In the book of Hosea, Hosea shared how Jehovah God said to the nation of Israel, “let no man strive, nor reprove another: for your people are as they that strive with the priest. Therefore shall you fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with you in the night, and I will destroy your mother”, and in chapter four and verse six of Hosea, Hosea said, “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” where we read,
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge,
I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me:
seeing that you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
The verse begins, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, ...” Hosea began with the words, “my people are destroyed” or “my, Jehovah God's, human beings both male and female are caused to cease, undone and cut off” “for lack of knowledge” which means “because and on account of their absence of perception, skill, discernment, understanding and wisdom”: “because you have rejected knowledge” or “since and on account that you, the priests within the nation of Israel, have despised, refused and utterly disdain perception, skill, discernment, understanding and wisdom”. Hosea shared how Jehovah God told the people of Israel they were cut off and undone because of the absence of understanding and wisdom among them, and the reason was because their priests refused to receive it.
The verse goes on to say, “... I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me:” Hosea continued with the words, “I will also reject you” or “I, Jehovah God, shall even so and indeed refuse, despise and utterly disdain you, priests of the nation of Israel”, “that you shall be no priest to me” which means “so you, the priests within the nation of Israel, will exist as no longer as a minister and religious officiates”. Hosea shared how Jehovah God said He would refuse and disdain the “priests” within the nation of Israel, and they would no longer serve as His ministers to them.
Finally the verse says, “seeing that you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.” Hosea concluded this verse with the words, “seeing that” or “because and on account that” “you have forgotten” which means “you, the priests of the nation of Israel, have not remembered, ignored and ceased to care for” “the law of your God” or “the direction, instruction, custom and manner belonging to your, the nation of Israel's, Supreme Deity and True God”, “I will also forget your children” which means “I, Jehovah God, shall even so and indeed not remember, ignore and cease to care for your, the priests in the nation of Israel's, offspring and progeny”. Hosea ended this verse by Jehovah God affirming the priests of the nation of Israel ignorance and ceasing to care for His direction and instruction, and He told them He would also ignore and cease to care for the priest's offspring.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Hosea that the people within the nation of Israel were being put to ruin because they lacked in their “knowledge and understanding” of Jehovah God. Their “priests” had failed to be concerned over the people and God's direction for their lives, and God was not only going to allow judgment to fall upon the people of Israel, but also their “priests” and their offspring. This is not the way He wanted it to be, and He does not want the same for us today. God loves Israel, and He loves us. He wants us to be in a personal, intimate and knowledgeable relationship with Him through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. When we humble ourselves, repent of our sins and believe and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a “knowledge” of Him, His ways and the path He desires that we live both now and for all eternity.
Next time Hosea says, “as they were increased, so they sinned against me”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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