Charles Spurgeon Commentary Hosea 11:4

"I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was to them as they that lift up the yoke on their jaws; and I laid food before them." — Hosea 11:4 (ASV)

I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

As men do with the oxen that have been plowing, lifting the yoke from them, and giving them rest and food before they have to begin plowing again. So God did to Israel, and so has He done to us. He lifted from us the heavy burden of our sin, and He gave us rest and heavenly food.

But oh, what a poor return we have made for all the thoughtful kindness of our God! If any man here imagines that he can boast of his conduct towards his God, he does not feel as I do. Rather, dear friends, I think that we all ought to humble ourselves in the Lord's presence when we remember what ill returns we have made for all that He has done for us.

I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

As the good farmer, when the oxen come to the end of the field, takes off the yoke and puts on the noseband, so has God often done with us in the day of our trouble. He has unyoked us, and he has relieved our needs, and fed us. Yet we have forgotten him.

I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.

As men do to their cattle when they have been ploughing, and they come to the end of the day's work, then the bit is removed, or the yoke is lifted off the shoulder, and fit fodder is provided for the cattle that they may be refreshed. This is what God did to His people Israel; He brought them out of Egypt, where they had to perform hard tasks, caused them to rest from their labours, and gave them both material and spiritual meat to eat; yet nevertheless they were ungrateful to Him. We say that ingratitude is the worst of sins; but, alas, it is one of the commonest of evils, and we ourselves are ingrates to our God.