Hosea

Hosea 11: The Holy One shows compassion

Begin in prayer

Before we hear the heart of the Holy One for His people, let us ask Him to open our eyes to His compassion. Ask Him to show us that He does not give up on those He loves.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you!

Isaiah 49:15

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us the compassion of the Holy One, who will not give up His people. Show us Jesus, the Son who was called out of Egypt. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

The LORD remembers when Israel was a child, and He says He loved him and called His son out of Egypt. Yet they sacrificed to the Baals and burned incense to engraved images. He taught Ephraim to walk and took them by the arms, but they did not know that He healed them. He drew them with cords of love, lifted the yoke from their necks, and bent down to feed them. Because they refused to repent, the Assyrian will be their king, and the sword will fall on their cities. Then the LORD asks, “How can I give you up, Ephraim?”, and says that His heart is turned within Him and His compassion is aroused. He will not carry out His fierce anger, for He is God and not man, the Holy One among them.

As you read Hosea 11, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The Holy One will not give up His people, because His compassion is stirred for them.

After three chapters of judgment, chapter 11 looks back at Israel's childhood, when the LORD brought her out of Egypt. In verses 3 and 4 the LORD is like a father who teaches his child to walk and takes him by the arms. Yet the people turned to the Baals, the gods of rain and grain, and did not know that the LORD healed them. He does not leave their sin alone, for Assyria will rule them because they refused to repent (verses 5 to 7). Then comes the turn in verse 8. Admah and Zeboiim were cities destroyed with Sodom (Deuteronomy 29 verse 23), and the LORD asks how He could treat Israel like them. His compassion comes from who He is, for He is God and not man, the Holy One among them (verse 9). Matthew tells us that the child Jesus stayed in Egypt until Herod died, and this fulfilled the verse (Matthew 2 verse 15). Israel was God's son who failed, and Jesus is the Son who obeyed.

How does Hosea 11 show us that the Holy One will not give up His people, because His compassion is stirred for them?

The LORD loved Israel like a son and cared for him.

He called His son out of Egypt (verse 1). He taught Ephraim to walk and took them by the arms (verse 3). He drew them with cords of love and bent down to feed them (verse 4). Everything Israel had, she had from His hand.

Israel refused to return, and the sword will fall.

They sacrificed to the Baals, and they did not know that the LORD healed them (verses 2 and 3). Because they refused to repent, Assyria will rule them (verse 5). The sword will fall on their cities and put an end to their plans (verse 6).

God's compassion will not let Him give His people up.

He asks, “How can I give you up, Ephraim?” (verse 8). His heart is turned within Him, and He is God and not man (verse 9). Jesus is the true Son who was called out of Egypt (Matthew 2 verse 15). Through Him God's compassion comes to sinners.

Memorise

My heart is turned within me, my compassion is aroused.

Hosea 11:8

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, do I believe the Holy One has compassion on sinners like me?

“When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt”, the LORD said. Israel sacrificed to the Baals, yet He asks, “How can I give you up, Ephraim?” His heart was turned within Him.

The Holy One does not forget His justice when He shows compassion. Jesus, the true Son, was called out of Egypt, and He gave His life for His people at the cross. He bore the wrath that sin deserves, and He rose from the dead. His compassion has cost Him everything, and it is enough.

So come to Him. Turn from your sin and put your trust in Jesus. The Holy One forgives all who come to Him, and He will keep them.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the Holy One has compassion on sinners, and that Jesus is the Son who obeyed His Father. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for the compassion of the Holy One, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a darling child? for as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him,” says Yahweh.

Jeremiah 31:20

Holy God, thank You that Your compassion does not fail. Thank You that You sent Jesus, Your Son, to bear what sinners deserve. Please bring each one of us to turn from sin and trust Him. Amen.