Hosea 5 THE TERRIBLE RESULTS OF BAD CHOICES God knows the intentions of those who deliberately turn away from Him. He says in this chapter, "I know" everything they are doing, and "I know they will not" cease doing them nor will they return to God. They chose to not turn away from evil practices and chose not to seek the Lord and His mercy. Whether people like to admit it or not, does not change the fact that the wrong decisions and choices we make become a snare to those involved and the net that captures and holds them, it a net of their own making.
The people of Israel were led by civil and religious men who were corrupt themselves and encouraged the people in their sin. The leaders were able to profit from the sinfulness of the people who followed their wrong guidance. The people didn't really have a chance as long as they didn't think for themselves but listened and obeyed false prophets and priests. We have the option today of choosing our own leaders in this nation, but even those people can lead us away from God. The truths taught in the scriptures today are ignored and despised as too restrictive and judgmental. The majority of people are willing to reject the Bible and act on the permissive decisions of the courts that are contrary to the unchanging word of God. God holds us all responsible for our actions and will settle up our failing accounts in His own time and way. We cannot absolve ourselves from the evil choices we make or allow to influence us and our own actions.
Israel was like a harlot who left her husband when the nation turned to the gods of the idolaters. Ahaz even had an altar made like one he saw in Damascus and had it set up in the temple. Continuing to deliberately sin makes it very hard to repent. Continued disobedience sears the conscience and hardens the heart against that which inherently we know is right. If we allow sin to continue in our lives it soon takes full control and claims a person body, soul and spirit. It is imperative for one to move as far away as possible from sin and the practices that accompany sin.
When sin is allowed to reign in dominion over a people or a person, God will leave them alone. All the religious activity and benevolent works will be of no value to God when we take control of what we do simply because of our own choices. God withdrew from Israel because of their betrayal of the house of the Lord. He withdraws from people today who ignore the word of God and substitute their own ideas and opinions as the criteria by which church life is conducted. Many who claim to be believers are revealed as "strange children" when they want God's things done in their own way.
When the pressure from the north became too strong for them, Israel decided to take their sacrifices of flocks and herds to the Lord at the time of their own choosing and said, "We will" return to God in a vain attempt to escape the coming doom they could see on the horizon. But they found out that God was no longer available to them and in essence He said, "No. You won't find Me." He had knocked time and time again. His messengers had warned over and over of consequences that follow disobedience, but they determined to do their own thing in their own way and time. So, God finally left them alone.
Hosea gave warnings of coming judgment that would leave nothing behind but the rubble of war. He used the word "Assyrian" which some probably thought would be their help, but soon found out that the Assyrians would be the tool God allowed to be used in bring judgment. There are things that happen which are foreshadowing events of that which is going to come in force. A "day of rebuke" or a "day of reckoning" will come without question. It will happen and those who are like the criminals who move "boundary stones" will be found guilty. To ignore and seek to remove spiritual truths from the lives of God's people and the churches of this day, will not be overlooked as some simple act of convenience. The wrath of God will come on those who treat His word as if it has no consequence. That is making God out to be no more than a figment of mans' imagination.
The warning Hosea gave was that God would destroy Israel like a moth destroys a wool garment. The sap of Judah, the life- source, would be gone and rottenness would take the place of life like dry rot does in a dead tree. No great world power can help or cure the problem of apostasy. It claims life itself and leaves dead forms in the place where life once flourished. Instead of recovery, Israel and Judah would be defeated and devoured like a lion does its prey. No rescuers will be found to come to their aid. God will remove Himself from them until they finally admit their guilt and seek the Lord with earnest entreaty. That has not happened yet. Israel has not yet recovered from the consequences of their choices in the ancient past. They will remain in difficulty and trouble until they finally acknowledge their need of God.
Then Christ will be revealed to them as a nation of people who have barely survived the tribulation. The One they rejected for centuries will be acknowledged as their Messiah and King. It is well for us to learn the lesson, and consequences of ignoring our Lord and His word as if it is not the final word to which we must submit. All over the world people are putting man up and God down to where He is considered of no more authority that men. It is happening even in churches including those evangelical churches that consider what they do as of more importance than what God says.