Hosea 6

Hosea 6:1-11 . THE ISRAELITES' EXHORTATION TO ONE ANOTHER TO SEEK THE LORD.

At Hosea 6:4 a new discourse, complaining of them, begins; for Hosea 6:1-3 evidently belong to Hosea 5:15 , and form the happy termination of Israel's punishment: primarily, the retur n from Babylon; ultimately, the return from their present long dispersion. Hosea 6:8 perhaps refers to the murder of Pekahiah; the discourse cannot be later than Pekah's reign, for it was under it that Gilead was carried into captivity ( 2 Kings 15:29 ).

1. let us return--in order that God who has "returned to His place" may return to us ( Hosea 5:15 ).
torn, and . . . heal--( Deuteronomy 32:39 , Jeremiah 30:17 ). They ascribe their punishment not to fortune, or man, but to God, and acknowledge that none (not the Assyrian, as they once vainly thought, Hosea 5:13 ) but God can heal their wound. They are at the same time persuaded of the mercy of God, which persuasion is the starting-point of true repentance, and without which men would not seek, but hate and flee from God. Though our wound be severe, it is not past hope of recovery; there is room for grace, and a hope of pardon. He hath smitten us, but not so badly that He cannot heal us ( Psalms 130:4 ).

2. Primarily, in type, Israel's national revival, in a short period ("two or three" being used to denote a few days, Isaiah 17:6 , Luke 13:32 Luke 13:33 ); antitypically the language is so framed as to refer in its full accuracy only to Messiah, the ideal Israel ( Isaiah 49:3 ; compare Matthew 2:15 , with Hosea 11:1 ), raised on the third day ( John 2:19 , 1 Corinthians 15:4 ; compare Isaiah 53:10 ). "He shall prolong His days." Compare the similar use of Israel's political resurrection as the type of the general resurrection of which "Christ is the first-fruits" ( Isaiah 26:19 Ezekiel 37:1-14 Daniel 12:2 ).
live in his sight--enjoy His countenance shining on us, as of old; in contrast to Hosea 5:6 Hosea 5:15 , "Withdrawn Himself from them."