Introduction

Let us turn to Hosea, Chapter 8. There is a phrase I often quote: For they sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind. That is a double harvest; all disasters are of this nature. In the previous chapter, we discussed how foolish, ignorant, and rebellious people become a laughingstock. This chapter explains how they become a laughingstock. The people who were once God's people end up being pursued by God for their sins, and they return to Egypt. Thus, the theme of this chapter is God pursues Israel's sins, and they return to Egypt.

The High Risks and Costs of Believing in the Lord

Are you aware that the risks of believing in the Lord are very high? It's not difficult to keep the ways of the Lord, but the risks are indeed very high. In fact, the risk of believing in the Lord is returning to Egypt. The tragedy of the Israelites was that after they left Egypt, they died in the wilderness.

Let us categorize Christians into four types in sequence. The first type of Christians are still slaves in Egypt, even though they are God's people. The second type of Christians have left Egypt, departing from the house of bondage, but they die in the wilderness. The third type of Christians have left Egypt, passed through the wilderness, and entered the Promised Land. The fourth type of Christians, although they entered the Promised Land, return to Egypt. What is the point of making such a large circle? Do not assume that coming to Chinese Mingding Destiny will bring healing. Even if you come to Chinese Mingding Destiny, you must repent! Those who thoroughly reform will surely enter the Promised Land. However, some who have thoroughly reformed, entered the Promised Land, later return to Egypt because they worship the golden calf. Therefore, we must recognize that the risks and costs of believing in the Lord are very high for Christians.

Our God is a jealous God. If you disobey Him and offend Him, even if the Israelites had once entered the Promised Land, the nation would be destroyed and the home ruined because they messed around. Actually, not many people have not experienced God. Many have experienced God and left Egypt. Some have even claimed some of God's promises. However, the tragedy is that they later returned to Egypt, back to the pre-liberation era. This is the most common occurrence. The reason is simple: people do not know the Lord who created them! They read the Bible but do not care about what the Bible is actually saying. For example, when we read the Book of Hosea, it immediately creates a huge impact on our understanding of God that cannot be explained. Does God want us to return to Egypt?

In reality, we reap what we sow. If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind; if you commit a small sin, you will reap a great sin, because sin multiplies. Many people are reluctant to talk about this because they fear that the congregation will not like to hear it. Since the congregation does not like to hear it, the pastor does not like to preach it. If they occasionally mention it, half of the congregation leaves. Having taken out a loan of tens of millions to build a temple, they are still waiting to collect offerings to repay the loan, but half of the congregation has left. How can the pastor bear it?

Many people do not like to hear when we examine the Book of Hosea. I tell people that believing in the Lord has risks, but they still do not believe. Not long ago, I ministered to two people with cancer, and they both died shortly after. People asked me: Wasn't it said that everyone who comes here gets healed? How come they died? I said: Indeed, they were all healed! There are those who leave Egypt and return to Egypt; there are those who leave Egypt and die in the wilderness; there are those who enter the Promised Land and are sent back to Egypt in their original form.

I am very moved that these people come among us with great hope to be healed, but God does not want to heal them! What should be done? Do not assume that my prayers are effective; I must pray according to God's will. If it is not in accordance with God's will, even if I am Samuel, it will be useless. God did not let any of Samuel's words fall to the ground because Samuel did not do things against God, nor did he speak words against God. Therefore, everyone must carefully recognize the risks of believing in the Lord.

Has the person experienced God? Absolutely! Anyone who comes to us with cancer has experienced God. However, after the experience, they rush to the hospital as soon as their condition worsens. Some question whether they should not go to the hospital. Actually, it is not about whether you can go, but about what you trust in. Do you trust in the Lord or trust in the hospital? If you trust in the hospital, do not come to church. But they insist on coming to me for prayer when they are okay and go to the hospital when something happens, spending a lot of money. I hope everyone can recognize the four types of believers: the first type stays in Egypt and does not come out; the second type comes out of Egypt but dies in the wilderness; the third type comes out of Egypt, passes through the wilderness, and enters the Promised Land; the fourth type is in the Promised Land but is sent back to Egypt. What is Egypt? It is being a slave. Since people like being slaves, they are sent back to Egypt.

People are very base. When there is no military-style management, they have all kinds of problems. Once people are sent to the army, they have no problems. People originally have a lot of problems. If they are one day deceived into going to northern Myanmar, they will have no problems. They will do whatever people tell them to do and become very disciplined. Getting back to the main topic, let us return to the risks of believing in the Lord. What exactly does God say? What should we do to be right? How can we hold onto God's promises? Staying in Jesus for a long time, so that we draw on God's grace, is the key!

God Gives You Enough Opportunities

The situation described by Hosea had not fully occurred during Hosea's time. As a prophet, Hosea constantly reminded and warned the Israelites, giving them enough opportunities to know that doing things this way was wrong and that they would be sent to Egypt. But they continued to live their lives as before and questioned Hosea instead. The Israelites did not take the words about returning to Egypt to heart, and no one was willing to listen to the warnings.

Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed My covenant and transgressed My law. (Hosea 8:1)

Sometimes I say: This is not the way to go, this is not right. As a result, the person either gives me a look or retorts, and the logic inside is very strange. People really do not listen to the reminders and warnings of the prophets. I have tried it many times, no matter what I say, the other party does not listen. I tell them that they reap what they sow, but they think they are doing pretty well. When they feel uncomfortable, they come to me for prayer. After they get a little better, they start to think they are great, so we must deeply repent.

You must know that God usually gives people enough opportunities and enough time to wake up and repent. For example, from the day the Israelites worshiped the golden calf until the fall of Israel, God warned them for more than two hundred years. The books of Joel, Hosea, Zechariah, Haggai, and Malachi are all records of that generation, but no one listened. After people got tired of listening, they even killed the prophets! They thought: Who told you to sing a constant dirge? If you continue to sing a dirge, we will shut your mouth so you can't sing anymore! People have this kind of attitude, and as a result, what the prophets predicted was fulfilled in the Israelites. From then on, they became the laughingstock of the world and the object of ridicule of the world.

Many Christians have also become the laughingstock of the world because many times they do not keep the obvious things and insist on doing a lot of strange things. I do not want to go into detail about what those things are here. The main point is that God gave everyone enough opportunities, constantly issuing warnings and reminders to the Israelites through the prophets. The entire eighth chapter is about this. Hosea spoke about what would happen to these Israelites in the future, and he clearly stated the consequences of what they did.

The Israelites Still Do Not Repent of Their Ways

Israel will cry to Me, 'My God, we know You!' Israel has rejected the good; the enemy will pursue him. They set up kings, but not by Me; they made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. With their silver and gold they made idols for themselves—that they might be cut off. (Hosea 8:2-4)

Do you find it strange as you read? They did not even know! Human memory is very interesting.

Samaria! Your calf is rejected; My anger is aroused against them. How long until they attain to innocence? For from Israel is this also: A workman made it; therefore it is not God; but the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces. (Hosea 8:5-6)

People just do not repent. Later, I discovered that people have their own logical system inside, which is my own understanding. The reason why people's inner logic can be called a system is that this system of logic can be self-consistent. But they still think that what they say is flawless and very reasonable. In fact, many things are not the words of God, so isn't that a tragedy?

For they sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; it shall never produce meal. If it should produce, aliens would devour it. Israel is swallowed up; now they are among the nations like a vessel in which is no pleasure. (Hosea 8:7-8)

Even if people sow and the stalk sprouts, it still does not bear fruit; even if it bears fruit, it is devoured by foreigners. It sounds very hard.

For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey alone by itself; Ephraim has hired lovers. Yes, though they have hired among the nations, now I will gather them; and they shall sorrow a little, because of the burden of the king and princes. Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, altars have become for him occasions for sinning. I have written for him the great things of My law, but they were considered a strange thing. For the sacrifices of My offerings they sacrifice flesh and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them; now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins. They shall return to Egypt. (Hosea 8:9-13)

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we must take the path of repentance more often. Do not think that you have done everything right. In fact, there are many things that you have done wrong. If you had done everything right, would things be the way they are now? Some people just get one thing right, and they start to get arrogant, and then they stop there. God does not whip them forward or kick them backward. Are you not forcing God to discipline and punish you?

People do not repent of their ways because they have a system inside. That system of logic is the worldly system of logic, the way of Jeroboam. Worshiping the golden calf is a worldly system of logic that will lead people into the world. So I have to tell you that people do not repent because they do not know they are wrong. How can they repent then? People think they are fine, but they have a lot of problems. How much suffering do they have to endure to know that they have not done things right? Let's emphasize this: How much suffering do people have to endure to know that they have not done things right? This is why people do not repent of their ways. There are also some people who are not happy even after being reminded and ask: If we don't do it this way, how should we do it? I can only say, then do it and continue to mess around until you die!

It Is Meaningless to Think You Know God

Those who claim to believe in Jesus think they have done everything right, even if they have not done things right. I once ministered to a couple with cancer. They had a child who was only ten years old. Both parents had cancer. How could they survive? I said: This is a curse! But their reaction was to deny it and think that what was inside them was bigger than what was outside. Does this mean that their cancer is bigger than others' cancers, or that the tumors inside are bigger? So they think they know God and think they believe in Jesus. I asked them what kind of Jesus they believed in. They couldn't say it clearly either. One would think they believed in peach cakes.

I find these people very strange. They cannot understand the Bible, they know nothing, and they think they know God. Someone said: The pastor should be cursed for preaching the Bible incorrectly, as there are no curses in the New Testament. I asked: Have you even read the Bible? Are Romans and Galatians not in the New Testament? If you read it, you will know if I am preaching incorrectly or if these people are preaching incorrectly. Christians say they believe in the Lord, but they pick and choose which of God's words to believe. That kidney cancer patient was already in that condition, but they still thought they knew God, just like the Israelites.

Israel will cry to Me, 'My God, we know You.' (Hosea 8:2)

Listen to what they are saying: We in Israel know you, know what a small-time god you are. Does it sound familiar? People think they know God, think that worshiping the golden calf is worshiping Jehovah God. Isn't this a complete mess? I have to sigh about it. In fact, people do that to seek psychological comfort. However, if you ask Christians whether they believe in Jesus, they all answer that they believe in Jesus. But what exactly do they believe in about Jesus? It's already remarkable if they can truly name a few things.

Let me tell you what to believe in. First is repentance, and second is paying the price. Others shed blood and sacrificed, and we also need water, blood, and the Holy Spirit. Water is repentance, blood is paying the price, offering life to God, and obtaining the power of the Holy Spirit to mortify the deeds of the flesh or do what Jesus Christ did. It's useless for you to think you know God; you have no testimony. Some people take making a business and earning ten million as a testimony. How are you so sure it's God who gave it to you? Demons can also give it to you. That thing proves nothing.

For though they hire allies among the nations, I will soon gather them together. Then they will begin to waste away under the oppression of the mighty king and his princes. Ephraim has built many altars for sinning, but they have become altars for sinning. (Hosea 8:10-11)

Ephraimites are relatively smart, good at doing business, and also very good at hiring allies. Bribery and accepting bribes are definitely their expertise. But how can those who know God still engage in bribery and accepting bribes? How can those who know God still worry about going to the hospital when they are sick? Some people think they know God and then want to offer sacrifices, but how can they not know that they are an abomination to God? How long will they be so abominable to God? When will they repent?

Brothers and sisters, listen to my advice again. You need to work harder and not continue on your own path. If you follow the logic of the world, you will become Ephraim or Israel, and you will return to Egypt, and even Egypt will not want you. You will be tossed around in the world and eventually become a laughingstock in the world. If you want to be that kind of person, no one can stop you. If you don't want to be that kind of person, then you have to sharpen your head and drill into the kingdom of God. Start to thoroughly repent, and think about what your internal logic system is. Which parts of us are correct? Which parts are not yet correct? What exactly does God's word say? Some people just don't want to know because they have to put in effort to know. These people have time to scroll through Douyin but don't have time to know God. If you ask them if they know God, they still think they know God even if they don't know Him. If you ask them what kind of God they know, their answer is the same as not answering. The Israelites just don't want to know God, but they get excited when they pray and are particularly enthusiastic about offering sacrifices.

Sacrifices are not accepted because they do not know God

I wrote for them so many things of my law, but they regarded them as something foreign. Though they offer sacrifices as gifts to me, they eat the meat themselves; the Lord is not pleased with them. Now he will remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins; they will return to Egypt. (Hosea 8:12-13)

The result of sacrifices not being accepted is that God will remember their iniquity, punish them for their sins, and they will return to Egypt. God wrote many laws for them, but they regarded them as something foreign. These people's attitude is, what's the point of reading the Bible? Who can understand that stuff? They think that as long as they pray, it's enough. You need to know that Chinese Mingding Destiny is not just about opening your mouth and praying loudly. Praying in tongues is very important, but it has no effect on understanding. Chinese Mingding Destiny pays great attention to understanding and the Word of God, and it pays great attention to carefully keeping and obeying the Word of God. It is meaningless for people to think that they know God. If they don't know God, then offering sacrifices is nonsense.

What does God want? He wants you to carefully keep and obey His Word. Then which of His words have you carefully kept and obeyed? Many things are just self-righteous. Don't say that you can't be self-righteous when you believe in God; it's the same in real life. The other day, I went to the property management office to handle some procedures. There was a reminder hanging in the property management office, and there was a sentence in it that said: Don't be self-righteous! Even the people who work in the property management office have to warn themselves every day not to be self-righteous, but Christians are doing this self-righteous thing every day.

This is really very sad! How stupid does one have to be to do this? They offer sacrifices but don't believe in God, and they say they know God, and they think they know God. In fact, they don't know God, and they can't even explain what's going on. They say they offer sacrifices, either tithes or things like chives, mint, and fennel. People think that tithing is enough, but they don't understand the meaning of tithing. They think it's just subsidizing the church. These are all tragedies! The most important thing is to demolish the worldly logic within us, which is the golden calf. Of course, you may not be worthy of being a golden calf; you may just be a little piglet, calf, or lamb. Others worship a golden calf. If you bring a little bunny or piglet to worship, wouldn't that be even more tragic?

We must be filled with the knowledge of God in understanding. Now our church has entered a new stage of casting out demons. This stage must be casting out demons in understanding. A few days ago, a sister pulled me into a group and wanted me to minister to someone. When I looked at it, I knew that no one had ever really taught this person properly. They thought that I, the master, would be useful when they saw me. Actually, they got it wrong. I might not even be considered a minor master. In the eyes of Old John, I'm just a kid. He's looking for a master but found a minor master. Can that be useful? So this is not knowing God. His mind is full of wanting to be healed, but what kind of healing will he get when he comes to me? I am a prophet, so let me give you a prophecy first: Go back to Egypt!

People don't want to know God, they just want to get some benefits. This is a tragedy. People don't know what God likes or what God hates. They just want to get it without wanting to repent, so they can only walk slowly. I once said that everyone would be healed, but that was said to those who truly repent. In fact, many people who come among us have been healed. Eighty percent of the illness is cured, and the remaining 20% is left for you to repent. The 80% that is healed is God's grace to you, not because you deserve it, but because God really wants to reveal Himself to you so that you can know Him.

God will burn down the walls and palaces you rely on

Everyone should know why walls are built, right? It is to resist foreign enemies. But why build palaces to resist internal enemies? Because ordinary people cannot enter the palace. you must swipe your card, scan your face, or scan other things. If you don't scan something, you definitely won't be allowed in. The guard forces are heavily guarded. That place is not casually accessible. You can't get in even if you want to. So the city wall is to protect the people in the city, and the palace is to protect the emperor. As a result, God wants to burn down the walls and palaces that Israel relies on.

People's idea is to build palaces and walls. Israel built many palaces, but they could not protect the Israeli king. At that time, Israel changed dynasties very frequently. It changed at least four or five or even six times in two hundred years, and the previous kings were all killed. The palace could not protect the king either. So the city wall cannot protect people, because the God that people rely on inside will be torn down. There is a classic saying: If you lean on a wall, the wall will fall; if you lean on a tree, the tree will fall! People can only rely on Jehovah God.

Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has multiplied fortified cities. But I will send fire upon their cities that will consume their fortresses. (Hosea 8:14)

God does this to make you return to Egypt. When you came out of Egypt, you plundered the wealth of the Egyptians. When you return to Egypt, you have to return your wealth to them, and even your own wealth becomes theirs, and you become a slave to this world. The Book of Hosea speaks a bit heavily. I hope these things do not happen to you or to me.

People sow the wind and reap the whirlwind

Everyone should know that God is a holy God, a jealous God! God will surely punish people's sins. God will punish those who hate Him, from father to son for three to four generations. This is our God. If you listen to what I say, then don't sow the wind anymore. Because after sowing the wind, you will reap the whirlwind, and you will be blown back to Egypt.

They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no head; it will produce no flour. Even if it does yield grain, foreigners will swallow it up. (Hosea 8:7)

Don't you love these things, love money? The whirlwind will sweep it away. If a Christian sows sin and sows the knowledge of good and evil, they will reap double the knowledge of good and evil. If they sow love for the world, they will reap double the curse of loving the world. The logic is that whatever you sow, you will receive a double reward. So people sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. This is what the eighth chapter of the Book of Hosea says. Many people have very fat guts, as fat as foie gras, and every bite is oily. After listening, they still go and do it, and their minds are full of those things. If your mind is full of those things, then the Book of Hosea is talking about you. The Israelites worshiped the golden calf, constantly sowing the wind and constantly reaping the whirlwind, until they returned to Egypt as slaves and no longer belonged to themselves. When you no longer belong to yourself, property naturally becomes meaningless.

God will remember people's sins, surely punish people's sins, and then surely send them back to Egypt. This is a heavy saying. People sow the wind and reap the whirlwind, which means that if you offend God, God will make you repay double. There are also curses that are 30 times, 60 times, and 100 times, depending on how you sow. Here's a reminder for everyone: People's memories are very strange. How did Ahab die? He coveted Naboth's vineyard and worshiped idols. But the Israelites forgot about it in the blink of an eye and thought Ahab was pretty good, thinking he managed the country very well. Jezebel was thrown down from the city wall and eaten by dogs. Some people still think Jezebel was pretty good. After Ahab died, Jezebel took care of her husband's 70 children. But the ending was like that, so how could it be good? So you got it wrong.

Brothers and sisters, you must know that a person's words and goals in the logic of the world will really suffer God's punishment and retribution. Therefore, we must constantly demolish the worldly logic within us! Don't treat those things of worldly logic as logic to bargain with God. Those things are not God's words. God's words are established in heaven and will last forever. This earth and heaven will pass away, but not one iota or dot of God's word will pass away; it will last forever! So how blessed are we!

Let's think about how Jeroboam died? His ending was very tragic, and he even killed an old prophet. Later, after Jeroboam died, those kings, Xinli and Ahab, were all like this. How could these Israelites not see it? And what Elijah and Elisha did, how could the Israelites not know? They were just pretending not to know. Isn't people's memory very interesting? If you want to rely on your own memory, you might as well forget it, because the things you remember are all wrong. Your brain's perception of things is based on your logical system, and you won't remember those that don't fit your logical system. If the logic system in your brain is a godly logic system, you will find that things that fit God's words will be remembered, and things that don't fit God's words will not be remembered.

The Book of Hosea gives us a reminder. The previous chapter talked about the Israelites becoming the world's ridicule and banter, and in the eighth chapter, they will return to Egypt. Do you want to go back and be a slave? In fact, there are not many choices for Christians. There is only one choice, which is to keep running forward and overcoming. So don't make excuses or say anything. If ignorance is added to stupidity, then offering sacrifices is useless! Your offerings are also meaningless. Only by carefully keeping and obeying God's words, being filled with the knowledge of Him in understanding, and acting according to God's will is the key.

May God bless everyone!