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HOSEA 2 (NOTES OF A READING)

CAC The turning-point with Israel, as with all of us, is the recognition that our relation with divine Persons is one of affection. “In that day, saith Jehovah, ... thou shalt call me, My husband”. In a coming day they will claim Him in that relation of affection. He has had to wait more than two thousand years for it, but He will not be content till He gets it. Jehovah became Man in order to meet the need of man, but all had in view this relation of affection. Then His being claimed in this relation, the rivals all lose their power, they all disappear. “They shall no more be remembered by their name”. And the Lord is not going to be content until that is so with each one of us. And it is so with every family. We have been singing, ‘Reign without a rival there’. So we should be altogether for Him, because He has been altogether for us — is not that the basis? It applies to the local assembly. The local assembly in Corinth had been espoused to Christ. The apostle says, “I have espoused you unto one man, to present you a chaste virgin to Christ”.

If we are consistent with the relation in affection, He will see to it that we are preserved from every hostile power. They were not so at Corinth, and the apostle says, “But I fear”. It is written there to act upon us all, if we hold the position. It is most affecting; it is Jehovah saying, I cannot bear not to have your whole-hearted affection. He cannot ^[p. 391] bear to have what is half-hearted or lukewarm, it is nauseous to Him. He cannot bear it. Love has gone to such lengths that it has established a righteous claim to our whole-hearted love. If we are not rendering it, we are not righteous.

In the previous section His dealings in love are to bring us to recognise the relationship of love, and say, “My husband”. Righteousness, judgment, loving-kindness, and faithfulness, these are features of the husband that come out in the betrothed company. They correspond with the features that marked Jehovah Himself; and there must be correspondence in them, or how could He enter into the marriage relationship? The prophetic word is to make us like Him down here, it is not to make us fit for heaven. It is for earth, not for heaven. “The heavens ... shall hear the earth”. It all goes up from the bottom. There will be no prophecy in heaven, so we had better make the most of the meetings for prophetic ministry, because we are not going to have many of them!

Rem “As he is, we also are in this world” is true of us.

CAC Yes, it is true of us abstractly; but when it comes to the practical side, it is, “We know that if it is manifested we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every one that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3: 2, 3) — that is, down here. It is suitability brought about down here that corresponds with Him in the bond of love, with the sense of the resource there is in Him and of no need to turn anywhere else. Suitability is brought about through the care of the Husband.

“And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith Jehovah, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the new wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jizreel”. There will be freedom of communication between the top and the bottom — an unbroken chain from the top to the bottom. That is, there is that at the bottom that corresponds with the top. Think of a few saints down here in T. morally corresponding with Christ at the top! For it to be brought about down here is a greater triumph for God and for Christ than having the saints in ^[p. 392] glory. It is the result of having a personal link with Christ. So God gets it now, and in a better way in the saints of the assembly, as He will do in the remnant in the tribulation, because it is in conditions of contrariety and testing. It is all, I am convinced of it, that the assembly may be morally ready for presentation.

Ques What is meant by the purchase in chapter 3?

CAC In the prophets God has employed some very striking figures, and this is one. It shows how on the ground of purchase Jehovah secures His right, and the Lord does that with us all. It showed how, in spite of the depraved affections of Israel, Jehovah was unchanged in affection on His side.

Ques What is the difference between redemption and purchase?

CAC Redemption is, you once had something and you lost it, and you get it back. Purchase is, you never did have it, but you acquire a right by purchase.

Ques Were not the Israelites redeemed?

CAC The position here is on the ground of purchase, which is equally tenable by the Gentile — Paul quotes this passage in Romans as establishing that principle. It is the whole relation of a purchased people. “Ye are bought with a price”. We have to see to it that what has been purchased shall be delivered. “Barley” is only used in the jealousy offering (Numbers 5: 15). It is an intimation of their unfaithfulness, so the jealousy offering has to come in. So it is a question for all of us whether we are abiding for Christ. We are to see to it that we do, and He will abide for us. “Thou shalt abide for me many days ... and I will also be for thee”, and that is as true today as when the prophet wrote it.

He has found the purchase price, and the ransom price, and the redemption price. When they realise it, they turn to Him (verse 5). It is made easy for us. It is no legal claim. We have to own the claim of love. If I do not, I am a dishonest person. You cannot get out of it.

Ques Why is it, “Jehovah their God, and David their king”?

CAC Jehovah and His Christ are combined in one Person in our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is all looked at in relation to the departure. Then God in sovereignty works and brings them to accept the relationship, and as soon as they do, He undertakes everything for them. He says, “I will also be for thee”.

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