Hos 6.1-11 tells us that some were moved to confession and repentance and returned to Yehovah. These verses are very eschatological also.
v 1…”Come, let us (Israel and Judah) return (to the image of God-Rom 8.29; 1 Cor 11.7; 2 Cor 3.18; the “arlah” or foreskin has been removed over their hearts and they can now be fruitful) to the Lord. For he has torn us (alluding to the lion imagery in 5.14), but he will heal us (the same hand that tore can also heal-Isa 30.12-17, 26); he has wounded, but he will bandage us.
v 2…He will revive us after two days (alluding eschatologically to 2000 years, also called the “last day”); he will raise us up in the third day (Yeshua said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” and alluded to this verse. Prophetically, Yeshua came after 4000 years from creation. He left for 2000 years, or two days, or “the last days” and will redeem Israel on the third day from his coming, or in the Day of the Lord. We have a picture of this in John 1.19-2.1. Yeshua appears in v 19, 29, 35, and 43, or four days. Then he is not seen till the “third day” after the previous four days of John 2.1, and we have a wedding which is a picture of the Messianic Kingdom, the seventh day. Another picture can be seen in John 11.1-29 and the resurrection of Lazarus, and resurrection is a theme of the Messianic Kingdom. Yeshua hears that Lazarus is sick, and waits two days in v 6. Lazarus dies and Yeshua comes after he has been dead for four days in v 39) that we may live before him (Israel will be raised after 6000 years, or six days, on the seventh day of the Messianic Kingdom, the Lord’s Day, the Day of the Lord, the Sabbath of God, to believe in Yeshua as the Messiah).
v 3…So let us know (da’at), let us press on to know the Lord (in a redemptive way-Hos 4.6; Jer 9.23). His going forth (to redeem and save) is as certain (fixed) as the dawn (the sun is also picture for the Messiah-Psa 19.4-5; Mal 4.2; Luke 1.78-79); and he will come to us like the rain, the latter and former rain to all the earth (theses rains came in the spring and fall. Yeshua came and died and was buried and resurrected in the spring, fulfilling the spring festivals. His second coming will be in the fall, with the Natzal happening on Rosh Ha Shannah, his actual coming to Jerusalem on Yom Kippur, and the kingdom on earth begins on Sukkot. This will fulfill the fall festivals. Joel 2.23 says, “For he has given you the early rain for your vindication, and he has poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain in the first month.” Unless there are two calendars, this verse would not be understood. The first month of the religious calendar is Nisan, when the spring festivals are, and the first month of the civil calendar is Tishri, when the fall festivals are. Yeshua came in the first month in the spring, and will come in the first month of the fall in his second coming. James 5.7-8 says, “Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold (see), the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient, strengthen our hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand”).”
v 4…What shall I do with you, O Ephraim (what could be done that has not already been done)? For your loyalty (mercy) is like a morning cloud (it doesn’t last long), and like the dew which goes away early.
v 5…Therefore, I have hewn (the people) in pieces by the prophets (to carve them into shape); I have slain them by the words of my mouth (because they rejected the words of the prophets); and the judgments on you are the light that goes forth (his judgments were for obvious reasons).
v 6…For I delight (desire) in loyalty (mercy) rather than sacrifice (when done with the wrong attitude and hypocrisy-see comments in Isaiah 1.11-15); and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings (Yehovah is not against the korbanot or Temple sacrifices because he commanded that they be done. The real issue is the mundane performance of any commandment, void of their deeper meanings and concerns of obedience, love, mercy, and justice towards others is just doing them in vain. They rejected the weightier measures of the Torah and did not have a whole heart or a right attitude-Matt 9.13, 12.7; 23.23-their hearts were wrong).
v 7…But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant; there (in Israel) they have dealt treacherously against me (played falsely).
v 8…Gilead (a city of refuge but wasn’t-Josh 20.8) is a city of wrongdoers tracked with bloody feet.
v 9…And as raiders wait for a man, so a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem (another city of refuge-Josh 20.7); surely they have committed crime (wickedness, lewdness).
v 10…In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim’s harlotry is there, Israel has defiled itself (by abominations and crimes of every kind).
v 11…Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you (exile), when I restore (return) the fortunes (captivity in Babylon) of my people (the covenant nation, will return and settle in Judah, not Israel).
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