Chapter four really starts with a bang: “God indicts the whole population”. That is a pretty broad and sweeping statement. God is not happy with His people. He points out their failures clearly:
1. No one is faithful
2. No one loves
3. No one knows the first thing about God
Sound familiar? Sometimes scripture really shows that people haven’t really changed much. But look at the specifics that are listed describing the people: “cussing…lying…killing…theft…loose sex…sheer anarchy…murder”. Sound like the six o’clock news? Our world is a mess. It was in Hosea’s time too. People are still people – lost and on a road to disaster. God says these words very strongly: “But don’t look for someone to blame. No finger pointing”. Sometimes we want to point fingers and blame someone else for our problems. We want to blame the world for our sin. WRONG! Sin results from a choice I make. I CHOOSE to sin – the world does not make me a sinner – I make me a sinner. So it is not anyone else’s fault. It is not about them – it is about me. I cannot blame anyone other than myself for the sin in my life. There is no excuse – I make the choices that cause me to fall into sin. It is ME. Scripture does give a hint as to where the breakdown was then, and I believe it is still the same today: “My people are ruined because they don’t know what’s right or true”. We do not teach a biblical worldview very clearly today. They didn’t do it well then either evidently. People don’t know God’s heart as well as they should. Understand that lack of knowing never excuses sin. You won’t be able to use the “I didn’t know any better” line on God at judgment day. That is not going to cut it. But this statement points out our responsibility and need to teach our children well. We have to teach God’s truth. We have to live God’s truth. We need to model how people should live. God expects it from us – to live a biblical lifestyle based on the truth of His Word. No finger pointing – except at ourselves. We need to look in the mirror and acknowledge that the problem is ME and get after fixing it!
