(Calvin on Hosea, part 7)
Lecture Seventh.
Hosea 2:18
And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of
the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and [with] the creeping
things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the
battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
The Prophet shows here that the people would be in every way
happy after their return to God's favour: and, at the same time, he
reminds us that the cause of all evils is, that men provoke God's
wrath. Hence, when God is angry, all things must necessarily be
adverse to us; for as God has all creatures at his will, and in his
hand, he can arm them in vengeance against us whenever he pleases:
but when he is propitious to us, he can make all things in heaven
and earth to be conducive to our safety. As then he often threatens
in the Law, that when he purposed to punish the people, he would
make brute animals, and the birds of heaven, and all kinds of
reptiles, to execute his judgement, so in this place he declares
that there would be peace to men when he received them into favour.
"I will make a covenant", he says, "in that day with the beast
of the field". We know what is said in another place, 'If thou
shuttest thyself up at home, a serpent shall there bite thee; but if
thou goest out of thy house, either a bear or a lion shall meet thee
in the way,' (Amos 5: 19;) by which words God shows that we cannot
escape his vengeance when he is angry with us; for he will arm
against us lions and bears as well as serpents, both at home and
abroad. But he says here, 'I will make a covenant for them with the
beasts;' so that they may perform their duty towards us: for they
were all created, we know, for this end, - to be subject to men.
Since, then, they were destined for our benefit, they ought,
according to their nature, to be in subjection to us: and we know
that Adam caused this, - that wild beasts rise up so rebelliously
against us; for otherwise they would have willingly and gently
obeyed us. Now since there is this horrible disorder, that brute
beasts, which ought to own men as their masters, rage against them,
the Lord recalls us here to the first order of nature, "I will make
a covenant for them, he says, with the beast of the field", which
means, "I will make brute animals to know for what end they were
formed, that is, to be subject to the dominion of men, and to show
no rebelliousness any more."
We now then perceive the intention of the Prophet: he reminds
the Israelites that all things were adverse to their safety as long
as they were alienated from God; but that when they returned into
favour with him, this disorder, which had for a time appeared, would
be no longer; for the regular order of nature would prevail, and
brute animals would suffer themselves to be brought to obedience.
This is the covenant of which the Prophet now speaks when he says,
"I will make a covenant for them, that is, in their name, with the
beast of the field, and with the bird of heaven, and with the
reptile of the earth".
It follows, "I will shatter the bow, and the sword, and the
battle", that is, every warlike instrument; for under the word
"milchamah", the Prophet includes every thing adapted for war.
Hence, "I will shatter" every kind of weapons "in that day, and make
them dwell securely". In the last clause he expresses the end for
which the weapons and swords were to be shattered, - that the
Israelites before disquieted by various fears, might dwell in peace,
and no more fear any danger. This is the meaning.
But it is meet for us to call to mind what we have before said,
that the Prophet so speaks of the people's restoration, that he
extends his predictions to the kingdom of Christ, as we may learn
from Paul's testimony already cited. We then see that God's favor,
of which the Prophet now speaks, is not restricted to a short time
or to a few years but extends to Christ's kingdom, and is what we
have in common with the ancient people. Let us therefore know, that
if we provoke not God against us by our sins, all things will be
subservient to the promotion of our safety, and that it is our fault
when creatures do not render us obedience: for when we mutiny
against God, it is no wonder that brute animals should become
ferocious and rage against us; for what peace can there be, when we
carry on war against God himself? Hence were men, as they ought, to
submit to God's authority, there would be no rebelliousness in brute
animals; nay, all who are turbulent would gently rest under the
protection of God. But as we are insolent against God, he justly
punishes us by stirring up against us various contentions and
various tumults. Hence, then swords, hence bows, are prepared
against us, and hence wars are stirred up against us: all this is
because we continue to fight against God.
It must, at the same time, be further noticed, that it is a
singular benefit for a people to dwell in security; for we know that
though we may possess all other things, yet miserable is our
condition, unless we live in peace: hence the Prophet mentions this
as the summit of a happy life. It now follows -
Hosea 2:19,20
And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee
unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness,
and in mercies.
I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt
know the LORD.
The Prophet here again makes known the manner in which God
would receive into favor his people. As though the people had not
violated the marriage vow, God promises to be to them like a
bridegroom, who marries a virgin, young and pure. We have before
spoken of the people's defection; but as God had repudiated them, it
was no common favor for the people to be received again by God, and
received with pardon. When a woman returns to her husband, it is a
great thing in the husband to forgive her, and not to upbraid her
with her former base conduct: but God goes farther than this; for he
espouses to himself a people infamous through many disgraceful acts;
and having abolished their sins, he contracts, as it were, a new
marriage, and joins them again to himself. Hence he says, "I will
espouse thee to me". We now perceive the import of the word,
espouse: for God thereby means, that he would not remember the
unfaithfulness for which he had before cast away his people, but
would blot out all their infamy. It was indeed an honorable
reception into favor, when God offered a new marriage, as though the
people had not been like an adulterous woman.
And he says, "I will espouse thee to me for ever". There is
here an implied contrast between the marriage of which the Prophet
had hitherto spoken, and this which God now contracts. For God,
having redeemed the people, had before entered, as we have said,
into marriage with them: but the people had departed from their vow;
hence followed alienation and divorce. That marriage was then not
only temporary, but also weak and soon broken; for the people did
not continue long in obedience: but of this new marriage the Prophet
declares, that it will continue fast and for ever; and thus he sets
its durable state in contrast with the falling away which had soon
alienated the people from God. Hence he says, "I will espouse thee
to me for ever".
He then declares by what means he would do this, even in
righteousness and judgment, and then in kindness and mercies, and
thirdly, in faithfulness. God had indeed from the beginning
covenanted with the Israelites in righteousness and judgment; there
was nothing disguised or false in his covenant: as then God had in
sincerity adopted the people, to what vices does he oppose
righteousness and judgment? I answer, These words must be applied to
both the contracting parties: then, by righteousness God means not
only his own, but that also which is, as they say, mutual and
reciprocal; and by "righteousness" and "judgment" is meant
rectitude, in which nothing is wanting. We now then perceive what
the Prophet had in view.
But he adds, secondly, "In kindness and mercies": by which
words he intimates, that though the people were unworthy, yet, this
would be no impediment in their way, to prevent them to return into
favor with God; for in this reconciliation God would regard his own
goodness, rather than the merits of his people.
In the third place, he adds, "In faithfulness": and this
confirms what we have before briefly referred to, - the fixed and
unchangeable duration of this marriage.
The words, righteousness and judgment, are, I know, more
refinedly explained by some. They say that righteousness is what is
conferred on us by God through gratuitous imputation; and they take
judgment for that defense which he affords against the violence and
the assaults of our enemies. But here the Prophet, I doubt not,
intimates in a general way, that this covenant would stand firm,
because there would be truth and rectitude on both sides. That this
may be more clearly understood, let us take a passage from the 31st
chapter of Jeremiah; where God complains, that the covenant he had
made with the ancient people had not been firm; for they had
forsaken it. 'My covenant,' he says, 'with your fathers has not
continued.' - Why? 'Because they departed from my commandments.' God
indeed in perfect sincerity adopted the people, and no righteousness
was wanting in him; but as there was no constancy and faithfulness
in the people, the covenant came to nothing: hence God afterwards
adds, 'I will hereafter make a new covenant with you; for I will
engrave my laws on your hearts,' &c. We now then see what the
Prophet means by righteousness and judgment, even this, that God
would cause the marriage vow to be kept on both sides; for the
people, restored from exile, would no more violate their pledged
faith nor act unfaithfully.
But we must notice what is added, "In goodness and mercies".
And this part Jeremiah does not omit, for he adds, 'Their iniquities
I will not remember.' As then the Israelites, conscious of evils
might tremble through fear, the Prophet seasonably anticipates their
diffidence, by promising that the marriage which God was prepared
anew to contract, would be in kindness and mercies. There is then no
reason why their own unworthiness should frighten away the people;
for God here unfolds his own immense goodness and unparalleled
mercies. The Prophet might indeed have expressed this in one word,
but he adds mercies to goodness. The people had indeed sunk into a
deep abyss, that restoration could have been hardly hoped: hence the
word, kindness, or goodness, would have been hardly sufficient to
raise up their minds, had not the word, mercies, been added for the
sake of confirmation.
Now he adds, "in faithfulness"; and by faithfulness is to be
understood, I doubt not, that stability of which I have spoken; for
what some philosophize on this expression is too refined, who give
this explanation, 'I will espouse thee in faith,' that is by the
gospel; for we embrace God's free promises, and thus the covenant
the Lord makes with US is ratified. I simply interpret the word as
denoting stability.
And the Prophet shows afterwards that this covenant would be
confirmed, because faithfulness would be reciprocal, "they shall
know", he says, "Jehovah". Jeremiah, I doubt not, borrowed from this
place what is written in the 31st chapter; for there he also adds,
'No one shall hereafter teach his neighbor, for all, from the least
to the greatest shall know me, saith Jehovah.' Our Prophet says here
in one sentence, they shall know Jehovah. Hence then is the
stability of the covenant, because God by his light shall guide the
hearts of those who had before strayed in darkness and wandered
after their own superstitions. Since then a horrible darkness
prevailed among the Israelitic people, Hosea promises the light of
true knowledge; and this knowledge of God is such, that the people
fall not away from the Lord, nor are they seduced by the fallacies
of Satan. Hence God's covenant stands firm. We now understand the
import of the words.
Jerome thinks that the Prophet promises espousals thrice,
because the Lord once espoused the people to himself in Abraham,
then when he led them out of Egypt, and, thirdly, when once he
reconciled the whole world in Christ: but this is too refined, and
even frivolous. I take a simpler meaning, - that the Prophet
proclaims an espousal thrice, because it was difficult to restore
the people from fear and despair, for they well understood how
grievously and in how many ways they had alienated themselves from
God: it was hence necessary to apply many consolations, which might
serve to confirm their faith. This is the reason why the Lord does
not say once, "I will espouse thee to myself", but repeats it
thrice. The Prophet indeed seemed then to speak of a thing
incredible: for what sort of an example is this, that the Lord
should take for his wife an abominable harlot? Nay, that he should
contract a new marriage with an unclean adulteress, immersed in
debauchery? This was like something monstrous. Hence the Prophet,
that nothing might hinder souls from recumbing on the promise, says,
"Doubt not, for the Lord very often assures you, that this is
certain."
Now, since we have this promise in common with them, we see by
the words of the Prophet what is the beginning of our salvation: God
espoused the Israelites to himself, when restored from exile through
his goodness and mercies. What fellowship have we with God, when we
are born and come out of the womb, except he graciously adopts us?
for we bring nothing, we know, with us but a curse; this is the
heritage of all mankind. Since it is so, all our salvation must
necessarily have its foundation in the goodness and mercies of God.
But there is also another reason in our case, when God receives us
into favor; for we were covenant-breakers under the Papacy; there
was not one of us who had not departed from the pledge of his
baptism; and so we could not have returned into favor with God,
except he had freely united us to himself: and God not only forgave
us, but contracted also a new marriage with us, so that we can now,
as on the day of our youth, as it has been previously said, openly
give thanks to him.
But we must notice this short clause, "They shall know
Jehovah". We indeed see that we are in confusion as soon as we turn
aside from the right and pure knowledge of God, nay, that we are
wholly lost. Since then our salvation consists in the light of
faith, our minds ought ever to be directed to God, that our union
with him, which he has formed by the gospel, may abide firm and
permanent. But as this is not in the power or will of man, we draw
this evident conclusion, that God not only offers his grace in the
outward preaching, but at the same time in the renewing of our
hearts. Except God then recreates us a new people to himself, there
is no more stability in the covenant he makes now with us than in
the old which he made formerly with the fathers under the Law; for
when we compare ourselves with the Israelites, we find that we are
nothing better. It is, therefore, necessary that God should work
inwardly and efficaciously on our hearts, that his covenant may
stand firm: nay, since the knowledge of him is the special gift of
the Spirit, we may with certainty conclude, that what is said here
refers not only to outward preaching, but that the grace of the
Spirit is also joined, by which God renews us after his own image,
as we have already proved from a passage in Jeremiah: but that we
may not seem to borrow from another place, we may say that it
appears evident from the words of the Prophet, that there is no
other bond of stability, by which the covenant of God can be
strengthened and preserved, but the knowledge he conveys to us of
himself; and this he conveys not only by outward teaching, but also
by the illumination of our minds by his Spirit, yea, by the renewing
of our hearts. It follows -
Hosea 2:21
And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD,
I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;
And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and
they shall hear Jezreel.
The Lord promises again that he will not be wanting to the
people, when they shall be reconciled to him. We must, indeed, in
the first place, seek that God may be propitious to us; for they are
very foolish who desire to live well and happily, and in the
meantime care nothing for God's favor. The Prophet shows when the
happiness of men begins; it begins when God adopts them for his
people, and when, having abolished their sins, he espouses them to
himself. It is therefore necessary, in the first place, to seek
this; for as we have said, the desire of being happy is
preposterous, when we first seek the blessings of an earthly life,
when we first seek ease, abundance of good things, health of body,
and similar things. Hence the Prophet now shows, that we are then
only happy when the Lord is reconciled to us, and not only so, but
when he in his love embraces us, and contracts a holy marriage with
us, and on this condition, that he will be a father and preserver to
us, and that we shall be safe and secure under his protection and
defense.
But at the same time he comes down to things of the second
rank. Our happiness is, indeed, as we have said, in the enjoyment of
God's love; but there are accessions which afterwards follow; for
the Lord provides for us, and exercises a care over us, so that he
supplies whatever is needful for the support of life. Of this later
part the Prophet now treats: he says, "In that day". We see that he
reminds us of the covenant, lest we be content with worldly
abundance; for as it has been said, men are commonly devoted to
their present advantages. Hence the Prophet sets here before our
eyes the Lord's covenant; he afterwards adds, that God's favor would
reach to the corn, and to the wine, and the oil.
But we must notice the Prophet's words, "I will hear", he says,
or "I will answer", ("'anah" means to answer, but it is here
equivalent to hear,) "I will hear" then, "I will hear the heavens,
and they will hear the earth". The repetition is not superfluous;
for the Israelites had been for some time consumed by famine, before
they were led away into exile; as though the heavens were iron, no
drop of rain came down. They might hence have thought that there was
now no hope; but God here raises them up, "I will hear, I will
hear", he says; as though he said, "There is no reason for the
miserable condition in which I have suffered you long to languish as
your sins deserved, to discourage you; for I will hereafter hear the
heavens." As the Prophet before reminded them that when the beasts
were cruel to them, it was a token of God's wrath; so also he
teaches by these words that the heavens are not dry through any
hidden influence; but that when God withholds his favor, there is no
rain by which the heavens irrigate the earth. Then God here plainly
shows that the whole order of nature, as they say, is in his hand,
that no drop of rain descends from heaven except by his bidding, nor
can the earth produce any grass; in short, that all nature would be
barren were he not to fructify it by his blessing. And this is the
reason why he says, "I will hear the heavens and they will hear the
earth, and the earth will hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil,
and all these will hear Jezreel".
The Prophet used the word, Jezreel, before in a bad sense; for
his purpose was to reproach the Israelites with their
unfaithfulness: when they boasted of being the seed of Abraham, and
always claimed that honorable and noble distinction, the Lord said,
'Ye are Jezreel, and not Israel.' It may be that the Prophet wished
to show again what they deserved; but he teaches, at the same time,
that God would by no means be prevented from showing kindness to the
unworthy when reconciled to him. Though, then, they were rather
Jezreelites than Israelites, yet their unworthiness would be no
impediment, that God should not deal bountifully with them. There
may also be an allusion here to a new people; for it follows in the
next verse, "uzra'tiha", and I will sow her; and the word, Jezreel,
has an affinity to this verb, it is indeed derived from "zara'",
which is to sow: and as the Prophet presently adds, that Jezreel is,
as it were, the seed of God, I do not disapprove of this supposed
allusion. But yet the Prophet seems here to commend the grace of
God, when he declares that they were Jezreelites with whom God would
deal so kindly as to fructify the earth for their sake.
Let us now again repeat the substance of the whole, "The corn,
and the wine, and the oil, will hear Jezreel". The Israelites were
famished, and as it is usual with those in want of food, they cried
out, 'Who will give us bread, and wine, and oil?' For the stomach,
as it is said, has no ears; nor has it reason and judgment: when
there is extreme want, men, as if they were distracted, will call
for bread, and wine, and oil. God then has regard for these blind
instincts of men, which only crave what will gratify them: hence he
says, The corn, and wine, and oil, will hear Jezreel, - but when?
Even when the earth will supply trees with sap and moisture, and
extend to the seed its strength; it is then that the earth will hear
the corn, and the wine, and the oil: for these grow not of
themselves, but derive supplies from the earth; and hence the earth
is said to hear them. But cannot the earth of itself hear the corn,
or the wine, or the oil? By no means, except rain descends from
heaven. Since, then, the earth itself draws moisture and wetness
from heaven, we see that men in vain cry out in famine, except they
look up to heaven: and heaven is ruled by the will of God. Let men,
therefore, learn to ascend up to God, that they may seek from him
their daily bread.
We now, then, see how suitable is this gradation employed by
the Prophet, by which God, on account of the rude and weak
comprehension of men, leads them up at last to himself. For they
turn their thoughts to bread, and wine, and oil; from these they
seek food: they are in this matter very stupid. Be it so; God is
indulgent to their simplicity and ignorance; for by degrees he
proceeds from corn, and wine, and oil, to the earth, and then from
the earth to heaven; and he afterwards shows that heaven cannot pour
down rain except at his will. It follows at last -
Hosea 2:23
And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon
her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to [them which were]
not my people, Thou [art] my people; and they shall say, [Thou art]
my God.
The Prophet here takes the occasion to speak of the increase of
the people. He had promised a fruitful and large increase of corn,
and wine, and oil; but for what end would this be, except the land
had numerous inhabitants? It was hence needful to make this
addition. Besides, the Prophet had said before, 'Though ye be
immense in number, yet a remnant only shall be preserved.' He now
sets God's new favor in opposition to his vengeance, and says, that
God will again sow the people.
From this sentence we learn that the allusion in the word,
Jezreel, has not been improperly noticed by some, that is, that
they, who had been before a degenerate people and not true
Israelites shall then be the seed of God: yet the words admit of two
senses; for "zara'" applies to the earth as well as to seed. The
Hebrews say, 'The earth is sown,' and also, 'The wheat is sown,' or
any other grain. If then the Prophet compares the people to the
earth, the sense will be, I will sow the people as I do the earth;
that is, I will make them fruitful as the earth when it is
productive. It must then be thus rendered, 'I will sow her for me as
the earth', that is, as though she were my earth. Or it may be
rendered thus, I will sow her for myself in the earth, and for this
end, that the earth, which was for a time waste and desolate, might
have many inhabitants, as we know was the case. But the relative
pronoun in the feminine gender ought not to embarrass us, for the
Prophet ever speaks as of a woman: the people, we know, have been as
yet described to us under the person of a woman.
And he afterwards adds, "Lo-ruchamah". He speaks here either of
Lo-ruchama, an adulterous daughter, or an adulterous woman, whom a
husband takes to himself. As to the matter itself, it is easy to
learn what the Prophet means, which is, that God would diffuse an
offspring far and wide, when the people had been brought not only to
a small number, but almost to nothing: for how little short of
entire ruin was the desolation of the people when scattered into
banishment? They were then, as it has been stated, like a body torn
asunder: the land in the meantime enjoyed its Sabbaths; God had
disburdened it of its inhabitants.
We then understand the meaning of the Prophet to be, that God
would multiply the people, that the small remnant would increase to
a great and almost innumerable offspring. "I will then sow her in
the earth", that is, throughout the whole land; "and I will have
mercy on Lo-ruchama", that is, I will in mercy embrace her, who had
not obtained mercy; "and I will say to the no-people, Ye are now my
people". We see that the Prophet insists on this, - That the people
would not only seek the outward advantages of the present life, but
would make a beginning at the very fountain, by regaining the favor
of God, and knowing him as their propitious Father: for this is the
meaning of the Prophet, of which something more will be said
to-morrow.
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that as we are in this life subject to so many
miseries, and in the meantime grow insensible in our sins, - O grant
that we may learn to search ourselves and consider one sins, that we
may be really humbled before thee, and ascribe to ourselves the
blame of all our evils, that we may be thus led to a genuine feeling
of repentance, and so strive to be reconciled to thee in Christ,
that we may wholly depend on thy paternal love, and thus ever aspire
to the fulness of eternal felicity, through thy goodness and that
immeasurable kindness which thou testifies is ready and offered to
all those, who with a sincere heart worship thee, call upon thee,
and flee to thee, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Calvin on Hosea
(continued in part 8...)
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