Hosea-God's Sorrow

Mary Vee
Hosea 11

From the Words Given to the Prophet Hosea by God

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“When Israel was a child, I loved him as a son and brought him out of Egypt. 

"But the more I called to him, the more he rebelled, sacrificing to Baal and burning incense to idols. 

"I trained him from infancy, I taught him to walk, I held him in my arms. But he doesn’t know or even care that it was I who raised him.

“As a man would lead his favorite ox, so I led Israel with my ropes of love. I loosened his muzzle so he could eat. I myself have stooped and fed him. 

"But my people shall return to Egypt and Assyria because they won’t return to me.

 “War will swirl through their cities; their enemies will crash through their gates and trap them in their own fortresses. 

"For my people are determined to desert me. And so I have sentenced them to slavery, and no one shall set them free.

“Oh, how can I give you up, my Ephraim? How can I let you go? How can I forsake you like Admah and Zeboiim? My heart cries out within me; how I long to help you! 

"No, I will not punish you as much as my fierce anger tells me to. This is the last time I will destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man; I am the Holy One living among you, and I did not come to destroy.

“For the people shall walk after the Lord. I shall roar as a lion at their enemies and my people shall return trembling from the west. 

"Like a flock of birds, they will come from Egypt—like doves flying from Assyria. And I will bring them home again; it is a promise from the Lord.”

"Israel surrounds me with lies and deceit, but Judah still trusts in God and is faithful to the Holy One.

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Hosea brings a message to the people of Israel from God. God is sad because the people of Israel have stopped worshiping Him. They worship other things and do not give God any of their time. 

We do much the same when we let TV, computers, phones, and others things take our free time. There is nothing wrong with watching a good program on TV or working on a computer or spending time on a phone or using our time doing other things. The problem comes when we don't make time to pray, worship, and meditate with God.

Think about what things keep you from reading your Bible, praying to God, going to church, and talking with others about God. How can you spend more time with God?