Hosea 14:2

"Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips."

Despite some uncertainties regarding the text, the meaning is certified to us by the New Testament references to this very place (Hebrews 13:15; 1 Peter 2:5), leading to our absolute confidence that "fruit from our lips" are the new sacrifices God will receive, that animal sacrifices would be offered no more, and that "spiritual sacrifices" (1 Peter 2:5) would alone be offered, and that "that is all that would be needed."[9] It would be impossible accurately to associate any of this with Judaism. This was destined to be a characteristic of the gospel age and the kingdom of Christ.

"Take away all iniquity ..." There is a positive reference in this to the forgiveness of sins, as indicated in the New English Bible margin (b) which renders it, "Thou wilt surely take away iniquity." The great prophecy of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-35 clearly made the forgiveness of sins to be the distinctive hallmark of the New Covenant; and thus this is another sure and certain indicator that Hosea in this chapter has that New Covenant and the New Israel of God in Christ Jesus in constant view. He was prophesying of Christianity. Ward rendered these words, "Forgive all guilt, that we may receive what is good and offer the fruit of our lips."[10] We believe that catches the thought exactly.

"Take with you words ..." Mauchline commented thus: "Do not take with you lambs and rams for sacrificial offerings as you have been wont to do ... but take words."[11] The cessation of animal sacrifice never occurred until the proclamation of the gospel after Pentecost and the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70. It is of those later times, the present dispensation of God's grace, that the prophet wrote in these lines. Butler's brilliant and eloquent summary of the meaning of this chapter is as follows:

"The idyllic portrait of the Messianic Age now comes to a climax from the artist Hosea. God's gracious invitation is responded to by the New Israel who finds God able to do exceeding abundantly above all that can be imagined."[12]