Evil and Hatred

STUDY: # 936-CHURCH IN THE HOUSES FROM: MARCH 28, @ APRIL 3, 2017

TOPIC: “Evil and Hatred” Hosea 9:7-8 Israel, the people of God, paid the prophet with evil and hatred for his service of warning them against their constant sins. The issue is not to be "good," or to be considered good, for people’s approval. Trying to be good to everyone does not mean you’re doing justice! People who are "really good" tend to be ineffective. They do not produce the desired effect. They are void, useless. Those who get along with everyone, and accept everything do it to look good, so that people may leave them alone, to do as the individual wants. A person who knows nothing about justice does this. Where can you get like this? The people of Israel did not want Hosea to tell them the truth about all the bad things they were doing. They wanted Hosea to be "good" with them. But Hosea was just, not "good". Everyone pays for everything they do in life. What anguish we have to live! There are many who are "good" instead of righteous. Hosea loved justice. This is why they thought the prophet was a fool. But a FOOLISH man insists on making the same mistakes. A fool clings to the wrong ideas, showing little intelligence. The lack of knowledge is common among fools. Fools are ignorant, and do not know what to do. By not knowing what to do, they are reckless with a lack of reasoning on how to live in justice. Jesus taught about the importance of loving and seeking justice in Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and ..." The prophet Hosea was a righteous man who loved justice. This contrasted greatly with the fools who accused him, and were angry with him. (Hosea 9:7 "... the man of the spirit is MAD...") They also thought the prophet was mad or a fool. A MAD FOOL behaves recklessly and immaturely. But those who are wise are endowed with sound judgment. They are sane, careful, and understanding. I ask myself, how can one live without justice? Every day we will pay for what we did not do in justice. We can live lightly, and without thinking, but the day will come when we pay for our lack of justice. It is easy to live without any depth, to live, not as adults, but as if we were still children, focused on the day, living for nonsense, outside of ourselves, not carrying any weight, living selfishly, and living this way because of pride. We should understand that Hosea used all wisdom to live and warn the people of their sins. When God is present, there is no silence regarding men’s actions. HIS WORD IS THERE FOR PEOPLE! Notice how we appear to be "good" because we like the "justice of our mind," with the twisted meaning that we want to give it. The truth is that we are not good for true justice. What we maliciously seek is to look good. THAT IS INJUSTICE! We already mentioned that people who "only appear to be good" are ineffective. They do not produce the desired effect. They are useless. They do not know the right reason for things. They accept everything to look good in the eyes of those who seem to give them glory. But in the end, it is a game for they all lack love, they are all filled with vanity. Here in the biblical passage, we see the prophet warning the people. Like God, Hosea did not want the ruin of the people, but their healing. For this reason he spoke to them God’s truth. (Hosea 9:8 "The prophet is the watchman of Ephraim with my God…"). Hosea was the watchman. He was the guard of a nation. He was responsible for watching over important things that only he could see to rid the people of evil. It was a weight that only he could carry; only he could see, and speak. God is committed to His prophet, to lead the people from a fatality to a victory. This vigilance is intended for the vigilant. The prophet is that watcher who stops having a passive role to do something extremely important in favor of others.

However, the hatred of the people rose against their prophet (Hosea 9:8 "... yet a fowler’s snare is on all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God."). The prophet Hosea’s warnings caused them foolishness and folly. We see that hatred rises against the voice of God. Hosea, the watchman of the nation, was called mad! Hosea 9:7 "The prophet is a fool; the man of the spirit is mad, because of your great iniquity and great hatred." The people’s (Ephraim) watchman, Hosea, does not speak for himself. He is a prophet: "... to my God (along with my God)." Because he spoke God’s truth, the prophet found in all his paths the snare of the hunter. His evil listeners wanted to bring him down in the trap of the hunter’s snare. Back then, it was the hatred towards Hosea. Today it is towards those who try to care for the Lord's flock. How much hate! You see and perceive hate when they speak. Hate in their eyes. Hate in their halfsmiles. Hate when they look like they don’t understand what is spoken. Hate when they ask "why" or say, "I do not understand", "Repeat it." The unbelievable thing for Hosea was that he found hatred in the temple! He found hatred towards him in the house of his God! This hatred stunned the prophet. It hurt. Hatred from those he loved. It is a cursed hatred that in great silence speaks so loud it stuns the mind. It reaches the heart, and paralyzes it like a bacteria sticking to it, and slowly wasting away the heart! This hatred from those whom the prophet loves and tries to help is a "provocative" and "contrary" attitude, that the people usually have no reason at all for. During ancient times many prophets experienced this. Today this is also experienced because of justice.

Let us be docile, with humble hearts, submissive to those that guide us and watch over our souls. We shouldn’t allow hatred and evil ruin what God has given us to make us just and holy. Let’s love one another and watch out for what is His, for our good. Amen.