Charles Spurgeon Commentary Hosea 14:6

"His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon." — Hosea 14:6 (ASV)

His branches shall spread,

This is growing sideways. So, the believer spreads his branches by public profession and testimony, after having become deeply rooted in the faith and having grown up in love to God.

Then, he begins to spread his shadow over the sons of men by telling:

"To sinners around,
What a dear Savior he has found."

And his beauty shall be as the olive tree,

This beauty largely consists in its fruitfulness. The most beautiful olive is always the one that bears the most fruit; so the fruitful Christian will have the beauty of the olive tree.

Besides, the olive is an evergreen, and the Christian's beauty is of a kind that will never fade. There is an old saying, "Beauty soon fades," but that does not apply to the Christian's beauty, for that will never fade, neither in life, nor in death, nor in eternity.

And his smell as Lebanon.

That is, the holy influence of his life and conduct will be as fragrant to God and men as are the perfumes exhaled by the sweet flowers on the side of Mount Lebanon.

His branches shall spread,

You will begin to have influence upon others, and cast a shadow over them for their good.

And his beauty shall be as the olive tree,

His soul, bedewed by divine grace, will be beautiful as the olive tree, which has an almost indescribable loveliness all its own.

And his smell as Lebanon.

There will be a gracious flavour about you, who are now so sapless and dry, once the Lord returns to you because you have returned to him.

His branches shall spread,

The dew of the Lord imparts influence to men; it gives them, as it were branches, with which they cast a wide shadow.

And his beauty shall be as the olive tree,

The beauty of fruitfulness. God grant all of us this beauty!

And his smell as Lebanon.

Oh, to stand in holy repute among people, so that a fragrance goes forth from us, like the sweet scents from the wild thyme and other products of Mount Lebanon!

His branches shall spread,

"I will endow him with usefulness and influence.

And his beauty shall be as the olive tree,

"I will load him with fruit. He shall have the beauty that belongs to that fat and oily tree, the olive."

And his smell as Lebanon.

God can make the foul, polluted sinner to become fragrant to him: His smell shall be as Lebanon.