Hosea 11:9 — I will not execute My burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.
God speaks as a loving Father in Hosea 11. He recalls the nation of Israel’s childhood. God set His son free from slavery in Egypt. God taught his son how to walk by holding his hand. God took care of His child, Israel; He led and fed him. Yet, the Lord laments, “the more I called to him, the farther he moved from Me.”
Israel did not acknowledge God’s love, but turned away from Him. Israel gave their love to false gods and idols, not to their Father, God. God would be within His rights as God to destroy Israel for being wicked and rebellious, but as a loving Father, God was filled with compassion for wayward Israel.
“I am God and not a man” declared the Lord. God was not swept away by anger. God knew that one day Israel would return to Him, so He did not come to Israel in wrath. God did chastise Israel. Israel was defeated by Assyria and taken into captivity to serve their enemy. Through this ordeal, the hearts of some of the people turned back to God.
When God decided to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham interceded for the people in those evil cities. If God could find ten righteous people in those places, He would not execute His wrath, but show His mercy.
If there is a chance that someone will turn to Christ, God spares that person to give him an opportunity to repent. Sometimes a person lives just long enough to be saved by Jesus before he dies. Our God is the God of great mercy and compassion.
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