Have you noticed that many stories start with a problem that seem insurmountable but somehow conclude with a happy ending. This happens in Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and… Hosea. The Book of Hosea has been full of hard-to-hear judgments that God promised to rain down on Israel for their sins. You may recall that the last chapter was full of judgments that were very severe. The unrepentant people of Israel seemed doomed to destruction because of their rejection of God. And then we come to the last chapter of the book and the possibility of a happy ending. What could cause Hosea to end the book on a happy note? Let’s take a look.
- What does it say? (Hosea 14:1-9)
In the first part, Israel is told what repentance would look like. They would return to the Lord recognizing that their sin had caused them to stumble. They were given the words to say: ‘Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously because we will offer sacrifices from our lips. We won’t trust in Assyria, ride on horses, or worship hand-made gods. The fatherless finds mercy in You.
In the second part, the Lord tells them all that He would do for them. He would heal them and love them freely because His anger would be turned away from them. He would be like dew to them and cause them to grow like a lily with long roots like Lebanon, with spreading branches, beauty like an olive tree, and fragrance like Lebanon. Those who lived under his shadow would return, be revived like grain, grow like a vine, and smell like the wine o Lebanon. Because of this, Ephraim would question why he should be involved with idols. God heard and watched him. God was like a green cypress tree and their fruit would be found in Him.
In the third part, they are asked to make a decision. He asked for wise people to understand and the prudent to know what had been said. He reminded them that the Lord’s ways are right and there are two ways to respond. The righteous walk in God’s ways while the transgressors stumble in them. - What does it mean?
Repentance is more than just words (Hosea 14:1-3).
The Lord wanted His people to turn from their sin and back to Him. But He wanted more than just words. When they came back to Him, they were to say certain things, do them, and expect mercy from Him. Notice that they were told to take words with them. This was not simply a prayer to pray or a statement to read. God wanted them to speak words that came from their hearts. This would only happen when they acknowledged their sin against Him and His grace and mercy. But their words needed to be backed up by actions. They were to trust in Him instead of Assyria, horses, and false gods.
Isn’t that what all of us when someone says they are sorry for saying or doing something? We want the person to say the words, mean them, and also act differently from that point on. This is what God wanted as well. He wanted them to turn back to Him not just to escape the consequences of their sins but because they saw their need of Him.
Repentance is blessed by God (Hosea 14:4-8).
The Lord wanted to do good for Israel, but their sin had required Him to judge them instead. But His ultimate goal was to heal them, love them, and not be angry anymore. When they repented of their sins, He would bless them like a well-nourished plant or tree. He mentions the lily in verse 5 but then talks about a plant with strong roots, big branches, and He would provide dew, growth, beauty, fragrance, and size. All of God’s blessings would be a sign to Israel that they didn’t need idols anymore. Their fruit would come from God.
God’s desire was to bless Israel. And as He describes these blessings, it shows that He really had great blessings in store for them. God must have loved them a lot to pour such blessings on the people who had rejected Him for idols time and time again. And yet, this is God’s heart. He loves people, wants them to love and obey Him, and wants to bless them. This is part of God’s loving character.
Repentance is a choice (Hosea 14:9).
For those who had not repented yet, God asked a few questions. Who is wise and prudent? Do you remember what Solomon said about wisdom? It begins with the fear of the Lord. Many of the people had not been wise. They had not feared the Lord or proven themselves to be wise or prudent. But those who were wise could understand what God was saying. It would be wise for them to repent, seek God’s mercy, and find His blessing again.
What they needed to know was that there were only two responses. Those who chose to repent would recognize that God’s ways were right and would then live by them. But those who chose not to repent would continue to stumble in their sins not seeing the value of God’s ways. The choice was theirs to make. - How does it apply?
Do your actions match your words?
God wanted the Israelites to repent of their sins and to turn back to Him. But He wasn’t interested in empty words. He wanted them to recognize their sin and to have a true change of heart that was evident in their actions. God still wants the same of us. When we have sinned against Him, He wants us to turn back to Him with a right heart that not only wants to do right but also will do right.
This could be applied to how we respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It can also be applied to how we explain the need for repentance to others.
Do you believe that God loves you?
One of the things that is very clear in Hosea 14:4-8 is that God loved His people. He wanted them to repent but He also wanted to bless them. And the blessings He promised kept growing and growing. God’s love for His people has been shown throughout the Bible. Look at His response to Adam and Eve, Cain, Judah, David, and many others when they sinned. He loved them enough to hold back the judgment each deserved. And this is especially clear after reading through the sins of the people during Hosea’s day.
What about you? Do you believe that God loves you? For those who have grown up in church, it may seem like an academic question. But it is meant to be more than a statement of the facts. It is meant to bring out a response from you. Do you really believe that God loves you? When you come to that realization, it will change the way that you think and live. He does love you and wants the best for you.
Conclusion
After reading through God’s pronouncement of judgment against the Israelites, it is especially good to read chapter 14. We understand that Israel deserved God’s judgment and that it was necessary because of God’s holiness. But this last chapter reminds us that God wants people to come back to Him. While judgment is often necessary, God is willing to extend His mercy and grace to us. Let that wonderful truth calm your heart and motivate you to thank Him and live for Him each day.