GOD WILL NOT GIVE UP ISRAEL

Passage: Hosea 11:1-11

Key verse: 9-10

NIV

God’s Love for Israel

11 “When Israel was a child,(A) I loved(B) him,
    and out of Egypt I called my son.(C)
2 But the more they were called,
    the more they went away from me.[a](D)
They sacrificed to the Baals(E)
    and they burned incense to images.(F)
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
    taking them by the arms;(G)
but they did not realize
    it was I who healed(H) them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
    with ties of love.(I)
To them I was like one who lifts
    a little child to the cheek,
    and I bent down to feed(J) them.(K)

5 “Will they not return to Egypt(L)
    and will not Assyria(M) rule over them
    because they refuse to repent?(N)
6 A sword(O) will flash in their cities;
    it will devour(P) their false prophets
    and put an end to their plans.
7 My people are determined to turn(Q) from me.(R)
    Even though they call me God Most High,
    I will by no means exalt them.

8 “How can I give you up,(S) Ephraim?(T)
    How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
    How can I make you like Zeboyim?(U)
My heart is changed within me;
    all my compassion(V) is aroused.(W)
9 I will not carry out my fierce anger,(X)
    nor will I devastate(Y) Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man(Z)—
    the Holy One(AA) among you.
    I will not come against their cities.
10 They will follow the Lord;
    he will roar(AB) like a lion.(AC)
When he roars,
    his children will come trembling(AD) from the west.(AE)
11 They will come from Egypt,
    trembling like sparrows,
    from Assyria,(AF) fluttering like doves.(AG)
I will settle them in their homes,”(AH)
    declares the Lord.

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Footnotes
  1. Hosea 11:2 Septuagint; Hebrew them
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Lord's Love for Israel

11 (A)When Israel was a child, (B)I loved him,
    and out of Egypt I (C)called (D)my son.
2 (E)The more they were called,
    the more they went away;
(F)they kept sacrificing to the Baals
    and burning offerings to idols.

3 Yet it was (G)I who taught Ephraim to walk;
    I took them up by their arms,
    but they did not know that (H)I healed them.
4 (I)I led them with cords of kindness,[a]
    with the bands of love,
and (J)I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,
    and (K)I bent down to them and fed them.

5 (L)They shall not[b] return to the land of Egypt,
    but (M)Assyria shall be their king,
    (N)because (O)they have refused to return to me.
6 (P)The sword shall rage against their cities,
    consume the bars of their gates,
    and devour them (Q)because of their own counsels.
7 My people are bent (R)on turning away from me,
    and though (S)they call out to the Most High,
    he shall not raise them up at all.

8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
    How can I hand you over, O Israel?
(T)How can I make you (U)like Admah?
    How can I treat you (V)like Zeboiim?
(W)My heart recoils within me;
    my compassion grows warm and tender.
9 I will not execute my burning anger;
    I will not again destroy Ephraim;
(X)for I am God and not a man,
    (Y)the Holy One in your midst,
    and I will not come in wrath.[c]

10 (Z)They shall go after the Lord;
    (AA)he will roar like a lion;
when he roars,
    his children shall come trembling (AB)from the west;
11 they shall come trembling like birds (AC)from Egypt,
    and (AD)like doves (AE)from the land of Assyria,
    and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord.

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Footnotes
  1. Hosea 11:4 Or humaneness; Hebrew man
  2. Hosea 11:5 Or surely
  3. Hosea 11:9 Or into the city
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

God remembered his tender love for Israel when he called them out of Egypt. Israel was like his dear child. He taught him how to walk, nursed them to heal their wounds, bent down to feed them, and adored them as he led them with cords of tender kindness and ties of love (4)

Even though God is going to judge them for their prolonged sin against him, like a loving father waiting for his prodigal son, God says he cannot give up on Israel. He would not be able to bear seeing them cut off from his grace and suffer forever (8). Even if they have aroused his anger and deserve to be destroyed, in the end, God will roar against the enemies and gather his trembling children back under his embrace (10).

Salvation from God is not up to our unfaithful actions but up to the faithful mercy of the Lord. He will not give up on us once we have the covenant relationship as his children. We are secure in his mercy and love as nothing has the power to separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:35).

Prayer: Father, thank you for your unchanging love for this undeserving sinner. I am secure because you are strong. Please help me not to be swayed by opinions of the world, but be secure in you, remembering your unchanging love.

One Word: God loves us always.