Hosea 14:6

His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. HIS BRANCHES SHALL SPREAD - shoots, or suckers. AND HIS BEAUTY SHALL BE AS THE OLIVE - which never loses its verdure. One plant is not enough to express the varied graces of God's elect people. The lily depicts its lovely growth; but as it wants duration and firmness, the deeply-rooted cedars of Lebanon are added; these, however, are fruitless, therefore the fruitful, peace-bearing, fragrant, evergreen olive is added. AND HIS SMELL AS LEBANON - which exhaled from it the fragrance of odoriferous trees and flowers. 'As you enter the valley (between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon) straightway the scent meets you' (Theophrastus' 'History of Plants,' 10: 7, in Pusey). So Israel's name shall be in good savour with all ...

The Prophet goes on with the same subject, but joins the beginning of the first verse with the second clause of the former verse. He had said that the roots of the people would be deep when God should restore them. Now he adds, that their _branches shall go on _He mentions here “to go on” metaphorically for extending far; for branches of trees seem to go on, when they extend and spread themselves far and wide. _His branches, _then, _shall go on; _which means, that a tree, after striking roots, remains not in the same state, but grows and spreads forth its branches in all directions. In short, God promises a daily increase to his blessing, after he has once begun to show himself bountiful to the people of Israel. “I will then be bountiful at the beginning; and further, he says, my blessing shall, as time passes, increase and be multiplied.” He afterwards adds, _His comeliness shall be lik...

4-8 Israel seeks God's face, and they shall not seek it in vain. His anger is turned from them. Whom God loves, he loves freely; not because they deserve it, but of his own good pleasure. God will be to them all they need. The graces of the Spirit are the hidden manna, hidden in the dew; the grace thus freely bestowed on them shall not be in vain. They shall grow upward, and be more flourishing; shall grow as the lily. The lily, when come to its height, is a lovely flower, Matthew 6:28; Matthew 6:29. They shall grow downward, and be more firm. With the flower of the lily shall be the strong root of the cedar of Lebanon. Spiritual growth consists most in the growth of the root, which is out of sight. They shall also spread as the vine, whose branches extend very widely. When believers abound in good works, then thei...

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

HIS BRANCHES SHALL SPREAD,.... As the well rooted cedars in Lebanon; see Numbers 24:6. This respects the propagation of the church of God, and the interest of Christ in the world, as in the first times of the Gospel, and will be in the latter day; when the Gospel shall be spread everywhere; churches set up in all places; the Jews converted, and the fulness of the Gentiles brought in; and these like spreading branches, and fruitful boughs, abounding in grace and good works. The Targum is, "they shall multiply or increase with sons and daughters:'' AND HIS BEAUTY SHALL BE AS THE OLIVE TREE; which lies in its being laden with excellent fruit, and being always green; for which reasons particular believers, and the whole church of God, are sometimes compared to it; having that fatness in them, with which God and men are honoured; and that true grace, which is signif

Hosea 14:1. _O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity._ Come back, poor wanderer! My brother or my sister, if your heart has grown cold toward your Lord and Master, return to him this very hour. This message comes from God himself, through his servant the prophet, «O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Hosea 14:2. _Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips._ As if he feared that we could not find suitable words to speak to him, he puts the right words into our mouths. Our Heavenly Father is so anxious to bring back his children when they wander from him that he actually makes the prayer with

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 ...

HIS SMELL. his fragrance, or be fragrant, like....

Jehovah, in answer, describes the blessings which He will give. The imagery reminds us of the Song of Songs; notice especially the references to the lily and to Lebanon....