December 6
HOSEA 4
12 My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles.
For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray,
and they have left their God to play the whore.
13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn offerings on the hills,
under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is good.
Therefore your daughters play the whore, and your brides commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore,
nor your brides when they commit adultery;
for the men themselves go aside with prostitutes and sacrifice with cult prostitutes,
and a people without understanding shall come to ruin. – Hosea 4:12-14
HOSEA 4 ISRAEL’S WHOREDOM
According to the topical encyclopedia “whoredom” in the Bible alludes to numerous forms of sexual immorality, such as prostitution, adultery, and idolatry. It is often used metaphorically to illustrate unfaithfulness to God, comparing spiritual infidelity to marital disloyalty. This word is mostly found in the Old Testament and is used to convey the gravity of disobedience to God’s laws. In Leviticus 19:29, one of the statutes of God says that daughters must not be profaned by making her a prostitute or else the land falls into prostitution and the land becomes full of wickedness. The account of Hosea and Gomer is a very poignant illustration of whoredom. God literally commanded Hosea to marry a whore so he could point out the unfaithfulness of Israel with their spiritual adultery.
These following verses describe what whoredom looked like. Verse 13 demonstrates the acts of such unfaithfulness to God. They sacrifice on mountain tops and burn offerings on the hills under oak, poplar and terebinth because they gave them good shade and it was convenient for them to do so. Verse 12 indicates that they consult wooden idols and their wooden staff instead of going to God’s truth. Vese 14 rebukes the Israelites for engaging both men and women in prostitution and offering sacrifices with cult prostitutes.
As a result of Israel’s whoredom, they are destroyed by such wickedness and unfaithfulness to God. Proverbs 6:32-33 cautions that whoever commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself.
REFLECTION
- What are some acts that a believer can do that is synonymous to whoredom?
- What are the reasons why believers become unfaithful to God?
