Let Us Return Unto the LORD

[Kokavkrystallos]

Hosea 6:1-3,
Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

"Everything in the New Testament accords with this Old Testament picture. Ransomed men need no longer pause in fear to enter the Holy of Holies. God wills that we should push on into His Presence and live our whole life there. This is to be known to us in conscious experience. It is more than a doctrine to be held, it is a life to be enjoyed every moment of every day.

This Flame of the Presence was the beating heart of the Levitical order. Without it all the appointments of the tabernacle were characters of some unknown language; they had no meaning for Israel or for us. The greatest fact of the tabernacle was that Jehovah was there; a Presence was waiting within the veil. Similarly the Presence of God is the central fact of Christianity. At the heart of the Christian message is God Himself waiting for His redeemed children to push in to conscious awareness of His Presence. That type of Christianity which happens now to be the vogue knows this Presence only in theory. It fails to stress the Christian's privilege of present realization. According to its teachings we are in the Presence of God positionally, and nothing is said about the need to experience that Presence actually. The fiery urge that drove men like McCheyne is wholly missing. And the present generation of Christians measures itself by this imperfect rule. Ignoble contentment takes the place of burning zeal. We are satisfied to rest in our judicial possessions and for the most part we bother ourselves very little about the absence of personal experience.

Who is this within the veil who dwells in fiery manifestations? It is none other than God Himself, "One God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible," and "One Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God; begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God; begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father," and "the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified." Yet this holy Trinity is One God, for "we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the glory equal and the majesty co-eternal." So in part run the ancient creeds, and so the inspired Word declares.

Behind the veil is God, that God after Whom the world, with strange inconsistency, has felt, "if haply they might find Him." He has discovered Himself to some extent in nature, but more perfectly in the Incarnation; now He waits to show Himself in ravishing fullness to the humble of soul and the pure in heart.

The world is perishing for lack of the knowledge of God and the Church is famishing for want of His Presence. The instant cure of most of our religious ills would be to enter the Presence in spiritual experience, to become suddenly aware that we are in God and that God is in us. This would lift us out of our pitiful narrowness and cause our hearts to be enlarged. This would burn away the impurities from our lives as the bugs and fungi were burned away by the fire that dwelt in the bush." - AW Tozer, from The Pursuit of God

Entering in is a key thing he mentions here, and this takes time, and a little effort. Or more than a little effort. Note in the passage from Hosea "After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight." There is some time elapsing here. This is not an instantaneous reviving. It is as I posted earlier today about tarrying and watching, or waiting on the LORD; praying through.

We need to let go of the modern type Christianity we may have bought into. If you haven't that's great! But so many, including myself at one time bought into the easy road - which Jesus never ever taught. My Yoke is easy and my burden is light, He did say, but in Him we have joy that it should seem that way. More often He spoke of the cross, and self denial, and persecution: blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven: blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Getting rid of that mindset "we all make mistakes" is another thing. I hear it all the time. It's not scriptural. Read through 1 John, slowly and meditatively. See how many times it talks about keeping His commandments and not sinning. Repentance is lacking, and when true repentance is received and experienced, such a joy floods the soul! The Word of God should then open up unto you, as Job declared that he esteemed the Word more than his necessary food. Amen!

Let the Word as that Sword do its cutting and dividing and piercing through, that it reveal and cut out all sin: for it has the power to reveal and convict, and to root up sin, that ye live no longer in it, nor to the flesh, and no longer obey the lusts thereof.
Enter that veil Tozer speaks of. It is a glorious place, and Christ made the way for us to apprehend it.

 

[AlexB23]

Hosea 6:1-3,
Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

"Everything in the New Testament accords with this Old Testament picture. Ransomed men need no longer pause in fear to enter the Holy of Holies. God wills that we should push on into His Presence and live our whole life there. This is to be known to us in conscious experience. It is more than a doctrine to be held, it is a life to be enjoyed every moment of every day.

This Flame of the Presence was the beating heart of the Levitical order. Without it all the appointments of the tabernacle were characters of some unknown language; they had no meaning for Israel or for us. The greatest fact of the tabernacle was that Jehovah was there; a Presence was waiting within the veil. Similarly the Presence of God is the central fact of Christianity. At the heart of the Christian message is God Himself waiting for His redeemed children to push in to conscious awareness of His Presence. That type of Christianity which happens now to be the vogue knows this Presence only in theory. It fails to stress the Christian's privilege of present realization. According to its teachings we are in the Presence of God positionally, and nothing is said about the need to experience that Presence actually. The fiery urge that drove men like McCheyne is wholly missing. And the present generation of Christians measures itself by this imperfect rule. Ignoble contentment takes the place of burning zeal. We are satisfied to rest in our judicial possessions and for the most part we bother ourselves very little about the absence of personal experience.

Who is this within the veil who dwells in fiery manifestations? It is none other than God Himself, "One God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible," and "One Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God; begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God; begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father," and "the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified." Yet this holy Trinity is One God, for "we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the Substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the glory equal and the majesty co-eternal." So in part run the ancient creeds, and so the inspired Word declares.

Behind the veil is God, that God after Whom the world, with strange inconsistency, has felt, "if haply they might find Him." He has discovered Himself to some extent in nature, but more perfectly in the Incarnation; now He waits to show Himself in ravishing fullness to the humble of soul and the pure in heart.

The world is perishing for lack of the knowledge of God and the Church is famishing for want of His Presence. The instant cure of most of our religious ills would be to enter the Presence in spiritual experience, to become suddenly aware that we are in God and that God is in us. This would lift us out of our pitiful narrowness and cause our hearts to be enlarged. This would burn away the impurities from our lives as the bugs and fungi were burned away by the fire that dwelt in the bush." - AW Tozer, from The Pursuit of God

Entering in is a key thing he mentions here, and this takes time, and a little effort. Or more than a little effort. Note in the passage from Hosea "After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight." There is some time elapsing here. This is not an instantaneous reviving. It is as I posted earlier today about tarrying and watching, or waiting on the LORD; praying through.

We need to let go of the modern type Christianity we may have bought into. If you haven't that's great! But so many, including myself at one time bought into the easy road - which Jesus never ever taught. My Yoke is easy and my burden is light, He did say, but in Him we have joy that it should seem that way. More often He spoke of the cross, and self denial, and persecution: blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven: blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Getting rid of that mindset "we all make mistakes" is another thing. I hear it all the time. It's not scriptural. Read through 1 John, slowly and meditatively. See how many times it talks about keeping His commandments and not sinning. Repentance is lacking, and when true repentance is received and experienced, such a joy floods the soul! The Word of God should then open up unto you, as Job declared that he esteemed the Word more than his necessary food. Amen!

Let the Word as that Sword do its cutting and dividing and piercing through, that it reveal and cut out all sin: for it has the power to reveal and convict, and to root up sin, that ye live no longer in it, nor to the flesh, and no longer obey the lusts thereof.
Enter that veil Tozer speaks of. It is a glorious place, and Christ made the way for us to apprehend it.

Alright, here is my short Bible analysis of this verse. Hopefully it helps others.


Verse-by-Verse Analysis:

Hosea 6:1-3 is a passage from the Old Testament book of Hosea, which is one of the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Hebrew Bible. This particular text speaks of God's call for his people to return to him, offering a promise of healing and restoration after they have experienced judgment and discipline.

Verse 1 begins with an invitation: "Come, let us return to the Lord." This appeal is a call for repentance and reconciliation. The people of Israel are being encouraged to turn away from their sinful ways and to seek the Lord once again. The reason given for this return is that God has caused them pain, tearing them open so that he may heal their wounds and bind up their injuries.

The next phrase in verse 1 speaks of the duration of this healing process: "After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him." This imagery suggests that there will be a period of suffering and mourning, but ultimately God promises to bring his people back to life. The third day is significant because it was the day when Jesus was raised from the dead in the New Testament, and this event serves as a powerful symbol of new life and resurrection.

Verse 2 then emphasizes the importance of gaining knowledge of God: "Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord." This knowledge is not just intellectual, but also experiential and transformative. The people are being urged to deepen their relationship with God and to seek a more intimate understanding of who he is and what he desires for them.

The final line in verse 3 describes the reliability of God's presence: "His going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth." This metaphor illustrates God's constant faithfulness and presence in our lives. Just as the sun rises each day, so too does God remain steadfast and dependable. And just as rain nourishes and sustains the earth, so too does God provide for our spiritual needs.


How Hosea 6:1-3 relates to society in 2024:

In modern society, Hosea 6:1-3 continues to resonate with us in several ways. First and foremost, it serves as a reminder of the importance of repentance and reconciliation, both on an individual level and on a larger societal scale. This passage encourages us to acknowledge our mistakes (addictions, judgements, etc.) and to seek forgiveness from God and each other, trusting that he will heal our wounds and restore us to wholeness.

Additionally, the emphasis on seeking a deeper understanding of God invites us to engage in regular spiritual practices, such as prayer, meditation, and study, so that we might grow in our relationship with him. Finally, the promise of God's faithfulness and presence offers comfort and hope amidst the challenges and uncertainties of life.

In summary, Hosea 6:1-3 speaks to the human condition in both its brokenness and its potential for healing and renewal. It calls us to return to God, trusting that he will bring us back to life and restore our relationship with him. And it invites us to deepen our knowledge of God, so that we might better understand his love, faithfulness, and compassion for us in all seasons of life.