Virginia Tech & Hosea – Part 2

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Hosea 4:1 – There is no truth or mercy, or knowledge of God in the land. (NKJV)

As the grief of the murder victim’s families continues, the politicians and media line up to milk it for all its worth. If only we had more gun control, this would have never happened. If only the government would enact more laws and programs, this would have never happened. If only the administration and police had done their jobs, this would have never happened. If only the mental health professionals would have done their job, this would have never happened. Of course it goes without saying that President Bush is at fault. The only people that could possibly be more to blame are religious right wing fanatics and 2nd Ammendment nuts. INSANITY!

The politicians hypocrisy is on full display as, one the one hand, they pause for a generic, symbolic, and in truth, meaningless “moment of silence in honor of the victims”. Exactly how does a “moment of silence” honor them? It doesn’t. It is simply a way for politicians and celebrities to show how much they “care”. Even worse, is the hypocritical invoking of PRAYER by the same politicians, bureaucrats and Judges who tell the rest of us it is ILLEGAL to pray in public forums. The so-called myth of “separation of church and state” seems to conveniently disappear when it can be ignored to get some compassionate face time on TV (not to say that individually each person was hypocritical; President Bush seemed very sincere when he spoke of praying to a compassionate God; but I will leave UNNAMED many politicians who are anti-God on a daily basis in their law making and personal choices but are ridiculously hypocritical invoking the name of God now).

The words of Hosea ring out across our once God-fearing nation: There is no truth anymore! No one knows about God!

Hosea was sent to warn Israel at a time much like ours. The nation was prosperous and economically vibrant. To them it was the “best of times”. God sent Hosea to tell them it was “the worst of times”. The situation described in Hosea is chillingly similar to modern day America (and most western nations). Keeping in mind the unparalleled material prosperity that Israel was enjoying, take a look at what Hosea was sent to proclaim (Hosea 4:1-19):

• There was no absolute truth anymore (v.1)
• There was no real knowledge of the true and living God (v.1)
• Profanity and lying was normal (v.2)
• Killing, stealing and adultery were common (v.2)
• They had little restraint on personal behavior (v.2)
• The more God blessed them with prosperity and abundance, the more they forgot God (v.7)
• They set their heart on sin and enjoyed it (v.8)
• Nothing was ever enough; they had an insatiable appetite for “more” (v.10)
• Sex and alcohol enslaved their hearts (v.11)
• The worshipped the creation and not the Creator (v.12)
• The rulers were dishonorable (v.18)

It is a testament to the curse of sin that the more a society discards God, the more they end up exactly the same way. If the list above weren’t in the Bible, and was something that was “prophesied” about America by Plato or Nostradamus, then it would hailed as truly prophetic. But since it’s in the Bible, it is ignored by the world, and neglected by God’s people. Look at the same verses filtered through modern western civilization:

• There was no absolute truth anymore – the world is awash in “relativism” today. Anyone proclaiming to have, or know, absolute truth is immediately labeled an intolerant, bigoted, fanatical religious zealot. Even our own Christian brethren are quick to throw around “legalistic” as soon as anyone stands up for God’s absolutes.
• There was no real knowledge of the true and living God – God has been systematically removed from society. Sadly, the true God is being removed from alot of “Christianity” too.
• Profanity and lying was normal – it is considered absolutely normal and acceptable to lace our conversation with all manner of profanity. It’s “f—ing this” and “f—ing that” every two seconds. It’s like having a sewer dumped in your ears. Lying? Who cares. Lying is a means to an end, and is hardly even questioned as wrong by anyone anymore. Only lying that “hurts another person” is considered wrong. What nonsense.
• Killing, stealing and adultery were common – millions of unborn lives are sacrificed on the alter of convenience every year. Murder is a daily event. Stealing is considering an achievement if you can get away with it. Adultery is simply pursuing your own personal happiness. What loving God doesn’t want you to be happy?
• They had little restraint on personal behavior – anything goes today as long as “it doesn’t hurt someone else”. Pornography, homosexuality, perversion, arrogance, haughtiness… whatever. It’s your right.
• The more God blessed them with prosperity and abundance, the more they forgot God – who can argue this is occurring today?
• They set their heart on sin and enjoyed it – we enjoy sin. Entertainment, immorality, violence, bloodshed, occultism, perversion…. if you doubt that we LOVE to enjoy sin, then just go to your local movie theatre, check out the cable TV guide or spend a few minutes on the Internet.
• Nothing was ever enough; they had an insatiable appetite for “more”- western materialism is never satisfied. We have more stuff than we could use or need in 10 lifetimes and yet our society plows on with an unceasing desire for more, more, more.
• Sex and alcohol enslaved their hearts – does this need any commentary?
• The worshipped the creation and not the Creator – evolution, nature, mother earth, environmentalism, materialism, humanism, hedonism – all forms of creature worship. The Creator is ignored while the creature is elevated to god status.
• The rulers were dishonorable – corruption, lying, power-mongering, pandering, destruction of opponents; the level of integrity in politics is just above animalistic and falling. It is the predictable fruition of the evolutionary mindset: survival of the fittest.

Image over substance. Results over character. The West is now the world exporter and consumer of all that is vile and abhorrent. God has not judged America yet (or has He?), or at least His judgment has not been fully realized. How long can a God who hates sin withhold His judgment while the world thumbs their collective nose at him? Why aren’t people scared God will punish this rampant sin? We mistakenly think that because lightning bolts are not raining down on us with fire and brimstone, that God must be asleep. He must have forgot. He must not be paying attention. He must not really hate sin all that much.

• Romans 1:18-19 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. (NKJV)
• Romans 2:5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, (NKJV)
• Revelation 19:15-16 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (NKJV)

God has proclaimed many judgments throughout time. He judged Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3); God judged the entire world before the flood (Genesis 6); He judged the Israelites (2Kings 17; 2Kings 24); a judgment occurred at Calvary (Matthew 27:33–37; Isaiah 53:1–10; Psalms 22:1; Hebrews 2:9; 1 Peter 2:21–25; 3:18); the Jews were judged via the Romans (Matthew 24; Luke 19) and the Lord judged the local churches (Revelation 2-3).

God is a God of judgment (Hebrews 9:27; Acts 17:31). He will judge every person on how they responded to His call of repentance; and He will judge the works of His children. Our actions will be judged on the last day (Matt. 25; Romans 14:10, 11; 2Corinthians. 5:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10). Jesus will judge all things (Acts 17:31; John 5:22, 27; Revelation 1:7). Every single person will be judged (Matthew 25:31–46; 1Corinthians 15:51, 52; Revelation 20:11–15) and the fallen angels will be judged (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6).

God’s judgment will be final (Ecclesiastes 11.9), universal (2Corinthians 5.10), righteous (Romans 2.5), decisive (1Corinthians 15.52) and eternal (Hebrews 6.2). No one will be able to argue the just nature of God’s judgment because all the secrets of the heart will be revealed (1 Cor. 4:5; Luke 8:17; Luke 12:2,3).

The events at Virginia Tech should serve to remind us that God’s judgment is imminent, both on a national scale and global scale. Is that scary? Yes. It is real? Yes. Is it reality? Yes. Is it a serious and sober subject? Yes. The world should tremble. Our nation should tremble. Christians should rejoice. Why? Not because people will be lost or will suffer, but because God is just and His judgment is righteous. The church is purified and blessed when judgment occurs. All these things are also signs that the Lord is coming back to get us. Let me finish with my closing statement from yesterday:

On the one hand we live in a world that it getting scarier, meaner and deadlier. It is a fearsome time of growing wickedness and extreme intoleration of true Christianity. It’s not fun, but it IS a time of great joy and expectation because each day’s evil headlines, startling tragic events and growing threats all serve to remind every true Christian of one thing:

Our Redemption Draws Nigh!