This is a powerful passage of Scripture that tells us what will happen to a nation that repents and returns to the Lord.
A Flow of Events:
First, He will draw the nation into a wilderness experience. He will allow the desolation (see chapter 1:2-11 to see what the desolation will be) of what has happened to draw to a place where He can speak His love to
the unrepentant nation. Specifically when the nation comes to the end of their ability to cope, He will draw them to Himself. (v. 14)
Second, He says that He will restore the crops to the valley of Achor (land of trouble). When the crops begin to grow again this will give a little hope to the nation. In other words it will be a miracle that crops will grow again. (v. 15)
Third, the nation will sing like they did in the days that they began. In other words the nation will return to their first love. For America we began as a nation that wanted to worship God as they saw fit. That will become the call of the heart of the repentant nation. (v. 15b)
Fourth, when the joy of the Lord returns after repentance the Lord will return for His bride. We will call Him our husband because that is what we were meant to do. We are therefore submissive to Him as the bride of Christ. That means that we will no longer call Him Baali or master. We will not treat Him like an evil god but your own God. (v. 16)
Fifth, when the believers return as the bride to the husband, the Lord will remove all of the Baal’s (false masters) from her mouth. This means that the treasure of evil that is stored in the heart will be exchanged for the treasure of God. It will be exchanged for Intimacy with the Father. On this day the sin of hoarding evil in your heart will be overwhelmed by the Lord. Intimacy with the Father is the only way to do this. (v. 17)
A thought: The return of God to a nation requires them to be intimate with Him. God’s people need to move in the direction of intimacy with the Father instead of intimacy with the things of the world. We are in the world but not of the world.
Sixth, when a nation repents the Lord will give the people a covenant (a promise) to live in safety before Him. The beasts of the field, the birds of the air and the creatures that move along the ground will live in harmony with the repentant nation. (v. 18)
Seventh, He will abolish the weapons of war so that everyone can sleep in peace. (v. 18b)
Eighth, He will make that nation His bride and it will last forever. It will be a marriage that is based on righteousness, justice, love and compassion. These are the four greatest things to have in any marriage. The Father will give us these things because He is the perfect husband. (v. 19)
Ninth, this marriage will be based upon faithfulness. In other words the bride will “know” the Lord. This experience of knowing comes from intimacy that is based upon obedience to Him. Obedience is obtained from being righteous. (You can’t be righteous without being owned.) Righteousness comes from giving up your own personal rights and preferences and accepting His preferences. What breaks the heart of God breaks your heart. He always responds to a repentant nation. (v. 20)
A thought: God promises to deliver any nation who repents. He will respond with love. (21a)
Here are the specific things that God promises a repentant nation:
First, He will speak to the skies and rain will fall to the earth. (NCV) v. 21b
Second, grain will again begin to grow. (v. 22a)
Third, the arbors will again grow for making wine to drink. (v. 22b)
Third, the arbors will again grow for making wine to drink. (v. 22b)
Fourth, the olive trees will again grow olives for the purpose of eating, for cooking and for light. (v. 22c)
Fifth, then much will grow in Jezreel. Jezreel was Hosea’s son name has two meanings. First in chapter 1 it means God scatters and here it means that God will scatter seed that will grow. This is the first response of God to the sin of a nation who repents. (v. 22d)
Sixth, then He will sow himself in the land. This is in response to Lo-Rahamah whose name means I have no compassion. Because the nation repents He will again have compassion. This is the second response. (v. 23a)
Seventh, He says that he will again call us His people. Lo-Ammi, Hosea’s third child name means you are not my people. Because the nation repents, He will again call us His people and He will be our God. This is His third response. (v. 23b)
A thought: God will undo his terrible judgments for a truly repentant nation. What a powerful promise.
BTW: We are still calling for a 21 day fast to begin on January 2. If you would like 2 page data sheet describing this fast, I am asking you to send me a message with your email address and it will be sent to you.
Second, He says that He will restore the crops to the valley of Achor (land of trouble). When the crops begin to grow again this will give a little hope to the nation. In other words it will be a miracle that crops will grow again. (v. 15)
Third, the nation will sing like they did in the days that they began. In other words the nation will return to their first love. For America we began as a nation that wanted to worship God as they saw fit. That will become the call of the heart of the repentant nation. (v. 15b)
Fourth, when the joy of the Lord returns after repentance the Lord will return for His bride. We will call Him our husband because that is what we were meant to do. We are therefore submissive to Him as the bride of Christ. That means that we will no longer call Him Baali or master. We will not treat Him like an evil god but your own God. (v. 16)
Fifth, when the believers return as the bride to the husband, the Lord will remove all of the Baal’s (false masters) from her mouth. This means that the treasure of evil that is stored in the heart will be exchanged for the treasure of God. It will be exchanged for Intimacy with the Father. On this day the sin of hoarding evil in your heart will be overwhelmed by the Lord. Intimacy with the Father is the only way to do this. (v. 17)
A thought: The return of God to a nation requires them to be intimate with Him. God’s people need to move in the direction of intimacy with the Father instead of intimacy with the things of the world. We are in the world but not of the world.
Sixth, when a nation repents the Lord will give the people a covenant (a promise) to live in safety before Him. The beasts of the field, the birds of the air and the creatures that move along the ground will live in harmony with the repentant nation. (v. 18)
Seventh, He will abolish the weapons of war so that everyone can sleep in peace. (v. 18b)
Eighth, He will make that nation His bride and it will last forever. It will be a marriage that is based on righteousness, justice, love and compassion. These are the four greatest things to have in any marriage. The Father will give us these things because He is the perfect husband. (v. 19)
Ninth, this marriage will be based upon faithfulness. In other words the bride will “know” the Lord. This experience of knowing comes from intimacy that is based upon obedience to Him. Obedience is obtained from being righteous. (You can’t be righteous without being owned.) Righteousness comes from giving up your own personal rights and preferences and accepting His preferences. What breaks the heart of God breaks your heart. He always responds to a repentant nation. (v. 20)
A thought: God promises to deliver any nation who repents. He will respond with love. (21a)
Here are the specific things that God promises a repentant nation:
First, He will speak to the skies and rain will fall to the earth. (NCV) v. 21b
Second, grain will again begin to grow. (v. 22a)
Third, the arbors will again grow for making wine to drink. (v. 22b)
Third, the arbors will again grow for making wine to drink. (v. 22b)
Fourth, the olive trees will again grow olives for the purpose of eating, for cooking and for light. (v. 22c)
Fifth, then much will grow in Jezreel. Jezreel was Hosea’s son name has two meanings. First in chapter 1 it means God scatters and here it means that God will scatter seed that will grow. This is the first response of God to the sin of a nation who repents. (v. 22d)
Sixth, then He will sow himself in the land. This is in response to Lo-Rahamah whose name means I have no compassion. Because the nation repents He will again have compassion. This is the second response. (v. 23a)
Seventh, He says that he will again call us His people. Lo-Ammi, Hosea’s third child name means you are not my people. Because the nation repents, He will again call us His people and He will be our God. This is His third response. (v. 23b)
A thought: God will undo his terrible judgments for a truly repentant nation. What a powerful promise.
BTW: We are still calling for a 21 day fast to begin on January 2. If you would like 2 page data sheet describing this fast, I am asking you to send me a message with your email address and it will be sent to you.
Comments