God Has A Problem With A Lot Of People
As we listen to the news and seek to know the sign of the times, we are faced with multiplied problems in our world. We might think that it has never been this bad, but we would be wrong. The preacher said that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Let us go back to see what a prophet of God wrote 2700 years ago. Hosea wrote in his book in chapter 4 about the things taking place in his time. A brief view will paint a picture of today and the environment we live in.
Hosea writes: v1. "Listen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness, kindness or knowledge of God in the land". God most certainly can mount a case against His people. A District Attorney will gather the evidence and present it to a jury or judge so that the person guilty may be punished. God has a case against the Israelites of that day, and He also has a case against anyone who does not obey Him today.
Faithfulness has become a joke in recent times. The very thought or words are enough to cause snickering and persecution. So many claim to be faithful to God, yet their behavior is no different from the world around them. They act, talk, behave, and even think like those who do not know God. There is also very little kindness expressed in our world. We may take note of a few individuals who show kindness to others, but most people do not care if they are kind or not as long as they get their way. And it is also true that many people do not know God. Most of our population is un-churched. They have no respect for God or His word. They certainly do not want to follow His laws, so that produces many problems for society, and we see these taking place today just the same as Hosea saw it back then.
v.2 "There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed". You cannot go hardly anywhere without having to endure foul and inappropriate language. You ask people to not use that kind of language, and they do not apologize, but are more likely to swear at you more vehemently. Everyone lies. In our world that is just a gimme. Politicians lie, news-media people lie, preachers lie (if they are not preaching the truth). Murder is a big problem in our country and around the world. Most murder occurs upon the innocent of our land, yet few people believe in the sanctity of life. Men and women cheating on each other and turning to prostitutes seem to be the norm. Those who manage to stay faithful and married for many years are truly an oddity in our world. Violence is used so much in our society, and depending on who is killed, there might be retribution from friends or family. The gangs mark their territory, and if a rival gang member even crosses into their land, they feel a sense of honor to kill that one. Next thing you know is that someone else is killed which is also considered an honor killing. Then in some cultures they consider killing their own family members if they feel the member has dishonored the family.
v3. Therefore the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes, along with the beast of the field and the birds of the sky; and also the fish of the sea disappear". We saw this in the last century when various mining methods destroyed much of the forest, lands, and waterways. Chemical factories pumped their waste into rivers and caused harm to much of nature. Very few people consider that they have it better now than their parents did. The aged generation that is dying out in our country was the last to see prosperity. For the most part, most people are just trying to hang on and make it through until the grave. The hope of our great country has turned into questions and despair.
v4. Yet let no one find fault and let none offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with the priests". One thing we have noticed in recent times is the fact that no individuals are at fault for what they might do. They blame it on politics, religion, society, environment, and other factors, yet no one blames the person who commits the crime. When a person breaks the law and causes harm have you noticed who gets penalized? Yes, it is the law abiding citizens who are punished. Our freedoms we used to enjoy have been taken away and replaced by a more controlling force. And the controlling forces acquire so much power that they abuse such power and demand more than the law allows. When the prophet speaks of those contending with the priests, he is speaking of those who do not want to hear the truth but smooth words. Now, in Hosea's day, the priests had become nothing more than pawns who allowed whatever anyone wanted to do to get away with it (usually for a price). Some religions today offer such in their daily practice. For the most part, those who contended with the priests were upset because the priests were telling them what God wanted, and they did not like the restrictions that God placed upon them.
In all of this, we see the repeat of the times when people turn away from God and seek their own lifestyle, and ridicule anyone who tries to turn them back to serving God. Yes, the faithful really need to pray about our land and its people before God gets fed up with us.
By Carey Scott

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