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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Hosea 2:14 - 2:23
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The Renewal of the Lord's Marriage Contract
v. 14. Therefore, behold, I will allure her, deliberately leading the idolatrous Israel astray and visiting His punishment upon her, but with a wonderful object in mind, and bring her into the wilderness, where there was nothing to detract her attention any more, and speak comfortably unto her, in a friendly, heart-to-heart talk, with the intention of once more manifesting His love, now that Israel was ready to acknowledge her transgression.
v. 15. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, the very wilderness again blossoming as the rose, that is, the Gospel-teaching once more bringing forth glorious fruits, and the Valley of Achor, southwest of Jericho, here used only in a figurative way, for a door of hope, so that the crime of Achan would not be repeated, Jos_7:26; and she shall sing there, once more with the true happiness of a believing people, as in the days of her youth, when the Lord first led His people into the Land of Promise, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt, when the Lord first made His covenant with His people.
v. 16. And it shall be at that day, at the time of this wonderful deliverance of the Messianic period, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call Me Ishi, that is, "My Husband,". and shalt call Me no more Baali, in the form of idolatry by which Israel had transferred the worship of the one true God to the Phoenician idol.
v. 17. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, so that the people would no longer mention them in prayer, and they shall no more be remembered by their name, so that idolatry would completely be forgotten in the midst of the Lord's people.
v. 18. And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground, with all those things which might prove harmful and dangerous to them, under the picture of ravenous beasts, birds of prey, and poisonous reptiles, and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, so that the instruments of war would be destroyed and war itself cease, and will make them to lie down safely. All this, of course, is figurative description of the time when there would be peace on earth through Him who is our Peace.
v. 19. And I will betroth thee, so the Lord says to His bride, the Church of the New Testament, unto Me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, namely, that earned by Christ when He cleansed His Church from all unrighteousness through the blood of His cross, and in judgment, by which He interferes in behalf of His people on the basis of Christ's perfect atonement, and in loving-kindness, in His free and merciful favor, and in mercies. Every idea of merit on the part of man is thus entirely excluded; God accepts every member of the Church on the basis of His own mercy in Christ Jesus alone.
v. 20. I will even betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness, with a pledge of the eternal duration of the covenant on His side; and thou shalt know the Lord, the saving knowledge of Jehovah being imparted through this Gospel-message.
v. 21. And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the Lord, His ears, as it were, being attuned to the slightest stirring on the part of those who know Him as their Savior, I will hear the heavens, who here appear as interceding in behalf of the believers, and they shall hear the earth, which likewise is represented as pleading for mercy;
v. 22. and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oil, so that its blessings would once more richly be given; and they shall hear Jezreel, the people of the true Israel, of the Church of God, becoming partakers of the rich blessings of the Lord in the Messianic era.
v. 23. And I will sow her unto Me in the earth, planting His Church anew by the operation of His divine grace; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy, the congregation of Israel; and I will say to them which were not My people, men and women from every part of the world, chosen by the Lord to be included in His communion of saints, Thou art My people; and they shall say, accepting their salvation at the hand of the Father through the redemption of Christ, Thou art my God. That is the confession of the Church and of all its members. Wherever the Gospel of Christ is preached, members are won for the Church, and the sum total of these believers are the bride of Christ and partake of all the blessings which He has gained for all men by His redemption.