Hosea 14:1-9

by

Rev. Mark Perkins, Pastor
Denver Bible Church
326 E. Colorado Ave.
Denver, Colorado 80210

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Hosea Chapter Fourteen

The conviction and punishment of the Northern Kingdom, Hos. 13:16. "Samaria is guilty; she was rebellious against her God. They will fall by the sword; their children will be dashed in pieces, and pregnant ones will be ripped open."

A. This more properly belongs with the final chapter.

B. The statement of Samaria's guilt concentrates on their present state, and is based on their past rebellious activities.

C. The punishment is placed into the imperfect tense, which shows that this portion of punishment is not written in stone. It is a possibility based on historical trends.

D. Again, the difficulty of the harshness of this punishment.

1. Question #1: are pregnant mothers automatically sinless due to their state?

2. Question #2: when a child loses his life, does this automatically mean that God has been unjust to him? Is it still possible for the justice of God to act?

E. This discipline occurs through the permissive will of God. God allows the suffering so that the person or group might recover.

F. This, even this, is motivated by God's love.

Hosea 14:1-3

The final plea of Yahweh, 14:1-3.

A. The basic plea. Hos. 14:1, "Return, Israel unto Yahweh your God - you have stumbled in your iniquity."

1. This forms the basic plea which will become the theme of the next few verses.

2. The reason for the plea is obvious by this point: Israel has stumbled in sin.

B. God puts the right words in the mouth of Israel, vv.2-3.

1. The plea for a grace restoration. Hos. 14:2, "Take words with you and return unto Yahweh. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity, and take us graciously and let us pay a peace offering by our lips."

a. God leads Israel by the hand - really by the mouth. He gives them the right words to say which would restore their relationship with Him.

b. He orders them with the Hebrew imperative. Although they do not have to obey, God is giving it His best shot. This entire chapter is a mixture of plea and command.

c. The request to take away all iniquity is not in the imperative. It is the simple imperfect.

d. The request to remove the iniquity is the equivalent of confession of sin. This is combined with the request to be taken graciously, which is in the imperative. There is an ascension of meaning here.

e. Then it moves back to a request, with the cohortative "let us pay..." This last part is especially meaningful. It is the precise thing which is compatible with 6:6. The request is to allow a peace offering of the lips, which is the exact nature of confession of sin. This makes it clear that the concept really did exist in the Old Testament.

2. The plea for behavior modification. Hos. 14:3a, "Assyria will not save us, we will not ride a horse, and we will not say again, 'Our God' to the work of our hands,"

a. After the request for the restoration of relationship with God comes a pledge for behavior modification, so that the restoration will not be necessary again.

b. All of these "wills" are in the imperfect tense. They show only a possibility in the future, and not an absolute positive.

c. It is rather like saying that you do not want this kind of behavior to happen anymore. It is definitely not a swearing off of all sin, or even a promise to never do it again.

d. Assyria does not save, God does. Military might does not save, God does. Idolatry does not save, God does.

3. The principle for restoration. Hos. 14:3b, "for in You an orphan will be shown compassion."

a. This reveals the character of God related to the forgotten.

b. Quite often, orphans are not evil, just without parents. This is not the case with Israel. They are evil to the core.

c. Israel is like an ex-con; they are forgotten by society, much like orphans. The forgotten nature is the point of comparison.

d. God shows compassion to orphans; therefore, He should show compassion to Israel. This is their great hope.

Hosea 14:4-8

The restorative powers of God, vv.4-8.

A. God's intent to heal, and heal from His love. Hos. 14:4, "I will heal their apostasy - I will love them freely; for My anger will turn from them."

1. The imperfect tense reveals that God is still willing to heal them. It does not form a promise that He will accomplish it. It does reveal God's patience to the very end.

2. The healing will come from God's love - just where you would expect.

3. And interesting - the final clause contains a perfect tense - it is a prophecy that God's anger will turn from them. Ultimately, this has yet to occur.

B. God's healing compared to the dew on the lily. Hos. 14:5a, "I will be as the dew to Israel; he will sprout like the lily,"

1. The dew provided a great deal of water to the plants of Israel. The dew is a very delicate way to water the more sensitive plants.

2. The gentle watering of God results in a delicate sprouting, like a lily.

3. Israel has been deep in the cosmic system. Once they repent, God handles them in a very delicate way, and they would respond likewise.

C. The result of God's healing I: a strong root system. Hos. 14:5b, "and he will strike his roots as [the cedars of] Lebanon."

1. But that delicate root system of the lily will change to something more substantial: the roots of a Lebanon cedar.

2. The Lebanon cedar was the greatest tree of the ancient Near East. It had a vast root system. It would compare with our own Sequoia.

D. The result of God's healing II: a magnificent nation that is a pleasure to all. Hos. 14:6, "His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive, and his fragrance like [the cedars of] Lebanon."

1. Two trees now describe the nation.

2. The olive, which has many uses.

3. The cedar, which brings a magnificent fragrance to all nearby. They are a pleasure to be around.

E. The requirement for God's healing. Hos. 14:7a, "Those who live in His shadow will return; they will revive like grain and they will sprout like the vine."

1. There is but one requirement for this healing - that those who would be healed live in the shadow of God.

2. Living in the shadow of God means remaining under His authority - following His plan for your life.

3. The result is a revival of life - of hope - of productivity - and rapid growth.

F. The well-remembered child of God. Hos. 14:7b, "His remembrance will be like the wine of Lebanon."

1. The one who lives in the shadow of God will be well-remembered. Their memory will be cherished.

2. This also foreshadows the last supper of Jesus Christ, and the legacy of His memory. It is indeed a Messianic prophecy.

G. The final rumble of warning. Hos. 14:8a, "Ephraim, what business do I have with idols? I have responded, and I will watch him."

1. Then the final rumble from God - a thunderstorm now past and distant.

2. God has responded completely to their sin. This views the discipline as a completed thing.

3. The watch continues.

H. The final metaphor for blessing. Hos. 14:8b, "I am like a luxuriant cypress; your fruit comes from me."

1. All blessing comes from God; He is the cypress, and we merely His fruit.

2. God is always the source of great blessing - He is what makes you great.

Hosea 14:9

A general exhortation, v.9.

A. The address. Hos. 14:9a, "Whoever is wise, let him understand these sagacious things, and let him know them:"

1. This is no longer addressed to the people of Israel.

2. Instead, it goes out to whomever is wise - to any person or nation who might learn from the discipline and return to God.

3. Learn them; know them thoroughly.

B. The right way. Hos. 14:9b, "for the ways of Yahweh are straight, and righteous ones will walk in them,"

C. The wrong way. Hos. 14:9c, "but transgressors will stumble on them."

End of Lesson 36

End of Hosea Course