The message of Hosea 14 is this: "Turn, Abide, Revive."
There is a continuous picture painted throughout Scripture of reaping and sowing, planting and harvesting, producing much “fruit,” and the children of Israel are even referred to as being Yahuah’s “branches,” both natural and wild ones.
Even His annual moedim (feasts/holy days, which are prophetic to our Messiah’s First and Second Coming) are tied to harvests of the land, and prophetically, to the harvest of souls.
Yahusha even told us that He is the Vine, but His/our Father is the Vinedresser, meaning that Yahuah is the one who prunes His branches.
There is similar imagery captured in Hosea 14.
Interestingly enough, Hosea tells us what is restored when we repent, by using similar terms and imagery:
First, we must “turn” back to Yahuah (Hosea 14:2).
The Hebrew word for repentance is “teshubah,” in which the root of that word is “sub,” which means to return or go back.
“Sub” is the word used for “turn” in Hosea 14:2, in which Yahuah is telling the people to turn away from iniquity and turn back to Him.
But it’s not enough to just turn back.
Hosea 14:7 goes on to say that we must “dwell” under the shadow of the Almighty.
The Hebrew word for dwell is “yasab” and it means “to dwell, remain, sit and abide.”
Yahusha gives us the most beautiful, clear definition of what it truly means to “abide” in the Most High. We will wrap back around to that definition in a moment.
And lastly, if we turn back and purpose ourselves to “abide” in Yahuah, He promises us that:
Our roots will grow (Hosea 14:5).
Our branches will spread (Hosea 14:6).
We will become fruitful and fragrant to those around us (Hosea 14:6-7).
The key word here though, is “yasab” (dwell).
Repentance is not about being sorry about sin—it’s a complete changing of your mind about sin.
It’s a lifestyle and heart transformation that only our Heavenly Father can do.
Too many times, the prophets indictment and warning was regarding peoples’ heart’s desire to be bent on backsliding/sinning.
Hosea 14:4 tells us that if we truly repent, He will heal our backsliding.
Because that’s the whole point.
Your ability to overcome sin by your own willpower and flesh is impossible. The flesh is weak. You can’t do it with your own strength and power.
We need a renewed spirit within us to transform our heart and mind so that our strength comes not from ourselves, but by the power of Yahuah’s Ruach (His Set-Apart Spirit).
That’s why the Father tells us to repent and abide (dwell) in Him.
But what does it truly mean to “abide?”
Going back to Yahusha’s definition, let’s see what He has to say.
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
John 15:10
Additionally, 1 John 3:24 tells us the same thing, making him our second witness:
“And he that keeps his commandments dwells in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.”
Yahusha, in John 15, goes on to explain essentially the same thing Hosea illustrated through his imagery of branches and fruit.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
John 15:4-5
And lastly, if we “turn” (sub) to Yahuah, and “abide” (yasab) there, He promises to “revive” us.
The Hebrew word for revive used in Hosea 14:7 is haya, and it has one meaning that is described in multiple ways. It means to quicken, to give life, to save, restore, to flourish or be prosperous, etc.
Repent and be blessed—that’s the message.
“Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of Yahuah are right; the righteous walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.”
Hosea 14:9
With Love,
Stephanie Green