HOSEA 14 DATE: Sunday, February 21, 2021 ​ INTRODUCTION: LEE DAVIS If you have your Bible, I’d like to encourage you to turn to Hosea chapter 14. Today we’re going to be finishing our study in the book of Hosea. The last four months have been an amazing journey of learning haven’t they?! I know I’ve learned a lot, and I’m sure that you have as well. In fact, at the end of today’s sermon we’re going to have a time for you to share about how God has used this book to work and move in your hearts. We are all looking forward to hearing from you during that time. Before we begin, I’d like to ask a question, “What makes good news, really good?” What is it about receiving pleasant information that makes it really good? Good news is often considered good, when it comes after a time of great struggle and difficulty. On May 8, 1945, after a long 6 year battle with Nazi Germamy, Sir Winston Churchill announced the unconditional surrender of the Nazi’s to the Allied Forces. After six years of one of the darkest times in human history, the good news of the Nazi’s surrender brought the world to great celebration. The second World War was OVER! Cities like London and New York had millions of people flooding the streets in celebration over the end of this horrific war. The celebration was great because the struggle was great. If the allied forces had a simple disagreement with Germany and Japan, the world wouldn’t have celebrated like they did. It was the greatness of the struggle that caused the world to celebrate. After 13 chapters of judgement. After 13 chapters of difficulty. After 13 chapters of intense back and forth with the Israelites, Hosea chapter 14 is truly good news. For decades, Hosea has been painstakingly sharing the prophetic word to the Israelites, and for years they have continued to rebel against God. Well, when things are at their lowest for the Israelites, Hosea concludes his prophecy with some beautiful words in Chapter 14. TEXT: LEE DAVIS 14 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your ​ 2 iniquity. T​ ake 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.” 4 I​ will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned 5 from them. I​ will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall ​ 6 take root like the trees of Lebanon; h​ is shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be ​ 7 like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. T​ hey shall return and dwell beneath ​ my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their 8 fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. O​ Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? ​ It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; from me 9 comes your fruit. W​ hoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is ​ discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. PRAYER: LEE DAVIS POINT 1: A CALL TO REPENTANCE. 14:1-3. MIKE LITTLE In verse 1 Hosea tells Israel to return to God and in the following verses He essentially tells them how to do it. First Hosea says to Israel to return to the LORD your God for you have stumbled. The word “stumbled” (kāšal) appears several times in Hosea. One reference is Hosea 5:5 (ESV) “5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; Israel and Ephraim shall stumble in his guilt; Judah also shall stumble with them.”.~~ The term stumble is used to describe the result of their immoral behavior. The upper class and their leaders in their pride have led Israel to follow the false gods and brought them to their ruin. In the next two verses Hosea tells Israel three things to do to start reconciling to Yahweh. First in verse 2 Israel asks for forgiveness, “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.” ~ “Take with you words” could be a couple of different things. It could be that Hosea is simply telling Israel to say these words. But Hosea was probably suggesting that Israel make a vow or offer a prayer. Their vow or prayer was that God would forgive them of their iniquity and accept their prayers and praise and not reject them because of their sin. We see an example of this in Jeremiah 31:7 (ESV) 7 For thus says the LORD: “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.”. ~~ The remnant of Israel has repented of their sin and seek forgiveness from God. Hosea goes on to say that Israel will “pay with bulls the vows of our lips.”. Israel will fulfill their vow or prayer of repentance through good deeds as defined by the covenant. The phrase “fruit of lips” is in Hebrews 13:15 (ESV) “15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”. ~~ The bull was the best animal that Israel could offer for a sacrifice. Israel is not just saying words. They were sincere in their repentance. Kimchi described this by saying, “He does not require of you on your return to him silver or gold or offering, which the Israelites lavished at great expense on their idols, but good works with which ye are to confess your iniquities.”. God desired their best sincere praise, worship and devotion to Him. Secondly, Hosea suggested that Israel renounce the false gods. In verse 3 Hosea makes three brief statements that confesses Israel’s failure in keeping the covenant and that Yahweh alone has the power to save them. He alone provides salvation. The first statement is “3 Assyria shall not save us;”. In the book of Hosea, he references Assyria twice, in chapters 5 and 8. Let’s read Hosea 5:13 (ESV) “13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria, and sent to the great king. But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound.”~~ The sickness and the wounds are metaphors for the political trouble in which both nations found themselves. Israel and Judah sought help from Assyria, but Assyria cannot help them. Israel and Judah were unfaithful by seeking help from a foreign power. By not seeking Yahweh, they committed apostasy. It is hopeless to seek human help to save what is God’s. Now in chapter 14, Israel confesses that Assyria could not help them solve their political or international problems. Israel renounces their foreign alliances. The second statement is, “we will not ride on horses;”~ Israel trusted in its military. Israel probably got its horses from Egypt. This breaks one of their rules found in Deuteronomy 17:16 (ESV) “16 Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.”.~~ There were rules that applied to the king. It was forbidden for the king to acquire many horses, or great wealth in silver and gold. The priests kept these rules available for the king for reference. The king was not to acquire horses because it could create a friendly relationship with Egypt. This law would keep Israel from going back to Egypt and their ways. The third statement is “and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands.”. Last week in studying verse 2 of chapter 13 we learned that Israel had skilled craftsmen. They “made for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver.”.~~ Israel now confesses their idolatry and their unfaithfulness to Yahweh. Finally, Hosea says “In you the orphan finds mercy.”~~ The people of Israel have become orphans. The shrines to Baal and their priest, their kings, and the military have been destroyed. Israel will turn to their true father, Yahweh. When they turn to Yahweh with the proper heart, God will show them mercy and restore their covenant relationship. Application In these first three verses Hosea describes what we should do when we have turned from God. We start by asking for forgiveness and confess our sin. In repentance we turn from our sin and allow God in His mercy to restore our relationship with Him. It does not matter how far you have drifted from God. You can always return to God. The enemy wants you to think that you can sin more than God’s grace allows. You will never drift beyond God’s reach. Whatever your sin, God’s grace is more. Now Jason is going teach us about forgiveness.