Hosea 4:10

Hosea 4:10 says, For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.  I believe God was warning His people that no matter how well off they became materially, they were never going to be satisfied because they were no longer faithful to God.  When we begin to look for peace and purpose in the things of this world and forget God's will for us, we will never be satisfied.  There is a saying that you can never be too rich, but if riches are seen as an end unto themselves, without being placed under God's guidance in their use, then I do not believe this to be true.  When we start chasing after material things instead of following God, we will never be satisfied.  Verse eleven adds, Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.   God was still referring to the relationship between Israel and Himself.  When they started chasing after other gods and physical pleasure, their hearts were turned from obedience to God.  We today can let things slip between God and us as we follow other gods.  I think of those who follow horoscopes, for example, to determine what they will do each day.  Verse twelve continues, My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.  I believe that what God was saying in this verse is that His people were looking to false religious symbols to guide their lives, much like following things like horoscopes today.  God calls it the spirit of whoredoms, or that cheating of His people in their relationship to Him.  We cannot be faithful followers of Christ and look to anything in this world to guide us spiritually but the Holy Spirit.  Verse thirteen states, They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.  God said that His people were very open in their religious ceremonies, but they were not worshipping Him.  As followers of Christ, God's people in the world today, we need to make sure that when we are openly worshipping that we are doing it for the glory of God and not our own glory.  Verse fourteen adds, I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.  I believe God was saying that He sometimes just allows people to go on in their sins with no immediate punishment.  Matthew Henry equated this with people being given over to vile affections as Romans 1:24 would later say.  These were the people who called themselves God's people and felt that just claiming that made them special.  Verse fifteen continues, Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.  Judah, part of the divided nation, had not become as corrupt as Israel.  Israel was more prosperous, and Judah could have been tempted to follow after them and chase false gods.  Verse sixteen says, For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.  The nation of Israel had turned away from God, and He was going to remove His protective hand from them.  We cannot expect to call ourselves God's people and follow other gods and still expect His guidance and protection.  Verse seventeen adds, Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.  I believe that this is God's warning that we must avoid those who claim to be His but are committed to false gods. We must leave them alone.  Verse eighteen continues, Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.  The nation of Israel was committed to following false gods and the rulers were only looking out for what would bring them the most reward materially.  Verse nineteen concludes, The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.  Though the people of Israel, God's chosen people, might be feeling prosperous and not in need of God, there was coming a day when they would be ashamed of their idolatry.