"I Have Seen A Horrible Thing. . ."

07-12-02

The more familiar I become with the Bible, the more I am amazed at how timeless it is. The messages which were given 2000 to 3000 years ago are still relevant and applicable today. This timelessness is one the evidences of God’s hand in the writing of the Bible.

Once such timeless treasure which I came across recently is the prophet Hosea’s proclamation against the ten northern tribes of Israel in the eight century B.C. In His message, the Lord through Hosea brings a charge against Israel. He said, "There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land. By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed. Therefore the land will mourn; And everyone who dwells there will waste away. . ." (Hosea 4:1-3 NKJV). Israel’s spirituality and morality had declined to the point where they had placed idols before God, oppressed the poor, given themselves over to materialism, were ignorant of God and His commands, and had given themselves over to sexual immorality. God said, "I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: There is the harlotry of Ephraim; Israel is defiled" (Hosea 6:10). God goes on to tell them, "The days of punishment have come; The days of recompense have come" (Hosea 9:7). If you are familiar with the history of Israel, you know that eventually the Northern kingdom was defeated and it’s people taken captive by the Assyrians, and they were never to be a kingdom again.

It is fascinating how many of the things Hosea preached against are characteristic of our society today. In our nation, it is amazing how many people, for the most part, are ignorant of what is in the Bible. Our society, as a whole, places modern idols before God. "Fame," "Recreation," and "Money" are the new idols which people bow their knees to. We read of corporate leaders who, out of greed, destroy the dreams of those in their employ. We have watched a former President blatantly lie to the American people who entrusted him to lead them. We have learned that one of our judges has declared the words "one nation, under God," as used in our Pledge of Allegiance, unconstitutional. We are barraged with horrific reports of perverts abusing and murdering children – even by some religious leaders. We need to ask ourselves: could Israel have been any worse than this? Could God say of our nation what He said of Israel, we are a "cake unturned" (Hosea 7:8). In other words, burnt on one side and raw on the other, fit for nothing. It is a frightening thought. If our nation continues on this pathway of ungodliness, will God eventually punish us as He punished Israel? Time will tell.

There are great lessons to be learn from the Bible - lessons which are pertinent for us today. Wisdom and prudence dictate that we learn these lessons before it becomes to late. As Hosea proclaimed, "Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them" (Hosea 14:9 NKJV).