The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-01
Sunday School Lesson for July T.
Gracious Invitations.
HOSEA XIV: 10.
BY J. e. GILBERT, D. D., IL. D.,
Secretary of American Society of Religious Education.
HOSEA XIV: 10.

THE SPlRIT-The confessional prayer
which Hosea sought to put in the mouth
of returning Israel contained other
words, designed to cover the four points
which lay at the bottom of the nations
sin, to change which would be TO intro
duce n new spirit. Verse 3) The order
is suggestive. First "Asshur shall not
save us"-they would no longer turn 20
Assyria, as they had done for assistance
In war, which alliance had proved decep-
tive on mary occasions. Second, I'VE
will not ride upon horses, they must
reject custom borrowed from the Egyp-
tians, and condemned i'm the law of
Moses. Deut. xvii: 49, Third, they must
agree not to confess any longer, as they
had done, that the images made by them
were gods, thus rcnouncing idolatry.
Fourth. they must declare that the
fatherless find mercy in Jehovah an
expression of His great mercy and care.
Or, more briefly, foreign aid is not to be
sought foreign customs are not TO be
followed idols are TO be laid aside. God
alone is to be trusted because of His
love to the unfortunate. These words
breathe a lofty spirit. Added to the first
part of the prayer, which is one of peni-
tencc, they show a new and holy pur-
pose of life.
THE PARDON.-lIosea next puts
words into the mouth of Jehovah, de-
claring what lie would say on hearing
this prayer from the people And, first,
there is a complete change in the Lords
feelings-His anger is turned away and
His love has returned. Verse w. 1t was
as true then as now that God was a be-
ing of love q John iv: 81, but it was also
true that He was angry with sinners.
psalm vii: IL These two statements
are not contradictory as some think.
Infinite love joined to infinite holiness
could not regard with favor those who
transgress holy law. And yet the an
ger of God because of sin, did not pre-
vent Him from loving the sinner so as
to seek his salvation, John iii: 49, caus-
ing the love of complacency to follow
the act of repentance. And then, God ;
displeaSure being removed, lie immed-
lately begins and subsequently carries
forward a remedial process, by which he
heals the back-sliding. This figure pre-
sents the consequences of sin in the peo-
pie under the figure of a disease figure
much used in Scripture, der. cii. 22J
both in the Old Testament Elsa. i: 81
and in the New. duke iv: 1S.
THE RESULT.-The spiritual benefits
thus promised-thc favor of God and His
renewal of the heart--would be attended
by temporal or material blessings which
God Himself is made by the prophet to
announce. (Ncrses ) and g. These are
all in highly fgurative form, represent
ing the nation as vine aourishing under
favorable conditions. God will be to it
as the dew which distils on plants over
all the earth, and it should become lily
which is known for its beautiful white
ness. The spreading branches, the deep
set roots. the delightful odor are other
| representations of that prosperity which
the nation should attain All this is in
harmony with other teaching of Scrip
ture. David's observations and advice
were to this point. psalm xvii: 3 Il,
25D Jesus seemed to teach the same doc
trine, Matt vi: 33D Certain it is that
those nations in all history that have
been most loyal to God have been most
favored by Him. The wealth of the
world is today in the hands of Christian
people.
THE JNFI'ENHE Hosea peN+ ranra