Call to Repentance (6:1–3)

Introduction

As we continue with our study of the Old Testament book of Hosea, you will remember last week that Hosea describes for us the sin of the leadership and its subsequent effect on the people of Israel. We left off with a grim view of the future for Israel, with God distancing himself from his people Israel until they, as he says in the last verse of chapter 5, acknowledge their guilt and seek my face. So what does this actually mean? This is a very grave situation as the armies of Assyria assemble to remove the 10 northern tribes from their homeland, and God, their only hope, has left them. What this means is that God’s judgment on sin is inevitable, however, there is one hope, and that, we will see this morning, is God’s Call to Repentance, in 6:1-3.

Text: Hosea 6:1-3

Hosea 6:1–3 ESV

1 “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. 3 Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

Main Idea: Since God is both merciful and Just, the path from his justice to his mercy is true repentance.

This song of repentance responds with the imagery of 5:11–14, but seems superficial in tone (v. 4).

Hosea 5:11–14 ESV

11 Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because he was determined to go after filth. 12 But I am like a moth to Ephraim, and like dry rot to the house of Judah. 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. 14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear and go away; I will carry off, and no one shall rescue.

I. Call to Repentance (1)

(1) “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

A. Call to Return (1a)

Come - to escort or lead, shows the involvement and necessity of godly leadership

let us return to the Lord.

let us. Now the prophet includes himself in his imagining of humble submission to the Almighty’s discipline. The OT prophets did not separate themselves from the plight of their people (Isa. 6:5; 53:4–6).

return. The prophet here is seeking to escort the people back to the one who has inflicted their pain. The call to return to the Lord is one of the central messages of the book (2:7; 3:5; 5:4, 15). True repentance and conversion bring reconciliation that includes healing of wounds (cf. Deut. 32:39).

Deuteronomy 32:39 ESV

39 “ ‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.

True repentance is at the core of true salvation. Without true repentance, there can be no true salvation. To turn from sin and turn to God is what brings salvation. This is expressed very well in Article 13 of the BFC Articles of Faith:

13-1 Repentance unto life is a gift of God and a voluntary act of man, accomplished by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. Repentance consists in a knowledge of sin, a sense of guilt and corruption that results in the confession and forsaking of sin and a turning to God that results in loving, obedient service.

Romans 2:4 ESV

4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Luke 24:47 ESV

47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

to the LORD - to Yahweh specifically.

Note carefully again that true repentance is not just sorrow for sin (or the consequences of sin), but is a complete reversal of direction from where you are heading presently, to where God is and what he wants you to do.

An example: Saul verses David

1 Samuel 15:30 ESV

30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.”

2 Samuel 12:13 ESV

13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

Psalm 51:3–4 ESV

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

B. Explanation of Why to Return (1b)

for (an explanation of why we should return) he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. - The uniqueness of this statement is that Hosea is asking them to turn and face the one who tore them and struck them down. In other words, it is only in Yahweh that healing is found. He is the one who has afflicted us, and he is the one who can heal us.

II. Result of Repentance (2)

(2) After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.

A. Certainty of God’s Restoration (2a)

Notice the he will’s in this part of the verse, he will revive us, and, he will raise us up - this is an absolute certainty of what will happen as a result of true repentance.

Note next the timing of God’s restoration, After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up...there are three interpretations of these phrases:

The first is the Jewish interpretation and goes something like this...the two days are 2 different slavery’s of Israel, in Egypt under Joseph, and the deportation of Israel to Babylon which was yet future at this time. Then the third day, would be when the Messiah comes to free them and restore their fortunes. This view however, has no biblical support that we can find.

The second is related to the Messiah, Jesus Christ’s death and burial, were the two days, and glorious resurrection on the third day. This is what we just celebrated and why we worship in Sunday, and so this view is very possible and has much biblical support.

However, the final view is that the prophet is talking about the two days being the judgment of God that will fall on sin, but that on the third day, God’s mercy will bring restoration and hope. It’s like saying the judgment and discipline of God will come, but hope in God even though he brings the judgment and discipline, because he will restore those who repent and turn back to him (the eternal God will shorten his judgment so that his repenting children do not despair). This seems to be the correct interpretation in light of the context given.

B. Access to God’s Presence (2b)

that we may live before him. - In the final analysis, true repentance brings restoration, peace with God, and delight in his presence!

This is no small thing, where people who are estranged to God, are now given access into his very presence. But there is something else here that is of vital importance…the phrase, live before him. denotes a life that is able, because of repentance and God’s restoration, to live pleasing to God and not incurring further judgment. This requires that we as those who have received God’s life giving power, be diligent in what we will learn next in the...

III. Purpose for Repentance (3)

(3) Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

A. Call to Know God (3a)

This idea of knowing the Lord is seen as the ultimate purpose in repentance. This then, is the remedy for their ignorance of God as was described in 4:6

Hosea 4:6 ESV

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

Let us know (perceive); let us press on (to hunt after) to know (what has been revealed from our hunt) the Lord; - we see here both the command to know the Lord and the effort that is needed on the part of those seeking him to make that happen.

B. Certainty of His Revelation (3b)

he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. - as the certainty of the coming of spring is revealed by the rains the provide necessary water to bring about growth for the earth, so is the certainty of God’s revelation of himself to his people who diligently seek him will be to refresh them with his life giving presence. As the prophet Jeremiah puts it:

Jeremiah 29:13 ESV

13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

So What?

Are you currently in sin and having trouble finding your way out? There is one remedy, true repentance.

Do you/we see that there are consequences to sin as God’s judgment and discipline are realized, however, do we also see that repentance eventually leads to restoration.

Are you pursuing to know God and seeking his filling and restoration?