It doesn’t matter who you have become or what you have done. You can even be the famous prostitute of the Old Testament. You can start all over. This is the gospel. This is the good message heard 7 centuries before Jesus Christ came to fulfil the prophecy.
“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; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.” (Hosea 2 v 16-20)
- I will betroth you … I will betroth you … I will betroth you. Three times.
Hosea says to Gomer and the Lord says to His people and the Spirit speaks to us today:
I will bring you back to the beginning again! I will take us back to the place of our engagement. My righteousness will fill the betrothal and I will have dealt with the justice of your waywardness. Our betrothal will be full of love and compassion for one another.
The Spirit is still doing this today. This is the word for today. Everyone can begin again.
- I will remove the idolatry from your life.
Though it did not happen during this time of the Minor Prophets such as Hosea it did through the work of Jesus Christ. And it does today. In Christ our lives can be completely changed. Total transformation from how we have lived because everyone can begin again.
- I will make a covenant.
He will bring us to the place of laying down in safety. Whether from the beasts or the sword He will remove the threat to our peace. So no matter what happens around us within us is perfect peace and assurance that He is with us. We no longer have to fight our corner. Everything changes because of His covenant because everyone can begin again.
- I will remove the fear and create the relationship.
What does Hosea want from Gomer? What does the Lord want from Israel? What is the Spirit saying to us today? The formalities are gone. This is not religion but relationship. This is not business proposal this is intimacy. From this moment you don’t come back home and fearfully serve me as a slave. The Prodigal story tells us the Father wants more than that. He restores to a place of deep love. Why? Because everyone can begin again!
Missions Paul 