The Pulpit Commentary — Hosea — Section 459

naturo of the sun to shine, eo it iM the nature of God to love. ,J udgmen t iH his strange work, but love is the proper exncise of his being. 'fhe gospel is the manifestation of love. Salvation is the triumph of love. God rejoicu more over one Jost sheep brought back to him than over the ninety and nine that went not astray. He sheds l,iH love abroad in his people's heart (Rom. v. 6). 3. Heal, tMir 'backsliding. "I will heal their backsliding." He heals the wounds made by sin (cf. eh. vi. 1), both the spiritual wounds, and the wounds resulting from temporal chastisements. He revokea the curse. He restores prosperity. He gives compensations for past sorrow. Often when wounds are healed, the scar remains. Even the sinner, though repentant, is not in this life relieved from all the consequences of his transgressions. He has to s1Jffer both in soul and body for past indulgence in vice. But when God heals Israel, no scar remains. And all scars will be removed in l,ternity. lI. 'l'HE DEW 'l'O ISRAEL. (Ver. 5.) God will be as the dew to Israel. 1. He him,,- self will be as the dew. It is not merely his blessing which he gives; it is hi1DBelf. He comes in his Spirit. He came first in the Son; and, now that Christ has ucended, he comes in the Holy Ghost. 2. The dew is copious. It was so in the East even more tban it is with us. It fay thick and soaking on the herbage. Every tree, every twig, every leaflet, every blade of grass, every flower, received its abundant portion. Thns is it with grace. The Spirit will be poured out in the latter days yet more plentifully. 3. Tha dew is a source of manifo7,d blessing. (1) It refreshes; (2) it revives; (3) it promotes growth; (4) it beautifies; (5) it increases fragrance. So God's Spirit is a reviving, refreshing, fructifying, beautifying, and sanctifying power in the soul. It gladdens, comforts, enriches, gives sweetness and fragrance to the character. 4. This dew is nol, like Israel', goodness, evanescent. It does not pass away (cf. eh. vi. 4). It is not merely a thing of the dawn. Or, rather, it is ever morning with the soul to which this dew is given. It flourishes in perpetual youth. III. LIFE AND FRUIT. (Vers. 5-7.) These figures from the vegetable world are used to fill out the different aspects of the prosperity which God would bestow on Israel. All are emblems of life, and fitly symbolize the life of grace. The features represented are: 1. LiJ1y-lilce purity and beauty. "He shall grow as the lily." The lily ia white, pure, delicate, fragile. It symbolizes innocence, purity, spiritual beauty.·•• Grace bestows a rare sweetness and refinement. Nothing is more fair than a pure souL 2. Cedar-like strength. "His roots as Lebanon." The lily, though graceful, has a. weak root. But God would have his people " rooted and groun,led" in faith and love-not easily shaken or removed (1 Cor. xv. 58; Eph. iii. 17; CoL i. 23). The cedar is a.n emblem, not merely of strength, but of stateliness (majesty), immovability, uprightness. 3. Spreading magnificence. " His branches shall spread." Depth of root leads to wide- spreading branches. The life of grace has breadth and expansiveness as well as depth and growth upwards. 4. Olive-likejreshnus. "His beauty shall be as the olive tree." "Like a green olive tree in the house of God" (Ps. Iii. 8; cf. Ps. xcii. 14). Fre~h, unfading, evergreen, fruit-bearing. 5. Widely diffwed fragrance. "His smell as Lebanon." Character has its aroma. Cf. what Christ says of Mary of Bethany (Matt. xxvi. 13); what Paul says of Epaphroditus (Phil. iv. 18). The renown of good deeds flows forth like spices. 6. Fruitfulness. "They that dwell nnder his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as. the viue; the scent [glory] ther~of shall be as the wine of Lebanon." Corn and wine are symbols of the highest material blessings--of plenty, comfort, nourishment, invigoration, joy. The soul INJssesi;ed by grace is at once fed with bread of heaven, and becomes itself a fruit-producer. In holy deeds, in useful service, in efforts for the advancement of the kingdom of God, in ~ho cherishing of noble and God-like affections, it yields both corn and wine. IV. EPHRAIM AND Goo. (Ver. 8.) 1. God's goodness co11firm1 Ephraim in his renunciation of idols. "Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols?• This time the goodness is not abused. It does not make Ephraim haughty. It does not lead him to foruet God. Ho no longer attributes his prosperity to Baal. Tau:;ht by experience, he lo~es God more the more God bestows on him .. 2~ Ephruim's renew_ed uows are observed by God. "I have heard him, and observed him. God takes notice of every stacre of our advance in grace. He takes pleasure in our progress, 1n our renewed vo:S, in our deepenin1: consecration. 3. Ephraim, as tl,s result of his renewed uow,, bBeome, yet murejruitful. "I am like a green fir [cypress] 'tee. From me 1s thy  THE BOOK OF HOSl!:A.