Hosea 11:1-12 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Hosea 11:1-12. Let’s go!
Hosea 11:1-12 (NIV)
1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.
5 “Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent?
6 Swords will flash in their cities, will destroy the bars of their gates and put an end to their plans.
7 My people are determined to turn from me. Even if they call to the Most High, he will by no means exalt them.
8 “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man– the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
10 They will follow the LORD; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.
11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes,” declares the LORD.
12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.
On verses 1-12: Earlier in Hosea the dominant picture to describe the relationship between God and Israel was that of husband and wife. Here the view shifts to describing our relationship with God as that between a child and his father. These are just different angles by which we can see and appreciate God’s love. In fact, today’s passage, Hosea 11:1-12, contains one of the most tender descriptions of the fatherly heart of God that you will find in the Bible.
Hosea 11 describes how God was like a loving father to His child Israel (also called Ephraim) (v1), how He taught Israel how to walk, carried Israel by the arms, took care of Israel’s needs without Israel even knowing (v3). With cords of kindness and ties of love, this loving Father led Israel (v4), helped Israel when Israel was in trouble and humbly fed Israel (v4).
Yet Israel was rebellious toward their Father. As verse 2 says, “the more I called Israel, the further they went from me.” As verse 7 says, “My people are determined to turn from Me.” Just as sometimes teens are famous for listening to others but not their own parents, wayward Israel seemed bent on following anyone other than their own heavenly Father. They would sacrifice to the idol Baal (v2), burn incense to idols (v2), want to go back to being enslaved by other masters who had been cruel to them in the past, like Egypt and Assyria (v5).
In His wrath, the Father could have easily disowned and devastated His child Israel. Yet in His great compassion, the Father could not do it. As verses 8-9 say,
Hosea 11:8-9 (NIV)
8 “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man– the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
Despite His children’s sin, in His great compassion the Father was committed to restoring Israel so that “they will follow the Lord” (v10), promising to settle them peacefully in their homes (v11).
Was God being fickle? Did He change His mind? No, it was God’s plan all along to show us His mercy and compassion while also demonstrating His holiness and justice. God would still exact His holy wrath against our sin, except instead of that wrath landing on us, incredibly God would place that wrath on Himself and on His Son Jesus. That way the requirements of His justice could be satisfied even as He extended mercy and forgiveness toward us.
Thus Hosea 11 is a picture of the Gospel. In this chapter we see how:
1. our heavenly Father loved us with a love like no other:
2. we kept rebelling against Him, stirring up His wrath;
3. instead of disowning and destroying us, the Father in compassion sacrificed Himself and welcomed us back;
4. as a result we have a restored relationship with God characterized by peace.
We have an amazing heavenly Father who loves us, has great compassion on us, and never quits on us.
God, thank You for being such a loving Father to me and to every person. Thank You for treating me with great compassion from the very beginning of my existence and throughout my life, even when I was so rebellious toward You. Thank You for never giving up on me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2021 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
