COME, LET US RETURN UNTO THE LORD – Hosea 6:1
WITH the prophesied return of our Lord Jesus the Christ drawing nearer every day, those of us particularly, who are privileged to recognise the present day identities of the Children of Israel, should keep in mind the many important prophecies in Scripture which relate directly to Israel.
We see about us almost a universal indifference to God’s truth and his precepts. In about 600 BC a similar situation occurred with the house of Judah. This section of the twelve tribes of Israel, consisting of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah, were in exile in Babylon. In spite of the previous many warnings of the prophets, especially Jeremiah, they were similarly indifferent to God’s truth. I doubt whether being in exile made any difference to this. Previously before the exile, God, speaking through Ezekiel in chapter 12:27-28 says:-
“Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, the vision that he (Ezekiel) seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off. Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God”.
It is always essential to establish to whom God’s messages are directed in the Bible. Here Ezekiel was speaking to the house of Judah, but God says categorically house of Israel. God does not make mistakes! We can be sure therefore that this message was and still is to the whole of Israel. As in this message from God, we can be sure that today many people are of the same opinion that God’s messages about the Second Advent are to quote Ezekiel ‘of times; that are far off’.
Again, as the people of the house of Judah discovered that the event happened very soon after the prophecy, so today from evidence of recent events and other prophecies we can be certain that the Second Advent will take everyone by surprise when the event comes. Your writer is convinced that the event will be sooner rather than later.
Hosea, a prophet in the House of Israel about 180 years before Ezekiel, was also warning the Israelites about their indifference to God’s truth. In his chapter 6 verse 1 he says:- “Come, and let us return unto the Lord”.
Moses many years before said of Israel in Deuteronomy 32:5 that they were:-“A perverse and crooked generation”.
Incidentally, note the use of the word generation here, meaning Israel as it does in Matthew 24:34 where Jesus confirms that this ‘generation’ (Israel):-
“Shall not pass, (away) till all these things (The Second Advent) be fulfilled”.
Asaph, in Psalm 78:8 calls Israel:-“…a stubborn and rebellious generation”.
Again, as if further proof were needed concerning the indifference of Israel through some 3700 years of their existence, Jesus himself says of the Jew, (it also applies to all Israel) in Matthew 12:39:-
“An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall be no sign be given to its but the sign of the prophet Jonah “.
Surely this direct word from the Son of God, warns of dire consequences of failure to repent. For although the people of Nineveh repented in Jonah’s day and were foregiven, they eventually reverted back to sinful ways, and they and their city were destroyed. Several examples are written in Scripture where the practise of sin was so bad that God removed the people concerned, no doubt in order to control the situation and prevent further spread of evil. The examples of Sodom. Gomorrah, Nineveh, Babylon and the conquering and exile of all Israel are well documented and known. The most significant example, especially for us today is the Flood. Jesus talking about his second coming in Matthew 24:37-39:-
“But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the Ark, and knew not until the Flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be”.
Therefore it will be seen in this warning by Jesus, that our present situation is similar to that predicted immediately before the Second Advent.
Scripture has many warnings in prophecy that when our blessed Saviour and King, Jesus the Annointed One comes, he will secure and save his faithful believers in Israel and all mankind. But that also he will take drastic steps to remove evil from this world. Isaiah 11:4 tells us the Lord will:-
“smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked”.
Can anyone doubt that contemporary Israel is still not returning to the Lord. Paul when teaching about the day of the Lord and the Second Advent says in 2 Thessalonians 2:3:-
“… for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,”
These latter days have seen a gross falling away from God’s truth and his precepts. Paul goes on to say in 2 Thessalonians 2:7:-
“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth (hindereth or restraineth) will let, (hinder or restrain) until he be taken out of the way”
The meaning of this quotation may at first seem obscure. Bearing in mind that we live in this world in which Satan can have dominion over us: Scripture relates that God does restrain Satan’s evil activities against mankind. For example see Job 1:12 and 2:6. It seems then that Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 was referring to God’s power to restrain Satan’s evil activities and also that such practise by God will be curtailed at some time approaching to the Second Advent. True believers need have no fear. Psalm 91:9-11 tells us:-
“Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come near thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”
It is possible that such curtailment may well already be happening. The result will be that Satan’s activities will, as it were, proceed in ‘top gear’. The rest of 2 Thessalonians 2 should be read, because it records further details of that time frame, which may well be in hand. This prophecy applies to all mankind as well as Israel.
We hear today in England the expression ‘taxation by stealth’. Such activity though ill advised, is less dangerous, than what may be called’ temptation or evil by stealth’. Apparently unnoticed by the larger part of society, the rapid increase in all types of evil actions spreads around us. This is a trademark of Satan’s influence. Take time to consider in depth any avenue of human activity and you will find an appalling scenario. Activities contrary to civil and scriptural laws, rules, recommendations and precepts etc. Further it is no use pretending to ourselves that ‘minor’ sins do not really matter. They do matter. In God’s eyes, they are still sin. Most of us would readily agree that murder, robbery, assault, stealing, violence etc. are wrong and cause harm and suffering to all mankind, whether the doer or the victim, and should be stopped. But the so called minor sins such as hate, lying, and petty stealing such as, avoiding paying for a ticket in transport or car park, using employer’s time for our own purposes, pushing into a queue ahead of our turn, false travel expenses, taking sick leave when not ill etc. These actions and hundreds like them are contrary to the behaviour expected of Christians. The hoots of laughter can be imagined if these principles were widely advocated today in public. However, it cannot be over emphasised that all sinful acts are self destructive. In other words when we sin, we destroy a little bit of ourselves, and what is worse we harm other people. Paul tells us in Romans 6-23:-
“the wages of sin is death”.
In other words through our sin we earn our death. To sin is like ingesting a slow poison. The proof of this is:-
(1) In the truth of Romans 3:23:-
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”.
(2) The truth that everybody knows and admits to is that we all die a mortal death eventually.
To try and stop doing wrong ourselves is almost impossible. Satan, after all since Adam, has been tempting and encouraging mankind in sin, and is too powerful for us to fight or resist on our own. The only way of reformation or repentance as Scripture defines it (which means to change one’s mind) is to develop a reverential trust in the Lord God and to hate all evil. Further this can only be done by BELIEF in the gracious free gift of God, the Gospel of Salvation, through Jesus the Christ. He will then guide us away from sin, protect us and lead us into the paths of truth and righteousness and forgive us our sins.
God gives us the free choice to choose good instead of evil. It is up to us individually. God will help if good is the choice, and Satan will do his worst if we choose evil. Again emphasis is made that it is our free choice.
So do not blame God for the many tragedies that surround us today – catastrophes and accidents of all sorts. These are always the actions of Satan and his followers performing in a multitude of devious and subtle ways. It is often asked why God allows these things to happen and why does he not stop Satan? The true answer, thanks to Almighty God, is that he is about to do this very act, and very soon indeed! It will take the whole world by surprise, and create a severe universal shock. He has been giving mankind the chance to choose truth and goodness instead of evil, exercising his (mankind’s) own free will over thousands of years. Those who choose the truth also have to prove their integrity, in the face of very often severe temptations provided by Satan. Sadly, Scripture tells us in Matthew 20:16:-
” for many be called, but few chosen!”
There seems to be a very commonly held belief that God punishes us for our sins here and now. This is not strictly in accordance with Scripture. God’s ways are more prudent and gracious. Scripture does tell of the eventual final judgement day when all of us will have to answer for our sins. The guilty will then be dealt with as God in his mercy sees right. God has removed individuals and groups of people from the earth in the past because of their sins. It also appears that this will be repeated at the Second Advent. In this connection Proverbs 2:2 tells us:-
“But the wicked shall be out off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it”.
This quotation is typical of the many similar prophecies in the Bible. Paul provides further information in 2 Thessalonians 2:8:-
”And then shall that Wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming”
Is Paul telling us here that evil cannot survive or even exist in the presence of the Lord? I believe he is. In which case Proverbs 2:22 shows that sin destroys the sinner:-
“But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth. and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it”.
Those who choose the truth, the true believers, God chastens for their own good in order to correct failings and increase faith. This is not penal punishment, far from it although it may be severe. Hebrews 12:6 tells us:-
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth”.
Both Job and David record their experience of the chastening of God.
In spite of all the indifference of Israel today, we have the promise of God in Zechariah 1:3:-
“Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye unto me saith the Lord of hosts? and I will turn unto you, saith the Lord of hosts”.
Again, previously in 2 Chronicles7:14:-
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”.
In Hosea 5:5 to 6:2 Israel are told:-
“I (God) will go and return to my place, till they (Israel) acknowledge their offence, and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me early. (Lit earnestly) Come, let us return unto the Lord: for he bath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight”.
This wonderful section of Hosea’s prophecy links the reformation of Israel to the redemption through the gospel of Jesus the Christ. Make no mistake you people of Israel without the salvation through Jesus the Christ, we are all completely lost.
What does Scripture tell us if we Israel, fail to mend our ways and do not seek God’s face. We find many stern warnings in this event. Long long ago, Moses warned Israel in Deuteronomy 28:15:-
” if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee:”
Moses then goes on list in verses 16 to 68 of Deuteronomy 28 all the curses which would ensue. All these curses have overtaken Israel as a direct result of unfaithfulness over many centuries. They also apply to all sinful mankind as detailed in Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 2:7 as above. In Ezekiel 36:32 speaking about the future promised cleansing of Israel, God says:-
“Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel”.
In the light of this and similar Scriptural statements about Israel, we have no grounds for feeling any pride in being descendants of Israel. On the contrary.we should be ashamed of our history of corruption and evil. Look at us today, – are we any better? Again, in spite of this, God does not and has not changed his mind, his promises repeated again and again in Scripture, concerning the future forgiving and restoration of Israel WILL BE HONOURED. Ezekiel 36:37 tells us:-
“Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel. to do it for them:”
In Zechariah 13:9 in the last part of the verse relating to the time of Jacob’s trouble just before the second advent, God says:-
” they shall call upon my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God”.
In Ezekiel 36:31 we are told:-
“Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doing that were not good and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations”.
Be warned, this remorse, yet future will be severe. As Matthew 24:30 tells us concerning the Second Advent and the appearance of Jesus:-
“and then shall all of the tribes of the earth mourn”
With the probable early return of Jesus the Christ to this world at his second coming, the urgency for early true repentance is absolutely imperative for Israel as well as all mankind. That We are only considering Israel here. Scripture refers to the remnants of Israel, in the latter days as being scattered throughout the world. These remnants are present in several prominent nations today in addition to the many small enclaves scattered world wide At this point it must be understood that according to Scripture, the larger part of the Jewish peoples are not descended from the Children of Israel.
The house of Israel went into exile about 720 BC and the house of Judah went into exile about 600 BC. Very few indeed of all these Israelites were left in their homelands after this time. Only about 50,000 returned about from 530 BC to about 440 BC from the former house of Judah. They found many peoples from surrounding countries occupying their homelands. 2 Kings 17: 4; Ezekiel 35:10 and 36:5; Psalm 83; and Obadiah verse 13 all record the presence of Idumeans or Edomites, Moabites, Hagarenes, Ammonites, Amalekites, Philistines, and people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, Sepharvaim, Tyre, Assyria and the children of Lot. Small wonder that few of the true Children of Israel survived after the inevitable intermarrying that had started even in Nehemiah’s time; see Nehemiah13:23.
A faithful remnant were there at the time of Jesus years later, but most of the Children of Israel were long gone. Secular history also confirms this. Those of us who recognise the identity of true Israel today are the only ones who could approach God as foretold in Ezekiel 36:37 and Zechariah 13:9 to request cleansing which God promises he will do in Jeremiah 33:6 and in Ezekiel 37:23. The last sentence of Zechariah 13: 9 appears to have a deeper meaning, ‘and they shall say, the Lord is my God!’ Note ‘they’ and ‘my’. One would expect the last portion to read ‘the Lord is our God’. But not so, it reads ‘my God’. Does this not show that each of us has to come to God on our own and make our peace with him personally. Perhaps we should pay more attention to Matthew 6:6 as hereafter.
So let each of us alone pray on behalf of all true Israel asking the Holy One of Israel to cleanse each and all of us as Hosea 14:2 so eloquently says:-
“Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously”.
To recap, God says he will cleanse use but not for our sakes, but for his holy name’s sake. Further, we cannot approach God in prayer except by the blessed grace of our Lord Jesus the Christ. In Matthew 6:6 Jesus tells us:-
“But thou when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly”.
May I suggest for such a prayer:-
1. Obey Matthew 6:6 as above, but if this is not possible choose an empty quiet place alone.
2. Start with a moment of silence and stillness in mind and body.
3. Ask our heavenly Father to give us a clean heart, and to help us pray in spirit and in truth.
4. Confess and acknowledge our sins and humbly ask for forgiveness.
5. Quietly to ask God to have mercy on us, and to cleanse all Israel from iniquity and receive us graciously.
6. In addition to ask God to have mercy on all mankind, and to guide them to his salvation.
At this point. we must exercise our faith positively. If it is God’s will and in his time frame, he will answer such prayer. Prophecy predicts that he will answer positively at the right moment. Ezekiel 36:25 confirms this:-
“then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness and from your idols will I cleanse you”. (Read all Chapter 36)
Jeremiah also provides further witness in chapter 33 verse 8:-
“And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me:“
Thus Scripture predicts that Israel will ask God to cleanse them and that he will certainly do this.
It is my ernest prayer to Almighty God. that all who read these words will be persuaded to pray constantly for Israel’s cleansing. We have God’s word as above. What more should we need in order to establish our faith and apply it in this prayer? By all means pray the same in church and other groups. But the individual prayer is what God emphasises in Matthew 6:6
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Numbers 6: 24-26.
