4:1
The first three chapters have largely involved God revealing His heart to Hosea, and in a most direct manner. Now Hosea is ready to prophesy to the nation. Hosea needed to understand both the seriousness of Israel’s sin, and the depths of God’s love for Israel.
The specific charge in this verse is closely parallel to Micah 6:8 where God says he requires justice, mercy and to walk humbly with God. The people had abandoned all three. There was no truth (so no justice), no mercy, and no knowledge of God (so no walking humbly with the Lord).
4:2,3
These were no mere abstract sins, but ones which led to concrete actions, and concrete wrong actions. It involved killing and stealing, and committing adultery. Bloodshed always follows abandoning God’s ways. We might ask, well how is this true in our society? Part of the answer would be abortion. One day we will look back in horror at what we have allowed to happen.
So the land will mourn. The moral, or immoral, behaviour of a people has a direct effect on the environment. It is not just a matter of reducing greenhouse gas emissions!
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