DISCOURSE: 1144
GOD BETROTHING US TO HIMSELF
Hosea 2:19-20. I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord.
THERE are various figures used in Scripture to represent the care which God will take of his people: but that which is the most endearing, the most honourable, and, perhaps I might add, the most frequent, of any, is a marriage covenant. The Old Testament abounds with expressions to this effect. Jeremiah has whole Chapter s addressed to the Church as an adulterous wife, and inviting her to be reconciled to her divine Husband. Hosea not only delivers messages in similar terms, but was actually commanded to take an adulteress (i. e. either one who had been so, and was now penitent, or one who, though chaste at the time of his union with her, afterwards proved abandoned) to be his wife, in order that he might be a visible sign unto the Jewish nation. By this, Jehovah, having for a season put away his people for their unfaithfulness, here makes known to them his purpose to restore them yet again to his favour. Let us notice,
I. How God contemplates the restoration of his ancient people—
He considers himself as standing in the relation of a husband to them—
[He had chosen them, and set them apart for that end [Note: Ezekiel 16:8.] — — — He acknowledges himself as still bearing that relation to them [Note: Isaiah 54:5.]. And complains of their unfaithfulness to him in terms peculiar to that relation [Note: ver. 2–5.] — — — And urges their return to him by the consideration of their duty to him under that relation [Note: Jeremiah 3:14.].
Amongst men, such a restoration of the offending party would be inexpedient [Note: Jeremiah 3:1.]: but God both can and will do it in perfect consistency with his own honour. He tells us, He will do it “in righteousness,” having accepted the sacrifice of his only dear Son in their behalf [Note: Romans 3:21-22.]. He will do it “in judgment,” having from all eternity determined so to act towards them [Note: Ephesians 1:8-11.]. He will do it “in loving-kindness,” having “loved them with an everlasting love [Note: Jeremiah 31:3.]. He will do it “in mercies,” having freely forgiven them all their trespasses [Note: Romans 11:27.]. He will do it “in faithfulness,” seeing that “his gifts and calling are without repentance [Note: Romans 11:29.]. And, that he is determined to do it, he makes clear by a threefold repetition of his purpose, “I will betroth thee, I will, I will:” and, because it seems a stretch of mercy beyond all reasonable hope, he says,” I will even betroth thee in faithfulness.”]
He further declares that in this his renewed connexion with them he will far exceed all his former mercies—
[His former espousal of them issued in their being repudiated: but this shall be “for ever [Note: Jeremiah 31:31-33.].” And, whereas their former knowledge of his character was very imperfect, they shall now have such discoveries of him as they had no conception of before; they shall behold all his perfections as harmonizing in this stupendous act of mercy [Note: Isaiah 45:21.], and all “his glory as shining in the face of Jesus Christ [Note: 2 Corinthians 4:6.].”]
But “is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:” and to them also does my text refer: so that, to enter fully into it, we must further notice,
II.
What glad tidings are here announced to the Gentile Church—
To the Christian Church does St. Paul expressly apply this prophecy, saying, “God saith in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God [Note: Romans 9:24-26.].”
Now, in fact, Christ stands in the same relation to us as Jehovah did to the Jews—
He is the Bridegroom of his Church [Note: Matthew 9:15.]; and every true Christian, as well as the whole body of his Church, is presented to him under the character of his spouse [Note: 2 Corinthians 11:2.]. True, we have departed grievously from him, and may justly be put away by him for ever. But he authorizes his ministers to bring us back to him, and engages not to cast off so much as one who shall return to him in penitence and faith [Note: John 6:37.]. His language to us is “Turn ye, turn ye; why will you die [Note: Ezekiel 33:11.]?” And so has he prepared the way for our return, that the perfections of God shall not only not be dishonoured, but shall be greatly glorified, in that event. St. Paul takes great pains to shew, that the righteousness of God will be displayed in it no less than his mercy [Note: Romans 3:25-26.]: so that in it “shall mercy and truth meet together, and righteousness and peace kiss each other [Note: Psalms 85:10.].”
By entering into this relation to Christ, our happiness will be immeasurably and eternally enhanced—
[Other unions are but for a time: but this shall be for ever. “He will not cast off his people, when once he has been pleased to make us his people [Note: 1 Samuel 12:22.].” And he wishes us to know this for our joy. The covenant he makes with us is different from that which he made with the Jews. His covenant with them was to depend on their stability; and therefore it was dissolved: but that which he makes with us, provides for our stability itself, and therefore shall never be dissolved to all eternity [Note: Hebrews 6:17-18.].
And who can conceive what discoveries of his glory shall be vouchsafed to us through eternal ages? We cannot really know God now, unless we are united to him in Christ Jesus: but, when that union takes place, we, like Moses in the cleft of the rock, have all his perfections proclaimed to us, and all his goodness made to pass, as it were, before our eyes [Note: Exodus 33:19; Exodus 33:23.]. Increasing experience of his love will give us increasing discoveries of his love. Yet to the last we shall only behold, as it were, his back parts, and see him as in a glass darkly: but when once the soul is liberated from the body, “we shall see him as we are seen, and know him as we are known [Note: 1 Corinthians 13:12.].”]
Address—
1.
Be like-minded with God in reference to the Jews—
[You see with what delight he views their restoration to him: and will you be indifferent about that great event? Far be it from you. The whole creation will take a deep interest in it, and express, every thing according to its ability, its desire to contribute to their happiness [Note: ver. 21–23.] — — — Do ye also look forward to the event with ardent desire, and exert yourselves in every possible way to promote its speedy consummation.]
2. Accept with gratitude the overtures now made in reference to yourselves—
[In the name of Jehovah I would now espouse you to the Lord Jesus Christ [Note: 2 Corinthians 11:2.]: and for your encouragement I would say, that there is not one perfection of the Deity, not even justice itself, that will not be glorified in your acceptance of his proffered mercy [Note: 1 John 1:9.]. O, think what it will be to stand in that near relation to the Deity, and what blessedness you will obtain both in time and in eternity by means of it! Methinks all heaven will rejoice when the time shall have arrived for the marriage of the Lamb to be consummated [Note: Revelation 19:7.]. May all of you now daily have your meetness for that blessed event increased, and in due season have your joy perfected in the full fruition of your Saviour and your God.]