Hosea 2:18-19 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven… There is no real or substantial happiness for the soul unless it is really united to Jesus Christ our Lord by faith. Betrothing was considered exceedingly sacred; and parents supposed that what they did on earth God ratified in heaven. I. THE BETROTHING, OR ENGAGING, IS FOR EVER. There is no separation of the parties here, from any cause. No offence can possibly arise, be given or be taken, so as to separate the Church from its Head. No other lover can possibly steal away the affections of believers from Jesus Christ. There are many compacts made between man and man, but time breaks them all. Here is a covenant which time cannot break. God has entered into covenant with Jesus Christ on the part of the Church, and Christ has undertaken to preserve them during the existence of time. But is it not possible for sin to separate? No, not as touching eternity. II. THIS BETROTHING IS IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. Justice, or righteousness, is that perfection of God, whereby He is disposed to render every man his due. All His .proceedings are in perfect equity. There is no part of our eternal salvation which is in opposition to the essential righteousness of God. III. THIS BETROTHING IS IN JUDGMENT. That is, with judgment, not with precipitancy. The Most High will not act in anything rashly, but in a judicious, proper, righteous way: He does not save our souls as a manifestation of His mercy, at the expense of His righteousness. It signifies also the satisfaction of God's justice, and it includes the exercise of His mercy. IV. THIS BETROTHAL IS IN FAITHFULNESS. Look at the faithfulness of Christ, or of God in Christ. Faithfulness to covenant and promises. V. THIS BETROTHAL IS IN LOVING-KINDNESS AND IN MERCIES. Consider a few of them. 1. The revelation of God contained in the Bible. 2. The love of Jesus Christ our Lord. 3. The gift of the Holy Spirit. 4. The hope for the hereafter. VI. THE RESULTS. "Thou shalt know the Lord." Thou shalt know that God hath from eternity chosen thee as a vessel of mercy. Thou shalt know Him as thy great Creator, thy Preserver, thy Redeemer, etc. (T. Bagnall-Baker, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. |
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