Hosea—Reaping the Whirlwind
Chapter 1: God’s Secret About Hosea’s Children
We have shown in the past that the book of Hosea is specifically addressed to the British peoples of the nations of Israel. Now, God has revealed to me a great deal more about Hosea.
Notice how Hosea’s prophecy begins. “The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel. The beginning of the word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord” (Hosea 1:1-2).
The first part of the message is about God correcting His adulterous wife. God commands Hosea to take an adulterous whore as his wife. The main purpose for Hosea marrying this woman is to illustrate the behavior of God’s wife in “the latter days” (Hosea 3:5). Hosea, like all of the minor and major prophets, primarily focuses on the end time. Many verses in Hosea prove this view. That proof will be clearly shown in this booklet. The message delivered anciently was only a type.
God was married to the nation of Israel, but divorced her. This truth is taught throughout the Old Testament. God is not married to the nations that comprise Israel today. He is married only to His Church.
God’s Church has “committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord.” You can’t depart from God if you never knew Him! The nations of Israel have never known God since He divorced them.
But the whole subject of the first chapter of Hosea is that these people have known God extremely well. They were married to Him and then turned to whoredom! Here is what the Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon says about the word “whoredom”: “attributed properly and chiefly to a woman; whether married (when it may be rendered to commit adultery) or unmarried …. It is very often used figuratively—of idolatry, (to go whoring after strange gods) … the people worshiping strange gods is compared to an adulterous woman.”
The word woman is used as a symbol of a church in the Bible. This woman in Hosea is even called an adulteress (Hosea 3:1).
Hosea is discussing God’s own Church, which was married to the omnipotent God in this end time! So when God’s people turn away from Him, it is no small sin—it is a great whoredom!
The Laodicean Era
We have proven in much of our literature that God’s Church entered the Laodicean era when Herbert W. Armstrong died. God heaps much praise on the Philadelphia era, over which Mr. Armstrong presided (Matthew 17:10-11; 24:14; Revelation 3:7-8; etc.). But when the Philadelphia era ended, the Church became Laodicean (Revelation 3:7-19).
Hosea was commanded to marry a “wife of whoredoms.” God wanted Israel to see clearly how the nation turned away from Him. But the primary meaning is for spiritual Israel, or His Church, in these latter days. Only the Church is Christ’s wife today (Revelation 19:7).
So Hosea’s wife of whoredoms is a picture of God’s Laodicean Church turning away from Him—after having a wonderful marriage during the Philadelphia era under Herbert Armstrong.
This great whoredom is the same as the great falling away in 2 Thessalonians 2, written about extensively in our book Malachi’s Message (request your free copy). There is simply no other logical explanation of the first chapter in Hosea.
The subject gets much more fascinating as we get further into the book of Hosea.
The Three Children
“So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son” (Hosea 1:3). The first child, a son, was named Jezreel. It says Gomer “bare him [Hosea] a son.” That expression is not used when referring to the other two children. In verse 6, it says she “bare a daughter.” In verse 8, it says she “bare a son.” The Soncino Commentary speculates that this indicates the last two children were not begotten by Hosea—they had other biological fathers. That is exactly right! Here is why. God is telling us precisely what is occurring in His end-time Church. The first Church to be “cast out” or leave the Worldwide Church of God (wcg), was the Philadelphia Church of God (pcg). No other church of any significance came out before we did.
Hosea is a type of Jesus Christ and Gomer a type of God’s Church. The first child in Hosea’s marriage was the only one begotten by him. The first child that came out of the Laodicean wife in the latter days was the pcg. And the pcg is the only one of these three children that was begotten by Christ!
The Hebrew definition for “Jezreel” means God sows, God has sown, or God is sowing (see the Soncino Commentary, the Interpreter’s Bible Commentary, or Smith’s Dictionary). It is another way of saying that God gave birth to the pcg!
What wonderful revelation this is from God!
The only other two significant groups to leave the wcg during the Laodicean era are the United Church and the Living Church. We have proven clearly how they have rejected God’s government and their Head—Jesus Christ. (For more information, request our free booklets Colossians and God’s Family Government.) Spiritually, these two churches are illegitimate!
Both of these groups have rejected the government God taught through Mr. Armstrong. That is how they turned to the whoredoms of the mother church. “And the Lord said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel” (verse 4). In a little while, the nations of Israel are going to fall—and God’s Laodicean churches will fall with them. That means the pcg only has a very short time to warn the nations of Israel and God’s rebellious churches! That is why the emphasis of our message is a warning! The Great Tribulation is coming fast and soon.
“And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel” (verse 5). God is going to break the bow, or military might, of the nations of Israel. The pcg is warning the Laodiceans and Israel today.
“And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away” (verse 6). Gomer had a daughter by an adulterous union. They are all “children of whoredoms” because they came from a Laodicean mother. But the latter two children were illegitimate. Their biological father was not Hosea. And God is not the spiritual Father of the last two major churches to leave the wcg! That means God is not leading them. Christ is not doing His Work through them.
Loruhamah means God will “no more have mercy.” Please notice carefully. God once had mercy on them—but no more! That is because they have rejected their Husband! As a penalty, God is going to “utterly take them away”—into the Great Tribulation.
“Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son. Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God” (verses 8-9). Loammi means “you are not MY people.” They were God’s people in the Philadelphia era. But that is now history. Gomer “bare a son”—Hosea was not his father.
These are very ugly statements about God’s own Church. God help the people who take these terror-striking prophecies lightly! These prophecies are unfolding before our eyes. God’s own Church must heed or pay horrendous penalties!
The mother and her two rebellious children (representing all the dissenters) reject the government taught by God through Mr. Armstrong! That means they are rejecting Jesus Christ as their Head—their Husband!
Hosea married this evil lady to illustrate that point. Hosea’s wife scorned his authority. So did the latter two children, who followed their mom’s example. The whole subject is about a governing office being rejected by God’s own Church.
The bloodcurdling tragedy is that these people today had Christ as their New Covenant Husband and rebelled against Him! There is no greater disaster!
People could ask, “Why would God be so concerned about the end-time Laodicean Church?” Because this is Christ’s own wife! He has no higher priority! He is even concerned about the smallest details. That is why she is God’s major concern in prophecy today.
‘They Shall Hear Jezreel’
There is good news. Many of God’s people are going to repent. “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God” (Hosea 1:10). Jesus Christ is going to rule the nations of Israel. “Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel” (verse 11).
The work of the pcg was begun and is sustained by Jesus Christ. All we have to do is hold fast. We are typed by Jezreel. The same message taught in the pcg, or Jezreel, today is going to fill this Earth! It is going to bring the ultimate joy to this world—because it is God’s message. Then all people will have “one Head”—Jesus Christ. They will have learned to submit to God’s government. Then they will be thankful to have Christ rule them!
“And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely” (Hosea 2:18). In that day always refers to this end time. Hosea is clearly an end-time message. God is about to give this whole world peace and safety.
“And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies” (verse 19). Christ is going to “betroth thee unto me for ever.” The firstfruits are going to marry the Son of God—forever!
That is the most exalted reward ever given to mankind. And it is only offered to those who qualify to marry Christ before He returns.
“I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel” (verses 20-22). At that time, the physical and spiritual laws will be working in harmony. The whole Earth will be filled with God’s love and physical abundance.
How will this happen? Why this magnificent change? Then the whole Earth “shall hear Jezreel”! Remember, Jezreel was the first son of Hosea. His wife Gomer “bare him a son.” The very message that is being taught today by the pcg, or Jezreel, is going to be the same message heard in the beautiful World Tomorrow! That is because the pcg is the only Church that is letting Christ direct us to do His Work in this end time!
Why must the Laodiceans and the world suffer so horribly before they will heed God’s wonderful message?
They Forgot the Law
“Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine” (Hosea 3:1). Here this church is called an adulteress. At the same time, God says the real problem is those in this church “look to other gods.” The Gesenius’ Lexicon defines “look” this way: “to turn oneself; to turn the back, to flee.” They have turned their back on God. They have turned to other gods and broken the First Commandment. They have other gods before the true God and their Husband, Jesus Christ. Spiritual adultery breaks the first and most important commandment. (Physical adultery breaks the Seventh Commandment.)
Think how intimate a husband and wife are, or should be. It is the closest kind of relationship. That is the kind of spiritual relationship God’s true Church has with her Husband, Jesus Christ. God’s end-time Church committed adultery and whoredoms, shattering that wonderful marriage!
This is the worst pain God’s Church can cause her Husband, Jesus Christ! We can see this if our view is through the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5). But we cannot think like a spiritual slut and expect to understand the pain that spiritual adultery causes our Husband.
It all happens in the latter days—the time we are living in now. “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days” (Hosea 3:5). After the Great Tribulation, many will repent and turn to God.
Why was God’s Church punished? “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4:6). The people forgot God’s law. If there is a law, there must be somebody to administer it, like a referee administers the rules, or law, of a basketball game. Without a leader to enforce the rules, you have confusion and chaos. So it is with God’s law and people.
Notice: They had the knowledge, or truth, of God revealed to them. Then they rejected it. They had God’s law, kept it, and then forgot it. This could only refer to God’s Church today. Only God’s Church understands His revealed truth in these latter days. Only God’s Church has been given and has kept His law. But now it has “forgotten the law.”
You cannot reject God’s truth if you never had it. And you cannot forget God’s law if you never kept it. Clearly, God is addressing His own Church. Only it has ever truly kept God’s spiritual law.
Jesus Christ is discussing His wife of whoredoms. Surely God’s people must see the terrible seriousness of these verses.
Hosea was there to administer God’s law, but his wife and children rejected his and God’s government. And God has a work today delivering Hosea’s message and administering God’s government. But God’s wife—except for a small remnant—rejects that government—the same government Christ taught His wife through Mr. Armstrong. All of God’s Laodiceans have rejected God’s government and broken His law the same way Hosea’s wife and last two children did!
Now God is rejecting His people. You “shalt be no priest to me,” says God. They were God’s priests (Revelation 1:6). They had the most exalted offices on planet Earth! They had the very law and government of God. They were the only true spiritual leaders in this world! Christ has only one wife! (Revelation 19:7).
Why does God reject these people from being His priests, or ministry? Because they have forgotten the law of God! They are supposed to be the kind of priests, or government, who administer God’s law. The law of God demands that there be a government to implement that law! These ministers have abdicated their primary responsibility. They could never reject the government taught by Mr. Armstrong unless they had forgotten God’s law! This is their great whoredom!
Consider this important point. If God’s people were in a church where the leaders administered God’s law, how could they forget it? They could not! They might rebel against it, but they could not forget it. So the leaders must be failing to administer the law!
Now most of them, like Lucifer, have rebelled against God’s law and government. And they are losing their crown as Lucifer did. They have been called to rule this Earth, but are showing themselves to be unqualified unless they repent!
We cannot rule with God forever if we cannot be ruled in this life for a few years while we learn how to administer that rule in God’s Church today.
Now, because the Laodiceans forgot God’s law, He is going to forget their children—which means they will receive no protection now or in the Tribulation. What a curse for their children!
The most amazing part of this story is God’s love. He is pleading with His wife to repent now. He will continue to plead with her in the Tribulation. We see how God demonstrates His indescribable love. He never stops loving His adulterous wife, until He knows she won’t repent. That is the same love Christ is building in His wife, the true Church!
You and I must rise above our human weaknesses and build this new and wonderful love for our physical and spiritual families! God has no thought of divorce as long as there is a glimmer of hope. This love is not natural. It is a gift from God! And we all need to pray daily for more of that gift.
People can give profusely to earthquake and hurricane victims, but that is not solving our foundational problems. People are being destroyed for lack of knowledge—spiritual knowledge from God! That is the raging, super-desperate need of this world!
God’s Church was given this knowledge and became His priests—His only true Church! His only Work! Now they scorn that knowledge—the very solution to all of this world’s problems!
“As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame” (Hosea 4:7). They once had unparalleled glory—now they are in a quagmire of shame! They have rebelled against the most royal, majestic calling God has to give—an opportunity to be Christ’s Bride!
Spiritual knowledge saves nations. A lack of knowledge destroys nations! Once we have been given this precious knowledge, our greatest challenge is to hold on to it. That is our glory. To lose this knowledge is the worst imaginable shame.
This glorious knowledge we have saves nations. It’s going to save the world—THE UNIVERSE! This knowledge is the world’s fabulous hope—and ONLY hope. This is the greatest possible gift we can give the world. Failing to do so is the blackest possible shame!
Royal Family Chastened
“Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor” (Hosea 5:1). Judgment here is not the act of judging, but the sentence of the judge. So this is a serious warning that needs to be heard.
Smith’s Dictionary states that Mizpah was “the great sanctuary” of God (see Genesis 31:45-54 and Judges 10:15-18). Mizpah means “pillar.” The root word signifies a watchtower. God commands, “Hear ye this, O priests.” God is telling His own priests, or ministers today, that they are a snare—a deadly eternal trap—for God’s people and Israel! They should be God’s sanctuary, pillar or spiritual watchtower! Instead, they deceive and lead the people away from God and His government.
The word Tabor refers to a mountain that is 1,350 feet above the plain (called Jebel et-Tur today). The word mountain is a biblical symbol for government. God is here addressing the national leaders of Israel. They spread a net that entraps their own people in many sins.
Notice: God also gives a specific command to the “house of the king”—the royal family of Britain. They sit on David’s throne, discussed in Hosea 3:5. It is the very throne on which Christ will sit to rule this Earth. No throne on Earth has a past and a future even remotely like David’s throne! (Request our free book The United States and Britain in Prophecy.)
God is deeply concerned. He is going to sentence the royal family and all Israel to the greatest time of suffering ever!
God commands these leaders to hear, give ear and listen! That means God’s loyal remnant is warning them all very directly about the coming Tribulation!
We are sent by God to warn the nations of Israel. We have a specific commission to warn God’s own Laodicean Church. This is what Malachi’s Message is all about. We also have a specific commission to warn the royal family of Britain—“give ye ear, O house of the king”! They sit on the most important throne that has ever been on this Earth!
God revealed the truth about that throne to Herbert W. Armstrong in this end time. Now the church God founded through him has rejected or watered down that precious truth. This is the key that unlocks all Bible prophecy—about one third of your Bible. Instead of proclaiming that powerful message to the world, the Laodiceans discredit the man God used to reveal it! Christ’s wife is indeed into vile whoredoms.
God has already sentenced the nations of Israel to die. What could be more serious? This is a message from the omnipotent God. That is a major reason why our message is one of great hope. People must have a chance to hear, hearken and give ear. That is our heavy responsibility. We must not fail God!
The Philadelphia Church of God has a powerful commission to warn God’s Church and Israel. It is why we exist today. God keeps pouring out more and more revelation for a great purpose. We must deliver that revelation! Nothing is more important.
Trumpet-Blowing Work
“Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin. Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be” (Hosea 5:8-9). We are delivering a trumpet-blowing message. It is alarming and terror-striking! God promised that the tribes, or nations, of Israel would know about this message! It was thundered by Mr. Armstrong and now by the pcg. But in many ways it applies more to the pcg in this end time.
Hosea’s adulterous wife pictures God’s Church after Mr. Armstrong died. We have a heavy responsibility to deliver this message now!
We are literally fulfilling God’s promise to Israel! We are evidence that God’s prophecies are always fulfilled. This is not the work of men. Our message comes from God! The punishment will continue until they repent (verse 15).
“Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law” (Hosea 8:1). God is against His own house, or Church. A military attack is going to be made on God’s own people! They have broken God’s covenant. Only God’s Church has made a New Covenant with God today. Only God’s Church had God’s spiritual law and then trespassed against it. God is getting very specific with His own people.
There is a remnant that does obey God. It’s as if they have a trumpet always fixed to their collective mouth—like a permanent fixture! They know what their commission is. They never stop warning. They love the Laodiceans and hope they can help save them—physically and spiritually. That is our true motive, in spite of what critics may say. God knows the truth and so do we.
God’s own sinning people must receive the strongest warning. God says they have “transgressed MY covenant.” And God is full of wrath! “Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him” (verses 2-3). God’s Church has “cast off the thing that is good.” It has rejected God’s truth. That could happen only if it received God’s truth in the first place!
“Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor” (Hosea 9:1). God’s Church has “gone whoring from God.” It knew God and turned away. “They shall not dwell in the Lord’s land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria” (verse 3). Generally, only God’s people really understand the Bible’s commands about clean and unclean food. But all American and British peoples are going to eat unclean food in Assyria, or Germany. And that is going to happen very soon!
Their sacrifices are unclean to God (verse 4). “What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the Lord?” (verse 5). They can no longer keep the Sabbath and holy days! These are specifically God’s holy days to which this refers. Who keeps these days today? Only God’s people. Some have gotten so far from God, they have already stopped keeping them. Perhaps they have already lost their salvation!
This is a frightening message. It must be heeded or an unparalleled penalty paid. Those who heed this message will receive marvelous rewards.
This world is about to explode in our faces. Jesus Christ will soon return and save man from himself. God’s very elect must intensify the sound of the trumpet until it reaches ear-splitting volume!
Chapter 2: Britain in Prophecy
The prophets Isaiah, Amos, Micah and Hosea delivered their prophecies to the nation of Israel at the same time. It was about 30 years before the nation went into captivity. Their messages were like that of the Philadelphia Church of God, only our end-time message proclaims a far greater catastrophe. The good news is also far better, since Jesus Christ returns immediately after the staggering crisis. We must deliver our message to both physical and spiritual Israel. For many, the pcg’s message has eternal consequences.
The book of Hosea was written about 750 b.c. It is unique among the other prophecies to Israel. After God’s Church, it concentrates on Ephraim, or as God revealed through Mr. Armstrong, the British peoples today. Hosea mentions Ephraim 37 times in the prophecy.
Anciently, Israel was married to God. The Israelites committed adultery and God divorced them. Britain and Judah continue today in the adulterous lifestyle that caused God to divorce their ancestors. Their history as God’s wife is what makes their sins so great!
The name Hosea means salvation. This is God’s goal for all mankind. He wants to save us! The book of Hosea is a grave warning to God’s Laodicean Church and Britain, but it is also a message of great hope to all who are willing to listen and repent.
Britain—Entrusted with the Throne of David
Raymond McNair wrote in the August 1969 Plain Truth: “The royal family sets a very good example for Britain so far as family life is concerned.” That was written in 1969. If we look at many members of the royal family today, we all would have to agree that this statement could not be made. It was that way in the past but that is not the case today. Britain has degenerated grievously since 1969.
Mr. McNair went on to write: “A few of the older, wiser generation see the moral and spiritual decadence that grips Britain. They see the continued weakening of the pound. They regretfully hear their capital city, London, referred to as ‘swinging London,’ ‘the gambling capital of the world,’ ‘the abortion center of the world.’ Instead of seeing London’s streets filled with thousands of bright-eyed men preparing to go out and rule a globe-circling empire, they see its streets filled with hippies, layabouts, dropouts from society who have no higher ambition than tv, the pub, gambling, wine, women and song. The older generation heaves a sigh and wonders where it is all going to lead this tiny sceptered island that boasts the oldest and most prestigious throne—a throne that has been the envy of every nation on Earth! A young British actress summed it all up very well: ‘You know, in a sense England is its tradition and its monarchy. We’ve lost all the empire stuff, but we still have the monarchy. If we didn’t, England would be just a miserable little island. The monarchy reminds the world [and England] that England was once a far more powerful country,’” (emphasis mine throughout).
So what has happened to England? Why was it so powerful? Why has it degenerated so quickly?
“The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel” (Hosea 1:1). God’s word came to Hosea, just like it came to Mr. Armstrong. And then God taught His word through Mr. Armstrong. God now entrusts His word to you. It’s up to you to hold on to it. God’s truth would not exist on Earth if not for the pcg holding fast! Hanging on to God’s word is not only our collective responsibility, but also our individual responsibility.
God also entrusted the throne of David to Ephraim (after it was overturned three times), but something tragic has happened. Britain has rebelled against God’s word, and grave punishment is coming on that nation.
A People That Does Not Know God
“For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal” (Hosea 2:8). It is amazing that Britain and America have possessed such tremendous power and great wealth and yet have been almost completely unaware that it came from God. Our people do not know that God gave us our abundance of corn, wine and oil! So now God is going to take it away to teach us that He is the source. This is the only way God can bring us to Him, unless we heed His message now. The decision is ours. And what a critical decision it is!
God says the nations of Israel do not know that He gave them their power. Britain and America do not know they received these blessings because of Abraham’s obedience. Even people around the world ask themselves why these two nations have such power and wealth. They can’t figure it out. But we ought to know. The people of the United States and Britain ought to know: God has given these peoples all this wealth and power. But rather than serving God, they have served Baal—they have served Satan with it—and God is sick of it!
“Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness. And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand. I will also cause all her mirth [joy] to cease, her feast days, her new moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts” (verses 9-11). It will not be the enemies of Britain and America that discover their lewdness—but their lovers, such as Assyria.
Britain and America are increasingly aligning themselves with Germany (modern Assyria) and it will be to our downfall—because God is going to bring it about. There will be no more mirth or happiness in our lands.
Verse 11 shows that the troubles of our nations will also affect the Laodicean Church. There is coming a time when that Church will be caught in a torturous captivity, not able to keep the Sabbath or holy days. The Laodicean Church will lose its joy as well. That is the tragic, soon-coming future of Israel and the Laodicean Church of God.
Israel to be Stripped of all Idols
“For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days” (Hosea 3:4-5). Verse 4 refers to the coming Great Tribulation. It explains what many scholars do not understand. Britain and the rest of Israel are about to be plunged into a great horror. Why?
The word teraphim in verse 4 refers to an idol. Rachel had a teraphim. It was like a household god. The true God is going to plunge physical and spiritual Israel into the Great Tribulation to strip them of all their false gods.
Do we have anything in our lives that we hold more precious than God? Is anything or anyone holding you back from worshiping God alone with your whole heart? We had better remove it now, or God will remove it in the Tribulation. God wants us to live by His every word—not by some idol. God wants to remove our idols. He will accomplish this either through His words or His rebuke. If that doesn’t work, then God will use chastening in the Tribulation.
What does the phrase “without an image” mean in verse 4? The original Hebrew word for image is matstsebah. It is the same word used for Jacob’s pillar stone. (For more information on this stone, request our free booklet The Key of David.)
Again, look closely at verse 5. “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.” After the children of Israel lose their king, royal family, religion, and stone, they are going to seek God and King David. This verse is a continuation of the thought in verse 4 which ends with a colon. It is a prophecy for the latter days.
Lost Roots of Britain’s Monarchy
The British people have already lost much of their understanding of the true history of the British throne. After Herbert Armstrong’s death, the Worldwide Church of God removed The United States and Britain in Prophecy from its list of current publications. The Worldwide Church no longer teaches that ancient Israel’s royal throne is now in Britain. But does this sad fact make this knowledge untrue? It is still the truth! THIS KNOWLEDGE IS BIBLICAL!
Here is what Raymond McNair wrote in an article titled “The Astounding Truth Behind the World’s Oldest Throne,” in the October 1969 Tomorrow’s World: “It is a well-known fact that the monarchy existed long before there was a British Parliament. But, shocking as it may seem to many, the British royal throne will continue long after the parliamentary system—as we know it today—has disappeared into the dust of dim antiquity!
“From the beginning, God’s system of government has been monarchial—not democratic—strange as that may seem!
“It is high time the peoples of Britain, the Commonwealth and the whole world came to understand the true origin and exciting destiny of the British throne. …
“Judah was prophesied to be the tribe which would produce the kingly line in Israel. ‘The sceptre [of a king] shall not depart from Judah …’ (Genesis 49:10).”
These are promises God made to Judah and to all of us. Mr. McNair then quoted 1 Chronicles 5:2: “For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s.”
He continued in his article: “It was to be Judah, as a tribe, which would be referred to as a ‘lion’ because [of] the ‘Lion of the tribe of Juda’ (Revelation 5:5) ….
“The tribal symbol, or standard, of Ephraim was an ox, or a unicorn. Interestingly, the people of Britain are referred to under the symbol of ‘John Bull’ to this very day. And the unicorn (ox) is one of the two main symbols found universally on the coats of arms of the British royal family. The ensign, standard or tribal symbol, of the tribe of Judah from time immemorial has been a lion. And, surprising as it may seem to some, the real symbol of the tribe of Judah to this very day is not the ‘Star of David’ (though Jews use this symbol today) but is the lion (see article ‘Flag’ in Jewish Encyclopedia). …
“A descendant of Judah, and also the offspring of King David is, this very moment—in our very generation, sitting upon that throne—or else the very Word of God is untrue! …
“King Zedekiah of Judah was the last descendant of David to sit upon that throne in Judah. Eventually he and all the nobles and his own princely sons were slain or died in Babylon (Jeremiah 39:1-7). …
“To this very day, ‘Jeremiah’s tomb’ is believed to exist in Northern Ireland, near Enniskillen, on Devenish Isle in Loch Erne. …
“It is in London, England, that the very throne of King David still exists. The present royal family can trace their genealogy (from England through Scotland and Ireland) right back to kings David and Solomon, who were of the tribe of Judah. This is a fact beyond all refutation! …
“The throne was overturned from Jerusalem to Ireland, then from Ireland to Scotland, and then from Scotland to England. …
“Many Christian-professing people are ignorant of the simple fact that Jesus Christ was born to sit upon the throne of David—born to be King!”
Consider this prophecy in Luke 1:32-33: “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
And another, in Isaiah 9:6-7: It calls Christ “the Prince of Peace,” and says, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it ….”
Mr. McNair continued: “That very throne of David will be a thriving, functioning, existing throne when Jesus Christ takes it over and sits upon it at His coming. He will not take over a defunct, nonexistent throne—a throne which ceased to function many years ago! …
“Is it surprising that some in Britain have commented that members of the royal family even look ‘Jewish’? I have a chart giving the genealogy of the present ruling royal family, showing their lineage all the way back to King David. …
“There can be no doubt that the present royal family of Britain are the direct descendants of the ancient Jewish king, David, and that Queen Elizabeth ii sits upon the very throne of David, and that one day in the near future there will be another crowning [Mr. McNair is referring to Prince Charles here]—perhaps the last in this age—on this throne before the Messiah comes and takes over the very throne which He was born to occupy—the throne of His earthly father David.”
One of the greatest tragedies in the Worldwide Church today is that its people no longer believe what used to be taught by Herbert Armstrong about David’s throne. Could this precious knowledge of the true identity of England’s throne be lost again?
Satan has the power to blind mankind to God’s revealed knowledge (2 Corinthians 4:4). Because lukewarm leaders do not love the truth, Satan has gained the upper hand and is working quickly to blind as many unsuspecting Church members as possible.
All Worldwide Church members should be appalled that The United States and Britain in Prophecy was removed from print. This was also done in the 1970s before Mr. Armstrong reestablished it. We all must face the cold reality that the men who wanted this book buried in the 1970s successfully buried it after Mr. Armstrong died! What a great shame to those Laodicean leaders!
The Philadelphia Church of God is “holding fast” to the knowledge of the true identity of the British throne. Only Mr. Armstrong was commissioned to write this book. And only the pcg gives his version freely to anyone who requests it.
God’s Laodicean Church is now going the same way as Britain in losing precious knowledge concerning the throne of England. Think about how embarrassing it is going to be for the British people in the World Tomorrow when they realize that they had the very throne which Christ is going to take over and didn’t even know it! The British people come in contact with the throne, at least symbolically, every day of their lives. And Jesus Christ is going to return and sit on that throne!
Do you imagine the nation would have allowed itself to degenerate as far as it has if the British people really understood about the throne? Do you think the royals would be so plagued by divorce and debauchery if they knew their heritage?
How do you think Christ looks upon a person who is about to assume David’s throne? Biblical history shows that the personal lives of the kings of Israel affected the nation as well. The kings of Israel were severely punished for their sins. Britain’s glorious history is soon going to turn to tragedy. God must plunge the British people into the Tribulation to get them to repent. Britain and the royal family have very little excuse for not knowing about God and their precious heritage.
The Laodicean leaders of God’s own Church will also be held accountable for losing this precious truth. Unfortunately, many will have to suffer the Tribulation as well. God will not stand by and let His truth be ridiculed. The people of God will be punished severely for being casual about the truth. Members of the Philadelphia Church need to hold fast to these truths. We need to be willing to die for them.
Truth and Mercy
“Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood” (Hosea 4:1-2).
God has a controversy with Britain, the United States and His Laodicean Church. There is no longer any truth in the land. And the Laodicean Church is quickly giving up the truth that was restored to the Church through Mr. Armstrong. This has God upset!
The results are disastrous. There is no longer any mercy in our lands or in God’s Laodicean churches. The lack of the knowledge of God produces an evil people. Verse 2 lists the sins of the nation. Our nations are full of lying, murder, stealing and adultery. We are living in perilous times—times in which “blood toucheth blood.” For this, the nations of Israel must be punished. Why? Because we should have known better.
People who have God’s truth are generally merciful people. Mercy and truth go hand in hand. True Christians need to examine themselves: Is the truth of God building mercy in our lives? Do we have both truth and mercy in our lives? Is the truth of God building mercy in us? Or do we just know a few biblical principles and act self-righteous? Do we get along with people? How we get along with people says a lot about our religion. Is the truth of God building the love of God in our lives? Can we love people, no matter what their past, in the way that Hosea loved his harlot wife? His wife was a very evil woman with a horrendous past. Can we love people, our mates, our children and even our enemies like Hosea did his wife? Hosea’s love was a type of God’s love for us.
We need to make sure we are building God’s love into our lives. God is not impressed with a religion of rituals. He desires converted people who love like He loves. God wants people to think and act like He does. That is what conversion truly is—thinking, acting and loving like God! This is not a shallow love—it is a love that takes a lifetime to build.
Israel’s Land to Mourn
“Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest” (Hosea 4:3-4). God is going to cause our land’s natural abundance to stop. Famine will plague the birthright people, Britain and the United States. Why? Because the people are rebellious—they “strive with the priest.” They fight against our message!
We in God’s Philadelphia Church cannot be this way. We must not strive with God’s priests, or ministry. You must prove what the ministry teaches according to your Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:21). But God’s people should not be in the attitude of striving with the ministry. We must love God’s government.
How do we get into God’s Kingdom? By supporting God’s government and His Work. We must back and support it with all of our being. That does not mean just giving money. We may not be financially able to give very much to the Work. But if we back and support God’s Work with our prayers and energy, we will be given a place in God’s Family.
God doesn’t lust for money, or silver and gold. God wants us to build character. One important way to build character is to have our hearts in God’s Work. Then God knows that your “treasure” will be in His Work. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).
Judgment Coming on Priests, Rulers and King
“Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love …” (Hosea 4:17-18). Today’s spiritual condition in Britain is at an all-time low. God says the people are bonded to their idols. Britain is totally ensnared with the pleasure of this world. God is now saying, “Let him alone.” In other words, He is going to have to deal with Britain in the Great Tribulation. How sad! God looks at all of them, especially the British rulers, and sees only shame. Who is really at fault?
“Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor. And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all. I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled” (Hosea 5:1-3). God is putting the blame where it belongs. Who has led the nation of Britain astray? It has been the ministers, rulers and even the royal family. The leaders of the nation have been a snare to the people. God knows what is happening. He sees what is going on. And now He is going to do something about it!
“They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord. And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them” (verses 4-5). Is God justified in causing Britain to go into the Tribulation? Yes, He is!
The people do not question their own actions. “The spirit of whoredoms” has thoroughly perverted their minds. People like to act religious, but they have no desire to truly know God. They are growing worse and worse in their sins. So Ephraim is going to “fall” hard and fast “in their iniquity.” And the nation of Judah, or the modern-day nation called Israel, and Manasseh (America) are going to fall with them. This is a prophecy for our time. Ephraim, Manasseh and Judah have never fallen together before. Anciently, Ephraim and Manasseh fell in 721 b.c. and Judah in 585 b.c. This verse speaks of a time when America, Britain and Judah all fall together! That time is coming in the very near future!
“They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them. They have dealt treacherously against the Lord: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions” (verses 6-7). When calamity strikes Britain, then the people will seek God, but they will not be able to find Him. They will have waited too long! Physically, it will be too late! By the time the Tribulation hits, God will have withdrawn Himself. God will do this because the people have treated Him treacherously.
Hosea shows that the nation will be destroyed in one month. This is related to Daniel’s prophecy of the 1,290 days in Daniel 12:11-12. While the Philadelphia Church of God is being taken to the place of safety, our nations will be dying. The dire prophecies of Ezekiel will also be fulfilled at this time.
But what should we do about these coming events? Do you know anything you can do? What obligation do you as a Christian hold toward the people of our nations? God tells us very plainly. “Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin” (Hosea 5:8). God expects all of us to be part of a “trumpet blowing” work!
You urgently need to get behind this Work! God’s Philadelphia Church appreciates any kind of support you can give. We should all want to blow the trumpet for Judah, Britain, the United States and the Laodicean Church. That is the way to show God’s love. We shouldn’t bury our heads or just try to protect ourselves. But we should be willing to stand up, even if it is only with a few people, and warn those we love about what is coming on this Earth! We shouldn’t be ashamed of our message. We should have the attitude of wanting to deliver God’s warning message to the nations of Israel, God’s Church and the world!
Ephraim to Become Desolate
“Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be. The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment” (Hosea 5:9-11). When God plunges Britain into the Tribulation, the nation will be made desolate. This disaster will be far worse than what happened to Britain in World War ii. It will catch the nation completely off guard. But God says Britain will have been warned. God will not allow such devastation without having given the people a chance to repent.
Herbert W. Armstrong warned Britain on radio, television, and through the Plain Truth magazine of the coming tragic events. Only the Philadelphia Church of God is continuing this same tradition. The lukewarm churches of God have publicly stated that they do not agree with Mr. Armstrong’s view of prophecy.
Verse 9 is not only a prophecy of Britain’s downfall, it is a prophecy that God’s Work would continue until the desolation. God always works through those servants who prove themselves dedicated to His truth. Today, these servants are in the Philadelphia Church of God.
Verse 10 shows that the modern nation called Israel, biblical Judah, follows in the same sins of Ephraim. The nation of Judah must also be warned. Will the Laodiceans do this work? No! Will the Philadelphia Church of God do this work? With God’s help—yes!
Verse 11 shows that England’s oppression is coming because the people “willingly walked after the commandment.” This phrase refers to following the commandment of Jeroboam, who led the nation into great idolatry. It was Jeroboam who accepted pagan religious holidays and rejected God’s holy days. Because England and the other Israelitish nations have followed these traditions, they will suffer as never before.
In verse 12, God says He will be like a “moth” to England, and to Judah as “rottenness.” It is God who will bring these nations down. Moths destroy clothing. A moth-eaten garment looks good in the closet, but take it off the hanger and it falls apart. God says Britain is like a moth-eaten garment. And Judah is infested by maggots. Even though certain things may look good on the surface, these two nations are ready to fall apart!
People only see prosperity, glitter and glamour. Most people today are only living for the next exciting entertainment. Even though the signs of disaster are there, our nations are refusing to see the “moths” and “worms” in our society! There is not much substance left to hold our nations together because of our many sins. The “crash of 1929” came suddenly in its time. Events soon to occur in Britain, the United States and the rest of biblical Israel will be magnified many times greater—and will also come suddenly!
In verse 13 of Hosea 5, the prophet then discusses a “wound” which is to strike the tribe of Judah, or the modern-day nation called Israel, just before these end-time events reach their climactic conclusion. What is this prophetic wound and how will it affect world events?
Judah’s Deadly Wound
Judah is suffering many violent acts from the Arabs. The peace process has been hindered by the continued violence. Remember, the nation called Israel today is really biblical Judah. The word Jew is simply a shortened version of Judah.
We have seen from Hosea 5 that Judah is mentioned several times in relation to Ephraim and the rest of Israel. Notice verse 13: “When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.” The Hebrew reveals that both Ephraim (Britain) and Judah go to Assyria (Germany).
Why does Judah go to Germany? What is Judah’s wound? The word wound is number 4205 in Strong’s Concordance. It means “in the sense of binding up: a bondage, i.e. remedy.” Gesenius’ Lexicon defines it this way: “the pressing together, binding up of a wound; here used figuratively of a remedy applied to the wounds of the state.”
Another word for wound is also mentioned in Obadiah 1:7: “All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.” This wound is number 4204 in Strong’s. Gesenius’ Lexicon defines it as “falsehood; hence, fraud, insidious dealing … net, or snare.” It has the same root word as the word used in Hosea 5:13. In Obadiah the wound is directly related to being deceived by a peace pact!
Is the peace process with the Arabs the Israeli wound that God refers to in Hosea 5:13? I have been saying that the deeply flawed peace process was “Judah’s wound” since it began in 1993. This delusional pursuit of peace through compromise has been an unparalleled disaster for Judah!
There would have been no peace pact if Judah would have trusted God instead of men. The Jews would not be experiencing the flesh-shredding bombs if they trusted God.
The word wound doesn’t necessarily mean some violent act, but it will undoubtedly lead to violence.
Through weakness and a lack of faith in God, they have created their own wound!
Why would the Israelis trust terrorists to protect them from terrorism? They have more than enough power to protect themselves. But they lack the will to use it! (Leviticus 26:17-19).
Judah is afraid to get tough even in the Arab areas that it controls. The Jews are fearful that the “peace” process is going to break down. What most of them don’t know is that the peace process is a deadly delusion! It is a wound that is going to cause death! It is like terminal cancer!
Now Judah is giving away strategically vital land as the terrorist acts intensify! Many of the Arabs are only using the peace process to destroy Judah. That certainly makes the peace process a deadly wound.
Hosea prophesies that wounded Judah and sick Ephraim will go to Germany for help. Why? Because America is even sicker than both of them and can be of no help at that point! The deadly weakness of these three nations leads to their destruction by Germany—at the same time. “And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them” (Hosea 5:5). America, or Manasseh, is labeled as “the pride of Israel” because it has recently been the real power behind all the nations of Israel.
America and Britain have put enormous pressure on the Jews to accept the peace process. Hosea discusses the sins and weaknesses of these nations which have been so powerful in the past because of God’s blessings.
Years of terrorist suicide bombings and rocket attacks have shredded the Jewish state’s sense of security.
The Jews are going to feel safe again. Christ is about to return to give them security forever! Thank God for that future filled with hope.
Why Go to Germany?
Already the European Union has been mentioned publicly as a protector to Israel as the U.S. grows weaker. Germany has grown more and more active in the region. It sent observers to look after the border with Egypt after Israel vacated the Gaza Strip; it sent peacekeepers to Lebanon after the Hezbollah-Israel war in the summer of 2006; for some years there has been talk of German troops helping to secure the Golan Heights should Israel give this strategic area back to Syria. Germany now has its navy deployed throughout the whole of the Mediterranean, one of the world’s most strategic waterways, from Gibraltar to Suez. Relations between German and Israeli politicians are the best they have been in decades.
It seems the israelis can trust their worst historical enemy, but they can’t trust God to protect them! And God is their only source of help.
Still, Israel continues to be “lovers” with the Germans. Soon it will go to the Germans in far greater desperation. This will lead to its destruction. It is not the Arabs who are going to destroy it. The friendship between Germany and the biblical nations of Israel is going to lead to one of the biggest double-crosses in human history! (For proof, request Ezekiel—The End-Time Prophet.)
The Whirlwind
The king of the north, led by Germany, is soon going to clash with the king of the south—probably led by Iran. “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over” (Daniel 11:40). This push by the king of the south is probably going to be a clash directly related to Jerusalem. It could certainly involve cutting off oil to punish the king of the north, since Europe is largely dependent on Middle East oil.
The king of the north is going to come against him like a “whirlwind.” Gesenius’ Lexicon defines whirlwind this way: “a storm or tempest … to sweep away in a storm” or “to be fierce as a tempest.” Strong’s Concordance states, “by implication to cause to shiver with fear.” It leaves people terror-stricken.
After they conquer the mighty king of the south, the world is going to tremble and the Germans are going to feel invincible!
Little Judah will then no doubt ask them for protection. The Jews are prophesied to continue trusting other nations for peace—not God. (Request our free booklet Nahum—An End-Time Prophecy for Germany.) “He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon” (verse 41). The powerful European Union army will then “enter” the glorious land, or biblical Judah. The word enter in no way indicates the use of force. The Germans will undoubtedly be invited in to keep the peace. Then the European Union is going to suddenly attack and destroy America, Britain and Judah at the same time.
There will only be one other world power, besides the European Union. That is the Asiatic millions. God has reserved them to destroy most of the European power.
However, in Jerusalem, armies from both sides shall unite for Christ to destroy when He returns. Then the blood will be up to the horses’ bridles in the valley of Jehoshaphat.
Many of these events on the world scene are acutely painful. But the good news is, it all leads to the glorious return of Jesus Christ!
Through the peace process, Judah has become vulnerable to the enemy, and with very little will to strike back when attacked. Just a few years ago, it would have retaliated with far greater violence! But not today.
The peace process is the wound to which the Prophet Hosea referred. You can read a lot more about this wound and what to expect in the Jewish nation’s future by reading our booklet Jerusalem in Prophecy. I encourage you to order a free copy of this booklet today.
Many people still have the illusion that there will be peace. Soon the whole world will see what the Arabs saw all along: that the peace process was a wound from which Judah would never recover!
Its future is extremely bleak. Judah has a wound that is going to cause the death of the nation. Only God can heal the deadly wound. That is the lesson the Jews must learn! The worst time of suffering ever on Earth is upon us.
The good news is, this present crisis is going to soon culminate in the return of Jesus Christ. What a glorious future lies just ahead!
Chapter 3: God’s Love for Israel
England and the other nations of Israel are about to receive some staggeringly severe correction. The good news is, they will accept it. They will have a much different attitude as a result of being in the Tribulation. In humility, they will return to God. They will know that God was the author of both their punishment and their healing.
Hosea records their response in advance: “Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight” (Hosea 6:1-2).
Verse 2 shows how long the Tribulation will last. In Bible prophecy, a year is referred to as a day (Ezekiel 4:6). After 21/2 years, the Tribulation will end. In the third “day,” the Day of the Lord will begin and last for one year. The Tribulation is punishment for Israel. The Day of the Lord is the period where God afflicts the Gentiles. Even though the events of these 31/2 years are to be very tragic, mankind will eventually acknowledge that God was just in punishing them.
“O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth” (Hosea 6:4-5). Ephraim and Judah’s goodness is fleeting as a morning cloud and morning dew. There is no depth in their religion. Therefore God says He “hewed” them with our words today! It is as if God took a chisel to a stone, or an ax to a tree. Other translations say His judgments are going forth as thunder and lightning!
The work of the Philadelphia Church is an extension of the prophets of the past. The members of the Philadelphia Church shouldn’t feel that we are too small to do anything. Though we are small, we will have a great impact because God is behind us.
“For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” (verse 6). This is the kind of religion God desires of His people. He wants deeply converted people, full of mercy and living by His Word. It is a delusion to believe that we could be a part of God’s Work and be unforgiving toward our brethren. Or to believe we could be a part of God’s Work and cut people down or assassinate their character. God’s people are to be very merciful and full of the knowledge of God. We are not to strike back or lash out when wronged. We are not to gossip about or slander anyone. We can all too easily slip into a ritualistic religion and fall far short of God’s mercy. God requires that His people act as He acts.
Ephraim—A Cake Not Turned
“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 hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned” (Hosea 7:7-8). The phrase “hot as an oven” refers to Britain’s corruption. There is no true justice left in the land.
Britain may look good on the surface. But God says in verse 8 that it is like a “cake not turned”—already burned out underneath. British society lacks any real substance. We are, even now, witnessing this great calamity in Britain, the United States, and other Israelitish nations. Serious crises are going to make our nations crumble suddenly, like a burned out cake! It will dumbfound the world. Just as the rising of the United States of Europe will astound the world.
When this calamity strikes, the people will be caught completely off guard. “Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth it not” (verse 9). Britain has lost its strength. When Germany attacks, Britain will possess no military strength to hold it at bay. The British are full of gray hairs, but they don’t see the signs.
God led Mr. Armstrong over 50 years ago to see what would happen to Britain. He faithfully warned the people. We in the Philadelphia Church also see it, and have the responsibility to give the people a final warning.
Kissing The Calves
“Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law” (Hosea 8:1). God’s people need to get behind God’s Work now more than ever before. We need to be faithful in prayer, fasting, tithes and offerings. We need to be sure we are backing God’s Work. It is our job to warn Britain and Judah that Germany is about to suddenly swoop down on them like an eagle. After that warning, the nightmare will begin.
“Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency? For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces” (verses 5-6). Ephraim’s great fault is its idolatry. The word “workman” means artisan or craftsman. It is well known that England excels in technical ability. One of its greatest achievements has been the development of nuclear energy for domestic and military purposes. Could this be Britain’s calf? Could Britain think its nuclear power will get it through another war? The United States trusts in its industrial might, which bailed the U.S. out in World War ii. That might has been severely depleted; it will fail the next time.
“When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves” (Hosea 13:1-2). England relies on its “craftsmen” for protection rather than God. They worship their technical ability—they “kiss the calves.” In like manner, the Laodicean Church relies on the fact that it is “rich, and increased with goods” (Revelation 3:17). Britain, the U.S., Judah and the Laodicean Church rely on material things rather than on the great God who created everything.
We in God’s Church cannot rely on physical things or on people to make it into the Kingdom of God! “It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel” (Hosea 10:6). The word “it” refers to Britain’s idols. Could this be referring to Britain’s great technical ability being carried off to Germany?
Britain will soon become ashamed of its “craftsmen,” or experts. Do you really want to rely upon the experts? No human being or idol can ever deliver what a human being wants.
Do you have some idol sitting between you and God? If any of us do, God wants us to get rid of it now.
Reaping The Whirlwind
“For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up” (Hosea 8:7). Britain’s crimes are about to culminate in disastrous curses! Britain sowed the wind and soon it shall be swallowed up! All human beings need to learn that the consequences of sin are extremely painful.
“I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing” (verse 12). Israel had great things written to it from God’s law, but rejected them. And the Laodicean Church is now quickly turning away from them. When the calamity strikes, there will be no room for excuses.
“The days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred” (Hosea 9:7). What shall Israel come to know? It will know that its religious leaders were fools; some were even mad. Today there are countless different religions, and all of them have their own interpretation of what the Bible says. It’s nothing but confusion.
What is finally going to happen to God’s nation and Church? “My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations” (verse 17). Our people will face the same torture as hostages in Iran, Iraq and other Middle East countries. Why? Because they are dedicated to their idols. Read Hosea 10:1. The people of ancient Israel never learned the lesson that they existed for God’s purposes. They sought to please only themselves.
God’s Great Love for Israel
“When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. … How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together” (Hosea 11:1, 8). This gives us some idea of how God really feels about Israel. Israel was a son to God. And God’s heart and emotions churn deeply because of Ephraim’s rebellion.
“Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints” (verse 12). Ephraim and Israel continually mistreated God. They paid Him back with lies and deceit for all His love for them. In His great love, God will punish the people of Israel to draw them back to Him.
It is interesting to note that God says Judah still has some godly principles and that it is “faithful with the saints” (verse 12). Mr. Armstrong had an especially close relationship with the Jews. His relationship was prophesied in this verse. This verse could also indicate that Mr. Armstrong’s relationship was only a type of what the Philadelphia Church will experience with Judah. In 2007, we began cultivating a relationship with one of the preeminent archaeologists in Israel and assisting with the exciting excavation of King David’s palace in Jerusalem.
A Glorious Ending
“Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me” (Hosea 13:4). After all the horror of the Great Tribulation, God will finally be able to work with His people. Britain will no longer trust in idols. The British will no longer look to Assyria for help. They will know God as their Savior!
“O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help” (verse 9). The people of Israel will know that God will help them. All they will need to do is pray. God will hear and respond because the nation will be in a repentant attitude. Be sure to read all of chapter 13.
“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. … Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall therein” (Hosea 14:4-5, 8-9). God is going to renew His tenderness for Britain and all of Israel. Britain will have learned its spiritual lessons so deeply that God will restore its former glory. Only this time, the glory will be far greater because the people will be full of the knowledge of God. They will show forth the fruits of God’s Spirit.
God’s Church, Britain and Judah have a fantastic future. Let’s all pray more fervently—“thy Kingdom come”!