His Love and Redemption

Hosea continued...

Scripture:
Hosea 3 (ESV)

And the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.” So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. And I said to her, “You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you.” For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.

Devotional:

Hosea goes out and redeems or buys back his wife.  Hosea takes back a woman who was unfaithful.  Here God is showing Israel that a time will come when He will redeem His people.  God will buy them back.  But the price God pays is much more than several shekels.  Our redemption cost a life. 

Some might think, “so what, not a big deal…”  Others might think it such a simple matter.  But the truth is different.  Yes, it cast a life.  However, it wasn’t just any life.  The price was much more than a goat or lamb.  The price paid for our redemption was pain and suffering.  It was humiliation and agony.  Christ was beaten.  He wasn’t just hung upon the cross.  Jesus was nailed to the cross.  Jesus hung there in humiliation and shame.  He was in agony.  Yet this paled in comparison to being completely separated from God.

Christ’s death and resurrection are our redemption.  It is a gift to us.  We do not deserve it. We do not have to pay anything for it.  It is given to us.  BUT do not ever think it is cheap.  The price for your redemption, and mine, is very high indeed.  What is the most valuable thing we could ever receive?  The best possible gift given is being reunited with God.  Being given a place in heaven.  Being given life with Him for all eternity.  Hosea’s purchasing his wife and being reunited with her is God’s example of His love and redemption for us.  God went to great lengths and spared no expense for you.  What do you (we) do for Him?