Hosea 4:6 - Destroyed For Lack Of Knowledge.
Hosea 4:6 - Destroyed For Lack Of Knowledge.
Hosea 4:6 (KJV) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:
because thou hast rejected knowledge,
Hosea 4:6 (NLT) My people are being destroyed because they don't
know me.
This is one of the best known and most frequently quoted
passages in Hosea. [Scofield SB]
"Knowledge" is not just a bookish collection of information. It
is experiential knowledge of the living God. [Disciple SB]
More than any other prophet, Hosea emphasizes the importance
of knowing God. Israel would ultimately be destroyed because they
did not (Hosea 4:1, 6).
For us, knowledge means information, facts, and concepts. But
in biblical times, knowledge was centered in personal
relationships. To know someone is to enter into a close relationship with that
person. Knowing God involves much more than simply mastering facts and
information about him. It even transcends discussions about the nature and
character of God, as important as those are.
Knowing God means entering into an intimate relationship with
him. It means identifying with God and learning to view everything as
God does. Knowing God will transform our thoughts and actions, our
priorities and values, and our relationships with fellow human beings. It
is far more important than religious rites, sacrifices, burnt
offerings, or any other religious activity (Jeremiah 9:23-24; 31:34}. [One
Year NLT SB re Hosea 4:1, 6]
Knowing God through experience is radically different than
knowing about God from a theology textbook. According to the Bible, you
cannot say you know God unless you have experienced Him (Php 3:8, 10).
Biblical knowledge always involves experience. You may become discouraged
because the truths you read about in the Bible are much richer than the
reality of your own experience.
If you have not experienced God's power at work in and
through your life, do not settle for a secondhand knowledge of God's
power, rejoicing in what He has done in others. Jesus' prayer was that
you would come to know God and His presence in your life and
experience. Don't discount the power of God as described in Scripture simply
because you have not experienced it. Bring your experience up to the
standard of Scripture, never reduce Scripture to the level of your
experience. Don't settle for a head knowledge of God's love. Jesus prayed
that you would experience the depth and width and height of His love
and that you would enjoy God's full and unending love in the
day-to-day experiences of your life.
If you sense there are biblical truths that you are not
experiencing, keep that truth before you and ask God to bring it into your
everyday experience. Ask God if there are any adjustments you need to
make in order to receive His promise. Don't give up on the promises
of God, stay with them until you are fully experiencing them.
[Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and Richard Blackaby re John 17:3]
When you are in love, you long to share who you are. You want
your beloved to know your passions and your deep thoughts, admire
your skills and talents, understand your pain, and work with you
toward your goals. You may be reluctant at times to share parts of
yourself because transparency makes you vulnerable to rejection. But
ideally, in that deep-down place of dreaming, you want to be known and
appreciated for who you are. That's why heart-to-heart, gaze-into-the-eyes
romance is a relentless human longing. Everyone wants to connect.
God has the same desire. In fact, that's why He made people
in His image - to be known and appreciated for who He is. He has
shared His passions and His thoughts with us so we can know Him. He
does praiseworthy things so we can praise His power and wisdom and
works. He spoke His grief through the prophets so we could understand
His pain in broken relationships. He called us into His mission so
we could work with Him toward His goals. He has not been reluctant
to share Himself with us, even though any transparency on His part
exposes Him to our rejection. The risk of rejection is worth the love of
His creation. This is why we were made. God, like us, wants to
connect.
The promise of Hosea 6:3 - and really of Scripture as a whole
- is that if we choose to "press on to know him," God will respond
to us with His availability and love. Press on in whatever way you
can think of, knowing that God longs to share who He is. When your
heart is pressing in to Him, His response will be as certain as the
dawn.
Lord, I want to fully appreciate who You are. Show me more of
Yourself. Draw me closer and let me gaze into You. [The One Year
Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by Chris Tiegreen re Hos. 6:3]
EXAMPLE
Many will say to me, "Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name
and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your
name." But I will reply, "I never knew you. Get away from me, you who
break God's laws." Matthew 7:22-23
It's one of the scariest passages in Scripture but also one
of the most revealing. This Jesus will later tell His disciples -
and us, by implication - to do supernatural works in His name. "Heal
the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out
demons. Give as freely as you have received!" (Matthew 10:8). But here
He tells them that many will do exactly these things while calling
Him "Lord" and find themselves outside His Kingdom. Why? Because He
never knew them.
It makes little sense to us. It would make slightly more
sense if He said, "You never knew Me," but the issue is actually His
knowledge of them. Clearly He isn't talking about knowledge of them; He is
in no way ignorant. No, He must be talking about relational
knowledge - His communion and fellowship with them. If that's lacking, so
apparently is salvation itself.
Jesus' words imply that it's possible to do supernatural
miracles in His name without belonging to Him - to tap into His power
outside of a genuine relationship with Him. That stretches our theology,
but it makes an essential point. The works we do are not the essence
of the relationship. The relationship is a matter of sharing His
Spirit, knowing His heart, and stepping into His purposes. It isn't a
supernatural sideshow, though it's certainly supernatural. It isn't a record
of performance, though it certainly involves works and
fruitfulness. The heart of the matter is ... well, the heart. If He doesn't
have ours, we don't have Him. And that's a tragedy with devastating
consequences.
Jesus, know me - in every sense of the word. I open myself up
for You to fill me with Yourself. I want to do miracles, but only
with You truly as my Lord. I want to bear fruit, but always and only
Yours. [The One Year Experiencing God's Presence Devotional by Chris
Tiegreen]
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Trust Me enough to spend ample time with Me, pushing back the
demands of the day. Refuse to feel guilty about something that is so
pleasing to Me, the King of the universe. Because I am omnipotent, I am
able to bend time and events in your favor. You will find that you
can accomplish more in less time, after you have given yourself to
Me in rich communion. Also, as you align yourself with My
perspective, you can sort out what is important and what is not.
Don't fall into the trap of being constantly on the go. Many,
many things people do in My Name have no value in My kingdom. To
avoid doing meaningless works, stay in continual communication with
Me. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I
will counsel you with My eye upon you. (Luke 10:41, 42; Psalm 32:8)
[Jesus Calling by Sarah Young]
CLOSING THOUGHT
So Isaiah mourns in the same words, "therefore my people are
gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge" Isa. 6:13. They
are destroyed for lack of it, for the true knowledge of God is the
life of the soul, true life, eternal life, as our Saviour saith,
"This is life eternal, that they should know Thee, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent." (Barnes' Notes)
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE:
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2011/20111206-1353.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Seeking God Made Real: http://vimeo.com/31489782
Musical Devotional On Christian Living:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcotY5K7T0c
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDY:
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/read/c/2/t/bible-study-guides#studymore
Discover Bible Studies: http://studies.itiswritten.com/discover/
LINKS FOR PROPHECY SEMINARS
Revelation Today Series by Pastor John Bradshaw:
https://revelationtoday.com/other-streams/
Prophecies Decoded Sermon Series by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
