The Lord’s case against His people

Date: 8 March 2026, 9.30 am

Speaker: Ps Daniel Tan Sermon Text: Hosea 4:1–5:1-7

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TRANSCRIPT

Introduction

Blessed Sunday to everyone. It is good for all of us to be worshipping God together as one family.

For those who are tuning in online, we greet you warmly too. But it would be even lovelier if we can greet you warmly by hand.  So if you are able to be with us, do join us next week.

Last Sunday, from the Gospel of Mark, the sermon encouraged us with the theme ‘Have no fear, Jesus is near’. And we were timely reminded that Jesus is powerful yet personal.

From Mark’s account, we were reminded that Jesus displayed power over Disasters, Demons, Disease, Death.

And significantly in each episode of displaying His power, Jesus was very personal with those affected, who were the last and the least in society.

I pray that last Sunday’s service would have encouraged us to courageously face the challenges of life throughout the week, because Jesus is near.

As I was thinking about the title of today’s sermon, I was thinking of how to link it to last week’s. Maybe I should call it ‘Tremble with fear, for the Lord is coming near’.

But since I feel it would not stand alone without the context of the previous sermon, so I’ve decided, keep it simple – Hosea 4 is about the Lord’s case against His people.

In Hosea 1-3, we witness a moving portrait of divine grace.

Hosea was commanded by God to marry Gomer, a habitually unfaithful woman, who was to be a living parable of Israel’s spiritual adultery.

Yet in Hosea 3, through deep humiliation and costly sacrifice, Hosea sought to redeem her back from slavery.

The marriage of Hosea and Gomer, Scripture says, is a picture of the sovereign grace of God – a faithful God pursuing a faithless people.

Hosea 1-3 is like a quick, high-level overview, whereas through Hosea 4-14, God will essentially bring us through the details.

As Israel’s example was also to be a caution for Judah, Apostle Paul says this same principle continues today.

1 Cor 10:6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did….. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

The context of 1 Cor 10 was about idolatry in the Corinthian church. And Paul was pointing them to the example of Israel in the wildness – reminding, learn from their negative example.

Today, Scripture is pointing us to the example of Israel after the reign of David and Solomon, reminding us, learn from their spiritual adultery.   

The Lord’s charge (v1-3)

In most court scene that we see on TV, as the judge is seated in the courtroom, the justice clerk will call the court hearing into session. And the charges will be laid out.

Hosea 4 is that type of scene.

Through Hosea, God is now presenting his lawsuit, in accordance with the procedures of His covenant with His people.

To Israel the accused, Hosea says, heard the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.

Hos 4:1 Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; 2 there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. 3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish, and also the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, and even the fish of the sea are taken away.

The Lord’s charge is there is no faithfulness or steadfast love and no knowledge of God in the land.

Faithfulness has the root meaning of truthfulness and reliability. Steadfast love is covenant loyalty and knowledge of God is about having a personal relationship with God and knowing what God expects of us.

This language is the language of the covenant. For it also is the character of God as He has revealed Himself.

God is saying you don’t know me at all.

It has been said that these 3 characteristics are actually best understood in reverse chronological order.

See when we do not have a knowledge of God through our personal relationship with Him, there will not be any love for God, because you cannot love what we do not know.

And when we do not love God, it’s very obvious that we will not endeavour to be faithful to Him.

Thus, when there is no covenant relationship with God, then the carnal nature, the sinful nature of man will be evident.

From the lack of a spiritual relationship with God will come moral failure. There will be swearing, lying, murder, stealing and committing of adultery.

When the first 4 commandments do not apply to us, the moral commandments from 5 - 10 will definitely be broken.

God says, Israel, you are breaking multiple commandments.

A very good explanation of the relevance of these moral failures in today’s world is found in the editorial by Dn Lenith. A very good read. If time permitted, I would have quoted extensively from the editorial. But may I leave you all to read it after the service.

We must note that this breaking of the commandments is in the context of God’s covenant with Israel.

May I read for us the introduction to Moses’ reminder of the 10 commandments to Israel, just as they were going into the Promised Land:

Deut 5:1 And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb…. 6  “ ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 7 “ ‘You shall have no other gods before me.

Because they have broken covenant with God, the Lord’s charge is 

3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it languish, and also the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, and even the fish of the sea are taken away.

The categories mirror the categories of creation – beast, birds and fish.

God is invoking the curse of the covenant and it will affect the whole creation.

Deut 28:15 “But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. 16 Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. 19 Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. 20 “The Lord will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in all that you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken me.

So, it seems from Scripture that there can be no economic or political prosperity without a righteous national character.

No knowledge of God will lead to moral values eroding and when God withholds His blessings because of covenant unfaithfulness, our environment will suffer.

The reversal of this can be found in 2 Chronicles -

2 Chron 7:14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

I submit, as we think about injustice, cruelty, racism and corruption, these are all key society’s ills, we want to realize that the root of the issue actually is the lack of personal knowledge of God.

Hosea 4:3, to one bible commentator, is like a spiritual Noah’s flood that will saturate the entire land with despair.

There is an evangelistic tool titled 2 Ways to Live. And in the first picture, it shows God’s original intent. God as the creator has set man to steward the earth according to God’s design.

But because of sin, we can put ourselves as king and ruler- picture 2.

So now, creation is disrupted in 2 ways – firstly due to man’s moral failure we will not be good stewards. We will ruin God’s creation.

Secondly, because of our sin, Genesis 3 says, cursed is the ground because of Adam’s sin, in pain he will eat of it all the days of his life. Thorns and thistles will be part of nature and by the sweat of our brows we will eat bread.

Church, if we tackle injustice, cruelty, racism and corruption, we are just tackling only the symptoms. I submit that the churches call then is fix the root of the problem, our greatest priority thus to know God and to make Him known.

When the Gospel is proclaimed and accepted, there will be knowledge of God, steadfast love and faithfulness. And the rest will follow.

The Lord’s rebuke (v4-19)

One of the key advantages of preaching through the books of the bible is that we cannot skip uncomfortable passages.

And I would like to say that if given the choice, I’ll not want to preach through Hosea 4:4 to 5:7. Why possibly accuse myself?

We’ve already seen that God’s charge in the courts is that Israel has broken the covenant.

Hos 4:4 Yet let no one contend, and let none accuse, for with you is my contention, O priest. 5 You shall stumble by day; the prophet also shall stumble with you by night; and I will destroy your mother. 6  My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Now here in v4, God’s rebuke regarding the charges that has been read out to the accused, is now aimed at a specific group of people.  

The blame and the guilt for why Israel is where she is, lies squarely on the shoulders of the priests and prophets.

So, in today’s terms, God’s finger is pointed at the under-shepherd of the local church – the pastors and the elders, the primary teachers of the church.

God’s judgement is that they will stumble.

Hos 5:5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt; Judah also shall stumble with them.

When we look at Hosea 5:5, we understand stumble to describe both shame as well as being disabled.

And as the priest and prophet stumbles, God will destroy their mother who is Israel.

God then explains through Hosea that this terrible punishment is because the priests are the very ones who have caused Israel to have the lack of knowledge of the Lord.

The priest have stopped studying and teaching God’s Word. They have lost sight of the truth of God and so they have not taught nor reminded the people appropriately.

Because of what they have done, God is rejecting the priests and saying you will all go into exile and will lose the privilege of being my priests. Not just you but your children as well.

We will be going through the book of James later in the year. There Scripture gives a warning of the higher standards God has set for teachers in the church:

Jas 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

To all leaders in Hermon, may Hebrews 13:17 be instructive:  

Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Though the verse is addressed to the congregation, Scripture says leaders will have to give an account for their members.

Leadership responsibility means being a good and faithful steward of those whom God has given.

When leaders meet Jesus face to face, we will have to give an account of our lives and that includes the flock that He has entrusted us with.

There is a saying what one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace.

And so, if we leaders and shepherds tolerate biblical illiteracy in this generation, the next generation will embrace everything but God and His truth.

Hos 4:7 The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame. 8 They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity. 9 And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. 10 They shall eat, but not be satisfied; they shall play the whore, but not multiply, because they have forsaken the Lord to cherish 11 whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding.

In v7-11, God explains how depraved the priests have become. They were encouraging the people towards idolatry.

With regards to the sacrifices done in the temple, as a provision by God, the priests get a cut of it for their livelihood.

So the priests could be taking more in 2 ways – firstly by taking more than their allocated share and secondly, increasing their pie by encouraging more sacrifices to as many idols as possible.  

Does this not happen today, as well with Prosperity Gospel preachers?

And so God says, both priest and people will be disciplined. Like people, like priest, both will be punished.

In God’s providential will, He will allow this ironic situation to happen - they will eat, they will feast yet not be satisfied. They will have much sexual activity but will not be able to conceive and thus not multiply.

The very thing they crave will not satisfy.

Again, we note that sin is like that – the idols of wealth, power and sex, will entice with much promises, but when you idolize them, they will enslave instead.

Hos 4:11 whoredom, wine, and new wine, which take away the understanding. 12    My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore. 13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is good.

As they indulge in sexual immorality and drunkenness, all logical understanding goes away.

And so, Hosea says, because the priest did not teach God’s law, the people went to seek after a piece of wood or walking staff to know the future.

As what Gomer did, the priest have led the people towards whoredom and gone after the worship of Baal.

The shade of the oaks, poplar and terebinth were known to be good, and so great places to have picnics of drunken sexual orgies in worship to Baal.

The Olympic games has the motto of faster, higher, stronger together.

But I’m not sure if the organizers of the recent winter Olympic games would agree that this motto is also to be achieved via sexual gratifications.

On Feb 15, the Straits Times ran this story that the 10,000 condoms that were supplied to the games villages have all been take. And they still had 1 more week of the games.

So the spokesperson was quoted as saying - Clearly this shows Valentine’s Day is in full swing at the Village. Ten thousand condoms used by 2,800 athletes.

The organizers had to then put out a statement promising that condoms will be continuously replenished until the end of the Games.

The world hasn’t changed in centuries. Society has just made sex outside of marriage acceptable.  

Hos 4:13 Therefore your daughters play the whore, and your brides commit adultery. 14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go aside with prostitutes and sacrifice with cult prostitutes, and a people without understanding shall come to ruin.

Lest the men or the leaders (which were also men), put the blame of unholiness upon the women, God says, I’m going after the leaders not just in the temple but also the leaders in the homes.

It is the men who have gone aside with prostitutes and sacrifice with cult prostitutes.

You men, you leaders in the homes are more at fault.

A female prostitute is another man’s wife, or sister or daughter. If there is no demand, it will limit the supply.

Don’t put the blame on the ladies, God says, the heads of the homes must bear the guilt.

May I address fathers. To a large extend, how our sons and daughters understand biblical marriages will depend on what they see in our own marriages.

Our children do observe how we live.

If they are sons, if we seek for them to display loving sacrificial servant leadership to their spouses, it begins by them observing how we model it towards our wives.

If they are daughters, if we seek for them to become the Proverbs 31 woman that matures in her faith, they would need to see how as the leader in the home, we seek the spiritual nurturing of their mothers according to Eph 5.

Fathers, when we love our wives as Christ loves the church, there will be a positive impact on our next generation and subsequently society.

Hos 4:15 Though you play the whore, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty. Enter not into Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-aven, and swear not, “As the Lord lives.” 16 Like a stubborn heifer, Israel is stubborn; can the Lord now feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture? 17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone.

As the priests were unfaithful, the leaders of the homes followed and with that the nation of Israel played the whore.

Hosea then changes direction, instead of speaking to the 10 tribes in Israel, he turns his attention to Judah, the southern kingdom.

Hosea warns Judah, do not follow Israel.

Now Gilgal and Beth-aven (which is likely Bethel) are two towns in the south of Israel and near the border with Judah.

Amos 5:5 tells us that Gilgal was an idolatrous town that should be avoided. For Bethel, 1 Kgs 12:29, informs us that Jeroboam I erected the golden calves there.

So basically, Judah is told, flee from idolatry. Do not go anywhere near such places.

Judah is also not to follow mindless faith. The phase ‘as the Lord lives’ is a common utterance of devout Jews. Those in Israel were outwardly religious but inwardly corrupt. Don’t follow empty religion.

Ephraim (another name for Israel) is joined to idols, therefore, leave him alone. Do not go near, flee from Israel’s presence.

Some of us may be wondering, why is Ephraim and Israel used interchangeably. If you are wondering about it, good. May I invite you to join the CGs. They have the answer.

I trust that this section helps us to appreciate the vital role that leaders play in the life of the church, society and the nation.

Scripture says, here is how to choose leaders wisely,

1 Tim 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching…. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

This is Paul’s instruction to a young pastor Timothy.

If you are a young believer, may I encourage you to be discerning regarding your influences.

Learn under those who are faithful teachers, who devote themselves to explaining God’s word and not their own wisdom.

Secondly, they have to practice what they preach. It must be evident – you must be able to see their progress.

For those of us who are leaders in church and in the homes, may we take heed to v16. Ours must be an examined life.

We are to keep watch on ourselves and on the teaching. Our speech, actions and attitudes must be aligned with Scripture.

And remember, what is at stake, the faith is at stake. Remember Hosea 4, when the priests did not keep true to God’s word, the people were led into idolatry.

The Lord’s warning (5:1-7)

Appreciating the spiritual adultery that has happened in Israel and how it is beginning to spread to Judah, it is amazing that God still ask Hosea to warn Israel.

We must give thanks that God is not like us, for I’m sure we would have sent fire and brimstone instead.  

Hos 5:1 Hear this, O priests! Pay attention, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! For the judgment is for you; for you have been a snare at Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor. 2 And the revolters have gone deep into slaughter, but I will discipline all of them. 3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me; for now, O Ephraim, you have played the whore; Israel is defiled. 4 Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not the Lord. 5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt; Judah also shall stumble with them. 6 With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the Lord, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them. 7 They have dealt faithlessly with the Lord; for they have borne alien children. Now the new moon shall devour them with their fields.

In Hosea 5, God expands His rebuke by warning that He includes the entire national leadership. Kings, priests and even the administrators in the nation.

People of authority and influence.

What have they done?

They have become hunters of their own people. They have put up a snare at Mizpah and spread a net upon Tabor.

These 2 towns were once places of great deeds. But such locations have been used by the kings and the priest to offer worship to idols and thus led the people astray.

The irony is that the kings were to protect the people and the priest were to bring them closer to God, yet they both hunted the very people they were to be stewards of.

And so God warns in v3, nothing is every hidden from His sight. God knows even the intentions of our hearts, let alone what is done in the dark when we think no one is watching.

In v4, God warns that their hearts have so harden that their deeds do not permit them to return to God. And this was compounded by their pride.

In pride they stood firm in their idolatry even as the Assyrian army captured them.

And so, God warns that now He will withdraw His presence from Israel. They will seek Him but not find Him.

With God’s presence not amongst them, He mercies will no longer be there to deliver them from the consequences of their sins.

No presence, no knowledge of God and thus the full impact of their sins will overtake them.

This we see in the phase the new moon shall devour them.

For the ‘new moon’ was probably a reference to the sacred feats of idolatrous worship conducted under the shade of the trees.

Hosea 4 began with God address them as children of Israel. Now in v7 they will have alien children. God will not know them. They no longer belong to Him.

In the midst of these dark warnings, I see a glimmer of hope. 5:2 says, but I will discipline all of them.

For Hebrews encourages us to see the divine perspective of discipline:

Heb 12:7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

Hosea 4:4-5:7 are challenging verses. It is a warning that with responsibility comes accountability.

All of us have our sphere of influence. Some like leaders are official, others unofficial. Yet, we know that because of our influence, we can influence towards godliness and we can also influence towards ungodliness.

Hosea 4 begins with ‘hear the word of the lord O children of Israel’, Hosea 5, begins with Hear this O priest …. Give ear O house of the king’.

Church, are we listening? For if we are hearing correctly the Lord’s case against us, may our response be Tremble with fear, for the Lord is coming near’.

Conclusion

Hosea 4 & 5 are hard passages. I submit, we should view them through the lens of Hosea 3, which we know points ultimately to Christ, our great high priest.

The covenant lawsuit finds its final resolution at Calvary.

Where Israel failed in faithfulness, Christ obeyed perfectly.

Where Israel deserved covenant curse, Christ bore it totally.

Where God threatened withdrawal, Christ cried out ‘why have you forsaken me?’

Through His atoning death and victorious resurrection, revival becomes possible.

Revival is not emotionalism, revival is not better organization. Revival is the Holy Spirit applying the finished work of Christ to cold hearts.

As we sing our closing hymn later, lets reflect:

Hosea shows us what we must mourn for - Revive us O Lord, help us repent of our ways, our failure in seeking your face.

Hosea points us to God’s divine solution - Revive us O Lord, break through our chains by the power of your word.

Church, we do not sing as condemned sinners hoping to earn mercy. No, we sing as redeemed people asking God to renew what Christ has purchased.

So may the Lord revive us, restore knowledge of Himself, renew in us His covenant love and glorify His Son in our lives.

Reflection Questions

1. How might we be in danger of repeating Israel’s mistakes of forsaking God’s word today? What can we do within our CGs to avoid that?

2. If you are going through a spiritually dry patch now, how might this passage encourage you to repent and seek God? If you are not, how can you (or the CG) encourage those who have wandered to return to God?

3. Today, as a priesthood of believers, we are all called to be proclaimers and reminders of God’s truth to those around us. How can you, in your context, live out your priestly responsibility to do so?