Book of Hosea Chapter 14 Vs. 4

A Plea to Return to the Lord

 

I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. Hos. 14:4

I will heal... Apostasy, Backsliding is listening to the lust of our own flesh. We are in a battle of the flesh against the spirit. To walk before God in a pleasing way and be satisfied with our own walk, we must put the flesh under the rule of the spirit.

רָפָה רָפָא

râphâ' râphâh

raw-faw', raw-faw'

A primitive root; properly to mend (by stitching), that is, (figuratively) to cure: - cure, (cause to) heal, physician, repair, X thoroughly, make whole.

The term backslider in heart was a term so often used by the prophets and is here used in such a way as to clarify who is a backslider. He belongs in the category of the fool, the wicked, and the disobedient and he is contrasted with the godly wise. It is a word that the prophets used of apostate unbelievers. (Proverbs 14:14).

מְשֻׁבָה מְשׁוּבָה

m^eshûbâh meshûbâh

mesh-oo-baw', mesh-oo-baw'

From H7725; apostasy: - backsliding, turning away.

I will love... This speaks of God, who has accepted their repentance, and set them in right standing with Himself. It is God's mercy and grace that saves them. God will cause them to love Him. They will no longer be tempted to backslide. They will rest in God, this again during the Millennial period.

Eph. 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:" "Not of works, lest any man should boast."

2Cor. 5:21 "For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

אָהֵב אָהַב

'âhab 'âhêb

aw-hab', aw-habe'

A primitive root; to have affection for (sexually or otherwise): - (be-) love (-d, -ly, -r), like, friend.

אַף

'aph

af

From H599; properly the nose or nostril; hence the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire: - anger (-gry), + before, countenance, face, + forbearing, forehead, + [long-] suffering, nose, nostril, snout, X worthy, wrath.

שׁוּב

shûb

shoob

A primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbially again: - ([break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep]) X again, (cause to) answer (+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call [to mind], carry again (back), cease, X certainly, come again (back) X consider, + continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back, fetch home again, X fro, get [oneself] (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home), [go] out, hinder, let, [see] more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), X repent, requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, + say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, X surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.

A promise of restoration

In the day of Israel’s repentance the Lord will turn from His anger and demonstrate His love by healing her (cf. Hos. 6:1). At that time the Lord’s blessing will return to Israel during the tribulation of days.