This is start of pg. 9(5) of hand written notes in the book of Hosea, dated 6/21/85.

(God's people serve Him enough to keep the lions away, not enough to change society. But, I could not find this here, 6/12/91)

Hosea 9:2-17

v. 2. In their prosperity they turned from God so God is going to turn from His people and remove the prosperity. Showing them where it came from.

V. 3. Eph. 6:2, Honour thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise (the 5th commandment). That we may have a long life in the land (earth) that the Lord God gives us. He owns it all, Ps. 24:1; 50:12.

So to turn from obedience to God's word is to turn from the promised blessings.

Return--God had promised they would not have to go back into bondage to Egypt. That promise was conditional on obeying Him, Deut. 28, esp. v. 68. Disobedience would result in serving the Egyptians again which they had been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb from

Notice for us here. This is the message for His people who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. This is the message of the NT.

As an unsaved person we were in bondage, a servant to sin, the world (of which Egypt is a picture) and all of its demands. When we answered the call to come to Christ. The Lamb of God, Jn. 1:29, 39; I Pet. 1:19; Rev. 5:6, we were freed from those ungodly demands. I Cor. 6:11; Heb. 10:22, 23, let us hold fast our profession of faith without wavering; Live what you say you believe.

Rom. 13:14. The old demands of Egypt, the bondage is still there but the power in us is greater, I Jn. 4:4, and has freed us from them.

The covenant made with us today, is, that if we will obey Him as revealed in His word, we will have His blessings upon us. Love, joy, peace, etc., Gal. 5; Rom. 8:14-17; 6:16, as well as the clear conscience which is required to war an effective warfare here on this earth, I Tim. 1:18; II Cor. 10:4. The purpose of this warfare is to advance His kingdom, Matt. 6:33.

The other side of the coin now is, if we fail to obey His revealed word we will go right back into the bondage to the old things which we were set free from. If Rom. 6, teaches anything, it teaches this; the Christian can return to "Egypt."

He can return to the old fleshly desires but the results of breaking the covenant with God. (Obey me and prosper, disobey and suffer, not hell but shortened life in His land), will come to pass just as sure as it was promised to Ephraim here in Hosea, Rom. 6:16; 8:13. This though isn't hard at all to run through the NT.

I Pet. 1:18-19, clearly presents this. The Lamb of God shed His blood to redeem us from the old desire of the flesh (vain conversation), enabling us to obey the truth, v. 22.

Hosea 9:3, unclean, back to the unclean things of this world. Ezek. 4:13 to be separate from the worldly things is a mark of a Christian, II Cor. 6:17, and is our power, influence in this crooked and perverse nation, Phil. 2:15; Eph. 4:25.

Therefore the mark of returning to Egypt is to ignore His commandments and claim of authority over us, I Jn. 2:3, 4.

v. 4. There is no sacrifice that will please Him except the sacrifice of obedience through Jesus Christ our Lord, I Tim. 2:5.

There are many things in these passages but this isn't really meant to be a commentary, just a practical application of theses passages.

6/24/86

V. 6. The things which His people looked to for protection now posses them and control them, they fled for fear of destruction by Assyria, to destruction by Egypt, Isa. 8:2; Ezek. 39:5.

It is no different today, God's people have fled to the world's means to avoid destruction yet destruction follows them. There is no way to avoid destruction yet destruction follows them. There is no way to avoid God's judgment against sin except to turn from it and back to him, I Jn. 1:9; Prov. 28:13, 14.

v. 7. day are come-- The false prophets had claimed there was no judgment coming, Micah, 3:5; Zeph. 1:12; Jer. 2:8; 5:31; 5:14; 7:8; 10:21; 14:13; chps. 28, 29; 50:6; Lam. 1:18-22; 2:14; 4:13, 14; Ezek. 13:2; 14:9; 22:28. There are many scriptures showing the prophets preaching that there was no judgment coming against the sin of refusing to glorify Him as God over every area of life, Rom. 1:21.

"The prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad--" The true prophet who told of or warned of the impending judgment was consider a fool and mad, Act. 26:24; II Ki. 9:11; Jer. 29:25, 26; Jn. 10:20; I Cor. 1:18, 23; 2:14.

Not only this prophet but the prophet who prophesied against what the king (civil government) or against what the people (public policy) wanted to hear. We see in Jer. 29 that here Jeremiah, as he warned of coming judgment against sin, was accused (v. 26_), of not only being 'mad' but of being a false prophet, thereby, calling for him to be "put away" or "locked up".

Of interest here: The false prophets could prophecy and act 'mad' also but there was not a call to "put them away," Jer. 28:1-4. As long as the false prophets doesn't speak against the king or what the people want to hear he can say whatever he desires and no one will bother him, I KI. 22:11-13.

It looks like here, that God allowed these prophets to prophecy a lie, Jer. 27:15, so He could judge His people for their sins of refusing to glorify Him as their God.

I believe it is worth considering II Thess. 2:11 here, "And for this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. V. 7. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work, it was at work when Paul wrote this, therefore it is now.) v. 3 "There come a falling away first--."

We are living in a day of a great falling away. Falling away from the truth and righteousness of God's word and authority by His people (not by the heathen. They have never recognized HIM).

There are those who God has allowed to still see the basic sin, Rom. 1:21, but it seems like there is a total willful blindness which (has fallen over God's people, as those who still see), the truth try to cry out in warning. These men who cry out contrary to the king and contrary to what God's people want to hear are branded as "mad" and in need of being put away.

I suppose this is the most disconcerting of about anything, and especially when this is among those who hear us preach service after service.

They will agree with everything that is given except this, the warning of impending judgment on the sin of God's people refusing to acknowledge God's authority over every area of life.

These people 'flat out' refuse to believe this or even to consider it as being true. It seems as though they believe that by avoiding the facts or any teaching on this they will avoid whatever might come.

To them it is foolish. Those who try to warn are "mad" or as Hosea says here, "The prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad," and they absolutely refuse to recognize there is any validity to his warning.

Of course, to the natural man it is foolishness but they are not to be living after the natural man. I suppose the biggest hinderance to their believing it could be true is the training in 'escapism'. We are all going to be 'raptured' before any judgment so the uncontrollable natural instinct is, "I don't have to worry or prepare or be concerned with such carnal stuff." "Let's all be 'spiritual' and the rest, the Lord will take care of. It's unspiritual to be concerned about bringing these physical areas under the authority of the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

The world considers any kind of 'prophecy' which is against the king or against the will of the people madness. Also, the call to 'put away' anyone who speaks out against either or the two is becoming more and more common. (See "Psychiatry's Hidden Agenda: The Destruction of Religious Freedom," in Vol. 1 Issue 5 of the Journal for Personal Freedom, published by Church of Scientology International, 316 Pen. Ave., S.E., Suite 200, Wash., D.C., 20002. Also see their report by Alex Jones on the Horrors of Psychiatry and Psychology.

Those who are a slave to carnal desires consider those controlled by the word of God as being mad. The profession of total submission to God's authority have been and will be considered grounds for removal of a Christians' property and family.

Those who are a slave to carnal desires consider those controlled by the word of God as being 'mad'. The ones who profess total submission to God's authority have in the past been and will be considered unfit to possess property or care for their children.

We must get it through our heads, that the world and its system is at total war against God and His Christ, Ps. 2: Acts 4:25. Therefore at total war against anyone who tries to stand on God's authority over every area of life. Everything will be usurped which a Christian doesn't keep under control to the glory of God, I Cor. 10:31, and then used against us. Either that area will be for God's glory or it will glorify the spirit which is in rebellion against God. There is no neutral ground. Everything which is not Christ centered will be used by the heathen in their attempt to pull God down and remove not only His moral restrictions from themselves but also to remove the results of their sin.

Of course, all of their effort combined will not accomplished this, even if they lock up every known prophet or Christian which they consider 'mad.'

We must get it through our heads that the world is at total war against God and His Christ, Ps. 2; Acts 4:25, therefore at total war against ANYONE who tries to stand on the authority of God and His word. Everything will be usurped which the Christian doesn't keep under his control and used against us. EVERYTHING which is not Christ centered will be used to control and used against us. EVERYTHING which is not Christ centered will be used to pull God down and remove His restrictions, laws, from the heathen. Of course they won't accomplish their goal but they won't quit.

The day is very quickly approaching when this call will be answered by civil government. Why will it be? BECAUSE EVEN THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE HIS DISMISS ANY PROPHET WHO GOES AGAINST THE KING OR THE PEOPLE AS BEING UNSPIRITUAL and refuse to heed his warning.

Are we living in the great falling away which had to come first? Only God knows but it sure seems like the great delusion is upon us, even within Bible-believing 'churches'.

If our people dismiss anyone who speaks out against the king or the will of the people as crazy then we can expect many times worse from the heathens.

Is God allowing this blindness within His people in order to bring abut judgment against their sins of covetousness, etc.?

We need to remember that God both allowed these things to happen to His people thousands of years ago as well as preserved the record of it as instruction to us of how to live and the results of not living as He has demanded of us in His word, I Cor. 10:11.

To dismiss the principles laid down here in the prophets, the principles given to His chosen people, is to completely do away with God's word for us today, II Tim. 3:16.

God help us: 1.) Open the eyes of those who hear us preach. 2.) Call more men to cry out a warning to your people. 3.) Now what?

Those who face God's chastening hand many times end up hating Him.

1.) The person neglects God.
2.) He is brought face to face with God's will and refuses to do it.
3.) He will fully refuse and now he is on opposite sides from God. His will and God's will now conflict.
4.) God chastens him and he hates God, blaming God for his problems. Man makes his bed in the thorns then blames God for being stuck by them, Prov. 19:3.

v. 8. The context within this verse and chapter indicates that Ephraim tried to exalt himself onto the same level with God. He was not satisfied with God's word so he exalted his own 'word' to God's level to live by.

Remember Ahab, I Ki. 22:8, 18, who did not like the man of God because the truth of God did not agree with what he wanted to hear. He was typical of the leaders of God's people as they gathered 'prophets' around them who would tell them what they wanted to hear, I KI. 18:19.

These false prophets told the people what they wanted to hear, they flattered the kings and misled them as well as encouraged them to disregard God's threat of chastisement. These were the anti-Christ of the OT, II Ki. 3:13; Jer. 5:31.

These prophets who said there was no chastisement coming were the "snare of a fowler as he snared (snares) God's people away from heeding God's instructions.

One more thing. Notice where this takes place, in the house of his God. God was still his God even though he did not speak for God.

For us: It doesn't matter where the message comes from nor what kind of a church is involved, but does it line up with God's word?

v. 9. --deeply corrupted themselves-- This very well explains itself. They have gone to great depths in denying the Lord that brought the, II Pet. 2:2-3.

It seems that the Lord has forgotten them because He didn't move against them immediately, Ecc. 8:11, 12.

From Rom. 2:1-11, we see that it is God's mercy which holds back His hand of chastisement. His mercy which desires that the person, society, church turn back to Him and He gives them every chance to do this.

Solomon looked and said, "Though a sinner do evil an hundred times and his day be prolonged--"It will come to pass just as God says. In the end he will remember-- and "he will visit--"

*For us, as we see the: 1.) Violations of God's word, the refusal to glorify God as God, 2.) The results which they are headed for, this should burden us to prayer, Gal. 6:2, that God will:

1.) Extend His mercy just a little while longer, giving them one more chance, Rom. 2:4, 5.

a. Note, this is contrary to human nature as it cries out, "Go get'em God, sick"em." "Lord remember how you did me, now do it to them."

2.) That God will open their eyes, II Cor. 4:6.

a. Only He can give the spirit of repentance, II Tim. 2:25.
b. Compare Hosea 9:8, "--snare of a fowler--" with II Tim. 2:26, "The snare of the devil," (also Prov. 7:23). The false prophet who preaches, "Peace, peace when there is no peace," is a snare, the bait on the trap which has lured God's people to destruction all through the history of God dealing with man, Jer. 6:14; 8:7-13.

*Conclusion: Only god can reveal Himself and the truth of His word to any person. He will move in response to genuine prayer.

Are you concerned about someone who has believed a lie of the devil and is captive by him? Pray, seek God's face and He can give the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord, Matt. 17:20, 21, no matter how deeply they have corrupted themselves.

6/26/86

Just as sure as God promises to remember that corruption and sin and visit those sins He also promises to heal, and to love them freely, Hosea 14:4.

How, where does this come from? This comes from the grace of God and the God of the universe will move in response to the prayers of His people who seek Him with a heart of faith and a clear conscience, I Tim. 1:19. If we have this faith and a clear conscience then we have, "BOLDNESS to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Heb. 10:19. We can, "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we might obtain in mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need, Heb. 4:16."

No matter what we see around us it should all be a call to cry out to our God as well as a call to faith and patient, Heb. 10:35-39. Compare Hab. 1 and 2 and esp. 2:4 and Heb. 10:38.

We must follow this through a little further. This is just to good to overlook.

The prophet Habakkuk looked around himself at the total wickedness, ungodliness and indifference even among God's people, chp.1:1-4. He cries out to God, "Lord how long are you going to allow people to ignore you and violence to reign. How long before you re to Judge?" The Lord response to the prophets call for vengeance upon the ungodly with 3:1-4. "Habakkuk, when the time is right I will move. It may look like I am putting it off but it will surely come to pass.

Besides, Habakkuk, it isn't really your responsibility, your only responsibility is to do the best you can in every area you can and leave the results up to me."

Is this not the cry of Heb. 10:35-39? A cry to seek God's will from His word, seek God's face i prayer, and be an influence for Christ in every path we walk in, Matt. 5:13; Mk. 9:49, 50; Lk. 14:34.

We are to let our light so shine before all men that they will see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven, Matt. 5:16, and put to themselves their ignorance, I Pet. 2:15.

As we take this direction of an ACTIVE FAITH, Ja. 2:14-21, and prayer, whether we see any results or not, we must not lose "confidence" that God will "recompense." There is a God and He will move in accordance to His "promise." It may take "a little while," but He will not be late. His ears are always attentive to the cries of His people and He will "fly upon the wings of the wind," to their aid.

Read Ps. 18, when the time is right, the enemy of our soul will do all he can, and all we will allow him to do, to convince us that our confidence in our God is useless and that He doesn't hear our cry but the devil's a lair and the father of lies and he was from the beginning. We can rest assured he hasn't changed, Jn. 8:44. Our hope is in our God and don't let anything get our eyes off of this hope, Lam. 3:21-26.

Are we spending time in His word for direction? Time meditating on His word? Time in prayer for our strength? If not then we have cause the alarmed no matter what the circumstances are, good or bad. OUR CONFIDENCE is in HIM, Jer. 33:1-3; 17:5. We must not allow this confidence to be shaken.

6/27/86

v. 10. This sounds like Ezek. 16:6. When God found His people there was nothing in us that should cause Him to desire us. Any pleasantness which might be found in His people is the result of His work in them, Ps. 14; Rom. 3:10-18; I Cor. 4:6-7.

Here God saw His people for what they could be and of course that accomplishment can only be through His grace, Eph. 3:18-20; Phil. 2:15-16; 1:6.

We might mention here, how do we see people? Do we see a greatly do for God if they would only get right with Him," or do we look and say, "look at what the Lord could do through them?"

It gets closer to home in our own lives. "God, you lucky person. Look at what a talented person you got in me. Now, Lord you had better treat me right or else I won't serve you," you had better treat me right or else I won't serve you," or are we really treat me right or else I won't serve you," or are we really able to comprehend how helpless we are without His enabling grace working through us? Can we count all of our natural abilities "loss for Christ," Phil. 3.

Could this be why, "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called," but, rather, "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world--" I Cor. 1:26, 27.

The number one condition for God using people is humility and any attitude on our part of "look how much I have to offer God" will prevalent His grace from working in us, I Pet. 5:5, 6; Ja. 4:6-10. We need to keep in mind, and this is hard to realize, that the person who goes into God's work with, "Look how much I have to offer Him," and the person with humility may have exactly the same outward actions and even the same results. ONLY God can tell the difference.

The truth behind our spiritual activity may not be revealed until we see Christ, but it will be some day, II Cor. 5:9-14.

I'm afraid we fail to realize many times the depths of wickedness of the human heart and if we would this would cause us to realize even more the amazing grace of God.

So we admit the terrible deceitfulness of the human heart. Now what?

I love the consolation of God's word. In Jer. 10:23, 24, as well as in Jer. 17:9, 10, we see this thought. The heart is wicked, deceitful, Jer. 14:14, and beyond knowing by man. But God knows the heart. Here, then, is the answer, Jer. 10:24; 17:10.

The prayer of Jer. 10:24, "O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

Pray, ask God to reveal the heart to us before the deceit of our heart brings His anger upon us. Then ask for the grace to correct what is shown to us.

Now we come to a problem. Our enemy is very effective in heaping piles of guilt upon us. We pray and then out of the blue, here is a truck load of guilt and we aren't worth a flip. So how do we know what is God revealing hidden motives and desires of a deceitful heart and what is the enemy heaping guilt upon us to make us effective?

Heb. 5:12-16, the working of the Holy Spirit of God will always be confirmed by HIS WORD. Now, if a person isn't in the word of God consistently they are open to all kinds of guilt trips as well as victim to every false teaching which comes along.

Of course, there are other conditions which enter in such as if we hear what to do and don't do, if we are already deceived and headed for destruction, Ja. 1:22; Jn. 7:26.

So we see here:

1.) There is no reason to be deceived by the wickedness of our heart.

2.) Men are deceived, though, because of a lack of commitment to God' word and His ways of life.

god sees us for what we can be by His grace.

How do we look at others? Do we look at them through the eyes of what they can be by the grace of God or do we look at them for what they are.

To see people for what they are will lead to terrible discouragement as well as rejecting them and avoiding them with our spirit if not physically avoiding them.

This brings up another problem. One of the supernatural gifts of God is the gift of seeing the inner most being of another person, Rom. 12. The corruption of this gift leads to seeing that person and condemning the wrong spirit which we sense in them.

Also of comparing ones self to them and getting a feeling of superiority or inferiority. God give this gift that you might see the inner most hurt, problem and even motives not to condemn or compare but for prayer, Gal. 6:2; II Cor. 10:12.

> God help us to see the need of a person that we might pray for them.

> God help us to see that person through your eyes. Not seeing their faults but seeing what they could be for you by your grace.

> God help us to be willing to face the truth about even ourselves, our own hearts that we might cast ourselves before your throne of grace and mercy.

Praise the Lord, He didn't see me for what I was but for what I could be for Him by His grace working in me, read. Eph. 1.

So He found His people and by His grace made them above all other tribes of the earth. He gave them His law and principles of life so they might live a peaceable and happy life here. He gave good gifts unto them.

But they left the God who called them and chose to serve the filthiest and foulest of the heathen gods.

That shame, God always identifies the worlds gods with shameful names.

God warns us against the very thing which His people do here, I Jn. 2:15-29.

1. We have been bought with a price, set aside for His glory.
2. We have been given His law-word that we might have a healthy and happy life here in the land where He has placed us.
3. We are to lay aside the love we have for the things of this world.
4. We are to separate ourselves from certain worldly enjoyments.
5. But His people hang onto that things which they love in the world.
6. His people separate themselves from Him to the shame of this world. You look at them and you can tell no difference at all between them and the world.

v. 11. Ephraim had departed from God's law so now God is going to remove any glory which Ephraim had.

v. 12. Ephraim had the promise of a great number of men, Deut. 33:17; Gen. 41:52.

The numbers came from God. He came to depend on his numbers rather than on God. Now the Lord is going to show them what will happen to them when he removes his hand from them.

Ephraim served God, therefore he had many men. He departs but he still has the "many men," his glory, therefore he refuses to believe he has departed. God is going to remove the many people which were the sign of God's glory. Now there will be no mistaking where they came from.

Is this one reason we are facing such a degenerate nation and society today? The many men were a sigh we were serving God, but now that 'we' are turned away from Him then we are losing our kids?

* We might observe one thing here. No matter how much 'glory' we might have had at one time, or the number of promises that were ours. God's favor is based on our obedience to Him. This brings us back to grace, "God's unmerited favor," Ephraim felt they could keep God's favor even in their wickedness, yet God points out "no obedience, no favor, Rom. 6:16; I Jn. 5:16.

Do we expect the same? God's favor without our determination and commitment to Him? We might retain, "His glory" for a short time but it will fall away, revealing our wickedness.

It is the other Jesus of II Cor. 11:4, which says God's people can live in disobedience yet enjoy His glory.

--when I depart-- See Deut. 31:16, 17, 18.

When God's people start perusing the gods of the heathens around them then only woes are in store for them. Compare with the promised blessing of obedience of Deut. 7:13.

Again we see the basic principle. The wicked do not end up in authority because their gods are more powerful, but only because God's people forsake God.

As we see wicked men in authority around us it should cause us to examine ourselves and see why they are there. Is there an area we have failed to glorify God as God in?

The home, church, society, and yes even in the political realm.

I Sam. 28:15, 16. We are living in a exceedingly wicked day. The day spoken of as the last day, the great falling away or apostasy spoken of in I Tim. 4:1 and II Thess. 2:3. God's people falling away, ignoring His requirements of life.

Abortion is not the problem. Sodomy is not the problem. Adultery, drugs, booze, anything you can name. These things are not the problem. These are only the results of God's people falling away from Him and His law-word and He has departed from them.

v. 13. God gave special blessings to Epharim (Deut. 33:13-16). She was planted in a pleasant place and honored above the others but she forgot the God who planted her and turned to the god of this world. The result is the lose of her children.

v. 14. Since they are to bring forth children to be murdered the prophet ask that they will not bring forth any children.

Lk. 23:29 when our Lord spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem he also told of barrenness being a blessing.

Ephraim rejected the Lord God's claim over her and God drove them out of His house, vv. 15-17.

Israel rejected the Lord God's claim over her and God drove them from the land and from His house, Hosea 1:6; 8:1.

If anyone should have glorified God as God it should have been His people, yet they refused.

If anyone should have received the landowners son the should have, yet they didn't.

The result was to be driven out and cut off forever, wandering among the nations in total unbelief in His Son. Now, they can be reclaimed as individuals as they turn to the Son but never again as a nation. They are broken off, Rom. 11.

The reason He will cast off His people?

Because they did not hearken unto Him.

It is the very peak of foolishness to think that any of His people today can expect any different treatment when they refuse to hearken unto him.

7/8/86

This is only reaffirming 1:6, the house of Israel sinned away their day of grace, you could say. Just as a Christian can commit the sin unto death: (I Jn. 5:16), by refusing to turn back to his Lord from his sin.

The more God warned the more Israel ignored, therefore God carried them away from their promised land and they became vagabonds upon the earth.

I think He gave them, as a nation, one more chance with Christ and the nation killed Him, therefore He cut them off forever as a nation. As individuals they can come to Christ the same as anyone can.

V. 17, here of course is a fulfillment of Deut. 28:64, 65.

One last thing here. When God's people refuse to serve Him out of love or even out of character, when they rebel against His authority over them, He will raise up an evil power to conquer them and they will serve, obey, that power over them.

Evil authorities are raised up by God Himself because His people won't submit to HIS authority.

Might mention here also. Mike Foust told me last week that he visited Bro. Hyles church on a Sunday, P.M. Before the service Bro. Hyles gives the people a chance to ask him questions. Mike said that someone got up and ask Bro. Hyles about the issue of incorporation. Bro. Hyles said, "That is a theological question and this is a layman's meeting. We will not discuss that here."

God's people did not get carried away in judgment because there were not enough of them but because they refused to glorify God as God over every area of their life.

This is end of hand written notes pg. 9(18).