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Under such circumstances, a fall guy is sought. Hos. 4:4 Someone upon whom the blame may be placed for the predicament into which they have placed themselves. Arguments arise, disputing of all sorts prevail. Where the works of evil exist there is nothing but confusion. Everyone trying to justify themselves. James 3:16 Refusal to obey the voice of the priest, the Lord Jesus, can bear but one result and that is death. In this case, both natural and spiritual. The soul that lives in sin has the sentence of death upon it. Each and every individual will stand responsible for themselves before the Lord. Eze. 18:20.
In the face of the pronounced judgments of the Lord, the prophet who would dare to blatantly prophesy contrary to the proclaimed Word of the Lord, will fall or be destroyed along with those who are appeased with his false prophecies. Certain destruction is pronounced upon Israel, the harlot. Hos. 4:5.
A cause for alarm, the lack of knowledge among the people of the Lord. Where there is no vision the people perish. The deficiency of the knowledge of the Lord among them was because they had rejected the Word. Hos. 4:6 Worse yet, they put the branch (the Lord Jesus) to their noses and made as if though its odor was objectionable. Eze. 8:17 It is little wonder that we see such a display of emotions coming from the Lord. He said; “All day long I have stretched forth my hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people. Rom. 10:21 He constantly called them unto Himself with love, compassion and correction but they persistently rejected Him. It is time for His patience to come to an end and He will now reject them. The ability to approach Him as a priest would also be removed. There would be no mediator. Not only have they forgotten the Law but they had abandoned it for other gods.
The nation grew and increased in numbers but as they increased numerically they also added to their sin and iniquity. Therefore the Lord would remove their glory from them and replace it with shame and reproach. When they had walked with the Lord, He had been the glory in their midst. Hos. 4:7 He had made them a mighty nation and a powerful people. Now, His presence which had made them to be the head and not the tail was totally removed from them. They were overwhelmed by the nations around and about them. To their shame they followed after the gods of the heathen who were but dumb idols, neither hearing or speaking. They forsook the true and living God and embraced gods that were not gods. They exchanged their glory for that which is despicable and vain. Jer. 2:11.