Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come to us as the rain… Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. "Let us therefore know - hunt after the knowledge of Jehovah; his rising is fixed like the morning dawn, that he may come to us like rain, and moisten the earth like the latter rain" (Keil and Delitzsch). There are two pursuits in this passage - man pursuing God, "following on to know him," and God as a consequence pursuing men. "He shall come unto us as the rain." Observe - I. MAN IN A GOD-WARD DIRECTION. "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord." The particle if is not in the original, although it is certain that a knowledge of Jehovah depends on searching after it. Two things are here implied. 1. That a knowledge of God is the essence of spiritual goodness. This is clear from reason, and is everywhere taught in the Bible. By a knowledge of him, however, we do not mean a scientific acquaintance with his attributes, relations, and works; but a sympathetic experience - an experience of those sentiments of justice, truthfulness, love, and mercy, which are the inspiration, the moral life of God himself. Philosophically, we can only know a man as we sympathize with the leading principles of the man's heart; and it is only thus we can know God. 2. That a knowledge of God can only be attained by earnest searching. We shall know if we "follow on," if we "hunt after." Intellectually, whatever may be the amount of earnest searching, we shall never know him. "Who by searching can find out God?" But with the heart we may know him whom to know is "life eternal" Every day by study we may get new ideas of him, every day we may translate those ideas into emotions, and every day we may cherish those emotions into dominant forces of the soul. All this requires the most resolute and persistent effort. II. GOD IN A MAN-WARD DIRECTION. The man who goes forth in search of a heart-acquaintance with Jehovah will meet with him in the way. "His [that is, Jehovah's] going forth is prepared as the morning." God comes forth to all men, but he comes forth in a special way to all those who are pressing after an acquaintance with himself. 1. He comes to them full of promise. "As the morning." What a delightful season is the morning: it rings the knell of the (lark night, and heralds the beauties and brightness of the coming day! How the sufferer in his midnight agonies, the mariner in his nocturnal tempest, haft the first grey beams of the morning! The night of guilt and dark foreboding is broken by the morning of God's manifestations of love. We could not bear God to come to us as the high noon - his effulgence would burn us up; hence he comes as the morning. 2. He comes to them full of refreshing influence. "He shall come unto us as the rain." What a glorious change seasonable showers produce on the parched earth! They touch every part into life and beauty. Such is the influence of God upon the heart of the devout inquirer. CONCLUSION. How sublime the destiny of the truly good man! He goes forth in search of a knowledge, not of the creation, but of the Creator himself; and the Creator appears to him full of the promise of the morning and of the influence of refreshing showers. What is the world to him? Whilst worldly men "Things terrestrial worship as Divine, His hopes immortal blow them by, as dust That dims his sight, and shortens his survey, Which longs, in infinite, to lose all bounds." (Dr. Young.) D.T. Parallel Verses KJV: Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. |
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