Hosea 4 - Introduction

Israel Committed Spiritual Adultery -- Hosea Four --

Hosea four again deals with the theme of Israel turning to false gods. How sad it was when God said, "Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land." (Hosea 4:1) Israel had turned from the truth of Jehovah to the false gods of Baal, Molech and others. The people of Israel were very religious people. They were busy with their worship. Sadly they worshipped false gods at false altars.

Hosea wrote to warn Israel of the tragic result of their unfaithfulness to the one true and living God. Having left God their sins increased and they became more and more wicked. Their spiritual adultery was caused by a lack of knowledge of God and of His word. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." (Hosea 4:6) The religious ignorance of that day was first the fault of the priests and teachers. They had utterly neglected their duty as teachers of God's word. The second responsibility for the religious ignorance rested upon the people themselves. Spiritual ignorance among the people and corrupt priest lead Israel to spiritual ruin.

The children of Israel worshipped false gods and looked to them for leadership in life. God scattered Israel throughout the Assyrian Empire as a result of their spiritually sinful state. There they were exposed to injury and much violence. God said Ephraim is joined to idols. Ephraim is mentioned because it was the most influential of tribe in the Northern Kingdom. The priests, the rulers and the people would now face the consequences of their sins.