Thursday, October 09, 2008

Thoughts on Hosea 5:7

Hos 5:7 They have dealt treacherously against Jehovah; for they have borne strange children: now shall the new moon devour them with their fields. (ASV)

The book of Hosea is really the book of God’s marriage covenant with Israel. It is seen in other portions of the Old Testament, but it is the central theme of Hosea, and most clearly portrayed there. Israel as a whole was His bride, chosen from among the nations round about when it was helpless and small, chosen for the sake of the fathers (Eze. 16; Rom. 11:28). God’s purpose in His nation (as well as marriage in general) was a godly seed (Mal. 2:15). However, here the Lord speaks that Israel has betrayed Him and has begotten strange or foreign children.

Foreign children are children who are apart from the covenant of God. In the Old Covenant God was married to Israel and the Father of the children of Israel (Isa. 63:16). These children were outside that covenant and had a different father. Because of that they also had a different nature, not the nature of God the Father, and they were not taught His law. They were born outside of the covenant because of the idolatry of the nation of Israel and its backsliding.

This is relevant to the Church today. We in the New Covenant are the Bride of Christ. James tells us that friendship with the world is spiritual adultery and enmity with God (James 4:4). So what happens when the Church courts the world? It ends up having strange children. Converts who do not bear the image of Christ, but the image of another. They don’t have the desires of Christ, but instead the desires of their father. In short they are just like the world.

Christ’s desire is that His Church individually and collectively is joined to Him in a hypostatic union from which His image is implanted upon us. Once His image is implanted upon us it can then be implanted upon others as they are drawn to the nature of Christ within us. Christ is the express image (Greek – Character) of God. The word “Character” has a twofold meaning, 1. The tool that makes an impression; 2. The impression or image made by that tool. Christ is the image of God, He is also the tool which God uses to form that same character in us. As that is accomplished we become tools to convey that same character into others.

This is the call of the Church!

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