Hose 6:1-3
Come; let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us;
he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will restore us that we may live in his presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.
Hosea summoned Israel to acknowledged their offense, seek the Lord earnestly in their affliction, repent and turn from their sin toward God, and the Lord who torn them into pieces like a young lion, would restore their health and the Lord who struck them down will bind their wounds for His name sake. The Lord afflicted Israel so they could search for Him in distress and He would hear their cry, answer and deliver them.
Many are the affliction of the righteous but the Lord delivered him from them all.
Hosea said, after a brief time, the Lord would revive Israel according to His word and restored them as a nation, to live in His presence. – Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Hosea called Israel to repentance parallels how Jesus calls sinner to repentance, because through the death of Christ, men are save from sin, whom God raised from the dead. Hosea foreshadowed a merciful God’s desires all men to be save and in His love offers salvation to all men through Jesus Christ- who did not come to condemned men but to save them. Therefore, if anyone acknowledges he is a sinner, in need of a savior, and confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in his heart that God raised Him from the dead, he shall be saved.
Repent then and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that a time of refreshing may come from the Lord
Hosea exhorted Israel to know their God and pursue the knowledge of Him – To know the Lord God is God; He is the faithful God, who keeps His covenant of love to a thousand generation of those who love him and keep his commandment. He is God, in heaven and above all the earth and beneath, there is no other. He is the Lord, He changes not; He does not give His glory to another nor His praise to carve image.
The Lord faithfully dwells among His people like the dawn of the morning, like the rising of the sun to where it settle and like seed time and harvest time. Hosea exhorted Israel spent time with God in prayer, worship and study His word, to know His law, commandments, precepts , statues and expectations.
“Mediate on His precepts, statues, laws, commandments, and contemplate His ways, to not forget His words.”
Hosea 6:4-6
What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth—
and then my judgments go forth like the sun. For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
Hosea asked Israel rhetorical questions to give them an introspective perspective on their loyalty to God who keeps covenant. He described Israel love for God, like ours, as morning midst and early dew which diffuses in the air, after it appears and then gone. Similarly, Israel repentance, was liken to uncircumcised heart, that excuses cursing, lying, stealing, murder adultery, breaking of bounds, bloodshed and animals sacrifices; these weary the Lord, who loved them by sending His prophets to chastens them with the words of His mouth.
“The Lord corrects those who He loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom He delights.”
Relatively, to when Jesus healed and restored a man who had withered hand and was angry and grieved at Pharisee’s harden heart, they prioritized rules and regulation over care of a person, ignoring the good that was required, which caused Jesus to asked the Pharisee a rhetorical question: “ if it was lawful on the Sabbath to do good or evil, to save life or to kill it. “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Hosea emphasized God desires loyal love, from a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith, clothed with compassion above futile sacrifices. He desires Israel and all men to love Him with all their heart, soul and might and love their neighbor as themselves, to demonstrate the love of God, who delights in showing mercy.
Jesus said : Blessed are the merciful, they shall obtain mercy.
Similar to when Jesus sat and ate with tax collectors and sinners or when He harvested grain on the Sabbath to feed his hungry disciples but was criticized by the Pharisee for not adhering to the law. On both occasions, Jesus revealed God desires both sinners and saints to have a repentant heart toward Him. Jesus did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. God desires mercy instead of sacrifice, mercies that does not pervert justice or ignore iniquity, or offenses but mercy that shows compassion, is forgiving, helps those in need and at the same time proclaims: “come and let us return to the Lord “
Jesus said: But woe to the Pharisees! For you mint tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs and pass by justice and love of God. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone.
Hosea 6:7-7:2
But like Adam they have sinned against the agreement. They were not faithful to me there. Gilead is a city of wrongdoers, with blood in every footstep. Like robbers lie in wait for a man, a group of religious leaders kill on the way to Shechem. For sure they have done a sinful thing. I have seen a very bad thing among the people of Israel. Ephraim has left me to worship false gods. Israel has made itself unclean. Also, Judah, there is a time coming for you, when I give back the riches of my people.“ Whenever I would heal Israel, I see the sin of Ephraim and the wrongdoing of Samaria. They are false in their ways. The robber breaks into houses, and sinful men rob in the streets. They do not think about how I remember all the sinful things they do. Their sins are all around them, and are always before me
Hosea likened Israel unfaithfulness to God as when Adam transgressed against commandment of the Lord. The children of Israel transgressed against the law of the Lord, when they consulted idols and diviners to gained knowledge of good and evil, similar to when Adam ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden, his unrighteous act lead to spiritual death. “For these nations, which you dispose, listened to soothsayers and diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.”
Jesus said : I am the way , the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me
Hosea also likened Israel corrupt behavior to Gilead, a city of evildoers, where fifty men conspired against Pekahiah son of Menahem, and replaced him with Pekah. (2 King 15:25) Hosea, associated Israel priest to Simeon and Levi in Shechem, whose heart devised a wicked scheme, took their sword, and attacked an unsuspecting city, killed every male, particularly, Harmon who defiled their sister Dinah. After Harmon’s father agreed with Jacob to circumcise every male, as condition for marriage. (Genesis 34:5). “These things the Lord hates: a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, and feet that are quick to rush into evil…”
Take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? —that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.“Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.
God called Israel by several names to depict the weight of their sin; they played the harlot against Him. Ephraim worshiped false gods, had many altars for sin, were not truthful and Samaria worshiped a molded image of a calf and transgressed against the covenant of God and rebelled against His law. Israel atrocities in the days of Hosea were abominations in the sight of God and were evidence Israel had drifted from the ways of the Lord. Yet, God who delights in showing mercy did not ignore the sin of His people but promise to heal and restore Judah and Israel, contingent upon Israel’s true repentance.
Blessed be the Lord God who has given us eternal life through Jesus Christ our Passover, who makes atonement for us : In Him, we have redemption and the forgiveness of sin. By grace and the leading of the Holy Spirit Abba Father, please enable us to do what is good and right in your sight to resist abominable things, to bring you glory, honor and praise in all our endeavors.
Pause & think
What is sin and how does sin impact our relationship with God and others?
What are the fruits of true repentance, and how often should one repent?
How did Israel transgressed against the laws and covenant of God in the days of Hosea?
What is the difference between atonement and redemption in Christ ?
Why does God desire mercy instead of sacrifice?