◄ Hosea 6:11 ►
Also for you, O Judah, a harvest is appointed, when I restore My people from captivity.
Study Bible
Also for you, O Judah
This phrase directly addresses the southern kingdom of Judah, distinguishing it from the northern kingdom of Israel, which Hosea primarily addresses. The mention of Judah here serves as a reminder that God's message and His plans encompass all His people, not just a select group. Historically, Judah was often seen as more faithful than Israel, yet it was not exempt from judgment. The Hebrew root for "Judah" (יְהוּדָה, Yehudah) means "praise," indicating that Judah was meant to be a people who praised God. This serves as a reminder that even those who are called to praise God can fall into disobedience and require correction.

a harvest is appointed
The imagery of a "harvest" is rich with meaning in biblical literature. In an agrarian society, a harvest signifies a time of reaping what has been sown, whether good or bad. The Hebrew word for "harvest" (קָצִיר, qatsir) can imply both judgment and blessing. In this context, it suggests a time of reckoning for Judah, where the consequences of their actions will be realized. However, it also holds a promise of restoration and blessing, as God’s appointed times are ultimately for the good of His people. The dual nature of harvest as both judgment and blessing reflects the justice and mercy of God.

when I restore My people from captivity
This phrase is a promise of hope and redemption. The Hebrew root for "restore" (שׁוּב, shuv) means to return or bring back, indicating a reversal of fortune and a return to a former state of blessing. "My people" emphasizes the covenant relationship between God and His people, underscoring His faithfulness despite their unfaithfulness. "Captivity" refers to the physical and spiritual exile experienced by the Israelites due to their disobedience. Historically, this points to the Babylonian exile and the eventual return under leaders like Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Spiritually, it speaks to the broader theme of redemption and restoration found throughout Scripture, culminating in the ultimate restoration through Christ. This promise reassures believers of God's unwavering commitment to restore and redeem His people, no matter how far they have strayed.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Hosea
A prophet in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, whose ministry focused on calling Israel to repentance and warning of impending judgment due to their unfaithfulness to God.

2. Judah
The Southern Kingdom, distinct from the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In this verse, Judah is addressed separately, indicating a specific message or promise for them.

3. Harvest
Symbolically represents a time of reaping what has been sown, often used in the Bible to denote judgment or blessing depending on the context.

4. Restoration
The act of God bringing His people back from captivity, symbolizing forgiveness, renewal, and the fulfillment of His promises.

5. Captivity
Refers to the period when the Israelites were exiled due to their disobedience, a consequence of their covenant unfaithfulness.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness in Restoration
Despite the unfaithfulness of His people, God remains committed to His covenant promises. This verse reassures believers of God's unwavering intention to restore and redeem.

The Significance of Harvest
The metaphor of harvest serves as a reminder that our actions have consequences. It encourages believers to sow righteousness and faithfulness to reap God's blessings.

Judgment and Hope
While judgment is a reality for disobedience, God's ultimate plan is one of hope and restoration. This duality should inspire repentance and trust in God's redemptive power.

Personal Reflection on Captivity
Consider areas in life where you feel captive to sin or circumstances. Reflect on God's promise of restoration and seek His guidance for freedom and renewal.

Community and Restoration
Just as God promises to restore His people collectively, believers are called to support and encourage one another in their spiritual journeys towards restoration.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the promise of a "harvest" in Hosea 6:11 encourage you in your personal walk with God?

2. In what ways can you relate the concept of captivity in this verse to modern-day struggles or challenges?

3. How does the promise of restoration for Judah in Hosea 6:11 connect with God's promises in other parts of the Bible, such as Jeremiah 29:10-14?

4. What practical steps can you take to ensure you are sowing seeds of righteousness in your daily life?

5. How can the church community play a role in the restoration process for individuals who feel spiritually captive?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 29:10-14
This passage speaks of God's promise to bring His people back from captivity, similar to the restoration mentioned in Hosea 6:11.

Joel 3:1
Discusses the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem, aligning with the theme of appointed times for God's people.

Galatians 6:7-9
Paul speaks of reaping what one sows, which connects to the concept of a "harvest" in Hosea 6:11, emphasizing the outcomes of faithfulness or unfaithfulness.
Sermons
Naturalness of RetributionHomilistHosea 6:11
Naturalness of RetributionD. Thomas Hosea 6:11
Religion and IrreligionC. Jerdan Hosea 6:6-11
The Broken CovenantJ. Orr Hosea 6:7-11
People
Adam, Haggai, Hosea
Places
Assyria, Gilead, Shechem
Topics
Appointed, Bring, Captivity, Disgusting, Fortunes, Harvest, Images, Judah, O, Restore, Returned, Turn, Turning
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Hosea 6:11

     4406   agriculture
     4464   harvest
     4510   sowing and reaping

Hosea 6:11-7:2

     7233   Israel, northern kingdom

Library
Our Miseries, Messengers of Mercy
Three things I must do this morning; first, I must deal a blow, at the old Tempter, who has got the first hand at you; secondly, I will come to reason comfortably with you; and then, thirdly, I must lovingly persuade you, saying--"Come, let us return unto the Lord." I. First then, I must DEAL A BLOW AT THE OLD TEMPTER, WHO HAS GOT BEFORE ME AND HAS BEGUN TO DECEIVE YOU. I cannot tell what is the precise temptation that Satan has been using with you, but I think it is very likely to be one of four. …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 7: 1861

Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Limitations of Earth's Great Week.
We are well aware that in broaching this point we shall probably evoke the criticism of honored brethren and be charged with "setting a date" for the Return of our Lord. Nevertheless, we feel constrained to set down our honest convictions, only asking our readers to examine in the light of Holy Writ what we now advance tentatively and not dogmatically. In ancient times it was commonly held by Jewish rabbis before our Lord's first advent, and by many of the most eminent of the church fathers afterwards, …
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

The Synagogue at Nazareth - Synagogue-Worship and Arrangements.
The stay in Cana, though we have no means of determining its length, was probably of only short duration. Perhaps the Sabbath of the same week already found Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth. We will not seek irreverently to lift the veil of sacred silence, which here, as elsewhere, the Gospel-narratives have laid over the Sanctuary of His inner Life. That silence is itself theopneustic, of Divine breathing and inspiration; it is more eloquent than any eloquence, a guarantee of the truthfulness …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

St Gregory the Great (Ad 540-604)
PART I Gregory was born at Rome, of a noble and wealthy family, in the year 540. In his youth he engaged in public business, and he rose to be proctor of Rome, which was one of the chief offices under the government. In this office he was much beloved and respected by the people. But about the age of thirty-five, a great change took place in his life. He resolved to forsake the pursuit of worldly honours, and spent all his wealth in founding seven monasteries. He gave up his family house at Rome …
J. C. Roberston—Sketches of Church History, from AD 33 to the Reformation

Letter xv (Circa A. D. 1129) to Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin
To Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin He praises the fatherly gentleness of Alvisus towards Godwin. He excuses himself, and asks pardon for having admitted him. To Alvisus, Abbot of Anchin. [18] 1. May God render to you the same mercy which you have shown towards your holy son Godwin. I know that at the news of his death you showed yourself unmindful of old complaints, and remembering only your friendship for him, behaved with kindness, not resentment, and putting aside the character of judge, showed yourself …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux

Prayer.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRAYER. WHAT is prayer? A sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Spirit, for such things as God hath promised. The best prayers have often more groans than words. Alas, how few there be in the world whose heart and mouth in prayer shall go together. Dost thou, when thou askest for the Spirit, or faith, or love to God, to holiness, to saints, to the word, and the like, ask for them with love to them, …
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan

The Coming Revival
"Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?"--PS. lxxxv. 6. "O Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years."--HAB. iii. 2. "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me: Thy right hand shall save me."--PS. cxxxviii. 7. "I dwell with him that is of a humble and contrite heart, to revive the heart of the contrite ones."--ISA. lvii. 15. "Come, and let us return to the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us. He will revive us."--HOS. vi. 1, 2. The Coming …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

The Strait Gate. Warned against Herod.
(Peræa.) ^C Luke XIII. 22-35. ^c 22 And he went on his way through cities and villages, teaching, and journeying on unto Jerusalem. [This verse probably refers back to verse 10, and indicates that Jesus resumed his journey after the brief rest on the Sabbath day when he healed the woman with the curvature of the spine.] 23 And one said unto him, Lord, are they few that are saved? [It is likely that this question was asked by a Jew, and that the two parables illustrating the smallness of the …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate,
CLEARLY EXPLAINED, AND LARGELY IMPROVED, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BELIEVERS. 1 John 2:1--"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." By JOHN BUNYAN, Author of "The Pilgrim's Progress." London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms, in the Poultry, 1689. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. This is one of the most interesting of Bunyan's treatises, to edit which required the Bible at my right hand, and a law dictionary on my left. It was very frequently republished; …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Jesus Defends Disciples who Pluck Grain on the Sabbath.
(Probably While on the Way from Jerusalem to Galilee.) ^A Matt. XII. 1-8; ^B Mark II. 23-28; ^C Luke VI. 1-5. ^b 23 And ^c 1 Now it came to pass ^a 1 At that season ^b that he ^a Jesus went { ^b was going} on the { ^c a} ^b sabbath day through the grainfields; ^a and his disciples were hungry and began ^b as they went, to pluck the ears. ^a and to eat, ^c and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. [This lesson fits in chronological order with the last, if the Bethesda …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Backsliding.
"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away."--Hosea xiv. 4. There are two kinds of backsliders. Some have never been converted: they have gone through the form of joining a Christian community and claim to be backsliders; but they never have, if I may use the expression, "slid forward." They may talk of backsliding; but they have never really been born again. They need to be treated differently from real back-sliders--those who have been born of the incorruptible …
Dwight L. Moody—The Way to God and How to Find It

Divine Calls.
"And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel; Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for Thy servant heareth."--1 Samuel iii. 10. In the narrative of which these words form part, we have a remarkable instance of a Divine call, and the manner in which it is our duty to meet it. Samuel was from a child brought to the house of the Lord; and in due time he was called to a sacred office, and made a prophet. He was called, and he forthwith answered the call. God said, "Samuel, …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Of the Nature of Regeneration, and Particularly of the Change it Produces in Men's Apprehensions.
2 COR. v. 17. 2 COR. v. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. THE knowledge of our true state in religion, is at once a matter of so great importance, and so great difficulty that, in order to obtain it, it is necessary we should have line upon line and precept upon precept. The plain discourse, which you before heard, was intended to lead you into it; and I question not but I then said enough to convince many, that they were …
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

Job's Faith and Expectation
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand in the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. C hristianity, that is, the religion of which MESSIAH is the author and object, the foundation, life, and glory, though not altogether as old as creation, is nearly so. It is coeval [contemporary] with the first promise and intimation of mercy given to fallen man. When Adam, by transgression, had violated the order and law of …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Hosea
The book of Hosea divides naturally into two parts: i.-iii. and iv.-xiv., the former relatively clear and connected, the latter unusually disjointed and obscure. The difference is so unmistakable that i.-iii. have usually been assigned to the period before the death of Jeroboam II, and iv.-xiv. to the anarchic period which succeeded. Certainly Hosea's prophetic career began before the end of Jeroboam's reign, as he predicts the fall of the reigning dynasty, i. 4, which practically ended with Jeroboam's …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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