Read Part 1 Here Read Part 2 Here
This is the third (and final) installment of our journey into the following Scripture passage:
I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:6, NLT
Today we examine the second “command”: “…to know me…” This is my favorite part of this particular verse because it speaks to my spiritual longing—to know God more and more every day. So let’s again start by looking at the Hebrews words themselves. In this case, the Hebrew “yada Elohim” is what gets translated “to know God”…
Yada : Information of a person, with a strong implication of relationship to that person
Elohim : The God of creation and judgement
There are many names used to describe God in Scripture (specifically in the Hebrew texts) so it’s important to know which name is being used, and what it means. Elohim is the same name used all the way back in Genesis (”In the beginning God…”). It is the name most often used when describing God and often has an implication of “the God of Israel”.
Again, the context is important here. The God of creation, the God of Israel is calling His people back to Himself in Hosea. They have betrayed Him…turned to other gods and idols. And what does He want? He wants them to come back and to know Him. He wants a personal relationship with them.
Every time I think about this it blows my mind. The God who SPOKE the universe into existence wants to have a personal relationship with us…with ME! The God of creation wants me to know Him…wants it more than I want it…wants it more than He wants my “burnt offerings”. He does want my obedience and my sacrifice, but even more than that He wants me to know Him. Sometimes it’s hard to believe…but there it is.
So where does that leave us? Simply put, God wants us to show Him love and devotion and He wants us to know Him and have a personal relationship with Him. I don’t know about you, but knowing this is what God desires makes me want to work at it just a little bit harder—more deliberately and with a little more intentionality (maybe just with a little more heart and passion). It’s liberating to know that the God I desire and love desires and loves me.
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