Repentance and Recovery (Hosea 14)

The Israelites in the time of Hosea had departed from God and instead had looked to three alternatives for security: the false gods of the surrounding peoples, their own military strength, and the external political power of Assyria. They had engaged in a policy that may have been in line with what many people would have regarded as common sense – after all, was it not wise to have the most powerful empire in the world at that time as your shield? Also, having as many gods as possible would be regarded as useful. And many would say that it is good to be self-confident, to build up one’s own strengths.

Yet from Hosea’s point of view, their response was sinful because they had done all this instead of trusting in the Lord. They did not see the disconnect between needing both false gods and human helpers. If the false gods were real, they would not have needed Assyrian help. Their sin was revealed in what they found security in. The outcome was that they had fallen, stumbled, and had no one to help them.

Call to repent (Hos. 14:1-2)

Hosea gives a call to the people in the name of the Lord. The call required both actions and words by them. Repentance for them meant to turn round and leave the wrong path they were on. It also meant for them to realise that they had to come face to face with the God they had left previously and then speak to him about their sins (v. 2). There had to be a conversation, and in this conversation the penitent Israelites are to speak first before God would respond. Their words were to contain three features which God wanted to hear from them.

First, the people were to ask for the removal of all iniquity from them. The word translated as ‘take away’ means to lift, as someone would lift a heavy burden of another person. This request would be a confession of their complete inability, that they themselves could not deal with the huge problem that burdened them, which was the presence and power of their sins.

Moreover, it was a thorough removal that they had to engage in. They were not to have in mind a little change here, or a little change there. It was not a case of pulling up their socks; rather they needed everything changed in their hearts. Removal of inward sins as well as outward sins are in their comprehensive request for divine help. Such a request indicated that the penitent person now hated his sins and the effect they had had in his life.

Second, the people were to ask God to accept what is here called good. The good thing is found in them. They are not describing what is perfect, but that which is right. What is in mind here is the kind of heart they now have. What makes their state good is their desire for immediate change, their desire for a personal turnaround, their desire to begin to live in a manner pleasing to their God. Remember it is not them that is saying it is good, but Hosea, the one calling them to repent of their sins. Hosea knows that to possess heartfelt repentance is a good thing to have because it indicates that the Lord has been working within them.

Third, the people were to dedicate themselves to God. At that time, the way to do this was to offer a burnt offering to the Lord. In this offering, all of the sacrifice was consecrated to God. Yet it was not enough to offer a costly sacrifice because there had to be words of consecration as well. The point here is that the confession had to be public in some way. We can imagine a person coming with a costly sacrifice and doing it all to draw attention to himself in a prominent way. In contrast to that kind of response, there had to be words of confession of sin.

Having heard those three steps from the prophet, the next question would be, ‘What did they say to God?’ Verse 3 details what they said, and we can consider their common statement briefly.

Words of repentance (Hos. 14:3)

We can see that they now no longer wanted to rely on Assyria. Assyria itself had not changed, but their attitude towards Assyria had. The deliverance they desired was not that which such a powerful nation could give them. Moreover, they stated that they no longer depended on their own abilities, stated here in their reference to ride on horses, which means building an army of their own. After all, it was possible to refuse Assyrian help and depend on their own resources instead. True, their resources would not be as effective as the help provided by Assyria, but perhaps it would be suggested that the people should get together and try and have an army. National pride was at stake as well as personal contribution.

In addition, they stated that they would no longer participate in idolatrous practices. We know that idolatry had been a problem for a long time in Israel despite the ludicrous nature of idolatry. Imagine worshipping something you had made with your own tools, but that is what every idolater has done. Perhaps the attractiveness of idolatry was that it looked good, although judging by the idols found by archaeologists there was nothing beautiful about what the people worshipped. More importantly, the idols were powerless to help them as far as deliverance was concerned.

Words of repentance don’t have to be a big speech. In fact, in our verse the heart of the matter is stated in six words: ‘In you the orphan finds mercy.’ It may be that the penitents were using an example of God’s goodness to a literal orphan as a reason for expecting divine help. The gracious God helps the needy, and that is wonderfully true. But it could also be the case that each penitent felt like an orphan because his sinful lifestyle was evidence that he was outside the family of God.

It is an amazing thing to know that the Lord is full of mercy. He delights in pardoning sinners who repent of their sins. Jesus spoke about the prodigal son who was embraced by his father and used that story as an illustration of the way God responds to penitent people. As one preacher said, it is the only time in the Bible that God is seen to be in a hurry, as the father of the prodigal runs along the road to welcome his son back into the family fold. Or we can use the words of Isaiah 55:7 as a guide for our personal repentance: ‘let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.’

Restoration (14:4-7)

When a penitent turns to God, that person enters into a life of blessing. In the verses we are looking at, the main emphasis is on national repentance. But corporate repentance is a collection of individuals repenting of their sins. In his description of the divine response several illustrations stressing the generous amounts of divine grace are used. There are references to flowers like the lily, to trees such as the cedars and olives, and to harvests of grain.

First, in verse 4, God says that he will provide spiritual health for the penitents. The disease from which they needed to be cured was that of departing from him. There had been a collapse in the love relationship when they had backslid from the Lord. The remedy that the heavenly Doctor had in mind was to outpour his love upon them. They would no longer be under his chastisement, experiencing his anger. Instead they would discover the richness of his love.

Second, in verse 5, the Lord promises refreshment and rapid recovery. It is easy to see that dew points to refreshment, and the point may be that God works in a silent manner with people. After all, who hears the dew coming down on the earth? Also the dew in Israel brings instant growth. Apparently lilies grow at a fast rate in Israel, appearing overnight if there has been a lot of dew. How long does it take a restored backslider to resume showing the presence of life? Should not the love of such a person be strong? And love is a sign of growth.

Why does the penitent grow so well? The reason, says Hosea, is that at the same time that he is growing rapidly like a lily he has deep roots like those of a cedar. How strong in the natural world are the roots of a cedar? It is a sad state to be in if in the spiritual life there is more to the visible that others can see than there is to the invisible that only God can see. That was the problem of the person in the parable of the sower who had lots of joy but then gave up because of persecution and troubles. It was merely an external religion that that individual had.

Third, there will be a constancy about such a person in his spiritual life (v. 6). The beauty of the olive tree is that it is an evergreen tree. It is the same colour all the year. Is that not what a Christian should be? He is never perfect, but he is holy, and there are recognisable features that leave a fragrant aroma wherever he goes. The atmosphere that remains after seeing such a person is that of graciousness.  

Fourth, spiritual prosperity comes from spending time with God (v. 7). God gives a beautiful picture through Hosea of Christian fellowship when referring to God’s shadow. There are several references to the shadow of God in the psalms. God is likened to a tall rock that provides shade from the heat of the sun or he is likened to a mother bird whose wings provide shelter and safety for her chicks. Psalm 91:1-2 describe such a position – ‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”’ It is a place where great assurance is found. And Hosea goes on to describe the spiritual prosperity that will take place when he likens the future state of the penitents to them having abundant grain and healthy vines. Such will be the degree of restoration that those penitents receive that they will become renowned for their spirituality. Think of Jacob, David and Peter, and millions of others down the centuries who have experienced the restoring grace of God.

Divine plea (v. 8)

A question that arises concerns the intensity of the divine desire for such repentance to take place. In verse 8, God gives a plea through the prophet Hosea which is similar to the plea that Paul made to the backsliding Corinthians that they should be reconciled with God. In 1 Corinthians, there is a series of issues that separated the Corinthians from their God even as there was in Israel in Hosea’s time.

In doing so, the Lord describes himself very clearly by suitable exhortations. He points out that the Israelites should not assume that he is like the idols, that both he and they can be given space by the Israelites. The Israelites must be dedicated to him alone. They should be like that because he hears their cry and helps them, two things that all the idols cannot do. Moreover, he is consistent, like an evergreen, immovable tree. He can be depended on to provide them with satisfying providences that result in spiritual fruit. It is astonishing to listen in to the words of the living God, words that are marked by pathos and intense desire for them to be fruitful believers.

Reflection (v. 9)

The final verse of the chapter is perhaps a comment on what is described previously in the book concerning how the Lord dealt with his backsliding people, or maybe it is the application of the final prophetic message of Hosea. From one point of view it does not matter which option is chosen because the effect will be the same if those addressed respond in the right way. The verse is a call for wisdom to be shown by those aware of the Lord’s dealings with sinners.

What is the conclusion? There are two responses to the ways given by God and his instructions concerning them. A person who desires divine blessing will walk in them but those who disobey the Lord will stumble because they do not love the ways of the Lord. Those who are upright know what to do with their sins. They repent of them and then experience the restoring grace of God. Those who transgress keep on stumbling because no light comes to them from God. Recall what Jesus said about following him: ‘Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’ (John 8:12).