“For I desire mercy (HESED), not sacrifice” (Hos 6:6)

This is the famous conclusion to Hos 6 that Jesus quotes in Mt 9:13. But what is it?

1.It’s covenantal

HESED in the Hebrew is translated many ways, kindness, mercy, love. But the closest is “faithful love” or “covenantal love” or “loyal love”. It is love in the context of the covenant.

In the Old Testament this is based on the Old Covenant but now after the New Testament, it’s in the context of the New Covenant.

So we make a commitment to give God this love because He first loved us this way. Faithful, committed love.

2.God gives this Hesed love to us

E.g. Ex 34:6-7 when God revealed His glory to Moses, he declared who He was:

“Yahweh….abounding in love (HESED) and faithfulness, maintaining love (HESED) to…..”

So God’s love to us is totally faithful and He maintains this love to us even when we sin greatly. He did this for the Israelites even after they made a calf idol and worshipped it.

John Wesley the great revivalist and evangelist, said that the main goal of his Methodist movement was love, because this is who God is. There can be no other.

The goal of any revival is restoration of this HESED love.

For more on how we can restore this HESED love see my book GRACE OUTPOURINGS: 21 DAYS REVIVAL DEVOTIONAL for a great devotional on how to restore your devotional life in the context of inspiration from revivals.

3.God wants HESED love from us

So in Hosea 6 God speaks to the Israelites about their lack of love for Him.

“Your love (HESED) is like the morning mist” (6:4), so this fits. Their love was not faithful. It lasted for just a moment. Then He adds:

“For I desire mercy (HESED), not sacrifice” (Hos 6:6)

So the Israelites made lots of sacrifices but weren’t faithful in their love to Him.

So we can see that the translation “faithful love” fits Hos 6:6 better than the normal “mercy” and the context. Hosea goes onto say that:

“Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love (HESED)” (Hos 10;12)

God wants the same love from us. Not just one that worships Him on Sundays and then spends the rest of the time with things of the world. He wants faithful HESED love.

It’s amazing that we want this same love in a partner but when it’s God or Jesus we are often happy to live an unfaithful life and give our hearts to all sorts of other things or people without problem.

Micah summarises what God requires of us:

Mic 6:8 “To act justly, to love mercy (HESED) and to walk humbly with your God”

4.God will judge us based on our HESED

In Dt Moses gives some summary verses e.g. Dt 10:12-13 and Dt 11:1 e.g.

“Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements” (11:1)

This links love with obeying God’s commands. Jesus says the same thing to his disciples.

Jesus quotes Hos 6:6 in Mt 9:13 when he is talking to the Pharisees. Jesus wanted covenantal love from them, not just their sacrifices. He wanted obedience to God’s words not just doing things for Him.

When we appear before the Lord, He will reward His true servants with “Well done faithful servant” with the same meaning, as one who faithfully obeyed Jesus. HESED love.

So let’s give our lives to giving HESED love to God, in worship for all the HESED love He constantly displays for us.