Awe-inspiring redemption,conclusion

What a story! As we finish up our study of Gomer, and her husband Hosea, let's look for a moment at the "why" of Hosea's purchase.

Why did he do it? Why did he endure the humiliation, the sacrifice of all his worldly wealth? Well, one reason was that Hosea was God's man. He wanted to obey His clear command. When God spoke, Hosea not only listened, he obeyed!

Another reason was that Hosea loved Gomer. He wanted to make a difference in her life -- when he redeemed her from slavery, that was the biggest difference he could have made!

When we come to Jesus for salvation, it is much the same. When God saves our soul, He does it because He loves us. His desire is to deliver us from the slavery of sin; then we are free to live a new life in Christ Jesus.
Let's look at what Hosea said to Gomer, as he helped her down from the auction block:

And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. (Hosea 3:3, KJV)

Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.” (Hosea 3:3, NIV)

He is telling Gomer that he has expectations for her. His vision of their relationship going forward is that she is not to live like her life was before; she's not to follow the path that led to the auction block. Her life will be different.
Jesus does that for every one of us that He saves. He transforms us into "new creatures."

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (II Corinthians 5:17)

We can't meet Jesus and stay just like we were before....He is truly a life-changer!
I put the two translations there, so that we can study it completely. The commentaries say that Hosea was telling Gomer that he expected her to live a new life, a life of chastity. For a long time, she had been the object of lust, and men (perhaps many men) had used her to satisfy their desires. Now that she has been redeemed, Hosea is bringing her home to heal. He will create a safe environment for her, and keep her in his love.

He also is telling her that the days of loose living are over. She is not to be for any other man; and her redemption and the love Hosea offers are not to be taken lightly. He has paid an extremely high price to redeem her, and he offers her a home in which she will be loved and cherished.

Jesus does that, too, when He saves us. Yes, we have said that He wants to deliver us from sin, and to give us a new life. But He expects us to be His alone, until He calls us home to heaven.
This verse from last week applies here, too:

 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (I Corinthians 6:19-20) 

 Let's not fall into the trap of taking His sacrifice for granted. Let's not take it lightly. Let's covenant to honor Him with the lives we live. Every time a sinner becomes a child of God, there is a desire to live for the Lord Who saved them.  After all, when it dawns on us (either the first time, or when it's realized anew) what we were before, and where we were headed, we are awe-struck. Am I right? When we think again of what God has done for us, in saving us, we are pulled in His direction. We love Him because He first loved us.

I bet that Gomer began to see Hosea through different eyes now. She may have grown tired of their relationship before, and then abandoned their home. Now, Hosea has proven his love for her, and I think she must have had a new love for him, too. Their marriage has been restored, and their family has been re-united. I like to think that there was now absolute commitment on both sides of that relationship.

This is the absolutely awe-inspiring truth of Jesus: We love Him because He first loved us. We have a desire to live for Him. And we know that He is faithful, dependable, and can be trusted to keep His promises to us. He will never leave us or forsake us, and our relationship will never end. We know that is why He saves us to begin with -- He desires a relationship with us! Isn't that awe-inspiring?

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

I don't guess that anything in this world amazes me as much as the love of God. That He, holy and almighty, would love people like us, like me, and save us is amazing and awe-inspiring! Have you experienced the wonder of His redemption? If so, you know what we're talking about, and we can praise Him together for His mercy and grace. If you've not experienced His redeeming love, I hope you will reach out to Him in prayer today. He will hear, and He will save you -- and you will have new life! If you need help, please click on the "What is Salvation"tab on the right-hand sidebar, or send us a message and we will help. You'll enjoy a Christmas season like you've never had before!