“In that day,” declares the LORD, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.' I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked. In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety. I will betroth you to me forever; 19 I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD
Take time and read this whole chapter and reflect on the emotion of a loving God. The people He had chosen as His special nation had betrayed Him and been led astray into idolatry. It was only the occasional remnants of tradition that this God of Salvation was offered.
As far as God was concerned Israel was His wife, He had provided for her and she cared for nothing but her 😔.
She was not even trying to be faithful.😖
Through the heart break of rejection with the ache of emotion God Himself declares, 'I will betroth you to me forever.‘
In five declarations, this sanctity of relationship is pronounced: in righteousness, justice, love, compassion and faithfulness.
In what seems to be a declaration of marriage God himself pours out His inner most care.
His people were His constant thought, their safety and wellbeing his anxiety.
Righteousness, justice, love, compassion and faithfulness were offered as a sparkling diamond to an unworthy people.
This diadem of grace is also offered to all nations through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who betroths all who love Him to Himself forever. Sometimes the Christian is like the wife of Hosea, taking their care from the crucified Saviour and offering it to all who pass by.
Many will say they have benefitted by the joys of this world, of self will and of self-indulgence. But the death of Jesus cries out 'I will betroth you to me forever.‘ This love does not change nor is it wilted in the trials of life. Here is love beyond all boundaries.
What was said to the nation of Israel, God now proclaims to the nations.
Christian never let your Saviour go; for He said 'I will betroth you to me forever.‘
