Hosea 1:2

"The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms (the idolatrous Northern Kingdom) and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD." Now, lest you think that I am barking out of left field, let's go up to the New Testament a minute.

I wasn't going to do this, but I think maybe we should. Go up to Colossians; all the way up to Paul's little letter to the Colossians chapter 3 verse 5. Remember from our last program we were stressing that the very first of the Ten Commandments was "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not bow down to them."

So, idolatry and unbelief, I guess, are the two biggest controversies that God has with the human race. Not just with Israel but with everyone. All right, now look what Paul writes to the Gentiles at Colossi. In Colossians chapter 3 verse 5 and I'm making the point why God hates idolatry. Paul, of course, is writing to you and me as believers, and he says:

Colossians 3:5

"Mortify (or put to death) therefore your members which are upon the earth; (That is, the members of this physical body -- the appetites of it -- put it to death. And what are they?) fornication, (That, of course, is sexual immorality.) uncleanness, inordinate (or unnatural) affection, evil concupiscence, (In other words, just constantly thinking and talking on the wrong side of the coin. And here it comes--) and covetousness, which is (What?) idolatry." Have you ever thought of it that way?