I will heal their backslidings
This and what follows is the Lord's answer to the above prayer;
and this clause particularly is an answer to that petition, "take
away all iniquity", ( Hosea 14:2 ) ; sins are
diseases, natural and hereditary, nauseous and loathsome, mortal,
and incurable but by the grace of God, and blood of Christ;
backslidings are relapses, which are dangerous things; Christ is
the only Physician, who heals all the diseases of sin, and these
relapses also; he will do it, he has promised it, and never turns
away any that apply to him for it; and which he does by a fresh
application of his blood, whereby he takes away sin, heals the
conscience wounded with it, and restores peace and comfort; which
is a great encouragement to take words, and return unto him; see
( Hosea 6:1 ) (
Jeremiah
3:22 ) ( Isaiah 57:17
Isaiah
57:18 ) ; I will love them freely;
this is in answer to that petition, "receive us, graciously"; or
"receive good", or rather "give good", ( Hosea 14:2 ) ; not that
the love of God or Christ begins when sinners repent and turn to
him, or he applies his pardoning grace, since his love is from
everlasting; but that in so doing he manifests his love, and will
continue in it, nor shall anything separate from it: and this
love, as it is freely set upon the objects of it, without any
merits of theirs, or any motives in them, but flows from the free
sovereign will and pleasure of God in Christ; so it is as freely
manifested, and continues upon the same bottom, and is displayed
in a most liberal and profuse donation of blessings of grace to
them: this love is free in its original, and is liberal and
bountiful in the effects of it; and makes the objects of it a
free, willing, and bountiful people too: for mine anger is
turned away from him:
from Israel, which, under former dispensations of Providence,
seemed to be towards him, at least when under his frowns,
resentment, and displeasure, as is the case of that people at
this day; but when they shall return to the Lord, and he shall
manifest and apply his pardoning grace to them, his anger will
appear no more, and they shall be in a very happy and comfortable
condition, as Israel or the church declares, ( Isaiah 12:1 ) ; which
refers to the same times as these words do; see ( Romans 11:26
Romans
11:27 ) ; and compare ( Psalms 85:2 Psalms 85:3 ) ; where a
manifestation of pardoning grace is called the Lord's turning
himself from the fierceness of his anger; and especially this
suits with Gospel times, satisfaction being made for sin by the
sacrifice of Christ.