Come Let Us Return Unto The Lord.

COME LET US RETURN TO THE LORD.

Hosea 5:15, Hosea 6:1-6.

HOSEA 5:15. This verse contains the words of the LORD. He is withdrawing from His wayward people until such time as they will acknowledge their sin, and seek His face.

HOSEA 6:1a. The appeal of Hosea is, “Come, and let us return to the LORD.” The people were already wayward before He withdrew: He has withdrawn, so it is time for them (for us) to ‘seek the LORD while He may be found’ (cf. Isaiah 55:6).

“Return” to the LORD. Confess your sins. Repent. ‘Be ye reconciled to God’ (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20).

HOSEA 6:1b. “He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.”

This is not a case of, ‘The good Lord will pardon, that’s His trade.’ But rather an acknowledgement that the power to heal rests with the LORD who smites us. ‘Whom He loveth He chasteneth’ (cf. Hebrews 12:6).

HOSEA 6:2a. Whether Hosea knew it or not, with hindsight, we can detect an allusion to the death and resurrection of Jesus in this verse. Jesus was “two days” in the tomb, and on “the third day” rose again ‘according to the scriptures’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:4).

HOSEA 6:2b. Not only does the LORD ‘heal us’ and ‘bind us up’ as in Hosea 6:1b. but He “revives us” and “raises us up,” and “we shall live in His sight.” He brings us from death to life – new life in Jesus.

HOSEA 6:3a. “Then shall we know, (if) we follow on to know the LORD.”

There is a basic knowledge of God, which says, ‘God is.’ But true Biblical knowledge of God is more intimate than that. Christianity is not a religion, but a living relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. John 17:3).

HOSEA 6:3b. As we return to Him, He comes to us. The prodigal’s father set off running towards his returning son (cf. Luke 15:20). The LORD will appear, as certainly as the sun shall rise in “the morning.”

He shall come as the “the latter and former rain upon the earth.” He will turn back the drought (cf. Hosea 2:9-13), even the drought of the word of God (cf. Amos 8:11-12).

HOSEA 6:4. The two halves of this verse are two examples of parallelism.

First, the LORD laments over the two kingdoms of Israel: “Ephraim” in the north, and “Judah” in the south. The loving Father asks each in turn, “What shall I do unto you?” And we can almost hear the tears in His voice.

Second, the reason for the LORD’s exasperation (so to speak). “For your goodness is as a morning cloud; and as the early dew it goeth away.” The “goodness” of the tribes of the LORD is like the morning mist, which is gone as soon as the sun rises.

This is almost in answer to the previous verse, where Hosea had exhorted the people of God to ‘know’ Him, and to grow in the knowledge of Him because ‘His going forth is as the morning’ (cf. Hosea 6:3). His going forth is as certain as the sun rising, but their returning to Him is as fleeting as the morning dew!

HOSEA 6:5ab. “Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth.” Another example of parallelism.

This is not an uncontrolled outburst of anger, but the LORD has warned His people by the prophets, and chastened them by the words of His mouth. The patience of the LORD gives time and opportunity to repent (cf. 2 Peter 3:9).

HOSEA 6:5c. “Thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.”

“Thy judgments,” or “thy justice” foresees a time when the people will be ready to return to a right way of thinking (which is what repentance is all about). And at such a time, it shall no longer be fleeting like a cloud (cf. Hosea 6:4b), but “shall be as the light that goeth forth.”

HOSEA 6:6. “For I desired mercy and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

I call this holy exaggeration. The problem is that people will sooner busy themselves with albeit God-given ritual than attend to their other responsibilities.

These words are taken up by Jesus in His corrective ministry towards the Pharisees (cf. Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7).

It is a matter of priorities: ‘To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice’ (cf. Proverbs 21:3). ‘Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams’ (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22).