Sermon Review Hosea 4:10-19

Good evening. This is truth and love. We get through the love from Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15. Paul says. But speaking the truth and love we are to grow up in all aspects into him who is the head even Christ.

So that's what we want to do in in all aspects of our life. We want to speak truth. We want to speak truth and love and we want to grow up in everything in the Christ. To honor him and to please him for what he for what he did for us and who he is.

Because he's he's worthy of our praise. He's worthy of our lives. Thank you for joining us. If we can pray for you, we'd love to be able to be able to do that. We'll pray at the end. All you have to do is comment me.

You don't have to tell us what's going on. Hey DLT. Hope you're doing well. You don't have to tell us what's going on if if we can pray for you. Sorry, we're good now. I think okay. Fantastic. You got a love feedback.

You got a love technology. Nancy, hope you're doing well. Deontay. Hope you're doing well. Let us know if we can pray for you. If you would if you so desire. We'd love for you to hit the love button share and subscribe.

Or or comment we want to work together to share Jesus with as many people as we can tonight. I'm so pleased to have Jonathan Foster with me and I'm gonna let him introduce hisself. He was he was with us as part of the question-and-answer panel.

If you've not had a chance to watch that video It I think it would be encouraging to you to to listen to what the the men on that panel Had to say how they answer the questions. It would be very encouraging.

And Jonathan was with us during the question-and-answer panel, but I'm gonna let him introduce himself to you who he is. Where he is a pastor and how you can get in touch with with that church.

My name is Jonathan Foster. I've been in full-time ministry now for 21 years and And then I tell people that I was in ministry nine months before I was born. My father was a Southern Baptist pastor and So been raised in ministry all my life and kind of pulled a little bit of a Jonah one time Robert God called me to ministry and said I don't want no part of that and so I went as far as away as I could go to Raleigh, North Carolina.

Then God called me back and I surrendered to ministry during that time and So I'm thankful for God's grace and pursuit. And then about nine years ago. We planted to church Called vertical church and then we connected with another church called gospel life and we merged our churches together so we come up with a vertical life church and that's right there in downtown Newton, North Carolina and Currently, I am the lead pastor there we You can get in touch with us through vertical life NC dot church or on Facebook.

And it's 111 Wednesday Street right downtown Newton. We actually meet in an old city schools building years ago. It was an old elementary school. So it's not some big fancy building and we like to say that we're very very serious about the gospel and Gospel centeredness we were passionate about loving our community and loving our neighbors.

Well. But it's also a a come-as-you-are church we a lot of people that we come in contact with say well, what do I have to wear and I Just think it's such a tragedy that that's a lot of times the first question that people ask about church and so so you could come pretty casual and Most people do but if you want to wear a tie, that's fine, too.

Nobody looks weird. Also, we have people that come in jeans and t-shirt. Nobody looks weird either. So that's one of the people right where they're at. So that's where our heart and so again, we're serious about the gospel passionate about the Word of God and Just thank you for the opportunity to share tonight.

I really appreciate it.

I'm really thankful that you had the opportunity to share with me and share with others on this video. You and vertical life are also a part of something else going on. That's pretty exciting. Can you tell us about impact NC?

Yeah, so where impact started.

We're still a part of Baptist life, even though a lot of people say well, you guys don't look like a Baptist Church. Well, I don't know what a Baptist Church is supposed to look like but I do like the cooperation and the fellowship that we have and.

So the North Carolina Baptist did a study all the way across the state of North Carolina and They identified pockets of lostness and actually categorized them. And so that in every city across the state our city Was pocket 60 and pocket 82.

So in other words the the 60th most lost place out of I think it was 300 Cities that they did stuff that did searches in we were pocket 60 and pocket 82. So we're two of the most top 100 lost places in the state of North Carolina or in our city.

That means that 67 of the people in our city are what we would consider non interested or unreached. People they're either unchurched or dechurched. Whatever has happened most people in our area probably have some kind of exposure to church or know people who are involved with the gospel work, but but still will consider themselves unbelievers or uninterested or something that it's not needed, so so we begin to target that we take that as.

As a reproach on the mission that we we have failed in and we want to pick that up. So we begin to gather churches together and mobilize churches. To to invert that number we we want to see 70 of our city following Christ and 100 as far as that goes, but a minimal goal is to invert that and.

So so we've got about five or six churches that have really bought in. And as we're doing that our goal now, and we launched it just a couple weeks ago. Is that every man woman and child in our entire city would have an opportunity to respond to the gospel?

That's a pretty big undertaking because it's a pretty densely populated area. We're talking several thousand People that we're trying to get the gospel to and so so please pray with us about that. And how we're strategically doing that it's pretty old-school.

We're we're boots on the ground. I think a lot of times are. In modern-day churches our invitation is come and see come and see what the church is doing but man, it's really clear that that Jesus said go and tell go into all the world and.

That starts right here in our next-door neighbor, you know, and so so we're literally knocking on doors there's other groups of people that knock on doors and and Sometimes you get accused of being something else other than you are.

But what we do is when we knock on that door. We we introduce who we are and we introduce why we're there. And we are there to authentically love our community to pray with people we ask people two questions if God was to Authentically do something in this community and you could ask him for whatever you wanted to.

What would that be? And then second of all if God could do something for you and you could ask him anything that you wanted to ask him. Something for you personally, what would that be? And what we find is when we approach it that way that it's not like a sales pitch.

It's not like some kind of Crazy, you know just formula that we're trying to do people into praying a prayer or any of those kind of things. But it really is learning people's names. Knowing what they're going through and deeply seriously praying and then believing That God will answer those prayers then as God affirms the gospel with the answer and a prayer and shows his Truth and shows his love with people hence the name of the broadcast, by the way, I decided to throw that in there for you Robert.

It's the the truth and the love that comes from that. Then people will believe and I believe God has prepared the way for that as to do that. So So it's very exciting. Very exciting. It just just two weeks ago as we were doing the introduction.

We were breaking up into teams. We only had 45 minutes to to go and and to talk with people and in that 45 minutes. We made several really good deep authentic contacts and Then as a result To our knowledge that we're following up with every person.

But but one person sent us a message after we left and said they want to choose to follow Christ. We're already following up with that person's that's just 45 minutes work. One one person has already Responded and said hey, I want to follow Jesus.

And so we've already got people going back to that house and talking with that family and who knows. So so guys if you're watching this if you're a pastor man, don't be afraid to get with other pastors.

We need to stop fishing out of the same pond if you will and try to just keep swap. Man, there's lostness in our cities and we need to go after that because Jesus has put us there to do that so it's one of the most exciting things that that.

That I've been a part of in a long time and I'm really really passionate about it and glad to see it happening.

Yeah, I want to say hey to Sean say hey to Johnny and say hey to Jason. Those questions that you were asking those introductory questions that you were asking they seem to Open up the door for prayer for that person and they open up the door for conversation with that person.

Absolutely.

Yeah, they don't reveal their you'll you'll get a sense really quick to. You know where they're at, you know, and and what's cool about it. People are so afraid that somebody's gonna slam the door in your face or feeling rejected.

I have yet to have anybody say no, you're not allowed to pray for me. No, it may happen. But a majority of the people are like you mean you don't want something from me you mean you don't want no we're here to bless you and we're here to to tell you the good news of Jesus and that.

That really opens a great door. Yeah, and and it's not just vertical Apologize if you brought this in on the introduction, but it's not just vertical vertical life churches. Joining and combining with other churches to do this work together.

And I wanted to I'm also a part of it and I'm thankful to be a part of it and I wanted to make this comment to and I Hope it's not out of the way. Hope it's okay, Jonathan, but uh and I think I may have even heard this comment that um.

For so many years now in Baptist life. I grew up that Baptist. I've always been a Baptist. But Everything seems to be about money and You can buy a sermon in a box. You can buy a program in a box. You can buy evangelism in a box.

There's so many evangelism tools and evangelism programs. The thing about this is this is not a program this is biblical Christianity and I would say that myself or Jonathan would be glad if you are interested in Encouragement In what you're doing in your community.

I'm sure Jonathan and myself or Anybody else in involved with this impact NC will be glad to talk to you and and encourage you About what you're doing in your community. So thank you Jonathan for the introduction.

The Call to Truth and Love in Ephesians 4:15

Tonight was the sermon Is going to be a sermon review of a sermon that Jonathan did a couple weeks ago. Jonathan also preached last Sunday and That one was good, too and so I'm gonna have to have him back if I can Get him back on the program to maybe do this one or even the next one.

But last Sunday's was was good too, and I appreciated that sermon, but but Jonathan along with Other pastors have been going through the book of Hosea and so I wanted to ask Jonathan at the start. What has it been like for you?

Preaching from the Old Testament.

Specifically preaching one of the minor prophets. Well, we we as New Testament churches rightfully so spent a lot of time in the New Testament and We as as a rule We preach expository in other words. We we pick a book of the Bible and go straight to that book of the Bible and our elders had been praying about this For a while.

We knew our Previous series was coming to an end and and what are what are we going to do? What are we going to tackle and we really felt the Lord drawn us to the Old Testament and and then with with first Baptist in Newton and in us we with What what first Baptist been going through with the building we end up hanging out together and Doing morning services together now and Pastor Tommy and I begin to pray about this.

And so we we decided we just wanted to Tackle and felt led to tackle the minor prophets. We got to thinking about that. You know most of our folks as new believers probably cannot spend much time Studying the Old Testament and especially the folks in vertical life.

A lot of our folks have been Christians probably five or six years or less, you know, so. So it is for us a conviction to preach the whole counsel of the Word of God to equip the Saints with the whole counsel of God.

That they'll know the history of where they come from but they also know the warnings and the things that come through those Old Testament prophets and. The thing is people are people we come from the DNA of the first Adam and.

And we find that all throughout the Old Testament and all throughout the New Testament. So the same sin That that plagued people, you know, two thousand years ago four thousand years ago five thousand years ago are the same sins that plague us today, it just may look a little different with media or whatever but lust is lust and idolatry is idolatry and and.

And Self satisfaction and self-seeking. So so it's been a it's been a stretch preaching through this. It's It it increases the amount of labor and preparation to study up and. And Hosea is a tough book man.

Hosea is a book that you really have to to mine and dig for the redemption in these Prophetic books because it is it's accusation and it's indictment. But what's beautiful about it is. It makes the gospel look so beautiful.

And so we we often talk about the line that runs through Genesis to Revelation and it really is the redemption plan that God is revealing all the way through and so God made promises to Israel and to Judah and so that the lineage of Christ would be preserved and so.

So it's a it's a beautiful story. It's a beautiful outline and there is a lot of gospel truths That are revealed including the sinfulness of man and a lot of times we forget the gospel. Really is the reality of our sin.

And then it's the good news of Jesus and that's the whole counsel of the gospel. So So I need to be lost before I'm actually found sometimes. That's the work of the Lord, so I think that's what God's doing through the book of Hosea and.

But there's some just real practical things for us as well. So Are you able to see the comments? No, I can't. Okay, that's what that's where I messed up a second ago I actually opened up the Facebook page so I could see it.

But I didn't have it muted and so that's where that echo was coming from. So I closed it out real quick.

There should be a place on that screen somewhere where you can see the comments.

Oh, there we go. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I got it. I see it now. Yeah. Yeah.

And he said I'm agreeing is is that normal or.

For me and my dad to agree. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's pretty normal. Okay, good.

Thank You Johnny for watching. And my wife even come in and not. Hey Kelly. So. So before we jump into your specific text. Could you give us a little background of Hosea? Sure.

Most of us are not Including myself. I do not consider myself and I say that on the front end. I do not consider myself a great historical buff and and I love history, but You know, there's a lot of dates and a lot of stuff to memorize.

So I've actually got notes in front of me if I sound real good I want to give a disclosure. This is not memorized, but it needs to be but you know Hosea started around the reign of King Jeroboam and and if you don't know who Jeroboam was he was King there in Israel and it's about 793 to 781 BC and so Hosea had a prophetic ministry.

He was he was one that God used to actually imitate himself, which is pretty neat about this that when we see the story of Hosea the metaphor of Who Hosea is all the way throughout the book is is Hosea being the prophet Represents the not only the voice of God, but actually in Hosea.

What makes it unique is he's actually representing the actions of God as well. So then we have his wife Gomer. Gomer is an adulterous woman and she represents the story of Israel. And especially the northern kingdom and that's one thing that's really important throughout Hosea, there's the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom of all of Israel and so when when Hosea if you're reading it speaks of Israel most of the time that that verb that verbiage that word is Speaking of the northern kingdom and in the southern kingdom.

He describes that as Judah and so that that helps us understand through the book. So when you talk about Israel, he's not talking about the whole nation of Israel. Most of the time it's a northern kingdom and a southern kingdom thing and that differentiation is made really clear throughout the text so.

So no doubt Israel is the Lord's bride. Israel has the northern kingdom has joined themselves to false gods and to false idol worship and God uses really strong terms through Hosea calling Israel a whore, an adulterer, harlot, prostitute.

And so then Hosea was was married to Gomer and in the story evidently Gomer Prostitutes herself leaves Hosea and so then God commands Hosea to go buy her back so that's in the first three chapters and there's this story of Hosea and the buying back and.

And it's a redemption story and one of my favorite chapters there is in Hosea 2 How it talks about God is going to do this work to hedge to hedge Gomer in that she's still going to try to Find a way to escape.

The responsibilities of being a wife, run to other men, run to other riches. But God won't let it happen. And he said I'm going to basically ensure that she finds her way to me and to be healed. And so he's speaking of Israel.

So this is a story the verbiage if you just read through it is very Harsh, if you will, it's name-calling. It is deliberate. It is calling out. It is plain language. So when you read it, you're like I can't believe God's saying some of this but he is Identifying the sin, but the beautiful thing is is in all of the indictments.

There's always the plan for redemption and that's that's what makes it good. So the reason preaching through this is so hard is you'll have you know, 10, 15, 20, 30 verses that are the indictments and Then then God inserts one verse in that that's going to handle all of that.

And so the whole book of Hosea Really is a picture of how this one act of Jesus this one act of mercy in the future is going to be sufficient for the sins of the world and the sins of all that will believe on him and and the repentance of people and and it's going to be the the ultimate satisfaction because Gomer was seeking after something else rather than her husband Israel was seeking after something else.

Rather than God and then the parallel of course with us. We are the Gomer's of the story we are seeking after something else and Christ came to be the the husband to the bride. The church and so we've been all like sheep gone astray.

He's the Good Shepherd and he is buying us back and what did he purchase us with his life. That's what we just celebrated in Easter, you know, so we are bought with the price the blood of Christ. So Hosea bought Gomer had a specific price God bought Israel had a specific price and so.

And that was his son Jesus. So so Christ is right in the center of this. It's easy to preach the gospel through this. But the hard part too is to be true to the whole council of this word and that's that is to not over preach the metaphor but preach the message that the prophet was trying to say to Israel and then make the Application and so so that's where we want people to know the whole council.

So so it's been a stretch. But you know, it's there's a lot of stuff in there. But ultimately the sad part of this story is and I'll conclude with this as far as the overview. Historically, we know that this generation Hosea preached his full prophetic ministry for about 20 20 couple years and Nobody that we know of authentically repented or at least as a nation.

They did not repent and so, you know Hosea started preaching we think around 740 BC. And then we know that the the fall of Israel the ultimate fall and collapse of Israel was in 722. So, you know about about 18 years after the ministry of Hosea a lot of the stuff that that he had been preaching was fulfilled and Judgment did come and it came upon them without repentance.

So that that generation passed away without repentance, so so for a preacher that could sound really disheartening too because you want to preach and And revival break out. And so but through all these prophets and there's a lot of parallels and cross-references throughout we find that They they were they were very much a voice crying in the wilderness.

It seemed like you know, they were. And and but God was had a judgment on the people so. So anyways, so hopefully that helps you understand a little bit.

Absolutely. Absolutely. And I will say hey to happy Addison and Garrett. Carter, thank you guys for watching. Now I've got a little bit of beef with you with something that you said. How how can I be Gomer when I'm supposed to read myself as the hero into the story?

Yeah. No, I'm not. I'm not gonna go there. I'm not gonna go there. Just that was a joke. Just kidding.

Yeah, we always that joke out there do. Please don't name your children Gomer. And it's hard not to preach this and not think of Gomer Powell. Absolutely, that's right. So no, no Robert. We are not the hero of the story.

We are we're the damsel in distress. That's right.

Absolutely. So you kind of led us into the the transition into your text. As you mentioned chapters 1 through 3 was was the picture that the Lord led Hosea To to make or to paint for Israel showing them, you know visually this is who you are this is how you're behaving and I Wanted to ask you these questions.

This behavior that that Gomer portrayed. Do you think that this Jewish society would have abhorred? What Gomer did? Oh.

Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. We we know throughout the first five books of the law God God gives very specific Consequences for adultery for prostitution and and it's stoning and it's death and so. So, yes, absolutely it was not condoned it's it was not a normal practice and Something that that would not be.

Tolerated under normal circumstances and then in Jewish society. Do you think that what Hosea did at by receiving Gomer back? Do you think that they would have abhorred that even more? Yeah, I mean it's so he potentially.

Could have been guilty of being considered unclean, you know touching the unclean things and so in culture in Jewish culture there there was paths to redemption and covering under the husband, but. But yeah, it was a it would have been crazy.

I mean, it's it would have been just as crazy. Or even more crazy than in this day and time if someone's wife cheats on them with multiple other people. And then that guy takes her back. What have all his friends gonna say, you know, you're stupid.

You're crazy. What are you doing? You know and and so even greater than that. It's a law issue it's it's a it's so yeah, this whole story is is crazy. But you know not and and I do think this. It is foolishness of the preaching of the cross and the story that God would kill his son to save us.

Is abhorrent to people it's crazy to people we. I heard somebody say that this past week that they have such a hard time with God because God was mean to his son and. So, you know, it is the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those that are perishing.

But it's the power of God and us that are being saved. And so so it did not make sense culturally. But but God was making a very powerful illustration.

My wife just made a comment that if we were to able to have more children that we would definitely name that child Gomer. We can't do that to him now. I'm almost down with that, you know, because that would lead it to a good gospel conversation.

They probably wouldn't like it but it would lead to a good gospel conversation. This abhorrent this abhorrence that Jewish society would have seen in this behavior. It almost makes me think. That's what they were supposed to get.

This is how I feel the Lord. From you know from the Lord's perspective.

It's a shocking illustration for sure so.

What do you want? My wife just opened up the door for some reason. What what's the question? Oh Hosea she said Hosea. Sorry. Sorry, honey. Hosea would be a good name too. She wanted to correct me she said Hosea we name it Hosea and that would be a good gospel opener as well.

Um so if you have your Bibles if you want to follow along the text that Jonathan preached from was Hosea chapter 4 verses 10 through 19 and like we said before chapters 1 through 3 was was the picture of Hosea Gomer and then of course their children and their their names had significance it was a message to Israel, but then as we Get into chapter 4 chapter 4 begins the the indictment verse 1 says listen to the word of the Lord Oh sons of Israel for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land.

So now now we're getting into the meat of it and and the Lord is Going to be sharing his indictments against the inhabitants of the land. Which is Israel. And then just to point out and you pointed this out in your sermon and your text actually hits on it just a little bit, but one of the more popular verses in Hosea is Hosea chapter 4 verse 6 my people who are destroyed for lack of knowledge because you have rejected knowledge I will reject you from being my priest.

And then like I said it hits on that so let me read let me read the text that Jonathan preached from Hosea chapter 4 verses 10 through 19 and then we'll we'll go through that text together and they will eat but I have enough they will play the harlot but not increase.

Because they have stopped giving heed to the Lord. Harlotry wine and new wine take away the the understanding my people consult their wooden idol their diviners wand informs them. For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray and they have played the harlot departing from their God they offer sacrifices on there on the tops of the mountain and burn incense on the heels under oak poplar and terebinth.

Because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters play the harlot your brides commit adultery. I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot or your brides when they commit adultery.

For the men themselves go apart with harlots and offer sacrifices with typical prostitutes. So people without Understanding are ruined. Though you Israel play the harlot do not let Judah become guilty.

Also, do not go to Gilgal or go up to Beth Avon and Take the oath as the Lord lives since Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer. Can the Lord now pasture them like a lamb in a large field? Ephraim is joined to idols let him alone.

Their liquor gone. They play the harlot continually. Their rulers dearly love shame. The wind wraps them in its wings and they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices. So going back to verse 10, they shall eat but not be satisfied.

They shall play the whore but not multiply. Go ahead and take us through what's what's happening here. So just sort of an introduction.

You know with I titled this this this sermon satisfaction or shame and So so when we get that first verse this is they shall eat and not be satisfied. They shall play the whore but not multiply because they have forsaken the Lord to cherish so That just that first verse and then that connects the first two and what are they cherishing so we can get there just a second.

But I think it's an important to define Satisfaction, I mean we all Have this desire to be satisfied. There's there's nobody that that doesn't enjoy that. We get hungry. So so we go eat to be satisfied.

We're emotionally stressed. So we look to get out from under that stress and because it's it's something that's dissatisfying. And we want to scratch that itch for lack of better terms. And so it's it's to gratify wants wishes or desires to the fullest extent.

That's what we would call Satisfaction. So if we're somewhat satisfied, you know versus for us and our language Satisfied it's to the fullest extent. And so the what what's happening here is God is very much aware of What's going on and he knows that they're harlotry he knows that they're drinking he knows of all the things that they're cherishing other than him and and honestly, it is it is a beautiful work of grace in this because He says they're gonna eat all these things that are gonna do these things, but I'm not gonna allow them to be satisfied.

The the opposite of this would be a picture in Romans 1 where Romans 1 says people were pursuing Things that are not of God and he turns them over to that. In other words There is a satisfaction in that Romans 1.

They're being satisfied in their sin and God's not even going to allow them To be to be satisfied. So God's not even going to allow them to be satisfied in In their sin, you know. So that's that's a good thing and or not even allow those people Romans 1 to find satisfaction in him.

They're turned over as a judgment. So that's a severe judgment. So this is as Harsh as it sounds that's that's what I was talking earlier. You have to be able to understand some theology and the works of God.

Because we think sometimes God is just the genie in the bottle wanting us to be satisfied. And and that's not a good father a good father knows that we have the our only real Satisfaction is in him and in his son Jesus and so that's where Jesus said to them I am the bread of life.

Whoever comes to me shall not hunger. Oh, you are thirsty come unto me and you'll you'll never thirst again Oh, you are weary. Come unto me and find rest for your souls all of those Jesus is saying I am the satisfaction.

I am the satisfier. I am the bread the water the peace the rest and And so that's that's a grace even though they're participating God says I'm not going to let them be satisfied. So so that's really a big part that sets the tone for the rest of it.

Yeah, and it says the the reason they won't be satisfied Hosea tells us or the book of Hosea tells us because they have Forsaken the Lord and what did they forsake him to go after to cherish? Hortum wine and new wine.

Let's take away that understanding. So in the context, I guess this would Lead us to the cultural context. What are what are they going after here to find satisfaction?

They are Actually pursuing. I think it's a picture of worldly things. I really think it's. You can break these down Specifically if I want to and I don't think it's wrong to do that right because the accusation is the same layer of hortum of the lust of the flesh of wine and new wine are typically pictures of parties and festiveness and things of short-term Fulfillment.

And and trying to numb the senses that's where it takes away understanding. And there's a lot of scriptures that talks about the foolishness of strong drink and and the things throughout that and and so.

They've gone after that rather than Finding that satisfaction in the Lord. So that's in other words. They're seeking satisfaction in Hortum or in false relationships or lustful relationships. And then really if it's okay, we could we could go to verse 12 to connect that.

Yeah, because it's not only just the things of the world, but it's also a spiritual desertion as well so so people have have left God to go after worldly things of hortum, wine and new wine which take away understanding and.

Then he said also my people now go after a piece of wood. Or go after a walking staff that gives them oracles for a spirit of hortum has led them astray. And they have left their God to play the whore.

And so so I think in verse 11 you are getting a a literal Physical sense in verse 12. You're getting a spiritual sense and so in verse 11 They're looking to fulfill the flesh. Verse 12 it really gets to a spiritual matter that there is a void there when there's an absence of God.

And so when there's a void there in the absence of God people are seeking to fulfill that in the children of Israel rather than going To the Lord they've forsaken that for idolatry or for a staff that gives oracles.

You know, they're they're seeking witch doctors and whoever else the pagans of that time. And it's a spirit of hortum. So now it's not only physical adultery, which is a verse 11. But now it is this same accusation that's earlier in Hosea of a spiritual adulterer.

Committing idolatry and it goes right back to the basic commandment. Thou shalt have no other gods before me, you know. So that's exactly what they're doing. They're turning their back on God, which really truthfully should be crazy these people are the generations that followed the Exodus and saw the miracles of God and had the Word of God and saw the miracles of Jericho and the conquering of the land and and Everything that that followed that I mean, it's so it's really crazy.

But again We are wicked people and this shows the weakness that we we have yeah.