Ver. 10-ch. ii 1.-Mercy triumphant over ;udgment. This which has been describell• would fall (and did fall) on Israel. Yet would not God's purpose in the calling of the Il6tion thereby be defeated. Woeful a.s wa.s the apostasy, it did not take God by sur• prise. It had been foretold (Deut. iv. 25-28; xxx.i. 16-19). But the same word which had predicted the rejection, predicted also the recovery (Deut. xxx. 1-16). Hosea, in this new word from God, repeats a.nd confirms the promise. The blessings predicted are- L N u1iIERICAL INCREASE. " Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea," etc. This was the original promise to Abraham (Gen. xv. 5). Israel's unfaithfulness could not make it void (Rom. iii. 3). Neither did it. 1. God has made up for the rejection of Israel by giving Abraham a spiritual seed '1Ja6tly outstripping in numbers the natural seed. The spiritual seed was included in the promise : " And iu thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. xii. 3). God has given Abraham this seed. Even now, while Israel's rejection lasts, a vast seed bas been raised from the Gentiles, " which in time past were not a people" (1 l'et. ii. 10). God has, as it were, from the stones raised up children to Abraham (Matt. iii. 9). This seed will go on increasing till it embraces all peoples of the earth. 2. Mercy waits even/or the natural Israel, who will yet, in great numbers, enter the kingdom of God (Rom. :x:i.). II. RESTORATION TO SPIRITUAL HONOUR. "In the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God." 1. The privi7ege. "Sons of the living God." Formerly they were called God's " people ; " now they are called his " sons." The last honour is greater than the first. 1::ionship, which formerly was predicated of the nation, is now predicated of the individuals composing it. 2. The heirs of the privilege. Gentiles as well as Jews (Rom. ix. 26; 1 Pet. iL 10). For Gentiles are now admitted t.o Israel's privileges. '!'hey are part of the spiritual seed. Israel, in its state of rejection, stands towards God on no higher a footing than the Gentiles. "Not my people." Converisely, the scheme of grace through which it is recovered has a range wider than the natural Israel; it applies to the whole class of" Not-my-people," and includes Gentiles as well as Jews. 'l'he middle wall of partition is broken down (Eph. ii. 14); there is no more any difference (Rom. ill. 22, 29). 3. Greatness of the privilege. (1) Great, in contra.at with former condition. "Once," not the people of God; "now," not his people only, bnt his i;ons. (2) Great in its own nature. "Sona of the living God." What honour, what dig11ity, what favour, is implied in this! We have this sonsbip in Christ, the oll, 11, 1-23.] 'fHE BOOK OF HOSEA, 41
beloved Soo. Angels do not posAess this hononr. It is reserved for sinful but redeemed man. "Behold, what manner of love," etc. (1 John iii. 1). III. REMOVAL OF DISUNION, "Then shall the children of IRrael and the children of Jud11h bo gathered together," etc. The words imply: 1. ThatJudah,like Israel, would be found at length in exile. 2. 'fhat mercy was in reserve for both. 3. That a new Head-a King-would be given, under whom both would return from captivity. The retlll'n will certainly take place, in a spiritual sense, in Israel's tonversion; whether also in a !Heral sense remains to be seen. 4. That the leadership of the new King would be voluntarily accepted-" appoint themselves one Head" (cf. Ps. ex. 2). 5. That in the restored kingdom of God no place would be found for existing di visions. The old enmities would disappear. Enmity has already disappeared between Judah and Israel. '!'he present Jews have in t.hem the blood af a.II the twelve tribes. We may learn (1) that in the kingdom of God there ought to be no disunion; (2) that in the perfected kingdom of God there will be no disunion ; (3) that in the kingdom of God the Centre of unity is Christ-" One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. iv. 5). IV. GLADNESS AND REJOICING. " Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah" (eh. ii. 1). 1. Because of God's great goodness in the extension of bis Church. "Great shall be the day of Jezreel," this time in the sense, " God will sow." 2. Because of reversal of former rejection. No longer Lo-ammi, but Ammi- " my people;" no longer Lo-ruhamah, but Ruhamah-" pitied." This joy will be universal. Will fill a.II hearts, will occupy all lips. Each will greet, rejoice with, and congratulate the other.-J. 0.