Hosea 14:4

“I will heal their backslidings, etc.] This and what follows is the Lord’s answer to the above prayer; and this clause particularly is an answer to that petition, “take away all iniquity”, (<281402>Hosea 14:2); sins are diseases, natural and hereditary, nauseous and loathsome, mortal, and incurable but by the grace of God, and blood of Christ; backslidings are relapses, which are dangerous things; Christ is the only Physician, who heals all the diseases of sin, and these relapses also; he will do it, he has promised it, and never turns away any that apply to him for it; and which he does by a fresh application of his blood, whereby he takes away sin, heals the conscience wounded with it, and…”

“God's gracious reply to their self-condemning prayer. backsliding--apostasy: not merely occasional backslidings. God can heal the most desperate sinfulness [CALVIN]. freely--with a gratuitous, unmerited, and abundant love (Eze 16:60-63). So as to the spiritual Israel (Joh 15:16; Rom 3:24; Rom 5:8; Jo1 4:10).”

“I will heal their backsliding - God, in answer, promises to “heal” that wound of their souls, from where every other evil came, their fickleness and unsteadfastness. Hitherto, this had been the characteristic of Israel. “Within a while they forgat His works, and would not abide His counsels” Psalms 106:13. “They forgat what He had done. Their heart was not whole with Him; neither continued they steadfast in His covenant. They turned back and tempted God. They kept not His testimonies, but turned back and fell way like their forefathers, starting aside like a broken bow” Psalms 78:12, Psalms 78:37, Psalms 78:42, Psalms 78:57-58. Steadfastness to the end is the special gift of the Gospel. “Lo,…”

“14:4 Then I will heal you: Healing by God is the only solution for the disease of sin. The Lord heals all our diseases, both physical and spiritual (Ps 103:3).”

“heal: Hos 11:7; Exo 15:26; Isa 57:18; Jer 3:22, Jer 5:6, Jer 8:22, Jer 14:7, Jer 17:14, Jer 33:6; Mat 9:12, Mat 9:13 I will love: Deu 7:7, Deu 7:8; Zep 3:17; Rom 3:24; Eph 1:6, Eph 2:4-9; Ti2 1:9; Tit 3:4 for: Num 25:4, Num 25:11; Psa 78:38; Isa 12:1; Co2 5:19-21 Hosea 14:5”

“"I will heal their apostasy, will love them freely: for my wrath has turned away from it. Hos 14:5. I will be like dew for Israel: it shall blossom like the lily, and strike its roots like Lebanon. Hos 14:6. Its shoots shall go forth, and its splendour shall become like the olive-tree, and its smell like Lebanon. Hos 14:7. They that dwell in its shadow shall give life to corn again; and shall blossom like the vine: whose glory is like the wine of Lebanon. Hos 14:8. Ephraim: What have I further with the idols? I hear, and look upon him: I, like a bursting cypress, in me is thy fruit found." The Lord promises first of all to heal their apostasy, i.e., all the injuries which have been inflicted…”