TAKE WORDS WITH YOU

Passage: Hosea 14:1-9

Key verse: 2

NIV

Repentance to Bring Blessing

14 [a]Return,(A) Israel, to the Lord your God.
    Your sins(B) have been your downfall!(C)
2 Take words with you
    and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
    “Forgive(D) all our sins
and receive us graciously,(E)
    that we may offer the fruit of our lips.[b](F)
3 Assyria cannot save us;(G)
    we will not mount warhorses.(H)
We will never again say ‘Our gods’(I)
    to what our own hands have made,(J)
    for in you the fatherless(K) find compassion.”

4 “I will heal(L) their waywardness(M)
    and love them freely,(N)
    for my anger has turned away(O) from them.
5 I will be like the dew(P) to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.(Q)
Like a cedar of Lebanon(R)
    he will send down his roots;(S)
6     his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,(T)
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.(U)
7 People will dwell again in his shade;(V)
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom(W) like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine(X) of Lebanon.(Y)
8 Ephraim, what more have I[c] to do with idols?(Z)
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;(AA)
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

9 Who is wise?(AB) Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.(AC)
The ways of the Lord are right;(AD)
    the righteous walk(AE) in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.

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Footnotes
  1. Hosea 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10.
  2. Hosea 14:2 Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
  3. Hosea 14:8 Or Hebrew; Septuagint What more has Ephraim
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

A Plea to Return to the Lord

14 (A)Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
    for (B)you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
2 Take with you words
    and return to the Lord;
say to him,
    “Take away all iniquity;
accept (C)what is good,
    and we will pay with bulls
    (D)the vows[a] of our lips.
3 (E)Assyria shall not save us;
    (F)we will not ride on horses;
and (G)we will say no more, ‘Our God,’
    to the work of our hands.
(H)In you the orphan finds mercy.”

4 I (I)will heal their apostasy;
    (J)I will love them freely,
    for my anger has turned from them.
5 (K)I will be like the dew to Israel;
    (L)he shall blossom like the lily;
    he shall take root like the trees (M)of Lebanon;
6 his shoots shall spread out;
    his beauty shall be (N)like the olive,
    and his fragrance like Lebanon.
7 They shall return and (O)dwell beneath my[b] shadow;
    they shall flourish like the grain;
they shall blossom like the vine;
    their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

8 O (P)Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?
    It is I who answer and look after you.[c]
I am like an evergreen cypress;
    (Q)from me comes your fruit.

9 (R)Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
    whoever is discerning, let him know them;
for the ways of the Lord are right,
    and (S)the upright walk in them,
    (T)but transgressors stumble in them.

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Footnotes
  1. Hosea 14:2 Septuagint, Syriac pay the fruit
  2. Hosea 14:7 Hebrew his
  3. Hosea 14:8 Hebrew him
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Hosea’s final words to Israel were to return to God. Their return would begin with deep repentance and devotion to bear fruit as they confess their faith in God. Hosea instructs them how to pray. He teaches them the words they are supposed to say and tells them to take those words with them. Some may say God knows our hearts, and we do not need to say anything. But we may not know what is in our hearts unless we say those words. Paul also encourages believers to confess their faith with words (Ro 10:9).

The loving God was ready to take them under his wings and let them flourish and blossom (7). Now, what they needed was not worldly wisdom and discerning international tactics but to know the way of the Lord (9). They had to humble themselves before the Lord, pray as instructed before God and be covered by his mercy.

Have you gone away from God? Do you feel weary and lost? Take the words with you. Pray to your loving God, who has been waiting for you. Ask him to forgive your sins and receive you back. His grace is much greater than your inequities.

Prayer: Father, I repent seeking peace and comfort from other places. I come to you. Please forgive my sins and receive me graciously. Guide me to offer you proper worship with the fruit of the spirit.

One Word: Repent and return