Take with you words, and turn to the Lord.
Turning to God in prayer
This passage teaches us how we are to come back to God. “Take with you words and turn.” We are to come in prayer to God. We are to come in supplication, to come and acknowledge that we have nothing, and with an entreaty that He will furnish us with that which we require. The prophet gives us the very prayer we are to offer. That must be an acceptable prayer which God Himself has indited! Here is the sum and substance of every acceptable prayer that has ever been offered to God. Two things which this prayer presents to us--
1. It teaches in what character we are to draw nigh to God; who they are that are warranted to come to the Father of mercy and God of all grace- sinners.
2. In “Receive us graciously” we have our Saviour presented to us. It is in Him that the grace of God is manifested. In the latter part of the text and in the succeeding verse there is presented a sort of supplement to this prayer. It contains the promises of the servant, the vows which he offers to the Most High, and which he is determined to pay. The besetting evil of the Israelites was their trusting to the neighbouring heathen nations for help, and forming associations and unions with them. We too have our besetting evils. We trust to anything rather than to God in our various emergencies and distresses. We use all the means that are placed within our power to relieve us in our distresses, but we use them without reference to God. When in repentance we turn to the Lord, then in His strength we determine to abandon our sins. (Dr. Thorpe.)
Israel’s petition in time of trouble
The blessing of Ephraim was fruitfulness. And throughout this prophecy the judgments of God against Ephraim are expressed by needs, emptiness, barrenness, dryness of roots, of fruits, of branches, of springs, etc.
I. An invitation to repentance. The matter of it is conversion; which must be to the Lord, and spiritual. It must be a full, thorough, constant, continued conversion, with a whole, fixed, rooted, united, and established heart. The motives to this duty are, God’s mercies and God’s judgments.
II. The institution: how to perform it.
1. A general instruction. “Take unto you words,” which importeth the serious pondering and choosing of requests to put up to God. He expects there should be preparation in our accesses to Him. Preparation of our persons; by purity of life. Preparation of our services; by choice of matter. Preparation of our hearts; by finding them out, and stirring them up. We must attend unto His will, as the rule of our prayers. Unto His precepts and promises, as the matter of our prayers. Unto the guidance of His Holy Spirit, as the life and principle of our prayers. There is a kind of omnipotency in prayer, as having an interest and prevalence with God’s omnipotency.
2. A particular form. A prayer for two benefits: the removal of sin, the conferring of good. A promise of two things. Thanksgiving, and a special care for the amendment of their lives. Observe especially the ground of their confidence so to pray, and of their resolutions so to promise. “Because in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy. (Edward Reynolds.)
Israel exhorted to return unto the Lord
I. An awful fact stated. “Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.” Israel had--
1. Fallen from their allegiance to God.
2. Fallen from His worship.
3. Fallen from the enjoyment of His favour.
II. An affectionate exhortation urged. “O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God.” Observe--
1. The persons addressed. “Israel.”
2. The nature of the address. “Return.”
3. The object to whom they were to return. “The Lord thy God.”
III. Instructive direction administered. “Take with you words.” Words of sincerity. Appropriate words. Words of humble confession. Words of petition. “Take away all iniquity”--
1. From our affections, that we may no longer love it.
2. From our consciences, that we may no longer labour under the burden of it.
3. From our lives, that it may no longer have dominion over us.
4. From our hearts, that we may be dead to it. “Receive us graciously.” Receive our prayers. Receive our persons. Receive us into Thy favour.
IV. Returns of gratitude expressed. “Render calves of our lips.”
1. Gratitude is a debt which all owe to, God.
2. Gratitude is a debt which gracious souls are ready to pay. Learn--
(1) That neither our civil nor religious privileges will preclude the possibility of falling by iniquity.
(2) That those who have fallen by iniquity should be induced to return to the Lord their God.
(3) Those whose iniquity is taken away should bless the Lord. (C. Simeon, M. A.)
The need for expression is words
What need God words? He knows our hearts before we speak unto Him. God needs no words, but we do, to stir up our hearts and our affections. Our words must not be empty, but such as are joined with a purpose of turning to God. To turn to Him with a purpose to live in any sin is the extremity of profane impudence. The petition is, “Take away all iniquity.” Because where there is any true good ness in the heart, that hatred which carries the bent of the soul against one sin is alike against all. Because the heart which desires to be at peace with God desires also to be like God, who hates all sin. “Take away all” sin; both the guilt and the reign of every sin, that none may rule in me. Forgive the sin, and overcome the power of it by sanctifying grace, and remit the judgments attending it. They pray for the taking away of their iniquity; for take away this and all other mercies follow after; because this alone stops the current of God’s favours, which removed, the current of His mercies run amain. Many say, How shall I know whether or no my sins are forgiven? You may know by something that goes before, and by something which follows after. Before, a humble and hearty confession. After, when a man finds strength against it; for where God forgives He gives strength withal. Another evidence is some peace of conscience, though not much perhaps, yet so much as supports us from despair. Again, where sin is pardoned our hearts will be much enlarged with love to God. And forgiveness frames the soul suitably to be gentle and merciful, and to pardon others. Therefore let us labour for the forgiveness of our sins, that God would remove and subdue the power of them, take them away, and the judgments due to them, or else we are but miserable, though we enjoyed all the pleasures of the world. “Receive us graciously, and do good to us.” So it is in the original. All the goodness we have from God, it is out of His grace. God’s mercy to His children is complete and full. God not only takes away ill, but He doth good. We cannot honour God more than by making use of His mercy in the forgiveness of sins; and of His goodness, in going to Him for it. The prayer is an acknowledgment of our own emptiness. The best that we can bring to thee is emptiness, therefore do Thou do good to us, fill us with Thy fulness. Do good to us every way. “So shall we render the calves of our lips.” Here is the re-stipulation or promise. They return back to God. There should be a rendering according to the receiving. This promise of praise is a kind of vow. “So will we render.” To bind one’s self is a kind of vow. The Church therefore binds herself that she may bind God. It is good thus to vow, if it were but to excite and quicken our dulness and forgetfulness of our general vow; to put us in mind of our duty, the more to oblige us to God, and refresh our memories. The “calves of our lips” implies not only thankfulness to God, but glorifying of God, in setting out His praise. In glorifying there are two things, a supposition of excellency, and the manifestation of this glory. The yielding of praise to God is a wondrous acceptable sacrifice. Besides this “the calves of our lips” carries us to work. The oral thanksgiving must be justified by our works and deeds; or else our actions will give our tongue the lie. Why doth the prophet especially mention lips, or words? Because--
1. Christ, who is the Word, delights in our words.
2. Because our tongue is our glory, and that by which we glorify God.
3. Our tongue is that which excites others. (R. Sibbes, D. D.)
A form of prayer for backsliders
It pleased the Lord to draw up for them a form of prayer, which He puts into their mouths, and with which He sends them, that they might present themselves before Him at His throne and mercy-seat, and there repeat it.
I. The connection of these words with the former, Israel is fallen by her iniquity. -What is requisite in this case? Most assuredly, a return to the Lord. But Israel might say, “I know not how to return.” To prevent despairing thoughts the Lord gives suitable words for those who would return but hardly know how to do so. The words are cogent and most particular, and exactly suited unto and expressive of the grace which those persons stood in need of.
II. Open and explain the expressions made use of in this prayer. They contain for substance the whole grace and gracious design of the everlasting Gospel. If all iniquity were not taken away there could be no expectation of being received graciously, therefore the order, propriety, and connection of these words, with the vast subject and importance of them.
III. The suitableness of them to such as are in a state of backsliding, or are on the verge of the same. There is a continual change, a flux and reflux, in the frames, temper, cases, and feelings of the people of God. None are safe, one single moment, but as they are kept by the power of God.
IV. The most grateful acknowledgments of these suppliants. “We will render the calves of our lips.” When the Lord is pleased to overcome our minds by the manifestations of His pardoning mercy, we cannot but open our mouth, and with our lips shew forth His glorious praise. (Samuel Eyles Pierce.)
The prophet’s call to repentance
We are furnished in this chapter with a most vivid picture of God’s unchangeable love towards His people. No sooner are the children of Israel brought to a sense of their helpless wretchedness, and led to betake themselves to the footstool of their God, to ask for pardon and mercy, than they obtain grace, and find help in the time of need. They no sooner assay to go to Him than He anticipates them; binds up their broken hearts, pours the balm of consolation into their wounded spirits.
I. The prophet’s call to repentance. This is pathetic to a degree. “O Israel!” What boundless instances of unspeakable love does this single expression imply! “In Me is thy help.” Return, only return, and it shall be well with you again. You must have learnt, long ere this, the hopelessness of the prodigal, without a father’s love and protecting care. But let that return be a sincere, earnest, and permanent return. Let it be a truthful and spiritual return. Only genuine repentance can do us any effectual good. The wording of the call suggests that the prophet’s appeal is dictated by mercy and judgment, Mercy. “Return unto the Lord thy God.” Jehovah is still thy God, and not yet thy Judge, still gracious and merciful, long-suffering, of great kindness, and repenteth Him of the evil. It is by the attribute of mercy that God first appeals to His covenant people to return to Him. What a glorious motive for repentance! The Lord Jehovah is still ready and willing to be your God, in order to smooth the way for your return to Him. Judgment. “For thou hast fallen by thine iniquity,” and art therefore amenable to the just punishment which is the portion of all those who transgress God’s law. If mercies do not work upon your love, let judgment work upon your fear.
II. The nature of genuine repentance. “Take with you words,” etc. The penitent is not left., to frame words according to his own fancy or imagination, but the Holy Sprat actually puts words into the sinner’s mouth. We must also be prepared personally, we must endeavour to begin a pure and holy life. It was for lack of a personal preparation that Israel’s prayer was rejected. It is also necessary to endeavour to be possessed of such a state of mind as to entitle the suppliant to the benefits of paternal compassion. We need preparation of the heart. This fourfold preparation must be obtained from Him alone who is almighty. Of ourselves we can do nothing. From the simple expression, “Take with you words,” we learn--
1. That God’s will must be our rule in prayer, for it is under such circumstances only that we need expect our supplications to be accepted.
2. That God’s precepts and promises must be the subject-matter of our prayer. We are too short-sighted to know what is good for us, or what God in His inscrutable dispensations has appointed for us.
3. That the help of the Holy Spirit must be the life and principle of our prayer. The Spirit who now abides with us must be our teacher in all things, and bring all things to our remembrance. He will teach us what is the will of God. Observe now the “sound form” dictated for the use of the penitents, when really and truly returning unto the Lord their God. “Take away all iniquity,” etc. In this passage there is a petition and a promise. The petition is subdivided into two distinct requests, an entreaty for the pardon of sin, and a solicitation for granting unmerited favours. The promise consists of thanksgiving. “So will we render the calves of our lips”; and of amendment of life. “Asshur shall not save us,” etc. The text concludes with a reason for the petition and promise. “For in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy.” Note that repentance cannot exist without thanksgiving, nor can sincere thanksgiving be found in an individual not truly penitent. “Asshur shall not save us,” means, we give up all human succour. Genuine repentance takes the heart from all carnal confidence. Many are the gods and lords which the unconverted create for themselves. Men of power deify strength. Men of wisdom deify knowledge and prudence. Men of morality and virtue deify their good works. (Moses Margoliouth.)
How to return to God
God not only invites us to return, but He tells us how to do it. He puts the very words in our mouth. The first act of the awakened is usually an act of prayer. The very act of expressing our need has a tendency both to bring about clearer views of what it is that we need, and to intensify our desire. A true conversion involves, above everything else, personal transactions between the penitent, on the one hand, and his wronged and injured God on the other. Now the very act of prayer tends to bring to the front and impress upon our consciousness this personal aspect of the case. It is, however, of the utmost importance that the awakened soul should abstain from anything that might be called making a prayer. I would to God that men were more simple and definite in their prayers. God knows our needs before we utter them. But do we know them? Indefinite notions as to what we require at the hands of God must paralyse our faith and rob our approach of all reality. Notice the urgency of the prayer which God’s love puts into the mouth of the penitent. It is also the expression of a distinct change in our moral attitude towards God. It seems asking a great deal to say, “Take away all iniquity.” Can it all be taken away? (W. Hay Aitken, M. A.)
Israel exhorted to return unto the Lord
I. An awful fact stated. “Thou hast fallen,” etc. The term “fall” is used literally, when we speak of a body descending from a higher to a lower situation. When the fall of angels or of men is mentioned, we understand the term figuratively. Thus Israel had--
1. Fallen from their allegiance to God.
2. Fallen from His worship.
3. Fallen from the enjoyment of His favour.
II. An affectionate exhortation urged. “Return unto the Lord.” Observe--
1. The persons addressed. “Israel.” No reproachful name is used.
2. The nature of the address. “Return.” This implies previous wandering.
3. To whom they were to return. “The Lord thy God.”
III. Instructive direction administered. “Take with you words.” Not bullocks or sacrifices. Words of sincerity. Appropriate words. Words of confession. Words of petition. They were to pray for the removal of iniquity.
1. Take it away from our affections, that we may no longer love it.
2. From our consciences, that we may no longer labour under the burden of it.
3. From our lives, that it may not have dominion over us.
4. “From our hearts, that we may be dead to it.” Receive our prayers graciously. Receive our persons graciously.
IV. Returns of gratitude expressed. “So will we render the calves of our lips.” (Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons.)
The iniquity of the people
The Gospel itself has gone no further than the elements which constitute this closing chapter. The nation is addressed in its unity. “Return unto the Lord.” Come back; do not any longer pursue the way of folly and the path of darkness; turn round; be converted, be healed, come home. That is an evangelical cry, that is the very passion and the very meaning of the Cross of Christ. “For thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.” Man is not called to come down, but to come up. Thou hast fallen fiat upon the earth. This is a call from a fall. The fall is not to be argued into a man; the fall is an experience which must be confirmed by the consciousness of the heart itself. The experience of the heart about this matter of the fall is a varied, conflicting, tumultuous experience. “Take with you words.” When men are in earnest their words are themselves. Leave all ritualism, and take with you yourselves speech of the heart, prayer of the soul, cry of the felt necessity. “Take away all iniquity.” Here is confession, “Receive us graciously.” Here is petition. “So will we render the calves of our lips.” Our sacrifice shall be a living sacrifice. But can Israel so pray and so promise, and then repeat yesterday as if nothing had occurred in the night-time of penitence? Israel must be complete in confession, and complete in renunciation. A man must at some point say good-bye to his ruined self. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature. Now we come upon words never excelled by John or by Paul for sweep of thought and tenderness of pathos. “I will love them freely,” literally, “I am impelled to love them.” When God sees the returning prodigal, He sees more than the sin--He sees the sinner within the man, the man within the sinner, the God within the man. (Joseph Parker, D. D.)
The penitent returning to God
Not only is the obligation to repent universal, the main features of real repentance are invariably the same. It is the like corruption of heart and practice over which the contrite sinner of every age and country has to mourn; it is the same mercy-seat he has to approach; it is the same God to whom he has to be reconciled.
I. As to the general circumstances of mankind. The expression, “Thou hast fallen,” applies primarily and directly to the case of the Jews. They had fallen in every sense of the word. Their vices had been their ruin; their city was destroyed, their temple consumed, and they themselves were captives in a strange land. The work of devastation had reached their minds as well as their bodies. Many of them clung still to their sins and idolatries. Consider, more generally--
1. The state of degradation to which man has fallen. How often have we, in contemplating our own hearts, or the conduct of others, to blush for the creature who was originally formed in the image of his God.
2. The state of corruption and depravity into which human nature has fallen. It is quite possible to overstate the limits of this corruption. But we may say that spiritual qualities are absolutely extinct in the unconverted mind.
3. The state of suffering to which we have fallen. Some compare the world to a vast hospital, and others to a huge prison.
4. The state of danger and condemnation to which we are fallen. Look at the strong bias of the heart to evil--at the snares of the world, and the temptations of the devil.
II. The duty of man under such circumstances. Our Heavenly Father has been pleased to give us, in our guilty and lost circumstances, certain express directions for returning to the God from whom we have fallen. In our text the injunction is--
1. That we should “turn to the Lord.” With the help of the Spirit, and by a strong effort on your own part, you should set your face heavenwards.
2. “Take with you words, and say unto God, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously.” Feel that your first business and object, in the presence of the Lord, is to seek by earnest and devout supplication, a release from guilt, and wrath, and punishment. This release and pardon you are to seek, not on the ground of any merits of your own, but from the free and unmerited love of God.
3. You are to say unto God, “We will render the calves of our lips.” Or as the apostle puts it, “The fruit of our lips giving praise to Him.” The feelings of heartfelt gratitude and praise are to accompany prayer.
4. We are to renounce all dependence upon and all allegiance to other masters. Our sincerity will be testified by an abandonment of the paths of sin. A change in the direction of our affections and our services will uniformly follow real conversion.
III. The encouragement suggested by the text for thus turning to god. It is stated in those simple but beautiful words, “For in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy.” Apply to the despondent; to the believer; to the contrite sinner. (J. W. Cunningham.)
An exhortation to repentance
I. These verses in their primary reference to israel.
1. The prophet calls upon the people to return unto the Lord their God. He was their God in an especial manner. He had never been wanting to them while they owned and served Him as the Lord their God. He directs them in what manner and with what spirit they should return. They were to take with them words, and make their petition to this effect, that God would be pleased to “take away all iniquity.” To take away the guilt of it, and grant them His gracious pardon: to take away the power of it, and grant them His effectual grace to resist and subdue it. They were to pray that God would receive them graciously, graciously implying that merit was not to be pleaded in any degree by the petitioners. They were to promise the tribute of their lips, grateful language flowing from a grateful heart. In returning to the Lord the people were further to express their renunciation of all former and false confidences. And they were frankly to acknowledge that Jehovah alone was the effectual succour of the helpless and destitute.
II. Consider these verses as of more general extent in their application. Kingdoms and nations may “fall by their iniquity.”
1. There is a cad to wandering sinners to return unto the Lord their God. A door of hope is left open for them.
2. God uses inducements. He assures the sinner that he has “fallen by his iniquity.” Every sinner is fallen from that state of happiness and holiness in which God originally created man.
3. You are to take words and pray. The removal of sin must take place in order to our restoration. If the guilt of it is not taken away by pardoning grace, the wrath of God must abide on us. If the power of it is not broken, and the love of it subdued in the soul, it must exclude us from the holy and happy society of God and glorified spirits above.
4. You are to entreat that God would “receive you graciously”: take you into His favour, and admit you into His family.
5. Such surprising grace will demand the most fervent affections of your hearts, and the most devoted and obedient submission of your lives.
6. You are to approach the throne of grace with a solemn and deliberate disavowal of all forbidden dependencies, and an acknowledgment that the God of grace is the only helper of helpless sinners. Glorify God by acknowledging the freeness and fulness of His grace, and by accepting the blessed and complete deliverance offered to you in the Gospel. (S. Knight, M. A.)
Total repentance
The prophet entreats them not only to turn back, and look toward the Lord with a partial and imperfect repentance, but not to leave off till they were come quite home to Him by a total and sincere repentance and amendment. He bids them return quite to Himself, the unchangeable God and their God. “Great is repentance,” is a Jewish saying, “which maketh men to reach quite up to the throne of glory.” (E. B. Pusey, D. D.)
Repentance or reformation
I. Its nature and method indicated.
1. Its nature. “O Israel, return unto the Lord your God.” The description contained in the first and third verses of this reformation implies three things--
(1) That the soul is away from God.
(2) The renunciation of all dependence upon creatures. “Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses.” This means, we will not trust to Asshur--that is, Assyria--for help.
(3) Utter abandonment of all idols. “Neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods. For in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy.”
2. Its method. “Take with you words, and turn to the Lord.” Why take words to God?
(1) Not because words can inform Him of anything of which He is ignorant.
(2) Not because words can induce Him to be more kind to us than He is. “Then will we offer the calves of our lips.” And before Him pray. Pray for two things--
(a) His forgiveness. “Take away all sin.”
(b) His acceptance. “Receive us graciously.”
II. Its cause and blessedness specified.
1. Its cause--God. “I will heal their backsliding. I will love them freely. I will be as the dew.” I will act upon the soul silently, penetratingly, revivifyingly--“as the dew.” All true reformation brings with it God’s silent but effective agency.
2. Its blessedness.
(1) Health. “I will heal their backsliding.” The soul is diseased. God is its great Physician.
(2) Divine favour. “I will love them freely, for Mine anger is turned away from them.”
(3) Growth. “He shall grow as the lily.”
(a) The growth is connected with beauty. Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like it.
(b) Its growth is connected with strength. “Cast forth his roots as Lebanon.”
(c) Its growth is connected with expansiveness. “His branches shall spread.” How a Divinely formed soul expands. Its sympathies become world wide.
(d) Its growth is connected with fragrance. “His beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.” How delectable the fragrance of a holy life!
(e) Its growth is connected with social usefulness. It shall offer protection to men. “They that dwell under his shadow shall return.” Not only protection, but beneficent progress: “They shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine.” (Homilist.)
So will we render the calves of our lips.
By “taking with us words,” in speech or in sacred song, we can render to God the calves, i.e., the sacrifice of our lips. There is--
I. A sacrifice of silence. It is a great thing to know how to serve our Lord and our neighbour by keeping our lips closed. To be silent when we are tempted to speak, but when the closed mouth is wiser and kinder than the uttered word.
II. The sacrifice of truthfulness. We are bound to truthfulness by the express commandment of God, and by the claims of our fellow-men. We render this sacrifice, not merely by refusing to stoop to downright, deliberate falsehood, but by avoiding the utterance which is fitted to convey a false impression; by avoiding the evil and pernicious habit of exaggeration and caricature. Others should be able to trust our word absolutely.
III. The sacrifice of praise. We can hardly conceive of Divine service without the element of praise, and this is the best and truest Christian form of the sacrifice of the lips. Unitedly, intelligently, heartily, spiritually should we render this most pleasant, most acceptable sacrifice.
IV. The sacrifice of prayer. By utterance of our thought we help ourselves to pray; for expression kindles, sustains, directs devotion. And by uttering our thought we help others to pray.
V. The sacrifice of humility and confession. Humility is the gateway that opens into the kingdom of Christ. When with deep and true penitence of spirit we take with us words, we offer an acceptable sacrifice, and “with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
VI. The sacrifice of helpfulness. By the timely, thoughtful, helpful word, we may render service to man and sacrifice to God.
1. The word of warning.
2. The word of comfort.
3. The word of encouragement.
4. The word of challenge. Thus by timely and helpful words shall we “render the calves of our lips.” (Sunday in Church.)
A living sacrifice
Our sacrifice shall be a living sacrifice; we have nothing to slay; we will live unto the Lord. The “lips” here stand for life; the “calves” must be regarded as representing symbolically the old sacrifice in a new form,--not the unintelligent and irresponsive calves of the meadow, but the calves of our lips, the living sacrifice, the personal offering. What a prayer, thus modelled and outlined! Here is confession, here is hope, here is poetry, here is consecration, here is communion with God: yet is there no bargain-making. Man is not inviting God to enter into a covenant in which there shall be so much for so much. Forgive us, and we will obey. Pardon us, and reckon then upon our worship;--the worship does not come as payment, but as a necessity of nature; it will be the utterance of gratitude; it represents the irrepressible music of spiritual thanksgiving. (Joseph Parker, D. D.)