“For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice,
And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” — Hosea 6:6 (NASB)
God's covenant relationship with Israel was often tested by Israel's unfaithfulness and routine of being religious. And Hosea 6:6 cuts through religious noise with startling clarity.
God speaks to a people who were still doing religious things, such as offering sacrifices and maintaining rituals, yet their hearts were distant. Through the prophet, the Lord reveals what truly moves Him. Loyal love and knowing Him.
The word translated “loyalty” (can also be translated mercy) carries the sense of steadfast love expressed through obedience, compassion, and sincerity.
God was never impressed by empty ritual. Sacrifices, though commanded, they were meant to be expressions of a devoted heart, not substitutes for it. When worship becomes routine and obedience optional, our relationship with God turns hollow.
God delights “in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” This is not mere information about God, but a relational knowing. Walking with Him, listening to His voice, aligning our lives with His character. Knowledge without intimacy breeds fake Christians. Intimacy without obedience breeds deceived Christians. God desires neither. He wants hearts that know Him and lives that reflect Him.
For us today, Hosea 6:6 is both a warning and an invitation. We can attend services, sing songs, serve faithfully and still miss God’s heart if mercy, humility, and genuine devotion are absent. The Lord is calling us beyond performance and into relationship, beyond routine and into renewal.
True worship is not measured by how much we offer, but true worship is measured by how deeply we love, obey, and know the One to whom we belong.
In His Love,
Pastor Lu