Thank you, my dear friend, for your good question! In Hosea 4: 6 we read: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” In short, we are reading about a time when Israel had ignored the wise counsels of God through neglecting His Word, and so they had wandered far from the LORD in their affections, going their own way. This, of necessity, would bring about God’s judgment upon His people. Actually, the first 5 verses of Hosea 4 list in detail the sins of the people. William MacDonald in his commentary on Hosea 4 will be quoted here: “4:1–3  God contends with Israel because of the people’s unfaithfulness, unkindness, irreligion, swearing, lying, killing, stealing, adultery, and murder. Five of the Ten Commandments are summarized in verse 2. Violations of these commands were the reasons for the condition of the land. Even the wildlife would waste away because of the coming judgment. 4:4–6 Both priest and prophet are blamed because of their willful lack of knowledge. God’s people were destroyed for lack of knowledge; they had forgotten the law of their God.”

The sins in the time of Hosea, and in particular the fact that such sins were so prevalent among God’s chosen people, describe a grievous situation indeed. But I say that because such sins seem very evident indeed in our world today. All have sinned, and the wages of sin is still death (Romans 3:23; 6:23). So, my dear friend, what might this mean for us today? If my readers are true believers, then you know that the Word of God brings the wonderful words of salvation to a lost mankind (John 3:16; Acts 16:31). The Word of God has revealed both light and life for us who are the children of God (John 10:10), and God’s Word will also serve as a faithful guide for us if we but read and apply it (Psalms 1:2; 63:6; 119:97-105). God’s Word is the source of true knowledge (Proverbs 1:7) and of true wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

But now, what if my reader is not yet a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ? If this is your case, dear friend, then you are missing the most important news that the world has ever heard! In John 3:16-17 we read: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” Acts 17:30-31 reminds the world that a day of God’s judgment is coming, so I pray that everyone who reads these words is saved. If you are not as yet a believer on the Lord Jesus, I pray you will pay heed to the Word of God so that you will be saved from the storm that is coming. John 5:24 reads: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” May our dear Lord’s Words bless you!  (SF)  (703.1)