Hosea 6:6 - God Desire Love More Than Sacrifice.

Hos.6:6; God Desire Love More Than Sacrifice.

Hosea 6:6 (KJV)  For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the
knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:6 (NCV)  I want faithful love more than I want animal
sacrifices. I want people to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

Mercy here can refer to right conduct toward one's fellowman or
loyalty to the Lord or both--the sum of what God requires of his
servants. Here it perhaps refers to both. The same Hebrew word is
translated "love" in v. 4. [NIV SB]

Sacrifice apart from faithfulness to the Lord's will is wholly
unacceptable to him. [NIV SB]

Hosea did not deny the validity of sacrifice offered in the
right spirit, but he declared that mere sacrificial ritual meant
nothing apart from a person's heart righteousness. [New Bible
Companion]

Religious rituals can help people understand God and nourish
their relationship with him. That is why God instituted circumcision
and the sacrificial system in the Old Testament and baptism and the
Lord's Supper in the New Testament. But a religious ritual is helpful
only if it is carried out with an attitude of love for and obedience
to God. If a person's heart is far from God, ritual will become
empty mockery. God didn't want the Israelites' rituals; he wanted
their hearts. Why do you worship? What is the motive behind your
"offerings" and "sacrifices"?  [Life Application SB]

Our heart attitude toward God comes first. Only then can we
properly obey and observe religious regulations and rituals.God wants to
see the power and not just the form of religion in each of us.  It
takes quality time with our Maker to have this power otherwise we just
have the form. [Life Application SB re Mat.12:7]