What Hosea has to say

Happy Friday!

Today, we’re continuing our October series in the book of Hosea, chapter 6.

If you haven't read the book of Hosea, it’s an interesting read as it details the life of the prophet Hosea whom God had called to marry a prostitute. The prostitute was meant to serve as an example of Israel’s wandering, idolatrous heart towards God, and Hosea is meant to serve as a picture of God’s constant and persistent love and mercy toward the sinners He pursues. It is a beautiful picture of the gospel as we are all unfaithful to God, chasing after the world and the pleasure it offers, yet He never gives up on us and never stops loving us. He pursues us in our sins! There is no god like our God.

“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice; and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6

In this verse, God is speaking. He is responding to the pleas of Israel in verses 1-3, where they are seeking to return to Him. But sadly, in verse 4, He calls their love, “like the morning mist and the early dew,” which easily evaporates and disappears.

Our answer again—God desires our hearts, our loyalty over religious rituals. Again, God gave us rituals (see last week’s post for examples) so they are good, but the posture of our hearts while engaged in religious rituals is more important than simply completing the act.

We can return to I Samuel 15 this week, verse 14, and see that God sought out a “man after His own heart” and took the kingdom away from Saul because he had not “kept the Lord’s command.”

Jesus says four times in John 14 that if we love Him, we will keep His commands or His word. It is here in this passage where Jesus is telling the disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit, Who is the key to us being able to keep all that Jesus commanded. We need the supernatural help of the Holy Spirit to walk and live out our faith.

What stood out to you about this excerpt from Hosea?

May our love for God never be like the morning dew that quickly disappears with the sun’s first light. May our love be strong and fullhearted and loyal.