Hosea 4

Hosea 4:1

VI. GOD’S CONTROVERSY WITH HIS PEOPLE (Chaps. 410)A. The Sins of the People (4:1-5)4:1-3 God contends with Israel because of the people’s unfaithfulness, unkindness, irreligion, swearing, lying, killing, stealing, adultery, and murder. Five of the Ten Commandments are summarized in verse 2. Violations of these commands were the reasons for the condition of the land. Even the wildlife would waste away because of the coming judgment. 4:4-6 Both priest and prophet are blamed because of their willful lack of knowledge. God’s people were destroyed for lack of knowledge; they had forgotten the law of their God.

Hosea 4:7

B. The Sins of the Priests (4:7-11)4:7-11 The more the people sinned, the more sin offerings the priests greedily received. So, like people, like priest, they were both corrupt. Their punishment would be their enslavement to harlotry, wine, and new wine, indulging and never becoming satisfied.

Hosea 4:12

C. The Idolatry of the People (4:12-14)The idolatry of the people is described next. They sought guidance from wooden idols. They worshiped at mountain shrines, in the shade of trees. The men set the example, and the women followed.

Hosea 4:15

D. A Special Appeal to Judah (4:15-19)Judah is warned not to follow Israel’s wicked example. Israel is stubborn, refusing to be separated from its idols and loving shame more than glory. In the RSV, verse 16 reads, “Like a stubborn heifer, Israel is stubborn; can the Lord now feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture?”