Daily Devotions
Hosea
"Let no man contend"
Text: Hosea 4:4
THE BLAMING GAME
Who is to blame when everything seems to go wrong? Hosea brought this word to the nation.
“Now let no man contend, or rebuke another;
For your people are like those who contend with the priest.”
Hosea 4:4
1. “Let no man contend”
a) Contention would only worsen the situation at hand.
b) Factions would only tear the nation apart faster.
2. “Or rebuke another”
a) Contention would lead to rebuke.
b) One group would blame the other.
c) There would be no end to rebukes being exchanged.
d) Tempers would flare up and things would only become more acutely painful.
3. “For your people are like those who contend with the priest”
a) Priests in Israel were all false ones.
b) Ever since Israel departed from the worship of the LORD at Jerusalem in the days of Jeroboam I
i) False priests were appointed.
ii) Anyone could become a priest.
c) Idolatrous places of worship were many:
i) Baal worship
ii) Ashtoreth worship
iii) These were the predominant ones in the reigns of Omri and his sons (the worst was in the reign of King Ahab).
iii) Hundreds of false prophets and priests mushroomed.
iv) These were supported by the kings themselves.
4. The people
a) They had followed the priests blindly.
b) They were as blameworthy.
c) They could have turned their back on these false systems.
d) They could have listened to the words of the true prophets but they did not.
Hence, Hosea preached that there was no point contending with each other or rebuking anyone.