Tyndale Open Study NotesHosea 6

• After God judged Israel, the religious leaders asked the people to repent and know the Lord.

• The rains that came in early spring were essential for growing crops.

Israel's response was not enough. God lamented that their love vanished like morning mist and dew.

In one of Hosea’s key verses, God highlights the most important qualities for the Israelites' covenant lives with him:

1. The Lord wants his people to show love more than he wants sacrifices. Love (the Hebrew word khesed, meaning loyal love shown through steady faithfulness) includes being faithful in relationships (see Hosea 4:1; 6:4). God is always faithful (Psalm 136), and he expects the same from his people.

2. The Lord wants Israel to know him more than he wants burnt offerings. Knowing God means more than just knowing facts about him (see “Knowing God” Theme Note). A close personal relationship with God involves complete trust and integrity.

Sacrifice still had a proper place in Israelite religion, but only when offered by people who truly knew and loved God (see Isaiah 1:10–17; Amos 5:21–24; Micah 6:6–8).

Hosea describes how human rebellion against God started with Adam and spread through Israel's cities to Judah.

Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests: Hosea again condemns the religious leaders for their crimes (see Hosea 4:4–8).

a horrible thing: The prophet uses this rare word (also in Jeremiah 18:13) to describe how deeply Israel sinned by breaking God's covenant and betraying his trust.