Hosea 11:10-12

Israel shall tremble before God -- Hosea 11:10-12: When the people were sufficiently chastised some of them would return to the Lord. The sinful nation would tremble because the LORD, will roar like a lion. After the chastisement some would be humbles, brought to repentance and would return to the Lord. The majority of the Northern Kingdom was taken into Assyrian captivity never to return to the home land. Some of the people were scattered in other countries. They back to God, fluttering like birds from Egypt or like doves from Assyria. God promised that those that were brought back would be restored to their homes. "I will place them in their houses, saith the LORD." Isaiah wrote, "For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob." (Isaiah 14:1) This was fulfilled in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.

The contrast was obvious. God had been a loyal and holy God for Israel. Israel had been a very deceitful people to Him. They had surrounded God with their lies. The lies and deceit refers to the false prophecies of the unfaithful teachers in the country. At the present time Judah was still in good standing with Jehovah not having gone as far into idolatry as Israel had gone. There is a reference here to Genesis 32:24. Jacob "wrestled with the angel" and his name was changed to Israel. Israel means "one that rules with God." Israel had lost that glory only Judah still worshipped correctly. Only Judah deserved the name, "children of Israel."