Hosea 6:1

Hosea 6:1 says, 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.  This is a call for the return of God's people to Him so that they might be healed.  We can never be truly healed of the results of sin, which will indeed tear us down, until we return to God to be lifted up by Him.  Israel and Judah had felt secure in their place in the world without God, relying on their own abilities.  When God left them without His protection, they were defeated and torn apart as a nation.  Verse two adds, After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.  After calling for the people of Israel and Judah to return to Him, He told them that He had provided the way for them to be restored.  I believe this verse refers to the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah so long awaited by God's people.  Too often, though, when time passed without the appearance of the Messiah, the people began to look to other gods for their salvation. We today cannot be impatient with God.  Verse three continues, 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.  Hosea told the people of Israel that there was still hope.  He said they could know this hope if they followed God.  We today have that same promise.  We do not have to guess if we put our faith in Christ.  We can know that we are God's children forever. Hosea told them when they returned to God, He would restore and refresh them.  Verse four states, O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.  This did not mean that God did not know what He should do to them but was more of a question of what they really thought He should do.  Their goodness melted away like the morning cloud and early dew, quickly passing away.  Even they should know what they deserved from God, and that was punishment for their sins.  The same is true today.  If our faith melts away at the first temptation, then we are deserving of God's punishment.  It is only through faith in Christ that we can be restored.  Verse five adds, Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.  Hosea said God had sent His prophets to hew His people, to call them to cut out the idolatry and sinful actions.  God sent His words to them, and was like a light that went before them, if they would only listen and see.  God's word and light are still here in the world today, if we will only listen and see.