April 30, 2021

closeup view of a passage from the Old Testament - Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Hosea 4:6 (NASB95)
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

PASTOR’S COMMENTARY

There is no justification for the abuse of power by those who have sworn to protect us. But, we must look at our current culture of self-destruction. Locally, we have experienced another senseless killing of a young man by two men of the same ethnicity.

We call each other brothers, but like Cain, who killed Abel, there is no brotherly love. There was a time when being connected by race meant looking out for each other. Our ancestors had a heart to protect each other from the prejudices of the dominant culture. But now we need protection from each other.

As I hear of another person who has lost their life to violence in the street, I am profoundly saddened. Not only because of a life cut short but also because of wondering about their eternal destination. Our culture wants to put everyone in heaven after death, but that goes against Scripture.

The lack of awareness of divine retribution and the existence of eternal damnation (hell) has made many numb to reality. This has occurred in part because our people lack knowledge and thus are destroying themselves.

In God’s Word for today, the word “priest” speaks of those who intercede on behalf of the people of God. And while this is before grace, we can sense God’s disgust with His people who have rejected the knowledge in His Word. This resulted in the rejection of the priests’ intercessory prayers. And because His children have turned a deaf ear to His law, God has turned a deaf ear to them.

We should thank God for the dispensation of grace and for Jesus being our faithful High Priest. Let’s continue to teach our children the Word of God and intercede for others.