vv.2-3 Confession and Repentance. The Lord will give them the very words to speak when they repent in their hearts, confess their sin, and ask for governmental forgiveness. This very cry what they should have said in Exodus 19 when the Lord proposed the Law to them. They should have owned their failure and weakness, and rested on the sovereign grace of God. Their response will be praise: “so will we render the calves of our lips”, which is a play on words, contrasted with the two calves of their former idolatry (v.2). Their repentance will be genuine because self has now been judged before God. The false resources upon which Israel had leaned will be shunned. “Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses” (v.3). Their confidence in foreign powers (Assyria) and human strength (horses) is abandoned. Idolatry too is completely judged: “neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Thou art our God.” Israel has finally learned that their only resource is Jehovah: “in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.”

 

vv.4-8 Restoration to Communion. When true repentance is expressed, their is no delay, Jehovah immediately answers with sovereign grace, captured in a three-fold “I will”: “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him” (v.4). Who could really keep them from back-sliding? Only the Lord Himself. Their long history of wandering and betrayal is met by a Divine love whose source is within God Himself, for “God is love” (1 John 4:8). This is how God loves: freely. He loves with no strings or conditions attached. The One who had previously been their Judge had now become their source of refreshment: “I will be as the dew unto Israel” (v.5). The result will be restoration reaching out to the land, and the whole creation. Israel will “blossom as the lily”, spread “his roots as Lebanon”, and “his beauty shall be as the olive-tree”. They will be pleasing to God, stable, and fruitful. Israel’s restoration will affect those who “sit under his shadow”, who will revive “as corn, and blossom as the vine” (v.7). Israel’s restoration will bring blessing to the world, as “life from the dead” (Rom. 11:15). In v.8 we see that Ephraim’s relationship with Jehovah is completely transformed. This verse is a beautiful conversation between restored Ephraim and Jehovah. Ephraim says, “What have I to do any more with idols?” Jehovah responds, “I answer him, and I will observe him.” Ephraim says, “I am like a green fir-tree,” and Jehovah answers, “From me is thy fruit found.” Communion is fully restored between Ephraim and his God, and Israel will recognize Jehovah as the source of all their fruit.

 

v.9 Conclusion and Warning. The book closes with a question: “Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? intelligent, and he shall know them?” The wise among the faithful remnant will read this prophecy and understand its great moral lesson. The long history of Israel’s failure, Jehovah’s governmental dealings, His longsuffering, judgment, and final restoring grace all reveal that “the ways of Jehovah are right.” The wise will understand and submit to God’s ways, while the wicked stumble over those same ways.