If We Turn To Him

Hosea Continued...

Scripture:
Hosea 6 (ESV)

“Come, let us return to the Lord;
    for he has torn us, that he may heal us;
    he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us;
    on the third day he will raise us up,
    that we may live before him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
    his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
    as the spring rains that water the earth.”

What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?

    What shall I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud,
    like the dew that goes early away.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets;
    I have slain them by the words of my mouth,
    and my judgment goes forth as the light.
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

But like Adam they transgressed the covenant;
    there they dealt faithlessly with me.
Gilead is a city of evildoers,
    tracked with blood.
As robbers lie in wait for a man,
    so the priests band together;
they murder on the way to Shechem;
    they commit villainy.

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing;
    Ephraim's whoredom is there; Israel is defiled.

For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed.

When I restore the fortunes of my people,

Devotional:

A fallen people sent into exile.  They had forsaken the Lord and strayed.  God’s judgement would come, and the people of Israel would suffer the consequences of their actions and rejections.  We too have rejected God and His teachings.  Judgement will come.  Romans 14:11 “for it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’”  Hosea 6 begins with “Come let us return to the Lord…”  We too can return to the Lord.  God will heal His people.  The beginning of the chapter refers to healing and restoration.  “…on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.”

Jesus died for our transgressions; judgement has been given.  We are guilty.  Romans also states that all have sinned, the wages of sin is death.  We have sin in our lives.  We will see death.  There is one hope.  Hosea 6 shares with us that there is healing, and a way will be provided.  Jesus came and He died.  But on the third day he arose from the dead bringing with Him new life.  Jesus took on our judgement.  If we turn to Him we will be saved.