Hosea 6:1
“Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.
Let’s take a moment to remember who Hosea is.
Hosea is a prophet of the northern kingdom, who was called to marry a prostitute, suffer the indignities of her unfaithfulness, and in the end rescue her from her own sinful life. His life was a picture for the sinful northern nation to recognize what they were doing to the God who had married them in the Sinai covenant.
Throughout the book, Hosea pleads for the northern nation to return to God, even as he is seeking to keep his own marriage together.
What a terrible inner conflict this man must have suffered! And what a high calling for this man to be called to. To love a bride who is treacherous, who is unfaithful, who proves her indifference and disloyalty to their covenant of marriage.
This very condition is found in many homes today, and though it may be expected in those who have not bowed the knee to the Lord, to find it amongst the saints is a sign of a treacherous partner, a sign that the commitment (to the spouse and to the Lord) has been abandoned.
Nevertheless, to return to the main point. Hosea is preaching to a nation that has walked away from God. As always there were individuals who were of the remnant, that still sought the Lord and looked to Him, but the vast majority of the northern tribes had fallen away.
The nation as an entity had walked away! As Gomer had betrayed Hosea and shunned his commitment to her, Israel mirrored this very same stance in relation to Jehovah.
The amazing thing that Hosea states in this verse is that the Lord has torn, and that He will heal.
To us the term “torn” in this verse cannot be sugar coated, for it speaks of tearing, even of tearing to pieces, being ripped apart. This same word was used when Isaac heard of Joseph’s apparent death.
Genesis 37:33 …”It is my son’s robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.”
Might this be referring to the tearing away of the northern tribes from the southern kingdom? They tore away from the God ordained lineage of King David, setting up an opposing king, government, and accepting a completely different God requiring a different worship system.
No wonder the passage speaks of the Lord tearing it, for as the people, and the leadership pulled away, the Lord also tore them from the true theocracy. This may be a situation where the cause and effect may be the same action, as it so often appears in the works of God.
Nevertheless, the people of the northern tribes had walked away, they were torn, and Hosea, instead of speaking of condemnation, brings a message of hope, of healing, and a few verses later, or reviving and resurrection.
This is a fantastic passage, given the horrible situation Hosea found himself in. To offer the northern tribes the hope of life after this persistent betrayal is way beyond a response that may be expected. A response I would expect is to let the betrayer suffer for her sins. The Lord offers healing.
In the middle of this passage, I can’t help but to see that the Lord performed this ultimate healing by Himself being torn, by Himself being struck. His suffering and acceptance of the cross provided the healing required, not only for us as we have been the betraying wife at times, but for the nations also.
There is tremendous mercy to be found in the Lord. May we be faithful to such a great God, and as needed, exercise a humility to admit our own betrayal of Him.
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