Hos 2:19-20
And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth
thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
20I will even betroth thee unto
me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.
Israel had many lovers with whom she was immoral against the Lord
God. The people of Israel were physically and spiritually adulterous. They forsook God and
ran after the gods of the nations about them. They burned incense to Baal and were in love
with all the perversions that Baal worship led them into.
They cared only about their temporal comforts, well-being and
pleasures. God's Word and commandments meant little to them, and they were busy with their
silver, gold, purfumes and sensual clothing. Today, many who call themselves Christians
are living such a life. They are carnal, sensual and care only about material things and
they lose sight of the One who truly loves them and has called them into a relationship
with Him.
If your life is like the Israelites of that time, God will be your
adversary (see James 4:4). Even if you clothe yourself in hypocrisy, sooner or later He
will reveal you for what your are and judge you as He judged Israel.
However, in the midst of the judgement God pronounces, He still
shows mercy. He proposes to make an everlasting covenant engagement with you (3:19, 20),
if only you will turn to Him with all your heart. Only a fool would reject His mercy and
continue in sin. Receive this gracious invitation from Christ Himself who wants to be
eternally covenanted to you, despite your sinful past. Through His forgiveness He makes
all things new.
Christ's bride must prepare herself for Him, by cleansing her
garments and washing them in the Blood of the Lamb (Rev 19:7).
