The prophet Hosea lived during the period of the Divided Kingdom, and his message to his people teaches us the profound importance of the Bible by revealing how, even though God's word is always great, it is also possible for it to become strange to the people who should know and appreciate it the most.

Israel’s Problem

‌In Hosea's day, God’s people had a problem. They were wandering far from God and Hosea was sent to warn them. He was sent to God's people, the nation of Israel.

Hosea 8:12 - NKJV

I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing.

This was a disturbing and tragic situation. Because the law God had given them and His covenant that it represented was the foundation of their nation and their greatest blessing and inheritance.

God told them when he first brought their ancestors out of Egypt...

Exodus 19:4–6 - NKJV

‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Then Moses reminded the generation about to enter the promised land...

Deuteronomy 4:5–10 - NKJV

“Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

“For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’

‌If they could fall so far from such a height of spiritual blessing, by failing to value God and his law and pass that love and appreciation to their children, we must also be on guard.

‌The same disturbing and tragic thing has happened in our culture and nation. The Biblical world view used to be the foundation of our culture and our pride and joy.

But things have changed.

Our world, our churches and our families are in spiritual decline because they do not know the author of the Bible, the importance of the Bible, or the content of the Bible

We Need to Know the Bible: Its Author

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Hosea 8:12 (NKJV)

I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing.

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God has revealed himself and His will for mankind in His word! The Creator of the universe has stooped seek connection and covenant with his creation. What is man that you are mindful of Him?
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Every word of the Bible is the word of God. There are more references to God as the source of the Bible than there are pages in the Bible
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2 Timothy 3:16–17 - NKJV

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

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We Need to Know the Bible: Its Importance

Its Importance: It contains great things
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Hosea 8:12 - NKJV

I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing.

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Everything in God's word is great and important, whether we recognize its importance or not. For this reason, we should not minimize or ignore any of its teachings. Or act as though they do not matter.

Because God is the author, God's word is true

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Hebrews 6:17–18 - NKJV

Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

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Because God is the author, God's word is indestructible ​

1 Peter 1:23 - NKJV

having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

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Because God is the author, God's word is vital

‌Matthew 4:4 - NKJV

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

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Description of the Bible Printed on the inside cover of an old Bible:

“THIS BOOK contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword and the Christian's charter. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand object, our good is its design and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened in the judgement, and will be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.” — Anonymous

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We Need to Know the Bible: Its Contents

Unfortunately, for many, the contents of the Bible are unfamiliar and strange. That was the tragic situation for Hosea's generation.
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Hosea 8:12 - NKJV

‌I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing.

The Bible is a Strange Thing to Some Because they have never read it

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Some think It is too long to read.. How long is it? By comparison, it is as long as the first six books of the Harry Potter series. If you have read the Harry Potter series but not the Bible, you should not be intimidated by the length of the Bible, and I hope we have already demonstrated that is is infinitely more rewarding and uplifting than Harry Potter.
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Let's quantify that further. The Bible can be read in 90 days reading 12-13 pages a day. For many people that is less than 30 minutes of reading. Or you can listen to it as an audio Bible in ninety days investing less than an hour a day.
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There are many helpful schedules that will help you read the Bible in a year.
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The purpose of a plan like this to expose yourself intentionally to God’s word, in a systematic way.
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The Bible is a Strange Thing to Some Because they listen to what is said about it more than reading it for themselves

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If our knowledge of God is based solely on hearsay, how can we say we know God?
He invented our mind, and He wrote to Bible to communicate to the human mind ‌
There are things we need that God desires to communicate personally to us through his own words – the Bible. We need to read it or hear it for ourselves. All of it.
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The Bible is a Strange Thing to Some Because they have stopped reading it

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Some have been much more involved in the Bible in the past, but in recent years or months have neglected it. Things have gotten busy. Past habits of reading or study have been neglected or set aside.

If this is true for you, you need to consider the fact that week by week, the Bible is become less and less familiar to you. Eventually, it will be strange to you.

The Explosion of Media

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A big factor in the increased neglect of the Bible is the explosion of instantly accessible media that appeals to every part of us except the soul. We have unlimited free access to media of increasingly high quality to pursue nearly any interest we can imagine.
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This includes interests from the imaginary to the extremely practical,
from educational and instructive to the mere sources of escape.

Some of this content is complete soul- corroding and destructive. I hope you are already protecting yourself from that by turning away from and avoiding it
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But most of it provides real value both as information and entertainment. At that has its own danger. When will we spend time with the highest and best media, God’s word for us, if we use every spare moment of our lives diligently consuming some other form of media?
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And where will our appetite for the spiritual truths of God’s word come from, if the vast majority of our media diet feeds our mind and our body, but not our soul?

The Explosion of Opportunities for Social Connection

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There has also been an explosion of opportunities to connect with other human beings. The number of people you can directly communicate nearly instantaneously with has exploded from hundreds to seemingly billions.
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Some of these people only want to influence others for evil, and I hope you are already protecting yourself from them by avoiding them as much as possible.
But getting to know most people represents an enrichment of our lives and theirs. That's a wonderful good.

But that creates its own danger. When will we find time to connect with the greatest Person of all, The Author of the Bible, God our Heavenly Father, if every spare moment of our time is taken up by the demands of our relationships with our fellow human beings.

We must choose God

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If we do not carve out time, and space for God and his word, if we do not value it as our first priority and fiercely defend that time and space for God an his word from other demands, opportunities and interests, we will neglect both God and his word and God’s word will become strange to us. And God himself will become a stranger to us.
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The Bible is a Strange Thing to Some Because The way in which they read it prevents familiarity

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Some read single verses by flipping to a random page. Many others read isolated verses out of the context of the paragraph, chapter, book and Bible of which it is a part. They lack the big picture, and their understanding is seriously hindered.
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Others read with the wrong purpose. There is nothing wrong with opening the Bible to answer questions for a Bible class lesson, or prepare to teach or discuss Scriptures with others. We should be doing that as we have opportunity. But if those are our only reasons for reading the Bible then we are not using it for its highest and best purpose.
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The best reason to read the Bible is to know and have fellowship with the Author of the Bible. Our most fruitful reading of Scripture will be when we approach the Bible with that purpose. It is this type of reading that I fear is most neglected by Christians
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The Bible will be strange to us until we love God
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The Biblical illiteracy of our society

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92% of homes possess Bibles, but we do not read them, and it shows.
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• Only half of adults interviewed nationwide could name any of the four Gospels of the New Testament.
• ‌Just 37% of those interviewed could name all four Gospels.
• ‌Only 42% of adults were able to name as many as five of the Ten Commandments correctly.
• ‌Seven in ten (70%) were able to name the town where Jesus was born, but just 42% could identify him as the person who delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
• ‌38% of Americans believe the entire Bible was written several decades after Jesus' death and resurrection
• ‌12% of adults believe that Noah's wife was Joan of Arc.
• ‌49% believe that the Bible teaches that money is the root of all evil.
• ‌75% believe that the Bible teaches that God helps those who help themselves.

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SOURCE: Americans and the Bible: Bible Ownership, Reading, Study and Knowledge in the United States, by Michael J. Vlach
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‌Bible Illiteracy leads to error.
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Matthew 22:29 - NKJV

Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

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‌Bible Illiteracy leads to Deception
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2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 - NKJV

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

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And Bible Illiteracy leads to Destruction
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​Hosea 4:6 - NKJV

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

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2 Thessalonians 1:8–9 - NKJV

in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

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Like the nation of Israel, God's word is the foundation of the covenant we have with God, who is our greatest inheritance and blessing.

We must appreciate the word of God, know its author, understand its importance, and not allow its contents become strange or remain strange to you
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So we can live out the will of God in our lives, by growing in our knowledge of God and Our connection with Him.
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