649. Hosea - Chapter 9 (#2) - The spiritual man is insane.

[00:00:06] Welcome to Wisdom Today. My name is Bill Kelley and I'll be your host. In this podcast we will be exploring the book of Proverbs.

[00:00:21] Open and prayer. Father God, I thank you for anyone listening to this podcast today.

[00:00:27] Lord, I pray that you open everyone's ears to hear and heart to receive everything you have in store for them today.

[00:00:34] I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. This is Proverbs 26, beginning in verse 1.

[00:00:42] As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.

[00:00:49] Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallowing, so a curse without cause shall not alight.

[00:00:57] A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey and a rod for the fool's back.

[00:01:04] Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.

[00:01:17] He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

[00:01:26] Like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of fools, like one who binds a stone in a sling, is he who gives honor to a fool.

[00:01:39] Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunken, is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

[00:01:47] The great God who formed everything gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.

[00:01:56] As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

[00:02:03] Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

[00:02:11] The lazy man says there is a lion in the road. A fierce lion is in the streets.

[00:02:19] As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed.

[00:02:25] The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl. It worries him to bring it back to his mouth.

[00:02:34] The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. He who passes by and metals in a quarrel not his own, is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

[00:02:49] Like a mad man who throws firebrands, arrows and death is the man who deceives his neighbor

[00:02:57] and says I was only joking where there is no wood the fire goes out.

[00:03:05] And when there is no tail bearer, strife ceases.

[00:03:09] As charcoal is to burning coal and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife.

[00:03:19] The words of a tail bear are like tasty trifles and they go down into the inmost body.

[00:03:27] Furvan lips with a wicked heart are like earth and wear covered with silver draws. He who hates disguises it with his lips and lays up to seat within himself.

[00:03:42] When he speaks kindly do not believe him for there are seven abominations in his heart, though his hatred is covered by deceit.

[00:03:53] His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly, whoever digs a pit will fall into it and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.

[00:04:06] A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it and a flattering mouth works ruin.

[00:04:15] Friends today I would like to take a closer look at verse nine and proper 26 verse nine says this,

[00:04:24] like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a prover in the mouth of fools.

[00:04:31] Now friends we will come back and take a closer look at that verse prior to closing today, but what I'd like to do is to continue our study of the minor prophet Jose on yesterday's podcast would begin chapter nine.

[00:04:48] And what I'd like to do is to begin today's lesson by reviewing those three points of yesterday's lesson.

[00:04:57] Now yesterday the first point I brought up was Israel has played the harlot against God.

[00:05:04] Now friends if you have been joining me for either one or a several podcasts of this study we know that Israel has turned their back on God.

[00:05:18] Number two they shall not dwell in the Lord's land.

[00:05:23] Now friends it's important that we learn that point from yesterday because today we're only going to go over three verses today from chapter nine.

[00:05:34] We're going to pick up where we did yesterday, but it doesn't talk about the Israelites being captive.

[00:05:42] And so yesterday we learned that some are captive in Egypt and some are captive in the land of Assyria.

[00:05:50] But I told you yesterday the most important thing is not really where they're at whether it's Egypt or Assyria but simply the fact that they were no longer living in God's land, the land of Israel.

[00:06:06] And the third point yesterday is they are gone because of their destruction.

[00:06:12] So yesterday we left off on verse six and today we're only going to go over verses seven eight and nine, but on each of these pivotal verses I am going to pick up one of my three comments today.

[00:06:29] So let's begin chapter nine verse seven.

[00:06:33] The days of punishment have come, the days of recompense have come, Israel knows.

[00:06:42] The prophet is a fool. The spiritual man is insane because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity.

[00:06:54] So friends, the first point I'd like to bring up today is that spiritual man is insane.

[00:07:04] So I am reading out of the Nelson study Bible and what I'd like to do is read the commentary for verse seven.

[00:07:11] And it says sinful Israel, disdained God's true prophets.

[00:07:17] And of course one of the prophets we're talking about here is the prophet Joseah.

[00:07:23] And it's obvious that the Israelites were not listening to the words that God had told Joseah to tell to the people of Israel.

[00:07:35] Let me continue in the commentary for verse seven.

[00:07:39] It says sinful Israel disdained God's true prophets, regarding them as raven maniacs.

[00:07:49] The Hebrew word translated insane is used in first Samuel chapter 21 of David when he pretended to be a madman before the Philistine king.

[00:08:03] Now what I'd like to do is this is one of my favorite stories.

[00:08:07] And I feel many of you may benefit if we actually hear this passage of scripture.

[00:08:16] So I'm going to begin in the 21st chapter of first Samuel, beginning in verse 10, I'm going to read six verses.

[00:08:25] But this passage of scripture is entitled, David flees to Gath.

[00:08:31] Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul.

[00:08:38] And when to Ikech the king of Gath, and the servants of Ikech said to him,

[00:08:45] Is this not David the king of the land?

[00:08:49] Did they not sing of him to one another in dances saying, Saul has swayed his thousands and David his ten thousands?

[00:09:00] Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Ikech, the king of Gath.

[00:09:10] So he changed his behavior before them, pretending madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate,

[00:09:21] And let his saliva fall down on his beard.

[00:09:24] Then Ikech said to his servants, look you see the man is insane.

[00:09:32] Why have you brought him to me? Have I need a madman that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence?

[00:09:43] Shall this fellow come into my house?

[00:09:48] Now friends, if you recall,

[00:09:52] Goliath was from the land of Gath.

[00:09:57] Now we are in chapter 21 of First Samuel, and it has only been four chapters since David slew the giant Goliath,

[00:10:09] who is nine feet six inches tall, only four chapters later.

[00:10:15] I want you to think about that. It's only four chapters later.

[00:10:20] David has gone from a 17 year old youth or about there that has killed the giant,

[00:10:28] and now he is basically running away from King Saul.

[00:10:35] And he's running back to the land of the hated filestines.

[00:10:41] David was desperate. King Saul was after his life,

[00:10:48] and he felt the only way to escape.

[00:10:52] King Saul was to go acting like a madman to the king of Gath,

[00:11:00] where he had just defeated the giant Goliath just a few months before that.

[00:11:08] Let's go to verse eight.

[00:11:13] The abwatchman of F. R. I. M. is with my God,

[00:11:17] but the prophet is a fouler snare in all his ways.

[00:11:23] And Mati is in the house of God.

[00:11:28] So my second point is the watchman of F. R. I. M. is with my God.

[00:11:35] Now let's look at the commentary for verse eight.

[00:11:37] A watchman would look for approaching armies and then warn the people so that they could secure

[00:11:46] the city and prepare for battle.

[00:11:49] Now friends, many times at that point they would have walls to protect people from their enemies.

[00:11:57] But as you can recall, Israel, they are captive now,

[00:12:02] so they're not living in their present land of Israel.

[00:12:06] But the prophets were like watchmen because they were sent by God to warn the people of judgment

[00:12:14] and urge them to repent.

[00:12:18] Now let's look at verse nine.

[00:12:21] They are deeply corrupted as in the days of Givia.

[00:12:27] He will remember their inequity.

[00:12:31] He will punish their sins.

[00:12:35] Now friends here, he is God himself.

[00:12:40] Now God has shown that he is angry at the Israelites.

[00:12:45] We've learned that at the beginning of yesterday's lesson

[00:12:48] and he allowed the people to take the Israelites captive

[00:12:53] into the land of Assyria.

[00:12:55] They talked about Memphis in the land of Egypt.

[00:12:59] So the Israelites are no longer in their land,

[00:13:03] but now they are being held captive.

[00:13:06] Let's look at the commentary for verse nine as in the days of Givia.

[00:13:13] The reference here is to the right and murder of a young woman by men of Givia,

[00:13:22] an event that started a civil war.

[00:13:25] This is found in the book of Judges chapter 19,

[00:13:30] and I'm going to read that for all of you in just a moment.

[00:13:36] Those who witnessed this violent deed remarked

[00:13:40] that it was the worst crime committed in Israel's history until that time.

[00:13:47] However, the sins of Jose's generation rivaled

[00:13:51] the infamous Givia murder.

[00:13:56] I want you to think about that.

[00:13:58] So this is one of the worst stories of the entire Bible.

[00:14:05] I am going to read the book of Judges in chapter 19,

[00:14:11] and I'm going to read nine verses beginning and verse 22

[00:14:16] through the end of the chapter.

[00:14:18] And this is called Givia's crime.

[00:14:22] Now I want you to really listen to this story.

[00:14:27] As they were enjoying themselves,

[00:14:30] suddenly certain men of the city perverted men

[00:14:35] surrounded the house and beat on the door.

[00:14:39] They spoke to the master of the house,

[00:14:42] the old man saying,

[00:14:43] bring out the man who came to your house that we may know him

[00:14:49] calmly.

[00:14:51] So what this means is they were men outside

[00:14:54] and they obviously were homosexual men,

[00:14:58] because they thawated the old man of the house

[00:15:03] to allow them to have the younger man come out

[00:15:09] and they were going to know him

[00:15:12] or basically sexually abuse him.

[00:15:16] But the man, the master of the house went out to them

[00:15:20] and said to them,

[00:15:21] no, my brethren, I beg you,

[00:15:25] do not act so wickedly.

[00:15:28] Seeing this man has come into my house,

[00:15:31] do not commit this outrage.

[00:15:35] Look, here is my virgin daughter.

[00:15:39] And the man's colk you byne.

[00:15:42] Let me bring them out now.

[00:15:45] I want you to think about that.

[00:15:47] He was more concerned about the man

[00:15:51] whom he did not even know

[00:15:54] that he had brought into his house

[00:15:57] and allowed him to come in for safety for the night.

[00:16:02] And instead of allowing that man

[00:16:05] to go out and be basically carnaged sexually

[00:16:10] by this group of men,

[00:16:13] he said, go ahead and take my daughter.

[00:16:15] This is awful.

[00:16:17] Humble them and do with them as you please.

[00:16:22] But to this man, do not do such a vile thing.

[00:16:27] But the man would not heed him.

[00:16:29] So the man took his colk you byne

[00:16:32] and brought her out to them

[00:16:34] and they knew her and abused her all night

[00:16:39] until morning.

[00:16:41] And when the day began to break,

[00:16:43] they let her go.

[00:16:44] Now friends in the Old Testament,

[00:16:46] whenever they say and they knew her,

[00:16:49] that means that they forcibly raped this woman.

[00:16:55] Then the woman came as the day was dawning

[00:16:57] and fell down

[00:16:59] at the door of the man's house

[00:17:02] where her master was till it was light.

[00:17:06] When her master arose in the morning

[00:17:09] and opened the doors of the house

[00:17:11] and went out to go his way,

[00:17:13] there was his concubine

[00:17:15] fallen at the door of the house

[00:17:18] with her hands on the threshold.

[00:17:21] So they had abused her

[00:17:23] to the point where she was barely alive.

[00:17:27] They had sexually abused her

[00:17:32] basically all night long.

[00:17:35] And he said to her,

[00:17:36] get up and let us be going.

[00:17:39] But there was no answer.

[00:17:41] So the man lifted her onto the donkey

[00:17:45] and the man got up

[00:17:48] and went to his place.

[00:17:50] When he entered his house

[00:17:51] he took a knife,

[00:17:54] laid hold of his concubine

[00:17:56] and divided her into 12 pieces.

[00:18:01] Lim, by limb

[00:18:02] and sent her throughout all

[00:18:05] the territory of Israel.

[00:18:07] And so it was that all who saw it said

[00:18:10] no such deed has been done

[00:18:13] or seen from the day

[00:18:15] that the children of Israel came up

[00:18:18] from the land of Egypt

[00:18:19] until this day

[00:18:22] consider it confer

[00:18:24] and speak up.

[00:18:27] So friends,

[00:18:29] what we are learning

[00:18:31] in our lesson today

[00:18:34] is the people of Israel

[00:18:37] during the time of Hosea

[00:18:40] were acting just as badly

[00:18:44] as in this incident.

[00:18:47] God must have been furious.

[00:18:50] Before we close,

[00:18:51] I'd like to go back to our verse of the day

[00:18:53] we are in proper 26

[00:18:55] and verse 9 says

[00:18:57] like a foreign

[00:18:58] that goes into the hand

[00:19:00] of a drunkard

[00:19:02] is a proverb

[00:19:03] in the mouth of fools.

[00:19:06] Now, friends,

[00:19:07] I'm going to make an analogy

[00:19:08] between this one verse

[00:19:11] and our lesson of the day today.

[00:19:16] If you are an alcoholic

[00:19:18] and if you are in the habit

[00:19:20] of drinking a lot

[00:19:22] many times you get to the point

[00:19:25] where if you were

[00:19:28] to have a thorn in your hand

[00:19:30] you wouldn't even feel it

[00:19:33] because your senses are dull

[00:19:36] you are numb to it

[00:19:38] and that is what has happened

[00:19:40] here to the people of Israel.

[00:19:44] They are numb

[00:19:45] to what God has done for them

[00:19:48] they've been taken away captive

[00:19:49] and at this point they don't even know

[00:19:54] that what they're doing

[00:19:57] is a proverb in the mouth of fools

[00:20:01] and I really like this

[00:20:05] differentiation between

[00:20:06] the first part of that verse

[00:20:08] and the second part

[00:20:09] because a proverb

[00:20:10] is for wisdom.

[00:20:12] A proverb gives you knowledge

[00:20:14] and information

[00:20:15] it instructs you

[00:20:17] of how to live our lives

[00:20:19] so one talks about a drunkard

[00:20:21] that doesn't know what is going on

[00:20:23] isn't aware of anything around him

[00:20:26] and here if a proverb

[00:20:29] is in the mouth of a fool

[00:20:31] they're saying

[00:20:32] it wouldn't do him

[00:20:34] any good at all.

[00:20:38] A fool here

[00:20:39] is basically a non-Christian person.

[00:20:43] A fool

[00:20:44] is someone that doesn't turn to God

[00:20:46] in their time of need

[00:20:47] they don't go to him in prayer

[00:20:49] they don't ask God to help them

[00:20:52] in their everyday lives

[00:20:54] and friends

[00:20:55] if you have a person

[00:20:57] like that a fool

[00:20:59] it doesn't matter

[00:21:01] if you give them

[00:21:02] wise counsel

[00:21:04] or wise information

[00:21:06] help them

[00:21:07] be the person

[00:21:09] the God wants them to be

[00:21:10] they simply will

[00:21:12] not care what you tell them

[00:21:14] or listen to you

[00:21:16] so my call to action

[00:21:17] today is this

[00:21:20] are you

[00:21:22] listening

[00:21:22] to what God

[00:21:24] is telling you to do

[00:21:26] do you listen

[00:21:27] are you

[00:21:28] concerned with who

[00:21:30] you seek

[00:21:31] counsel from

[00:21:32] it's very important

[00:21:34] that we seek

[00:21:36] counsel only

[00:21:37] from people

[00:21:38] who can give us good

[00:21:40] advice

[00:21:40] friends

[00:21:41] I will never end

[00:21:42] a podcast

[00:21:43] without giving anyone

[00:21:44] an opportunity to receive

[00:21:46] Jesus as their Lord

[00:21:48] in Savior

[00:21:49] if there's anyone

[00:21:50] listening today

[00:21:51] you've never taken that step

[00:21:53] I invite you to repeat

[00:21:54] a simple prayer

[00:21:55] after me today

[00:21:57] Jesus

[00:21:57] I confess

[00:21:59] that I am a sinner

[00:22:00] and indeed

[00:22:00] of a Savior

[00:22:03] I believe

[00:22:04] that you are the Son of God

[00:22:05] I believe you came to earth

[00:22:07] and died

[00:22:08] on across for me

[00:22:09] and when you did that

[00:22:11] you have put me

[00:22:12] back in

[00:22:14] right standing

[00:22:15] with God

[00:22:16] Jesus

[00:22:16] thank you

[00:22:17] for forgiving me

[00:22:19] of all of my sins

[00:22:20] and yet

[00:22:21] I still

[00:22:22] need

[00:22:22] your help

[00:22:23] I ask you

[00:22:24] come into my heart

[00:22:26] I ask

[00:22:27] that you lead me

[00:22:28] and guide me

[00:22:29] from this point forward

[00:22:30] in my life

[00:22:31] I make you

[00:22:32] my Lord

[00:22:33] in Savior

[00:22:34] now

[00:22:35] made a Lord

[00:22:36] bless you

[00:22:37] and keep you

[00:22:38] the Lord make us say

[00:22:40] shine

[00:22:40] upon you

[00:22:41] and be gracious to you

[00:22:43] the Lord

[00:22:43] lift up

[00:22:44] His countenance upon you

[00:22:46] and give you peace

[00:22:48] Friends

[00:22:48] tomorrow is

[00:22:50] the last Friday

[00:22:51] of the month

[00:22:53] so my beautiful bride

[00:22:54] Judy will be

[00:22:55] joining me

[00:22:56] tomorrow

[00:22:57] as we further

[00:22:58] explore

[00:22:59] wisdom

[00:23:00] today