RTW 2023

Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel!The LORD has brought charges against you, saying:“There is no faithfulness, no kindness,no knowledge of God in your land.You make vows and break them;you kill and steal and commit adultery.There is violence everywhere—one murder after another.That is why your land is in mourning,and everyone is wasting away.Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky,and the fish of the sea are disappearing.“Don’t point your finger at someone elseand try to pass the blame!My complaint, you priests,is with you.So you will stumble in broad daylight,and your false prophets will fall with you in the night.And I will destroy Israel, your mother.My people are being destroyedbecause they don’t know me.Since you priests refuse to know me,I refuse to recognize you as my priests.Since you have forgotten the laws of your God,I will forget to bless your children.

Hosea 4:1-6

At that time I will plant a crop of Israelitesand raise them for myself.I will show loveto those I called ‘Not loved.’And to those I called ‘Not my people,’I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’”

Hosea 2:23

• The first verse begins with a command… an imperative.
• In the Septuagint, it is an aorist imperative in Greek: calls for a specific, definite, decisive choice; often expressing a note of urgency.
• The Lord has given a strong command to listen.
• God is making His case against faithless people.
• They are guilty.
• They have openly rejected the Word of God.
• “Lack of knowledge” doesn’t mean they don’t know, it means they don’t care.
• How do we listen?
• How do we approach the Word of God?
• Whenever the Bible speaks, God speaks.
• We need to remember that it is not enough to know about God.
• We need to know God
• 2 Corinthians 13:5
• Matthew 7:21-23
• In Hosea’s time, God’s own people were not faithful to God.
• In Hosea’s time, God’s own people were not loyal to God.
• In Hosea’s time, God’s own people did not know God.
• But they claimed His name.
• What about those that claim the name of Christ today?

‍

Listen!!!!