Title: The Long Wait/Hos 5:1-15
Content “Their deeds do not allow them to return to their God, because they have an adulterous heart in them, and they do not know the Lord” (5:4).
It has been proven that human beings are children of wrath by nature because they lack these three things: truth, mercy, and the knowledge of God.
Although God gave Israel the blessing of revealing Himself to Him, allowing them to fellowship with Him, and forging a deep relationship, the people of Israel have forsaken this wonderful opportunity and privilege.
In the end, the reality of the people of Israel who, like Gomer, left their husbands far and far, was heartbreaking.
1. God's Dissatisfaction Factor
“Because they do not know the Lord” (5:4b)
Humans have lost the knowledge of God because of the sin they harbored in them.
God is holy, but man is not holy, God knows everything, but man does not even know the fact that he is not holy. God can do everything he wants. Nothing.
God is merciful, but human beings have fallen short of divine mercy.
God has immutability, but humans are changeable beings.
However, human beings are not even aware of all these facts.
The main dissatisfaction with God was that Israel did not know God's attributes in the end.
‘Listen’ is a call to attention, ‘Aware’ is a call to attention again and again, and ‘Listen’ is a strong call to attention.
When God's Word calls attention to them and they repent and seek God's face, God will heal them and save them.
Aren't we ourselves who often leave God like Gomer?
If there is an audience watching our play, they will be sorry for why they are so naive and naive.
Just as the reality of Gomel leaving the arms of her husband, who can dominate her love, is so sad to others, we also need to check our current state to see if we are not far away from God today.
2. Toil in vain
“If they go to seek the Lord with flocks and herds, they will not find them, for he has already departed from them (5:6).
Israel sought God.
However, both the target and the method were wrong.
God knew all these facts.
God's omniscience can sometimes be a fear to those who are hiding something.
After doing some good deeds, man wants to be known by God or men.
But on the other hand, there are times when you don't want to be known.
Human beings are pitiful beings who want to be more hidden from God from the eyes of others.
But God knows everything, and no one can hide from Him.
God says that even if we lead the flock to seek God, this is not the way to seek God.
Because we have not cast away our sins, we cannot seek God.
You must know God to find God, but because you do not know God because of sin, you cannot find God.
People who change the glory of God into perishable people, golden beasts, scum, and idols (Romans 1:23) do not seek God under the guise of seeking God, but seek their own glory, find their own peace, and live their lives. Seeking safety is mistaken for seeking God.
No matter how hard we try, if God does not call us, if sins are not removed from us, we cannot return to God or seek God.
There is no conscience, no strength, no wisdom to find.
We are here today because of His mercy that does not quench a dying wick.
God's grace is infinite.
God's mercy knows no bounds.
3. False Religion
“Blow the trumpet in Gibeah, blow the whistle in Ramah, and wake up in Beth-Awen and cry out, I am after you, Benjamin” (5:8).
God was also aware of their false religion.
Even if they performed worship services and offered everything before God, they did not know the center of God's revelation.
They said they served God and worshiped God, saying they were satisfied with God, but in reality they depended on other allies politically.
This was their hypocrisy.
Israel also saw their sickness (5:13).
Often, sickness grows from within, and wounds come from the outside, but the “illness” Israel saw at the time refers to a state of political poverty.
They went to Assyria without relying on God.
You should not have a diagnosis of the disease.
There must be a history of repentance to turn to God.
“It will burn like fire” (Psalm 18:8), which means destruction.
“I will pour out like water” was the fuse that filled and overflowed his wrath.
Our prayer life, Bible reading life, worship behavior, and religious behavior are true before God, whether my spirit is in true fellowship with the living God, I say that I have been forgiven in the presence of God, but it really changes my life and changes my values. God knows if you are changing all your paths and changing the direction of your life.
Jesus is my strength and my life, we sing hymns, but are we not relying on others like Gomer as our strength?
Let's think carefully about whether we do not rely on Assyria like Israel does.
We must let go of what we depend on more than God.
4. God's Judgment
God appears and judges the traitors who betray God and those who leave Hananmi far away.
(1).Judge like a silverfish
“I am like a moth to Ephraim” (5:12a)
Silverfish do clutter.
In other translations, it is translated as ephemera.
A ephemera clutters and annoys in a harmless way.
A characteristic of silverfish is that it spoils and spoils clothes.
Discard valuable possessions.
God will mess up our lives and ruin things of value.
If you turn away from God, your mind will be confused.
Life keeps getting worse.
Our lives are marred, our consciences are torn, and our deeds are corrupted.
To those who have departed from God, God makes the soul, mind, and life common like silverfish.
Being dizzy and staggering while walking on the road, living with your eyes clearly open, but not having a sense of direction, shaking and swaying is an oath from God.
Just as a silverfish throws away valuable possessions, so that we don't realize the importance of prayer at the time we need to pray, don't take the important time to listen to the word as important, and don't take that great mission to evangelize as important Judgment from God.
You have to take a look yourself.
We must always strive to be in the grace of God.
(2).Lion-like judgment
“I am like a lion to Ephraim, and a young lion to the house of Judah” (5:14a).
He comes with greater pain and more fear than silverfish.
He is the most wild beast among animals and the youngest of the lions. Who will stand before him?
God comes with terrible power.
He will come and you will reap all the blessings.
(3).Judgment of Darkness
“I will wait until I return to my place and lay down my sins and seek my face” (5:15a).
Judgment like a silverfish is terrifying, but even more terrifying is the fact that God becomes indifferent.
Let's say God lets us do what we want.
Even if we are dragged into sin or fall into iniquity, there God is waiting for us to return, and He does not extend the hand of salvation any more.
This period is referred to as the period of darkness.
Darkness emboldens a person to fall into a dreadful sin.
The only way out of darkness into light is the way God stretches out His hand.
“God, why have you forsaken me?” This is the moment when Jesus was cursed.
It is a moment of darkness when the stars, the sun, and the moon lose their light when they are completely forsaken by God.
This is the moment God leaves.
Jesus took the darkness that we had to bear.
God has turned his face away from us and has turned the curse and chastisement that covers us on Jesus.
Those who have been rejected by God will fall into darkness and be abandoned.
We, who are trying to avoid sin by putting on the clothes of God's righteousness, have no hope of salvation before God unless we put on the clothes stained with the blood of Christ.
We cannot come before God unless God rescues us and returns our faces.
When we turn our heads, we are farthest from God.
Let us turn our heads to God. -Amen-