"The Lord's Charge"

“The Lord’s Charge”

 

Hear the Word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land:  “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.  By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint, with bloodshed upon bloodshed.     Hosea 4:1

 

Even though this message was given for the nation of Israel, it sure is a STRONG CASE for the Lord God, against many other nations today.  We live our lives in peril and uncertainty.  Our future holds a lot of UNCERTAIN outlooks, we make plans, but we don’t know if we will be able to carry out those plans.  Proverbs 16:9 tells us:  “A man’s heart plans his way.  But the Lord directs his steps.”  Even nations will attempt to make plans, but the Psalmist tells us in Psalm 33:10: “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing:  He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.”  So we SHOULD LIVE according to the WILL of the ALMIGHTY GOD, who is in TOTAL CONTROL of EVERYTHING.

 

As it was for the Children of Israel, the nation was NOT LIVING according to God’s covenant.  And MUCH AS it is TODAY, the NATION was living in SIN.  There was NO TRUTH, MERCY, or KNOWLEDGE of GOD.  Instead the inhabitants were LYING, KILLING, STEALING, and COMMITTING ADULTRY.  They were devoid of FAITHFULNESS, LOVE and MERCY.  This was/is NOT PLEASING to God, and because of their SINFUL DEEDS, the Lord brought a CHARGE AGAINST the inhabitants of the land, and JUDGMENT was carried out in the matter of a SEVERE DROUGHT, which swept across the land, and people and animals perished.  Then came RESTORATION because of the people’s REPENTANT HEARTS.

 

What is it going to take for the NATIONS of today, whose inhabitants are living sinful lives, to TURN AWAY FROM THAT SIN, and to TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART?  Just as God had a CASE against Israel, He truly has a CASE AGAINST the NATIONS of today.  What will be the JUDGMENT for these nations and their inhabitants?  Are you contributing to the SINFUL CONDITION of your nation?  PROBABLY SO, if you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you are headed for His JUDGMENT, and an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  However, God is giving you the opportunity NOW to TURN AWAY FROM, your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN TO Him, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN, making intercession for you, before God.  Then CONFESS your sins to Him, and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and spend ALL of ETERNITY in HEAVEN, with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!