The Fall Of Israel

1. The Fall Of Israel • We can gain much information and knowledge by studying the Old Testament. In Rom. 15:4, Paul tells us that it was left for our learning. But he says it is not just so that we might read an history of what happened to those people, but we might learn from the principles involved and not repeat the same mistakes. The church is repeatedly warned against digression. Look at 1 Cor. 10:11-12. Therefore it is good for us to study some of the principles involved in the fall of Israel. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4

2. The Fall Of Israel Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:11-12

3. The Fall Of Israel • As we look back, we find that Hosea gives seven reasons for Israel's departure. These same seven items are basic to the church today. It is fundamental that we avoid them to preserve the purity of the church. These seven steps responsible for the decline of Israel are progressive: the first leads to the second, the second to the third and so on. The only sure way to avoid digression is to simply never start down that road.

4. The Fall Of Israel • A Lack Of Knowledge - Hosea 4:6 • God has always demanded that His people know His law. • It was true in the Old Testament - Deut 6:6-9 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Hosea 4:6

5. The Fall Of Israel And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:6-9

6. The Fall Of Israel • A Lack Of Knowledge - Hosea 4:6 • God has always demanded that His people know His law. • It was true in the Old Testament - Deut 6:6-9 • It is especially true in the church today - 2 Tim. 2:15

7. The Fall Of Israel Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

8. The Fall Of Israel • A Lack Of Knowledge - Hosea 4:6 • The faithfulness of the church depends on its knowledge. • Denominations flourish where people are ignorant of the Bible. • The main function of the church is to teach (or preach) - Mk. 16:15; Matt 28:19

9. The Fall Of Israel And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19

10. The Fall Of Israel • A Lack Of Knowledge - Hosea 4:6 • The faithfulness of the church depends on its knowledge. • Denominations flourish where people are ignorant of the Bible. • The main function of the church is to teach (or preach) - Mk. 16:15; Matt 28:19 • This is obviously predicated upon knowledge - Eph. 4:11-16

11. The Fall Of Israel And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16

12. The Fall Of Israel • Pride - Hosea 5:5 • Pride is condemned throughout the Bible - Prov. 29:23; Jas 4:6 • Example of the Pharisee - Lk. 18:9-14 A man's pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor. Proverbs 29:23 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." James 4:6 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity; Judah also stumbles with them. Hosea 5:5

13. The Fall Of Israel Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14

14. The Fall Of Israel • Pride - Hosea 5:5 • Pride is condemned throughout the Bible - Prov. 29:33; Jas 4:6 • Example of the Pharisee - Lk. 18:9-14 • This man probably did many things that would be considered good. • But his pride condemned him in spite of all the good he may have done.

15. The Fall Of Israel • Instability - Hosea 6:4 • Christians may be lost because of instability. • Instability is defined as a “lack of determination, not firm.” • Christians must be stable in • Attendance - Heb. 10:24-26

16. The Fall Of Israel And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. 26For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, Hebrews 10:24-26

17. The Fall Of Israel • Instability - Hosea 6:4 • Christians may be lost because of instability. • Instability is defined as a “lack of determination, not firm.” • Christians must be stable in • Attendance (Heb. 10:24-26) • Giving (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor 9:6-8)

18. The Fall Of Israel Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: 2On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

19. The Fall Of Israel • Instability - Hosea 6:4 • Christians may be lost because of instability. • Instability is defined as a “lack of determination, not firm.” • Christians must be stable in • Attendance (Heb. 10:24-26) • Giving (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor 9:6-8) • Etc. • The church must be stable in gospel - 1 Cor. 15:58

20. The Fall Of Israel Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58

21. The Fall Of Israel • Instability - Hosea 6:4 • Christians may be lost because of instability. • Instability is defined as a “lack of determination, not firm.” • Denominations are characterized by instability; they will teach anything to please men - 2 Tim. 4:3-4

22. The Fall Of Israel For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

23. The Fall Of Israel • Instability - Hosea 6:4 • Christians may be lost because of instability. • Instability is defined as a “lack of determination, not firm.” • Denominations are characterized by instability; they will teach anything to please men - 2 Tim. 4:3-4 • Knowledge is worthless if we are not stable in its application.

24. The Fall Of Israel • Mixing With The World - Hosea 7:8 • God has always demanded that his people be kept separate from the world. • Israel - Ex. 23:31-33 Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned. Hosea 7:8

25. The Fall Of Israel “And I will set your bounds from the Red Sea to the sea, Philistia, and from the desert to the River. For I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. 32You shall make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.” Exodus 23:31-33

26. The Fall Of Israel • Mixing With The World - Hosea 7:8 • God has always demanded that his people be kept separate from the world. • Israel - Ex. 23:31-33 • Solomon's great sin - 1 Kings 11:1-2

27. The Fall Of Israel But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites- 2from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, "You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love. 1 Kings 11:1-2

28. The Fall Of Israel • Mixing With The World - Hosea 7:8 • God has always demanded that his people be kept separate from the world. • Israel - Ex. 23:31-33 • Solomon's great sin - 1 Kings 11:1-2 • Worldliness is one of the chief problems of church. The church must recognize a line of demarcation between the church and the world - 2 Cor. 6:17

29. The Fall Of Israel Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." 2 Corinthians 6:17

30. The Fall Of Israel • Corruption - Hosea 9:9 • The above four sins will logically result in internal corruption. • Example of the scribes and Pharisees - Matt. 23:25-28 They are deeply corrupted, As in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity; He will punish their sins. Hosea 9:9

31. The Fall Of Israel “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Matthew 23:25-28

32. The Fall Of Israel • Corruption - Hosea 9:9 • The above four sins will logically result in internal corruption. • Example of the scribes and Pharisees - Matt. 23:25-28 • God's concern is with the condition of man's heart - Prov. 23:7; 4:3

33. The Fall Of Israel For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. "Eat and drink!" he says to you, But his heart is not with you. Proverbs 23:7 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

34. The Fall Of Israel • Backsliding - Hosea 11:7 • External sin is always preceded by internal deterioration of character - Mk. 7:21-22 • Only successful way to treat backsliding is to cure its causes. My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, None at all exalt Him. Hosea 11:7 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.” Mark 7:21-22

35. The Fall Of Israel • Idolatry - Hos. 13:2 • It is and has always been natural for people to worship something. If it is not God, then it will be idols. • In case of Israel, it was graven images that so often caused their downfall. - Ex. 32:4; 2 Kings 21:7 Now they sin more and more, And have made for themselves molded images, Idols of their silver, according to their skill; All of it is the work of craftsmen. They say of them, "Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves!" Hosea 13:2

36. The Fall Of Israel And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" Exodus 32:4 He even set a carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of which the LORD had said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 2 Kings 21:7

37. The Fall Of Israel • Idolatry - Hos. 13:2 • It is and has always been natural for people to worship something. If it is not God, then it will be idols. • In case of Israel, it was graven images that so often caused their downfall. - Ex. 32:4; 2 Kings 21:7 • Today, it may be many things. • Money • Job • House • Etc.

38. The Fall Of Israel • Idolatry - Hos. 13:2 • The only way to prevent idolatry is by strict adherence in prevention of first six sins listed here.

39. The Fall Of Israel • Someone once said, "If we don't learn from the past, we are destined to repeat it." We need to look at the Old Testament and the nation of Israel with a discerning eye that we might not fall into the same snare they fell into.