Hosea 6:1–2 (KJV) —
“Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.”
Introduction
Hosea speaks to a covenant people who had wandered far from the Lord. Yet this passage is not merely a call to ancient Israel; it is a living word to God’s people in every generation. It reveals the heart of God toward repentance, restoration, and resurrection life. Judgment is real, but it is never God’s final word. Healing and life are.
The call to return to the Lord
The passage begins with an invitation: “Come, and let us return unto the LORD.” This is not a command spoken in anger, but a call spoken in mercy. To return implies that the people once walked with God but turned aside.
True repentance is not regret alone; it is a turning back. Hosea shows repentance as a shared act—“let us return”—because covenant faith is lived out both personally and corporately. When God’s people drift, the answer is not reform without God, but return to God Himself.
God’s discipline has a redemptive purpose
“For he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.”
These words acknowledge that the Lord allowed correction. Scripture is clear that God disciplines those He loves. His discipline is never cruel or pointless. What He tears, He also heals. What He wounds, He also binds.
This teaches a vital truth: judgment and mercy are not opposites in God’s economy. Discipline exposes sin, but healing restores the sinner. The same God who allows the wound also provides the cure.
Revival after two days
“After two days will he revive us.”
Revival here speaks of renewed life, not mere survival. The “two days” suggest a short but meaningful season of affliction. God does not abandon His people forever. Though correction may last for a time, revival is promised.
In prophetic Scripture, days often point beyond literal time to divine seasons. This verse hints that God works according to His timetable, not man’s impatience. Revival comes when repentance is real and God’s purpose is complete.
The third day and resurrection life
“In the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.”
This is one of the clearest prophetic patterns in Scripture. The “third day” is the day of resurrection. It points forward to Christ, who rose on the third day, and through whom true life is given.
This raising up is not only personal salvation; it speaks of covenant restoration and future glory. To “live in his sight” means restored fellowship, open communion, and life lived before the face of God. This points toward the ultimate hope of resurrection and the coming kingdom, where God’s people will dwell in His presence forever.
Conclusion
Hosea 6:1–2 reveals the full gospel pattern: repentance, discipline, revival, and resurrection. God calls His people to return, assures them that healing follows correction, and promises life on the third day. This passage looks backward to Israel’s restoration, forward to Christ’s resurrection, and ahead to the final raising up of God’s people at the end of the age.
The message is clear and enduring: return to the Lord, trust His purposes, and live in hope of resurrection life in His presence.