Let Us Not Exchange God's Glory

'' Hosea 4 : 6 -12
So I will destroy your mother -- my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
''Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children,
The more the priests increased the more they sinned against me ; they exchanged their glory for something disgraceful.
They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness.
And it will be like: Like people, like priests.
I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.

They will eat but not have enough; they will engage in prostitution but not increase, because they have deserted the Lord to give themselves to prostitution, to old wine and new which take away the understanding of my people..
They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood.A spirit of prostitution leads them astray, they are unfaithful to their God. '' ''

Dear beloved people of the Most High God, as the Spirit of God led me to this portion and was opening up the revelation to me, I am humbly writing down, so that all of us will have an opportunity to check ourselves in the mirror of His Word, and see if we are dressed up with the Glory of God, or in some foreign glory.

This Scripture tells us about those priests who, sometimes , tend to reject the knowledge of God, and how sometimes people who are serving Him tend to fall away into deception.

This above Scripture speaks mainly about the shepherds, to whom God has entrusted His flock, and highlights about such of us who reject His knowledge.

It mainly addresses the priests, i.e., servants of God.

May the Spirit of God be with us through out the meditation and May He take total control of the meditation and grant us understanding as He opens up the revelation:

'' Hosea 4: 6 My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. ''

Knowledge comes from the fear of God.

''Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.''

''Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom.''

''Proverbs 15:7 The Lips of wise spread knowledge.''

''Psalm 128 :1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord.''

Therefore when God says that people are destroyed due to lack of knowledge, this directly means they are destroyed due to lack of fear of God. Yes ?

Now, when we begin to serve God, we need to be very cautious and discern if we are hearing the voice of our Shepherd or any strange voice is leading us into any kind of depravity and conceit.

''Proverbs 15 :14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge.''

Because word of God warns us that Satan masquerades as an angel of light to deceive even the elect.

Since the devil is at work in disguise, it is really very easy for us to slip away from the track, even without realising.

Therefore, in the above Scripture in Hosea 4, God significantly speaks about His priests who reject His knowledge, are only ''Exchanging His Glory.''

He speaks about those of us, who tend to exchange His Glory, and find delight in some other's glory ( well, this could be sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly).

Dear people, once we have been thoroughly refined to be used as workmen in His vineyard, God actually clothes us with His Glory.

His Glory will come upon us from the Knowledge of Him.

Lets look into some Scriptures to understand what will be the characteristics of Knowledge of God, like.

And how can we see the Glory of God resting on us:

'' 1 Peter 4:14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of Glory of God rests on you.''

'' 1 Peter 5:2-10

Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;
not greedy for money, but eager to serve;
not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

And when the Chief Shepherd appears you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. ''
All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because ''God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.''

Humble yourselves, therefore under the God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Be self controlled and alert.
Your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.Resist him standing firm in faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.''

And the God of all grace , who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.''

Dear precious people in Christ, the above are some instructions that we, as servants of God, must abide by and keep a regular check on ourselves to ensure that we are living according to how we are instructed by the Chief Shepherd, who is Jesus, the Christ ( the Word of God).

However, as the enemy is always looking to devour , and prowls like a roaring lion, many a time most of us tend to slip away, even without realising.

In such times, if we chose to continue in that delusion, presuming that we are still serving God, and if we are not willing to make amendments to our ways, and if we compromise from holding on to the true Knowledge of God, even though God is sending us alarms - could be through our own conscience, could be through some sickness, could be through His word, could be through other fellow servants - then, Word of God says, God will himself give us over to those unworthy ways of depravity.
Let us read the same :

'' Romans 1:28 - 32
Furthermore since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.
They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.

They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice.They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters,insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

Although they knew God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. ''

Dear people , the above Scriptures clearly speak about the characteristics that surface in us, once we reject the Knowledge of God.

These characteristics are in total contrast to the characteristics that we have seen

in 1 Peter 5 : 2-10 which come from the Knowledge of God.i.e.,

Knowledge of God results in (1 Peter 5: 2-10) :
Humility toward one another

Serving willfully
Not greedy for money
Eager to serve
Not lording over people entrusted
Not proud
Self Controlled
Alert
Firm in Faith
Persevering in suffering
Steadfast

'' Mark 4:25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ''

Therefore, if we retain the knowledge of God, and work for Him in fear and reverence, holding on in Faith and humbleness, God will give us even more.

And if we fail to retain the same, and tend to get away with depravity, even whatever was given to us, will be taken away from us.

''Jeremiah 6:16 Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. ''

At every stage we need to ask God, to find out what is the right thing to do, check our doctrines with Him, if they are from Him, if they are based on the Knowledge of God, or if the enemy is deceiving us in the disguise of light.

If we fail to think its worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, then characteristics described in Romans 1: 28 -32 , will surface in us, and this is the ''disgraceful glory,'' it makes its way in disguise of light dear people, and this is because God has given us away to our depraved minds, and allowed us to do what is not to be done, because our hearts did not think it worthwhile to hold on to the truth and abide by His knowledge.

'' Romans 1:28 Furthermore since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.

In Hosea 4:7 such a condition of depravity where we fail to retain the Knowledge of God, and are led by a spirit of prostitution towards disgraceful things, is defined as, ''Exchange of Glory'' of God to disgraceful things.

''Romans 2 : 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.''

Let us not, therefore, be self seeking. But be careful to hold on to the truth.

Let us not exchange His Glory to something disgraceful.

Having now understood the characteristics that a servant of God must wear, which come from Knowledge of God, and those of disgraceful glory, let's now meditate on Hosea 4 : 6-12 , to get further insight on what leads His servants towards disgraceful glory, and how their behaviour will be like:

'' Hosea 4 : 6 -12 :
So I will destroy your mother -- my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.

''Because you have rejected knowledge , I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children,
The more the priests increased the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their glory for something disgraceful.
They feed on the sins of my people and relish thier wickedness.
And it will be like: Like people, like priests.

I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.

They will eat but not have enough; they will enage in prostitution but not increase, because they have deserted the Lord to give themselves to prostitution, to old wine and new which take away the understanding of my people.
They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray, they are unfaithful to their God.'' ''

Here God tells us, that those priests who reject His Knowledge, are basically led by a ''spirit of prostitution.''

Isn't it alarming dear people?

He also says, if we reject His knowledge, He will reject us as His priests.

And He says, to such priests who reject His knowledge, He will actually allow them to ''engage'' in this prostitution but they will not increase ...

He said the same in Romans 1:28 that He will give them over to a depraved mind.

''Romans 1 : 28 Furthermore since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.''

This makes it clear to us that, if any of us have rejected his Glory that comes from Knowledge of Him, and are still able to move on, then this means God is giving us over to our depraved minds, and we will be only deceiving ourselves if we presume that God is approving our works!

Let us all, therefore, be warned by this, that its our duty to keep a very close chek on our doctrines, our preachings, and the way we walk with God and the way we lead God's flock.

Every hour, we need to chek in the mirror of the Word of God, and set right ourselves and be careful to wear the right characteristics, coming from the Knowledge of God, as described in 1 Peter 5 : 2-10.

Anytime if we notice any of the characteristics of disgraceful glory, as described

in Romans 1: 28 - 32 surfacing in us, let us discard them immediately in repentance and reconcile ourselves to our Father, who called us in His grace to serve Him, and let his Glory rest on us.

Let us not engage ourselves in exchanging His Glory for any disgraceful thing.

Now, in this portion of Hosea 4:12, there is something significantly mentioned about ''consulting a wooden idol'' and being answered by a ''stick of wood.''

''Hosea 4:12 They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray, they are unfaithful to their God.''

Now, a wooden idol is something that is made from wood. Yes ?

And that which is made from wood - and that which people believe has some power in it - and that which people assign great value! This is how we can define a wooden idol.

Do you agree with me ?

Now if we take this as a base, and reflect on our current days, this meaning of wooden idol, reflects on ''money.'' Money is made from wood, money has value and people believe it has power- am I right?

If we now go back to Romans 1, and read the characteristics mentioned in Romans 1:28 -32, we can relate that those characterisitcs arise mainly due to love of money.

Lets make an analysis to help ourselves understand this revelation:

Here is the list of the characteristics described in Romans 1:28 -32:
Wickedness
Evil
Greed
Depravity
Envy
Murder
Strife
Deceit
Malice
Gossips
Slanderers
God-haters
Insolent
Arrogant
Boastful
Invent ways of doing evil
Disobey their parents
Senseless
Faithless
Heartless
Ruthless

If we take a close look at these, each of these arise in a person, specially due to love of 'money.'

Yes ?

And now, if we read the Scripture in Hosea 4, and verse 7 ''they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful,'' we understand that these above are the components that make up the ''disgraceful glory.''

Because they are arising from an wooden idol ( wooden idol, as we defined, is money ).

This means, the characteristics of Glory of God coming from Knowledge of Him, are exchanged to something that comes from money, due to depravity of minds that fail to think its worthwhile to retain Knowledge of God. And the word of God calls such glory coming

from money, a disgraceful one.

Now :
''Hosea 4:12 They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood.''

If we notice, in this verse, the term 'consulting' is used. He did not say they are worshiping a wooden idol, He said, they ' consult ' a wooden idol.

Now, what is ''consulting'' ?

In general, consulting someone means, taking a piece of advice, yes?

So when God says, 'these priests consult a wooden idol,' He means to say that, while serving Him, they take a piece of advise from this wooden idol (money)!

And this is only being unfaithful to him.

A stick of wood gives answers to them!( money is made from sticks of wood, isn't it? )

Such of us, who consult money, serve God for the glory the money brings to us. Yes.. ?

We take this consultant's advise and mould our doctrines and preachings accordingly, in such a way that it generates more money ! The goal of the doctrines is to make financial and material profit!
Isn't it.. ?

Dear precious chosen servant of the Most High God ....Is this pleasing to our Father ?

Can He see His children exchanging His Glory to the glory of money which is disgraceful ?

And the word of God in Hosea 4 : 6 -12 says, such depravity is caused by spirit of prostitution.

Being called the children of the most Holy and Most High God and being made in His likeness, can we engage ourselves in such an activity ?

Can we afford to mislead God's people, whom He has entrusted to us as His precious little flock in order to be handed over to the Chief Shepherd?

'' 1 Peter 5:2-4 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be;
not greedy for money, but eager to serve;
not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examles to the flock.
And when the Chief Shepered appears you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. ''

Think .....

May the Spirit of God open our understanding and help us reconcile ourselves to the true knowledge of the Living God, and clothe us back with His Glory.

May the warmth of His grace surround us and melt away every disgraceful component that surfaced in our lives and ministries, and heal us of all disgrace and unholiness.

As we close, let us look into some Scriptures that speak about the wrath of God, if we fail to reconcile:

'' Amos 9:8 - 10 Surely the eyes of the Lord are on the sinful kingdom.I will destroy it from the face of the earth - yet I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob, ''declares the Lord. For I will give the command and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a seive , and not a pebble will reach the ground. All the sinners among my people will die by the sword, all those who say, 'Disaster will not overtake or meet us' ''.

'' Ezekiel 24 :14 - I the Lord have spoken. The time has come for me to act.I will not hold back;I will not have pity , nor will I relent.You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions, declares the Sovereign Lord.''

Let's Pray..

Father, in Your grace You have called us. May Your grace find us back and reconcile us back to you. Forgive us if we have exchanged Your Glory to the glory of money.

Grant us understanding and revelation and help us to humble ourselves and abide by your word.
In Jesus precious name I pray, Amen.

God Bless You