The call: "O Israel, return unto the Lord your God; for you have fallen by your iniquity." (Hosea 14:1)
See how different the Lord's ways are from man's! With man, a great offense, a fall, is considered ground for casting one off. How often do we hear of a man who is called a father, that has turned a son or daughter away from home because the child has fallen into sin. Because of this human characteristic, to make a fall into sin a reason for berating a man, people who think that God is like a man, fear to come to Him when they have sinned.
"I am so sinful, I don't believe the Lord can ever receive and forgive me," says the wandering one. Why, that is the very ground on which God bases His call for you to come. Why does He call us to come? Because we have sinned, and not merely sinned, but have fallen by our iniquity.
"Oh well, perhaps Israel had not sinned so much as I have; in fact, I do not believe there was ever so great a sinner in the world as I am."
It is well for each one to think himself the chief of sinners; for when anyone, no matter, who has a just sense of what he really is, he can see more sin in himself than he can ever see in any other man. The best man must therefore necessarily with all sincerity regard himself as worse than the worst man of whom he has any knowledge. That, however does not make any difference with God's reckoning. But let us see what we can find as to Israel's actual condition when this gracious invitation was uttered.
By comparing Hosea 1:1 and Isaiah 1:1, we find that the two prophets, Isaiah and Hosea, lived and prophesied at the same time. Isaiah's inspired utterance, at the beginning of his ministry was that the people were "laden with iniquity," (Isaiah 1:4) that they were corrupters, and that they were altogether corrupt--as bad as they could be. Of all the kings of Israel, after the division at the death of Solomon, not one was good. "Jeroboam...sinned, and...made Israel sin," (1 Kings 15:30) and the story of each succeeding king is that he was worse than all that were before him. Read the record in the books of Kings. Coming to Ahaz, king of Judah, during whose reign the prophets Isaiah and Hosea prophesied, we find that: "He burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel." (2 Chronicles 28:3)
Then he was greatly troubled, "And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz. For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel." (2 Chronicles 28:22-23)
Moreover he shut up the house of the Lord, and cut in pieces the sacred vessels, and in all the cities of Judah he made high places, to burn incense to other gods. (2 Chronicles 28:24-25) Really, things could not have been worse than they were when God said: "O Israel, return unto the Lord your God; for you have fallen by your iniquity." (Hosea 14:1)
This invitation is the same as, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17)
There is no limitation, no exclusion. No sinner can be too vile, no backslider can have fallen too low, for the Lord to receive and pardon him. "You have fallen by your iniquity." (Hosea 14:1)
That is unqualified. God does not say, "Return, because you haven't fallen very low yet," but simply, "Return, because you have fallen;" and that takes in the fall to the very lowest depths. "This Man receives sinners." (Luke 15:2)
Then give heed to the gracious invitation. The Lord is very gracious, for He tells us just how to come to Him. He says, "Take with you words, and turn to the Lord." (Hosea 14:2)
"But what shall I say? I haven't a word to say for myself." "My iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up." (Psalm 40:12)
Yea, words would fail you, if you had to find them yourself; but the Lord tells you just what to say, so that you can come with boldness to the throne of grace, knowing that your heaven-inspired plea cannot fail. Here are the words that you are to take with you, when you return to the Lord: "Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously." (Hosea 14:2)
That is sufficient; when you have uttered those words from the heart, you may be sure that the prayer is instantly answered. God does not trifle with men, and when He tells us to come to Him with a certain request, and tells us just what to say in order to gain it, we can have no doubt as to the result.
Of course this means confession of sin. The request, "Take away all iniquity," indicates this. We acknowledge that we have sinned, and that everything that God calls sin, is sin. In short, we accept God's estimate of us. This is necessary, in order that we may be made into what He estimates we ought to be. "Return, you backsliding Israel, says the Lord; and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, says the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the Lord your God." (Jeremiah 3:12-13)
See how large a request He tells us to make. "Take away all iniquity." It is just as easy for God to do a great thing, a complete work, as a little thing. In fact the work is already done: "[Christ] gave himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity." (Titus 2:14)
When God does a work, He does it thoroughly. Christ is given for our sins. "Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father." (Galatians 1:3-4)
When we accept that gift, we get the whole of His sinless life in exchange for our sinful life. So God receives us graciously, and takes away all our iniquities at once.
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me;
And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive;
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe;
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
--Charlotte Elliott, Hymn: Just as I Am, 1835.
"Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, You are our gods; for in You the fatherless finds mercy." (Hosea 14:3)
This is simply a recognition of God as the only God, in whom alone there is deliverance. "A horse is a vain thing for safety." (Psalm 33:17)
The nations of earth depend very much upon horses for safety. The Governments of earth send agents abroad to buy up horses for the army. Without horses, an army would be very much crippled, if not useless, and without an army a nation would be helpless; but while "Some will trust in hoses and some in chariots; But we will trust in the name of the Lord our God." (Psalm 20:7, RV)
The Lord often reproved Israel for their dependence on horses, from which we are to learn that in returning to the Lord we are absolutely to depend on Him. For a church or an individual to make any sort of alliance with the world, or to look to earthly Governments for help and support, is virtually to say that God is not sufficient; it is having other gods beside Him.
But would it not be a mere matter of form, without any reason, for us who have been brought up amid Christian surroundings to say, "Neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, You are our gods?" (Hosea 14:3)
We have never fashioned graven images for ourselves to worship. This is true, yet there is great need of our making just the prayer that the Lord here gives us. How often we have made gods of the work of our hands. Many, many times have we regarded with complacent self-satisfaction what we were pleased to call our good works. Who has not at some time in his life imagined that he would get credit for something that he has done? Have we never, after escaping from some danger, congratulated ourselves upon our own dexterity or shrewdness, and forgotten to give thanks to God? What was that but saying to the work of our hands, "You are our gods"?
The man who has no other gods besides Jehovah, and who never trusts himself, will certainly be saved. It is good to trust in Jehovah, for in Him the fatherless find mercy, whereas mercy is not found in any gods of human devising.
Not what these hands have done
Can save this guilty soul;
Not what this toiling flesh has borne
Can make my spirit whole.
Your work alone, O Christ,
Can ease this weight of sin;
Your blood alone, O Lamb of God,
Can give me peace within.
--Horatius Bonar, Hymn: Not What These Hands Have Done, 1864.
There is a very significant statement at the close of verse 2: "so will we render the calves of our lips." (Hosea 14:2)
The Revised Version, and some others, have it, "So will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips."
The French of Segond has it: "We offer You, instead of bullocks, the homage of our lips."
The idea clearly is, that praise and thanksgiving, that is spoken out of the abundance of the heart, is more acceptable to God than offering of animals, and, moreover, that it was so in the days of Hosea. Remember that this is the Lord's own statement. It was not sacrifice that He ever desired, but faith and love. The verse is very similar to: "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name." (Hebrews 13:15) "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that has horns or hoofs." (Psalm 69:30-31)
We have read the gracious invitation, now listen to the gracious promises: "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for my anger is turned away from them." (Hosea 14:4)
Through the prophet Joel the Lord said, "I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten." (Joel 2:24)
Restoration is the Lord's order. "The Son of man is come to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10)
One saves the lost only by bringing it back again; so the Lord promises to make good all that His people have lost by the fall. He will heal all their backsliding, so that no trace of sin or the curse will remain. The Lord loves His people freely, fallen though they be; and the result of His love for the church is to "present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Ephesians 5:27)
Another promise: "I will be as the dew unto Israel: He shall grow [or blossom] as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon." (Hosea 14:5)
A whole lesson is in this promise. "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow." (Matthew 6:28)
How do they grow? By the life of God that is in them. The life within makes the external beauty. Their life is their beauty, their clothing. See how the grass lifts up its head, and laughs for very joy of life, as the dew refreshes it. Now the dew is only one way in which God manifests His grace. What the visible dew is to the grass, that God is to His people. He can make them grow "unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," (Ephesians 4:13) as easily as He can bring the lily to perfection. Not only will God bless His backslidden, fallen people, but He will make them a blessing to others. He will make the branches of Israel to spread, and: "They that dwell under His shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine." (Hosea 14:7) "The trees of the Lord are full of sap." (Psalm 104:16)
Planted by the river of the water of life, they bring forth their fruit in its season, their leaves do not fade, and whatsoever they do prospers. Their fruit is of God.
Consider these things, and be wise. Remember that great as are the promises of God, so great is the loss of those who reject them. "The ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein." (Hosea 14:9)
The very thing that enables some people to walk, causes others to stumble. It all depends on whether they are willing to stand in it, or are determined to ignore it. Whatever happens, the Lord's way is right. There can be no charge sustained against the One who makes such gracious invitations, and such glorious promises, which He is able also to perform. "Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." (Psalm 2:12)--Present Truth, June 22, 1899--Notes on the International Sunday-School Lessons--Hosea 14:1-9
E.J. Waggoner