gods.

Verse 17.

Ephraim,

which is another

name for

Israel.

Ephraim is

joined to

idols.

Literally,

they've broken

up the

relationship with

God saying,

we don't want

you anymore.

They've

effectively signed

their divorce

papers with

God saying,

we don't want

you, and

they've now

formed a

new marriage,

a new

relationship with

their new

gods.

They've fallen

in love with

other things

and other

people.

Now we

might look at

all of this

and it seems

somewhat distant

and look in

horror and

disgust and

think, really?

Is that the

way they

behaved?

But we

need to

grasp it

because it's

a picture of

our own

hearts.

Look what it

says in

verse 12,

the end of

verse 12.

It talks about

a spirit of

prostitution

leading people

astray.

They are

unfaithful to

God.

Now we

might not

be a

prostitute at

some religious

shrine,

but we

can all

play the

spiritual

whore.

We all

chase after

other lovers.

others.

We exchange

God for

other things.

We make

sport and

career and

money and

sex the

most important

things and

give our

life to

that.

Or we

replace God

with other

people, a

spouse or a

lover.

They're the

most important.

We leave

God and have

affairs hoping

to find joy

and happiness

in things and

people.

evil.

And that's

the sin

within our

hearts.

It's what

the Bible

describes as

adulterous

behaviour.

The physical

adultery that

Israel committed

is a picture

of our own

spiritual adultery

within our

hearts.

You might

think, well,

that's just

one way I

can go and

it's going to

be good to

me, it's

going to give

me everything

that I want.

But it's a

lie.

It leaves

us empty.

Look at the

beginning of

verse 10.

It's

talking about

their adulterous

behaviour and

leaving God

for other

things.

Look what it

says, verse 10,

they will eat

but not have

enough.

They will

engage in

prostitution

but not

increase

because they

have deserted

the Lord to

give themselves

to prostitution.

You see, we

believe and

the world

tells us that

if I can just

get that

perfect job,

I will be

content.

If I can just

find that

perfect lover

for my life,

then everything

is going to be

sorted.

If I can just

earn enough

money and buy

that perfect

house in the

right location,

then I will

be absolutely

happy,

completely

satisfied and

content.

If I can just

have,

I'll be

okay.

But chasing

after other

lovers will

never satisfy

you.

As it says

in verse 10,

we will never

have enough.

We will never

increase.

chasing other

lovers will

never satisfy

you,

never fulfill

you.

Spiritual

adultery,

replacing God

with other

lovers,

will leave you

empty and

broken.

So second,

the sin

within us,

adulterous

hearts.

Third,

the warning

before us,

judgment

coming.

We can

imagine

Israel,

God's wife,

sitting there

in the

dock,

listening as

all the

evidence is

laid out

before her.

No love,

an adulterous

heart,

and watching

up in the

gallery up

there is

Judah.

Remember,

Israel was

the northern

part of the

nation,

Judah was

the southern

part of

the nation

and she's

come into

court too,

but she's

sitting up

in the

gallery.

And now

God turns

to speak

to them.

Verse 15,

though you

commit adultery,

O Israel,

so God is

speaking to

his wife,

you have an

adulterous

heart,

you have no

love,

and now God

turns and he

looks to

Judah up in

the gallery,

the rest of

verse 15,

let not

Judah

become guilty.

Judah,

do not

follow the

same path

as your

sister Israel.

Do not

forsake me

as your

first love.

Be careful

that you do

not have eyes

for other

lovers and

exchange me

for other

gods.

Look at the

rest of

15.

Do not

go to

Gilgal.

Do not

go up to

Beth

Aven.

The real

name, of

course, was

Beth El.

Beth simply

means house,

El means

God, so

the house

of God, the

place that

it was meant

to be.

But Israel

had turned

Beth El

into Beth

Aven.

Aven means

wickedness, so

they had

turned the

place where

they came to

meet God

into a

house of

wickedness.

And God

is saying

to Judah,

see what

Israel has

done.

Don't go

there.

Don't go

to the

house of

wickedness.

Don't

follow in

her ways.

Verse 17,

Ephraim

is joined

to idols.

Leave him

alone.

Remember,

I'm your

husband.

It is I

who love

you.

I rescued

you from

Egypt.

I provided

you with

everything that

you have.

I love

you.

Do not

seek after

other lovers.

Because if

you do,

verse 19,

a whirlwind

will sweep

them away

and their

sacrifices

will bring

them shame.

God would

bring judgment

upon his

wife Israel.

Assyria, the

great nation,

would come in

like a

whirlwind, a

great big

tornado that

would sweep

through the

nation,

destroying the

people in

the land,

everything in

its path.

And God

is pleading

with Judah

who is

listening and

looking in

on it all.

Judah,

don't go

that way.

Don't let

your eyes

wander towards

other lovers.

Love me

because of

all I have

done for

you.

But Judah,

if you

don't love

me,

judgment

will also

come to

you.

But you

see,

this isn't

just a

warning about

Judah.

This is

actually God's

warning to

me and

to you.

You see,

if we know

our history,

not only did

Israel commit

adultery and

wander away

from God,

but Judah

went and did

the same

thing.

They didn't

listen to

God's word.

They didn't

heed the

warning.

And just

as Assyria

came in

and swept

Israel away,

in time,

Babylon would

come as a

great nation

and they

would sweep

Judah away.

God's

judgment fell

on the

people.

And all

of this is

a picture

of God's

final judgment

that is to

come.

And so it

becomes a

warning for

people like

you and

me.

it's

saying do

not chase

after other

lovers.

Don't turn

from me,

your husband,

because judgment

will come.

You want to

live a life

without God's

love?

You want to

live life your

own way and

do your own

thing?

You want to

live life

without any

boundaries?

You want to

search out your

own lovers and

turn to other

things and other

people?

If that's the

way you want

to live,

then a life

without my

love you

shall have.

But let's

remember what

that looks

like.

Do you

remember back

in verse 2

and verse 3?

Because we do

not love God,

what is there

in its place?

A broken

society?

Lying,

cursing,

murder,

stealing,

breaking of

all rounds,

bloodshed following

bloodshed?

What happens

if we do not

love him?

The land

breaks,

the world

breaks.

And God

is saying

to us,

if you do

not love

me,

if you want

to have a

life without

my love,

then a life

you shall

have.

But mark

this, it

will be for

an eternity.

It will be

hell for

an eternity.

The absence

of God's

love is

the absence

of everything

that is good,

and beautiful.

No friends,

no laughter,

no joy,

no hope,

brokenness.

God says,

you don't want

my love,

then my love

you shall not

have.

It will be

judgment,

an eternity

of separation

from me.

men,

for

to be

to be

zed.

Now, chapter

4

is not

easy to

listen to.

I struggled

reading through

this and

thought,

how can I

speak about

this on

Sunday?

Where's the

good news?

Where's the

hope in

all of

this?

well as we hear these words of chapter 4

let me ask this question

what do you see?

do you see a judge with terror in his eyes?

or do you see a husband with tears in his eyes?

is it a judge with terror?

or a husband with tears?

you see yes God is judge

but he is the faithful loyal husband

speaking to his wife whom he loves

look at verse 16

the Israelites are stubborn

like a stubborn heifer

ask any of our farmers amongst us

they'll tell you what a heifer is like

when they don't want to move

you can do all the pushing and shoving

but they will not budge an inch

well God had come back to his wife

time and time again

wooing her

pleading

longing

aching

please return

come back to me

but she would not budge

she rejected God's loving advances

look at the rest of verse 16

how then can the Lord pasture them like lambs in a meadow

have you got that picture?

because here we see the heart of God

here is the husband with tears in his eyes

this is God's desire for us

that we would stay close to him

like lambs to a shepherd

so that they are free to enjoy

the meadow

lambs in a meadow

are free to enjoy the rich pastures

that have been provided for them

everything is there for them

contained within that meadow

stay close to the shepherd

and you will enjoy life in all its fullness

wander away from the shepherd

and you will face eternal danger

this is a husband with tears in his eyes saying

I long to shepherd you

to pastor you

to care for you

stay close to me

if we don't quite grasp it

see the heart of God

in the Lord Jesus

because just as God looked out upon the nation

so when God came to earth through his son Jesus

he looked out on the crowds

and here is what he saw

when Jesus saw the crowds

people like you and me

he had compassion on them

because they were harassed and helpless

like sheep without a shepherd

filled with heartache for a lost people

moved by their sinful broken lives

fearing for the danger that they were in

Jesus had compassion

he was broken inside

and his compassion was not just words

it led to a demonstration of the greatest act of love

the good shepherd

would lay down his life

die on the cross

taking the judgment that we deserve

so that we could enjoy life

with him

you see when he calls us to himself

he's calling us like lambs to a shepherd

to say

stay within the meadow

enjoy life with me

enjoy life in its fullness

wander away from the meadow

wander away from the shepherd

and you will face

eternal danger

be careful

that we do not turn to other lovers

but stay close

to our one true lover

the husband with tears in his eyes

pleading

longing

that we stay close to him

let's pray

to a family

to God

who

be careful

to die

before

die

after

lol

what

come on

to die

for them

much

share

to pour

everything

the

huh

punish

how

are

not

after

år

jun