Hosea 14:2, commentary and pictures

Hosea 14:2 is a prophetic call to idolatrous Israel, fallen by iniquity, to return to the Lord their God. To take words and turn means to come with spoken, honest, humble and contrite confession that realizes transgression of God's law, rather than trusting in outward religious duties done as mere form, asking Him to take away all sin and receive with favor, and to offer spoken praise and thanks in return for His grace. That return renounces every false trust and worship, no longer looking to Assyria, to horses, or to the work of hands as gods, but trusting in Him in whom the fatherless find mercy. To such confession God answers that He pities, heals backsliding, receives graciously, loves freely and pardons abundantly, restoring with refreshing grace, growth and fruitfulness as dew, lily, Lebanon, olive, corn and vine, apart from idols. The call still shows the way back for backsliders whose devotion has abated through worldliness and transgression, to seek cleansing through the blood of Christ and to return in reformatory repentance issuing in willing obedience and wholehearted service.

Call to Return

The call is a prophetic protest against evil and a plea for right doing, addressed to idolatrous Israel fallen by iniquity, bidding them return to the Lord their God. It was one of many opportunities to repent held out to transgressors in the midst of that protest.

Taking words and turning means coming to the Lord with spoken words of confession and repentance. Those words are to be honest, humble and contrite, with realization of transgression of God's law, rather than reliance on outward religious duties performed as a mere form. The prescribed words to say ask Him to take away all iniquity and sin and to receive the people graciously and with favor, accepting what is good. The same prayer asks Him to remove iniquity and to receive graciously those who turn from their own chosen ways and seek His help.

Rendering the calves of the lips means offering to God spoken praise and thanks with the lips in response to His grace. They are calves or offerings of the lips given when iniquity is removed and gracious acceptance is granted.

That return renounces all false trust and worship, declaring that Assyria shall not save, that they will not ride upon horses, and that they will no more say to the work of their hands that they are their gods. It rejects human and military protection and handmade gods and every other source of security, trusting instead the Lord in whom the fatherless find mercy.

Healing and Application

To such confession God answers with pity, healing backsliding, receiving graciously, loving freely and pardoning abundantly, no longer holding sins against those who return. He restores with refreshing grace and growth and fruitfulness as dew to Israel, with growth as the lily, roots as Lebanon, beauty as the olive tree, and revival as the corn and the vine. That restoration brings separation from idols with fruit found from God, for the ways of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but transgressors shall fall therein. The healing and renewed life flow from love given freely to those who turn and seek mercy.

The chapter holds promises of blessing to Israel on condition of repentance, and though written in times past it has a present-day application. That application reaches those who have failed to bear fruit, calling backslidden ones to return to the Lord and seek His mercy with the promise that He will heal, love freely, and renew growth and fruitfulness. It is a direct call to those who look upon themselves as superior to their brethren and have fallen by iniquity to return to the Lord their God.

The verse shows the way back for backsliders whose interest and devotion have abated because they have left truth and righteousness, followed the world, transgressed His law, and failed to keep their thoughts pure, clean and holy. Such ones have failed to show the fragrant spiritual influence of those who love God and keep His commandments, yet they may still recover from the snare of the enemy. Their spiritual perception is to be revived and refined by divine grace to see that they have not honored God as His law requires, realizing their transgression. They are to be cleansed from every stain of impurity in thought, word and deed, showing repentance toward God and Jesus Christ.

The call to take words and return is an invitation to seek forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Christ, which removes impurity and defilement. God is merciful and ready to forgive and heal those who turn from their own chosen ways and seek His help, when with humble words they confess iniquity and ask Him to receive them graciously. This plea belongs to a call for reformatory repentance and changed actions. Returning to God in this way leads to willing obedience and wholehearted service, not a reluctant or divided commitment, rather than relying on outward religious duties performed as a mere form.