Hosea 14: As Israel is healed, so also the church

1: Return Israel to Yehoweh your God. You tottered because of your punishment.

2: Take up words with you and return to Yehoweh and say to Him, “Lift away all our punishment and take our good and complete bulls (sacrifice) of our lips (speech).

3: Ashur on horses will not cause us to be saved. We are not mounting and riding, we are not saying “You are our god” to the works of our hands when in You the fatherless are loved.

 

4: I heal their apostasy. I am impelled to love them. For I turned back from my tempestuous anger.  

5: I am (Eh-Hayah is Yehoweh in reverse) like night dew to God-strife (Israel). Lilies bud.

Like Lebanon, roots are caused to be smitten.

6: His shoots go out. It is like an olive tree. His splendour and fragrance are like Lebanon.

7: Dwellers return (Yashuvu yoshvi) to his shade. There will be grain. The vines will grow reminiscent of the wine of Lebanon. Ponder that!

 

8: Covered-one (Christian, Ephraim) for what are these idols for anyway? I heard and observed him. I am like a luxuriant fir tree. In me your fruit was found.

 

9: Who is wise and understands these things? Discerning and knows? For straight are Yehoweh’s ways and the righteous walk in them. But the rebellious totter in them.

 

Lord, May Ephraim acknowledge Your Love for Israel and know that as Israel strayed and punished for seemingly unforgivable rebellion and yet as Israel is healed, so also Ephraim. Amen.