Hosea 6
Today's Passage: Hosea 6
The book of Hosea continually compares the relationship between God and His people to the marriage between Hosea and his unfaithful wife, Gomer. Just like Gomer’s fleeting love of Hosea, Israel’s commitment to the Lord was superficial. God sent prophets with messages of what would happen if they did not repent, and reminders of God’s faithfulness to them, exhibiting the covenantal loyalty befitting a marriage relationship.
They were still offering sacrifices and burnt offerings but didn’t even know the God they were claiming to worship. In Matthew 9:13, Jesus says while quoting Hosea 6:6, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
This was a common phrase used to emphasize that someone didn’t know something that they really should have. In the same way the Israelites didn’t understand the purpose of the Law, the Pharisees placed a priority on following moral standards instead of truly loving God. The sacrificial system was supposed to deepen their love for the Lord and remind them of His mercy and love towards them, but instead their focus was on the outward, ritual, and ceremonial aspects. These things lead to having hard hearts, being judgemental, being harsh, and being self-righteous.
Just like the Israelites in the book of Hosea and the Pharisees in the Gospel of Matthew, we can focus on outward appearance and ignore the sin eating away at us. But God is more concerned about our heart posture! He wants us to be fully devoted to Him because we love Him, and because that is what we were made for.
How are we just going through the motions instead of truly loving God steadfastly? How can we grow in our love of God today?
Written By: Kaitlin White
The book of Hosea continually compares the relationship between God and His people to the marriage between Hosea and his unfaithful wife, Gomer. Just like Gomer’s fleeting love of Hosea, Israel’s commitment to the Lord was superficial. God sent prophets with messages of what would happen if they did not repent, and reminders of God’s faithfulness to them, exhibiting the covenantal loyalty befitting a marriage relationship.
They were still offering sacrifices and burnt offerings but didn’t even know the God they were claiming to worship. In Matthew 9:13, Jesus says while quoting Hosea 6:6, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
This was a common phrase used to emphasize that someone didn’t know something that they really should have. In the same way the Israelites didn’t understand the purpose of the Law, the Pharisees placed a priority on following moral standards instead of truly loving God. The sacrificial system was supposed to deepen their love for the Lord and remind them of His mercy and love towards them, but instead their focus was on the outward, ritual, and ceremonial aspects. These things lead to having hard hearts, being judgemental, being harsh, and being self-righteous.
Just like the Israelites in the book of Hosea and the Pharisees in the Gospel of Matthew, we can focus on outward appearance and ignore the sin eating away at us. But God is more concerned about our heart posture! He wants us to be fully devoted to Him because we love Him, and because that is what we were made for.
How are we just going through the motions instead of truly loving God steadfastly? How can we grow in our love of God today?
Written By: Kaitlin White
1 Comment
Thank you, Kaitlin. I loved how you explained this passage and just the reminder that God always looks at our hearts!