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何西阿书［第4章］
Book of Hosea 4

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何西阿书［第4章］ |Book of Hosea 4

【神子民无知的后果】

主讲：丘均发传道
02/05/2023

引言：

何西阿书第4章讲的是，神的子民将因无知不认识神而犯罪，以及要面对无知的后果！

一、民因无知遍地罪恶（V1-3）

先知何西阿在此呼吁以色列子民要仔细听神的话，清楚说出他们因无知的罪状（V2）都是违反十诫的罪。因为人的罪恶，大地和其上的生物，也受到影响，失去了神的赐福（V3）。整个社会出问题都因为人不认识神而遍地罪恶。

惟有认识神的真理才是生命之道。罪恶泛滥是因为很少真正认识神的人！

二、民犯罪因祭司犯罪（V4-10）

1．没有教导神的律法（V6-7）

祭司的工作是帮助百姓透过敬拜、献祭认识神。但是当时的祭司自己都不认识神，也没有教导神的律法，以致祭司越多，就越发得罪神(V7)，更多地使百姓‘因无知识而灭亡’！而祭司失职的后果是被神‘弃掉’，连他们的儿女也被神‘忘记’。

2．满心愿意百姓犯罪（V8-10）

当时的祭司不但没有教导神的律法劝人远离罪恶，反而是希望百姓能够多犯罪，就多来献赎罪祭，以便得到更多的祭物。神因此要让祭司和百姓受到同样的惩罚：非但吃不饱，也得不到后代。

彼得前书2:9 说我们都是‘有君尊的祭司’。 所以，我们有义务明白神的律法，并在弟兄姐妹中勉励彼此谨守遵行。

三、无知拜偶像而倾倒（V11-14）

先知形容百姓拜偶像就像是犯奸淫。一方面是对神不忠诚，就像是婚内出轨；另一方面，迦南地很多拜偶像的仪式都包含了在祭祀场所的性行为。 求主帮助我们分辨是单单敬拜神，还是参杂了其他的偶像在其中。

四、民因无知而受审判（V15-19）

最后一段经文，神宣告对无知的以色列子民的审判。以色列人因为倔强不肯悔改，神就放任他们，好像是得自由到了‘宽阔之地’，但却失去了神的保护，他们只是任人宰割的羊羔。到时他们就会发现向偶像所祈求的保护完全落空。因为神借着外邦人的侵略，让他们羞耻地被敌人当做奴隶掳到外邦之地。

总结：

我们真实认识神吗？我们每天有亲近神的时间吗？ 但愿我们都来竭力认识神，不是一知半解的基督徒。自己先要明白并遵行神的旨意，并要与人分享真理，因为知识从神而来！让更多无知的人认识神得救赎！

Hosea 4 Consequences of Ignorance of God's People
GK611 Morning Devotion
02/05/2023
The Morning Devotion Speakers: Ps Daniel

Introduction：

Chapter 4 of Hosea is about God's people who will sin because of ignorance and not knowing God and face the consequences of ignorance!

1. Because of ignorance, sin is everywhere (V1-3)

Here the prophet Hosea appeals to the children of Israel to listen carefully to the Word of God, clearly stating their sin of ignorance (V2), are all sins against the Ten Commandments. Because of man's sin, the earth and its creatures are also affected and lose the blessing of God (V3). The whole society has problems because people do not know God, and sin is everywhere.

Only knowing the truth of God is the way of life. Sin is rampant due to so few people really knowing God!

2. The sins of the people were caused by the sins of the priests (V4-10)

(1) Did not teach the law of God (V6-7)

The job of the priest is to help the people know God through worship and sacrifice. But the priests at that time did not know God themselves, nor did they teach the laws of God. As a result, the more priests there were, the more they offended God (V7), and the more people “perished because of ignorance”! The consequence of the priests’ neglect of duty was that they were “abandoned” by God, and even their children were “forgotten” by God.

(2) Allowing People to Sin (V8-10)

The priests at that time did not teach the law of God to persuade people to stay away from sin but hoped that the people would sin more, so they would offer more sin offerings to get more sacrifices. Therefore, God wanted the priests and the people to suffer the same punishment: not only would they not have enough to eat, but they would also not have offspring.

1 Peter 2:9 says we are all ‘a royal priesthood,'. Therefore, we are obliged to understand the laws of God and encourage each other to obey them among brothers and sisters.

3. Falling into Idolatry due to ignorance (V11-14)

The prophet described the worship of idols by the people as committing adultery. On the one hand, it is unfaithful to God, like cheating in marriage; on the other hand, many idol worship ceremonies in Canaan include sexual behaviour in sacrificial places. May the Lord help us to discern whether our worship is purely worshipping God, or whether it is mixed with other idols.

4. People are judged for their ignorance (V15-19)

In the last verse, God pronounces judgment on the ignorant people of Israel. Because the Israelites were stubborn and refused to repent, God let them go as if they had been freed to the " open country", but they lost God's protection and were just lambs to be slaughtered. Then they will find that the protection they have prayed to their idols has failed. Because God used the aggression of the Gentiles to let them be ashamed to be taken captive by the enemy as slaves to the Gentiles.

Conclusion：

Do we really know God? Do we have time to be close to God every day? May we all strive to know God, and not be half-past-six Christians. You must first understand and obey God's will, and share the truth with others, because knowledge comes from God! Let more ignorant people know God and be saved!