O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
O Israel is called to come back to the Lord as their own God because they have fallen by their own wrongdoing, yet He still stands ready to help them. To return is to turn away from sin in thorough repentance, changing principles and actions and self-chosen ways and coming back with the whole heart in renewed faithfulness. It is to come with words of confession asking Him to take away all iniquity and receive what is good, renouncing trust in foreign powers and human strength and in handmade gods, and trusting instead in the mercy in which the helpless find mercy. Their ruin came upon them through rejecting divine love and mercy and reaping the fruit of their own choices, not by God directly striking them but by His protection being withdrawn when mercy was persistently refused. When they do return He meets them not with judgment but with desire to restore, promising to heal backsliding, love freely, turn away anger, pity the returning one, and remember transgression no more.
Call to Return
O Israel is summoned to come back to the Lord as their own God, because their own iniquity has brought them down, yet God remains their help. The summons reaches even those who regard themselves as superior to their brethren. It is a plain, decided message, a solemn protest against evil that pleads with transgressors to turn back and gives opportunity to repent. It points to God as the source of help and to His righteousness as the strength of His people.
Returning means turning from sin in reformatory repentance, changing principles and actions and self-chosen ways, repenting of a wrong course, and coming back with the whole heart in renewed faithfulness. It means seeking mercy and salvation with humble confession, coming with words and asking God to take away all iniquity and receive graciously what is good. It means rendering praise as the calves of the lips and heeding reproof to correct the course. It means renouncing trust in military and foreign powers, in Asshur and horses and all human power, leaving divided interests behind. It means no longer calling handmade gods and idols gods, and trusting instead the mercy in which the fatherless find mercy.
Fall by Iniquity
Israel fell and was destroyed by its own iniquity, brought down by its own doing rather than by an arbitrary act from above. By stubbornly rejecting divine love and mercy the people brought ruin upon themselves, forfeited protection, and reaped the consequences of their own choices. Their suffering was not God directly executing punishment upon them. When mercy was persistently refused His protection and restraint were withdrawn, leaving them exposed to the power of Satan.
The same principle reaches beyond Israel to the wicked generally, who by a life of sin place themselves in discord with God and in a condition of corruption so that His glory consumes them. In this way the verse sets forth self-destruction through sin as a warning to all who resist divine grace.
Mercy Promised Today
God meets the returning one not with judgment but with desire to restore and bless, promising to heal backsliding, to love freely, and to turn away anger. The call to return because iniquity has brought down is therefore joined to confession and asking for mercy, with pity for the one who returns, with the divine face turned toward him, and with transgressions remembered no more. Restoration is pictured as becoming as dew to Israel, with growth as the lily, with roots struck deep as Lebanon, and with branches spreading forth. It is further pictured as beauty like the olive tree, as revival under His shadow like corn and like the vine, with separation from idols and with all true fruit found from Him. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just walk in them while transgressors fall therein.
The blessings of the chapter are conditional upon repentance, they are present truth with present-day application, and they call those who know the truth to close ranks. There is still hope for the fruitless professed believer who is a cumberer of the ground, because in great mercy God has not cut him down but calls him today to return. He does not look coldly upon such a one nor leave him to destruction, but pities him, heals his backsliding, and loves him freely. The verse applies to one who has turned from God and backslidden, urging a humble new start with all the heart. That new start leaves divided interests behind and returns to faithful service.
O Israel is called to come back to the Lord as their own God because they have fallen by their own wrongdoing, yet He still stands ready to help them. To return is to turn away from sin in thorough repentance, changing principles and actions and self-chosen ways and coming back with the whole heart in renewed faithfulness. It is to come with words of confession asking Him to take away all iniquity and receive what is good, renouncing trust in foreign powers and human strength and in handmade gods, and trusting instead in the mercy in which the helpless find mercy. Their ruin came upon them through rejecting divine love and mercy and reaping the fruit of their own choices, not by God directly striking them but by His protection being withdrawn when mercy was persistently refused. When they do return He meets them not with judgment but with desire to restore, promising to heal backsliding, love freely, turn away anger, pity the returning one, and remember transgression no more.
Call to Return
O Israel is summoned to come back to the Lord as their own God, because their own iniquity has brought them down, yet God remains their help. The summons reaches even those who regard themselves as superior to their brethren. It is a plain, decided message, a solemn protest against evil that pleads with transgressors to turn back and gives opportunity to repent. It points to God as the source of help and to His righteousness as the strength of His people.
Returning means turning from sin in reformatory repentance, changing principles and actions and self-chosen ways, repenting of a wrong course, and coming back with the whole heart in renewed faithfulness. It means seeking mercy and salvation with humble confession, coming with words and asking God to take away all iniquity and receive graciously what is good. It means rendering praise as the calves of the lips and heeding reproof to correct the course. It means renouncing trust in military and foreign powers, in Asshur and horses and all human power, leaving divided interests behind. It means no longer calling handmade gods and idols gods, and trusting instead the mercy in which the fatherless find mercy.
Fall by Iniquity
Israel fell and was destroyed by its own iniquity, brought down by its own doing rather than by an arbitrary act from above. By stubbornly rejecting divine love and mercy the people brought ruin upon themselves, forfeited protection, and reaped the consequences of their own choices. Their suffering was not God directly executing punishment upon them. When mercy was persistently refused His protection and restraint were withdrawn, leaving them exposed to the power of Satan.
The same principle reaches beyond Israel to the wicked generally, who by a life of sin place themselves in discord with God and in a condition of corruption so that His glory consumes them. In this way the verse sets forth self-destruction through sin as a warning to all who resist divine grace.
Mercy Promised Today
God meets the returning one not with judgment but with desire to restore and bless, promising to heal backsliding, to love freely, and to turn away anger. The call to return because iniquity has brought down is therefore joined to confession and asking for mercy, with pity for the one who returns, with the divine face turned toward him, and with transgressions remembered no more. Restoration is pictured as becoming as dew to Israel, with growth as the lily, with roots struck deep as Lebanon, and with branches spreading forth. It is further pictured as beauty like the olive tree, as revival under His shadow like corn and like the vine, with separation from idols and with all true fruit found from Him. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just walk in them while transgressors fall therein.
The blessings of the chapter are conditional upon repentance, they are present truth with present-day application, and they call those who know the truth to close ranks. There is still hope for the fruitless professed believer who is a cumberer of the ground, because in great mercy God has not cut him down but calls him today to return. He does not look coldly upon such a one nor leave him to destruction, but pities him, heals his backsliding, and loves him freely. The verse applies to one who has turned from God and backslidden, urging a humble new start with all the heart. That new start leaves divided interests behind and returns to faithful service.