Returning

God's faithfulness and stability is such a rock for our faith that it enables us to be able to say certain things, like if we do this than God will do this. It's the basis of repentance, we repent because we know that God is always forgiving and loving, even in the face of great sin God loves and forgives, such was the case with the Israelites when Hosea served as prophet.

As a result of this Israel can call to God in repentance:
“Come, let us return to the LORD.
He has torn us to pieces
but he will heal us;
he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.
2 After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will restore us,
that we may live in his presence.
3 Let us acknowledge the LORD;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hosea 6:1-3 NIV)
As we will find out reading further in this passage this is more of a pleading with Israel, which we can see from the word "come" more than an actual vow of repenatnce from Israel. Hosea pleads with Israel, and he tries to come at their terms, saying yes God has injured us (it may be slightly poor theology but if it works), but he will restore us. We could make a big deal about the three days, but I suspect that isn't referring to Jesus as Hosea wouldn't have been talking on that level, rather Hosea is just talking about the certainty of God's forgiveness, if we turn to him he will forgive, surely, so surely that we can count on it by the day. God is reliable, continues Hosea, as reliable as the sun rising tomorrow.

We see how God responds:
“What can I do with you, Ephraim?
What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
like the early dew that disappears.
5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
I killed you with the words of my mouth—
then my judgments go forth like the sun.
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:4-6 NIV)
And this is where we see that the repentance wasn't a real repentance it was more of a pleading. Beyond that any repentance isn't real, they just pay God lip service. Their love for God is like the mist in the morning it's there briefly but it disappears just as quickly. Why is that because they focus so much on their rules and tradition that they forget the whole point. God doesn't want a bunch of cows, rather he wants to be given his rightful place as Lord and King over all.

For us the challenge is the same, we must not be like the Israelites were in Hosea's time, we must be following and loving God with all of our heart soul and mind, not just going through the motions or giving God some lip service thinking that is enough.