Articles
A Lack Of Knowledge
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6 NASV). This passage may be the most familiar of all passages in the book of Hosea. In urging Christians to take Bible study seriously, we quote Hosea 4:6 and ask: Do you want to be destroyed? If not, then study your Bible! Looking deeper, we find God bringing serious charges against Israel; the actions of God’s people showed that they did not know God’s word; they lacked knowledge of God; and more, they refused to listen to God. So now, God brings a lawsuit against His people; they are under indictment; they stand before the judge as guilty sinners. That is what can happen when we refuse to listen to God.
Knowing God’s truth compels us to always be truthful; we are supposed to tell the truth. We tell the truth, we do not lie, and we conduct our lives as truthful people. Israel lacked faithfulness and kindness. This is how God had always treated His people; in turn, Israel should have followed His example. “Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His faithfulness to a thousand generations for those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9). Israel rejected God’s counsel. “There is oath-taking, denial, murder, stealing, and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed” (Hosea 4:2). Had Israel even heard of the Ten Commandments?
How did Israel reach this point in their now damaged relationship with God? Part of the answer lies with God’s priests. Great responsibility was placed on the priests. They were to serve as teachers and instructors of God’s law. If the priests were neglecting God’s will in their own lives; if they failed to call attention to God’s law; how then, could God’s people know and obey Jehovah? In fact, knowing God’s will worked both ways; the priests and Israel had to pay attention to God’s will. “In accordance with the terms of the law about which they instruct you, and in accordance with the verdict which they tell you, you shall act; you shall not turn aside from the word which they declare to you, to the right or the left. But the person who acts insolently by not listening to the priest who stands there to serve the Lord your God, nor to the judge, that person shall die; so, you shall eliminate the evil from Israel” (Deuteronomy 17:11-12). Israel had forsaken God; clearly, their actions caused the land to “mourn.” They rejected any notion of listening to the priests, much less obeying them. And the priests were culpable, too.
What application can we make from Hosea’s words? This can be applied to preachers of God’s word. Faith in God’s word and only His word must be the beginning place for any teaching that we do. Shepherds watch for the souls of God’s people by actively teaching and instructing God’s people. But God’s people need to listen to Bible instruction. We may know God intellectually; a live, real, ongoing relationship with God results from listening to Him and then doing what He says to do. There are lots of ways we can destroy ourselves. Alcohol, drugs, pornography, illicit relationship—the list goes on. The corrective for a life gone bad remains God’s word. Reject that word and we die. Accept and obey that word and we live.
