“‘I have loved you with an everlasting love.'” (Jeremiah 31:3)
I’m continuing a 3-part blog post series on God’s plan for Israel in the end times. And especially using Hosea chapter 2. (For Part 1, click here.)
In the Old Testament book of Hosea God instructs His prophet to marry a prostitute. (Crazy, huh?) “Gomer” (Hosea’s wife), who’s ultimately given to adultery during her marriage with her husband, represents faithless Israel in the days of the northern kingdom long ago (8th century B.C.).
And Israel is “faithless” in our day, too, just like she was back then. Israel, the nation, is in a state of unbelief. She is “without faith” / unfaithful. Notwithstanding the fact that many Jews are coming to realize that Jesus is their true Messiah and as such are coming to faith in Him. But that’s the exception as mostly Israel is away from God in our day. She’s given to other lovers just like Hosea’s wife, Gomer, was.
And yet God still loves Israel in our day like Hosea did Gomer. (Selah~pause to reflect)
And just as God works in the midst of Israel in Hosea’s day and does so to bring her back to Himself, so the Lord is doing it in our day. It’s God’s plan for Israel in the end times. This is the plan: He’s working in Israel’s midst to draw her back into a relationship with Him. Just like the relationship God had established long ago with Abraham (James 2:23), God’s working in Israel’s midst today to bring her back to Himself.
“I have loved you with an everlasting love,” Jeremiah writes of the Lord’s love for His people in Jeremiah 31:3. Did you know that an everlasting love ~ it lasts forever? And so God hasn’t given up on Israel. Uh uh. No way. Not on your life.
Hosea 2:14-23 is just one of the many passages in the Bible that speak of Israel’s ultimate restoration into a relationship with God in these last days.
And let’s just look at that text now applying them to what I believe is happening in our world today as regards the Lord Himself and Israel, His people. Hosea 2:14 starts out…
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Bring her into the wilderness, And speak kindly to her.”
It’s Israel God is talking about here. And how He’s going to be involved ~ in attracting, charming, fascinating and wooing her. And as I believe this is even true in our day as it was long ago. It’s taking place. We may not be able to pinpoint or document or put our finger on it. But we can trust it’s happening since God’s Word has said it’s supposed to. The Lord really is working behind the scenes in Palestine to bring about His purposes for the Jews. Think about it. And even though the network news will never represent it, the Lord really is working and in the life of His people, He is.
And to restore the song that once filled her heart, God is working in Israel. Notice now the middle of Hosea 2:15 speaks of the song…
“And she (Israel) will sing there (when the Lord restores her to Himself) as in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.” (See Exodus 15)
And not only will Israel have her triumphant song of old restored, but Israel’s relationship with God will be changed as He’s working in the midst of her in the end times. Notice Hosea 2:16 goes on…
“And it will come about in that day,” declares the Lord, “that you will call Me Ishi (“Ishi” means “my Husband”) And will no longer call Me Baali (which means “my Baal” ~ a false god).”
The Lord is doing these things in Israel. I’m convinced of it! He’s attracting, charming, fascinating and wooing the Jews. He’s working to restore the song that once filled Jewish hearts. He’s causing things to go in a direction whose end is that Israel’s relationship with God is changed back to what it once was.
I’ll develop this more in “God’s Plan for Israel in the End Times – The Conclusion” coming soon.
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