Hosea 11

CHAPTER 11

God’s Love for Israel (11:1–11)

1–4 Like so many other Old Testament prophets, Hosea alternates between words of judgment and words of love. In this chapter, the Lord expresses His love for Israel, His son (see Exodus 4:22). He had called the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt²⁷ (verse 1). He established them as a newborn nation. He taught them to walk; He led them, He healed them, and He bent down to feed them (verses 3–4). What a picture of a loving father; all of this accurately portrays what God did for the Israelites in those early years in the wilderness after their deliverance from Egypt.

In the first three chapters of Hosea, Israel is pictured as an unfaithful wife; here in this chapter, Israel is pictured as a wayward son. The more God has called to this wayward son, the more the son has moved away (verse 2). Eventually the son will need to be punished for his waywardness.

5–7 But God is distressed at the thought of punishing His “son”—His people. He knows that if they refuse to repent they will again end up in Egypt—in bondage (verse 5). If they continue to turn from God, He will no longer exalt them, protect them, bless them.

8–11 But again God is grieved; His compassion is aroused. He asks: “How can I give you up, Ephraim?” (verse 8). “How can I let you be destroyed forever like Admah and Zeboiim?”²⁸

In verse 9, God says He will not devastate Ephraim permanently. God is not like man, whose love fails; God’s love never fails. After Israel’s time of punishment is over, God will roar like a lion to announce that the Israelites are to be settled in their homes once more²⁹ (verses 10–11). In time, God’s love always prevails over His wrath.

But let us never take that love for granted. The chapter ends with a strong reminder of the Israelites’ sin (verse 12) the sin they refused to turn from. When punishment finally came, they had no one to blame but themselves.