The Review and Herald
January 29, 1914
“Destroyed for Lack of Knowledge”
For more than half a century after the death of Elisha, the kings of Israel continued to abuse the most sacred rites of the Hebrew economy, and to violate the laws of Jehovah. God had made his people the depositaries of his grace; but losing sight of this purpose, they “dealt treacherously against the Lord” and with one another. It was a time of violence and bloodshed. King after king was assassinated to make way for others ambitious to rule. “They have set up kings,” the Lord declared, “but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not.” Hosea 8:4. Every principle of justice was set aside, until king and people were held in contempt by the surrounding nations. RH January 29, 1914, par. 1
Ever since the rending of the kingdom, the Israelites had been sowing the wind; now they were to reap the whirlwind. “Ye have plowed wickedness,” the Lord declared, “ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men. Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, ... in a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.” Hosea 10:13-15. RH January 29, 1914, par. 2
Of the tribe of Ephraim, a leader in apostasy among the ten tribes, the Lord said: “Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth it not.” “Israel hath cast off the thing that is good,” declared the prophet. Hosea 7:9; 8:3. “Broken in judgment” (Hosea 5:11), unable to discern the sure result of continued apostasy, the ten tribes were soon to be “wanderers among the nations.” RH January 29, 1914, par. 3
There were in Israel those who realized that unless they strengthened their position politically, they would be unable to regain the prestige they had had among the nations. But instead of turning away from those practices which had brought weakness to the kingdom, they continued in iniquity, flattering themselves that when occasion arose, they would gain the power they needed by allying themselves with the heathen. “When Ephraim saw his sickness,” the prophet declared, “then went Ephraim to the Assyrian.” Hosea 5:13. “Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.” Hosea 7:11. “They do make a covenant with the Assyrians.” RH January 29, 1914, par. 4
Sinful and rebellious though the children of Israel had been, the Lord had ever regarded them with compassion, and by every possible means had tried to win them back to himself. “When Israel was a child,” the Lord declared, “then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” Hosea 11:1. He had led his chosen ones into the promised land, and established them there that they might be a blessing to the whole earth. “I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms,” he declared, “but they knew not that I healed them. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love.” Verses 1-3. “How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.” Verse 8. RH January 29, 1914, par. 5
The Lord had rebuked Israel for their evil doing and had pleaded with them to mend their ways. “I have also spoken by the prophets,” he said, “and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.” Hosea 12:10. Through the prophet that appeared to Jeroboam before the altar at Bethel, through Elijah and Elisha, through Amos and Hosea, God had repeatedly set before Israel the sure result of disobedience. But notwithstanding reproof and entreaty, Israel sank lower and lower in apostasy. “Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer,” the Lord declared. Hosea 4:16. “My people are bent to backsliding from me.” Hosea 11:7. RH January 29, 1914, par. 6
There were times when the judgments of heaven fell heavily on the rebellious people. “Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets,” God declared; “I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth. For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.” Hosea 6:5-7. RH January 29, 1914, par. 7
“Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel,” the prophet Hosea boldly commanded: “Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.” Hosea 4:1-9. RH January 29, 1914, par. 8
The iniquity prevailing in Israel during the last half century before the Assyrian captivity, was similar to that which prevailed in the days of Noah, and which has prevailed in every age when men have rejected God and given themselves wholly to evil doing. Always the exaltation of nature above the God of nature, the worship of the creature instead of the Creator, has resulted in the grossest evils. When the people of Israel paid to the images of Baal and of Ashtoreth, symbolizing the forces of nature, the homage due to God alone, they severed their connection with all that is uplifting and ennobling, and fell an easy prey to temptation. The defenses of the soul broken down, the misguided worshipers had no barrier against sin. RH January 29, 1914, par. 9
In the first chapter of the epistle to the Romans, the apostle Paul gives a startling picture of the debasing influence of creature worship. Of those who “changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator,” he writes: RH January 29, 1914, par. 10
“When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. RH January 29, 1914, par. 11
“Wherefore God also gave them ... over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” The restraints of God's word and his Spirit rejected, there were no depths of sin too low for them to reach. RH January 29, 1914, par. 12
Thus it was with Israel. Those who might have stood as spiritual leaders among the nations, having set aside the statutes of God, fell a helpless prey to the evil passions of the human heart. Their times were marked by oppression, gross injustice, luxury and extravagance, riotous feasting and drunkenness, licentiousness and debauchery. “They hate him that rebuketh in the gate,” Amos declared, “and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.” “They afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.” Amos 5:10, 12. These transgressors “sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes.” RH January 29, 1914, par. 13
“Ye ... turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,” the prophet declared. Amos 5:7. “Ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock: ye which rejoice in a thing of naught.” Amos 6:12, 13. Filled with indignation, the prophet addressed them as those who “cause the seat of violence to come near; that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, ... that drink wine in bowls, and ... are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.” Amos 6:3-6. RH January 29, 1914, par. 14
Among all classes of society, shameless drunkenness prevailed. “In the day of our king,” declared Hosea, “the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine.” Hosea 7:5. “Wine and new wine take away the heart.” Hosea 4:11. Amos testified, “Ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink.” Among women as well as men there were those who invited others to unite with them in revelry, saying, “Bring, and let us drink.” Amos 4:1. RH January 29, 1914, par. 15
The land was filled with violence. Gilead was “a city of them that work iniquity,” and was “polluted with blood.” Hosea 6:8. Through his messenger, the Lord testified against Israel: “They commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without. And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face. They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. They are all adulterers.” Hosea 7:1-4. RH January 29, 1914, par. 16
(To be continued.)