Afterward, the people of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days. Sermons
I. THE OCCASION OF THIS RETURN. There is no note of exact time; but the reference is to "the latter days," to a period described as "afterward." Comparing this language with the context, we infer that this return to God should follow upon departure from God, and upon a bitter experience of the evil consequences of such forsaking. How often, as in the case of Israel, is it necessary that the sinner should learn that "the way of transgressors is hard"! Surely chastening, which is designed to produce a juster estimate of sin and a sincere desire for deliverance, is not to be resented, but rather received with humility, that it may lead to contrition, repentance, and amendment. II. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RETURN. Observe: 1. To whom should Israel return. To "the Lord their God," whom they had forsaken in order to worship the vain gods of the heathen, but who, nevertheless, had a claim upon them that none other had, and who never ceased to be their God. In this Israel represents mankind; whoever returns to the Lord, returns to his own, proper, rightful God. To "David their king," from whose dynasty they had revolted in the pride, self-sufficiency, and rebelliousness of their heart. David was representative of the theocracy, for he was "the Lord's anointed," and he was an emblem of him who was David's Son and David's Lord. So that whoever returns to the Lord by the gospel of Jesus Christ, returns unto David, whose "sure mercies" are ratified in the Divine Savior. 2. In what spirit Israel should return. They should "seek the Lord, and should fear" or approach with reverential devoutness the Lord and his goodness. The spirit thus described is a spirit of true earnestness, a spirit of lowly repentance, and a spirit of trembling confidence in that "goodness" upon which alone a contrite sinner can rely, and upon which he can never rely in vain. - T.
And shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days. There are three points here peculiarly worthy of our notice. The designation which is given to the Gospel dispensation — the "goodness of the Lord." The first stage of its development — "in the latter days." The peculiar effect which this development was to produce on the feelings and passions of men — "They shall fear the Lord." The Gospel dispensation is in itself the essence, the consummation, the perfection of excellence. It deserves that appellation because it is the supreme gift, the supreme evidence, and the supreme instrument of Divine love. Goodness generally excites admiration and gratitude and obedience, but here it is said that the exhibition of goodness produces fear. In the first establishment of the Christian dispensation there was everything calculated to produce fear. The astonishing fall of the Jews. A most splendid exhibition of Divine power. Expectation that the end of the world was at hand. The general principle which we consider is — that the goodness of God in the Gospel is calculated to produce fear. Why?I. BECAUSE THIS GOODNESS THROWS FRESH LIGHT ON THE TERRORS OF SIN. Fear, philosophically defined, is this, a painful sensation produced by the apprehension of imminent danger, and that danger may be the loss of present enjoyment, the fear of future disappointment, or the infliction of positive injury. But this is not the fear of our text. There is in it a holy, reverential, and even pleasing awe, produced in the mind by the sight of those visions which the goodness of God in the Gospels unfolds to the mind. When Divine light pierces the darkness of the soul, the mind sees its guilt, feels its pollution, apprehends its terrific and awful doom. I much question whether any man has ever been converted without, first of all, feeling the sensation of fear. It is impossible for any man to be impressed with the depravity of his own mind unless he is impressed with the excellence of the Gospel. II. BY THE EXHIBITION OF THE GOODNESS OF THE GOSPEL WE SEE THE TERRORS OF SIN IN THE WORLD. Who is the man that detects, mourns over, and attempts by God's help to remove the sin that is in the world? Surely it is the man who has received this light. Let us be alive to the real state of things in the world. III. THE GOODNESS OF GOD IN THE GOSPEL PRODUCES FEAR BECAUSE IT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY ACT OF JEHOVAH, AND ARISES FROM ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY. If our salvation were in our own hands why should we fear? If we had a power superior to any power hostile to our salvation, why should we fear? Or if our salvation depended upon the absolute justice of God — if God could not have been just without saving us, why should we fear? But the fact is that God saves us purely and exclusively because He wishes to do it. The very perfections of the Deity qualify Him to act as a sovereign. He acts from His own spontaneousness. God might not have exercised any sovereignty in the way of mercy. The sovereignty of God does real and positive good. But while it does this good, it leaves the sinner just where he was. There is a real exercise of the sovereignty in the salvation of man. Let us fear, then, because our responsibility is awfully augmented. Our gratitude to God ought to correspond to the character of the blessings which we have received. And our exertions for the good of others ought to correspond to the value of the blessings that we enjoy. (Caleb Morris.) (E. B. Pusey, D. D.) 1. Because of the glory of Christ their King. They shall behold their King in glory that shall cause fear. 2. Because of the great works of God that shall then take place. 3. Because the holiness and purity of the worship of God and of His ordinances shall cause fear. 4. Because the holiness of the saints, appearing brightly in their very faces and conversations, shall Strike great fear. Surely when the saints shall be exalted in their holiness, when every one of them shall have their souls filled with God, it will cause abundance of fear in the hearts of all those who shall even converse with them. But the wicked shall fear too, as well as the saints. "Men's hearts shall fail them for fear," shall be verified in these days, as it was in the destruction of Jerusalem. The saints shall fear the Lord and His goodness. The goodness of God which in that day they shall fear, shall be this —(1) That ever He should regard such a wretched people as this, and pardon all their sins.(2) Because God shall then make the difference between him that feareth God, and him that feareth Him not. Then shall God take away all the reproach of His saints. (Jeremiah Burroughs.) 1. Albeit that Israel as a nation hath been, and yet is, rejected and lost, yet they will certainly return to God. This we should long and pray for.2. As true repentance and conversion will appear in men's being sensible of their great distance from God, and in their seeking to make up this distance, so all this is a sweet and blessed fruit of affliction. 3. The covenant standeth still to be forthcoming for apostates, when they repent and turn to God, renouncing false ways and worship. 4. There is no right seeking of God, nor finding Him, or the comforts of the Covenant, but through Christ, whom converted Israel shall acknowledge and embrace. 5. The conversion will appear in its constancy and perseverance, and particularly in the converts entertaining a holy fear and awe of God. 6. As God is always good to His own people, whatever they may think to the contrary, so much of His goodness will be manifested in the time of that life from the dead, when all Israel shall be saved. 7. The goodness of God will not make a true convert presumptuous, but will be unto him matter of reverence and holy fear and trembling. 8. Albeit Israel be long in gathering and converting, yet we are firmly to believe that, before time end, it will certainly come to pass; for all this shall be in the latter days. (George Hutcheson.) "Not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance."I. THERE IS MUCH THAT MEN DO NOT KNOW. II. ONE THING THAT MEN DO NOT KNOW IS THE GOODNESS OF GOD. Goodness is a comprehensive term. God saw creation, and pronounced it "good." Goodness includes beneficence, forbearance, patience. It may be likened to a rich flowing river, or to the sun shedding light and warmth all around. But goodness is not the thing that most strikes men in God. But it should be. It may be seen everywhere. 1. Trace it in Scripture story. Life of Jacob. Tale of the wanderings. Time of captivity. Life of Jesus. 2. See it in gracious providences. Winter snows. Summer storms. Autumn harvests. 3. See it in individual experiences. If we read the story of our lives aright, we shall be able to trace everywhere upon us the "good hand of our God for good." But is this man's chief thought of God? Is it not rather the Gospel which has to be declared? Is not this the surprising, melting, persuading Gospel, whose chief rays fall from Christ crucified? III. IF MEN DID BUT KNOW THE GOODNESS OF GOD THEY WOULD FEEL THE HOLY FEAR AND HEAR THE CALL TO REPENTANCE. Men either find a sort of excuse in persisting that God is a God of wrath and judgment, or they presume on His goodness, and say that He will take no notice of sin. Spite of this, the mightiest of all moral forces is goodness. It is mother's power. It is Christ's power. It melts, draws, wins. But it is goodness not in the abstract. It is goodness brought home to us. "Who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Goodness says, "Repent." Is that hard? Nay, it is but the first step on the way to trust, love, and life eternal. God's new goodness seems to freshen the sense of His lifelong goodness, and of His saving goodness, until the cords of God seem to be all about us, and it becomes evident that He is graciously leading us to Himself. (Robert Tuck, B. A.). People David, Hosea, IsraelitesPlaces JezreelTopics Afterward, Afterwards, Blessings, David, Fear, Goodness, Hastened, Israelites, Latter, Mercies, Return, Search, Seek, Sons, Sought, Trembling, TurnOutline 1. The Lord's intended future kindness to Israel, not withstanding their wickedness, 2. illustrated by the emblem of Hosea's conduct toward his adulterous wife. 4. The desolation of Israel before their restoration. Dictionary of Bible Themes Hosea 3:5 4921 day 6636 drawing near to God Library Whether Devils have FaithWhether Devils Have Faith We proceed to the second article thus: 1. It seems that devils do not have faith. For Augustine says that "faith depends on the will of those who believe" {De Praed. Sanct. 5). Now the will whereby one wills to believe in God is good. But there is no deliberate good will in devils. Hence it seems that devils do not have faith. 2. Again, faith is a gift of grace, according to Eph. 2:8: "For by grace ye are saved through faith . . . it is the gift of God." Now the gloss on … Aquinas—Nature and Grace The Millennium in Relation to Israel. The Night of Miracles on the Lake of Gennesaret The Shaking of the Heavens and the Earth The Progress of the Gospel In the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius Cæsar and under the Pontificate of Annas and Caiaphas - a Voice in the Wilderness Redemption for Man Lost to be Sought in Christ. Hosea Links Hosea 3:5 NIVHosea 3:5 NLT Hosea 3:5 ESV Hosea 3:5 NASB Hosea 3:5 KJV Hosea 3:5 Bible Apps Hosea 3:5 Parallel Hosea 3:5 Biblia Paralela Hosea 3:5 Chinese Bible Hosea 3:5 French Bible Hosea 3:5 German Bible Hosea 3:5 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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