Hosea 6: 1-3 - "After Two Days"

The following articles (now one) were published recently in my "Old Baptist Test" blog.

"Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth."

This is a difficult passage and it is hard to find any general agreement on its interpretation, on when and how the prophecy is fulfilled. Let us begin by asking several questions relative to the verses.

1. Are the words to be applied to penitents in Israel only, to the exclusion of Gentiles?

2. When do the penitents experience the promised healing and binding up?

3. What is meant by being revived?

4. What is meant by "after two days"?

5. What is meant by "he will raise us up"?

6. What is meant by "in the third day"?

7. To what period of time do the words "THEN shall we know" refer?

8. To what do the words "he shall come" refer? What coming of the Lord?

9. What is meant by the Lord's coming "as the latter and former rain"?

Ponder these prophetic words and, the Lord willing, we will try to discern the right interpretation of this most important prophecy.

This is my follow up to the introductory posting on this passage (see HERE). But before I give my thoughts on the passage, I would like to make an observation.

I am surprised that my first posting got few reads. Other articles have gotten lots of reads. Why is this? I am puzzled. Is it because of the audience for this blog? Are they not interested in this important passage? If so, why?

First, I would like to cite the last three verses of Hosea chapter five, along with the verses in chapter six which we are focusing upon, and which are important for help in ascertaining the correct interpretation of 6: 1-3.

"When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound. For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." (Hosea 5:13-15 & 6:1-3)

In ascertaining what is meant by "after two days" and "in the third day" we will first give the majority view that the prophecy relates to the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Fulfillment In Jesus' Resurrection

Wrote Albert Barnes in his commentary:

"After two days will He revive us (or quicken us, give us life,) in the third day He will raise us up - The Resurrection of Christ, and our resurrection in Him and in His Resurrection, could not be more plainly foretold. The prophet expressly mentions “two days,” after which life should be given, and a “third day, on” which the resurrection should take place. What else can this be than the two days in which the Body of Christ lay in the tomb, and the third day, on which He rose again, as “the Resurrection and the life” John 11:25, “the first fruits of them that slept” 1 Corinthians 15:20, the source and earnest and pledge of our resurrection and of life eternal? The Apostle, in speaking of our resurrection in Christ, uses these self-same words of the prophet; “God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us - hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 2:4-6.

The Apostle, like the prophet, speaks of that which took place in Christ our Head, as having already taken place in us, His members.: “If we unhesitatingly believe in our heart,” says a father, “what we profess with our mouth, we were crucified in Christ, “we” died, “we” were buried, “we” also were raised again on that very third day. Whence the Apostle saith, “If ye rose again with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God” Colossians 3:1. “As Christ died for us, so He also rose for us. “Our old man was nailed to the wood, in the flesh of our Head, and the new man was formed in that same Head, rising glorious from the tomb.” What Christ, our Head, did, He did, not for Himself, but for His redeemed, that the benefits of His Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, might redound to all...they partook of what He did.

In no other way, could our participation of Christ be foretold. It was not the prophet‘s object here, nor was it so direct a comfort to Israel, to speak of Christ‘s Resurrection in itself. He took a nearer way to their hearts. He told them, “all we who turn to the Lord, putting our whole trust in Him, and committing ourselves wholly to Him, to be healed of our wounds and to have our griefs bound up, shall receive life from Him, shall be raised up by Him.” They could not understand “then,” how He would do this. The “after two days” and, “in the third day,” remained a mystery, to be explained by the event. But the promise itself was not the less distinct, nor the less full of hope, nor did it less fulfill all cravings for life eternal and the sight of God, because they did not understand, “how shall these things be.” Faith is unconcerned about the “how.” Faith believes what God says, because He says it, and leaves Him to fulfill it, “how” He wills and knows. The words of the promise which faith had to believe, were plain.

The “two days” and “the third day” have nothing in history to correspond with them, except that in which they were fulfilled, when Christ, “rising on the third day from the grave, raised with Him the whole human race”.

I have no doubt that there was an initial fulfillment of this prophecy in the resurrection of Christ. But, that this is the only fulfillment, I reject. But, before I give the reasons for my view, which may be called a "dual fulfillment," let us note these passages which speak of Christ being resurrected in the third day.

“And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.” (Luke 13:32)

"Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”" (John 2:19)

Now, before I give the reasons why a dual fulfillment is to be viewed in the interpretation of the prophecy, let me cite Dr. John Gill on the final fulfillment of it.

Wrote Gill: in his commentary:

"but the Targum comes nearer the truth, which paraphrases the words thus,

"he will quicken us in the days of consolation which are to come, and in the day of the resurrection of the dead he will raise us up;''

where by days of consolation are meant the days of the Messiah, with which the Jews generally connect the resurrection of the dead; and if we understand them of the last days of the Messiah, it is not much amiss; for the words respect the quickening and raising up of the Jews in the latter day, the times of Christ's spiritual coming and reign: and these two and three days may be expressive of a long and short time, as interpreters differently explain them; of a long time, as the third day is a long time for a man to lie dead, when there can be little or no hope of his reviving, Luke 24:21; or of a short time, for which two or three days is a common phrase; and both true in this case: it is a long time Israel and Judah have been in captivity, and there may seem little hope of their restoration; but it will be a short time with the Lord, with whom a thousand years are as one day, and one day as a thousand years: and this I take to be the sense of the words, that after the second Millennium, or the Lord's two days, and at the beginning of the third, will be the time of their conversion and restoration, reckoning from the last destruction of them by the Romans; for not till then were Israel and Judah wholly in a state of death: many of Israel were mixed among those of Judah before the Babylonish captivity, and many returned with them from it; but, when destroyed by the Romans, there was an end of their civil and church state; which will both be revived on a better foundation at this period of time: but if this conjecture is not agreeable (for I only propose it as such), the sense may be taken thus, that in a short time after the repentance of Israel, and their conversion to the Lord, they will be brought into a very comfortable and happy state and condition, both with respect to things temporal and spiritual;

and we shall live in his sight; comfortably, in a civil sense, in their own land, and in the possession of all their privileges and liberties; and in a spiritual sense, by faith on Jesus Christ, whom they shall now embrace, and in the enjoyment of the Gospel and Gospel ordinances; and the prophet represents the penitents and faithful among them as believing and hoping for these things."

I believe Dr, Gill is on target in viewing the "days" as expressive of milleniums. The first two days would then correspond to two thousand years and third day would to the Millenium, which in the Apocalypse is to be 1000 years. (Rev. 20)

We know from the Scriptures that the Millennial reign of Christ with his saints on the earth is referred to as both a single "day" and also as a "thousand years."

In many prophecies, from both testaments, there is reference to "that day." Many times "that day" refers to the time of Christ's return, to the day of the resurrection, and also to the "thousand years." We are therefore fully warranted to interpret "day" as meaning a thousand years. The question then is whether the days of the Hosea prophecy are each 1000 years long. I believe, as others, that they do.

Observations

Besides the fact that the thousand years of Revelation twenty are called a "day" in many scriptures, we may also observe these other things.

The prophecy concerns the resurrection of those who have repented and have returned in faith to the Lord. It does not directly relate to the resurrection of the Messiah. The death and wounding ("he has torn and smitten") of the ones who are resurrected does not relate to the death and wounding of Christ. That wounding resulted from the sins of the people. It was affliction sent as wages for sin.

Though it is true that the apostle Paul taught that all the elect (believers) died and suffered with Christ, were buried and resurrected with Christ, and even ascended into heaven with Christ, we know that he had clear reference to a representative or vicarious, rather than to a personal, action. Literally, Christians have not yet been resurrected nor ascended to heaven to a gloried state where they "live in his sight."

If the prophecy is viewed as completely fulfilled (by the saints being representatively raised when Christ was raised), then we must either 1) deny that believers will actually be raised personally in the coming resurrection, or 2) believe in a dual fulfillment. Don't you see?

The prophecy says that it is "in the third day" that penitents will, after they have been revived and restored, "live in his sight." At this point we should perhaps ask some questions, such as

1) does "in" not also include "throughout" so that "in that day" means "in and throughout that day"?

2) does "day" refer to the "split second" ("twinkling of an eye") when mortals become immortals?

3) does "day" reference a twenty four hour day?

4) or, does "day" refer to some definite, or indefinite, period of time?

5) does "day" in "the third day" denote eternal days?

6) ought not the definition given to "day" be the same for the first, second, and third days?

7) if "in and throughout that day" the saints will "live in his sight" is the correct idea, then does this fact not give reason for rejecting the seeing of "day" as a mere 24 hour period?

8) if "day" refers to a 24 hour period, then the text must say "after 48 hours and in the third 24 hour period"

Now, I am convinced that by the "third day" the "thousand years" of Revelation twenty is referenced. The reasons for this conclusion are these:

1) the "living in his sight" refers to the time when the saints "reign on the earth" for a 1000 years

2) the concept of "living in his sight" seems to denote a long, not a short, period of time

3) it is very difficult to see "living in his sight" as being only fulfilled now (through my representative ascension into heaven with Christ)

From this reasoning I must say that "the third day" being "a thousand years," then "two days" must refer to a period of two thousand years. Likewise, if "day" denotes a 24 hour day, then "after two days" must denote after 48 hours, etc.

According to the ancient prophecy, God will first leave Israel, then, according to his promise to the penitents in Israel, he will return, or "come back," to heal them of their judgment wounds and affliction, to resurrect them to "live in his sight" in immortal glory. Thus, the return of the Lord (second coming of Christ), promised in the text to the penitents, is tied to the time when the saints are resurrected.

These are the reasons why I believe that this ancient prophecy is of the utmost importance for Christians in the year 2020!

Dr. Henry Morris wrote the following on the third day of the prophecy (emphasis mine):

"Two prophetic mysteries are suggested here. Jesus Christ, representing the true Israel in His death, was raised the third day. The earthly nation of Israel, seemingly "dead" as a nation for about two thousand years, will be raised for her thousand-year millennial reign when she returns to Messiah, and He to her at the end of this present age (Ezekiel 37:12-14). On the divine equation that "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years." (2 Peter 3:8). (Defender's Study Bible)

These are my views exactly.

So, just where are we today in 2020 in relation to the ending of those "two days" and to the beginning of that glorious "third day" when saints will be resurrected to live with God?

Gill thought that the "two days" perhaps began in 70 AD when Jerusalem and the Temple were utterly destroyed by the Romans under Titus, and then were scattered as a people, and ceased to be a political state or nation, and would be time when God left Israel, which is, of course, the time when the two days began. Note that the "two days" is a reference to the time when the Lord is absent from Israel. The two days began with the Lord leaving Israel and ended with his return.

If we take the view of Barnes and others (that the three days of Christ from the time of his death to the time of his resurrection), then we must say that the first two days denotes the time of the Father leaving Christ (crucifixion) and "in the third day" denotes that the Father returned to Christ (and us in him) in Christ's resurrection. Don't you see?

If Dr. Gill is correct, we can expect Christ to return in AD 2070, because this is two thousand years from AD 70. Don't you see? That is fifty years from now. I am sure I will not be alive then. But, I am nevertheless deeply affected in spirit to think of how close that is for the younger generation. Things will get worse before they get better when Christ the Redeemer returns to Israel, to all who are Jews inwardly.

I lean strongly towards the view that sees the "two days" of the Lord's absence to correspond to the two thousand years between the Ascension of Christ and his return. Though the Temple had not year been destroyed, it nevertheless had been vacated and declared desolate by the Lord. (Matt. 23: 38) The crucifixion then must be the place to begin the start of the "two days" of the Lord's absence, and of Israel's affliction and death, and the end of the "two days" will mark his return to revive, heal, restore, and resurrect to glorious immortality.

What think ye? Will the Lord come in the year 2030? If we date the resurrection and Ascension to the year 30 AD, then two thousand years will end in that year. Don't you see? Of course, this is as true as is our present calendar.

What about not knowing "the day nor the hour" of Christ's return? In the next and final article in this short series on this important ancient prophecy, we will discuss that question and offer some addendum thoughts.

Dual Fulfillment

Of OT prophecies that have a dual fulfillment, we can especially notice these:

1. in the coming of Christ (some aspects fulfilled in the first, and some in the second coming)
2. in the coming of Elijah (some aspects fulfilled in John the Baptist, others in Elijah at the 2nd coming)
3. as in the coming of the kingdom (some aspects fulfilled in the church, others at the 2nd coming)

Date Setting

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." (Matt. 24:36 nkjv)

This statement of the Lord does not condemn all efforts to know when Christ is coming again. What it condemns is anyone knowing the "day" and "hour" of the Lord's return. It does not condemn the idea that disciples may know whether "that day," the day of Christ's return and of the resurrection of the just, is near or far. It did not condemn the idea that disciples will know the month, year, time and season, of "that day." To prove this we only have to look at these words of the Apostle Paul:

"But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." (I Thess. 5:1-4 kjv)

Those who know the word of God know "the times and seasons" though they know not "the day and the hour." There is no real contradiction here. We cannot affirm that Christ meant, by his words "no man knows the day nor the hour," that one could not know the "times and seasons." We can see this by examining the analogy of a woman experiencing labor pains as signs of her imminent delivery.

Christ returns and his return will follow the birth pangs. When a woman becomes pregnant, doctors are able to determine the "expected" time of birth, generally in the ninth month. Thus one may know the general time and season for the birth, though he will not know the day nor the hour. So, likewise, students of the word of God in relation to the second coming of Christ will see signs of his coming, will see the birth pains (travail of creation, etc.) preceding his coming. Don't you see?

Paul says that it is only upon the lost that Christ comes totally unexpected, as a thief in the night. He says positively that this is not so in regard to the truly saved who know their bibles, for that day will not overtake them as a thief!

"So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near." (Luke 21: 31 nkjv)

These words of Jesus show us that the disciples who see "these things happening" may see the time and season for the coming of the Lord is "at the door" (Matt. 24:33). Wrote Paul:

"that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." (II Thess. 2:2)

When we see this "falling away" and the coming of Antichrist, then we know Christ coming is imminent.

Consider these facts also as it relates to knowing the date or time of the Lord's first coming. The Hebrews had the prophecy of Daniel concerning the 70 weeks which was a time line taking them "unto the Messiah" (Dan. 9).

Though they should have known the year for the Lord's 1st coming, they would not have necessarily known the day or hour.