Future Restoration
2:14-15
After a long passage detailing the punishment of Israel that will occur because of idolatry, chapter 2 ends with a passage about future restoration.
At some future date, God will allure Israel. The background metaphor here is still marriage with God as the husband and Israel as the unfaithful wife. “Allure” is a romantic word. It is romantic language of a husband acting to draw his wife back to him. He will speak tenderly to her. (15)
God said he would bring her (Israel) into the wilderness. (14) This is an allusion to the first exodus. The wilderness was where Israel went first after leaving Egypt. (Exodus 14:17-18) She came out of idolatry in Egypt and had to depend on God alone. This is a picture of starting over, God and Israel starting over just as a husband and wife might do after a separation. And there she will answer as in the days of her youth, as when she came out of Egypt. The restored Israel will answer the call of the Lord and again come into a relationship with him.
In New Covenant terms, we can see this as effectual calling. God takes the initiative in salvation by calling, or drawing, men and women to him. Romans 8:30 says “those whom he called he also justified and those whom he justified he also glorified”.
This restoration and change is shown metaphorically in changing the Valley of Achor, meaning valley of trouble, into a door of hope. Achor is where Achan and his family were killed for taking the devoted things from Jericho instead of destroying them as the Lord commanded. The Israelites raised a great heap of stones over the bodies as a memorial. The place was called the Valley of Achor\Trouble because of this incident.
Isaiah, whose ministry coincided with Hosea’s, prophesied that the faithful remnant of God’s people would be given this valley as a place for their herds to be kept. (Isaiah 65:10) This again is a picture of restoration. Hosea also said that the faithful would be given vineyards, evidence of his favor and the bounty of his blessing. Grapes were not a necessity, as bread, but a luxury. Psalm 104:14 says God will bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man.
Images of Restoration
2:16-23
Several images are employed to show the new relationship between God and Israel.
The first is the elimination of Baal worship. In “that day”, the day of restoration, the Lord says Israel will call him “My Husband”, showing they are in a covenant relationship with him. When John the Apostle saw the holy city come down out of heaven, he saw it as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)
They will not call him “My Baal”. There will be no reference to God as Baal, no combining the two, or believing in both. No one will worship Baal. In fact, they will not even remember Baal’s name. The first commandment will be obeyed. Only the name of Yahweh will be mentioned in worship.
The second image is the freedom from the danger of wild animals. One of the punishments for disobeying the commandments was God letting loose the wild beasts against the people, killing the livestock and even children. (Leviticus 26:22) When the population of humans is reduced, or when there is drought, animals will invade the areas occupied by humans.
In the day of restoration, this curse will be removed. It will be as in the beginning, when Adam had dominion over all of the animals. (Genesis 2:18-19) The three types of beasts listed here are the same listed in the creation account. (Genesis 1:20-25)
The third image is protection against enemies. (18) War will cease. God’s people will lie down in safety. They will “lie down in green pastures”. (Psalm 23)
War and defeat were part of the curses for disobedience under the covenant. (Leviticus 26:17, 25) So, again, God is promising a reversal of the curse.
The 4th image is “betrothal”. Betrothal is a commitment to marriage. Betrothal also includes payment of the “bride price”. The husband pays the family of the bride a price that has been agreed upon through negotiation.
Here, God, as the husband, pays the bride price with righteousness, justice, steadfast love, mercy, and faithfulness. (19-20) God will act toward his people with these traits and their relationship will include these traits in both parties in their relationship to each other. For example, God will make his people righteous and they will live in righteousness.
When we are saved, God imputes the righteousness of Christ to us. God declares us righteous because we are in Christ. Paul wrote in Romans 4:22-26:
“…his (Abraham’s) faith was counted to him as righteousness. But the words it was counted to him were not written forms sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
This marriage, the relationship between God and believers, is permanent. God said “And I will betroth you to me forever”. There is nothing that will break this marriage covenant, this relationship between God and the church (body of believers). It is eternal.
This concept of eternal relationship is the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. It might better be called the preservation of the saints. Baptists often use the phrase “once saved always saved” or security of the saints. We know that when we believe, we receive eternal life. (John 3:16) “Eternal” means lasting forever. This is part of God’s steadfast love for us.
This relationship between God and the believer, stated metaphorically as a marriage, results in our knowing God. We will know him, meaning we will have an intimate relationship with him. He will be faithful to keep all of his promises. We will be faithful to worship him only and to be obedient to him.
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