Ignorance Is No Defense
Notes
Transcript
Introduction - Claiming Ignorance
Introduction - Claiming Ignorance
If you break a law that you are unaware of, you are still liable and responsible for having broken the law. Thomas Jefferson said “Ignorance of the law is no excuse in any country. If it were, the law would lose their effect, because it can always be pretended.” How many of us believe that we can claim ignorance though? Ignorance is a choice - especially in this day and age when we have the ability to research and learn just about anything that we want to.
Thomas Jefferson is also quoted as having said, “Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just.” Thomas Jefferson wrote these words about our country the United States of America, but I think as we see Hosea observing the current state of affairs in the nation of Israel he would have said the same. From his personal experience with his wife, Hosea understood properly that sin not only breaks the heart of God but offends the holiness of God.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; faithful love and truth go before you.
Through Hosea’s family - his marriage to Gomer and the naming of his three children the allegory has been established. The scene has been set, and now we come to the prophecy spoken concerning the nation of Israel. God wanted to forgive and restore His people but they were not ready yet. They would not repent or acknowledge their sin. In order to bring them to understanding God prophecies judgment by way of conducting a trial. As we enter into this court we will see several charges the first of which is Ignorance - Ignorance is no defense - it is rather a choice and also an indictment.
1 Hear the word of the Lord, people of Israel, for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land! 2 Cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.
3 For this reason the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes, along with the wild animals and the birds of the sky; even the fish of the sea disappear. 4 But let no one dispute; let no one argue, for my case is against you priests.
5 You will stumble by day; the prophet will also stumble with you by night. And I will destroy your mother. 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as my priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons.
7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against me. I will change their honor into disgrace. 8 They feed on the sin of my people; they have an appetite for their iniquity. 9 The same judgment will happen to both people and priests. I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
10 They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have abandoned their devotion to the Lord. 11 Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away one’s understanding.
The General Charge
The General Charge
1 Hear the word of the Lord, people of Israel, for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land! 2 Cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.
3 For this reason the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes, along with the wild animals and the birds of the sky; even the fish of the sea disappear.
God’s focus here in this prophecy is on the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The Lord brings a case against the inhabitants of the land - all of them. That word case - rib in Hebrew pronounced reeve and it means a dispute or brawl and quarrel. It is a fight but the sense is that of a lawsuit or legal process. It references a proceeding in a court whereby one seeks legal remedy. God is seeking legal remedy against the inhabitants of the land. God is the plaintiff and the Israelites the defendants. God brings three charges.
There is no truth
No faithful love
No knowledge of God
Each of these three charges are connected when there is no knowledge of God there can be no truth and no love or mercy. Truth to be truth must be rooted in something more than opinion and feelings.
Love must likewise go beyond self-interest and be unconditional to be true love. Wisdom and understanding always begins with the knowledge of God.
10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Due to these three charges here is what God is witnessing in the land - cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery are rampant; and one act of bloodshed follows another. It all connects back to leaving the knowledge of God. Truth and mercy are soon left as well and no longer is there any practice of restraint. Our society today continues to rail against restraint - unless it is a restraint of righteousness. Check out the advertising slogans we are exposed to
To know no boundaries
“No rules, just right” “Just do it”
“Break all the rules”
“Peel off inhibitions. Find your own road”
“Live without boundaries”
The messaging is all the same isnt it? Make your own rules, you answer to no one - only restrain yourself if you want to. This sort of self-centered and self revolving outlook leads to the breakdown until one act of bloodshed follows another. Literally bloody deed touches bloody deed. The law is completely disregarded - they have broken and continue to break God’s law - literally God’s covenant - God’s relationship with them. To break one law is to break them all and they were breaking 5 at least.
10 For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.
For this reason the land mourns - dries up completely. Everyone living in it languishes - withering or drying out, becoming feeble and wasting away. Even the wild animals and the birds of the sky as well as the fish of the sea. This is speaking of a severe drought that will come to the land. Drought was one of the curses threatened by the law for breaking the covenant.
19 I will break down your strong pride. I will make your sky like iron and your land like bronze,
23 The sky above you will be bronze, and the earth beneath you iron. 24 The Lord will turn the rain of your land into falling dust; it will descend on you from the sky until you are destroyed.
This is the tragic fruit when on forsakes, truth, love and the knowledge of God. Satan tempts us and sings sweetly to us, convincing us that we are restrained and if we leave these things then we will walk into freedom. But it only ever leads us to disappointment and destruction.
8 The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God caused to grow out of the ground every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden, as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river went out from Eden to water the garden. From there it divided and became the source of four rivers. 11 The name of the first is Pishon, which flows through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 Gold from that land is pure; bdellium and onyx are also there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon, which flows through the entire land of Cush.
14 The name of the third river is Tigris, which runs east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden,
17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.”
21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. 22 Then the Lord God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.
1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’ ”
4 “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
23 So the Lord God sent him away from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove the man out and stationed the cherubim and the flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life.
Since the beginning Satan tempts us to forsake the things of God and of knowledge of God - promising freedom but only bringing destruction.
The Defendants - the Priests -
The Defendants - the Priests -
4 But let no one dispute; let no one argue, for my case is against you priests.
God says let no one dispute and let no one argue, for my case is against you priests. Now on the surface this looks to read one way but the true meaning lies beneath the surface for us to come to full understanding. First off God says let no one dispute and let no one argue - this would seem to apply to when judgment or calamity comes the usual desire for everyone to become a corrector of morals and finds fault in their neighbors. No man in this is set to do anything but to see their own guilt in it all. Second the people are so self-willed and obstinate they would not receive the reproof or correction from any man who shares their guilt. This is extremely sad because it was the right and the call of the priest to reprove the people of Israel. The priest is also doing evil and this is why the Lord God says His case is against you priests.
1 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use.
3 Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye?
5 Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye.
In this way of the priests also being guilty - the people refused to listen to them. So God holds the leaders responsible.
9 You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Ask, and they will give you a verdict in the case. 10 You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the Lord chooses. Be careful to do exactly as they instruct you.
11 You must abide by the instruction they give you and the verdict they announce to you. Do not turn to the right or the left from the decision they declare to you. 12 The person who acts arrogantly, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there serving the Lord your God or to the judge, must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.
How do you enforce this when the priests have set themselves up as one who is unrighteous and just as crooked as those they were to guide and judge between? God has to take up the case instead and that is what He is doing. Therefore let no one dispute or argue - not people with each other, not the people with the priests, not the priests with the people or the priests with the priests.
Same Judgment for Both
Same Judgment for Both
5 You will stumble by day; the prophet will also stumble with you by night. And I will destroy your mother. 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as my priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons.
7 The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against me. I will change their honor into disgrace. 8 They feed on the sin of my people; they have an appetite for their iniquity. 9 The same judgment will happen to both people and priests. I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
10 They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have abandoned their devotion to the Lord. 11 Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away one’s understanding.
God at this points pronounces His sentence for their indictment of ignorance. He clearly states My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. We saw he pointed out the priests before - but notice that their guilt didn’t absolve the people’s guilt they were still responsible and culpable. Also see clearly that God’s people are destroyed through their own ignorance and guilt. God’s people are not destroyed because God has lost His love or strength - but because they lack knowledge. There are two reasons for the lack of knowledge of the people as a whole.
Priests Rejected it
People Rejected it
God says clearly that because the priests rejected knowledge - literally spurned or rejected with contempt towards - understanding and discernment. The priests were only able to reject the knowledge of God because the people also were rejecting it - they didnt require it from the priests.
7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should desire instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Armies. 8 “You, on the other hand, have turned from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of Armies.
The priests should have guarded knowledge but the people have a responsibility to desire instruction from the priests. We must demand that the word of God be taught by the people God has put over us, we should not be content with whatever they bring for if they do not bring the word then we shall perish and be destroyed for a lack of knowledge.
God says verse 5 you will stumble by day and the prophet will stumble with you by night. Its bad enough to stumble in the dark - we can understand it - but to stumble in the day denotes a carelessness and a lack of awareness and just not looking out. When people cast off and reject knowledge of God and restraint and guidance from leaders then they shall be like those who stumble in the day.
God paints the picture such that even the prophet is brought down to the level of the people and will also stumble. His position, standing or reputation does not provide any immunity or safety.
I will destroy your mother refers to the nation of Israel - the nation will fall - and it does to the Assyrians
Since you have forgotten the law of your God (what we would refer to now as the word of the Lord) I will also forget your sons. The more they multiplied the more they sinned against me. There is a profound connection between knowing God and knowing His word. His word is the way that God has chosen to reveal Himself to His people. You cannot know God without knowing His word.
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
When we know God and His word it affects our conduct. Teaching was an important duty of the priests and remains the prime function of God’s leaders today in the church. If one neglects their duty to preach God’s word to the people - they cannot lead the people in true knowledge of God and instead leads them to destruction. For rejecting knowledge of God the priests would be removed from their offices by the Lord. To ignore their children is to not let them inherit the office of their father, and in this way the future priestly line would be cut off.
27 A man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Didn’t I reveal myself to your forefather’s family when they were in Egypt and belonged to Pharaoh’s palace? 28 Out of all the tribes of Israel, I chose your house to be my priests, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your forefather’s family all the Israelite food offerings. 29 Why, then, do all of you despise my sacrifices and offerings that I require at the place of worship? You have honored your sons more than me, by making yourselves fat with the best part of all of the offerings of my people Israel.’ 30 “Therefore, this is the declaration of the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I did say that your family and your forefather’s family would walk before me forever. But now,’ this is the Lord’s declaration, ‘no longer! For those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disgraced. 31 Look, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your forefather’s family, so that none in your family will reach old age. 32 You will see distress in the place of worship, in spite of all that is good in Israel, and no one in your family will ever again reach old age. 33 Any man from your family I do not cut off from my altar will bring grief and sadness to you. All your descendants will die violently. 34 This will be the sign that will come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: both of them will die on the same day. 35 “ ‘Then I will raise up a faithful priest for myself. He will do whatever is in my heart and mind. I will establish a lasting dynasty for him, and he will walk before my anointed one for all time.
One would expect that an increase in priests would have a positive effect on a nation’s moral climate, in Israel it only brought greater sin. Their place of honor for the position they held would be changed by God to a place of disgrace. They instead of a appetite or desire for the things of God instead have an appetite and desire to feed off the sin and have an appetite more iniquity. Appetite here is the sense of the inner self - the part that thinks feels wills and desires and all of it is for more iniquity.
Notice verse 9 and underline it and write next to it you are responsible for knowing of God and His Word. Just because the priests and prophets were not fulfilling their God given calling and duty before the people - did not absolve the people of their responsibility before God. If you think you can come before God and claim ignorance as your excuse think again - it clearly says The same judgment will happen to both people and priest - ignorance is not a defense. I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
They will eat and not be satisfied they will be promiscuous and not multiply. The fruits of their labors will bring them nothing and will not satisfy.
They have abandoned their devotion to the LORD. Rejected or left, or even a refusal to acknowledge something or to accept it instead leaving it behind and forsaking it. Their devotion - their observation of conforming their actions or practice. Literally in the Hebrew it translates for the Lord they have forsaken to obey. They have forsaken the Lord refusing to obey His instruction or commandments. Willfully ignorant and soon to be destroyed for a lack of knowledge.
Promiscuity, wine (fermented) and new wine (unfermented) take away one’s understanding - heart - the locus of a person their volition, emotion and conscience. “Sensual pleasures have robbed them of their senses leaving them without understanding.” When you seek these desires above what the word of God commands you too will be robbed of your senses and left without understanding.
Conclusion
Conclusion
When Jeroboam setup his own religious system in Israel (Dan and Bethel), many of the true faithful priests fled to Judah. In response to the lack of available priests Jeroboam simply ordained some of his own choosing. These priests were not chosen for their knowledge of God or their devotion to God but because they would serve the goat demons, and the manufactured golden calves. They had no desire to know the Lord nor His law and neither to lead His people to follow Him. They were interested in having an easy job and be provided with everything they desired - food clothing and pleasure - even pleasure and desires that was completely prohibited by God and was even in opposition to Him.
Those who teach - must always be examining themselves and confessing their sin before God that they may be right before Him and that they may be able to reprove and correct the people before them. They have no business correcting the people who are just following their example.
There is a strict warning throughout scripture to those who would lead God’s people and be teachers of His word. There is a stricter judgment for them but just because their is a stricter judgment doesnt absolve the people of their guilt for their ignorance in knowing God and His word.
God has given us His word so that we might know Him and it is our responsibility to desire the word from those who would be teachers over us, and if they wont teach the word it doesnt absolve us but should drive us to desire to know God and seek out where we can know Him from.
When you know Gods word it is a light unto your path and you will not stumble in darkness. As goes the leadership so goes the church, as goes the church so goes the morality, and as goes morality so goes the nation - Wiersbe
We are to be salt and light - and we can only do that through knowing God