Phrase

OT

Hosea 2:16-20

esv

“And in that day, declares the Lord,

Temporal

you will call me ‘My Husband,’

and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’

Result #1

For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth,

Ground

and they shall be remembered by name no more.

Result #2

And I will make for them a covenant on that day

with the beasts of the field,

Series

the birds of the heavens,

and the creeping things of the ground.

And I will abolish the bow,

Separation

the sword,

and war from the land,

and I will make you lie down in safety.

Result

And I will betroth you to me forever.

I will betroth you to me in righteousness

Purpose

and in justice,

in steadfast love

and in mercy.

I will betroth you to me in faithfulness.

Explanation

And you shall know the Lord.

phrasing

Notes

Block Color Designations I see the pink block as the main "thought." The two gold boxes are designated as the other two secondary main thoughts. Structure The passage begins with the Temporal promise, "And in that day..." The promise is the picture of marriage faithfulness on the part of Yahweh. Note the correlation between 16a and 20b. While Yahweh is the husband His people shall know Him. The two images present the love of God for His people. The word 'know' is the typical word used when an intimate, filial relation is in view. It is sometimes translated in sexual terms (17 x's) to convey intimacy between two people (Gen 4:1), though the connotation here is used for God's concern and emotion for the people of Israel. The promise has two specific Results : (1) the people will no longer syncrretize their worship, associating the LORD of all Heaven with the wicked Baals of the Canaanite gods. The Israelites were continually swaying between Yahweh and false gods. In times of God's chastisement, they would cry out for deliverance, being delivered and then soon returning to their mire of idolatry. The attempt to "please" the True God by building shrines and altars in forbidden places was met by God's messengers, such as Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the other prophets. Although the book of Hosea is specifically to the Northern kingdom of Israel (the Southern was called Judah) the prophecies are still relevant for the Southern kingdom, as they fell shortly after their sister for the same types of sins. ( 2) The promise that they will again use the pure Name of Yahweh is g rounded by God's own words of complete removal of foreign entities from their hearts and minds. The language is clear and is stated first by the Ground for the preceding promise and is followed by the totality of that promise, the removal of idols from the very soul so as not to even be called to remembrance. Hosea continues the thought by stating what will happen in that day; it is the day that a covenant is made between God and all of creation, referencing the eschatological promise to bring peace to all the earth and judge all the nations in equity (Psalm 46:9, Isa 2:4). The covenant, like the promise, includes two parts: first, it is not only with men but with all creatures. This is shown by the Series of the list of these animals with the all-encompassing "creeping things of the ground." Second, the covenant includes total peace throughout the land and earth. War shall be entirely gone with a Separation from the hand of God Himself. Umbrellaing underneath of the covenant is the surety and Result of safety. This is immediately followed by a second Temporal , ensuring the people that this covenant is not a temporary thing. God is not fickle like His people and His faithfulness endures forever! This betrothal is intentional and purposeful. The Purpose of this wedding is to have a people for Himself. The Explanation shows that this is done with the people's faithfulness to God in view. The pr0mise culminates to what I believe is the crux of the entire passage. What was the purpose of God's betrothal to His people? It was so that they would know the LORD! An intimate fellowship of people to the Triune God is the finality. God chastised the people yet lovingly reminds them that in His faithfulness He has not, nor will He ever forget them or abandon them to the wayside. The Gospel The gospel is fittingly presented in this brief passage: The revelation of the Law to convict of idolatry • we have forsaken our "Husband" in order to appease our own appetites • we have vained God's Name by ascribing to Him that which He is not (i.e., we make our own Baals) • God's desire is that we, as His people, put away all things that we cherish above Him (He removes the Baals from our mouths, hearts, and minds) The initiative of God in sending His covenant Son • The Son brings complete peace to our hearts and minds as we, by faith, receive God's promise of justification. The war we have fought with God as His enemies is now over and we may rest in the Son's labors • We have the surety that He keeps our souls. Even in physical affliction & danger He ultimately brings us into His presence, effectually causing us to lie down in safety * We are justified and made righteous because of God's steadfast love and mercy • It is only God's faithfulness that accomplishes this The finality of ultimate fellowship with the Triune God • An intimate Fellowship with the Son at the Father's election and the Spirit's indwelling is the end result. The ultimate intimacy will be on the last day when we are presented to the Father without spot or blemish (Jude 24). Wisdom, Works & Worship God has given His people the gift of Himself through the covenant with Jesus. His desire and purpose are to have a people for His own possession [so that] we may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) . But we are sinful people by nature. We are bombarded by our Baals from society and our own desires. God desire to remove these Baals from our hearts and minds that we may call Him and only Him "husband." And the ultimate climax of this desire is that we would know His Son, the Lord of all creation, the King of Kings, and the Bridegroom.

notes