The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 447

"return." Of tho~e addressed by Hosra, some had once .joined in Jehovah's worship, but he.rl forsaken 1t, while others had been taken as children to the alte.rs of irlols. These two cle.sses 11.re represented still. 'fhere are those who have never known Goo• to them he ie no more than the emperor of a distant land might be, the ruler of others: one to bo heard and read of, but nothing more. There are also those whose hearts were once tender, who were nominally on the side of the Church, to whom the Lord say.~, "I have somewhat against thee, bece.use thou hast left thy first love." Apply the tex~ to each. 2. A condition if moral degrad,ation. "Fallen." (1) Godlessneu ia itself am, inward degradation. The godless man has "fallen" below what he mi<>ht have been 0 as a ruler of himself and a worshipper of God. He has fallen from th e Jikenese and from the favour of God. (2) It leads eo moral degradation; so that ultimately conrage, purity, and reverence in the outward life disappear. "Iniquity," i.e. an inward tendency to evil, does for the character what the Rea does for the cliff, undermining it secretly, till unexpectedly it falls. 3. A C<Y/1,dition of self-detreructiveneJJS. "Thine iniquity." Not Adam's transgression, not thy father's neglect or evil example, not the associations of life, but" thine own iniquity," ruins thee. Therefore, with a sense of weaknes.,i and guilt, let us return to the Lord, saying, "I have sinned against Heaven," etc.; "God be merciful to me a sinner." II. THE 0HABACTEBIBTIOS 0I' ms BETUBN. 1. Sincerity, or thorough'MBIJ. The Pharisees were condemned for want of it. All are rejected of whom God can say, "This people <lraweth nigh unto me with their mouth; . . . but their heart is far from me." The Hebrew signifies,_" Return right up to thy God." You are not to stop at self-reformation or at sentimental feeling, but to return "right up to" God, and stand face to face with him. To be nearly saved is to be altogether lost. 2. Confession. "Take with you words." Words are cheap enough. It is well that no costly sacrifice is required, but only "words," which the poorest and most illiterate can utter. Words are worthless in themselves, but they have true value when they come from an honest and good heart. If a child who has done wrong is shut up alone to think over his fault, he knows that all he hts to say is, "I'm sorry." It is easy enough to say the words; yet he sits there, pro'ud and defiant, until better thoughts come to him; and when at last he falters out" I'm sorry," it is enough to win him reconciliation. The " words " are nothing, but they mean much, for they involve self-conquest and humili- ation. That is the meaning of the exhortation to the penitent. "Take with you words." 3. Entreaty. (1) " Take away all iniquity." This implies that only God can do so. The prayer involves much. We want not only the conscionsness of sin or the punishment of sin romoved, but the "iniquity" itself taken away. The true penitent does not say, "Take away the sins that disgrace me, but spare those by which I make money," or, "Destroy my lusts, but let ambition and pride remain." Popular sins, pet sins, as well as vile sins, are included in the words, "Take away all iniquity." (2) "And receive us graciously;" literally, "receive good." The "good" we offer God comes from himself, so that we must say of all right desire and true thought and Christian service," Of thine own have we given thee." He can only cast out evil by pouring in good. He leaves no heart empty, but gives the new love to keep out, as well as to cast out, the old. Yet even the good he gives is so affected by our imperfec- tions that, casting ourselves upon his condescension and mercy, we need to pray, "Receive good." 4. Resolve: (1) To have done with the old sins. "Asshur shall not save us," etc. This is an abjuration of Israel's three sins: (a) trust in man (A.sshur); (b) trust in self (horses, equivalent to military power); (c) trust in idols. These have their modern counterparts, when we trust (a) in the influence of others to get us on in life; (b) in our physical or intellectual power; (c) ill our wealth and position, instead of in God. (2) To offer perpetual thanksgiving. " So will we render the calves of our lips." The meaning of the phrase is-when we have received pardon and conquest of sin," we will praise thee with joyful lips." What more noble than praise, such as the redeemed render! what more natural, when we remember the goodness of God I what more helpful to others than the songs which of old caused the glory of God to fill the house of the Lord I " It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord," etc. III. THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO ms OBEDIENCE. 1. It is found in the fatherliness oj God. Ver. 3: "For in thee the fatherless findeth mercy." He is "thy God," to whom thou owest obedience; who has girded thee, though thou hast not known hin1; U0SE.l. 2G  THE llO,)K OF HOSEA. [cu. XIV. 1-9,