Hosea 11 and 12 … Consider Him Who Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion

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Originally posted: 9/18/2021

How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I surrender you, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart is turned over within Me,
All My compassions are kindled, (11:8).

Reading these two chapters felt like a walk with God down memory lane; it’s a bittersweet walk in remembering how He had so loved Israel, His son, and called him out of bondage.

When Israel was a youth I loved him,
And out of Egypt I called My son, (11:1).

And the appalling reality rises to the forefront of His memories; the more He called, the farther away they went.

The more I called them,
the farther they went away.
They sacrificed to other gods-the Baals,
and they burned incense to idols, (11:2 GWT).

And our attention is turned to an endearing scene as God recalls the way He had lovingly bent down to provide everything needed for the training, health, deliverance, and sustenance of His children.

Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk,
I took them in My arms;
But they did not know that I healed them.
4 I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love,
And I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws;
And I bent down and fed them, (11:3-4).

As God reminds His people of their rebellious past, memories stir His own heart; and although His children deserved punishment and destruction, His Heart of Compassion could not give them up to what their life choices had truly warranted.

How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I surrender you, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart is turned over within Me,
All My compassions are kindled, (11:8).

And again we see this indescribably incomparable love of Him Who Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion.

Consider Him Who Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion

  • He Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion to arrest His fierce anger.
    • I will not execute My fierce anger;
      I will not destroy Ephraim again…       (11:9).
  • He Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion to restrain His wrath; for He is not man, He is Holy God.
    • …For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst,
      And I will not come in wrath,       (11:9).
  • He Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion to remain faithful to His Truth; for He is the Holy One.
    • Ephraim surrounds Me with lies
      And the house of Israel with deceit;
      Judah is also unruly against God,
      Even against the Holy One who is faithful,       (11:12).
  • He Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion though He must punish the multiplying sins of His children.
    • Ephraim feeds on wind,
      And pursues the east wind continually;
      He multiplies lies and violence.
      Moreover, he makes a covenant with Assyria,
      And oil is carried to Egypt.
      2 The Lord also has a dispute with Judah,
      And will punish Jacob according to his ways;
      He will repay him according to his deeds,       (12:1-2).
  • He Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion to invite us to return to Him.
    • Therefore, return to your God… (12:6).
  • He Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion that we would walk in obedience and continual faith.
    • …Observe kindness and justice,
      And wait for your God continually,       (12:6).

God would so Rekindle His Heart’s Compassion for the sinner, that He would do the unthinkable. Rather than give us what our life choices truly warrant, He bent down yet again to give the greatest Gift of Compassion ever given.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life,” (John 3:16).

Oh how gracious He is to Rekindle His Heart’s Compassion. For though He is Holy God, He chose to arrest His anger and restrain His wrath, while remaining faithful to His Truth. For although we surely deserve His punishment, as His perfect justice must punish sin, He gave His Son to bear our sins on the cross and empower us to return and walk in obedience and continual faith.

and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls, (1 Peter 2:24-25).

How do we respond to Him Who Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion?

Perhaps like me, you find it difficult to fathom. Why does He bother? Why does He Rekindle His Heart’s Compassion when we so often refuse Him?

But thanks be to God, His Compassion is not dependent on us who are so often unfaithful, but on His faithfulness alone. And in His faithfulness, He Rekindles His Heart’s Compassions every morning.

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness, (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Oh, today may we be so moved by Him Who Rekindles His Heart’s Compassion, that our hearts would long for only Him Who stooped so low to reach us with His love and grace. He is waiting.

Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him, (Isaiah 30:18).

Let’s Grow Together!

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