At the outset of this chapter, Hosea says:

O Israel, return to the Lord your God,

For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;

Take words with you, And return to the Lord. (Hosea 14:1)

Plainly, the Lord exhorts us to return to Him when our wrongdoing has made us turn away.

"Take words with you," is an interesting phrase. It means that we should listen to our conscience - the voice within us that urges us to repent.

The next line,“Take away all iniquity; receive us graciously” shows very clearly what the Lord will do if the people ask Him.

Next, we have this: "For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips". We need to pay attention to detail, not only what we do but also how we speak.

“We will not ride on horses”, in verse (3), shows us to stop thinking we can escape by running away, using intelligent rationales to justify wrong acts.

“Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods,’” shows us to stop thinking that the things we do in the world and from ourselves are the only path to follow. Instead believe the truth that God is the only source of salvation.

“For in You the fatherless finds mercy” is saying that the Lord leaves no one without protection, and abandons no one.

“I will heal their backsliding,” in verse (4) means that God has the ability to keep people from returning to their old ways. “I will love them freely,” shows that He gives His love freely and without reservation.

“For My anger has turned away,” means the sinners’ perception of the Lord will clear and people will see He was never angry, only loving.

“I will be like the dew to Israel,” in verse (5) signifies that His instruction will be gentle like dew on the grass in the morning.

“Grow like the lily,” means the errant one will change, and will grow in purity like the lily;

“Lengthen his roots. . .” like roots growing in the ground the Lord work is in the dark and unseen.

“Branches shall spread” in verse (6) means good and truth will spread into the open and be seen, like the branches on a tree.

“Beauty shall be like an olive tree,” the beauty of the olive tree is in its bearing fruit.

“Fragrance like Lebanon,” like an aroma rising up, the ones who reform will be grateful;

“Those who dwell under his shadow shall return” in verse (7) means those in the dark of false thinking about salvation will be brought into full sunlight.

“They shall be revived like grain and grow like the vine,” explains that where good can flourish like grain in the sunlit field or be abundant like grapes on the vine.

“Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon“ means that this new life emanates a good scent, like the aroma of a good wine. In spiritual terms it means the person can now think through or understand why it is so important to live with good and truth joined together (Apocalypse Explained 730:15).

“What have I to do anymore with idols?” in verse (8) explains that as people are renewed they will no longer depend on their own idols of false thinking and reasoning.

“I have heard and observed Him” because they have heard the Lord speaking in His Word.

“I am like a green cypress tree; Your fruit is found in me” means that like trees that bear fruit, they will have perceptions that lead them to the life the Lord wants for them.

“Who is wise? Let him understand these things,” in verse 9 means those who accept the Lord will have wisdom to see the good paths they are to follow.

“Who is prudent? Let him know them,” explains that those being renewed will use the new thinking the Lord is giving them.

“For the ways of the Lord are right,” means they will understand that only the Lord knows the way to heaven.

“The righteous walk in them,” explains that those who are prudent will follow the Lord’s leading.

“But transgressors stumble in them,” signifies that wrongdoers will find the way to heaven difficult, and will stumble and fall away.

298. And I looked, and behold, a white horse. (6:2) This symbolizes an understanding of truth and goodness from the Word among those people.

A horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word, and a white horse an understanding of truth from the Word. For the color white is predicated of truths (no. 167).

That a horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word is something we showed in a separate short work titled The White Horse. But because we cited only some passages there, we will present more here by way of confirmation. The reality of it is clearly apparent from the fact that horses were seen to go forth from the book which the Lamb opened, and that the living creatures said, "Come and see." For the living creatures symbolize the Word (nos. 239, 275, 286). So, too, does the book (no. 256). And the Son of Man, who here is the Lamb, is the Lord in relation to the Word (no. 44).

It is apparent from this, first, that nothing else is meant here by the horse than an understanding of the Word. This can be still more clearly seen from this later description in the book of Revelation:

I saw heaven opened, when behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called... The Word of God... And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS... And His armies in heaven... followed Him on white horses. (Revelation 19:11, 13-14, 16)

[2] That a horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word can be further seen from the following passages:

O Jehovah..., is Your wrath against the sea, that You ride on Your horses, Your chariots of salvation? ...You trampled the sea with your horses, the mud of many waters. (Habakkuk 3:8, 15)

The hooves of Jehovah's horses are regarded as rocks... (Isaiah 5:28)

On that day... I will strike every horse with stupor, and its rider with madness...; and I will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. (Zechariah 12:4)

On that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, "Holiness to Jehovah." (Zechariah 14:20)

Because God has made her forget wisdom, and did not impart to her understanding. When she lifts herself on high, she scorns the horse and its rider. (Job 39:17-18, and following verses)

I will cut off... the horse from Jerusalem... Rather He shall speak peace to the nations. (Zechariah 9:10)

At Your rebuke, (O Jehovah,) both the chariot and horse fell asleep. (Psalms 76:6)

I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms... and I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down... (Haggai 2:22)

With you I will disperse... kingdoms; with you I will disperse the horse and its rider. (Jeremiah 51:20-21)

Assemble yourselves... from round about to My sacrifice... You will be satisfied at My table with horses and riders... (Thus) I will set My glory among the nations. (Ezekiel 39:17, 20-21)

...gather together for the great supper of God, (and) you (will) eat... the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them... (Revelation 19:17-18)

Dan shall be... a viper by the path, that bites the horse's heels, so that its rider falls backward. I have waited for your salvation, O Jehovah! (Genesis 49:17-18)

Gird Your sword..., O Mighty One... Mount up..., ride upon the Word of truth... (Psalms 45:3-4)

Sing to God...; extol Him who rides on the clouds... (Psalms 68:4)

Behold, Jehovah is riding on a... cloud... (Isaiah 19:1)

Sing praises to the Lord..., to Him who rides on the heaven of the heaven of old...! (Psalms 68:32-33)

(God) rode upon a cherub... (Psalms 18:10)

Then you shall delight yourself in Jehovah; and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the earth... (Isaiah 58:14)

Jehovah alone led him... (And) He made him ride in the heights of the earth... (Deuteronomy 32:12-13)

I will make Ephraim ride. (Hosea 10:11)

Ephraim also symbolizes an understanding of the Word.

[3] Since Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word, therefore they were called the chariot of Israel and his horsemen. Elisha said to Elijah,

"My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" (2 Kings 2:12)

And Joash said to Elisha,

"O my father..., the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!" (2 Kings 13:14)

Jehovah opened the eyes of (Elisha's) servant, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:17)

A chariot symbolizes doctrine from the Word, and a horseman one who is wise as a result of it.

The following have similar symbolic meanings: The four chariots coming from between the bronze mountains in Zechariah, and the four horses harnessed to them, which were red, black, white, and dappled, called also four spirits, and said to go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth (Zechariah 6:1-8, 15). Horses in these places symbolize an understanding of the Word, or an understanding of truth from the Word. So, too, in other places.

[4] This can be further seen from horses mentioned in an opposite sense, in which they symbolize an understanding of the Word or of truth falsified by reasonings, and also extinguished, and likewise a person's own intelligence, as in the following passages:

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses..., and do not look to the Holy One of Israel... Egypt is man and not God, and its horses are flesh and not spirit. (Isaiah 31:1, 3)

You shall... set a king over (Israel) whom Jehovah... chooses... Only let him not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses. (Deuteronomy 17:15-16)

These statements are made because Egypt symbolizes knowledge and reasoning springing from a person's own intelligence, the result of which is a falsification of the Word's truth, which is the meaning of horses here.

Assyria shall not save us. We will not ride on a horse... (Hosea 14:3)

Some glory in chariots, and some in horses; but we will glory in the name of... our God. (Psalms 20:7)

A horse is a false means for safety. (Psalms 33:17)

(Jehovah) does not delight in the strength of the horse. (Psalms 147:10)

...thus says... the Holy One of Israel: ."..In... confidence shall be your strength." But... you said, "No..., ...we will flee on a horse...." And, "We will ride on a swift horse." (Isaiah 30:15-16)

...Jehovah... will make (Judah) as a glorious horse... ...the riders on horses shall be put to shame. (Zechariah 10:3, 5)

Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies... ...and the neighing horse, and the jolting chariot... The horseman causing to ascend... (Nahum 3:1-4)

...I will bring against Tyre... the king of Babylon..., with horses, with chariots, and with horsemen... Because of the abundance of his horses, their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen... and the chariots... With the hooves of his horses he will trample all your streets. (Ezekiel 26:7-11)

Tyre symbolizes the church in respect to its concepts of truth, in this case these concepts falsified in it, which are the horses of Babylon. And so on in other places, as in Isaiah 5:28; Ezekiel 17:15; 23:6, 20; Habakkuk 1:6, 8-10; Psalms 66:12.

An understanding of the Word extinguished is symbolized also by the horses, fiery red, black and pale, in the verses that now follow.

To be shown that a horse symbolizes an understanding of truth from the Word owing to appearances in the spiritual world, see my small book titled The White Horse.