Hosea 11 · The Lantern

Out of Egypt I Called My Son

When Israel was a boy, I loved him; and out of Egypt I called my son.

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Herod sought him after his birth. He was going to kill all the children in that place. And the prophet revealed this too, foretelling it long beforehand when he said, "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, mourning and much weeping, of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are not." The Scriptures also predicted that he would come to Egyp…

It is as a result of folly and a childish attitude that they suffer this punishment. I recalled them from Egypt and freed them from that harsh servitude, but they proved ungrateful to me and opted for the worship of the idols (referring to them as "Baals").

They called them; so they went from before them. To the Baals they sacrifice, and to carved images they burn incense.

And I myself taught Ephraim to walk, taking them on his arms; but they did not know that I healed them.

With cords of a man I drew them, with ropes of love; and I was to them like those who lift a yoke off their jaws — and I bent down to him and fed him.

He will not return to the land of Egypt — and Assyria, he is his king, because they refused to return.

And a sword will whirl in his cities and finish off his bars and devour, because of their counsels.

And my people are hung on turning away from me; and though they call him upward, together he does not exalt.

God’s Love for Israel

How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah, set you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within me; my compassion has grown warm together.

I will not carry out my burning anger; I will not turn back to ruin Ephraim. For I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst — and I will not come into a city.

The philanthropy of God does not tolerate [abandonment]. "What can I do for you? Shall I view you as I did Sodom and destroy you like Gomorrah? My heart is upset." Here the love of God appears to imitate the passionate human being or, better yet, the affectionate mother. "My heart is upset, just as a woman would say about her child.

In the same book, it is written, "I am God and not man, the holy one in the midst of thee, and I will not enter into the city," into the den, to be sure, of vices. He himself is the only one who does not enter into the city that Cain built in the name of his son, Enoch.

"My heart recoils within me, my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute the fierceness of my anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim." God imitates a father and mother who are naturally worried and cannot turn away from their children for too long. He says that, however, not because he wills one thing now and then changes his mind.

After the LORD they will go; like a lion he will roar. For he will roar, and sons will come trembling from the west.

They will come trembling like a bird from Egypt, and like a dove from the land of Assyria; and I will make them dwell in their houses — the utterance of the LORD.

Ephraim has surrounded me with lying, and the house of Israel with deceit; and Judah still rules with God, and with the holy ones is faithful.

Hosea11

Out of Egypt I Called My Son

God’s Love for Israel