Thy Strong Word — Hosea 11: Out of Egypt God Calls His Son

The Rev. Dr. Michael Morehouse, pastor of Catalina Lutheran Church in Tucson, AZ, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to Study Hosea 11.

This chapter is a powerful and emotional depiction of God’s love for Israel, despite their constant rebellion and disobedience. God reveals himself to be both frustrated with Israel’s sinful behavior, but also tenderly compassionate towards them. God’s desire for His people to repent and be restored is evidence of the incredible depth of His love and mercy. It reminds us that no matter how far we may stray, God’s love for us is unfailing and unending.

The book of Hosea is a love story with a twist. It tells how God commanded Hosea, a prophet, to marry Gomer, a wife who would be unfaithful to him. God wanted Hosea to feel firsthand the pain of betrayal as he sent him out to prophesy to the people of Israel how they had been unfaithful to God. Hosea still loved Gomer and pursued her and restored her as his wife. This was a picture of how God pursued Israel despite their sin and rebellion and offered them grace and mercy if they would return to Him.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Through the mission gifts of people like you, LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces books that are Bible-based, Christ-centered and Reformation-driven. Learn more at lhfmissions.org.

Hosea 11

The Lord‘s Love for Israel

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

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

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

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

¹⁰They shall go after the Lord;
    he will roar like a lion;
when he roars,
    his children shall come trembling from the west;
¹¹they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,
    and like doves from the land of Assyria,
    and I will return them to their homes, declares the Lord.
¹²^[d] Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,
    and the house of Israel with deceit,
but Judah still walks with God
    and is faithful to the Holy One.

Footnotes

Hosea 11:4 Or humaneness; Hebrew man
Hosea 11:5 Or surely
Hosea 11:9 Or into the city
Hosea 11:12 Ch 12:1 in Hebrew

Rev. Dr. Phil Booe

Native North Carolinian Rev. Dr. Phil Booe serves pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, and host of Thy Strong Word on KFUO Radio. His parishioners probably think he can’t teach Bible study without a mug of coffee in his hand, and he’ll always be happy to eat a plate of sushi. When he’s not shepherding his flock or teaching on the radio, you might find him watching bad movies from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and especially binging RiffTrax and MST3K episodes. Some day he’d love to travel to the Lutheran homeland in Germany, but for now he spends time in Minnesota with his wife, son, daughter, and cat, and looks forward to Holy Week every year.