We have been studying the history of the kings of Israel, and later of the divided kingdom, from the beginning to close to the end. Along the way we discovered many lessons we can learn about depending on the Lord God for our own time; lessons which are most relevant and helpful to remain true to the Lord.

In fact, the reason these histories are found in the Bible is this very thing, that we may learn of it and thus successfully complete the course of life by abiding in the word of God.

The Courier of Jehu

The kings from the beginning to the end display characteristics still present among man today. Their issues, conflicts, times of strength and weakness are our lesson book.

"Thus Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel. And the Lord said to Jehu, `Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.'" 2.Kings 10:28,30, ESV.

The Lord has shown me the danger of letting our minds be filled with worldly thoughts and cares. I saw that some minds are led away from present truth and a love of the Holy Bible by reading other exciting books; others are filled with perplexity and care for what they shall eat, drink, and wear. Some are looking too far off for the coming of the Lord. Time has continued a few years longer than they expected; therefore they think it may continue a few years more, and in this way their minds are being led from present truth, out after the world. In these things I saw great danger; for if the mind is filled with other things, present truth is shut out, and there is no place in our foreheads for the seal of the living God. ...

Is it without risk for believers in Jesus, our example, to read anything and all we may encounter in life? No! It is not. I know from my own life, that I could have walked a straighter path, had I known this when quite young. I know that parents may not be aware the effect books and similar things have on children. It can be very devastating in many ways in the developing imaginations of children. As a result I believe that parents ought to control what children read in a loving, emotionally helpful and supporting way. As they first start to go to libraries, parents ought to go with them and show them how to select reading material that is helpful, true and character building and by all means avoid libraries which are not providing the right kind of books while at the same time, feature those which you know are suspect.

. . . . I saw that the time for Jesus to be in the most holy place was nearly finished and that time can last but a very little longer. What leisure time we have should be spent in searching the Bible, which is to judge us in the last day. {EW 58.1}

"Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan. . . . But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin." 2.Kings 10:29,31.

We are to try the spirits, 1.John 4:1, to not end up on a path that leads to destructive modes of living. Jehu failed in the reformation because it did not include a corresponding revival of character. It is a problem in many churches. They do like to grow their membership and put on reformatory or revival meetings, only to wither their effects away in thickening darkness of lesser spiritual growth and benefits than before.

Why?

Because unless participants are taught and shown why Bible study is important and how interesting and motivating it really is, they will not advance in their spiritual life and instead slide back, for they will think or say, `Well, that didn't do anything for me.' - The result is drop in attendance, participation, genuine Christian love and a whole host of other things which weaken the church greatly.

Children decide at a young age if they want to be part of a church or faith or not. When they see apostasy, hypocrisy, formalities without the power of God, false displays of supposed spiritual activities (band music, movies, activities); that will hurt the church down in time. It is important not to try and lift the emotional life of people, but the character development into truly converted followers of Christ. Warm, genuine greeting, welcoming friendship to the least among you, is a great basic help to further the appeal of the gospel.

Now, it is true, some are not the studious type and probably never will be, those must be fed very light spiritual food. We can probably not adopt church growth programs to all tempers at the same time unless the Spirit of God works on hearts to change them and grow up so they can sit down and study. For me, it helped to have heard life stories of men, inventors and such, who could use their thinking mind to figure things out through experiments and logic and invent great things for all of mankind. Unless children learn of this, they may have a harder time to immolate such in their own daily planning.

Yet, at the same time as they learn man's wisdom, that must be interwoven with spiritual lessons without which they do not benefit as God's people want their children to grow in understanding that will be in line with the word of God.

"A revival and a reformation must take place, under the ministration of the Holy Spirit. Revival and reformation are two different things. Revival signifies a renewal of spiritual life, a quickening of the powers of mind and heart, a resurrection from spiritual death. Reformation signifies a reorganization, a change in ideas and theories, habits and practices. Reformation will not bring forth the good fruit of righteousness unless it is connected with the revival of the Spirit. Revival and reformation are to do their appointed work, and in doing this work they must blend." {R&H, Feb. 25, 1902; 1SM 128.1}

The history of the kings shows the glaring lack of revival and reformation. Instead these conformed to the world around and them and their worldly, heathen customs. These trends are with us even today. We have no advantage compared to those, who lived many years in the past.

After the death of Solomon, the ten tribes separated themselves from Judah and Benjamin, and under the kingship, and by the direction, of Jeroboam, established a false worship through the two golden calves copied from Egypt, one of which was placed in Bethel and the other in Dan. Each of the successors of Jeroboam walked in the way of Jeroboam "and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin," unto the time of Omri, who in this wicked way "did worse than all that were before him." "And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him. And it came to pass as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him." 1 Kings 16:30-33. {1891 ATJ, TTR 192.1}

From this it is evident that as corrupt and degrading as was the worship established by Jeroboam, that of the sun was far worse.

We have practices and churches like that around even, or especially, today since the devil knows that he has little time left and he aims to revive all perversions man has ever known.

Calling that religious liberty is truly an amazing misuse of terms and definitions for these evils lead to great unhappiness, strife, crimes, worsening world conditions, loss of freedom and liberty and death.

Ethbaal was a priest of Baal and Astarte, who assassinated the king and made himself king in his stead. Jezebel brought with her into Israel the worship of Baal and Astarte,-- the male and female sun, -- and established it to such an extent that in a few years there were four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and four hundred of Astarte, and only seven thousand people in all Israel who had not joined in the wicked worship. Elijah began a reformation, but the worship and the gods introduced by Jezebel remained in some measure till the reign of Jehu, who gathered every worshiper of Baal to a general assembly in honor of Baal, and slew them all. "And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them. And they brake down the image of Ball, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan." 2 Kings 10:26-29. {1891 ATJ, TTR 193.1}

"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be

1. lovers of self,
   
2. lovers of money, - we see how that robs that of your money today,
   
3. proud,
   
4. arrogant,
   
5. abusive,
   
6. disobedient to their parents, - it can go down for generations, sometimes ending in murder,
   
7. ungrateful,
   
8. unholy,
   
9. heartless,
   
10. unappeasable,
    
11. slanderous,
    
12. without self-control,
    
13. brutal,
    
14. not loving good,
    
15. treacherous,
    
16. reckless,
    
17. swollen with conceit,
    
18. lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
    
19. having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never be able to arrive at knowledge of the truth." 2.Tim. 3:1-7, ESV.

The above list reads like a page in the news media. It is an indication that we have arrived about there where the antediluvians were before the Flood.

Important Lessons

With every truly converted soul the relation to God and to eternal things will be the great topic of life. But where, in the popular churches of today, is the spirit of consecration to God? The converts do not

1. renounce their pride and love of the world.
   
2. They are no more willing to deny self, to take up the cross, and follow the meek and lowly Jesus, than before their conversion.
   
3. Religion has become the sport of infidels and skeptics because so many who bear its name are ignorant of its principles.
   
4. The power of godliness has well-nigh departed from many of the churches. Picnics, church theatricals, church fairs, fine houses, personal display, have banished thoughts of God.
   
5. Lands and goods and worldly occupations engross the mind, and things of eternal interest receive hardly a passing notice.{GC 463.3}

Because of Israel's disobedience and departure from God, they were allowed to be brought into close places and to suffer adversity; their enemies were permitted to make war with them, to humble them and lead them to seek God in their trouble and distress. . . . {CC 95.2}

Therefore, if you find yourself vexed by trials, take them as God's way to polish you into a gem fit for His heavenly kingdom (Matth. 13:45,46). Such a perspective will change your way of thinking and reacting so that you can experience the blessings of God, even while facing conflicts.

There has been a departure from God among us, and the zealous work of repentance and return to our first love (Rev. 2:4; Tit. 2:14), essential to restoration to God and regeneration of heart, has not yet been done. Infidelity has been making its inroads into our ranks; for it is the fashion to depart from Christ, and give place to skepticism (2.Cor. 6:15). With many the cry of the heart has been, "We will not have this man to reign over us." (Lk. 19:13) Baal, Baal, is the choice. The religion of many among us will be the religion of apostate Israel, because they love their own way (Jer. 5:31), and forsake the way of the Lord (Ezra 8:22). The true religion, the only religion of the Bible, that teaches forgiveness only through the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour (1.Cor. 1:23), that advocates righteousness by the faith of the Son of God, has been slighted, spoken against, ridiculed, and rejected. It has been denounced as leading to enthusiasm and fanaticism.[100] But it is the life of Jesus Christ in the soul, it is the active principle of love imparted by the Holy Spirit, that alone will make the soul fruitful unto good works, (Col. 1:10). The love of Christ is the force and power of every message for God that ever fell from human lips (Eph. 3:17-20). What kind of a future is before us if we shall fail to come into the unity of the faith? {TM 467.2; Eph 4:13}

"But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin. - In those days the Lord began to cut off parts of Israel. Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel: from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, that is Gilead and Bashan." 2.Kings 10:31-33, ESV.

Reign of Jehoahaz

Towards the end of the reign of Jehu, Jehoahaz (814-798) began his courier.

"He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from them. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Syria and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael." 2.Kings 13:2,3, ESV.[120]

Why did the Lord choose Jehu to slay the house of Ahab and the Baals priests? The answer we learn next.

It was because of His love for erring Israel that God permitted the Syrians to scourge them. It was because of His compassion for those whose moral power was weak that He raised up Jehu to slay wicked Jezebel and all the house of Ahab. Once more, through a merciful providence, the priests of Baal and of Ashtoreth were set aside and their heathen altars thrown down. God in His wisdom foresaw that if temptation were removed, some would forsake heathenism and turn their faces heavenward, and this is why He permitted calamity after calamity to befall them. His judgments were tempered with mercy; and when His purpose was accomplished, He turned the tide in favor of those who had learned to inquire after Him. {PK 254.2}

"Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the Lord, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them. (Therefore the Lord gave Israel a savior [130], so that they escaped from the hand of the Syrians, and the people of Israel lived in their homes as formerly." 2.Kings 13:4,5, ESV.

This text shows that God is never short on solutions. His faithful believers can take great courage knowing how God has wrought such great help in the time of need. Please follow the reference to learn the identity of this `savior' in a defensible historical context.

"Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin, but walked in them; and the Ashera also remained in Samaria. For there was not left to Jehoahaz an army of more than 50 horsemen and 10 chariots. and 10,000 footmen, for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing." 2.Kings 13:6,7, ESV.

Amazing how weak Israel as a nation has become, just enough, humanly speaking, to put on a parade but not to intimidate an enemy. So God sent a `savior.'

" In the 37th year of Joash king of Juda (835-796), Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned 16 years. He also did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin, but he walked in them." 2.Kings 13:11,12, ESV.

Israel was now seven kings away from the destruction of their kingdom and their captivity in 722 B.C., which led them out of the land God had given them. They were taken away because of their continual sinning without any repentance. More than half of those rulers ruled a very short time.

"Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash (835-796 B.C.) king of Israel went down to him and wept before him, crying, `My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!'" 2.Kings 13:14, ESV.

This was the condition of affairs at the time of our lesson. "Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father! the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof." Now that Joash is about to lose Elisha from his kingdom forever, he comes to weep over him, and to remember the day when Elisha alone was more than a match for all the armed hosts of Syria. He now begins to realize what a protection Elisha was, and what a power the kingdom is now about to lose. If he had remembered this sooner, he would not have been brought so low. If he had never forgotten it, Israel would have flourished instead of being oppressed. It is ever so. We appreciate our blessings when they are gone. Then, too we act without them as we should have acted when they were with us. But if we would only learn to appreciate our blessings while we have them, then we should not have to do without them; for by the advantage of these, we should but be advanced to other and greater ones. {October 22, 1885 ATJ, SITI 631.2}

But for even this parting token of regard, Elisha, in kindness, shows the king a token of good from the Lord. "And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it; and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them. And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice." {2.Kings 13:15-19; October 22, 1885 ATJ, SITI 631.3}

This is an amazing incident. What does it mean?

The king revealed by his limited enthusiasm his inability to see the greatness of God, how He has helped His people in the past, and how He is willing to help even the smallest, provided they pay attention to His will and bury their selfish tendencies. God wanted the king to win total victory over all the enemies of God - it was illustration of the hold of sins in humanity.

"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Ephesiasn 2:2,3

When Satan is permitted to mold the will, he uses it to accomplish his ends. He often works under cover as an angel of light. He has synagogues for worship, and an immense number of followers. But with all his high professions, he is at enmity (hostlity) with God. He instigates theories of unbelief (whispers, edge wise), and stirs up the human heart to war against the word of God. With persistent, persevering effort, he seeks to inspire men with his own energies of hate and antagonism to God, and to array them in opposition to the institutions and requirements of Heaven and the operations of the Holy Spirit. He enlists under his standard all evil agencies, and brings them into the battle-field under his generalship to oppose evil against good.
It is Satan's work to dethrone God from the heart, and to mold human nature into his own image of moral deformity. He stirs up the evil propensities, awakening unholy passions and ambitions. - Having such propensities means they are already in us - He says, "All this power, these honors, and riches, and sinful pleasures, will I give thee;" but his conditions are that integrity shall be yielded, conscience blunted. Thus he degrades the human faculties, and brings them into captivity to sin.
God calls upon men to oppose the powers of evil. He says: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." {RH, August 25, 1896 par. 2-4; Rom. 6:12}

Did Israel desire to be free from sin?

No, they desired to be free from the oppression of their enemies.

That is why Jesus said,

"Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." John 8:34.

Every soul that refuses to give himself to God is under the control of another power. He is not his own. He may talk of freedom, but he is in the most abject slavery. He is not allowed to see the beauty of truth, for his mind is under the control of Satan. While he flatters himself that he is following the dictates of his own judgment, he obeys the will of the prince of darkness. Christ came to break the shackles of sin-slavery from the soul. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus" sets us "free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:2. {DA 466.3}

The world has no idea about the powers of the evil spirits that surround them. If one would tell them, they cannot comprehend it. Many say, I believe only what I see, which is a unintelligent remark, for there are many things we don't see, yet believe.

Every act of transgression, every neglect or rejection of the grace of Christ, is reacting upon yourself; it is hardening the heart, depraving the will, benumbing the understanding, and not only making you less inclined to yield, but less capable of yielding, to the tender pleading of God's Holy Spirit.

That means every act of transgression is a willful, graduated, unfolding aversion to God.

Many are quieting a troubled conscience with the thought that they can change a course of evil when they choose; that they can trifle with the invitations of mercy, and yet be again and again impressed. They think that after doing despite to the Spirit of grace, after casting their influence on the side of Satan, in a moment of terrible extremity they can change their course. But this is not so easily done. The experience, the education, of a lifetime, has so thoroughly molded the character that few then desire to receive the image of Jesus.
Even one wrong trait of character, one sinful desire, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize all the power of the gospel. Every sinful indulgence strengthens the soul's aversion to God. The man who manifests an infidel hardihood, or a stolid indifference to divine truth, is but reaping the harvest of that which he has himself sown. In all the Bible there is not a more fearful warning against trifling with evil than the words of the wise man that the sinner "shall be holden with the cords of his sins." Proverbs 5:22. {SC 33.2-34.1}

Yet, what"

"... ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." John 5:40

That was the general attitude of the kings of Israel and Judah.

2:15 "Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet.
2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." 2.Peter 2:5-9

Stubborn sinners are wells without water, clouds pushed this way and that by the wind, all steeped in besetting darkness - no true light at the end of the tunnel for those who keep remaining under its dominance - just one tunnel after another.

These comments by the Apostle Peter, speak volumes on what sins do to us - and it does not have to be this way - there is a way out from under it.

17:20 "The Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
17:21 When he had town Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them commit great sin.
17:22 The people of Israel walked in all the sins that Jeroboam did. They did not depart from them,
17:23 until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he had spoken by all his servants the prophets." 2.Kings 17:20-23, ESV.

Thus the course of the Ten Tribes of Israel embarked on their sad journey through history. It is a picture lesson of incorrigible man as we see it develop in many nations even in our days today. If they would know these lessons from the past, may be some would change course. But deeps seated disbelief and aversion to God blinds the eyes and benumbs the mind, as we read already. From Jeroboam onward Israel had some 22 kings in some 210 years.

The closing years of the ill-fated kingdom of Israel were marked with violence and bloodshed such as had never been witnessed even in the worst periods of strife and unrest under the house of Ahab. For two centuries and more the rulers of the ten tribes had been sowing the wind; now they were reaping the whirlwind. King after king was assassinated to make way for others ambitious to rule. "They have set up kings," the Lord declared of these godless usurpers, "but not by Me: they have made princes, and I knew it not." Hosea 8:4. Every principle of justice was set aside; those who should have stood before the nations of earth as the depositaries of divine grace, "dealt treacherously against the Lord" and with one another. Hosea 5:7. {PK 279.1}

The captivity was not an inevitable event. It was not a plan of God, but the result of the ways of persistent sinning among Israel.

"For the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter, for there was none left, bond or free, and there was none to help Israel. But the Lord had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam (the II.) the son of Joash." 2.Kings 14:26,27, ESV.

Some of the leaders in Israel felt keenly their loss of prestige and wished that this might be regained. But instead of turning away from those practices which had brought weakness to the kingdom, they continued in iniquity, flattering themselves that when occasion arose, they would attain to the political power they desired by allying themselves with the heathen. "When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian." "Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria." "They do make a covenant with the Assyrians." Hosea 5:13; 7:11; Hosea 12:1.{PK 280.2}

Did Israel respond to the prophets sent of God? Some say, that the prophet Hosea was his name in Israel for the prophet Isaiah in Judah. Hosea has been dated to around ?750 B.C. while Isaiah has been dated to 740-690 B.C. The contents of their books are very similar and sections are the same.

Through the man of God that had appeared before the altar at Bethel, through Elijah and Elisha, through Amos and Hosea, the Lord had repeatedly set before the ten tribes the evils of disobedience. But notwithstanding reproof and entreaty, Israel had sunk lower and still lower in apostasy. "Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer," the Lord declared; "My people are bent to backsliding from Me." Hosea 4:16; 11:7. {PK 281.1}

The iniquity in Israel during the last half century before the Assyrian captivity was like that of the days of Noah, and of every other age when men have rejected God and have given themselves wholly to evil-doing. The exaltation of nature above the God of nature, the worship of the creature instead of the Creator, has always resulted in the grossest of evils. Thus when the people of Israel, in their worship of Baal and Ashtoreth, paid supreme homage to the forces of nature, they severed their connection with all that is uplifting and ennobling, and fell an easy prey to temptation. With the defenses of the soul broken down, the misguided worshipers had no barrier against sin and yielded themselves to the evil passions of the human heart.

Against the marked oppression, the flagrant injustice, the unwonted luxury and extravagance, the shameless feasting and drunkenness, the gross licentiousness and debauchery, of their age, the prophets lifted their voices; but in vain were their protests, in vain their denunciation of sin. "Him that rebuketh in the gate," declared Amos, "they hate, . . . and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly." "They afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right." Amos 5:10, 12. {PK 281, 282}

10:1 "Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
10:3 What will you do on the day of punishment, in the ruin that will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth?
10:4 Nothing remains but to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain.
For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still." Isaiah 10:1-4, ESV.

Listen to how Hosea puts it.

4:1 "Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.
There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land;
there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;
they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.
Therefore the land mourns - (Israel, the Arab lands, Iran, Pakistan, India, China, Africa, America, Europe) - and all who dwell in it languish (they can hardly stand it); and also the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens (God's creatures), and even the fish of the sea are taken away (pollution everywhere)>.
Yet let no one contend, and let none accuse, for with you is my contention, O priest?

God's controversy is largely with the leaders of the church(es).

Why?

The thought leaders, those who should strive to bring people to Christ and away from sin, have awesome responsibilities which they ignored, because they themselves flaunt God's law every week.

You shall stumble by day; the (false) prophet also shall stumble with you by night; and I will destroy your mother.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame.
What does it mean? It means, hey, you people of the 21st century, this is you God is talking about!!
They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity. And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds." Hosea 4:1-10, ESV.

In the terrible judgments brought upon the ten tribes the Lord had a wise and merciful purpose. That which He could no longer do through them in the land of their fathers He would seek to accomplish by scattering them among the heathen. His plan for the salvation of all who should choose to avail themselves of pardon through the Saviour of the human race must yet be fulfilled; and in the afflictions brought upon Israel, He was preparing the way for His glory to be revealed to the nations of earth. Not all who were carried captive were impenitent. Among them were some who had remained true to God, and others who had humbled themselves before Him. Through these, "the sons of the living God" (Hosea 1:10), He would bring multitudes in the Assyrian realm to a knowledge of the attributes of His character and the beneficence of His law. {PK 292.2}

But as for us today,

Shall the warnings from God be passed by unheeded? Shall the opportunities for service be unimproved? Shall the world's scorn, the pride of reason, conformity to human customs and traditions, hold the professed followers of Christ from service to Him? Will they reject God's word as the Jewish leaders rejected Christ? The result of Israel's sin is before us. Will the church of today take warning? {COL 306.3}

Despite all the heartaches, headaches and lack of comprehension what causes lead to what outcomes, God lets us know that everything has a consequence He can use for the good of at least some people.

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The long reigning Syrian ruler Hazael (c. 845-793) was succeeded by his son Ben-hadad the second (II., 793-??). "And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel." And Syria never invaded Israel any more. {2.Kings 13:25; October 22, 1885 ATJ, SITI 631.4}

The Work of True Prophets

To many a troubled soul in need of help the prophet had acted the part of a wise, sympathetic father. And in this instance he turned not from the godless youth before him, so unworthy of the position of trust he was occupying, and yet so greatly in need of counsel. - God in His providence was bringing to the king an opportunity to redeem the failures of the past and to place his kingdom on vantage ground. The Syrian foe, now occupying the territory east of the Jordan, was to be repulsed. Once more the power of God was to be manifested in behalf of erring Israel. {PK 261.2}

At his (Elisha's) direction the king of Israel aimed an arrow through the open window toward the stronghold of their Syrian foes. This was a declaration of war, and since God, by the prophet, directed the flight of the arrow, it showed that His hand was against their enemies. Elisha then told the king to take the arrows and smite upon the ground with them. He did so thrice and stopped. This revealed to Elisha that only thrice would it be possible for the Lord to lead the armies of Israel to victory, and he was wroth with the king, and told him that if he had smitten five or six times, he should have smitten Syria till he had consumed it. . . .

Jehoahaz revealed by his smiting the arrows three times, that he was only concerned about himself, his own affairs. He stated by that what some may think or even say today, `After me the flood.' It meant that he had no faith and we remember that we can only be `saved by God's grace through faith', Eph. 2:8.

. . . The sign was of the Lord. It simply indicated the future, but did not control it, and Elisha's wrath was against the spirit of indifference and backsliding that was so easily contented, when it might have had all that was to be desired. Elisha knew from this that the reformation in Israel was only a partial and transitory one, and that there was no prospect of a complete deliverance from the bondage of sin, and all the other forms of slavery thus entailed, because `In their hearts the people loved to have it so.' {August 25, 1898 EJW, PTUK 531.2; Jer. 5:31}

Amazing, how little or no faith can lead man to fail to achieve what otherwise would hev been possible and be satisfied with crumbs on the ground instead of a full plate from the Lord. God is saying, you who claim to believe in Me, test Me and you will experience your faith in ways you can not comprehend, Habakuk 1:5.

The lesson is for all in positions of trust. When God opens the way for the accomplishment of a certain work and gives assurance of success, the chosen instrumentality must do all in his power to bring about the promised result. In proportion to the enthusiasm and perseverance with which the work is carried forward will be the success given. God can work miracles for His people only as they act their part with untiring energy. He calls for men of devotion to His work, men of moral courage, with ardent love for souls, and with a zeal that never flags. Such workers will find no task too arduous, no prospect too hopeless; they will labor on, undaunted, until apparent defeat is turned into glorious victory. Not even prison walls nor the martyr's stake beyond, will cause them to swerve from their purpose of laboring together with God for the upbuilding of His kingdom. {PK 263.1}

"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Rev. 3:17.

There are many who do not understand the simplicity of faith. They make great efforts to understand how to exercise faith, and think they must have a transporting emotion, a joyful flight of feeling, or they have not faith. But if they had what they desire, it would not prove that they had faith.

What is faith?

It is simply taking God at his word; it is believing that God will do just as he has promised.

We should be a far greater power of good than we now are, if we would comply with the conditions that God has laid down in his word, and trust him implicitly. It is our unbelief that brings us under the description the Spirit of God has given of the Laodicean church in its condition of lukewarmness. There is nothing more disgusting to our taste than tepid water, and from the use of this figure in describing our condition, we can understand how our want of faith and love, and our indifference, is regarded by the Lord. {ST, September 9, 1889 par. 2}

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33.

We are to just believe these promises; for . . .

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev. 3:21.

There are many faithful followers of Christ in the world; there could be many more! Will you choose to be one of them?

"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." Jude 1:24,25.

[100] Defined as, `Fixation on one rigid idea in isolation from others.'

[120] This Ben-Hadad is Ben Hadad II whose exact start and ending of reign are not known but must have fallen between ca. 800-770 BC. Ben Hadad I reigned from 880 - ca. 841 BC. During the interval from the death of B.H. I to the start of B.H. II, Hazael reigned in Syria.

[130] The `Savior', who could it have been? The historical records show how during that time a king came to the aid of Israel against the Syrians. We have the events explained here. It shows that a pharaoh by the name of Sheshonk of the 22. Dynasty of Egypt, did this, but only in revised chronology for conventionally he is dated in the days of Solomon since archaeologist construe his name to be that of Shishak, the pharaoh who robbed the Tempel of Solomon in the days of Rehoboam. However, that was Thutmose III of the 18th Dynasty. Sheshonk and Shishak are not the same person - there is no letter "n" in `Shishak.' The record of the city names, though not all we know today, shows that `Pharaoh Sheshonk' moved his troops into the area of the ten tribes. It appears that he studiously avoided Jerusalem. His arrival caused the Syrians to leave the area without first hazarding a battle.