Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
It is a call to unfaithful Israel, to Ephraim and Judah after falling into sin, to come back to the Lord. Being torn and smitten is His own chastening discipline, yet being healed and bound up is His promise to restore all who return, so that corrective judgment does not end in rejection. He wounds and afflicts to break the hold of sin and bring repentance, seeking the sinner not to destroy but to lead to pardon and spiritual healing in Jesus. That restoration comes when the wrongdoer surrenders meekly and humbly, confesses heartily without excusing self by the sins of others, and relies on divine strength, and this same reproof is sent to bring the church back in order to restore and approve it. It also portrays the last days when iniquity abounds through transgression of the law and breaking of the everlasting covenant, as men turn from God's government to seducing spirits and self-indulgence.
Call to Return
The call is to Israel, specifically to Ephraim and Judah, after unfaithfulness and falling into sin, urging those who have turned away from God to turn back to the Lord. It is an appeal to repent and seek the Lord amid selfishness and wrongdoing in His work. The tearing and smiting are the Lord's chastening and discipline, His wounding and striking, both inflicted by Him and allowed by Him.
The healing and binding up are His promise to heal, restore, and care for those who return to Him, so that affliction becomes a reason to seek Him and His corrective judgment does not end in rejection. Being torn and smitten is the scattering of God's people, when Israel was torn and smitten. Being healed and bound up is the gathering time, when He recovers the remnant and heals and binds up His people.
Wounding to Heal
God may wound and strike a person to bring him to repentance, and affliction itself becomes a reason to seek the Lord. His wounding and chastening are not to destroy but to heal and restore. He disciplines, yet His response to those who return is healing and care.
Those wounds are meant to break the enemy's hold and lead the sinner to the spiritual healing found in Jesus. Correction first identifies errors and shows what must be done to please Christ, and then He binds up. In this way discipline makes the need for conversion plain.
Restoration comes when the person comes meekly and humbly, surrenders, seeks pardon, and relies on God's strength. Then Jesus pardons sins and binds up the wounds caused by rebuke. He in mercy binds up even one who has been torn down and suffered, and makes peace with him. For such a sinner full conversion and surrender to God is the only hope.
The call to return is an appeal amid selfishness and wrongdoing in God's work to repent and seek the Lord. It calls one who has done wrong to heartfelt confession and a decision to seek salvation. That means humbling oneself under God's hand rather than making excuses by pointing to others' sins.
The Lord's reproof is meant to bring the church back to Him in order ultimately to restore and approve it. The Laodicean message serves this corrective purpose.
Warning for Last Days
Hosea 6:1 portrays the condition of the world just before the second coming, when the end of all things is at hand. Iniquity then abounds because men have transgressed the law and by continual transgression have broken the everlasting covenant, which was given on condition of obedience. It is a time when the world comes more and more under the sway of seducing spirits as men turn away from God and His righteous government. Even men professing godliness indulge their own traits of character, becoming self-indulgent and self-centered unless they are conscientiously under the control of God.
Those who trample upon God's law make human laws which they will force the people to accept. Men devise and counsel and plan together, saying that since the whole world keeps Sunday, the few in number who do not follow the world should do according to the laws of the land. They are blinded by error, taking their words from the lips of priests and human lawmakers. They suppose it does not matter if they do not keep the law of God instituted in Eden when the foundations of the earth were laid, the memorial then given to honor the living God who made the world in six days and sanctified and blessed the day of His rest.
It is a call to unfaithful Israel, to Ephraim and Judah after falling into sin, to come back to the Lord. Being torn and smitten is His own chastening discipline, yet being healed and bound up is His promise to restore all who return, so that corrective judgment does not end in rejection. He wounds and afflicts to break the hold of sin and bring repentance, seeking the sinner not to destroy but to lead to pardon and spiritual healing in Jesus. That restoration comes when the wrongdoer surrenders meekly and humbly, confesses heartily without excusing self by the sins of others, and relies on divine strength, and this same reproof is sent to bring the church back in order to restore and approve it. It also portrays the last days when iniquity abounds through transgression of the law and breaking of the everlasting covenant, as men turn from God's government to seducing spirits and self-indulgence.
Call to Return
The call is to Israel, specifically to Ephraim and Judah, after unfaithfulness and falling into sin, urging those who have turned away from God to turn back to the Lord. It is an appeal to repent and seek the Lord amid selfishness and wrongdoing in His work. The tearing and smiting are the Lord's chastening and discipline, His wounding and striking, both inflicted by Him and allowed by Him.
The healing and binding up are His promise to heal, restore, and care for those who return to Him, so that affliction becomes a reason to seek Him and His corrective judgment does not end in rejection. Being torn and smitten is the scattering of God's people, when Israel was torn and smitten. Being healed and bound up is the gathering time, when He recovers the remnant and heals and binds up His people.
Wounding to Heal
God may wound and strike a person to bring him to repentance, and affliction itself becomes a reason to seek the Lord. His wounding and chastening are not to destroy but to heal and restore. He disciplines, yet His response to those who return is healing and care.
Those wounds are meant to break the enemy's hold and lead the sinner to the spiritual healing found in Jesus. Correction first identifies errors and shows what must be done to please Christ, and then He binds up. In this way discipline makes the need for conversion plain.
Restoration comes when the person comes meekly and humbly, surrenders, seeks pardon, and relies on God's strength. Then Jesus pardons sins and binds up the wounds caused by rebuke. He in mercy binds up even one who has been torn down and suffered, and makes peace with him. For such a sinner full conversion and surrender to God is the only hope.
The call to return is an appeal amid selfishness and wrongdoing in God's work to repent and seek the Lord. It calls one who has done wrong to heartfelt confession and a decision to seek salvation. That means humbling oneself under God's hand rather than making excuses by pointing to others' sins.
The Lord's reproof is meant to bring the church back to Him in order ultimately to restore and approve it. The Laodicean message serves this corrective purpose.
Warning for Last Days
Hosea 6:1 portrays the condition of the world just before the second coming, when the end of all things is at hand. Iniquity then abounds because men have transgressed the law and by continual transgression have broken the everlasting covenant, which was given on condition of obedience. It is a time when the world comes more and more under the sway of seducing spirits as men turn away from God and His righteous government. Even men professing godliness indulge their own traits of character, becoming self-indulgent and self-centered unless they are conscientiously under the control of God.
Those who trample upon God's law make human laws which they will force the people to accept. Men devise and counsel and plan together, saying that since the whole world keeps Sunday, the few in number who do not follow the world should do according to the laws of the land. They are blinded by error, taking their words from the lips of priests and human lawmakers. They suppose it does not matter if they do not keep the law of God instituted in Eden when the foundations of the earth were laid, the memorial then given to honor the living God who made the world in six days and sanctified and blessed the day of His rest.