CHAPTER 9

1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor. 2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.

Hosea prophesies that Israel has come to an awful time in their history. It is a time when they have loved things more than God. Worldy affluence has corrupted their hearts, and they have become inefficient as messengers for God.

They have loved their idols more than God, and God accuses them of spiritual adultery! They have been giving the "first fruits" to idols instead of God!

What about the church of today? Are we not called the "bride" of Christ? Are we not "betrothed" to Him?

But is the church of today so worldly minded it is of little heavenly use? Many who are members of the church today are very "penny-pinching" when it comes to giving to the Lord. But they will spend their substance on things of the world quite willingly. Is this not spiritual adultery?

One cannot help but notice that the punishment for spending on things unholy is the perishing of those things! ((see verse 2)) The "corn" and the "wine" would FAIL! They would be without food and without joy!

3 They shall not dwell in the LORD's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria. 4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.

Because of their worldly lusts, they would be EJECTED from God's land! They would be captured by their enemies and forced to live in a foreign land.

Also, they would lose the opportunity to offer sacrifices to God in His house.

But, worse than all, God finds no "pleasure" in them! (see verse 4) The sin of idolatry had "separated" them from God (Isaiah 59:2), and He no longer took pleasure in being their Providor or Protector.

5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD? 6 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles. 7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.

When it comes time for the "feast of the LORD," instead of joy they will have sorrow! They will be removed from the land, and enslaved by foreign powers. The synagogues they had built would be covered with thorns and briars.

Why? Because "the days of visitation" were sent from God upon them. Those are days of "recompense" for evil works. They are days of God's judgment of punishment for gross sin.

Israel had forsaken God's will by not living in obedience to His Word. Is the church of today approaching the "falling away" of adherence to God's love and His Word? (See 2Thessalonians 2:3)

8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. 9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

Yes, some were faithful "watchmen." But the majority, even the prophets were corrupted by worldliness. The prophet who speaks as he is PAID to speak, is worse than the "snare of a fowler." He produces HATRED in the "house of his God!"

When preachers preach to please men, it is "deep" corruption indeed! And God will not long suffer such insolence. He will "visit their sins!"

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baal-peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.

When Israel first began, they were like "grapes in the wilderness." They were a sweet taste to God in a world full of sin and sinfulness. "BUT.." they turned to idol worship and corrupted the worship of God. They did things that were abominable to God simply to satisfy their worldly lusts.

My friends, the church of today is sadly following in the footsteps of Israel! There are more members of the church today who have "forsaken the assembly" (Hebrews 10:25) than there are faithful attenders!

Be careful to note that God says, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." 1 John 2:19

11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception. 12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them! 13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer. 14 Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

When God brought Eve to Adam, He told them to "be fruitful and multiply." God wants many children who love Him and are dedicated to Him.

Israel's "glory" had been their human productiveness. They were once producing children of faith in God.

But now they are producing children who are taught to worship idols! Therefore, God says He will give them "miscarrying womb(s) and dry breasts."

AMERICA LISTEN UP!!
Last year there were over 900,000 abortions in America! WHY? Because people worship their TIME and CONVENIENCE more than productiveness for God!

Over two MILLION couples in America desire to ADOPT children. Almost half of them could have children if so many weren't ABORTED!

My friends, worshipping the world and the things therof more than God leads to HIDEOUS SINS!!

15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters. 16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb. 17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

Because of their idol worship, which led to hideous sins, God was EVICTING them from the land! And God would reduce their population until they repented.

My friends, I cannot help but see the same fate awaiting America! This nation began as worshippers of God alone. Our very constitution is based upon the Word of God. We had our beginnings in the favor of God because of the people's worship of God.

But now, more money is spent on gambling than on food!
More money is spent on entertainment than education!

Shall this nation crumble because of greed and selfish lusts? If we continue in the same vein as now, shall not God "visit our sins?"

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.