Hos. 14:1-3
O Israel, return to YHWH your Mighty One. For you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to YHWH. Say to Him:
‘Take away all iniquity. Receive what is good, for we will offer the bulls of our lips. Assyria will not save us. We will not ride on horses.
Nor will we say any more to the works of our hands: you are our gods. For in You the fatherless finds mercy.’
The prophet likens the confession of our sin to offering bulls. In the days of Moses, offering bulls to YHWH was prescribed when unintentional sin was committed.
Lev. 4:1
If a person sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of YHWH…let him offer to YHWH for his sin which he has sinned a young bull without blemish as
a sin offering.
Num. 15:24-25
…then it will be, if it is unintentionally committed, without the knowledge of the congregation, that the whole congregation shall offer one young bull…
So, the priest shall make atonement for the whole congregation of the children of Israel, and it will be forgiven them, for it was unintentional…
Lev. 16:3/Heb. 9:7
Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young bull…
But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins of ignorance.
So long as our sin is not defiant –that is, it is not done because we despise YHWH [Num. 15:30-31/Heb. 10:26-29]–our “words” –that is, the confession of our mouths [Hos. 14:2-3; 1 Jo. 1:9]– is all that He requires of us. Hos. 14:2. See also Psa. 51:16; 40:6; Jer. 7:22-23; Isa. 1:11; 66:1-3; Amo. 5:22; Hos. 6:6.
On Yom Kippur, the day of the year dedicated to confession and fasting [Lev. 16:21; Lev. 23:27; Isa. 58:1,4d,6a], we remember Yeshua, who like the scapegoat of the ceremony, took upon Himself all our iniquities. Isa. 53:6c; Lev 16:22.
Isa 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to YHWH,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our Mighty One,
For He will abundantly pardon.
1. YHWH is merciful.
In the days of Moses, at Mount Sinai, he twice revealed this to our ancestors. Exo. 20:6; 34:6-7. And He surely demonstrated it after they rebelled against Him by listening to the majority and rejecting His promised Land. Num. 14:18-20.
He also reminded their children prior to their entry into the Land. Deu. 4:29-31; 5:10; 7:9.
As David, the Psalmist put it, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins” but has “removed our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west”. Psa. 103:10-17. And again, “If you, Yah, should mark iniquities, O YHWH, who could stand?” Psa. 130:3-8.
2. He wants our repentance.
The prophet Isaiah declared, “Put away your evil doings”, “though your sins are as scarlet they shall be white as snow. If you will be willing and obedient…” Isa. 1:16-19. And again, “I will wipe out your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like a mist. Return to Me, for I will redeem you”. Isa. 44:22.
Jeremiah likewise prophesied, “Return, says YHWH, and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you for I am merciful”. Jer. 3:12. And again, “Return every man from his evil way, and I will pardon their crookedness and their sin”. Jer. 36:3.
Ezekiel the prophet again delivered this Message to the people, “I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies declares the Master YHWH, so turn back and live!” Eze. 18:32. And again, “None of his sins will be remembered against him”. Eze. 33:16.
The apostles Peter and Paul repeated this Message by saying, “repent and be baptized…for the forgiveness of sins”. Act. 2:38. Again, “Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out”. Act. 3:19. Again, “The Almighty…commands all men everywhere to repent”. Act. 17:30. And again, “turn to the Almighty, and do works of repentance”. Act. 26:20.