February 5, 1914

Destroyed for Lack of Knowledge

EGW

Full of significance are the words of the prophet, “Like people, like priest.” Hosea 4:9. The idolatrous priests were leaders in crime. “As troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent.” Hosea 6:9. “Blood toucheth blood.” Verse 2. God's message to the murderous priests was: “Hear ye this, O priests, ... for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, a net spread upon Tabor. And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.” Hosea 5:1, 2. Everywhere violence and crime reigned supreme.RH February 5, 1914, par. 1

Such was the result that had followed the setting up of the “two calves of gold” (1 Kings 12:28) by Jeroboam. “This thing became a sin” (verse 30), and led to the introduction of grosser forms of idolatry, until nearly all the inhabitants of the land gave themselves up to the alluring practices of nature worship.RH February 5, 1914, par. 2

Forgetting their Maker, Israel “deeply corrupted themselves.... They went to Baal-peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.” Hosea 9:9, 10. “They sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.” Hosea 11:2. The idolatry that they practiced called for the abandonment of every uplifting and ennobling principle.RH February 5, 1914, par. 3

The prophets Hosea and Amos continued to lift their voices in solemn protest against evil. The transgressors were given many opportunities to repent. “I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger,” the Lord promised, “I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee.” Verse 9.RH February 5, 1914, par. 4

“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy,” Hosea pleaded; “break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12. “Turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.” Hosea 12:6. “O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity: ... say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: ... for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.” Hosea 14:1-3.RH February 5, 1914, par. 5

“Come, and let us return unto the Lord,” the prophet entreated; “for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath 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. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” Hosea 6:1-3.RH February 5, 1914, par. 6

“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?” Hosea 13:9, 10.RH February 5, 1914, par. 7

“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.RH February 5, 1914, par. 8

“Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.” Hosea 14:4-9.RH February 5, 1914, par. 9

Through Amos the message of the Lord to Israel was: “Seek ye me, and ye shall live: but seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to naught. Seek the Lord, and ye shall live.... Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name.” Amos 5:4-8.RH February 5, 1914, par. 10

“Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” Verses 14, 15.RH February 5, 1914, par. 11

But by far the greater number of those who heard these invitations, refused to profit by them. So contrary to the evil desires of the impenitent were the words of one of God's messengers, that the idolatrous priest at Bethel sent to the ruler in Israel, saying, “Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.” Amos 7:10. And through Hosea the Lord declared: “When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria.” Hosea 7:1. “The pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.” Verse 10.RH February 5, 1914, par. 12

From generation to generation the Lord bore with his wayward children, until he could do no more for them. “O Ephraim,” he cried, “what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.” Hosea 6:4.RH February 5, 1914, par. 13

The evils that had overspread the land and permeated all classes of society, had become incurable, and upon Israel was pronounced the dread sentence, “Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.” Hosea 4:17. “The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it.” Hosea 9:7. “They shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.” Hosea 13:3.RH February 5, 1914, par. 14

“Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off: mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? for from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.” Hosea 8:5, 6. “The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it. It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to King Jareb.” Hosea 10:5, 6.RH February 5, 1914, par. 15

Through Amos also the Lord clearly revealed his purpose to bring judgments upon his impenitent people: “Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?” “The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” Amos 3:1-6, 8.RH February 5, 1914, par. 16

“Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof. For they know not to do right, saith the Lord, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.” Verses 9-11.RH February 5, 1914, par. 17

“In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Beth-el: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord.” Verses 14, 15.RH February 5, 1914, par. 18

“Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, whose name is The God of hosts.” Amos 5:27.RH February 5, 1914, par. 19

“Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!” “Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed. The Lord God hath sworn by himself, saith the Lord the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.” “Behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the Lord the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.” Amos 6:1, 7, 8, 14.RH February 5, 1914, par. 20

“The Lord God of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.” Amos 9:5.RH February 5, 1914, par. 21

“Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord. For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.” Verses 8-10.RH February 5, 1914, par. 22

“Because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.” Amos 4:12.RH February 5, 1914, par. 23

(To be concluded.)