Read Hosea 11 and 12 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph divisions:
Hos 10:9-11:11 {s} Beloved Ephraim rebelled + backslidden/YHVH will chasten him + he will walk after YHVH
Hos 11:12-13:11 {p} …
The chiastic structure from Hos 11:1-11:
1a) Hos 11:1-2, When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son/ but they sacrificed to idols;
1b) Hos 11:3a, I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms;
1c) Hos 11:3b-4, They did not know that I healed them/ drew them with gentleness + love, removed his yoke;
1d) Hos 11:5-6, The Assyrian shall be his king because he refused to repent/ the sword shall devour his districts;
central axis) Hos 11:7, “My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, none at all exalt Him;”
2d) Hos 11:8, How can I give you up, hand you over, Ephraim/ Israel? How can I make you like destroyed cities?
2c) Hos 11:8b-9, My compassion is kindled, I will not execute the fierceness of My anger + will not come with terror;
2b) Hos 11:10a, They shall walk after YHVH;
2a) Hos 11:10b-11 {s} YHVH shall roar + His sons shall come trembling from the west + from Egypt + Assyria.
Hos 11:8 in the New King James says, “My heart churns within Me, My sympathy is stirred;” but in the Hebrew Bible in English it says,”My heart is turned within Me, My compassions are kindled together.” The contrast is present, that Ephraim has not turned toward YHVH, but YHVH, even though His anger is fierce against the wickedness of Ephraim, has turned His heart toward Ephraim.
“I will not execute the fierceness of My anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, the Holy One in your midst; and I will not come with terror.” Hos 11:9
The way of men is to return wrath for wrath and punishment for wrongs suffered, but the way of God, who is not a man, is to not execute the fierceness of His wrath. His way is to return mercy for wrongs suffered. God is so merciful, in fact, that He poured His wrath for sin upon Himself, who knew no sin, so that He could spare us, who properly deserved His wrath, from the force of His wrath, and show us love and mercy instead – as He has done to this day.
This is so the nature of God, that when Yeshua’s disciples wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritan town which had rejected Yeshua, Yeshua rebuked them, saying, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of!” (Luk 9:51-56).
We just experienced the blood moon which many have said will herald in a season of wrath and destruction from the hand of YHVH. But where is it? Perhaps He is not coming with terror against His people, but only against those who truly deserve His wrath – the principalities and powers who rule the kingdoms of this world, who oppress His people with lies and lead the innocent into sin …
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