Come and let us return unto the Lord, the appeal being to seek the Lord in agreement with the last statement of the preceding Chapter, FOR HE HATH TORN, by the punishments for sin which He sent upon them, AND HE WILL HEAL US; HE HATH SMITTEN, so that they were suffering with wounds, AND HE WILL BIND... [ Continue Reading ]
AN EARNEST INVITATION AND A FURTHER ADMONITION. Having stated his threat in a most uncompromising form, the prophet adds a powerful appeal to the people of his nation to heed the warning of the Lord and to accept His mercy.... [ Continue Reading ]
After two days will He revive us, the early and certain return of His love being promised to a repentant people; IN THE THIRD DAY HE WILL RAISE US UP, AND WE SHALL LIVE IN HIS SIGHT. Cf Deuteronomy 32:39.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, or, "Therefore let us understand, follow after the knowledge of Jehovah!" for such pursuit, on the basis of true faith, was bound to have results. HIS GOING FORTH IS PREPARED AS THE MORNING, as sure as the dawn comes, the Lord will return, bringi... [ Continue Reading ]
O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? Cf Isaiah 5:4. What more was to be done in a case of this kind?. FOR YOUR GOODNESS IS AS A MORNING CLOUD, their godliness and brotherly love passing away just as quickly, AND AS THE EARLY DEW IT GOETH AWAY, there was nothing d... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets, endeavoring to give them the right shape; I HAVE SLAIN THEM BY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH, in most emphatic rebukes; AND THY JUDGMENTS ARE AS THE LIGHT THAT GOETH FORTH, that is, the Lord's judgment upon the apostate people was so obvious that every one had to... [ Continue Reading ]
For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, the true piety of the heart rather than a mere outward form of worship, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD MORE THAN BURNT OFFERINGS. Cf Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7. To have a form and shell of godliness, but to deny its substance, is the essence of hypocrisy.... [ Continue Reading ]
But they, the people whom the prophet is rebuking, LIKE MEN, rather, like Adam, HAVE TRANSGRESSED THE COVENANT, this statement being a testimony to the historical character of the first man and his transgression of God's command; THERE HAVE THEY DEALT TREACHEROUSLY AGAINST ME, in a faithless rejecti... [ Continue Reading ]
Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, the entire province being a gathering-place of wicked people, AND IS POLLUTED WITH BLOOD, so that the entire district east of Jordan was guilty in the sight of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
And as troops of robbers wait for a man, lying in ambush in order to fall upon the unsuspecting traveler unawares, SO THE COMPANY OF PRIESTS MURDER IN THE WAY BY CONSENT, FOR THEY COMMIT LEWDNESS, or, "they murder on the way to Shechem," surprising the travelers and cutting them down in cold blood,... [ Continue Reading ]
I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel, abominable things happening in the northern kingdom; THERE IS THE WHOREDOM OF EPHRAIM, its shameful idolatry; ISRAEL IS DEFILED, namely, as the result of such unparalleled transgressions.... [ Continue Reading ]
Also, O Judah, He hath set an harvest for thee, the harvest of the judgment of the Lord being prepared, WHEN I RETURNED THE CAPTIVITY OF MY PEOPLE. The great misery of the entire nation of the Jews could be changed only by means of God's judgments of punishment, through which the godless would be de... [ Continue Reading ]