November 17, 2022 – Thursday
And Still More on Repentance
Hosea 14:1-3 NET
1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sin has been your downfall!
2 Return to the Lord and repent! Say to him: “Completely forgive our iniquity; accept our penitential prayer, that we may offer the praise of our lips as sacrificial bulls.
3 Assyria cannot save us; we will not ride warhorses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods,’ to what our own hands have made. For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel!”
Hosea 14:1-3 ESV
1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
2 Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips.
3 Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy.”
Comment
I started with the NIV and then the NASB and the KJV, but settled upon the NET (New English Translation) and the ESV as together they add depth to each other. Beyond this I simply recommend the book of Hosea to you as one of the unusual books in the Old Testament where God instructs one of His prophets, Hosea, to marry a prostitute or harlot, Gomer.
Hosea’s name means salvation, and in his book, Hosea will consistently show salvation is found only in turning to the Lord and away from sin. Gomer was representative of Israel as it had become totally unfaithful to God while enjoying all of His blessings. Gomer’s name signifies perfection, completion in a passive sense, and the fact that she had gone to the furthest length in prostitution (Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary).
It is through Hosea’s trials and tribulations with his wife Gomer that we are to see how God feels concerning Israel’s betrayal of His love for them. But as Hosea is directed to never give up on Gomer, God never gives up on Israel. Thus, we have in our verses for today first, 1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sin has been your downfall! This followed by 2 Return to the Lord and repent! Say to him: “Completely forgive our iniquity; accept our penitential prayer, that we may offer the praise of our lips as sacrificial bulls. The clarity here from the NET referencing repent is matched by the ESV when we remember return often equals repent, 1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity. 2 Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips.
One says Completely forgive our iniquity while the other says Take away all iniquity. In both instances forgiveness for all of their sins is requested. And what were the worst of their sins? First they had been turning to Assyria for help, but now both versions acknowledge Assyria cannot save them indicating Israel had not been turning to God as they should have done. The NET closes with We will never again say, ‘Our gods,’ to what our own hands have made. For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel! No more idol worship and it is only God who can save Israel through His compassion. The ESV closes with we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy. Also acknowledging a past of idol worship and with the sure knowledge only in God can the orphan Israel find mercy.
Bottom Line: We want and need mercy and forgiveness individually and it is only through Jesus that this is possible. God shows us through Hosea that mercy and forgiveness is always possible if only we will repent and turn to Him.
Prayer: Almighty God, Your mercy and compassion know no bounds. We are so grateful for what You show us of Your character in Hosea, Your desire to forgive if we will repent. Thank You. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton
in Beavercreek