Hosea 6:3

Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. THEN SHALL WE KNOW, IF WE FOLLOW ON TO KNOW THE LORD - "then," i:e., the result of his recovered favour (Hosea 6:2) will be onward growth in saving knowledge of God, as the result of perseverance in following after him (Psalms 63:8, "My soul followeth hard after thee;" Isaiah 54:13, "All thy children shall be taught of the Lord"). "Then" implies the consequence of the revival in Hosea 6:2. The "if" is not so much conditional...

In this verse the faithful pursue what we have before considered, making the hope of salvation sure to themselves: nor is it a matter of wonder that the Prophet dwells more fully on this subject; for we know how prone we are to entertain doubt. There is nothing more difficult, especially when God shows to us signs of his wrath, than to recover us, so that we may be really persuaded that he is our physician, when he seems to visit us for our sins. We must then, in this case, earnestly strive, for it cannot be done without labour. Hence the faithful now say, _We shall know, and we shall pursue to know Jehovah. _They show then by these words that they distrust not, but that light would arise after darkness; for this is the meaning of the words: _We shall _then_know, _they say; that is, “Though there is now on every side horrible darkness, yet the Lord will manifest his goodness to us, even...

1-3 Those who have gone from God by consent, and in a body, drawing one another to sin, should, by consent and in a body, return to him, which will be for his glory, and their good. It will be of great use for support under afflictions, and to encourage our repentance, to keep up good thoughts of God, and of his purposes and designs concerning us. Deliverance out of trouble should be to them as life from the dead. God will revive them: the assurance of this should engage them to return to him. But this seems to have a further reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let us admire the wisdom and goodness of God, that when the prophet foretold the deliverance of the church out of her troubles, he should point out our salvation by Christ; and now these words are fulfilled in the resurrection of Christ, it confirms our faith, that this is He that should come and we are to look for no...

Verse Hosea 6:3. _THEN SHALL WE KNOW_] We shall have the fullest evidence that we have not believed in vain. If _WE FOLLOW ON TO KNOW THE LORD_] If we _continue_ to be as much in _earnest_ as we _now_ are. _HIS GOING FORTH_] The manifestation of his mercy to our souls is as certain as the _rising of the sun_ at the appointed time. _AND HE SHALL COME UNTO US AS THE RAIN_] As surely as the early and the latter rain come. The first, to prepare the earth for the seed; this fell in _autumn_: the second, to prepare the full ear for the harvest; this fell in _spring_. Here is strong confidence; but not misplaced, however worthless the persons were. As surely as the _sun_, who is _now set_, is running his course to _arise_ on us in the _morning_, and make a glorious

THEN SHALL WE KNOW, IF WE FOLLOW ON TO KNOW THE LORD - Rather, “Then shall we know, shall follow on to know the Lord,” i. e., we shall not only know Him, but we shall grow continually in that knowledge. Then, in Israel, God says, “there was no knowledge of Him;” His “people was destroyed for lack of it” Hosea 4:1, Hosea 4:6. In Christ He promises, that they should have that inward knowledge of Him, ever growing, because the grace, through which it is given, ever grows, and “the depth of the riches of His wisdom and knowledge is unsearchable, passing knowledge.” We “follow on,” confessing that it is He who maketh us to follow Him, and draweth us to Him. We know, in order to follow; we follow, in order to know. Light prepares the way for love. Love opens the mind for new love. The gifts of God a

EXPOSITION HOSEA 6:1 These three verses have, by the division into chapters, been violently and improperly torn from the preceding chapter, to which they naturally belong. Their connection with the foregoing sentiments is indicated by the ancient versions—Chaldee and Septuagint, the LXX; for example, inserting λέγοντες, as if the reading had been לֵאסֹר: This (1) represents the Israelites exhorting one another in that good time which the prophet encourages them to expect. But (2) it may be regarded as the prophet's own exhortation to the exiles; their affliction urging them to seek the Lord, and their encouragement consisting in the knowledge of his ability and willingness to heal the wounds which his own hand had inflicted....

THEN SHALL WE KNOW, [IF] WE FOLLOW ON TO KNOW THE LORD,.... The word "if" is not in the original text, and the passage is not conditional, but absolute; for as persons, when converted, know Christ, and not before, when he is revealed to them, and in them, as the only Saviour and Redeemer, so they continue and increase in the knowledge of him; they earnestly desire to know more of him, and eagerly pursue those means and methods by which they attain to a greater degree of it; for so the words are, "and we shall know, we shall follow on to know the Lord" t; that grace, which has given the first measure of spiritual and experimental knowledge of him, will influence and engage them to seek after more. The Jews, when they are quickened, and turn to the Lord, will know him, own and acknowledge him, as the Messiah, the only Redeemer and Saviour; and will be so delighted with the knowledge of him...

CHAPTER 5:1-6:3 The Message to the Priests, the People, and the Royal House Judgment, Affliction and the Future Return _ 1. The message of rebuke (Hosea 5:1) _ 2. The judgment announced (Hosea 5:8) 3. The future return and the blessing (Hosea 6:1) Hosea 5:1. The first verse shows who is addressed: the priests, the house of Israel and the house of the King. Judgment was in store for them, for Mizpah and Tabor, the places of hallowed memory, had been turned by their idolatrous worship into a snare. An old and interesting tradition among the Jews states that at Mizpah the apostates waited for those Israelites who

HOSEA 5:15 TO HOSEA 6:3. ISRAEL'S CONFESSION AND PENITENCE. Yahweh, speaking in His own person, declares that He will return to His place (_i.e._ to heaven; _cf._ Micah 1:3), there to await Israel's penitence (Hosea 5:15). When trouble comes they will eagerly seek Him. Then follows (Hosea 6:1) a light-hearted confession of sin by the people, coupled with expressions of assurance that their God will forgive and help them. Many scholars regard this section as an addition by a later hand, intended to mitigate the unrelieved gloom of what precedes. But nothing in the style or lan

TO KNOW, &C. See note on Hosea 2:20. Compare Hosea 4:1. HIS GOING FORTH. Compare 2 Samuel 23:4.Micah 5:2. Joh 16:28. PREPARED. sure, or fixed. MORNING. dawn. UNTO US. Compare Psalms 72:6; Zechariah 9:9, and Micah 5:2. AS THE RAIN. Compare Psalms 72:6;...