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The prophet's entreaty to return to Jehovah: His readiness to meet His people
Hosea 6 calls forth a touching address from the prophet, in
which he entreats the people to return to Jehovah. Faith has always
this resource, because it sees the hand of God, its God, in the
chastisement, and can appeal to the mercy of a well-known God. In
verse 4 the Spirit expresses the lovingkindness of God towards His
rebellious children, and His readiness to meet the smallest movement
in their heart towards good. Therefore had God sent unto them the
testimony of the prophets — an extraordinary means, as we have
seen, for maintaining in grace the relationship of the people with
God, and that morally and in reality. In the heart and mind of God
it was not a question of outward forms; the moral relationship with
God had failed. He had raised up prophets, as a means of
relationship with Himself, to bring back the hearts of the
people. But, as Adam* did in the garden of Eden, they had broken
the covenant on which the enjoyment of the blessings God had heaped
upon them depended. They had acted treacherously towards
Him. Jehovah their God was ready to raise them up from their ruin;
but if He came in, His presence brought to light that iniquity which
formed a moral barrier to this restoration. Thereupon the heart of
the prophet overflows anew in lamentation over their iniquity. The
prophecy of Hosea is important in this respect, that it furnishes us
with the moral picture of the people whom God has judged, the
condition of this people which made the judgment inevitable. There
is nothing more affecting than this mixture, on God's part, of
reproaches, of lovingkindness, of appeal, of reference to happier
moments. But all was in vain. He must needs judge, and have recourse
to His sovereign grace, which would bring Israel back to repentance
and to Him. They encouraged the king and the princes in their wickedness. Already the fruit of Israel's iniquity was seen in the weakness of the people; strangers also devoured them; yet, for all this they did not return to Jehovah. If at times, under the sense of their misery, they howled upon their beds, they did not cry unto God. What a picture of man under the effect of sin, who will not turn to the Lord! |
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