C. Isreal's Restoration.(11:1-14:9).
a.God's love and Isreal's rebellion.(11:1-7).
Here we have an important promise concerning Isreal's restoration, immediately one can see two contrasting factors, God's love for Isreal and Isreal's apostacy.
Verse 1.
The history of an earlier period is recalled here in this verse,God recalls the time that He led the children of Isreal out of Egypt (4:22-23).God considered them as a son and He loved them and chose them.
Verse 2.
Even though Isreal saw the hand of God in their lives from Egypt to Canaan,the Isrealites quickly forgot those blessings and ran after false Gods and worshipped false idols. Six times God set out to reform Isreal by usuing foreign nations but the longer they were disciplined the more they apostatised.
Verses 3-4.
The love of YAHWEH for his children is expressed through the compassion that He showed toward them, but as usual Isreal were unable to comprehend that love in verse four God is seen leading His people, (the word masak is used here meaning being 'drawn')so God drew them to Himself with cords of love and compassion.He released them from the 'yoke which was around their necks.
The idea lifting away the Yoke is suggested here, God was freeing Isreal from those pressures experienced while in Egypt to live again as a nation guided by Him alone.
Verse 5.
Impending captivity because of sin.
Verse 6.
This verse clearly describes how the Assyrians will bring the nation to it's knees,many will die by the sword and there will be no way of escape.
Verse 7.
The children of Isreal were rebellious and determined to turn away from God,they had clearly chosen to live in their sin and their future to be determined by their idolatry.
b. Restoration in the last days.(11:8-11).
These verses sum up God's everlasting love for His children even though in this period of Isreal's history,Isreal were going to be punished.Yet in the light of their intense darkness, Hosea prophecies concerning a spiritual period of time when Isreal will be perfectly restored in their relationship to God must warm the heart of every Isrealite. This is probably a picture of the mellenial period which is yet to come.
Verse 8.
Even though God was about to punish Isreal,His love was such that He could not eternally forget them as He did with Admah-Zeboiim.(Deut 29:23).
Verse 9.
In the future God would not devastate and judge Ephraim (Isreal) as He was about to do through the armies of Assyria. He again promises blessing to His people who are willing to respond to His love (Deut 28:1-14).In the future restorotion period, God would not punish Isreal again through the use of foreign armies on the contrary He would bring much blessing back to the life of the nation.
Verse 10.
Here Hosea reminds his hearers that in those last days,Isreal will follow Him.They will hear His 'roar' or call to them and they will come 'trembling' or humbly from the 'west'.(miyyam).
Verse 11.
This verse describes the 'speed' of the return of isreal to her homeland.She will return like "birds and doves" the concept of speed is seen here.Isreal will have asettled home for ever.(2:19).