NOTES for Hos 14:1-9

In the final chapter of the Book of Hosea, the prophet calls Israel to take the path of truth and turn to God.

The people of Israel broke their covenant with the Lord and began to worship Baal. The thirteen preceding chapters describe in detail the consequences of this departure from the path of truth. They contain condemnation of unrighteous kings who are not of David's line, of priests who have turned worship into a formal ceremony, of military leaders who place their hope in the help of pagan allies…

All this is the result of Israel having ‘fallen through its iniquity’. In these verses Hosea calls people to turn to God once more—and this turning should be followed by the renewal of the lost covenant, and ‘Israel will blossom like a lily and put down its roots’. But the return of God's favour will not be expressed in outward prosperity. We know that soon after this prophecy the Kingdom of Israel will be destroyed and the people will lose everything; yet at the same time ‘all iniquity will be taken away’, and they will say, ‘What more have I to do with idols?’

When we ask God to bring us back to the paths of righteousness, we ourselves do not understand what we are asking, because at times this path proves very difficult and painful. Yet is it not in suffering and need that the Lord most often reveals His face to us?