The cost of ignorance of God

In Hosea 4:2-3a the prophet describes a sad state of affairs. He details, "...there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefor the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish,..."

Who is the prophet describing here? It must be the foreign nations, correct? No, not at all. Hosea describes the nation of Israel - the people of God. These were the ones who had been chosen of all nations to be God's people. They were to enthrone Him as their God and would live under His blessed presence. So could this sad state of affairs come about>

I think the end of verse one gives a very imporant part of that answer. Hoses states, "There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;... Later in verse 6 Hosea affirms again, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children."

And how did this lack of knowledge come about? Wasn't this the nation that received special revelation from their God and were instructed to pass it on from generation to generation? Indeed this is the nation, but in time there was a failure to pass on the Word of God. The priests are especially indicted here in this passage. And when a people neglects the Word which is supposed to be their rule of life, another rule of life takes over. The rule of life is one's passions - one's desires, which Hosea says later further takes away understanding and according to verse 14 "leads to ruin".

The antidote for this is found in the verses we read from Psalm 119 (4th column). Over and over again the psalmist says "teach my your statutes" (vs. 124, 135), and "give me understanding" (vs. 125, 144). You get the sense that the psalmist is hungry for the Word. He wants to take it in because he knows how important it is. He knows according to verse 30 that "the unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple." He knows according to verse 133 that the Word will enable him to "let no iniquity get dominion over him." He knows that the Word is a source of delight and direction during those times of trouble and anguish in our lives.

Brother and sister, how important is the Word. To neglect it is to invite ruin in your life. To search for it like treasure is to provide oneself with all the treasures of understanding and wisdom for living.

May we all be diligent to read the Word, to meditate on its precepts, to by God's grace apply it to our living. For when we do so, then and only then will we be reallly living.