Hosea prophesied in Israel--the ten-tribe kingdom--prior to
the Babylonian captivity, dying about the time that Samaria
capitulated. The name Hosea signifies salvation and
corresponds well with the prophecy. The Lord through Hosea
made plain to Israel that their national destruction and
captivity was at hand; that it was a punishment for sin; but
that it also told the people of God's sympathy for them, of his
many loving forbearances, etc., and assured them that he
would continue to love them to the end, and eventually bless
them and recover them from the land of the enemy. Hosea's
own experiences in life in some degree pictured the Lord's
experiences with Israel. Hosea's wife was unfaithful to him,
as Israel had been unfaithful to the Lord. Following the
Lord's direction, Hosea took back his wife, reclaiming her;
and his message to Israel was of God's continued love for that
people. R5809:2
Hosea was a resident and prophet in the kingdom of Israel
during a part of the period in which Isaiah was prophesying in
the kingdom of Judah. It would appear that the Lord
permitted Hosea to have certain very trying experiences in
domestic troubles, with a view to impressing upon his mind
the Lord's view of Israel, his spouse. These severe
experiences through which the Prophet passed seemed to be
preparing him to voice the Lord's sentiments of tender
compassion to Israel, his espoused one, who so frequently and
persistently went after other gods. If the prophecy of Hosea
be read from this standpoint, its tender compassionate appeals
will be appreciated as from no other. R2490:3; R2491:1,2;
R4811:2
Word of the LORD -- First came to Hosea in connection
with his own domestic trials. R2491:1
Hosea -- His name signifies "salvation," corresponding
well with his prophecy. R5809:2
A prophet to the ten tribes of Israel during part of the period
in which Isaiah was prophesying to the two-tribe kingdom of
Judah. R2490:3
In the days -- Hosea prophesied in Israel at the time of
their depravity, just before their captivity. R2491:1, R5809:2
Go, take unto thee -- Hosea's own experiences in life in
some degree pictured the Lord's experiences with Israel.
R5809:2
And took Gomer -- Picturing Israel, as a false wife, and
God himself as a merciful husband. R2491:1
An attractive girl who, at the time of their marriage, was quite
possibly true and worthy of his affection. R2491:1
And bare him a son -- Only her first child was recognized
by the prophet. R2491:1
Lo-ruhamah -- Meaning, "she that never knew a father's
love"; an orphan, not by death, but by her mother's sin. Not
claimed by Hosea as his child. R2491:1*
House of Israel -- The ten tribes. C296; R1341:5
Utterly take them away -- The ten tribes; but he would
have mercy on Judah, the two tribes (see verse 7). C296;
R1341:5
Lo-ammi -- Meaning, "not my people" or "no kin of
mine"; disowned by Hosea. R2491:1*
Not my people -- Rejection, for a time, of all Israel. C296;
R1341:5
Israel shall be -- As all nations, during the Millennium,
gradually flow to Israel and come under obedience to the New
covenant regulations, thus becoming Israelites indeed on the
earthly plane. R4575:6
Sand of the sea -- At the close of the Mediatorial
Kingdom, our Lord will deliver over only Israelites--the seed
of Abraham. R4575:6
Sons of the living God -- Those from among the Gentiles
who had formerly not been recognized by the Lord. R1341:5;
C296
Applied to Gentile Christians by the Apostle Paul in Rom.
9:23-26. C296; R1341:5
Then -- At the time of the rejection of fleshly Israel and
the recognition of spiritual Israel. C296; R1341:5
Gathered together -- As one nation. The distinction
between Israel and Judah ended with the restoration from
Babylon. R1364:6
One head -- Be reunited under one head. C296; R1341:5
She is not my wife -- The Lord permitted domestic
troubles for Hosea to impress upon him the Lord's view of
Israel as a false wife. R2491:1
She stayed in his house until the sixth year. Then he either
put her away from him, or she went her own way. R2491:2*
Her husband -- Referring to a union in a less particular
sense than the New Testament references to Christ and his
Bride. Here the word husband simply means caretaker.
R1389:1
God was a most merciful husband to Israel. R1389:1,
R2491:1
Her whoredoms -- Hosea's wife was unfaithful to him, as
Israel had been unfaithful to the Lord. R5809:2
Her adulteries -- Christendom is, in the Scriptures,
charged with adultery, in that she lives with the world.
R4811:5
I will go and return -- Not a promise from the Lord that
he would remarry them. C296; R1341:6
Her -- The true Church. R1841:6
Into the wilderness -- The true Church is the Church in
the wilderness. (Rev. 12:6, 14; Luke 15:4; Isa. 51:3; Cant.
8:5) R1841:6
Illustrated by the millions of persecuted Jews in Russia who
tell, not only of their suffering, but of their deep desire to
return to the land given to Abraham and his seed forever.
R394:3*
Speak comfortably -- Speaking to their hearts. R394:3*
A door of hope -- Which the Millennial reign of the true
seed of Abraham will open for these rebellious people. C297,
C296; R1341:6
In that day -- The glorious 1000 years. R541:5*
A covenant -- The New covenant. R282:6, R4371:2
will break the bow -- Dates the "door of hope" (verse 15)
by declaring it to be after the time of trouble, when wars shall
be no more. C297; R1341:6
Will betroth thee -- Possibly the whole house of fleshly
Israel, but probably spiritual Israel is meant. C297; R1341:6
Hear the heavens -- The Christ, as a heavenly priesthood,
shall make successful intercession for the earth. R1434:1*
Hear the earth -- Represented through its "princes," and
these princes shall answer the people. R1434:1*
The new earth (2 Pet. 3:13), reorganized society. A319
And the wine -- Message of joy. R1695:2
They shall hear Jezreel -- Thus the great antitypical day
of Jezreel is to be realized. R1434:1*
Thou art my people -- The spiritual class, selected during
the time when fleshly Israel has been cast off. C297;
R1341:6
"Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the
election hath obtained it and the rest are blinded." (Rom.
11:7) C297; R1341:6
Yet, love a woman -- Following the Lord's direction,
Hosea took back his wife, reclaiming her; and the message to
Israel was of God's continued love for that people. R5809:2
So I bought her -- Hosea purchased back his unfaithful
wife from the slavery into which she had been sold. R2491:2
Voicing the Lord's tender compassion to Israel. R2491:2
Taking her back under his own roof, but not as his wife. He
was compassionate toward her and her offspring. R4811:2
The children of Israel -- "His blood be upon us, and upon
our children." (Matt. 27:25) R5571:4
Many days -- Many years. OV105:T
Without -- Without any communication with God
whatever; a mark of divine disfavor. OV76:1, OV104:8
Without a sacrifice -- Thus the annual Atonement Day,
for more than 18 centuries, has been a farce--but the matter
should be mentioned to Jewish people with full sympathy,
calling attention to the fact that where the type ceased the
antitype began. OV105:1
Aliens from God, without prophet, priest, sin offerings,
Atonement Days. R5571:4
Afterward -- The time nears when the Lord will pour upon
Israel the spirit of prayer and supplication. (Zech. 12:10)
R5571:4
Children of Israel -- Nominal fleshly Israel and, doubly,
in its fuller application, to nominal spiritual Israel. D19,20
Hath a controversy -- Because the day of recompenses
has come. (Isa. 34:8) D19
My people -- The discontented, the unsatisfied, hungering and thirsting after the right was of God--the real teachings of the Bible. OV263:T
Are destroyed -- Perish. R4396:3, R3941:3
Ensnared by the very ones who should be their pastors,
assistants and protectors; and by reason of their confidence in
them. R4396:3
Are dumbfounded. R3008:5
Lack of knowledge -- Many do not realize how important
are knowledge and a correct faith. R4527:4, R4533:6
Dwarfed Christian life and experience result, except as the
Word of God is understood and assimilated. R5416:5
Faith can keep pace only with knowledge, for faith must have
a basis. A correct life depends greatly upon a correct faith.
R4527:4, R4533:6
Because, though generally swift to speak and slow to hear,
they, through indolence or fear, neglect systematic study of
the divine message. R3941:3
God's Word, through the prophet, applies to Jews as well as
to Christians. OV154:T
False teachings in high places, and throughout Babylon, have
hidden the "key of knowledge" to the privileges and
opportunities of the Gospel age. (Luke 11:52) R2693:4
They are "willingly ignorant." (2 Pet. 3:5) "They hear not,
neither do they understand." (Matt. 13:13) SM288:1
The secret of nearly all the rebellions against the Bible is the
result of a lack of knowledge of God, his plan and his Book.
R3008:5
Being ensnared by misplaced confidence in spiritual leaders.
R4396:3
There is a famine in the land, not for bread, but for the
hearing (understanding) of the Word of the Lord. (Amos
8:11) OV154:T
Few parents realize their obligations toward the children they
bring into the world. R5700:6
Hast rejected knowledge -- Having "hidden the key of
knowledge," they not only fail to enter the privileges of the
Gospel call, but they hinder them that would enter, by their
false teachings and misrepresentations. R2693:4
And wine -- Doctrine, or the spirit of the world. D266,
D267
As the first house of Israel stumbled because of intoxication
with false doctrines, so with nominal spiritual Israel.
R3962:5
"The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the
wine of her fornication." (Rev. 17:2) R3962:5
Of the mountains -- Kingdoms. A318
With harlots -- Apostate churches. B277
Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
Is joined to idols -- The idolatry of money. B139
Let him alone -- For a period of 70 years--long enough to
allow nearly all of them to die in exile, a period in which
those who loved idolatry might go their own way. R3623:5
Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
Strange children -- Members of the nominal church,
begotten not of the truth, but of error; partaking, not of the
spirit of Christ, but of the spirit of the world. R1009:1
Tares. (Matt. 13:38) R1009:2
Those whom God does not acknowledge as his sons.
R1009:1
Now -- While in a rejected, spewed-out condition.
R1434:1*
A month -- 30 years--the divinely set time during which
the false shepherds shall be devoured. R1433:6*
"Three shepherds also I cut off in one month." (Zech. 11:8)
R1433:3*
Their portions -- Possessions. (Leeser) R1434:1*
Broken in judgment -- Made desolate, "broken through
punishment." R1434:1*
Come -- In their afflictions, the great time of trouble, they
will come to acknowledge their guilt and to seek the Lord.
R1434:1*
Verses 1 to 3 refer to Israel's judgments and their final
repentance and reconciliation. Q788:4; R2294:5
Let us return -- The returning ones represent those fullest
in faith in the Lord and his promises. Cii
The prodigal must will to return, the prodigal must strive to
return, but the Father will meet him on the way to receive him
and to bless him. R3361:6
He hath torn -- He wounds to heal. SM55:T
He will heal us -- After the time of trouble is past. A256;
SM55:T
The great Messiah, Christ and the Church. SM55:T
As Priest of the Millennial time. SM55:T
The healing process will be coincidental to the wounding and
breaking. SM55:T
When his sharp arrows shall smite them, and his judgment, as
a hammer, shall break the hard, stony hearts. SM54:2
Giving them "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning
and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." (Isa.
61:3) A256
He hath smitten -- The Jews had experienced the
judgment of the Lord in the destruction of the city of
Jerusalem at a time corresponding to the fifth thousand-year
day. Q788:4, Q795:2
After two days -- The fifth and sixth thousand-year days.
R2294:5, R643:1*; Q788:4
In the third day -- The seventh thousand-year day, a
sabbath. R2294:5, R643:1*; Q788:4
Jesus spoke in the fifth thousand-year day since Adam. So
the seventh thousand years, the Millennium, would be the
third day from when he spoke. Q635:1; R92:6*
Early in the morning of this third day--the thousand years of
Messiah's reign--"all Israel shall be saved." (Rom. 11:26)
Q789:T, Q795:2
If our Lord knew of the third day as indicating a three
thousand year period, he did not know what day and hour in
that three thousand year period he would be present and the
work begin. (Mark 13:32) Q635:1
He will raise us up -- Two thousand years of the Jews'
cast-off condition is followed by the thousand years of favor
and resurrection--an additional reason why Christ arose on
the third day. R643:2*, R2294:5
A double signification: one phase of this prophecy applied to
Christ in person, and that has been fulfilled, and is the pledge
that the other phase of it will be fulfilled in subsequent
resurrections. R350:1*
If we follow on -- A continuous eating. You must seek.
R201:5
It is as much our work to follow as it is the Spirit's work to
lead us into all truth. R130:4*
Let us not put down stakes and say, "Thus far will I believe
and no farther." R130:4*
We must not expect to obtain all the truth in one swallow, it is
a continuous eating. R201:5
As the rain -- Truth. B256
Of the two rains picturing Christ's first and second coming.
R643:4*
Latter --Spring. R643:4
Former -- Fall. R643:4*
O Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
Mercy, and not sacrifice -- Explaining why the publicans
and sinners were more attracted to the Lord's words than the
Pharisees-the latter trusted in themselves that they were
righteous, spurning to ask or accept mercy; the former
admitted that they were unrighteous and had need of mercy.
R2260:5, R2591:6
The great lack of many critics and faultfinders is their lack of
mercy and of love. R3754:4
Like men -- Like Adam. (Margin and R.V.) R4902:2,
R5832:3,5 R762:3, R4570:2*
Transgressed the covenant -- Abolishing that covenant
relationship and all its privileges. R5021:3
One act of disobedience broke the covenant between God and
Adam by which he was treated as a son and guaranteed
everlasting life. R5149:2, R4902:2, R5021:3, R5223:3,
R5832:3
Because of Adam's transgression the world is not in covenant
relationship with God in any sense of the word. R5162:3
Of Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
They call to Egypt -- The world. C317; F458
Reap the whirlwind -- A principle of the divine law. (Gal.
6:7; Prov. 22:8; 2 Cor. 9:6) R1653:3
The time of trouble. D528
Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
Return to Egypt -- The world. C317; F458; R1681:6
They have deeply corrupted -- It is not God who has
corrupted mankind. R1351:5*
Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
To the mountains -- Kingdoms. A318
And to the hills -- Less high, less autocratic governments.
D551
Fall on us -- Cover, protect us. It is absurd to expect
wicked men to get faith enough to pray for literal mountains
to fall on them. B139
Israel -- "Prevailer," the name applied well to Jesus.
R436:1
I loved him -- Love is the keynote of the Bible,
notwithstanding the fact that it contains threatenings as well
as promises, and declarations and manifestations of justice as
well as mercy. R5809:2
Called my son -- The Lord Jesus; to the higher, divine
nature. C316
Out of Egypt -- Out of the world. C316; R1681:6
This prophecy has three applications: the deliverance of the
nominal house of Israel in the days of Pharaoh; the return of
the infant Jesus to the land of his birth; and the ultimate
deliverance of Christ and the entire Church of God. R1681:6,
R436:1; C316
I taught Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
Bands of love -- Love is the keynote of the Bible.
R5809:2
How shall I -- Through Hosea, the Lord made loving
appeals to Israel, as a father to his children. R3463:6
As Admah -- "A desolate room." R3464:1
Walk after the LORD -- The various chastisements of
Israel were intended for their good and eventually made that
nation, at the time of Jesus, the most holy people in all the
world--the only people recognized by God. R5809:6
The land of Assyria -- Babylonia. R5809:2
I will place them -- Although Israel had been unfaithful to
the Lord, he would nevertheless loyally receive them again.
R5809:2
Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
And oil -- The holy Spirit. T116
Carried into Egypt -- The world, the opponents of the
people of God. C317; F458
Will punish Jacob -- Natural Israel. A300
Prevailed -- Pray perseveringly. R5381:2, 4*
When Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
In Baal -- Or Bel, the god of Babylon, the Pope. B256;
D24, D40
And idols -- The idolatry of money, etc. B139
Saviour --Jehovah, in that he provided a Redeemer in the
person of Christ. R379:2
Author of the divine plan. E33
Not standing in wrath, seeking to slay or torture until the Lord
Jesus interposed and satisfied the Father's malice and anger
by receiving the blow of wrath in man's stead. E34
Destroyed thyself -- In the days of Samuel, by praying for
a king, contrary to the divine arrangement. R3217:4
The answer to Israel's prayer for a king was disadvantageous
to her as a nation. R3217:4
I will be thy king -- The King whom the Lord intends to
give to Israel and the world is Messiah. R3217:5
And took him away -- The Lord took away the kings of
Israel when the people went into captivity to Babylon; there
have been no independent kings of that nation since. R3217:5
I will -- Jesus shares in the Father's plan for our ransom
from the grave. R387:2
Since the Church is to be associated with Christ in all the
Millennial work, therefore the Church, in that sense of the
word, will be identified with the ransoming work, the work of
deliverance. Q112:1
The resurrection hour has not yet come. R690:3*
Ransom them -- To buy back, by giving a price to
correspond, to redeem. R4818:3; R1228:1, R2399:1
Deliver by a ransom. R5891:1
Used in a prophetic sense as including the entire work of
redemption, down to the very end of the Millennial age.
R5891:1
The word here signifies to recover from the grave; a different
sense than the word ransom in 1 Tim. 2:6. R4747:2,
R4818:3, R4864:1
Man's recovery from death is a part of the ransom work.
R5882:4, R1228:1; Q571:T
The ransom price was paid nearly 1900 years ago, but man is
not yet ransomed from the grave, and will not be until the
awakening in the Millennium. R4617:4
The ransom work will take the whole Millennial age.
R5891:1, R4617:1, R5873:2; Q112:1
The ransoming work will be finished when the New covenant
is put into effective operation; but the atonement work will
not be finished until the end of the Millennial age. R5882:4;
Q571:T
Power of the grave -- Sheol, oblivion, not torment. E373;
SM27:2; R2600:3, R2608:5
All who are in their graves shall ultimately be set free.
OV363:3
"All that are in the grave shall hear the voice of the Son of
God." (John 5:28,25) R2613:3
After the last member has been delivered from the power of
the grave there is still a great resurrecting work to be done--a
raising up out of imperfection of mind, morals and physique
to the full image and likeness of God. R5873:3
I will redeem them -- Messiah's Kingdom will bless, not
only the living, but also those who have fallen asleep.
R5706:4; CR479:4
Every member of Adam's race is to be delivered by Him who
redeems all. HG497:2
From death -- Adamic death. R2608:5
And not from eternal torment. R2600:3, R387:3
Mankind has no option but to come forth from the tomb in
due time, because the ransom has been applied on their
behalf. PT388:2*
In view of the fact that the divine plan has arranged for the
redemption from sheol, death is appropriately described as a
sleep. R4054:3
"Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written,
Death is swallowed up in victory, O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor. 15:54, 55) E373
O death -- Death is not a friend, but an enemy. R625:6
Thy plagues -- Gradual destruction. HG497:2
O grave -- Sheol, oblivion. E373
Quoted in 1 Cor. 15:54, 55, proving that the word hades in
the New Testament is equivalent to the word sheol in the Old
Testament. R2600:4
There is no evidence in the Old Testament that sheol had
more than one signification, or that its later signification was
different from its earlier. R828:6*
I will be -- Future--"in due time." R690:3*
He presently, when united with his Bride, will begin the work
of destroying death by raising all mankind out of it. R381:2
Thy destruction -- Through the opening of the
prisonhouse. R2610:2, R303:6, R381:2, R474:4; OV168:6,
OV363:1
The grave is really a symbol of hope; for we would not speak
of it as a prisonhouse were it not for our hopes of a
resurrection. R894:2
In the Millennial reign. R474:4; OV168:5
The grave, the tomb, the state of death, is to be destroyed.
OV168:4, OV363:2
The Lord will break the bands of death and set the captives
free. PT387:5*
Ransom and resurrection follow each other like cause and
effect. R1322:2*
Adamic Death shall be forever swallowed up and cease in the
Second Death, into which it is to be cast by the great
Redeemer. R2608:5; OV363:2
The thousand years of Messiah's reign will be devoted to this
very work of destroying Adamic Death. OV168:4
Death will continue to be an enemy until its final destruction
in the Millennial reign. R303:6, R474:4
"For he must reign until he has placed all enemies under his
feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Cor.
15:25) R763:5
Therefore, even if it were a place of torment, it would not
endure to all eternity. E373; Q363:1; HG556:5, HG735:1
Israel -- At that time, distinct from Judah. R4811:1
The prophet addresses the people. R2491:2
Thou hast fallen -- Applicable also to our own nation. as
well as to every nation. R4811:2
Also includes nominal spiritual Israel. R4811:5
Thine iniquity -- Israel had become debauched through
idolatry. R4811:1
Words -- Of contrition, promises of reformation. R2491:2
Say unto him -- The Lord. R2491:2
Take away all iniquity -- Israel is here represented as
speaking in a repentant attitude. R2491:2
Receive us graciously -- The people of Israel have not yet
asked to be received by grace--graciously; but still hope for
favor by keeping the law. R4811:3
Attitude of all "Israelites indeed," natural and spiritual, in
returning to God in the Gospel age. R2491:4
Which the Lord has indeed done for the members of the Bride
class only, putting away their iniquity through the blood of
the cross. R2491:4
The great lesson to be learned by all people is that we all need
divine grace, mercy and forgiveness. R4811:3
Calves of our lips -- The fruit of our lips- our praise.
R4811:3
"Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is,
the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." (Heb. 13:15)
Q343:T, R4535:1
Asshur -- Assyria. R4811:2
Horses -- Imported from Egypt. R4811:2
The old, false, doctrinal hobbies. (See Isa. 31:1,3) C316
Work of our hands -- Christendom's confidence is in the
work of their own hands--in lodges, unions, trusts, church
membership, etc. "God is not in all their thoughts." (Psa.
10:4) R4811:5
Ye are our gods -- Christendom is charged with idolatry,
with worshipping houses, lands, banks, stocks, bonds, name
and fame. Indeed the serious charge against Christendom is
that she has lost her God. R4811:5
Fatherless -- The Israelites were fatherless in the sense
that they had denied the Heavenly Father. R4811:2
Those who renounce sin have neither Satan nor God as their
father; but to such God proffers mercy and adoption as
children. R4811:5
Only a comparatively few, a handful, know God as their
Father, and are known of him as his children. R4811:5
I will heal -- After the time of trouble is past. A256
Israel, in the beginning of Messiah's reign. R4811:3
The Lord forgives our trespasses and assists us when we
realize our wrong condition and appeal for help. R5598:3
The hand that smote will be turned to heal. A256
The Lord's answer to Israel's repentant words of verses 2 and
3. R2491:4
Freely -- Unmeritedly. R2491:4
Turned away from him -- Spiritual Israel is not received
of Jehovah as a woman, but as a man--Jesus, the Head; the
Church, his Body. R2491:4
As the dew -- Refreshment. R2491:4
He shall grow -- Thrive. R2491:4
His true Israel, The Christ. R2491:4
As the lily -- Whose growth in Palestine is remarkable.
R2491:4
Roots as Lebanon -- The trees of Mt. Lebanon have very
sturdy roots. R2491:4
As the olive tree -- Everlasting. R2491:5
Verses 5 and 6 picture the development and establishment of
the true Israel, The Christ. R2491:4
Shall return -- Have restitution, for natural Israel and all
nations in the Millennium. R2491:5
Scent -- Rendered "remembrance" in Deut. 32:26 and
"memorial" in Esther 9:28. R2125:3
Ephraim -- Christendom. D22
Literally, the ten-tribe kingdom; symbolically, nominal
Churchianity. R2491:5
Any more with idols -- The idolatry of money, etc. B139
I have heard him -- The great Prophet, The Christ (Acts
3:22) R2491:5
And observed him -- Obeyed him. R2491:5
A green fir tree -- An evergreen tree, symbolically
representative of the possession of everlasting life. R2491:5
From me -- In me. R2491:5
Is thy fruit -- Character development. E206
The fruits of the spirit. E206; R2491:5
Who is wise -- It is necessary first that the transgressor
shall come to a realization of his own need and abandon sin.
R4811:5
"The (truly) wise shall understand, but none of the wicked
shall understand." (Dan. 12:10) R2491:5
Not by earthly wisdom and intelligence, but by being taught
of the Lord. R2491:5
Leeser's translation of this verse: "Who is wise that he may
understand these things? intelligent that he may know them?
For righteous are the ways of the Lord. and the just shall walk
in them (understand them), but the transgressors will stumble
through them (misapprehend them)." R2491:5
Transgressors shall fall -- This scripture has no reference
to the subject of temperance, but closes with an exhortation to
fallen Israel to return to the Lord. R1444:5
There is no place on the highway of holiness, the highway of
divine mercy, love, forgiveness and peace, for transgressors,
those who knowingly and willingly go contrary to the divine
will. R4811:5