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From chapters 4 though to 13, God through the prophet Hosea
laid the sins of Israel. However, God’s pleadings of
repentance, rebukes, and warnings of His judgment were
punctuated by promises of His love and restoration (11:4, 8;
13:9, 14).
Chapter 14 is another example of God’s hope for sinners.
Israel’s
repentance (14:1-3)
From Chapter 14, we see that while restoration is the
sovereign and gracious work of God, there can be no
restoration apart from true repentance.
A. The Necessity of Repentance
Repentance is the turning away from sin and turning to God
(1 Thess 1:9). True repentance is to cease from sinning and
to begin doing right. The Westminster Confession of Faith
says that repentance is
an evangelical grace
(Acts 11:18). But “it
is of such necessity to all sinners, that none may expect
pardon without it” (WCF, Chapter 15).
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Repentance is a prerequisite of restoration. Do you grieve
for your sins, turn from them, and turn to God?
B. The Nature of Repentance
In Hosea 6:1, the children of Israel made a similar call to
repentance, but the repentance was not real. True repentance
must have the following marks.
1. Awareness of Acts of Sin and Heart of Sinfulness
The children of Israel knew that they had sinned against
God. They had fallen by their iniquity (14:1). Sin is not
just making a mistake; sin is a deliberate act of defiance
against God and His laws.
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True repentance demands not only the recognition of the acts
of sins but also the heart of sinfulness. When you confess
your sins, recognise that you are a sinner.
2. Admission of Specific Sins
True repentance must include the admission of specific sins
(compare Nahum 3:1 and Jonah 3:7-8). The children of Israel
confessed three specific sins.
·
“Asshur shall not save us.” Israel trusted in her alliances
with Assyria and Egypt than in God.
·
“We will not ride upon horses.” This is a reference to their
military power. Israel trusted in their military strength
than in God.
·
“Neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye
are our gods.” This was the sin of idolatry. Israel was an
idolatrous nation.
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True repentance must involve our turning away specific
sins.
3. Appeal to God’s Grace
The children of Israel called on God to receive them
graciously. God forgives not because of the sinner’s merits.
Forgiveness is an act of God’s grace. God is the one in whom
“the fatherless findeth mercy” (14:3).
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True repentance is an appeal for forgiveness based
solely on the grace of God.
God’s restoration (14:4-8)
Israel’s confession is met by God’s compassion. In response
to their confession, God said that He would heal their
backsliding and love them freely.
·
God would heal their backsliding. God assumed the role of a
physician, and He would cure them of their waywardness so
that they would never wander from Him again (Mark 2:17).
·
God would love them freely. God assumed the role of a loving
husband who loved Israel. God loved Israel despite of what
they had done.
·
God would bless them. Sin had ruined Israel, but with
repentance comes God’s blessing of beauty (14:5a). Sin had
left Israel weakened and wounded, but with repentance comes
God’s blessing of strength (14:5b). Sin had left Israel
destitute, but with repentance comes God’s abundant
blessings (14:6-7).
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What sin has robbed from us in terms of our beauty,
strength, and fruitfulness, God will restore to us in
abundance through our Lord Jesus Christ, so that “we are
unto God a sweet savour of Christ” (2 Cor 2:14-15).
The last question
Without Christ – desolation, destruction, deprivation. With
Christ – beauty, strength, abundant blessings, fruitfulness.
Who is wise to understand these things? Hosea is not asking
for the man who understood perfectly what he said. Hosea is
also not saying that only men with certain level of
intelligence can know these things.
Hosea is making the point that the wise person who
understands these things also acts upon them. The wise
person who knows that “the ways of the LORD are right” also
orders his life accordingly.
The Gospel of Salvation is a double-edged sword. It
delivers the repentant sinner from the bondage of sin, but
it also judges the unrepentant sinner. Our Lord Jesus is the
rock of salvation and the rock of offence (1 Peter 2:7-8).
+ What is Christ to you? |
