Hosea 14:3

Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. ASSHUR SHALL NOT SAVE US; WE WILL NOT RIDE UPON HORSES; NEITHER WILL WE SAY ANYMORE TO THE WORK OF OUR HANDS, YE ARE OUR GODS. Three besetting sins of Israel are here renounced: trust in Assyria, application to Egypt for its cavalry (forbidden, . Compare , "They call to Egypt, they go to Assyria;" ; ; ; , "An horse is a vain thing for saf...

This verse ought to be joined with the last, as the Israelites show here more clearly and fully in what they had sinned, and, at the same time, give proof of their repentance; for when they say, _The Assyrian shall not save us, we shall not mount on horses, we shall not say to the work of hands, Our gods, _it is to be understood as a confession, that they had in these various ways roused against themselves the vengeance of God; for they had hoped for safety from the Assyrians, ran here and there, and had thus alienated themselves from God; they had also fled to statues and idols, and had transferred to dumb images the honour due to the only true God. We hence see, that though the faithful speak of future time, they yet indirectly confess that they had grievously sinned, had forsaken the only true God, and transferred their hopes to others, either to the Assyrians or to fictitious gods. B...

1-3 Israel is exhorted to return unto Jehovah, from their sins and idols, by faith in his mercy, and grace through the promised Redeemer, and by diligently attending on his worship and service. Take away iniquity; lift it off as a burden we are ready to sink under, or as the stumbling-block we have often fallen over. Take it all away by a free and full forgiveness, for we cannot strike any of it off. Receive our prayer graciously. They do not say what good they seek, but refer it to God. It is not good of the world's showing, but good of God's giving. They were to consider their sins, their wants, and the remedy; and they were to take, not sacrifices, but words stating the desires of their hearts, and with them to address the Lord. The whole forms a clear description of the nature and tendency of a sinner's conversion to God through Jesus Christ. As we draw near to God by the prayer of...

ASSHUR SHALL NOT SAVE US - After prayer for pardon and for acceptance of themselves, and thanksgiving for acceptance, comes the promise not to fall back into their former sins. Trust in man, in their own strength, in their idols, had been their besetting sins. Now, one by one, they disavow them. First, they disclaim trust in man, and making “flesh their arm” Jeremiah 17:5. Their disclaimer of the help of the Assyrian, to whom they had so often betaken themselves against the will of God, contains, at once, that best earnest of true repentance, the renewal of the confession of past sins, and the promise to rely no more on any princes of this world, of whom he was then chief. The horse, in like way, is the symbol of any warlike strength of their own. As the Psalmist says, “Some put their trust in chariots and some in horses, bu

EXPOSITION HOSEA 14:1 The foregoing part of this book abounds with denunciations of punishment; this closing chapter superabounds with promises of pardon. Wave after wave of threatened wrath had rolled over Israel and come in unto their soul; now offer after offer of grace is made to them. O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God. The invitation to return implies previous departure, or distance, or wandering from God. The return to which they are invited is expressed, not by אֶל, to or towards, but by ער, quite up to, or as far as right home; the penitent, therefore, is not merely to turn his mind or his face toward God, but to turn his face and his feet home to God; he is not to go half the way and then turn aside, or part of the way and then turn back, but the whole way; in other words, his repentance is to be complete and entire, wanting nothing, according

ASHUR SHALL NOT SAVE US,.... This is still a continuation of the words repenting and returning Israel are directed to make use of before the Lord, declaring they would not do any more as they had done; to Assyria, or the kings of Assyria, as the Targum, for help, and desire assistance, and expect deliverance and salvation from thence; see Hosea 5:13; WE WILL NOT RIDE UPON HORSES; to seek for help elsewhere; or go to Egypt for them, as they had done; or put their trust in them for safety, in a time of war; or think to make their escape by them when in danger; see Psalms 20:8; NEITHER WILL WE SAY ANY MORE TO THE WORK OF OUR HANDS, [YE ARE] OUR GODS; that is, say so to, or concerning, their idols, which were made by their hands, or by their orders, as they had formerly done to t

According to the heading of this chapter, we have here «an exhortation to repentance,» and «a promise of God's blessing.» Hosea 14:1. _O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity._ Fallen into sorrow, fallen into shame, fallen into spiritual poverty, fallen into weakness of faith, fallen almost to destruction, though thou art Israel, and God loves thee, yet «thou hast fallen by thine iniquity;» and the only possible way in which thou canst obtain restoration, is to «return unto the Lord thy God.» Seek once again thy Father's face; cry, with the prodigal «I will arise, and go to my Father.» «O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God.» Thou mayest do so, for he bids thee come back to him. Thou should do so, for it was ill of thee to wander from him; so end thy wandering, and return unto him. «Return unto the Lord thy God.» He is «thy God» stil

CHAPTER 14 The Return and the Glorious Redemption _ 1. The exhortation to return (Hosea 14:1) _ 2. The glorious redemption (Hosea 14:4) Hosea 14:1. This chapter is a wonderful finale to the messages of Hosea. What tender entreaties! What gracious assurance! What glorious promises of a future redemption! it is Jehovah beseeching His people, those who had forsaken Him, outraged His character of holiness and who had despised Him. First is the call to return. God's hands are tied as long as His people stay away from Him and do not return to Him in true repentance. No true salvation and deliverance for His people is possible without a true heart return unto Him. It is this for which He looks and waits....

HOSEA 14:1 (Heb. Hosea 14:2). ISRAEL'S REPENTANCE AND YAHWEH'S FORGIVENESS. The section begins with a passionate appeal to Israel to repent and confess his sin (Hosea 14:1 f.). A promise of amendment (spoken by Israel) follows he will no longer put his trust in foreign alliances and idols (Hosea 14:3). Yahweh now assures Israel of forgiveness; His anger is turned away, and the regenerated people shall blossom as the lily (Hosea 14:4). Ephraim repeats his renunciation of idols, and Yahweh answers graciously, the dialogue being continued ...

ASSHUR, &C. See Hosea 5:13; Hosea 12:1. and compare Jeremiah 31:18. WE WILL NOT RIDE. Some codices, with four early printed editions and Syriac, read "nor upon horses will we ride". Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 17:16). Compare Psalms 33:17; Isaiah 30:2; Isaiah 30:16; Isaiah 31:1.