Recompense of False Worship

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King James Bible Study[Mark 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]

Date: Thursday, July 20, 2023
Chapters: HOSEA 8-14
Study: Recompense of False Worship

Hello My Brother/Sister/Friend,

The word recompense means, to compensate, to make return of an equivalent for any thing given, done or suffered. The second that we come to the knowledge that we are sinners headed straight for hell and that Christ Himself became the sinless sacrifice to recompense our sin through our faith in Him alone, will gladly received Him. Well, those of us who are sincere in our faith and truly want Him in our lives do anyway, [Acts 16:30-33  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  32  And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.  33  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.]

There is one thing about God that we must understand, He offers each and every person a choice on whether or not they choose to believe in and accept His Son as their Saviour. Should we accept that offer, then we are acknowledging that we want God in our lives. With that said, if we are going to choose God, then He expects a total commitment, not some halfhearted, whenever we are oppressed or afflicted commitment. That has been the problem with Israel from the start. As we come to the end of the reading of Hosea, God, expresses His anger toward Israel for not being totally committed to Him. The worse thing of all, they were claiming their innocence when they created their own gods, worshiping them, then proclaiming that He is their God. While this message is addressed to Israel, this also applies to every person who says they have accepted Christ.

[Hosea 8:1-4,11-13  Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.  2  Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.  3  Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.  4  They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off. 11  Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.  12  I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.  13  They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.]

[My God, we know thee.] What is more abominable to God than a sin of our flesh that we cannot get rid of? Falsely worshiping Him. And do not think that these so called Christ centered churches are not included in this. In fact, they are even more abominable to Him because they are proclaiming Christ yet He is far from their heart, [Matthew 15:8-9  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.  9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.]

[altars shall be unto him to sin.] It is a great sin to corrupt the worship of God, and those who do will be charged and held accountable for doing so. As long as they despise the truths and precepts of God’s Word, and the ordinances of His true worship, they are devising their own sin. For those services are only acceptable to God, according to His Word, and through Jesus Christ, [James 4:15-17  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.  16  But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.  17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.]

From my experience with God, He is pretty merciful and very forgiving, I certainly have not gotten what I really deserve for what I have done in the past and even yesterday as salvation does not keep us from sin, it just protects us with the powerful blood of Christ when we do. That does not mean that we should continue to live in sin as all that would do is make things worse since we now belong to Jesus. God, goes on to express His anger toward Ephraim, who were the ones to lead Israel astray with those calves they had made.

[Hosea 9:1-4,7,16  Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.  2  The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.  3  They shall not dwell in the LORD’S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.  4  They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD. 7  The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. 16  Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.]

[the days of recompence are come;] There will come a day when God will seek payment from all the false prophets and those who followed them as well. Ignorance is not bliss and will send a person straight to hell, [Acts 17:30-31  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:  31  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.]

Let me tell you, even if they are saved, God, will withdraw His goodness, mercy, and protection from those who remain living this halfhearted Christian life that they are living. It is very just that God should recompense His judgments on those who make light of His mercy and grace. There comes a time when it cannot be said that they have no idea that what they are doing. A slew of charges were drawn up against Israel, idolatry, false gods, sacrificing their own children, and not to mention the immoral living. These were not just ordinary people, these were His people, those who were supposed to be the example that the rest of the world was to follow, but their heart is divided. Yet rather destroy them, God chooses to chasten them.

[Hosea 10:1-2,10-12  Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.  2  Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images. 10  It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.  11  And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.  12  Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.]

[reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground:] God chastens His people to reap His mercies, to break up hardness of their hearts, and to remind them that they are made righteous through His Son alone. God will not be mocked, but He is merciful, [2 Corinthians 7:10-11  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.  11  For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.]

In the midst of Israel’s troubles as a nation, they never thought of seeking help from God, they put their trust in men, and the result of that was worshiping false gods instead of the One True God, and yet, God never gives up on them. While the judgment God placed upon them stood, that did not stop Him from wanting to save them from it. As God continues to stress His anger toward all of Israel, He reminds them that He loved them as a child, and for that reason He will not destroy them.

[Hosea 11:1-3,7-10  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.  2  As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.  3  I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them. 7  And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.  8  How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.  9  I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.  10  They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.]

[When Israel was a child, then I loved him,] When Israel was as weak and helpless as children, God loved them, He took care of them, took their pains away, not only as a father, but as a mother as well. When they were in the wilderness, God, showed them the way in which they should go, He taught them the way of His commandments by the ceremonial law given by Moses. Then He took them by the arms, to guide them, that they might not stray, and to hold them up, that they might not stumble and fall. God’s spiritual Israel are nurtured the same way, it is God’s work to draw poor souls to Himself, and none can come to Him except they be drawn to Him, [John 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.]

[he shall roar like a lion:] Everyone sins, everyone stumbles, some of us backslide, but Jesus will not let one of His completely fall away from Him if they sincerely believe in Him with all of their heart. That is what God’s grace is for, when we stumble, when we backslide, He will be there for us. Those who truly know their Maker will hear the Lion of Judah roar, and will receive Him as their Saviour. The problem is not that these people are blind to that fact that what they are doing is sin, it is that they were never saved to begin with, then when affliction came they ran from Him. God is not only angry at these false religions, He is also angry at the Church in fact, He has a controversy with them. Why? They allowed the sin to creep in His Church.

[Hosea 12:2-6  The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.  3  He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:  4  Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;  5  Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.  6  Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.]

[and by a prophet was he preserved.] Although Christ is much more than a mere prophet, He is the one who preserves His people with His very own blood that he shed for us. This is why He does not forsake us every time we mess up, through our faith in Him our souls are preserved. When our flesh gives out and our soul rises up to the heavens, we will remain there until Christ returns. God will not be mocked, but He will never leave nor forsake one soul who sincerely receives Him as their Saviour, [John 10:28-29  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.]

[he had power over the angel,] God recalls the time in which He met up with Jacob, wrestled with him, and blessed him in Bethel, where one of these false gods were now standing. Our greatest reason to remember our faith in Christ, and stay faithful to Him is the fact that He is full of mercy and judgment upon those who wait on Him all the way until the end. I think that the one thing that angers God most is not the ones who reject Him, it is the ones who know Him, and lead double lives. They worship Him yet the world’s gods also, and for that reason He allows them to literally destroy themselves, which is what He was doing with Ephraim.

[Hosea 13:1-4,9-11  When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died.  2  And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.  3  Therefore 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.  4  Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me. 9  O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.  10  I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?  11  I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.]

Israel had destroyed himself by his rebellion; but he could not save himself, his help was from the Lord only. This may well be applied to the case of spiritual redemption, from that lost state into which all have fallen by wilful sins. God often gives in displeasure what we sinfully desire. It is the happiness of the saints, that, whether God gives or takes away, all is in love. But it is the misery of the wicked, that, whether God gives or takes away, it is all in wrath, nothing is comfortable. Except sinners repent and believe the gospel, anguish will soon come upon them.

[O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself;] No one can blame God or even Satan for the wars and chaos among themselves. Of course, Satan is basking in all this as he watches so many of those turn away from their faith in Christ, and fall into the abyss of sin. God will not be mocked, those who are unrepentant about sin will die in their sin, [James 1:13-15  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:  14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.]

[I will ransom them from the power of the grave;] Jesus, is the one how paid the ransom for our soul. How amazing is it that we who are saved by the blood of Christ can stand before God and not be condemned for every sin that we committed? Jesus saves our souls when we receive Him as our Saviour, praise God! However, salvation does not mean that we can live in open or secret sin and not face the consequences for our actions. God encourages Israel to return to Him and He will heal them.

[Hosea 14:1-4,7-9  O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.  2  Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.  3  Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.  4  I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. 7  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.  8  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.  9  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.]

[and the just shall walk in them:] True believers of Christ may get caught up in sin and dangle off the cliff or a while, but their faith in Christ will pull them back up. Those who are not true believers will fall all together, often becoming worse than they were before they knew the power of Christ, [2 Peter 2:19-21  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.  20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.]

Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for loving me and not giving up on me, and for the day Your message of the Gospel pricked in my heart so much that I knew Your Son was the only one who could save me. Lord, There is no better feeling than accomplishing something great for You, and the thing that is great to You is merely living a Godly life with You leading us. While we strive to be the best we can be, let us not forget that our best only comes as we yield to You. Open our hearts, help us understand, and grow us into faithful Christians living under Your grace. Give us compassion on the lost, help us learn how to talk to them, and show them that You have not only pricked their heart, but opened it to Christ as well. Let everything we do bring glory to You and reveal Your Son. I ask these things is Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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