The Bride, Part II

I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord. – Hosea 2:19-20

In last week’s study, we saw how God used the prophet Hosea and his prostitute wife Gomer to illustrate the type of relationship the Lord wants to have with us – a love story where we can refer to Him as our husband. This week’s passage explores that relationship a little further. In the above verses, God promises how he will treat us during our “marriage” to him.

First, God says he will make us his wife forever. He doesn’t say he will love us until someone better comes along. He doesn’t say he will love us until we mess up.  He says forever. For-ev-er.  No matter what we do, or how bad our mistakes, He will always love us. Gomer left her marriage and went back into prostitution – but Hosea proved his love by seeking her out, buying her back, and returning her to his home. That is how God loves us.

Then the Lord goes on to say that he will show us righteousness, justice, unfailing love, and compassion. Talk about a wonderful set of vows! I would venture to say that every person wishes they had a relationship founded on truly unfailing love and compassion – and God willingly offers us that relationship.

Finally God says, “I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you fill finally know me as the Lord.” This is the kind of promise that will set a person’s heart a-flutter. Think of the implications behind the promise to be faithful: no matter what we do, how we act, or what problems we face, God will ALWAYS have our back. That is amazing. And on top of that, God promises to make us His, so that we will finally know him.

Using the relationship of Hosea and Gomer, God is saying this: “Come to me as your true love, the way you did when you were first set free from sin, and I will love you forever so you can know me completely.” What a wonderful proposal.

 God wants to pour blessing, love, and intimacy on us the same as a husband wants to love his bride – and all we have to do in order to receive it is to give ourselves to him.