6/6/86
1. Trumpet, Ezek. 33:3; Amos 3:6. The command for Hosea to cry out a warning. God's are called watchmen who are to cry out a warning against sin. If they are ignored the blood is on the people. If he does not cry out the blood is upon him.
Here Hosea is commanded to cry out the warning to the house of the Lord. The trumpet was sounded to warn a sleeping people of coming danger.
Now notice some things. Why is he to sound the trumpet, because they have transgressed his covenant and law.
Who has done this? the house of the Lord-- This would be anywhere that he has chosen to place his name (applies to the church). The people of God wherever they are in time or location.
Who is coming against the place where His name is, an eagle. I believe this is worth looking at.
Nebuchadnezzar conquered God's people at the command of their God (the Lord God), under the banner, ensign of an eagle.
Rome also conquered God's people again at the command of the Lord God under the banner, ensign of an eagle.
Both of these nations represented by an eagle moved against God's people at His instruction and by His power because of their refusal to keep his covenant and laws.
Now let's look at a third eagle. The United States eagle is also starting to move against God's people. I believe this is for the same reason. Because the church has refused to recognize the covenant with Her Lord and has refused to abide by the law of God with the excuse, "We are under grace not law." (Scofieldism, started in the early 1900's.)
6/10/86
V. 1. His people rejected Him, broke the government that He would be to them a God, and they to Him a people. So now he is rejecting them, Hos. 4:6.
V. 2. In the day of judgment His people will cry out "why is this coming upon us. We know thee O God?"
"And in that day he will say, depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Matt. 7:22, 23, and I think it will take them by surprise because they are so convinced they are right.
Jn. 8:54, 55, it is my father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: yet ye have not known him: ---but I know him, and keep his sayings, see also I Jn. 2:3, 4.
It is unavoidable. The principle is very clear cut. OBEDIENCE is the mark of knowing God.
Hosea 8:2. The argument here against God judging them is, "My God, we know thee, so why are you allowing judgment to come?
The Lord's response to His people is, "Because that, when they knew God; they glorified him not as God," Rom. 1:21. His people honoured Him with their lips, "He is our God, O how we love Him," yet, when it came to honouring Him with their every action it was quite a different story.
They refused to harken to His voice (word) to observe to do His commandments, Deut. 28:15-25.
V. 3. In fact, His people rejected God (obedience to His word), therefore, they rejected good and the result was that he no longer "encamped around them (Ps. 34:7), to protect them from their enemies and now the enemy pursues His people. His protection is conditioned on glorifying Him as God over every area of life.
This is to close to avoid. His "church" has compromised. The local bodies of believers have compromised on who has the final authority over them and the result will be unavoidable.
In the day of judgment, which I think is quickly approaching, His people will cry out to Him," My God, we know thee," yet, they have refused to obey Him in the area of authority over the local body of believers.
Example: I received another letter from Bethel Baptist Church. This is the church in Pa., which is challenging the S.S. tax against churches. The letter is sent out under the not-for-profit stamp. This indicates they are a not-for-profit, corp. In so being the authority which they have recognized over them (the civil government), has every right in the world to demand they pay whatever tax they desire, and this group of believers has no Biblical right to complain.
*** Rest of Hosea eight goes here.
Mail-out v. 4 "Christians responsibility to civil government."