Scripture: Hosea 4: 6

Title: Destruction of God’s people

Preacher: Rev. Daniel Bang

“my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. (Hosea 4: 6 NIV)”

Dear brothers and sisters! Are you at peace in the Lord?

Today, I would like to share a message about “Why do the people God chooses perish?” The prophet Hosea seems to have been active at the end of the reign of King Jehoash’s son Jeroboam II (c. 793-753 B.C.) and continued to work until the last king of northern Israel, King Hosea (c. 732-722 B.C.).

Even now, when everything starts, it grows and then perishes.

It is the same for countries, corporations, organizations, families, individuals, and religious institutions.

Only the church of Jesus Christ does not perish and exists forever on this earth. The reason that the church exists on this earth for over 2,000 years is because of the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matt 16: 18 NIV)

The only thing that Satan and the devil, the power of Hades, cannot overcome is the church.

Our brothers and sisters are a church called by God.

 The life span of the body given to us is 70 years old, and if we are healthy, we are 80 years old, but our souls are Christians who have received eternal life that cannot be destroyed.

Around the 8th century B.C., the prophet Hosea looked at the gloomy situation of that time and spoke the word of God to the people.

“O my People, you are perishing! You are the people of Israel who were specially chosen out of all the nations of the world. Why did you forsake the knowledge of the Lord God and the mission of God’s priests?”

No matter how much they shouted, the Israelites worshiped idols and did not fear God. God still warns that the chosen people will perish if they do not obey God’s word and live their own lives.

This warning may come to us with hardships or very difficult sufferings.

It is grace to realize immediately at that time. Only those who understand can turn.

God made this covenant with Abraham.

Abraham is the father of the Jews.

“I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. (Gen 17: 7 NIV)

It is a covenant that He will become the God of Abraham’s descendants. We are not Jews. However, these Jews did not recognize Jesus Christ, the Son of God prophesied in the Old Testament, as the Messiah, and became foolish and crucified Jesus to death. We are Gentiles.

But with the help of the Holy Spirit, knowing that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, I repented and accepted Him as my Lord.

Immediately, we received the mysterious grace and became children of God and received eternal life.

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. (Rom 11: 25 NIV)

As Gentiles, our names were saved and written in the Lamb’s book of life. However, the reality is that there are still too many people who have not been saved among the Israelites.

This is the destruction of God’s people. The destruction of Abraham’s descendants.

We Gentiles who have been saved must be more careful and work out our salvation on this earth.

Since you have been given a special grace by God’s grace, you should be more careful in everything you do, serve the Lord’s church, and diligently attend the worship service.

If you are a true believer, you will live with all your focus on worship in any way.

I will diligently evangelize to those around me who have not yet been saved. We will read the Word of God every day and do our best in prayer.

Nothing in this world bears fruit without doing your best.

Moreover, serving God requires more zeal than worldly work.

Moses taught the Israelites many times in the words of Deuteronomy on Mount Sinai.

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deu 6: 5 NIV)

If you do not love God, you cannot obey God’s Word and keep your faith until the end.

Love Jesus your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Your Lord is Jesus.

I would like to close my message.

Brothers and sisters, we are engaged in a spiritual war every day.

If I do not win, I will be perished.

I pray in the name of Jesus Christ that you will have victory for one week while loving God only.

Amen.