Why did the LORD tear Israel to pieces and injure them? (Hint: check out Hosea 5:13-15!) What does it mean, then, for them to “return” to the LORD (vs. 1)?
What is the agrarian imagery used in verse 3? What is being communicated through this imagery?
In verse 4, the perspective changes as God begins to speak. What is His message to the people?
In what ways is our love for God often “like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears…” (vs. 4)? How is this different from how God is described in verse 3?
What did God mean when He said, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” (vs. 6)? We don’t offer burnt offerings or sacrifices today, but what would the equivalent be in our lives today? What might be God’s indictment on His Church today?
Pastor Beth talked about living in a 3-day story: Day 1 is the season of grief, Day 2 is the season of waiting, and Day 3 is the dawn of a new day, resurrection life. When you reflect on your own life, which of those seasons do you think you are in right now? What is God’s hope for you in this season?
Beth Paz