Redemption

The Curse of the Law

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Curse of the Law and Redemption in Christ

Book of Galatians Chapter 3 verses 10 through 18

We must understand that to be righteous, we must live by faith!

As we continue in this Chapter, we will see that Paul continues with the example of faith by Abraham.

We cannot live in this world without faith and certainly will not have eternal life without faith in the Word of God.

Today, it takes a lot of faith just to step outside the safety of our homes and go to work or anywhere.

We must first have faith that the automobile will take us where we need to go.

When we lose faith in that car then most of us will trade it or at least get another one.

Most of us who have a weapon have one because of the lawlessness we see in this world.

Our own nation is not as safe as it used to be, and we have more laws than we ever had.

As a child, we could walk to meet our friends or walk to town and not worry about harm.

We would walk to school without worry.

Our children and grandchildren do not have this same safety, and protection becomes necessary even in the safety of our homes.

Laws are useless to those who will not obey them.

The Liberals in our nation do not understand this, yet they shield themselves from this lawlessness with walls, guards, and all sorts of weaponry that they want to deny us, the average taxpayer.

Lawlessness is increasing in our nation, and we see no end to it!

We left last week’s lesson seeing that God’s blessing comes to those who have “faith” in the Word of God.

Abraham’s righteousness came from his faith in what God had told him!

If God’s blessings come by obedience, then we can see that God’s curse will come by disobedience!

Therefore, the Laws of man put mankind under a curse just as the Laws of Moses did to the Jews.

We cannot say that these laws are all bad, it is the lawbreakers who are bad!

The word curse means; to be condemned and doomed to punishment by the righteous judgment of God.

Let’s put God’s curse into His words.

2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2Pe 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
2Pe 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
2Pe 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

When does this judgment take place? At our death and it is immediate even though the final judgment will come till the end of the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

All those who deny the Lord Jesus as our Savior will wait in Hell until the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ, then they will face Him in judgment.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The thing about death is we never know when our death will come.

We live in fragile bodies of flesh, and we had better know that God the Father has both life and death in His hands.

So, why does the Law put a curse on mankind? Disobedience.

*Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Why does the Law have such a curse?

It is really simple! No one wants to keep the Law!

Many people believe they are to live as they see fit and some do.

As we have seen recently, there is a hierarchy in our Nation and our government who believe that the laws are made for the little people and not for them, they are so special.

The curse is the “mark of death”, the “mark of condemnation”, or guilt: alienation from God both in this life and throughout all eternity.

There is a righteousness that comes by the Law! This righteousness promises life to any person who can obey the Law perfectly.

If there is someone who can meet every requirement of the Law during his or her lifetime and never once falls below God’s standard, then that person can escape the penalty of sin, which is death.

Rom 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

If you choose to live by the Law rather than faith, then there is no place for error!

The only person we know for certain who has done this is the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, our perfect Savior!

Jesus secured righteousness for each of us because He lived in righteousness!

The Gospel message is that instead of claiming this right for Himself, He offered to give His perfection and His righteousness to the people of earth because He took our sins upon Himself.

Jesus Christ accomplishes the same purpose that God the Father had for the Law!

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

This verse in Ephesians 1 verse 7 is where we get that phrase, “God’s Riches At Christ Expense”.

The law is filled with cold letters with no power to give life!

We should know that the Law was only a temporary arrangement between God and man.

The law was to extend only from Moses to Jesus Christ.

Gen 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

God never intended the Law to be the way to salvation!

The Law was given to show us our guilt, our sin, and our awfulness.

We realize this once we walk in the Grace of God!

We can look back and see how awful we really were.

The law was given to show us our guilt.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The Law has never had the power to give life!

The Law is in fact, much inferior to God’s “Grace”.

*Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, “The just shall live by faith”.

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit said the same thing.

Hab 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
Hab 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Hab 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but “the just shall live by his faith”.

There is only one answer, and it is the Lord Jesus Christ!

1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

None of this is confusing so, those who hate Jesus have chosen to defy God!

No one is justified by doing the best they can because God will not excuse sin.

God does not excuse sin, but God will forgive sin under the right condition and that condition is recognizing the work that Jesus has done for us for our salvation.

Once we have truly trusted God, we can be justified because the just shall live by “faith”.

We can only have life by the principle of faith, not the principle of works!

Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

When we believe in God and believe the promises God has made to us, and we do what God says, then the power of faith energizes us to live a justified life.

*Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

The Law is all about performance.

Rev 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

The Apostle Paul explains this to all the Christian Church.

The life element of the Law is not of faith, it is of work, and we simply cannot work our way to Heaven.

By “faith” we will receive the gift of God, which is salvation and eternal life in God’s House and it is a free gift.

By our work means we are trying to pay for salvation which dishonors God who has offered us His free gift to us.

The Lord Jesus Christ has “redeemed” us from the work of the Law!

*Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The word “redeemed” means ransomed; delivered from bondage, delivered from distress, delivered from liability, delivered from penalty, or from the possession of another, by payment of an equivalent.

In the Scriptures the Greek word used for ransomed (exagorazo) meant, to buy up that is ransom, to rescue from loss, redeem.

In reality, the work that the Lord Jesus did on that cross freed every believer from the dominion of the Mosaic Law and that price was His death!
We must also realize that the Lord Jesus died for all the sins of this world by all people!

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Our Lord Jesus Christ substituted Himself, His perfect life, for our sinful life.

What did God tell Abraham?

Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide “himself” a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

When we stand before God, we will stand in the righteousness of our Savior, perfect because Jesus was perfect!

When we see that word cursed, it does not mean that a man is cursed because he is executed upon a tree.

It means that man was cursed because he was judged as a lawbreaker.

This is the curse that Jesus Christ took in our place.

We were lawbreakers but Jesus led a perfect life according to all those 613 Jewish laws.

Rom_10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

It is because He did this that He opened the door to the blessings of God to all mankind, but we must believe.

Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

This is how God the Father kept His promise to Abraham for God will never break a promise.

This is where the Muslim break rank with the Jews, but still try to cling to Abraham and it does not work that way.

All those who believe in Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, will receive the promise of God’s Holy Spirit which is the answer to the promise of a “divine nature”.

2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This is the answer to God’s Promise of a “new birth”!

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

This is the promise of being made a new creature. (a new creation of God).

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This is the answer to the promise of being made into a new man.

Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Without being a home to the Holy Spirit none of these things can take place!

So, when we hear people say, just be the best you can be and God will accept you, we know that this could never be true.
So, when we hear people say, there is more than one way to get to Heaven, we know that this could never be true.
So, when we hear people say that God will never break His promises, we can know that this is the greatest truth of the Bible.

*Gal 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

Promises, Promises, Promises.

God has given us a permanent covenant, that is lasting.

A covenant is an agreement between two parties, a special relationship.

We should understand that once a covenant has been made and executed, it stands, it stands forever.

It cannot be annulled or added to!

God seals His covenant with us with promises, so He cannot ever break His promises!

God and Abraham’s seed are bound to keep their word to one another.

We can now see the meat of this covenant.

*Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

God made this covenant with Himself!

What the Apostle Paul was teaching these Galatians was that trying to get saved according to the Law would only end in death and eternal separation from God.

That seed of Abraham to which the promises were made is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Gen 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

We see the word “seed” is singular and not plural and that seed is Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the descendant who was to inherit the land promised to Abraham.

We see the land of Canaan belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. And he will settle with israel for one thousand years.

Canaan of course is a type of the New Heavens and New Earth. Which will be the home where the Bride of Christ will be located.

Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Jesus Christ and His descendants will receive the Promised Land which are the New Heaven and New Jerusalem.

Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Those who do not think Abraham was looking for the same things that all believers are looking for today are wrong and there are many others who also believed the Gospel before Christ came.

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

*Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

How do we know that we are justified by faith alone?

God gave His covenant of “faith” four hundred and thirty years before He gave Moses the law for the Jews.

1) When the Law was given the Promise of Faith to Abraham had not yet been fulfilled so the Law could not make the promise to Abraham void.

The promise to Abraham and his descendant Jesus Christ still stood.

Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

2) The covenant made with Abraham told mankind how he was to follow God to receive the promises of God, “that is by faith”.

The Law was given for a different purpose entirely!

The command to follow God had already been given and established by the covenant of faith to Abraham.

By the Law no man can be justified, but only “by faith” in the Promises of God!

God’s Covenant of Faith by the Grace of God is sure!

It cannot be revoked or changed!

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and the work that He has done for our salvation, we shall inherit the promises made to Abraham and the Lord Jesus Christ.

These things are not that complicated if you accept the Bible for what it says and the promises God has made, still knowing that God can never break a promise and still be God.

Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

*Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

How do we know that a person is justified by faith alone?

Because God gave His covenant and His inheritance by Promise and not by the Law!

All through the writings of the Apostle Paul he came back to make this same point in every church and every group of believers because it is the truth.

The inheritance given to Abraham by Promise is that of “righteousness” which is being accepted by God and given the privilege of living with Him forever.

God does not accept righteousness in any other fashion than the Word he has given to us.

Who would not want that?

Who would not give all they have for such a promise, but God offers it for free just for “Faith”?

God would not break a promise because it would go against His nature and His character.

It is a great privilege to be offered a chance to live with the Almighty God forever throughout eternity.

Jesus said:

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; “that where I am, there ye may be also”.

Jesus would not have said this if it were not true!

Amen

Redemption, Lessons from the Book of Hosea

/ Bobby Mayfield / 3 Comments

Redemption

Book of Hosea Chapters 1-3

We need to have a clear understanding of the word “redemption”.

Redemption is the buying back of something you once owned through the payment of a ransom!

Mat 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

The “redemption” the Scriptures are speaking of is not for objects but for each human.

In fact the “redemption” spoken of in the Scriptures is the price of blood that Christ Jesus paid for the Church.

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

God would have never paid such a ransom if He had not had such a great love for humanity.

Many times God has taught us the important themes of the Scriptures through examples.

Old Testament prophets often lived their message as well as preached them.

In the Book of Hosea we see a man who God called to be a living example of the Lord’s great love for all humans no matter how sinful we are.

The name Hosea actually means “salvation” or “a savior” much like the name Joshua and we know these names in the Greek would be translated “Jesus”.

The entire Book of Hosea gives us a living picture of the great love our Savior has for us, if we just picture ourselves being the spiritual adulterers that we were before we asked the Lord Jesus to come into our hearts.

Rom 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Rom 9:25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
Rom 9:26 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.

The period of the ministry of Hosea was for about 60 years some even say 80 years.

It is hard to imagine a man staying married to a harlot for this period of time but if we can relate this harlot to the Israel of that day, or even to the Church, or even to each and every individual, we can better understand the Book of Hosea.

If we just imagine the Lord married to the adulterous Israel, the subject of this great book of the Bible is not only clear but highly instructive.

We can even see the ties to the modern Church of today that has become lukewarm.

In the Book of Revelation Jesus had these words:

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Without a doubt the Book of Hosea is much more about the “Grace” of God than any other subject!

So let’s begin:

*****Hos 1:1 The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
Hos 1:2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

It should be obvious to us all that Hosea was called of God to be a prophet. After this call Hosea’s life was under the control of God just the same as any other prophet of God.

We know that adultery is a sin condemned by God and there no exceptions at all, even to Hosea. So it seems strange that God would tell Hosea to marry a harlot and we should know that Hosea still had a choice, he could have said no.

Remember it was not Hosea who committed this sin, he just obeyed God and it would have been Hosea’s sin to not obey God.

In fact Hosea did not spend much time searching for a wife, he did as the Lord had told Him to do.

No matter what we think, the safest place for any of us to be is still to be in the will of God!

This life would be painful for Hosea and it would cost him dearly, mentally and also in material things.

By the end of this lesson Hosea would have to redeem his adulterous wife.

Hos 3:1 Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.
Hos 3:2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
Hos 3:3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

Hosea had informed his new wife that she would not be a harlot and remember this is the same command that God gave to the children of Israel and also the same command God gave to the Church.

God tells us all that we are to have no other gods before Him and this is what Hosea told his new wife, she was to have no other man before him. The same thing we men expect from all our wives.

Gomer gave Hosea 3 children.

God named all three children.

1) Jezreel a son: This name means “seed of God”.

Jezreel was also the place where King Ahab of Israel, the Northern Tribes, had his palace.

God said:

Hos 1:5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

2) Loruhamah a daughter: This name means “uncompassionated”

God said:

Hos 1:6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.

At this time this did not include Judah which also included Benjamin.

3) Loammi another son: This name means “not my people”

And God said:

Hos 1:9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

We should remember in the days of Hosea most all of Israel had turned away from the Lord.

If we look at our own world today we will see that most all the world has again turned away from the Lord.

And then God said these words:

*****Hos 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.

BUT, Even in the midst of God’s anger God simply does not forget those that love Him!

It should be obvious that this promise was not made to any who lived in that day but was to be fulfilled in a future age!

The truth is there is nothing lost to those willing to lose for the Lord!

When we are willing to lose for the Lord, it is then the time when God will renew and confirm His covenant with us.

We should remember what God told Abraham.

Gen 22:15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
Gen 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Gen 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

It is true that God promised a day when Israel will be restored and we know that time as the Millennial Kingdom of the Lord and many multitudes will come to the Lord.

We know that this passage also refers to the Church Age when many souls will be saved.

God has promised that both groups would be called the “Children of the Living God”!

There will only be one ruler in these times:

*****Hos 1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

That one ruler is the promised Messiah.

Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Jesus came the first time as a babe, with a manger for a throne!

When Jesus returns again to sit on His throne in Jerusalem, it will be after He has destroyed His enemies in the Valley of Jezreel! (Jezreel was the place of Ahab’s palace) (The Valley of Jezreel is the palace of all who reject the Lord)

Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

The truth is, that God’s Kingdom is soon coming to this earth!

The Lord Jesus will return as King Of Kings and Lord of Lords and He will rule here on this earth from Jerusalem.

1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

At this time, just as Gomer was playing the harlot, Israel was playing the harlot.

*****Hos 2:5 For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.
Hos 2:6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.

The truth of those living in sin is that, they are too blind and too ignorant to see the dangers in the path they have chosen.

The truth of a worldly church is that, it will become shameless but will also be bold in contempt of those who cannot believe as they believe.

The sin of idolatry is that objects are loved and hearts are taken from the Living God!

When a wife commits adultery she is ignoring the responsibilities of her marriage and especially her children.

The same goes for any man.

The children should rebuke any such activity and not just stand still.

When the worship in any church is straying from the doctrine of Jesus Christ, then the faithful of the church should take a stand against such nonsense.

It is sin to fall away from the Lord but it is also great sin to not take a stand for the Lord!

Verse six means that Gomer would be denied access to the things she lusted after. This is enslavement.

This is the lesson that Israel would learn if they would not repent and of course we know that they did not repent.

So they had become enslaved to their sin!

And so they would be come enslaved to other people.

This is exactly what sin does, it makes us slaves to Satan, the Devil, and slaves to worldly governments!

Gomer was enslaved in her own sin and then became no more than a slave to her lovers.

In the end sin will only hide the way to freedom!

What we find is, that the things we worship other than the true God are never able to provide the things we need the most. What we need the most is the “Grace” and the “Mercy” of our God!

In the end then sin can only bring disappointment!

*****Hos 2:7 And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.

Gomer continued to chase after her lovers but she could never find the peace nor the satisfaction she was looking for.

The sin of Israel was the same. They would chase after their false gods but they could never catch them because they were only figments of their imagination. They did not actually exist!

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

They would have been far better off to have returned to the Lord but that day is still in their future.

This is the sin of our world today and it cannot be denied from those who are willing to open blinded eyes.

How blind are those that reject the Lord?

*****Hos 2:8 For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.

Spiritual blindness is devastating in the end!

Gomer had failed to realize that the good things that Hosea had given to her had actually come from the Lord.

Gomer had not just turned away from her husband but she had turned away from her God.

We as men are fools if we do not think that a good wife does not bring great gifts and great treasures into a marriage but Gomer had chosen to give her treasures and her gifts to others rather than her husband.

Israel had failed to realize that all good gifts come from God.

Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

This is the way of sin and every sinner, they forget that there is a God and God has already said no one will be able to use this as an excuse on judgment day.

Most of our world do realize that there is a God, so only a few actually say “there is no God” and we even allow them to dictate their thoughts while Christians sit idle and allow these things to happen!

What most of our world says is “If there is a God, why would He allow such things to happen”.

They don’t hesitate to blame God for all the bad things but they refuse to accept that they may be the blame for God’s actions.

The truth is that, when we expel God from the intellectual side of thinking, immorality will increase and the whole of our nature will decrease.

The world we live in refuses to admit that there is a “Supreme Being” and that we are all responsible to Him!

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

If this is not a true statement then lets just throw it all away!

What people do not want to hear is that God will judge sin!

*****Hos 2:9 Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness.
Hos 2:10 And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.

Hos 2:13 And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD.

1) For Gomer she would be cast into the world naked and afraid with no one to provide for her.

For Israel they would lose God’s care and His providing hand even the necessities of life.

2) For Gomer she would be publicly exposed and shamed in the eye of the public.

Eventually she would find that men would no longer find her desirable.

For Israel, they would also be exposed and shamed before the eyes of the world. Her lovers would be the other nations of the world but when the weakness of Israel was exposed even those nations would not have anything to do with them.

It is obvious that most of these things are still in effect today!

3) No one can escape the “Judgment of God”. Not Gomer, not Israel, and not anyone!

All adulterous people will face the “Judgment” of God.

Gomer was the wife of a prophet of God but she would still be judged. Not even the family of Hosea could escape the “Judgment of God”

Israel was established as the people of God and they were certainly judged.

AND, there is no means available on this earth or anywhere else, that can deliver any of those from the hand of and God’s Judgment!

Gomer strayed from her husband, dressed as a harlot, had immoral behavior, and committed adultery.

Israel had false worship, improper dress, immoral behavior, and turned away from the Living God.

Do we even need to look at the nation we live in today to see the similarities?

God warns us all: if we disobey the Word of God and commit illicit sexual acts, we will suffer at the hand of God.

The theme of Book of Hosea should not be missed and we certainly have no excuses, we have been warned and we are going through the disciplinary stages at this time and the next thing on God’s calender is then God’s “Judgment”.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

We know that Satan uses many things to entice us into sin but here we see that God will also use His great benefits to entice us back to Him.

*****Hos 2:14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.

Even after all these things Hosea would speak softly to his wife, and allure her, trying to renew the romance they once had.

In the wilderness they could be one on one with no distractions. Hosea would assure his wife that they could still have a loving and a wonderful relationship.

Hosea put forth every effort to reconcile all these things with his wife!

God did the same thing to Israel!

God has done the same thing to every sinner by Jesus Christ!

2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

How does God describe His reconciling with Israel?

*****Hos 2:15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.
Hos 2:16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.
Hos 2:17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.

Just as Hosea offered Gomer a great hope of a renewed marriage, God promised a renewed relationship with Israel!

God promised a day in the future which we know will be the Second Coming of Christ.

God would restore their property. The marriage bond of the children of Israel would be completely restored.

When Israel had first entered into the promised land the Valley of Achor had been the “valley of trouble” but the “Valley of Achor would now become the “valley of hope”.

No longer would Israel only think of God as “Master”(Baali) but would think of God as My Husband (Ishi).

The name Master (Baali) might remind them of those old false gods and that could never be a good thing.

God tells the Church to just say Abba Father or (Daddy) because to say God might cause some to remember their false gods.

Just as Hosea would do everything in his power to help Gomer forget her old lovers, God would do the same for Israel.

We can see that the intent of Hosea’s call was to remind Israel of all these things and not only Israel but all who are here today.

Hosea even promised Gomer a new environment.

*****Hos 2:18 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.

Only in the early days of Adam has there been true peace on this earth. Sin and the murder of Abel brought an end to true peace on this earth.

It was also sin that caused the disruption of trust between the animal world and mankind.

Very few animals are what you call domesticated and most of them only provide food for mankind.

We will all, including the animals, be vegetarians again in the restored earth, during the Millennial Reign of Christ.

The prophesies of the restored earth are to numerous to list them all but here are a few.

Isa 11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Isa 11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Isa 11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.
Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Jer 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Jer 23:7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
Jer 23:8 But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.

Zec 14:7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
Zec 14:8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
Zec 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

Mic 4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Mic 4:4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.

Psa 46:9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
Psa 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psa 46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

These things cannot happen until the Prince of Peace returns:

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Hosea told Gomer that divorce would be totally out of the picture!

God told Israel they would have their day of renewed marriage!

God tells the Church, I will never leave you nor forsake you!

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Psa 37:28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
Psa 37:29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.

The marriage bond to our Lord cannot be broken!

*****Hos 2:19 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.
Hos 2:20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.

God has promised His people a new marriage.

It was always God’s intent for the marriage bond be unbroken!

In our world the marriage was to be to the end of one’s life.

God has promised a marriage bond that can never be broken.

God’s marriage bond, the Church to Christ, will never expire, not at death and not at this world’s ending!

God has promised an eternal union with those that love Him!

What is the truth about the nation of Israel today?

*****Hos 3:4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
Hos 3:5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

Since the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD there has been no place for Israel to offer sacrifices.

Since the destruction caused by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, there has been no King of Israel in the line of King David and there have been no prince’s to continue that line.

Israel was in exile with no place to worship, until May 14, 1948 when Israel was again established on only part of the land that God had given to them.

What we do know is that our King can never die, King Jesus is the rightful heir to the throne of King David!

We also know that there is no one who holds the position of High Priest of Israel since the time of the destruction of the Temple.

That position will also be filled by King Jesus who will be both King and High Priest not only of Israel but of this world.

These things are true now, even as we go through this lesson!

Our lesson today is about “redemption” and we can see that God’s heart is a heart of redemption!

This could be said to be “the goodness” of the Lord”!

In other words we have not seen “the best” that the Lord has to offer yet, it is still in all our future.

It is the “goodness of the Lord” that should bring fear to every sinner who rejects the Lord!

Hosea redeemed his wife with 15 pieces of silver, and a homer and a half of barley.

This was a substantial amount of money even in that day, for an adulterous wife who could have been executed by the laws of Moses.

A new slave could be bought for 30 pieces of silver!

But we must remember God paid a much greater price for our redemption!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Anyone that thinks Israel will never return to God, do not understand what God is saying. The same stumbling block for Israel is the same stumblingblock for the world.

1Pe 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

Not everyone in Israel will be saved but the nation as a whole will be saved.

Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.

Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

When Hosea brought his wife back home we can be sure he gave her some strict rules.

Hosea had been obedient to the Lord but Gomer would have to prove she could be trusted.

This is why God tests our faith from time to time to see if we truly love him like we say we do.

God has shown His goodness to this world by His own Son.

Psa 31:19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
Psa 31:20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Psa 31:21 Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.
Psa 31:22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.

God has already paid the ransom for our redemption, it’s up to us as individuals to prove our own trustworthiness.

Psa 34:22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
Questions?

Let’s Pray!