Homilist Hosea 14:2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say to him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously… I. ITS NATURE AND METHOD INDICATED. 1. Its nature. "O Israel, return unto the Lord your God." The description contained in the first and third verses of this reformation implies three things — (1) That the soul is away from God. (2) The renunciation of all dependence upon creatures. "Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses." This means, we will not trust to Asshur — that is, Assyria — for help. (3) Utter abandonment of all idols. "Neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods. For in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy." 2. Its method. "Take with you words, and turn to the Lord." Why take words to God? (1) Not because words can inform Him of anything of which He is ignorant. (2) Not because words can induce Him to be more kind to us than He is. "Then will we offer the calves of our lips." And before Him pray. Pray for two things — (a) His forgiveness. "Take away all sin." (b) His acceptance. "Receive us graciously." II. ITS CAUSE AND BLESSEDNESS SPECIFIED. 1. Its cause — God. "I will heal their backsliding. I will love them freely. I will be as the dew." I will act upon the soul silently, penetratingly, revivifyingly — "as the dew." All true reformation brings with it God's silent but effective agency. 2. Its blessedness. (1) Health. "I will heal their backsliding." The soul is diseased. God is its great Physician. (2) Divine favour. "I will love them freely, for Mine anger is turned away from them."(3) Growth. "He shall grow as the lily."(a) The growth is connected with beauty. Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like it. (b) Its growth is connected with strength. "Cast forth his roots as Lebanon."(c) Its growth is connected with expansiveness. "His branches shall spread." How a Divinely formed soul expands. Its sympathies become world wide. (d) Its growth is connected with fragrance. "His beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon." How delectable the fragrance of a holy life! (e) Its growth is connected with social usefulness. It shall offer protection to men. "They that dwell under his shadow shall return." Not only protection, but beneficent progress: "They shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine." (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. |
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