Good day to you! God bless you! Welcome to the Shepherd’s Chapel. Welcome to this family bible study hour. Guess what? The book of Hosea meaning “salvation” written to the 10 northern tribes with God telling Hosea, whose name means salvation, and in that name we ultimately see the analogy, the whole family used as an analogy, as to what would happen to the 10 tribes, as God had said to Hosea to “Go marry a harlot.” And naturally, the harlot was the 10 tribes that had turned to other gods instead of our Father, from the time of Jeroboam, the king of Israel. As we learned, he had created two golden calves and placed them in the temple and said to go worship them and that they didn't have to make the trip to Jerusalem. And naturally as he would put golden calves there, that would let you know where Jeroboam’s mind was. He was king of Israel, but not the last, but almost as far as most people are concerned. And then God scattered them. Why? Because they were a bunch of idolaters. So God uses the terminology of “harlotry” as a spiritual substitute or analogy if you would, for idolatry. And the fact being, as in the last lecture, as to how short the so-called preachers were on the knowledge of God. Because in the 6th verse of the 4th chapter, He stated, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” meaning they’re deceived and they’re cut off. God doesn’t like it. He wrote a letter to each of us, a personal letter to you concerning His overall plan and how it’s going to come to pass. And quite frankly He expects you to read it because from Him all knowledge and all wisdom comes. I don’t know, how are you fixed? I’m sure you can answer that for yourself and that’s all that’s necessary. But there’s no reason if you’re short to stay that way, for you can always read His Word and ask for a Word of wisdom in the name of Yeshua and get into the scriptures just like we’re going to do right now.
Chapter 4, verse 7, we begin today and it reads:
Hosea 4:7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me:
In other words they increased and had good times. And as times got good, then sin grew basically.
[therefore] will I change their glory into shame.
Now this has been changed and scholars have admitted it. In the ancient manuscripts you’ll note that, and even in the King James Bible it notates that “therefore” has been added. So let me read it as it was originally intended. It should read "as they were increased into good times", so to speak. So God's saying "they sinned against me changing MY glory into shame". Now, why had they changed it? They felt it was sacrilegious to say that God’s glory was changed into shame. But God wasn’t shamed it was His people that were shamed. Verse 8:
Hosea 4:8 They eat up the sin
He’s talking about the priests now, the bad priests. Really, "spurious" would be a better word because spurious means Mamzar in the Hebrew, and children of Harlotry; that’s what they are, these spurious priests:
They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
In other words the sin offering that is given is what it’s talking about here and the priests eat it up. They love it. So they encourage people in that way, in the wrong way. Why? Mainly because they have a lack of knowledge. Let the good times roll. That’s what it means by they were increased. And unfortunately their sins increased as well. Verse 9:
Hosea 4:9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
In other words they all have the same fate coming. And the reason why they cease to be a priests is because they take on so many traditions that they are no longer actually a teaching of God’s Word but rather are just some one-verse-Charlie or revolving-rev. And unfortunately God doesn’t like that. Now that’s with the exception of evangelism which claims not to be teachers and so-forth. Verse 10:
Hosea 4:10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.
Why? For they say, “You don’t have to understand the Book of Revelation. You don’t have to pay attention to what God wrote. You’re going to be gone!” What ignorance! You talk about ignorance being bliss but it isn’t! That’s a disgrace and a shame when so-called men of the cloth would make such stupid statements. And I’m telling it just exactly the way it is. Our Father did not write or cause to be written the Book of Revelation because He didn’t have something else to do. It’s for those that love Him and in this letter that He has written to us we can understand His overall plan of salvation which is the name of the very book we are studying, Hosea. Verse 11:
Hosea 4:11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
Now the heart should be translated brain or mind. What it’s saying is, for a mind that is right thinking or a mind that thinks in a way that God can bless it. And it’s certainly traditions of men and idolatry that takes away any part of a brain they had left. It’s real interesting how some get upset, and it’s good for them, hey, it’s good for you to get upset if you’re out of the will of God. You’ll heal real good and maybe much stronger for it. Verse 12:
Hosea 4:12 My people ask counsel at their stocks,
Do you know what this means? It means they whittle themselves out a little idol, and it may even be a building, and they ask council there rather than the Word of God.
and their staff declareth unto them:
In other words that which they bow to.
for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
It is really a sad situation in a high-tech generation such as we have now, where people… I mean in such a time of a high explosion of knowledge in the world, and I’m thinking of the satellites that we put in orbit, the space shuttle, a man on the moon... I think of many things, and high-tech as far as computers and high-technology is concerned. Yet as we drift further and further away from God’s plan and theology, so many are biblically illiterate. They have no conception of what it is that God wants. And then you get a few little squeaky ones that get saved, and that’s it! No further venture into learning! Now salvation is a beautiful thing but it’s only the first step. It’s baby milk. Granted, gotten and bought at an awesome price, and thank God for it, but that intuitively is yours. From there you have to earn your way. That is to say you need to study God’s Word whereby you’re not ignorant of the Word or else you lose your mind and you forget who you are and forget who you’re serving. That’s why He likens whoring if you would, to idolatry. Verse 13:
Hosea 4:13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills,
(Said sarcastically) Oh, that’s so religious!
under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof [is] good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
In other words they go out into the dessert and pick these trees because they produce the heaviest shade, meaning the coolest place to set up business. He’s kind of giving you family life here, if you would, in regard to biblical illiteracy. And some say, “Well that’s talking about the wives and daughters.” Well stick around a minute and don’t drift too far away. Verse 14:
Hosea 4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves
That means the men, alright?
are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots:
This word sacrifice is means with the temple girls, alright?
therefore the people [that] doth not understand shall fall.
Fall into what? Deception and false leadership. The word "harlots", as it is used here, is so that you know it’s not just talking about a streetwalker or some person of that nature, which is far more serious with the men then it is with the women. Why? I’m talking about it as in the instance it is used here. This word qedêshâh is from qâdêsh and followed to its prime means 'holy":
H6948
קדשׁה
qedêshâh
ked-ay-shaw'
Feminine of H6945; a female devotee (that is, prostitute): - harlot, whore.
H6945
קדשׁ
qâdêsh
kaw-dashe'
From H6942; a (quasi) sacred person, that is, (technically) a (male) devotee (by prostitution) to licentious idolatry: - sodomite, unclean.
H6942
קדשׁ
qâdash
kaw-dash'
A primitive root; to be (causatively make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally): - appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy (-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify (-ied one, self), X wholly.
And this word Harlot here is one of the rare times that it is used in the sense that holy or qâdêsh, which is to say a temple harlot. Not just a harlot but a temple harlot! Now in the guise of religion, what is God saying here? He’s saying that the idolatry has moved inside the so-called House of God. Why? Because of false teachings and biblical illiteracy, falling again back to verse 6 where it says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge". Because if you just pack in your little old so-called church with sayings of men rather than God, what do you have? Now there are a lot of good churches in this nation and if you have a good bible-teaching church teaching chapter-by-chapter and verse-by-verse in your community, you’re fortunate indeed, and you support it! But if you have a house that is packed full of traditions of men and they never quite get around to teaching or preaching God’s Word, then you’re lacking a pastor, unfortunately. A good pastor? That’s no problem! Just search till you find one.
But here we see that our Father uses such graphic language and descriptive pictures in this analogy to show His emotions regarding false teachings within His church. It goes back to His anger in Ezekiel chapter 13 if you would, whereby He stated woe to those daughters that sewed pillows to cover, in the Hebrew, His outstretched arms of salvation, which again is the meaning of Hosea, whereby the layperson can not teach them to fly to save their souls. He says, I dislike it and I'm against it! Then they pray when they believe in this fly away act and wonder why God doesn’t bless them. All you got to do is read Ezekiel chapter 13 and you’ll understand why. Verse 15:
Hosea 4:15 Though thou, Israel,
Now this doesn’t have anything to do with Judah here as they are still separated.
play the harlot, [yet] let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
Interesting thing here; this is not the Gilgal to the south, it’s to the north. It’s the place where the old prophet’s schools used to be but they were turned into houses of idolatry and that’s why there’s a play upon it. And of course, certainly not Bethel but Bethaven. Do you know what “aven” means? It means nada, zero, nothing. A house of naught. You know something? You can put any kind of shingle that you want to out on the front of your building and if God’s Word isn’t taught there chapter-by-chapter and verse-by-verse, this letter sent to the people for their protection, for their gain of wisdom and knowledge from God not the world, then what do you have except a bethaven, meaning a house of nothing? A house of naught, cause that’s all you’re really going to get there, nothing. And some say, “Oh but they make you feel so good! They get in the spirit!” Well what spirit if God’s Word isn’t taught there? (said with sarcasm) Well they do teach one verse to set up the stage so that the preacher can tell them about Aunt Henry or whatever. You know, so they can get around to it. I’m mean very seriously, do you think that God is happy with that? Now I don’t like to criticize, but a House of God is for one purpose and that is to teach God’s Word. I’m sure He loves Aunt Henry; Henrietta that is… I don’t know about aunt Henry, but Henrietta, He does. And I’m quite sure He’s happy with her. But you can learn about her at a family social, not in the House of God. And people wonder why they’re not blessed. People wonder why God doesn’t bless their little old church. Well I don’t know. It’s His church not yours. It’s His house. Teach His Word there. Make God happy and you’ll receive blessings. Verse 16:
Hosea 4:16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place
I just love it when God uses these natural things that we can are around everyday and we see. Do you know what a backsliding heifer is? That is a heifer that will absolutely not line up to the yoke and will have no part with it. It kicks, is disobedient, jumps fences... I mean whatever she’s supposed to do she’s doing just the opposite. In other words she can not be broken to the yoke. And if you can not accept the yoke of God’s commandments when Christ makes that yoke so light... Hmm. You know a yoke really makes a load easier to carry because the yoke keeps a rope or cord from cutting the neck of the animal. And when you have Christ between you and the burdens of the world, certainly it makes them a lot easier to bear.
But I really wanted you to see why the word backsliding heifer is used here because you’ll run across people that are exactly the same way. There is not a way in the world that you could ever get a wild ass to settle down and listen to God’s word when there are things in the world that are more entertaining to them. They certainly feel at home in a house of nothing, a bethaven, because as quick as they can drop a dime in the collection plate which goes by what, Four or five times? Well they’re out of there anyway. You know, they make a little impression in the community and that's it. That’s what this is talking about here. They slide back like a backsliding heifer. You couldn’t get anything out of them if you tried as far as work for our Father in concerned. And if you’ve ever been around livestock you know the type. Back in my ranching and farming days if I picked up one like this, she lasted one day; the day I got her and the day she went back to the sale barn. Okay, she was out of there! Life is too short to put up with trouble makers. Okay, let’s take the last half of this.
now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place
Now that says so much if you understand the situation. Compared to a little human baby, do you know what the most defenseless thing in the world is? A little baby lamb. A little old lamb has no defense what-so-ever other than her shepherd. So what God's says is, "I’m going to put them way out in a wide open place". That means somewhere without any protection what-so-ever in the world. And quite frankly, that is what would happen to the 10 tribes. He just, (kiss goodbye sound), they’re gone! They didn’t have God's name anymore because they had turned to idolatry basically, and traditions. But throughout history they have always loved to play church, and then call it church! And even many times call themselves Christians. But why do they find so many excuses to not teach God’s Word chapter-by-chapter and verse-by-verse whereby they can hear the words of God, the advice of God, and the wisdom of God? Do you know why He puts them out and what is fed to lambs? Milk. In other words all they're ever going to get is a snip of milk in a wide open place; for there is no protection for the lamb. The wolves can nibble on them anytime they choose. I don’t know, how are you doing friend? Think about it. I hope you’re well informed in our Father’s Word whereby you have a working knowledge of God’s plan whereby you can be useful to Him rather than to be aligned with one of these bethavens, houses of naught. Verse 17:
Hosea 4:17 Ephraim
Now Ephraim was the largest of the 10 tribes and many times his name is utilized to represent those 10 tribes.
Ephraim [is] joined to idols:
Do you know what the term “joined” is here? It’s “wed” or “mated”
let him alone.
Or let “her” alone. Do you know what it really is in the Hebrew? It kind of loses it in the English as to “joined to idols let him alone”, it means “he can’t leave them alone”, he can’t do without them. And here again somebody’s going to say, “Well thank God we don’t have any idols today”. I’m sorry my friends. Many people make idols out of businesses, cars, hobbies, habits… anything you place before God is an idol to you. Now God expects all Christians to have a good time and to enjoy themselves but if you let it take you over for what little time you’re supposed to set aside, and all people have varying appetites for this. Some people can study 5 minutes and I’m sorry, but their little old brain just can’t handle it anymore than that and they have got to quit. But some people can study for hours and their brains handle it quite well. You know, they have a different appetite. But anytime you let something of the world take the place of studying God’s Word or at least listening to God’s Word being taught in your life, then you’re an idol worshiper because you’ve allowed something to take His place. But again, I guess with children of harlotry, that’s the way it goes. I don’t know. Verse 18:
Hosea 4:18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers [with] shame do love, Give ye.
Now I really like that. To the priest and the people, their sacrifices are of contempt because of the traditions they allow to wiggle in. You know, like Ishtar eggs and quick like a bunny, and it’s so religious, so perfect you know? And why would this “Give ye” be in here? Well that’s the main message, "Give me, empty your pockets." For what? You should tithe where you’re taught God’s Word, not man’s tricks. Okay? So that’s “Give ye the sacrifices for the whoredoms and the traditions of men that we can spew out upon you." And is it sour? I would say so! It’s gone! They’re gone! It is so appealing when you hear God’s real truth and to know that he loves us and the He doesn’t want us messing around in places like this but rather to serve Him. I mean, just cut away all the showmanship and falsehoods and study God’s Word. Verse 19:
Hosea 4:19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
The wind has bound her up in her skirts is what it says. What this implies is… Well what is it when you’re bound up in your skirts? Well the wind has twisted it around and you can’t take a step and you can’t move. And it’s talking about the whole nation here even though they don’t know who they are. Now God didn’t lose them, but they lost themselves in their idolatry and they can’t move ahead because of it. And what is this wind? It’s the spirit of their whoredoms caught up in traditions. And you know, it’s so tempting for a pastor to allow someone else to write a sermon for him. (said with sarcasm) I mean he’s such a busy person anyway, and that's true, but it’s easy to have someone else do the service for him rather actually getting into the ancient languages. I mean after all that takes a whole lot of work to have to dig in and see what thus sayeth the Lord. I mean, just read a little old thing to them and let them go on their merry way. Let me tell you something God doesn’t like that. And if you ever expect to be blessed don’t think that God doesn’t know your mind. He knows what you’re thinking. You can’t con Him. Now am I saying that all preachers do that? No, I didn’t say that at all. I said some, and they’re not really preacher – teachers, they’re one-act copycats. Now there’s nothing wrong with using truth that is passed on from a fellow servant. I want to say that. But at least do your own homework to make sure that the person that accomplished the writings or teachings did it correctly from the manuscripts and especially if you’re a teacher so that you know that you’re teaching God’s Word. Oh how God hates idolatry or play-actors. He really does.
So back again, He made the statement back in the 6th verse “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because they have rejected knowledge I will also reject thee that thou shall be no priest seeing that thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children”. And that’s to say your lay-persons. Forgot God. Just like that old heifer that won’t get under the yoke and do God’s bidding. They’ve got to do it some other way. They jump the fence and get over in the grove and chase the neighbors bull a while. Chapter 5, verse 1… I like the way God teaches. Don’t you? Verse 1:
Hosea 5:1 Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel;
This is the 10 tribes.
and give ye ear, O house of the king;
Do you see a capitol “K” on that? That’s not the "King of Kings".
for judgment [is] toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
Tabor means the mound or the top. Think of Mount Zion, though this is the name of one particular mound or top, but it means the top of the hill. And “a net” meaning you’ve twisted and set a trap for everybody that comes along trying to learn the truth. And what is “Mizpah”? It’s supposed to be “watchtower” where a priest or a watchman looks out for events and things to transpire that are written in God’s Word. God’s not happy about that. He set watchmen to warn the people according to His words and the signs that He would cause to come to pass where a person would know the events of the times. Verse 2:
Hosea 5:2 And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I [have been] a rebuker of them all.
In other words victims to the death, that’s what it means. To make slaughter over-and-over. And when it says “Though I’ve been a rebuker”, that means one of correction to them all. And when you take the revolter… who are the revolters? Well we could throw in and add a lot into that. It’s the old backsliding heifer against God’s right way to do it. They say, “We could surely find a better way to do it, to draw people into the Lord’s work. Let’s see what we can devise. Maybe we can right away have one of these fund raiser specialists to come into our church” , when all you’ve got to do is feed the sheep and they’ll come to the troff. But you’ve got to feed them with God’s Word in a safe place. That means when God’s Word is taught in a place, it is automatically safe, because God is there. Verse 3:
Hosea 5:3 I know Ephraim,
Again, the largest of the 10…
and Israel is not hid from me:
Hey, a lot of people call them "the 10 lost tribes" but God didn’t lose them, they lost themselves.
for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, [and] Israel is defiled.
It’s like, “I know exactly where you are and you’re defiled, you’ve turned away from truth…” And you know when you take the migrations of those tribes after the captivity the Assyrian, and you follow some of the things they were involved in, it was awesome. And it really was. This may sound hard and it may sound graphic to some, but not nearly as graphic as some of the things they got involved with. Verse 4:
Hosea 5:4 They will not frame their doings
They’re not going to fashion their doings
to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms [is] in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD.
They don’t understand the Lord. You know, many people will say, “Well I don’t feel close to Him. I’ve attended church all my life and I really don’t feel close to God.” Well have you ever just taken His Word and to understand it the way that He has spoken it to the writer in this case Hosea, salvation? This is the way you attain your salvation and not by following false teachings and not by being deceived whereby you will ultimately worship antichrist, and you’re going to find that in this chapter. That’s what this chapter is about is apostates. It’s looking forward to the great apostasy of the End Times. How are you fixed for it friend? I don’t know, don’t know at all, but there is one thing you can run on a full tank all of the time. By that I mean as far as moving ahead in God’s truth and that’s by staying in His Word and not listen to the traditions of men. God’s Word is written in a very simple way whereby a child can understand it. Anytime a man makes it too complicated for you to understand then you’re wasting your time because true wisdom is to take that that is difficult for some and simplify it whereby anyone can understand it if they choose to seek. Seek what? Seek the truth. Seek the knowledge from the Lord. That was His purpose in sending this Word to you. And I know there would be some that would say, “Well shoot, some of the words used in this book are just… I don’t know if we can use those words in our church.” Well then your church is just too sweet for God so just shove-off son! God is not ashamed of His Word and nor will I ever apologize for the Word of God. Again, it’s written in a language whereby you can understand His emotions. He’s jealous and He’s showing you how he feels when His bride-to-be plays the harlot. He’s not happy. And he writes in this method whereby you could understand, were it your mate or friend doing this to you, it doesn’t feel good. Love is a wonderful thing. Love joins people to their Father and He returns that love I such a strong way but it can’t help blessing your life and even making you a blessing to others. Why people can not enjoy that wonderful, bright, warm sensation of the presence of God and His Word, perfectly written, confuses some in translations but perfectly written whereby you can feed the flock with the richest best health food, spiritually speaking, that there is in the world. Why they would want traditions of men or con-artists to come in beyond me. Study God’s Word and teach God’s Word and receive God’s blessings. Otherwise I’m afraid you might be attending a Bethaven. Think about it. Alright bless your hearts. You listen a moment won’t you please.