“Withdrawn Completely!” – FBC Morning Light (7/2/2024)

What a good Tuesday morning to you. Today in our Bible reading we're picking up again in the book of Hosea, reading chapters five through seven. And this book is a really, really a challenging book because it's confronting those who claim to be God's people, confronting them head on with their claim on one hand and the contradictory behavior on the other.

Spiritual Adultery in Hosea’s Prophecy

And specifically in Hosea's prophecy, what he's doing is he is confronting Israel and Judah as well to some extent, but primarily Israel, confronting those who claim to be God's people and confronting them with their spiritual adultery.

So on the one hand, they're still participating in some of the religious rituals that are required or prescribed in the Mosaic law for spiritual purposes, but they're engaging in them just for ritualistic purposes.

On the one hand, so they're doing that, but on the other hand, their primary spiritual focus is on pagan gods. And the Lord describes this kind of religion as spiritual adultery. And we see this very clearly in chapter five, when verse four, he says, they do not direct their deeds toward turning to their God, for the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, and they do not know the Lord.

They don't know Yahweh. So the indictment here is that their deeds are directed not toward turning to God, not toward repentance, but their deeds are the practicing of religious ceremonies and so on and so forth in worship of false gods, rather than in deeds of repentance, turning away from those false gods.

That would include, in a very practical way, in this time, it would involve tearing down the idols and the altars to the false gods and so forth, just eliminating those from the land, from their lives, from their homes, in every regard.

Those would be deeds that would be turning to the Lord, to the Lord God. So the point in chapter five is a very serious one, because what the Lord essentially says is that there comes a time in the spiritual adultery of those who claim to be his people, but really don't know him at all, when the Lord sends distress upon such people, and then they turn around and they call on God to deliver them from their distress, but to no avail.

They seek his deliverance, but they don't get it.

Why?

Because the Lord withdraws himself completely. You see this in verse six. In verse six it says, with their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him. Why are they going to take the flocks and the herds to go seek the Lord?

Because the Lord has sent such distress upon them that they think if they take and offer a bunch of sacrifices then God will be appeased and the distress will end, okay? But the Lord says they will not find him.

Why?

Because he has withdrawn himself from them. Nobody knows exactly what point in time this comes when a professed people of God, those who claim to put it in the New Testament context, those who claim to be Christians and yet are just consumed with spiritual adultery, we don't know what point it is where the Lord just withdraws himself completely, where he will not be appealed to.

He'll send distress, he'll send, you know, misery or whatever, but he will not be appealed to. So when you go on to chapter 6, chapter 6 then becomes an exhortation to the time that is now. Before that time comes, when the Lord completely withdraws himself, chapter 6 says, come let us return to the Lord for he has torn but he will heal us, he has stricken but he will bind us up.

Repent Now and Return to the Lord

Now while there is time, repent. After two days he will revive us and on the third day he will raise us up that we may live in his sight. Let us know, the prophet exhorts, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord, turning from the false gods, completely eradicating our lives of them, and turning wholly and completely to the one true God.

Let us come to know him. Let us pursue the knowledge of this God, the only God, the one whom we claim to follow. But our deeds reflect spiritual adultery. Now, before it comes to the point where the Lord withdraws himself and the only thing to experience is his chastening and his judgment, come let us return to the Lord.

Well, even as we exhorted yesterday, if we examine our own hearts and lives and we find that there are gods that we're holding on to, then now is the time to repent of that, get rid of them, and turn to the Lord, that he may revive us and let us pursue the knowledge of the one true God.

Prayer for Faithfulness and Renewal

Father, help us to do just that. Speak to us, open our eyes to see any way in which we are unfaithful to you, and may we repent of it and turn to you quickly. We pray in Jesus' name and for his sake.

Amen.

All right, well, listen, have a good rest of your Tuesday, and I trust the Lord will bless you in it and give you a good day.

God bless.