hos 11.11

To close out this section of the text in Hosea 11 then, we see God’s Restoring Mercy in verses 10-11.  “They shall walk after the Lord. He will roar like a lion. When He roars, then His sons shall come trembling from the west; 11 They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, like a dove from the land of Assyria. And I will let them dwell in their houses,” says the Lord.”

There are two ways that the Scripture use roaring in reference to God. In Amos 1:2 we read about God roaring in judgment, “And he said: ‘The Lord roars from Zion, and utters His voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the top of Carmel withers.’”  This is God roaring in judgment. But in Hosea 11:10 this is a different kind of roaring.

Here is a roaring like what we see in Joel 3:16. “The Lord also will roar from Zion,

and utter His voice from Jerusalem; the heavens and earth will shake; but the Lord will be a shelter for His people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” This is a roar for righteousness that shakes creation. In this roar the people of God find His protection.

The promise in Hosea is that God will one day regather His people. They will come, trembling, returning from all the places He has dispersed them. He will bring them home, He says.

Isaiah 43 gives us the details on how He will regather them. Isaiah 43:1-7, “But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. 4 Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you; therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life. 5 Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; 6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth— 7 Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” 

This is the hope that God gives us in Hosea 11. God is just, and also loving and compassionate. And while He roars in righteousness and judgment He shelters us by covering us with the blood of His Son. In doing so He can make this promise, “I have redeemed you…You are Mine…” and as we are called by His name, He has created us for His glory. God has loved His people and chosen to show mercy through Christ. This is Romans 11:26-27, “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”

As God asks the question, “How can I give you up? How can I hand you over?” He has done it this way – He is God and not a man, but as God He became a Man, and that is how He did it. He stooped down and handed Himself over in our place.