The Greatness of Our Salvation
Michael Malessa, Ph.D.
Salvation is an important term. The history from creation to the new creation is described as “salvation history”. Salvation is at the center of our life as Christians. Being a Christian means enjoying God’s salvation. Therefore it is important to understand what salvation is. The book of Hosea teaches us some aspects of salvation in chapter 2:14-23. As the Lord's prophet during times of idolatry Hosea had to announce judgment. But at the same time he announced that after judgment salvation would come. When Hosea preached this message, salvation was still in the future. For us salvation is present now because Jesus Christ gave his life for us and died on the cross as the perfect sacrifice. The following aspects of our salvation are found in Hosea 2:14-23.
Salvation is God’s initiative (Hosea 2:14)
In Hosea 2:2-13 God announces judgment to Israel. God wants to punish the Israelites for their unfaithfulness. The punishment will make Israel want to return to the Lord (verse 7): “I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better with me then than now.” Here the first husband is God whom the Israelites had left in order to worship other gods. The Israelites want to return to God, but God doesn’t respond to this attempt to return to him favorably. He points out that the Israelites are ignorant about Him (verse 8) and announces judgment again (verse 9). Human attempts to return to God fail. Salvation is indeed God’s initiative.
This becomes obvious in verse 14 where God says: “I will now allure her.” God starts the action here; Israel can only react. The motives of God are revealed in the final part of verse 14: “I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.” It is out of love that God takes the initiative. Israel had deserted him like an unfaithful wife. But God doesn’t give up and longs to renew the relationship. He speaks words of love and courts his chosen people again. This shows God’s infinite love.
There are many ways how one can become a Christian. Some are born into a Christian family and learn about God and his love from early childhood onward; some come from a non-Christian background. Some experience a very quick conversion; some need much time to finally receive Christ. How did you experience it when you were saved?
Whatever your experience is, salvation is God’s initiative. We can’t earn salvation.
There is no merit that gives us a right to salvation. Salvation is God’s gift; it is offered out of love.
God grants a new start (Hosea 2:15)
Hosea works with rhetorical surprise. The desert which is mentioned briefly in verse 14 is connected with judgment in Hosea 2:3. A green country shall become a desert. But God promises to make the desert the origin of future blessings, here represented by vineyards because wine is a symbol for good life in the Old Testament. This unexpected turn of event comes as a surprise.
The Valley of Achor is the place of the punishment of the first sin against God that the Israelites committed in the Promise Land (Joshua 7). When the Israelites took Jericho, a man named Achan took some of the spoils although they were devoted to God and no one was allowed to take anything from it. Achan, however, took a mantle and some silver and gold. As a consequence the Israelites were defeated at Ai. When trying to find out about the reason for their defeat they found out about Achan’s sin. He was executed and the place where he was punished got the name “Valley of Achor,” that is “Valley of Trouble” when translated from the Hebrew.
The “Valley of Trouble” was a place that brought up bad memories. But now this place of punishment becomes a door of hope. A place that was related to something negative is now related to something positive: hope. The “Valley of Trouble” is not a dead end street, rather a new way is opened up. Salvation is a fresh start into a bright future. When God reveals himself to us, we become aware of our sin and repent. Repentance may be painful, for admitting that one was wrong is not easy. It is like going to one’s own valley of trouble. There remorse is felt. However, this is not the end. But afterward, we no longer need to be burdened with our bad memories of sin and disobedience. Instead we can enjoy life in our restored relationship with God.
The real significance of the desert which Hosea mentioned is seen in the second half of verse 15. The desert was the place where God and his people were on honeymoon when God led them through the desert into the Promise Land. Now this honeymoon period is going to be repeated. The original good relationship between God and Israel will be restored. What this new relationship entails is described in Hosea 2:16-23.
The sinful past is overcome (Hosea 2:16-17)
The main sin of the Israelites was worshipping other gods, especially the Canaanite storm god Baal who was very popular in Israel. Many Israelites confused Baal, the pagan storm god, with the Lord, Yahweh, the One Living God. Now this religious confusion is being taken away (2:16): “On that day, says the Lord, you will call me, ‘My husband,’ and no longer will you call me, ‘My Baal.’” We only acquire true knowledge of God when He reveals Himself to us. And once He reveals Himself to us, we know who he really is: a loving God.
God even goes a step further and cleanses from sin completely (2:17): “For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be mentioned by name no more.” The Israelites won’t sin against God anymore by worshipping another god.
How do we apply this to us Christians? We are cleansed from the guilt of sin. And now, being saved, we are able not to sin. Sin doesn’t have the power over us anymore to force us to sin. Although we may still sin, we are not compelled to sin anymore.
God establishes a covenant (Hosea 2:18)
Salvation brings eternal security. This is shown in verse 18. God will establish an eternal covenant on behalf of His people. For Israel this meant that the negative effects of judgment would be taken away. When God judged Israel, they were afflicted by wild animals and by war with other nations, in order that His people would be disciplined (Leviticus 26:6, 22, 25; Deuteronomy 28:26). But when God saves, things change. The coming salvation will give the Israelites safety in their land (Leviticus 26:5). They will no longer be threatened by wild animals nor by war. Instead of judgment there will be blessing; the curse will be reversed. This is all God’s work.
Applying this lesson to our present age, salvation is not merely a promise of a safe life, but a new life in Jesus. The principles, however, remain the same. We are assured of eternal blessings. Even though the Day of Judgment is yet to come, we rest in the loving hands of our God because we have “crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). This knowledge gives us security even as we enjoy God’s salvation in our present lives.
God gives great gifts (Hosea 2:19-20)
Verses 19-20 of Hosea 2 give another aspect of our great salvation. God used a picture from day-to-day life. In ancient Israel, when a man wanted to marry a woman he had to pay a bride price to her father. This was part of the legal arrangement. When this was done the marriage became legal. Bridegroom and bride were considered husband and wife, even though the official celebration and the consummation of marriage were still to take place. In the book of Hosea, God’s relationship with Israel is depicted as a marriage (Hosea 2:2, 7). In verses 19-20, God promised to begin a totally new relationship with Israel, because the first marriage was a failure due to Israel’s sin. Now God begins anew. This is the beginning of a very special relationship, an everlasting one, for God declared: “I will take you for my wife forever” (verse 19a). Unlike the first marriage, this new relationship with God will last until eternity.
The following declarations are remarkable: “I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.” Here the imagery of marriage goes beyond daily life. The phrases “in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion” and “in faithfulness” refer to the bride-money the bridegroom had to pay to his father-in-law. But besides the “bridegroom” (God) and the “bride” (Israel), there is no one else. God brings into this new relationship righteousness, justice, steadfast love, mercy and faithfulness. These attributes are God’s personal characteristics, characterizing how He deals with humans. God is committed to us; He wants to make this new relationship with us a success.
In addition, it is mentioned in the passage what God expects from his people: righteousness, justice, steadfast love, mercy and faithfulness. This was what He expected from the Israelites; He wanted them to display these qualities among their fellowmen. But the Israelites failed to live up to God’s expectation. The prophets confronted the people of Israel with their sins again and again, accusing them of lacking these five qualities. The prophets revealed to them that they were unjust and didn’t have steadfast love, mercy, compassion, and faithfulness. Therefore, the future salvation which Hosea spoke of went beyond the salvation that transpired in Egypt, when God led His people out of bondage and brought them into the Promised Land. Instead of having to fulfill God’s expectations by fulfilling the Law, God is the one who bestows everything upon his people so that they can fulfill His expectations.
This passage shows us many aspects of our salvation and our life. Not only has God initiated salvation, He has also initiated an eternal relationship with us. He committed Himself to us by showing love and mercy and by being faithful. Everything in this eternal relationship is His work. Everything we need to fulfill God’s expectations He gives to us. Think of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. These characteristics of a Christian are His gifts and are not the result of our own efforts. God wants to give us everything we need in order to lead a life that is pleasing to Him. We only have to allow Him to work in us. We need not toil and labor to be pleasing to God, for it is impossible to earn His favor. But we can allow Him to give us what He expects from us. This is comforting and encouraging.
God’s blessings follow salvation (21-23)
What happens when God grants salvation? The answer is found in verses 21-23. God’s blessings follow salvation. For the Israelites salvation was visible and palpable. It was promised in Hosea 2:21-23 that the Israelites would live in the Promised Land and enjoy life in abundance. When God punished the people of Israel for their unfaithfulness, He withheld rain. Bad harvests, hunger and starvation followed. Now God is reversing His judgment. He will initiate a chain of blessing. God will speak to the sky; the sky will give rain. The land will be fertile again and yield abundant produce: grain, oil and wine.
The idea of this reversal of judgment is found in this passage in several places. In verse 22 Hosea talks about the sky, the earth, and the produce that the earth will yield again. Where? In the Valley of Jezreel. This valley is singled out not only because it was the most fertile part of the Holy Land but also because this place was connected with sin and judgment (Hosea 1:4-5). Just like the Valley of Achor mentioned in Hosea 2:15, the Valley of Jezreel has now become a place of blessing instead of a place of sin and judgment. This reversal is further emphasized in verse 23. After God has led Israel out of the land into the desert (Hosea 2:14) He now plants them back. Israel is now restored in its own land and will again experience mercy and be accepted as the people of God.
God’s blessings to us are different today. We don’t expect a good life in a promised land.
For us salvation does not mean earthly blessing. But we now enjoy life in fellowship with God as His people. Because of this we are blessed. We have the hope of eternity. One day we will be with God and enjoy eternal life in His presence.
This brings security and stability into our lives whatever the circumstances may be. We are blessed because God is at work in us. He works in us to free us from sin and help us live. He gives us brothers and sisters in our churches for fellowship, where we find love and mercy and faithfulness. God really showers His blessings upon us, the ones He has saved. We now live in this new relationship with God after being separated from Him. We lost our connection with God because of our sins. We did not experience God’s mercy. We were not His people but He showed mercy upon us and made us his own.
This passage has taught us many aspects of our salvation. Salvation is God’s initiative. By granting us salvation God restores our relationship with Him. He establishes a covenant that ensures us of His blessings in eternity. God is committed to us and He gives us what He expects from us. His blessings follow salvation. We become His people. How then should we respond to God’s great salvation? We should respond like Israel responded to God’s announcement of salvation (v.23): “…and they will say, ‘You are my God.’” We should respond by acknowledging God as our God. Praise be to our great Savior!