“For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, and like a young lion to the house of Judah. I, even I, will tear them and go away; I will take them away, and no one shall rescue. I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
[They will say] “Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.” (Hosea 5:14-6:3.)
This is a most interesting and informative prophetic word given to Hosea some 600 or so years before Christ. First of all. Notice that both Ephraim and Judah are mentioned, in other words the whole House of Israel.
Then we learn about the Lord’s departure, due to their offence. This is just another way of referring to Israel’s “deep sleep”. “The LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes.” Isa.29:10
The acknowledgement of their offense means an awakening, without which they remain blind and deaf. “I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced.” Zech.12:10.
The “two days . . and third day” reminds us of our Lord’s time in the tomb. It was on the third day that He arose from the dead. Likewise in this prophecy the reviving speaks about resurrection. As Paul said, “If their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? Rom.11:15.
Notice the repetition of words. “I have poured out” and “I will pour out”. First the sleep, then the awakening.
Paul says, “But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when it turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away”. 2 Cor.3:14-16. When “it” turns to the Lord. The “it” is the heart of Israel. The removal of the veil signals the end of the period of blindness and deep sleep.
This leads us on to the next step.
