The American Wisdom Series

Presents
Pamphlet 1419 Hos kc 6-2

The question is, "Who is responsible to teach and give spiritual guidance unto our people?"

Hosea 4:1
Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
[2] By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
"They break out" means they "breach" the law, the Word of God and "blood touches blood" is a figure of speech meaning they commit "one sin after another".  We have already learned that adultery is symbolic of idolatry, so while these sins of swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery certainly are prevalent in our land, one must understand that in reality they are but "symptoms" of our spiritual sickness caused by the lack of the knowledge of the Word of God.
[3] Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
There shall be, even as there is already is, great lamentation (mourning) in the land, not only among the inhabitants thereof but even among nature itself which groans in travail. In other words there is both spiritual pollution as well as physical pollution.

So "hear ye now the Word of God" as He gives witness and testimony to the sources of the problems in our land. Again, the first complaint is against preachers.

Hosea 4:4
Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
Here are few quotes from some other translations to make the point.
"Don't point your finger at someone else, and try to pass the blame to him! Look, priest, I'm pointing my finger at you!" (LB)

"But it is not for any man to bring a charge, it is not for him to prove a case; the quarrel with you, false priest is mine." (N.E.B.)

"But let no man denounce, no man rebuke; it is you, priest, that I denounce." (JB)

Have you got the point? As stated before, the problems in our land are symptoms of our spiritual degeneracy. The question is, "Who is responsible to teach and give spiritual guidance unto our people?" Right, the priests and ministers are to "Feed the Sheep" the truth and knowledge of God's Word. Where are those teachers of truth? They are few and far between.

But know this: If you are teacher of God's Word you had better be knowledgeable and not mislead God's people by withholding truth and teaching the fairy tale traditions of men, like snakes and apples and rapture theories and Easter bunnies, etc., for it is written that God will hold you responsible for the spiritual death of the people of your congregation and even the "sicknesses" in our land.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.


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