I'd like you please to turn again, as we continue in the study of the prophet Hosea, to turn to this prophet. And we are today going to share with you all the passage that is found in chapter 7, Hosea chapter 7. And this is a continuation of the response of the Lord to the nation of Israel, who said in earlier verses, when they have said to the Lord, they said to him that in chapter 6, even earlier, actually in chapter 4, when the nation of Israel were, in a sense, seeking to respond to the Lord. And you remember it says at the end of chapter 3, and so on, that the children of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God.

And they took us to the tribulation, to the end of the tribulation, but in a meanwhile, they were still not in true repentance. And what chapter 7 will teach us, and it is so applicable to us, dear brothers and sisters, what chapter 7 will show us is the consequences in the life of the people of God, when there is no true repentance and returning to the Lord. And you will see this here in chapter 7 of Hosea. God is longing for His people's true repentance. God is longing that the people of God will turn to Him. But when there is no true return to Him, there are results and consequences that we, as believers, feel in our life when we are at such a state.

And so chapter 7 really specifically deals us with the importance of separation unto Him. Separation from sin. And you remember, and just before I am reading, remember we talked about it in our class just yesterday. The sin which does so easily beset us. We have understood that the Bible does teach us that sin easily beset the believer. And the believer needs the Lord's help to help him or her or us to be removed from a lifestyle that is displeasing to the Lord, so we will have strength and power to live the life of the believer. And so listen, Hosea chapter 7, 16 verses in this chapter, and I'm reading.

"When I would have healed Israel," God is saying, "then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered. And the wickedness of Samaria, for they commit falsehood. And the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without. And they consider not in their hearts, that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own doings have beset them about. They are before my face. They make the king glad, and the wickedness, and the princess with their lies. They are all adulterous. As the oven heated by the baker, who ceases from rising after, he has kneaded the dough until it be leavened. In the day of our king, the princess hath made him sick.

With bottles of wine, he stretched out his hand with scorners. For they have made ready their heart like an oven. Whilst they lie in wait, their baker sleepeth all night. In the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges. All their kings are fallen. There is none among them that calleth unto me. Ephraim, he is a mixed himself among the people. Ephraim is a cake not turned. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not. Yea, gray hairs are here, and there upon him, yet he knoweth not. And the pride of Israel testifies to his faith.

And they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this. Ephraim is also like a silly dove without heart. They call to Egypt, and they go to Assyria. When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them. I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven. I will chastise them, and their congregation has heard. Woe unto them, for they have fled from me. Destruction unto them, because they have transgressed against me. Though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me. And they have not cried unto me with their heart. When they howled upon their beds, they assembled themselves for corn and wine, and they rebelled against me.

Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me. They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a deceitful bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. 16 verses in this chapter 7. And really, it is a continuation of the response of God to the people whom he loved, the nation of Israel. A response to them when they were supposed to be restored to him and acknowledged their failure and sin. And instead of doing that, they continue on. And God is now responding to them.

Or he continues to respond to them for their lives and disobedience to him. And really, the theme of chapter 7 is the iniquity and the lack of separation of Ephraim. The iniquity of Israel and the lack of separation from sin and separation unto God of the nation of Israel, which is a time here called Ephraim. God wants his people to be a separated people. Not a sectarian people. Not a legal people. Not a people who think themselves highly than others. No. But God wants his people to be a separated people. Separated unto him. Separated unto the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. He expected this from the nation, the nation of Israel.

And he is also expecting it from the believers in this present day dispensation. The church, the assembly of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. And when there is not a separation unto him. When there is not a separation from sin. Then there is no power. Then there is no liberty. Then there is no joy. Then there is destruction among the people of God. That is a biblical principle that he taught in the Bible. Whether it is applied to the nation of Israel. Or whether it is applied to the church of Yeshua the Messiah. So chapter 7 we have arrived in the prophet Hosea to chapter 7. And Hosea through and through we saw now he speaks to the nation.

Before he acted what God had told him to do. He took this Gomer to be his wife. He brought her in. He gave her children. He took care of him. He loved her like the love of God towards the nation of Israel. But she went again. She sold herself to sin. She committed fornication. And have gone away from Hosea. And he had to buy her again. And bring her back to himself. That is the way God deals with us. That is the way God deals with his own people. He is not happy with it. He is not satisfied with it. And that is why his people were constantly experiencing sorrow and trial and suffering.

And all this is because of their violation of his word. And so now three points we learn here from chapter 7 of the prophet Hosea. The first seven verses. He reveals before us Israel sin and wickedness. It discovers that they found so much pleasure in it to such an extent that they do not even want to stop it. To cease from doing that. You see in verse 1. When God wanted to heal Israel. Look at this verse 1. When I would have healed Israel. Then what happened? Then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered. And the wickedness of Samaria. The word Samaria. The word Samaria. Shomron. Is the first time actually if I am correct.

Mentioned in the prophet Hosea. Right now. And Shomron became the capital city. Of the northern ten tribes of Israel. Who left and separated from the southern tribes. Samaria. In Hebrew we call it Shomron. It is by the way. The present day West Bank. What we know today as the West Bank today. The present day. The Shomron area. And this area. Became the capital city of the northern tribes. And what happened there? If you remember. What we read in the book of Kings. What happened there. There have been institution of false worship. And so Samaria. Shomron. And the wickedness of Shomron. Have been discovered. Unveiled. It says here.

The iniquity of Ephraim was discovered. The wickedness of Samaria. For they commit falsehood. And the thief cometh in. And the troops of robbers spoiled without. What happened in this northern kingdom. Is that there was the overflowing of wickedness. According to here. There was iniquity. Wickedness. Falsehood. Thievery. Robbery. That's what existed in the northern kingdom. You see what happened. When they was depart from the Lord. These things rises up. These things really rises up. Brothers and sisters. Look. We cannot sustain ourselves on our own. Because when we are left to ourselves. It is always to go in a ways of the world. In a way of sin.

In a way of wickedness. In the way of Satan. And they departed from the Lord. They set up Samaria. In Samaria. The Shomron. The capital city. The northern tribes. Departing from the Lord. And look what happened. Iniquity. Wickedness. Falsehood. Thievery. Robbery. All these things have occurred. In the time. When there was a departure. From the Lord. The Lord said. When I wanted to heal. The nation. What I discover. That they are really not even interested. In getting healed. They wanted to continue. In their own ways. You see. And God demand. That there will be real brokenness. Before him. And repentance. And a change. Of mind.

He will help. He will assist. He want to heal his people. But when his people. Do not want it. Iniquity. That expression. Discovered. Or unveiled. It was brought to the surface. To show. That they are really not interested. In a real change. It says. In verse 2. Israel did not consider. In their hearts. Look. And they consider not. In their hearts. That I remember. All their wickedness. Now their own. Doings. Have beset them about. They are before my face. Now you see. They did not consider. In their hearts. You know. The book of Proverbs says. My son. Give me your heart. Give me your heart. That's what Solomon was writing.

Shlomo. The king of Israel. Was writing. My son. Give me your heart. Because out of the hearts. Come the issues of life. The hearts. Of men. By nature. Is deceitful. Turning him away. From the things of God. And God says. They didn't. They didn't. They did not. Really. Consider. In their hearts. That I remember. All their wickedness. Do you know. We sometimes. Don't like. To be governed. By the governments. And God gave us. Government. And rulers. And leaders. In order to give order. In the life. Of the world. In which we live in. But sometimes. We don't like. To submit. And we don't realize. That even.

If we succeeded. To not submit. To the higher authority. God knows. Our hearts. He knows. Our hearts. And that's why. It says here. They did not. Consider. In their hearts. That I remember. All their wickedness. God remember. That he knows. That. And he could see. That the nation. At that time. Were not ready. For true repentance. And brokenness. Before him. So. Not only. That he would want. To heal them. And everything. Came up to the surface. But secondly. They did not. Consider. In their hearts. And they didn't. Remember. That God. Or didn't know. That God. Knows everything. About them. In verse 3. Israel became. So. Bold.

With their wickedness. You see. In verse 3. They make. The king. Glad. With their wickedness. Now. You know. What we find. Here. That now. The leadership. The king. And the leadership. And the princess. Find pleasure. To see. The nation. Living. In a wicked. Life. Now. Isn't it. Like. Today. Today. Today. We find out. Everywhere. On television. Everywhere. On the internet. Everywhere. On the news. Everywhere. In the newspaper. That now. We're supposed. To allow. And to condone. Everything. You see. Every group. Has. Their own ways. To say. Listen. We have. Our own rights. And even. The leadership. Keep. Whether it is. Prime ministers. Or males. Or premiers.

Or whatever it is. Or kings. And so on. They are. Allowing. Everything. To make them satisfied. And to make them happy. They allow. Everything. To go on. In this world. Watch the television. Read the newspaper. And we. Because we have. A sin nature. We are so drawn. To it. Like a magnet. The king. And the rulers. Happy. And they set up. The rules. So we change. Everything. No need anymore. For morality anymore. No need anymore. For that. Everything goes on. And. What happened. In the time. When God. Is dealing with the nation. He is telling the nation. He says. You. Make the king glad. You make the princess.

Glad. With your lies. And your activity. There is no shame. Anymore. In their lives. You know. When we do something wrong. We should be at least. Ashamed of it. And in a sense. Keep it. Hidden. But when there is no shame. Anymore. And everything is exposed. And everything is up in the front. I have my rights. You see. I can do what I want. This is my body. This is my life. This is my will. I have my rights. No shame. The king. The king. Is being pleased. The princess. Are being pleased. And no more. Shame. It came up. To the surface. Just. I don't know if it was yesterday.

Or the day before. There was a gay parade. In. Israel. We have to parade it. You see. It's not enough. That we live it out. But we need to show it publicly. That we have the right. To live like this. And you cannot say anything about us. We got to change. The rules. Of the land. To make it. Life. This kind of lifestyle. We can live. I think. Canada is one of the first countries. That now. Officially. Allowing gay marriage. Gay marriage. And it is the right. Of the two people. To get married. Just the same. There's a right. Of the other two. To get married.

And you see. What happened. It is exactly. What happened here. This is. Long time ago. Even before the coming. Of Yeshua. The Messiah. When Israel. In the northern tribes. Were away from the Lord. But we. We see this. Right now. Here. In our own life. The grace of God. That he preserves us. For many more things. That we could have. Committed. We read this morning. In the book of Corinthians. Such were some. Of us. Such were some. Of you. The apostle Paul. Said to the Corinthians. But you are saved. You are washed. With the blood. Of the Lord Jesus. The Messiah. In verses 4. All the way.

To 7. Israel. Is like. A hot oven. In their. Immorality. Their passion. Is heated. Consistently. Look. At the verses. I am going to read it. They are all adulterous. As an oven. Heated by the baker. Who ceases from raising. After he has. Kneaded the dough. Until it be leavened. In the day of our king. And princess. Have made him sick. With bottles of wine. He stretched out his hand. With scorners. For they have made ready. Their heart. Like an oven. Whilst they lie. In wait. Their baker. Sleepeth. All the night. In the morning. It burneth. As a flaming fire. They are all. Hot. As an oven.

And have devoured. Their judges. All their kings. Are fallen. There is none. Among them. That calleth. Unto. Me. And those verses. Four. Five. Six. And seven. Really showed us. That Israel. Was like a hot oven. In their immorality. There is a constant stimulation. In that sexual activity. Very similar. To what's going on today. In the life. In which we live. And in the presentations. Of everywhere. That wherever you go. You see. There is no time. Any longer. To focus. On things. That are healthy. And are good. For the people of God. And for any man. Everything. That you see. Today. And you watch. Today. The 99 percent.

Is violence. Drugs. Sex. And all these things. That hinder. From one. To calm down. And rest. For a while. To think. On things. That are. Proper. And so. He is telling. You Israel. Is like. An oven. That is. Heated. By the baker. Constantly. Being. Kept. Awaken. Notice. In verse 6. They have made ready. Their heart. Like an oven. While they lie. In wait. Notice. Verse 6b. The baker. Sleepeth all night. In the morning. It burneth. As flaming fire. Constantly heat. Verse 7. They are all. Hot as an oven. Have devoured. Their judges. What he is saying. Here. Is that. There is. A. Constantly. A lifestyle. That was not.

Honoring. To the Lord. And that is. Exactly. What. The believers. What people. Are facing. Today. Every time. You hear. The news. Today. You find out. These kind of things. Either murderers. Either children. Kidnapped. Either sexual. Activities. Either. All kind of things. That you find out. Is going on. Today. Every time. You're opening. The radio. The television. The newspaper. And no wonder. We get bombarded. With it. To such an extent. To constantly. Arouse. The falling. Sin nature. Of. The human race. And so. Israel. Sin. And wickedness. Is being brought. To the surface. And God said. I wanted. To heal them. I wanted. To restore. Them. But when I.

Thought. To restore. Them. What do I find? I find. This type. Of. Activity. Non-stop. So. In verses. Eight. To twelve. God. Is showing. To the nation. That they were not. Separating. Themselves. From what he. Didn't want them. To be occupied with. You know. That is something. That is not easy. To do. Brothers and sisters. To live. A life. That is separated. Unto the Lord. In the midst. Of a world. That rejects. Yeshua. The Messiah. And his word. One can only do that. As he's occupied. With the Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. The topics. That we have had. Just recently. Was to walk. Worthy. Of the Lord.

To walk. Worthy. Of the Lord. Or to walk. Worthy. Of the calling. Whereby. We. Have been. Called. Is to. Really. On a day. By day. To be occupied. With the one. Who saved us. And brought us. To himself. In the midst. Of a world. That is like. A stream. Of water. Against. The believer. That we are really. Swimming. Against. The stream. And. We can only. Do that. As the Lord. Is enabling. Us. To do so. And so. He shows us. The necessity. Of separation. But Israel. Did not. Separate. Themselves. Unto the Lord. And did not. Separate. Themselves. From that. Which. Will. The growth. And so.

In verse. Eight. He's saying. Israel. A half. Baked. Cake. Verse. Eight. Ephraim. He. Has. Mixed. Himself. Notice. Again. Use the word. Mixed. Among the people. And Ephraim. Is a cake. That is not. Turned. Those of you. Dear sisters. Who are baking. A cake. Or baking. Something. In the oven. And there is a time. To turn it. To one side. And then the other side. I mean. We are today. Living in a time. That you don't need. To turn anything. Because the stoves. From all four corners. Are able. To bake evenly. But think about it. Years ago. You would have to put. A cake. In the oven.

And you need to turn it. Because it's burning. On one side. But it stays raw. On the other side. And that's what he's saying. Ephraim. Is a cake. That has not been turned. It's a half. Baked. Cake. It's mixed. It is not properly cooked. Or baked. It is a mixture. That which is not pleasing. To the Lord. Just turn with me. To the book of Revelation. For a verse there. That you can see. That it's not only applied. To the nation of Israel. In Israel's decline. But we can see. In the book of Revelation. In chapter 3. Chapter 3. That this is exactly. What Yeshua. The Messiah.

Warned. The church. Of Laodicea. Look at Revelation. Chapter 3. Revelation 3. And I'll. Read. Some of the verses. There. I'm specifically. Want to. Read. Verses 15. And 16. But here. I'll read. Also. Verse 14. And unto the angel. Of the church. Of the Laodicean. Write. These things. Says the Amen. The faithful. And true witness. The beginning. Of the creation. Of God. I know. Thy works. That thou art neither. Cold. No hot. I would. That thou would have been. Cold. Or hot. So then. Because. Thou art. Look. Warm. Neither. Cold. No hot. I will. Spew you. Out of my mouth. Because you say. I'm rich. And increased. With goods. And have need.

Of nothing. And you do not know. That thou art. Wretched. And miserable. And poor. And blind. And naked. Look. What the Lord Jesus. The Messiah. The glorified Messiah. Say to the. Church of the Laodicean. He says. Look. You are mixed. You are neither hot. You are neither cold. You are lukewarm. And you don't even realize. When you say. I'm rich. And I don't need anything. I'm fine. You don't even realize. That you are poor. You are miserable. You are wretched. And you are blind. And you are naked. And. Israel. Ephraim. Is a mixed. Is a cake. That is baked. Only one side. It's not baked.

Properly. And he's saying. To Ephraim. You mix yourself. Among the people. Ephraim. You are cake. That is not turned. Ephraim. You are mixing. You haven't separated yourself. In verse 9. You see. That Israel's strength. Was taken away. It says. Strangers have devoured. His strength. And he knows. It not. Yet gray hairs. Are here. And there. Upon him. Yet. He does not know it. In other words. What he's really saying. The time is passing by. Time is passing by. And strangers. Devoured. The strength. Of a flying. No strength. For God. No strength. To live. A life. For the Lord. And what happened. You notice. He's mentioning. Gray hairs.

He's mentioning. Also. That here and there. There is hair. Upon his head. That meaning. Gray hair. Speaks of being. Older. Time is passing by. You're getting up. In age. And you have very little. Left hair. On your head. Which speaks to us. Of the aging. The time. Of the end. Is coming. You know. When we're young. And we have. Lots of hair. And a lot of strength. And that's wonderful. And time is passing by. And we get this. Gray hair. And we get. Little hair. On our head. Speaks of age. Speaks of time. That passes by. Crying. And how sad. When there's time. Passes by.

And instead of. Growing. In. Relationship. With the Lord. Instead. What happened. Strangers. Took their strength away. And the frying. Was left. Without strength. That. That. Tells us. A lot. How we are. To appreciate. Our older. Brothers. And sisters. Who walk. With the Lord. For years. And have been an example. In the life. Of the younger. Believers. And they may have. Gray hair. And they may have. Here and there. Only a couple of hair. Left on their head. But their lives. Have been alive. Of example. And power. In the life. Of others. Years ago. When I was. Building boats. And I was working. Building boats. And in the.

Factory. Where I was working. There was some. Older men there. And some of them. Were claiming. That they were believers. In Yeshua. Christians. But when you began. To talk about the Lord. There was no interest. In the things. Of the Lord. There was no. Power. In their lives. To be an example. To the others. Or to leave an impact. Upon others. Whether it is. Believers. Because they. May have grown. With a gray hair. May have very little. Hair on their head. They've gone up in age. But they haven't matured. Spiritually. That's what happened to Ephraim here. He's saying to them. Look Ephraim. Strangers. Strangers. Devoured.

Your strength. Others. Devoured. You wanted the strangers. You wanted to be occupied. With other things. You wanted to live a life. That is not close to me. Is not separated life. You see what's going to happen. To Ephraim. You will have. No. Spiritual strength. In your life. And you're getting up in age. And soon. You're going to be. Away from here. And what's that? What kind of a testimony. You have left. Behind you. That's what. God is telling. About Ephraim. Half baked. Mixed. No strength. Time is passing by. Nothing left. To give to others. When you are going away. So others can continue. In their spiritual life.

So Israel. Was. Was. Dealt by God. And as he's telling them. He showed them that you. Did not separate yourself. To me. You did not separate yourself. From the world. And its system. You did not separate yourself. From idolatry. You did not separate yourself. From that which is sinful. And to me. I would give you the strength. And God revealed to them. You are mixed. You are. Half baked cake. You are. Powerless. Ephraim. And then he said to them. In verse 11. You are like a dove. That is open. For deception. In the next verse. Verse 10. He says. The pride of Israel. Testifies to his face.

And they do not. Return to the Lord. Their God. No. Seek him. For all this. Ephraim. Verse 11. Is like a silly dove. Without hearts. They call to Egypt. And they go. To. Assyria. Now this expression. Of being. Like a silly dove. Dove. In the scripture. Often times. Takes the character. Of simplicity. It takes a character. Of submissiveness. The dove. If you remember. The Lord Jesus. Yeshua said. To the disciples. In the earlier time. Before he left. And he was sending them. He says. You go out. He says. Be. Harmless. As the dove. And wise. As the serpent. And the dove. Became to be known. In God's word.

As this bird. That is harmless. As this bird. As an innocent. But you see. What he's saying. To the nation here. He says. He says. Your pride. Testify. Against you. Israel. In verse 10. You do not turn. To God. You do not. Seek. God. And you are like. A silly. Dove. Without. Heart. You are being. Influenced. By. Everything else. Like. A silly. Dove. That have. That have. No heart. That's how. He described. The nation. That's how. He described. A fly. He's saying. To them. They are half. Baked. They have. No power. No strength. The pride of evil. Testify. Against. Israel. Israel. Was like. A dove. Open.

To deception. And they. Asking. Help. From others. Instead. Of turning. To the Lord. You see. In the next verse. He says. In verse 11. At the end. He says. They are calling for Egypt. And they go. To Syria. You see. They asked for help. From Egypt. They asked for help. From Syria. But they would not turn. To the God. Who wanted to help them. And assist them. Isn't it. True. Brothers and sisters. Isn't it true. Of us. Many times. Instead of looking. For the help. Of the Lord. We are trying to find. Some help. And the Lord longs. He says. Like in the beginning. I would heal them.

If they only turn to me. I would heal them. I would help them. But instead of turning to him. They end up turning. To Egypt. To Syria. They end up. Going further from him. And not separating themselves. From those around them. From idolatry. Adultery. All the sin. That they were exposed to. And they were like. Dove. Silly dove. That have no wisdom. No heart. And being. Totally. Deceived. By those. That are around them. And so this is. What a challenge. Israel. Sin and wickedness. Is being discovered. Israel. Did not separate themselves. Unto the Lord. From. Idolatry. And adultery. And they end up. To be without.

Without power. Without strength. You and I. You would feel it. Just the same. The Bible shows us. In various places. Not only in the Tanakh. In the Old Testament. But also in the Brit Hadashah. In the New Testament. The necessity. Of separation. Unto the Lord. And when we are being separated. Unto him. From. All kind of things. That take our attention. When we are separated. Unto him. There will be strength. There will be power. To live the life. Of the child of God. Belonged. But when there is no separation. There is a lack of power. Even though. One may be a child of God. Belonged to Yeshua.

Going to heaven. But living a life. That is totally defeated. Now there are seven. Consequences. That we have here in the last verses. Verses 13 to the end. Seven consequences. That come upon. The nation of Israel. Or would come upon. A believer today. When there is lack. Of separation. And here he gives them. To us. In the last verses. Of chapter 7. Seven results. Of lack. Of separation. Unto him. And look at them. I am going to give it to you. One by one. There are three of them. Found in. Verse 13. The first one. In verse 13. Is. That Israel. Fled. From God. Who alone. Could help them.

Look. Verse 13. A. Woe unto them. For they have fled. From me. You see that. When we are not separated. From sin. In this world. When we are not separated. Unto God. In this world. You know. What is going to happen. You would not want God. And we will flee. From him. We will turn our back. On him. That is. One of the things. That is going to happen. To a believer. To a child of God. He says that. They. Flee. From me. God is saying. How is that possible? I want to heal them. And they fled from me. I want to restore them. And they run away from me.

Well what is happening. It is the result. Of lack of separation. From the world. From idolatry. From sin. And to God. That is what happened to Israel. The first thing we find out. That they flee. From the Lord. The Lord. You see. God wants us to flee. From the world. To him. To flee. From youthful lusts. To him. But what happened. They fled. From him. Away from him. When. The young man. Was not right. With the Lord. In Luke chapter 15. He left. The father's house. And went away. From the father's house. Up to the time. That he find himself. In the pig pen. Read Luke chapter 15.

That would happen. Because. There is no separation. Unto the Lord. There is an inclination. To say. Well listen. I am not going to turn back. To God. I am going to. Turn away from him. I am going to flee from him. And run away. Elsewhere. Secondly. Notice. In the same verse. And by the way. I am going to read a verse. In Proverbs 27. Just in connection. With this. Proverbs chapter 27. There is this verse. In connection. When there is no. Fleeing from the Lord. Proverbs chapter 27. And verse 8. Just let me read that. Verse 8 says this. As a bird. That. Wandereth. From her nest. So. Is a man.

That is wandering. From his place. Just like a bird. That is wandering. From the nest. A man. That is wandering. From his place. A believer. That is wandering. From the God. Who loved him. A child of God. A nation. That is wandering. From God. Is like a bird. That is wandering. Away. From her nest. No place of rest. Secondly. In verse 13. Of Hosea chapter 7. The second part. The nation. Because of lack of separation. They will face destruction. Because of their transgression. Notice this. It says here in verse 13. And because they have transgressed against me. Though I have redeemed them. You see what happened. Distraction unto them.

Because they have transgressed against me. I want you to know this. How many times the word against me. From me. Is mentioned here. Because God. Wanted so much. For the nation. To be restored. To him. But they end up. To be number one. Like a bird. They were fleeing. From him. But now. They are going to face. Distraction. Because they have sinned. And transgressed. Against me. God is saying. You see. The second thing. That he is mentioning here. The consequence. Of not. Living a separated life. Unto God. For Israel. The consequence. Is. That they will end up. Facing. Constant. Destruction. And that means. That when a person.

Is away from God. His or her life. Are going to be destroyed. It's as simple as that. The life. Of the children of God. That are away from the Lord. Are going to be somehow. Not built. Not built. But destroyed. Even though. They are children of God. You look at the record. Of history. It's never going to change. A child of God. Belongs at home. Meaning. With his Lord. A child of God. Belongs. To where God. Want him. Or her to be. But when there is. No separation. From the world. Is going to lead them. To destruction. Here in this world. And that's what happened.

To the nation. Because of lack. Of separation. Israel. He said to them. Destruction. Unto them. Because. They have transgressed. Against. Me. God is saying. Look at the third result. Of lack. Of separation. Is found. Again. In verse 13. But the third. Section. In this portion. It shows. That when we are not. Separated. Unto God. We end up. Speaking. Lies. And all kind of things. Against God. Look. Verse. 13c. It says. Though I have redeemed them. Yet. They have spoken. Lies. Against. Me. Notice again. Me. How many times. He speaks. From. Me. Against. Me. Against. Me. God is saying. Look. I have redeemed them. I have saved them.

I have delivered them. I have helped them. But because. They are not separating. Unto him. They begin to speak. Lies. Against God. See. All of a sudden. Brothers and sisters. God is at fault. You see. It's not me. I have been fine. But it is God. Who is the one. We are accused. And we speak against him. You remember. It started in the garden of Eden. It was Adam. Who said. If you wouldn't give me. This woman. That you gave me. That's why I have all these problems. Adam said it. Right in the beginning. That's how sin. Enter into. And then we begin to accuse God.

And that's what happened here. They saying to the Lord. They began to speak lies. Against. The Lord. And to speak lies against the Lord. The one who redeemed them. Who saved them. Who brought them. To himself. It says in Psalm 78. And verse 36. Nevertheless. They did flatter him. With their mouth. And they lied unto him. With their tongues. Psalm 78. And verse 36. In spite of what God does. We began to accuse God. Do you know. Today. In the world. In which we live in. People. Blame God. For everything. You see. It is God's fault. According to people. When there is pollution. In the water. It is God's fault.

When there is earthquake. You see. It is God's fault. When this happened to me. Or this happened to me. It is God's fault. It is not my fault. It is not man's fault. It is God's fault. Man says. But is it so? He is saying to them. Look. I have redeemed them. I have saved them. I purchased them for myself. And we know very well. We read. That we have been purchased. With the precious blood. Of the Messiah. He bought us. We belong to him. And when we belong to him. We need to. Seek to please him. Because he bought us. He saved us. He forgave our sins.

But even though. He had redeemed them. Yet they have spoken lies. Against God. How careful. We have to be. When we speak against God. Because God is holy. He is just. He is not going to share his glory. With another. He is the one. That had provided everything. For the human race. And the human race. Is still. Speaking lies. Against. God. And it is a shame. But if it is more a shame. When the people of God. Those who belong to him. Spoke against him. Now notice next. This is already three results. Three consequences of lack of separation. We flee from the Lord. We face distractions in our lives.

We begin to speak against God lies. And say that he is not right. And look at verse 14 now. The first part of verse 14. Israel. They have cried unto God. We truly. With a sincere heart. Look. Verse 14. They have not cried unto me. Notice again. Use that word unto me. Or against me. They have not cried unto me. With their hearts. When they howled upon their beds. Now that is interesting. What does that mean? They howled upon their beds. You see. When they began to be occupied with idols. When they began to be occupied with idolatry. They began to howl upon their beds. The cry. Was not crying to God for mercy and help.

But it is that cry. That sound like howling. To this idolatry that existed. In Samaria. For the northern tribes of Israel at that time. And so. What happened. That they did not cry to God with their heart. Was so hardened. That they end up to be. Twisted with their thinking. And their heart was set upon someone else. And not upon. The Lord. In other words. It was only words. And maybe they said God I'm sorry. But they've been occupied with other idols. But the words. Is not sufficient. It has to come from a broken heart. Before the Lord. Who confess. To wickedness. And weakness. And turn.

Unto the Lord. And so. The fourth thing. That we find out. The consequence. The result. Of lack of separation. Is that. There is no. Real. Sincere. Heartbrokenness. Before God. And they end up being occupied. With others. Rather than the true. And living God. Number five. Is again. In verse 14. They. Rebelled. Against. God. In verse 14b. It says. They assemble themselves. For corn. And for wine. And they. Rebelled. Against. Me. Here's the. Fifth time. That the word. Me. Is mentioned here. In these verses. Rebellion. Rebellion. Isn't it something. That we know. Very well. In our lives. That rebellion. Is part. Of the old nature. That is not broken.

Before the Lord. Isn't it something. That we learned. About ourselves. How. Often time. We find ourselves. In rebellion. Against. The Lord. You know. That the king. Saul. Needed to learn. This lesson. It was. Samuel. Who came. To King Saul. And he said. To Saul. Has the Lord. As great delight. In burnt. Offering. And sacrifices. As in obeying. The voice. Of the Lord. First Samuel. Chapter 15. And verse 22. He says. Obeying. Is better. Than sacrifice. And to hearken. Than the fat. Of rams. For rebellion. Rebellion. Is as. The sin. Of witchcraft. And stubbornness. Is as. Iniquity. And idolatry. Because you have. Rejected. The word. Of the Lord.

He has also. Rejected. The. From being. A king. Someone said. This to Saul. Rebellion. Rebellion. Is a second nature. To us. A rebellion. Is part. Of the. Sin nature. That we have. And. What happened. Is when. We. As believers. Are not. Separated. Unto the Lord. From the world. And all. These. Things. That attract. Us. What happened. Against. Against. Against. God. And that. Will happen. In the life. Of Israel. They. Rebel. Against. Me. They. Assemble. Themselves. For. Corn. And. Wine. Speaks. Of. They. Took. Rebell. Against. God. So. Five. Challenges. You already. Tell them. Results. Of. Lack. Of. Living. Separated. Unto the Lord. In. Hosea. Chapter 7. Two more.

In the last two verses that we have here, and here's the last two. Verse 15. Verse 15, he says, Israel, imagine mischief against God. Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet they imagine mischief against me. Again, he used the word against me. Unto me. From me. God is saying, look, it's me. I am the one that strengthened you in your arms. I have given you strength, Israel. I provided for you. But what you end up doing, you imagine mischief. In Hebrew, the word is, to think, to think bad against God. That's what they did. And the final consequence of lack of separation is they did not return to God, but they've gone astray.

They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a deceitful bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt. The final thing that he's saying, the last result because of lack of separation from the world, separation from sin, separation unto God, is they end up not returning to God, but they return somewhere else. They have gone astray further and further and further and further from the Lord. There was a man by the name of Cain in chapter 4 of the book of Genesis. And God appealed to Cain. After Cain murdered his own brother, God said to Cain, Cain, here's a sin offering at the door.

Take it and offer it and I will receive you. And you know the Bible says in chapter 4, And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. We never read anywhere in the Bible that Cain ever turned back to the Lord. We only read that he went out from the presence of the Lord. Now in this case, of course, this is the nation of Israel. In the life of a believer, a believer might turn his face away from the Lord and go further and further and further. If he's a child of God, he's a child of God because of the work that the Messiah had done for him, that Yeshua the Messiah had done for him or for her.

And we belong to him forever. But what is said results in a life of a believer who do not live a life that is separated unto the Lord. Now I want to conclude this chapter by reading a verse or two from the passage we have read earlier this morning in the book of Corinthians. So can you please turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 6. And I'm going to read some verses there in conclusion. Look what Paul now is saying to the believers at Corinth. Just like God said to the nation of Israel. He said to them in verse 14 of chapter 6 of 2 Corinthians. Be ye not unequal yoke together with unbelievers.

For what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion has light with darkness? What concord has the Messiah with Bilial? What part has he that believe with the one that does not believe? Infidel. What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them. And I will be their God and they shall be my people. He is quoting the Old Testament, the prophet. Therefore, come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord. And touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you. And I will be a father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

See, it's the same thing for the believer today. The call is to do the same thing. We cannot just look at Israel and blame Israel and say we are okay because Jesus the Messiah died for our sin. We are in the same need of separation. That's why he's saying to them, come ye out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord. And touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you. It's not that he hasn't received them already in their salvation. But he will receive them into enjoyment of fellowship as they would walk with him and talk with him and live a life for him.

I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and my daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Let me say this remark before I'm closing. This issue of separation is a challenge for all of us. None of us is exempt from that. All of us every day facing that which hinder us from separating unto the Lord. That's why we need so much to read the word. That's why we need so much to pray. That's why we need so much the fellowship of believers. We need each other to lift up each other. To help us all to rise another day to walk with the Lord.

Another day because the enemy is constantly desiring to devour the people of God. And so the encouragement for these brothers and sisters is to ask the Lord to help us to live a life that is pleasing to him and to seek to be a blessing to each other, to help each other in a time such as this. And may the Lord help us to do so. Can you say amen to that? Amen. Amen.