HOSEA'S WARNING by Brooks Alden

Have you ever heard that expression, "It will come back to haunt you?" I'm sure that there is invariably a payback for our transgressions, whether that payback is a financial reversal, a loss of health, of career, a family setback or what have you. The Bible refers to it as "reaping what you sow". Perhaps the chastisement will not appear the same day, or even the same year, but it will come surely as summer follows spring. And it seems that the greater student of Scripture one becomes, the quicker the chastisement follows the transgression.

Yet, so it is with the western Israel nations. Chastisement is the penalty for traveling the wrong path. We should know better because the Bible tells us so, in many different places. Let's look at just one example. Around 780 BC, the northern House of Israel was warned through the prophet Hosea that their wicked behavior would not be tolerated by God Almighty. I believe this holds true for the Israel nations today, that that prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes. Of course, most today will dismiss such a notion and will hold to the dogma that it was fulfilled long ago, end of story. Still, I don't believe the story was inserted into the Bible by God to serve only as a history lesson. I believe what was prophesied for the northern House of Israel at that time is prophesied for True Israel today, particularly the Anglo-Saxon nations. If you review Hosea 4, you can easily compare True Israel today to the nation in Hosea's time.

Through Hosea, God began by addressing the 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. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood." This is a sad description of what is going on in our Israel nations today. Think of this! The people at large have not kept His Covenant, violence rules the land and killings are everyday events, including the millions of aborted babies. We have reached the point of which the prophet Ezekiel wrote, "the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence" (7:23).

In no uncertain terms, God made it clear that the people are no better than their priests who, because they would not hold fast to the truth, they would stumble about, as in darkness, that is, they will not be able to see the truth. Our theologians today are stumbling; very few indeed really understand God's Word and are preaching false doctrine, based on what is generally perceived as right, a new reality of doctrine that doesn't offend. This includes a growing new definition of Jesus Christ, fashioned to blend with other religions and it is shocking how those who claim to be Christian so easily adopt this new reality [for the sake of getting along and not stepping on any toes]. It is, as Jeremiah 5:31 tells us, "The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it to . . . " [so sad!]

"And my people love to have it so!" Why wouldn't they, they believe what is being taught, that the Law has been done away with. Besides, there is no jeopardy in the mostly milk-toast sermons and those who attend conventional churches can always get a little "rock band" or other type of entertainment, and not come away with any real thought of God's chastisement. And so, as Hosea 4:6 so clearly states, "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge." Anyone who doubts this has only to look at the decline of greatness and the wealth of the western nations over the past fifty years. Our nations simply do not know God anymore and the internal rot has resulted in the rejection of His Ways. Today our leaders make frequent pilgrimages to other powerful non-Christian nations, our hands wide open begging and our pride brings us down even further.

And what is God saying?! He makes it clear in Hosea 4:6, "because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of God, I will also forget thy children". Reading the balance of chapter four and then chapter five, it is a frightening reminder of what going "a whoring" did to Hosea. 5:15 makes God's intentions very clear, "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early." This passage is powerful, for it is a double witness to 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Still, God has good news for us. Obviously something is going to take place to wake us up, maybe it is some huge calamity that will get us to our knees. Perhaps a calamity so great that the curses of Deuteronomy 28 will come clear to us and we will no longer be able to bear them. A calamity so great that the prophecy of Ezekiel 34:27 will come to pass, " . . . and they shall be safe in their own land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them."

A simple formula, "turn back to God and He will save us." It will happen just as Hosea 6:1-2 prophesies, as we proclaim, "Come, and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he has smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight" [a year is as a thousand to the Lord and vice versa; it's been 2000 years since Christ, so the "third day" should be anytime now].

We should remind ourselves that we are now living in the third day, so, our rescue will soon arrive. The calamity that is coming that will drive our nation to its knees should not be looked upon in fear. It is like the woman in travail, the pain and discomfort will quickly give way to great joy. We will then know the full impact of that part of the Lord's Prayer, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as in heaven."

Written by Brooks Alden of the Association of the Covenant People
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"O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? And thy judges of who thou saith, Give me a king and princes."
--Hosea 13:9-10

"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is within men, and He will dwell in them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God."
--Revelation 21:3