Have you ever received official papers in the mail stating that you are being sued? The only thing worse is a letter from the IRS telling you that you are being audited going back ten years. How does a person or a nation defend themselves in such a suit? What attorney would you retain? Hosea 4 begins: “Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel! The LORD has filed a lawsuit against you saying: ‘There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land. You curse and lie and kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere, with one murder after another.’” (Hosea 4:1-2) By my count there are at least nine counts alleged in the suit. Where would God file such a lawsuit? Which court would handle this case? Is this divorce court, criminal court, district court, federal court, or Judge Judy? Or perhaps this is being filed in God’s own Supreme Court. Talk about your chilling effect!
Why do disputes end up in court? Civil suits are filed because the parties involved cannot come to a satisfactory agreement. An offence is alleged. The accused denies the charge or characterizes the allegation in different terms. The accused finds some way to justify what is being charged. Finally, when no settlement can be reached a lawsuit is filed. In this case God has attempted multiple times in multiple ways to come to terms with the defendants. There is only one response that will meet God’s requirement. Israel must repent, cease their wicked ways, and humbly return to Him.
Like it or not, in God’s case He is the aggrieved party, the prosecutor, the judge, jury, and the court reporter. He serves His own papers. He makes his own arrest. He is the jailor, the debt collector, the bails bondman if any bail is set, the bailiff, and the one who checks your pockets before you can enter the courtroom. God is the legal system from beginning to end. The moment the suit is filed it is over. There is no defense. There is no exculpatory evidence. There is no witness that is going to get you off. There is no loss of evidence. God needs no expert witnesses to bolster His case. You cannot find an expert witness who is able to impeach God’s case. The Devil may try, but he only tells lies and perjuries himself in court. When the suit is delivered by the Sheriff’s deputy you had best go peacefully and throw yourself on the mercy of the court. That is your only move.
In this case God is filing for divorce. You do not get half of the estate. You get nothing. God has a prenuptial agreement with you. If you are ever unfaithful to Him, you forfeit any right to your inheritance. In God’s world there is always fault that justifies the divorce. Your state may be “No fault,” but not in God’s. What happens when a nation is divorced by God? Where do you live? Who moves out? In Israel’s case, she did. She moved all the way to either hell or Assyria. Take another look at the charges. “No kindness” is included along with “one murder after another.” Israel was unkind before she became a serial killer or a mass shooter. When a nation loses its ability to show compassion, empathy, sympathy, and basic kindness to one another, that nation is on a path that ends in divorce. I have counseled dozens of people in troubled marriages and the turning point towards divorce is when someone ceases to be kind. Before the lawsuit arrives listen to Tim McGraw’s song “Be Humble and Kind.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awzNHuGqoMc
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