This is a sermon that was based on the OT prophecy of Hosea 13:6 in which God tells the prophet the factors that led to Israel's unfaithfulness and process of spiritual adultery, leading them to forsake the commandments of God and turn to the worship of pagan deities. A video recording of the Sunday morning worship service in which this sermon was given may be viewed by clicking here.
Written Excerpts:
Hosea 13:6 (NKJV) When they had pasture, they were filled;
They were filled and their heart was exalted; Therefore they forgot Me.
(NIV) When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were
satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.
Introduction:
Earlier I read the first chapter of Hosea. It is an unusual story. I’ve often wondered how God spoke to those OT prophets. Was it an audible voice? When you read about some of the things they said and even the things they did, it makes one wonder if they did hear an audible voice from heaven. I know that before I would have done some of the things the prophets did, I’d not only need an audible voice, but I think I would have needed a physical body to go with the audible voice in order to obey some of those commands.
Hosea is a good example of what I’m talking about. I am intrigued over the fact that we don’t read about Hosea arguing with God over this directive to go marry a prostitute. All I can say is that Hosea must have been absolutely and positively certain that God had spoken!
The title I have chosen for the message today may seem a little unusual
to you.
I know there are many Christian theologians and teachers who promote the doctrine that it is impossible for a believer to turn away from Christ and ultimately be lost for eternity. Whenever it appears as though someone has done that very thing, we often hear the argument that they were never really born again or saved. I am certainly willing to agree that many people who have professed to be born again, never really were. And, therefore, it wasn’t a matter of giving up their faith or trust in Christ, but never truly and fully trusting in Christ in the first place.
However, I firmly believe the Bible teaches us that should a believer turn away from God and give up their faith, they run the risk of being eternally lost. This is certainly illustrated in the history of God’s dealing with Israel and Judah, as well as repeated warnings to believers in the New Testament, which make no sense if there is no possibility of being separated from Christ and eternally lost. So today, I want to use this passage in Hosea and take what God says about Israel to illustrate the necessity for Christians stay true to the Lord and not become like those who forgot God in Hosea’s day.
The Scripture that was read earlier this morning tells us that the prophet Hosea lived and preached during the reins of four different kings in Judah and one king of Israel. By the time Hosea comes on the scene, both Israel and Judah have repeatedly abandoned the true worship of God and obedience to His covenant. They have repeatedly forsaken the Lord to worship and give offerings and sacrifices to pagan deities. According to verse 4 in chapter 1, it will not be long before the Lord brings an end to the northern kingdom – the nation of Israel.
Hosea 1:4 (NKJV) Then the LORD said to him: "Call his
name Jezreel, For in a little while I will avenge the bloodshed of
Jezreel on the house of Jehu, And bring an end to the kingdom of the house of
Israel.
Without taking the time to attempt an in-depth analysis of Hosea’s marriage, children, etc. we do need to point out that God clearly makes a comparison between Hosea’s relationship with his wife and the relationship between Israel and the Lord. While giving the description of Israel’s spiritual failings, God describes how it happened in Hosea 13:6 that I read a few moments ago. It is a description of how Israel ended up turning away from the Lord. It serves as a vivid reminder of the similar process that can happen spiritually to God’s children even today, so we need to be alert and on guard against the enemy of our souls.
I. They experienced the
wonderful blessings of God.
When I fed them, they were satisfied…
In the verses leading up to verse 6, it is clear that God is referring to the care that he gave to the people as they were delivered from Egypt and were traveling toward the promised land. Moses gave a very similar description in Deuteronomy where he is addressing the people prior to his death.
Deut. 32:10-15a (NKJV) 10 "He found him in a
desert land And in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He
instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. 11 As an
eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreading out its wings, taking
them up, Carrying them on its wings, 12 So the LORD
alone led him, And there was no foreign god with him. 13 "He
made him ride in the heights of the earth, That he might eat the produce of the
fields; He made him draw honey from the rock, And oil from the flinty rock; 14
Curds from the cattle, and milk of the flock, With fat of lambs;
And rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, With the choicest wheat; And you
drank wine, the blood of the grapes. 15 "But Jeshurun
[upright one, i.e., Israel] grew fat and kicked; You grew fat, you grew thick,
You are obese!...
Think about all that God had done for Israel. Miraculous deliverance on Passover night. Miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea. Miraculous provisions of food and water.
As you read through the story of the exodus and the journey to Canaan, if you’re like me, you wonder how could the people ever forget about the ways God provided all their needs? How could they ever doubt God’s ongoing care? I don’t know that I can prove it directly in Scripture, but I am convinced that they became ungrateful and began to take all God’s blessings and provisions for granted.
Still spiritually applies to people today. We have such great opportunities for godly music, preaching, teaching, etc. that we just begin to take it for granted and begin to be ungrateful for all that God has provided. We fail to truly appreciate our privileges because we’ve learned that we can get it anytime we want it or feel the desire.
We have no comprehension of the conditions Christians in other parts of the world contend with. The spiritual poverty in their countries requires many of them to travel long distances on foot, risk getting beaten or maybe even killed just so they can hear the Word of God and receive encouragement from their brothers and sisters. But in places like here where our spiritual privileges are so rich, we know nothing about taking such risk to hear the Word. We are constantly “fed and have become well-satisfied.”
II. They developed an
attitude of self-sufficiency.
when they were satisfied,
they became proud
As God is describing the condition of His people, He says that once they were satisfied, they became proud. The description provided here by the Lord through the prophet is given in physical or natural terms. They were satisfied because they had all they needed. They had plenty to eat, plenty to wear, plenty of everything. Eventually they became proud and evidently began to boast about who they were and how special they were to Yahweh/Jehovah.
The pride caused them to focus on themselves rather than focusing on the extraordinary grace of God. Pride causes people to forget that God has done so much, and they begin to be amazed at all they have accomplished. There are few things more repulsive than people who have become proud of their spiritual status and accomplishments. You’ve no doubt met people who give the impression that they are so special to God, He is surely fortunate to have them “on His team!”
James 4:6 “… God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
III. They forgot God and became
corrupt.
Then they forgot me.
When the people of Israel forgot the Lord…
A. They abandoned Him just like an unfaithful spouse.
We all understand the tragedy of marital infidelity and the consequences it brings into the lives of two people who at one time pledged to love each other until death. The abandonment and infidelity did not just happen in a day or overnight. It was a much longer process of “forgetting” to treat one another with the kind of respect and tender love that was at the beginning of the relationship.
How sad it is to watch marriages slowly deteriorate and their affections turn toward someone else. We sometimes become shocked at the level of disrespect, bitterness and even violence that develops between two individuals that were “madly in love” at one point.
The prophets of God frequently used the analogy of marital infidelity and unfaithfulness to describe how the people of Israel treated God. Their worship of pagan gods was often portrayed or described as “playing the harlot” or “prostituting themselves.”
Just as it is in human relationships, the abandonment toward God
doesn’t usually just “overnight.” It often is a much longer process of gradual
unfaithfulness to Him and failure to take appropriate steps to keep the
affection and devotion warm and fresh.
When they abandoned Him…
B. They began to make choices that appealed to their own proud, lustful
hearts.
Hosea 13:1-2 (NKJV) 1 When Ephraim [another name often
used to represent Israel] spoke, trembling, He exalted himself in
Israel; But when he offended through Baal worship, he died. 2 Now
they sin more and more, And have made for themselves molded images, Idols of
their silver, according to their skill; All of it is the work of
Depending on the proper translation of this verse, it could have a
reference to the performance of human sacrifices.
(Hosea 13:2b NIV, … It is said of these people, “They offer human
sacrifices! They kiss calf-idols!”)
It is astounding how depraved a nation or an individual can become when they have turned away from the Lord and have begun to live according to the dictates of their spiritually dead hearts. How does such corruption and depravity happen to a nation? How does it happen to a married couple? How does it happen to an individual? How do they become so corrupt and unfaithful to the God (spouse) they onetime loved and worshiped?
Well, I can tell you this: it didn’t just happen suddenly. It is a long process of carelessness with regard to maintaining a loving relationship, open communication, and stubborn faithfulness to promises and vows regardless of all the allurements that might seek to draw us away. You can be sure that the Holy Spirit was faithful. There were many times the Spirit prompted them to come back and revive the devotion and strengthen the relationship. But, each time a person overrides the prompting of the Holy Spirit, it becomes easier to do it the next time.
Conclusion:
If you’ve read your Bible, you know how this all turned out for Israel. After they persisted so long in their abandonment of God and their worship of pagan gods, the Lord allowed them to suffer the consequences of their own choices. War, defeat, captivity, death.
If an individual, a church, or a nation insists on turning away from God and appeasing our own depraved desires, then one day God will allow us to experience the consequences. But, it doesn’t have to end that way. As I said earlier, the Holy Spirit is faithful to keep calling us back to a renewed spiritual vitality and relationship if we will respond.
Closing song: Holy Spirit,
Light Divine
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