1Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God.
Your sins have been your downfall!
2Take words with you
and return to the LORD.
Say to him:
“Forgive all our sins
and receive us graciously,
that we may offer the fruit of our lips.
3Assyria cannot save us;
we will not mount war-horses.
We will never again say ‘Our gods’
to what our own hands have made,
for in you the fatherless find compassion.”
4“I will heal their waywardness
and love them freely,
for my anger has turned away from them.
5I will be like the dew to Israel;
he will blossom like a lily.
Like a cedar of Lebanon
he will send down his roots;
6his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,
his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.
7Men will dwell again in his shade.
He will flourish like the grain.
He will blossom like a vine,
and his fame will be like the wine from Lebanon.
8O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?
I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a green pine tree;
your fruitfulness comes from me.”
9Who is wise? He will realize these things.
Who is discerning? He will understand them.
The ways of the LORD are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.
Original Meaning
THE FINAL SECTION of this part of Hosea’s lawsuit offers hope to Israel, just as the final sections of the earlier parts of the lawsuit did (5:15–6:6; 11:1–11). Although God will now judge his sinful people and send them into exile, this does not eliminate the possibility of restoration. People can choose to confess their failures and repent of their sins, and God can choose to forgive people’s sins. Each generation and individual must choose between the way of rebellion and death or repentance and life. God offers these choices here to his people.
The structure of this message is: a call to repentance (14:1–3), God’s promise of restoration (14:4–8), and an exhortation to choose wisely (14:9). The final exhortation in 14:9 seems to be a postscript, added at the time when Hosea’s sermons were published in written form; it is not an integral part of this oral message.
The date and setting for this sermon is unknown. It was probably given sometime late in the reign of Hoshea but before the fall of Israel in 722/721 B.C.1 At this time the people will finally realize that Assyria cannot save them and that their worship of man-made gods is of no help (14:3). Hosea is not offering a last-minute reprieve from Assyrian defeat but hope after the fall of the nation. God still has plans for those who faithfully serve him and do not trust in the idols of other nations. We do not know how the audience responded to this final word of hope.
A Call to Repentance (14:1–3)
THE FINAL WORDS from the Lord are not hopeless ideas of death and disaster. God wants to give life and blessing to his people, but this will only be possible if the problem of sin is dealt with and removed. Parallel to the model prayer of confession and commitment to God in 6:1–3, Hosea again exhorts his listeners to “repent, turn, or return” (šwb) from “your sins” to God. Sin has brought the “downfall” (lit., “stumbling,” as in 4:5; 5:5; 14:9) of the nation. Once they take the step of turning to God instead of sinning, they will be able to speak to him about the choice they have made. Although it is an argument from silence, it seems significant that Hosea asks only for a change of the heart’s relationship to God, not some act of sacrifice.
The people’s prayer to God (14:2b–3) should involve confession of sins, rejection of past deceptive faith, and recognition of hope based on the character of God. This simple but profound prayer asks for forgiveness, then openly and honestly admits the failures that broke fellowship with God. The first step in renewing any relationship is a humble admission of one’s mistakes.
The prayer goes on to ask God to “accept the good” (not NASB, NIV, “receive us graciously”).2 This phrase is connected to the last line in the verse, for it gives the basis for the subsequent words of praise and worship. Hosea is not suggesting that the people’s “good works” will earn them the right to worship God in the future. Instead, the repentant person is requesting God to accept the “good thing” they are doing, namely, their prayer to return to him. They are conveying to God their utter dependence on his response to their prayers and are not presumptuously assuming his grace. They are accepting responsibility to present a true and good confession before they will be able to praise God from a heart of joy.
The people’s rejection of past deceptive sources of faith and hope is an integral part of any authentic act of repentance (14:3a). The two main areas of sin were the nation’s failures to trust in God for political guidance and protection and the worship of pagan gods. Now that they have turned to God, there is no longer any need to look to Assyria or Egypt for political survival.
In the final analysis, political alliances cannot save people, provide true independence, or bring prosperity. Foreign nations are fickle and undependable, the military strength of kings rises and wanes, and such associations require payment of heavy taxes. There is a better way. Having turned to their covenant God, the people now vow to trust in his power, not war-horses, to control political affairs. God’s power is made complete through human weakness. His name is glorified when he brings the victory.
A second vow renounces all relationships with other gods (14:3b). It is absurd to think any man-made object can actually be a god. It is a pagan deception to suppose that Baal or any other idol can help anyone. This revival will cause the people to confess that Yahweh, the God of Israel, is their God.
The reason why the people will make these vows is that they will finally come to know and experience the character of their God (14:3c). They will acknowledge that he is supremely motivated by his compassionate love for people. Equally important is the remembrance that God’s compassion (Ex. 34:6; Lev. 26:42–45; Deut. 4:31; Neh. 9; Ps. 68:5; Hos. 3:5; 6:1–3; 11:8–11) extends to the weak, the lowly, and the powerless. This brings great comfort to those praying, for they know there is no hope except in God’s deep love for helpless, undeserving people.
God’s Promise of Restoration (14:4–8)
THE TEXT DOES not indicate if anyone actually prayed Hosea’s model prayer of confession in 14:1–3, but Hosea clearly reveals how God will respond when people do turn to him and worship only him: He will heal their sinful waywardness3 (14:4), since they do not seem to be able to resist the temptation to turn away from God. This suggests that people are weak and unable to do what they want or should do (see Rom. 7). It also may imply that sinning is not just a simple act of the will, but that past choices influence the pattern of later choices.
Under such negative forces, people need a miraculous act of God’s healing grace to enable them to respond to his gifts of restoration. This is nothing less than his marvelous love offered freely, voluntarily, and spontaneously. This love is unearned; it is a free expression of divine commitment and deep emotional care for undeserving people. God’s past anger will “turn” away from his people because he will heal and remove their sins.
Once the problem of sin is dealt with, God will bless his people (Hos. 14:5–7; see 2:16–23). He is pictured as the dew that brings life-giving moisture to the plant life in Israel in the dry summer months. This divine life will transform the people. They will look like a beautiful blossoming lily and be as enduring as the towering cedars of Lebanon (or the lilies of Lebanon).4 The Israelties will be like a plant with deep roots so that they cannot be easily destroyed.
The splendorous looks and fragrant smell of the nation will be like a luxurious olive tree in full bloom, even the large olive trees in Lebanon.5 The fruitfulness of the nation is also compared to a bountiful grain field, a blossoming grapevine, and the famous wine from Lebanon (Hos. 14:7). These are all pictures of God’s rich blessing on the nation. Instead of bringing drought and death, God will lovingly give his returning people the covenant blessings he promised long ago (cf. Jer. 33:13; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13–14).
An additional promise of people living “in his/its shade” (Hos. 14:7a) is unclear.6 Does this refer to God’s shade, Israel’s shade, or the shade of the olive tree in 14:6?7 Since Israel is the olive tree in verse 6, this must refer to the return of people to live again in the land.8 The fruitfulness of the land will make it an attractive place. God’s rich blessings will abundantly support a great multitude of people.
This paragraph ends with a contrast between God and the fertility gods of Baalism (14:8). God is the One who produces fertility through his blessing of the earth (see 2:16–23). He proclaims, “I am like a green pine tree; your fruitfulness comes from me.” God takes for himself the right, the responsibility, and the joy of giving his people everything they need. The people see his good, perfect, and abundant gifts and cement their relationship with him alone.
God will no longer need to talk about the deceptiveness of idol worship because at this time the nation will serve God, and he will bless them. The whole idea of consulting idols will be a thing of past history. As Hosea predicted in 2:21, he again promises that God will respond to his people by caring for (lit., “watching over”) them. God will not be far away or inattentive to the people he loves so dearly. Since the word “watch over him” sounds like the word “Assyria,” T. McComiskey sees a second implied message that God will watch over them, not Assyria.9
Exhortation to Choose Wisely (14:9)
THIS FINAL ADMONITION was added to Hosea’s collection of sermons to encourage every reader to be wise and respond to God’s words appropriately. Just because it refers to wisdom and discernment does not mean it was written by someone from a wisdom school rather than the prophet.
The first half of verse 9 uses questions, while the second half has a series of statements. The exhortation is to not follow the path of Israel and act unwisely. The danger is that people will read what Hosea has said and not understand it, miss the subtle nuances of his bold analogies, or be offended by his metaphors. The reader must not let the difficulty of his poetry, the theology of judgment for sins, or the hopeful passages close his or her mind to the message of this book.
Although misinterpretation is always a danger, a more common problem is to understand the words but be unmoved by their meaning. Hosea exhorts the wise person to realize and fully comprehend the implications and significance of what God has revealed. Internalizing the truth of God’s Word is one of the wisest things anyone can do. People must be open to the convicting power of the Spirit and be constantly asking how Hosea’s words apply to their lives.
Some readers may have had a question about the necessity of paying attention to what Hosea has said. Those people need to remember three basic principles. What the Lord says is just and “right.” If you want to be considered an upright or “righteous” person in God’s eyes, you must follow what he has said. If, however, you reject what God has said or refuse to apply his Word, you will “stumble” and be ruined. You cannot rebelliously reject God’s way and be righteous. You cannot be wise and continue to refuse to submit to God’s will.
Bridging Contexts
THE ACT OF REPENTANCE. Both Old and New Testament proclaim that the only way to come to God is through repentance for sin. The problem of sin must be dealt with and the curse of sin be removed if a person wants to have a relationship with God. Repentance precedes forgiveness, conversion, restoration, and regeneration into a new person.10 Repentance involves a “turning to” God and “turning away” from sin (14:1–2). It results in God’s “turning away” his anger (14:4) and his people’s “turning” to enjoy God’s blessings once again (14:7).
Repentance is an act of the heart and voice. It involves a decision to respond to God’s call to turn to him (14:1) and to trust him completely (14:3). Once the heart decision has been made, people need to open a personal relationship with God by confessing their sin and humbly asking for forgiveness (14:2). The confession should also express the new direction of life. This will involve a vow not to have a relationship of dependence or trust in human power or any other deceptive substitutes for God (14:3a). Trust will be based on the compassionate love of God (14:3b), which has overcome the power of sin through atonement.
John the Baptist preached repentance as a prerequisite for entering the kingdom of God and associated this with confession of sins (Matt. 3:2, 6). After repentance it was expected that people would be baptized and produce good fruit (3:6–10). Jesus connects repentance to faith (Mark 1:15) and shows that it leads to forgiveness (Luke 17:4). Paul knew that repentance involved a total change of direction for he preached that people “should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20). He warns the Romans that those who have stubborn and unrepentant hearts will have to face God’s wrath on the Day of Judgment (Rom. 2:4–5). John’s letters to the seven churches demonstrate they will suffer God’s judgment if they do not turn from their sins and repent (Rev. 2:5, 16, 22; 3:3, 19).
In all these cases repentance is the fundamental act that signals the person’s intention to change thinking and behavior. It involves rejecting the deceptive and selfish interpretation of what is meaningful and appropriate and accepting a God-centered perspective.
God’s love makes repentance possible. In spite of the human tendency to sin and not to follow God’s way, God freely chooses to love sinful people (Hos. 14:4; see Rom. 5:8). His love impacts people in several ways. It extends a call to the unrepentant, invites them to turn to him (Hos. 14:1), and accepts the good choices of those who respond to that call (14:2). God’s compassion for those who are weak and helpless motivates them to trust in him rather than their own human abilities or the power of other stronger people (14:3).
God’s love for those who repent changes not only them but also the environment they live in. The presence of God’s blessings and removal of his curse demonstrate his love (14:5–6). He can change anger to love, drought to fertility, death to growth, desolation to flourishing abundance (14:6–7). All this happens when God responds in love to those who reject sin and any other gods (14:8).
If one puts together all the promises of God’s love in Hosea 1:9–2:1; 2:14–23; 11:9–11; and 14:6–8, a fantastic picture of a new world arises. At the end of time God will bring in his kingdom and renew his relationship with his people. This world will change, and in its place will be a new paradise on earth. God’s original plan for humanity will be accomplished through his great acts of love. In spite of sinful rebellion in this present world, God still is committed to transform it through his love.
The way of wisdom. The final verse encourages the reader of Hosea to understand what God has said in these messages of judgment and hope. The prophet exhorts us to respond wisely to God’s offer of love and his call for repentance (14:9). If we refuse to internalize these words and continue in our sinful rebellion, we will stumble and suffer under God’s judgment. But if we wisely accept God’s offer of repentance and walk in his ways, we will enjoy the blessings of his love. God is just and his ways are right, so it is best to submit and follow him. Only a fool chooses to reject God’s way and scoffs at his justice.
The book of Proverbs gives an expanded discussion of the way of the wise person and the fool. It would be inappropriate to imply all of that discussion into what Hosea is saying in these verses. Although Hosea probably knew about Solomon’s proverbs, those texts had not yet been collected into the Hebrew canon. But a prophet does not have to be a member of a wisdom school or well versed in wisdom literature to know that it is wise to repent and follow God. Hosea is simply saying: Read what God has revealed to you and understand the choices he offers. Make a wise decision based on his character and take into consideration his past and future dealings with humankind.
Contemporary Significance
SHOULD WE PREACH REPENTANCE? Genuine repentance is not bringing a gift in order to bribe or appease God, nor is it a feeling of sorrow or shame about getting caught for doing something wrong. It is not making a deceptive speech about turning over a new leaf when a complete change of priorities and loyalties is not planned. It is genuinely turning from a life of sin to serve the living and true God. True repentance is an essential part of God’s plan to change this world and bring in his kingdom.
Why, then, are there so few sermons on repentance? It is impossible to generalize and explain why individual pastors shy away from this touchy topic, but we should answer that question for ourselves. How often was this topic the central theme in sermons in the past year? If it seldom appears, it is worth taking the time to ask why. Perhaps certain cultural factors discourage people from making repentance a central issue.
(1) Repentance often gets a bad press because it was used in the past to beat people over the head. Too often these negative attacks pronounced people guilty when they were actually trying to live in obedience to God. Preachers with this message were presenting the bad news of the gospel instead of the good news. A constant reminder of failures makes people think they are unworthy and hopeless, that God does not love them. Who wants to be told you are no good?
(2) The present cultural acceptance of pluralism means that people can “do their own thing” and everyone is supposed to accept them. This approach rejects any acts and attitudes as inherently sinful and rejected by God. In this kind of context people do not want others telling them what to do. Bigots and intolerant people are sinners, not those who are tolerant. Moreover, if people do have problems, they tend to exonerate themselves by blaming parents, schools, prejudice, or some other convenient scapegoat, like Adam in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3). People do not want to take responsibility for their choices and reject the message that they are sinners who need to change.
(3) Modern culture makes light of sin. It is not seen as prostitution, as rebellion against God, as something God hates. When so many politicians and business people lie, cheat, and get involved in improper relationships, such behavior becomes acceptable. To preach a strong message of repentance goes against this cultural downplaying of sin. It is more acceptable to label sin as an unwise or inopportune act, not as something God hates. Or perhaps we can plead innocence on the basis of a misunderstanding in communication. If, then, there is no sin, repentance is unnecessary.
The people in Hosea’s time were just as averse to admitting their wrongs as people today, and they did not enjoy hearing negative messages that defined their activities as sin. Nevertheless, Hosea faithfully gave people the choice of judgment for sin or hope through repentance. Preaching repentance is necessary since there is no other way to begin a relationship with God. Repentance is not just a negative theme of rejecting or “turning from”; it also has a positive theme of “turning toward.” If the abundance, joy, and hope of Hosea’s presentation of repentance are contrasted with the hopelessness of the status quo, suddenly repentance becomes a positive change that has appeal. If God calls people to repent and follow him, then repentance must be preached today. It is his way of entering a relationship with people.
The sufficiency of God. Part of the reason why people do not want to repent and follow God is that they think that they can do a better job of directing their lives than God. They are self-sufficient, self-directed, self-motivated, and self-assured. They can handle the problems of life in the future and do not need to depend on God. They have their own man-made ways of coping with life’s problems and can call on their friends to get things done (cf. Hos. 14:3). Because they can handle things quite well themselves, God is replaced.
These people have usually not faced situations beyond their control. They blindly maintain their deceptive worldview as long as it lasts. Hosea indicates people must turn from themselves and their self-made world and find their sufficiency in God. He has sufficient power to destroy sinners and sufficient love to forgive those who repent. He has compassion to help those in need, to heal those who have rejected him, and to love those who do not deserve his forgiveness (14:3–4). God alone can turn death into life, a dry field into a flourishing garden of olives and grain. Only his powerful love is sufficient to change people and this world.
What is the best choice? Hosea’s final words exhort his readers to make the best choice by walking in God’s ways (14:9)—a choice based on a wise understanding of all the facts God has revealed. A discerning mind can distinguish among a bad choice, a choice with pluses and minuses, and a good choice. The last is the best option because it is supported by God himself. Since his character directs his actions, one can be assured that God’s ways are just. Since God rejects sin and honors holiness, choosing to be one of his disciples presents limitations on human behavior. Nevertheless, these are the good choices of the righteous person.
This challenge raises questions about the choices we make. How wise are we? Do we understand the issues? Are we well acquainted with what God has said so that we can include his way in the decision-making process? Do we carefully discern the strengths and consequences of each choice available? Do we believe God’s way is always the best? Do we realize the results of rebelling against him? May God give us the wisdom and courage to follow him.