Hosea 8:1–6 (NKJV) — 1 “Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the LORD, Because they have transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My law. 2 Israel will cry to Me, ‘My God, we know You!’ 3 Israel has rejected the good; The enemy will pursue him. 4 “They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. From their silver and gold They made idols for themselves— That they might be cut off. 5 Your calf is rejected, O Samaria! My anger is aroused against them— How long until they attain to innocence? 6 For from Israel is even this: A workman made it, and it is not God; But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.
Why do parents discipline their children? I cannot remember where I studied this but I use it often in talking about the difference between punishment and discipline. Punishment focuses on the past; Discipline focuses on the future. Punishment inflicts suffering because of past behavior; discipline focuses on the person teaching him to make the right decisions in the future. (Maybe oversimplified.) Punishment and discipline may be administered the same way but the focus of discipline is the future and helping a person to succeed; hopefully in the ways of God. God disciplines His children.
America is a rebellious nation. We have turned our back to God. The laws of God have been superseded by the laws of man. The church is not immune to rebellion. The transgression does not have to be some momentous calamity. Most of the time it is not. It is the microscopic turning away from God.
We gather together in a group called the church. We sing songs of praise, we pray, we listen (?) to sermons, and we depart to continue living our lives just as we did before we gathered. Has God received our worship of Him?
We live our lives with our agenda and as Christians expect God to approve. We choose leaders for our nation based on our preferences, not God’s. We allow the satanic agenda of Lucifer to control our lives. What do we get in return? Has God rejected America?
If God brought judgment to Israel, His chosen people will He not bring judgment to America, to the church? Has America, the church not transgressed against God!? Do we know who we worship? Do we go into the sanctuary of God on Sunday mornings to truly worship God!?
God must be the center of all of what we are. If it is about us, by us, and for us then God will reject it. IT IS ALL ABOUT GOD. If this last statement bothers you then you need to get your life right with God.