Hosea 11

God loved Israel even before He brought them out of Egypt 500 years prior and helps them out in ways that Israel is unaware of. As a father supports his children "taking them by their arms" so they can walk. Yet just like Israel we have to tendency to stroke our own ego and not give glorify or give credit where due. And so God disciplines them, not because they were sinful but because of their refusal to repent. They would formally call to the most high, vocally proclaiming Him but they didn't exalt him with their lives. He is a God of Justice however he takes no pleasure in chastening Israel as "My sympathy is stirred". 

I think out of all the chapters of Hosea I've read, this has to be the most humanistic portrayal of God so far. God hates sin and sin has to be punished, however because of His love, He's sympathetic. He doesn't enjoy vengeance like we do, however He has to exercise it because it would go against the character of Justice to let guilty people slide. God sends Jesus to us, to me, because the death and resurrection of God's son is perfectly just and perfectly merciful. God longs for reconciliation and He has already won the fight. 

Prayer/response:
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