NOTES for Hos 5:1-6:11
Wrath is poured out on all who have fallen into sin, but especially on those placed at the head of the people: kings and priests. Everyone will be called to account for his deeds, but the leaders of the people, called to preserve the Higher Truth, will be called to account especially, because more has been given to them. The description of the consequences of sins and lawlessness is severe.
But precisely here, after all the warnings, we again hear words of hope, a prophecy of the Lord's mercy and a promise of the coming Resurrection. The fact that the prophecy speaks of resurrection on the third day makes it possible for us to see in these words one of the first prophecies of the coming Resurrection of Christ, although here it is speaking about people, about the raising of the people from sin and darkness. But there is no contradiction here, because the Son of God became incarnate precisely in order to share our earthly path with us and give us hope of being raised together with Him.
And it is precisely here that what are perhaps the central words of the book of Hosea sound: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. These words, long familiar and well memorized, still continue to surprise us today if we look at them with fresh eyes. How can this be? Are all our efforts, our labors, everything we have sacrificed, really all in vain?
Yes, all our efforts can turn out to be empty and futile if we sacrificed with a hard heart, remaining merciless toward those around us, and all the more if we turn our relationship with the Lord into a transaction.