Exposition of the 12 Small Prophets, Exposition Hoſea · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
IN this Chapter we have a new type propounded, with a declaration thereof; wherein is held forth, 1. Gods love continued toward adulterous Iſrael, although ſhe be repudiate, v. 1. 2. The low eſtate wherein ſhe ſhould be kept for a long time, becauſe of her ſin. 3. The hope and aſſurance given her of a future marriage. Theſe two are firſt propounded in the type, v. 2, 3. and then repeated by way of explanation; the firſt of them, v. 4. and the other, v. 5.
Verſ. 1. THen ſaid the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman, (beloved of her friend, yet an adultereſſe) according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Iſrael, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.
THis Chapter containes a new typical Sermon, of the ſame nature with the former, but differing ſomewhat in ſcope, as holding forth more diſtinctly the Lords method in performing theſe promiſes made to Iſrael, chap. 2. eſpecially that promiſe of betrothing her again, v. 19, 20. To wit, that though Iſrael ſhould not be finally caſt off, but be again betrothed unto Chriſt; yet they ſhould for a long time be kept in a low eſtate, to fit them for the marriage which ſhould certainly be in due time. This Prophecie cannot be underſtood of Iſrael in the Spirit, ſeeing Hoſea here ſpeaks of Iſrael his charge, that had been married, and was now to be ſequeſtrate for a long time, which is only proper to the ten Tribes: Nor is it to be underſtood of Judah, nor of their returne from the captivity of Babylon; ſeeing Iſrael are named to whom Hoſea preached, and their ſeeking of Chriſt under the name of David, and that in the latter dayes, is forepropheſied, v. 5. So it is to be looked on as a clear prediction of the preſent condition of the ten Tribes, and of their future converſion, of which, Rom. 11.
The firſt particular in this Sermon, is firſt propounded in the type, and then explained: In ſumme, we may conceive it thus; The Prophet was to propound this type, that the caſe ſhould ſtand betwixt the Lord and the Nation, and Church of Iſrael after their rejection, as if the Prophet were a lover, and that of his adulterous wife, whom he continued to love, though ſhe were juſtly repudiate for her adulterie, even ſo the matter ſtood here: The Lord had been her husband and loved her, ſhe had ingrately followed Idols and ſenſual pleaſures; for which, albeit he was to repudiate her as not his wife, yet he would continue his purpoſe of love toward her, in order to a ſecond betrothing. Unto this doth the title of a friend here uſed, agree rather then that of an husband: For in this, the former marriage is diſſolved, and the new is not yet made up, only he hath a friendly affection to her, in order to it. And this title of a friend, and loving her as ſuch, with a purpoſe of marriage, ſeemeth to be an alluſion, (not ſo much to heathen cuſtomes, where there was ſome ſpecial lover under whoſe protection the harlot was, and who upon her good behaviour, would promiſe to marry her. As) to the cuſtome of an Iſraelites marrying the Heathen Virgin, Deut. 21.10,—13. Doct. 1. As it is matter of ſad challenge againſt the Church, that ſhe ingrately ſins againſt loving kindneſſe, and is an adultereſſe unprovoked; (for ſo may be imported here, that this adultereſſe had been beloved, and yet plaid the harlot; See Jer. 2.5. Mic. 6.3.) ſo loving kindneſſe doth not alwayes give up upon ſad provocations, nor upon ſaddeſt diſpenſations; for ſo is expreſſely held out here, the repudiate adultereſſe is yet beloved of her friend, and this ſets out the love of the Lord toward the children of Iſrael, &c. This holds true of the Nation of Iſrael to this day, Rom. 11.28, 29. and there may be toward all the Lords people, many ſweet purpoſes lying hid under ſad diſpenſations, Jer. 29.11. 2. Such is mens ſtupidity in taking up their own caſe, and their ſuperficialneſſe in pondering of it, that it needs to be much and ſenſibly inculcate; Therefore is this matter twice told, firſt in the type, Go yet, (after that former type, chap. 1.2.) love a woman, &c. and then in the explication, according to the love of the Lord, &c. 3. This outward groſſe Idolatry with other gods, (as they judged them to be gods) which Iſrael was guilty of, and for which ſhe was repudiate, may teach; That corrupting the Worſhip of God, and declining from him and his way, is the great ſin for which the Lord doth plead, and may at laſt reject a viſible Church: and albeit tentations to ſuch courſes may be removed from a Church; yet the diſpenſation and way of Iſrael may warne us, that the hearts of all men are prone that way, if they had a tentation, that we encline more to falſe worſhip then true, that naturally we have falſe wayes to heaven and happineſſe; and that idols, and not the true God, are chief in our hearts. And when God and his way of ſervice are not delighted in, we may charge all theſe upon our ſelves; So much may we gather from this challenge againſt Iſrael, they look to other gods, or, turning their back on God, they placed their affection, confidence, dependance, reſpex on Idols; For, looking doth import this, Pſ. 123.1, 2. Iſa. 45.22. See Ezek. 20.16, 24. 4. The challenge joyned with this, that they love flagons of wine, or ſenſual pleaſures, doth teach, that as idolatry and falſe worſhip are plagued with ſenſuality and delight in it, (as witneſſe the feaſts of Idolaters, Exod 32.6.) So ſenſual men bewray their own inclination, that they are ripe for being Idolaters, if they had the tryal: Therefore are they conjoyned in the challenge, as having much affinity, and drawing on one another.
Verſ. 2. So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of ſilver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley.
3. And I ſaid unto her, Thou ſhalt abide for me many dayes, thou ſhalt not play the harlot, and thou ſhalt not be for another man, ſo will I alſo be for thee.
In theſe verſes, the type of the ſecond and third parts of the Chapter is propounded; As if the Prophet ſhould purchaſe this adultereſſe out of the hand of all her lovers, for ſo much money and barley, and ſequeſtrate her from himſelf and them, to live on this ſober entertainment, in hope of marriage, if ſhe carried her ſelf well; So ſhould it be betwixt the Lord and Iſrael, as is explained in the following verſes. Albeit this type be expounded by the Lord himſelf; yet ſince his ſpeaking of the matter twice, invites us to look on it again and again; I ſhall obſerve ſomewhat on the type, And firſt, the Prophets purchaſing the adultereſſe for ſo much money, is not to be ſtrained to ſignifie the Lords redeeming of his Church, for the price is given to her ſelf for maintenance, and to purchaſe her good-will, though ſhe be his own, in order to ſecond marriage; But it teacheth, that as a common ſtrumpet being bought from all her lovers, and a ſlave bought with money, are at the buyers diſpoſal; So, however Iſrael followed many idols, yet the Lord would prove that he alone had dominion over her, to ſet her in what condition he pleaſed, where none of her lovers ſhould help her. Secondly, the price given for her, fifteen pieces of ſilver, (whereby we are to underſtand ſo many ſhekels,) being but half a ſervants worth, Exod. 21.32. and half the eſtimation of a woman, Lev. 27.4. may teach, how little worth they are, and how baſe and contemptible they make themſelves, who deſpiſe the Lord, and corrupt his Worſhip; as may be ſeen on the Jewes to this day, and much more on Iſrael, who are in a manner loſt in the World; See Amos 9.7. Thirdly, this ſmall price with the barley joyned with it, and given her, being but little and ſober fare, and unfit food, eſpecially for women, may teach, 1. That ſenſuality provokes God to ſend pinching penury; For, ſhe who loved flagons of wine, v. 1. cometh to this fare. 2. That we muſt be much ſtripped of all things, before we be ſenſible and weaned from our idols: For, this adultereſſe muſt be thus pinched, before ſhe give over her wantonneſſe: Our hearts are ſo mad on Idols, that they will be fed ſo long as we have any thing to our ſelves. Fourthly, his charging her to abide many dayes ſequeſtrate, not playing the harlot, nor enjoying him, (for ſo the Original hath it, Thou ſhalt not be for a man, either me or any other,) but having hope of marriage if ſhe did well, may teach. 1. That cutting ſhort of outward mercies, ſhould cut off ſin, and humble us that we may be ripe for mercy; and whatever our frame and carriage be, yet by affliction God will cut ſhort occaſions of ſin; For, as an adultereſſe ſhut up and dieted, is ſecluded from her lovers; ſo Iſrael by Gods diſpenſations, is made to abide, and not be for a man. 2. The Lord may intend much good to them whom he brings in contempt, and to a low condition: For, he ſequeſtrates and ſhuts up Iſrael thus, with an eye to marrying of her. 3. Such as God intends this mercy for, may yet continue long in a ſad condition; partly, to ſhew the greatneſſe of his diſpleaſure againſt his people, when he is provoked to reject them; and partly, that they may ſee the ill of their wayes, and may cleave to God the faſter, when he reſtores them; For, Iſrael is to abide many dayes, whereof we have ſeen a ſad accompliſhment from the time of their captivity to this day; whereof though they get no uſe in the time of their rejection, yet it will be otherwiſe when they turne to God. 4. As it is a choice mercy in affliction, not to forſake God, nor cleave to other idols, though he ſeem to reject us; So it is a token for good to Gods people, when by affliction he cuts ſhort their ſin; For, ſo this ſequeſtrating her, is expounded to be, an abiding for him, abide for me. Although ſhe be rejected from being the Lords wife, and have little minde or expectation of him; yet the Lords ſequeſtrating her from idolatry, (to wit, in a national way) in her captivity, is a proof, that he will make it an abiding for him, whatever ſhe intend, or expect in it. Fifthly, this typical promiſe of his abiding for her, as ſhe doth for him, (ſo will I alſo be for thee,) is not to be ſtrictly preſſed, ſeeing God hath ſince the time of their rejection, choſen the Gentiles; though it may be thus conſtructed, 1. He chooſed none till the Meſſiah, under whom they are to be converted, came in the fleſh. 2. All whom he chooſeth muſt put this reſpect upon the elder brother, (though now gone out of the houſe) that they become Iſrael, before they lay claim to Iſraels Covenant. 3. Whomever the Lord hath choſen, yet he hath a room in his heart for them, and will have them married to him, and this exhauſts the ſcope. 4. Their converſion will be indeed as his ſolemne marriage-day, and a reſurrection from the dead to the world, Rom. 11.15. and that day will evidence what reſpect he had to them in their loſt condition. And ſo it may teach us, 1. Notwithſtanding the glorious dayes of the Son of man, that appear in the world by the converſion of the Gentiles, and their marriage to him; yet his ancient people are not forgotten by him: But as of old when the Jewes were his Church, yet he minded the Gentiles, and purpoſed their converſion, John 10.16. ſo his heart is on Iſrael, till they be brought in. 2. Not only is it a token that God hath reſerved comfort for them, who will not have any comfort in trouble without him, but as a ſhut-up adultereſſe, do renounce all lovers till their huſband embrace them again: But when the Lord makes his peoples affliction continue ſad, without any outgate beſide himſelf, it is a pledge that he hath thoughts of peace toward them in that trouble; For, he abideth for her, who is made to abide, and not to be for a man, or ſecluded from any comfortable condition, as a ſhut-up harlot. This is the condition of the Jewes and of Iſrael at this day, who are kept in ſo low a condition beyond all Nations, that they may never flouriſh till God turne them to him, and he embrace them. Sixthly, the Prophets doing all this in obedience to that command, v. 1. to love the woman, may teach, 1. That as tender husbands do ſhut up, and pinch their wanton and treacherous wives, for their good; So the Lords love may oft-times be viſible in hard uſage, and denying indulgence to his incorrigible people; and his love be ordered by prudent and wholeſome ſeverity to tame them. 2. That not to be cut off, but made to ſubſiſt in the ſaddeſt condition, in hope of future mercy, is a rich expreſſion of love; For, ſo doth his love toward Iſrael appear, in that he preſerveth them, however ſcattered or loſt in mens eyes, with a purpoſe to do them good in the latter end. See Lam. 3.22, 26, 29.
Ver. 4. For the children of Iſrael ſhall abide many dayes without a King, and without a Prince, and without a ſacrifice, and without an image, and without an Ephod, and without Teraphim.
Here we have the ſecond thing in the Chap. and an Expoſition of the firſt part of the type, concerning the adultereſſe her being ſequeſtrate in a baſe and poor condition; This the Lord expounds to ſignifie, that albeit he was to caſt Iſrael out, yet for the Elects ſake in her, and becauſe of the Covenant made with her Fathers, he would teſtifie his love to her, by making her to ſubſiſt during the long time of her captivity; though in a ſober and mean condition, wanting a civil State, and without the uſe either of a true Religion, (ſignified by ſacrifices, and an Ephod,) or a falſe; ſignified by Images and Teraphim, which were a peculiar ſort of Images, repreſenting (as is conceived) their Idols in humane ſhape. This prediction cannot be underſtood of particular perſons of Iſrael, nor of all of them taking them diſtributively, for certainly at all times where ever they are, they have ſome Religion, either true or falſe; But it is to be taken of Iſrael collectively, that as a Nation they could neither ſet up, nor performe true or falſe worſhip, as they had done before their rejection; and ſo it is oppoſed to their national converſion. Further, when the Lord foretels that they ſhall be deprived of true Worſhip under the name of a ſacrifice and Ephod, (comprehending under this, all their Prieſtly garments, and their Prieſts who uſed them in publick worſhip,) it is not his purpoſe to juſtifie their borrowing of theſe from Judah, and making uſe of them in the worſhip of the calves, as true and acceptable worſhip; but being ſuch as they ſuppoſed true, and came neareſt to it, yet they ſhould be deprived of it. Or, the words are to be taken abſolutely, without reſtriction to what they had before, to ſignifie that they ſhould have no true worſhip at all. From this we may (beſide what is held out in the type.) further Learn, 1. As the Lord may make the fruits of ſin very bitter and ſad, and of long continuance, even to his own people; So, ſuch a condition may have mercy in it, and may yet end in mercy; For, albeit what is here held out, be very ſad, and of continuance for many dayes, yet they abide under it, and are made to ſubſiſt till better come. 2. The want of a face of Government of a Nations ſelf, is a miſery to be laid to heart, either when a people are ſcattered from being a Nation, or are ruled over by ſtrangers; and yet it is a miſery under which a people may be preſerved for much mercy; For, it is foretold here as a part of Iſraels miſery, that they ſhall be without a King, and without a Prince, without any face of Authority, leſſe or more, over them of their own Nation, being ſcattered among the Nations, and under the Government of others where they come: and yet in this caſe, they abide till the marriage come. 3. As the publick Worſhip of God is a ſweet cordial in affliction, and the want thereof a judgement, which the Lord will bring on his deareſt people, when they provoke him: and as it is a ſad judgement to want the face of a viſible Church, even albeit there were ſome corruption in it; So, corrupting the Worſhip of God, provokes him to give up a people to have no worſhip at all: For, this prediction, they ſhall abide without a ſacrifice, and without an Image, and without an Ephod, and without Teraphim, doth not import that ſimply it is a judgement to want corrupt worſhip, (though whoriſh Iſrael in Hoſea's time might think ſo, as an harlot would do to be ſhut up from her Paramours, which is indeed a woful temper,) nor doth it here import ſo much a mercy to deprive her of corrupt worſhip in her trouble, (though it be ſo in it ſelf, and he intend mercy in all of this;) But the ſcope is, to ſhew, that whereas the people of God may gather comfort, either from the enjoying of the pure Worſhip of God in ſad times, or from the continuance of ſome face of a Church, though corrupt, as a token that God hath not yet totally rejected; yet Iſrael (though God have a purpoſe of good to her, and do preſerve her for it,) ſhould enjoy none of theſe. She ſhall neither have the true Religion, nor the face of a Church and Worſhip as they had it, to aſſure them that they were not quite divorced; and this is the fruit of their corrupting the Worſhip of God, and ſerving of Idols. 4. It is a judgement and token of Gods ſeverity, (whatever love be intended in it) when a Nation are given up not to be wholly the Lords, nor do ſerve him in a national way, nor are a national Church to him: For, ſuch is the miſery of Iſrael to this day, that they are deprived of Worſhip and any Church-State as a Nation; and if their converſion and Worſhip, and Church State under the Goſpel, ſhall be national, (as the oppoſition muſt carry it,) then certainly a national Church is no Paradoxe under the Goſpel.
Verſ. 5. Afterward ſhall the children of Iſrael return, and ſeek the LORD their God, and David their King, and ſhall fear the LORD, and his goodneſſe in the latter dayes.
Followeth the laſt part of the Chap. and an Explication of that part of the type, v. 3. I will alſo be for thee; containing a Prophecy of Gods mercy in bringing about the national repentance and converſion of Iſrael in the latter dayes: and their renewing of the Covenant, and taking Chriſt the Son of David for their King, and conſtantly ſerving and fearing the Lord, even becauſe of his goodneſſe. Whence learn, 1. Albeit Iſrael as a Nation, hath been, and yet is rejected and loſt; yet they will certainly returne to God; For, ſo is here propheſied expreſſely, afterward ſhall the children of Iſrael return, and this we are much to long and pray for. 2. As true repentance and converſion will appear in mens being ſenſible of their great diſtance from God, and in their ſeeking to make up this diſtance, (albeit they cannot as yet prove much enjoyment,) and ſeeking him chiefly and only, in place of many things which natural hearts luſt after; ſo, all this is a ſweet and bleſſed fruit of affliction: For, ſuch ſhall be the reſult of Iſraels being in a low condition, they ſhall returne and ſeek the Lord. 3. The Covenant ſtandeth ſtill to be forth-coming for Apoſtates, when they repent and turne to God, renouncing falſe wayes and worſhip; For, ſo will Iſrael finde; when they return, they are allowed to ſeek the Lord their God: and any who ſeek the Lord, ought not to make themſelves an ill anſwer, but come, and they will finde him their God. 4. There is no right ſeeking of God, nor finding of him, or the comforts of the Covenant, but through Chriſt, whom converted Iſrael ſhall acknowledge and embrace; For, they ſhall ſeek the Lord their God, and David their King. 5. Chriſt is here named David, and their, (or Iſraels) King; ſo alſo, Jer. 30.9. Ezek. 34.23, 24. and 37.24. not only becauſe he is Davids Son and Heire, Rev. 22.16. and becauſe David was a type of him: But 1. Becauſe in their converſion, they will have a deep ſenſe of their ſinful revolt from the houſe of David, which began their woe and Apoſtaſy; true penitents will trace back their defection to the very fountain and beginning of it, with much ſorrow and reſentment. 2. Becauſe Chriſt the ſubſtance will be eminently ſuch a King unto them, (as he is to all his people,) as David the type was unto Iſrael of old. 3. Becauſe Iſrael ſhall ſo embrace Chriſt, as to acknowledge him in all his offices; and particularly, ſhall ſubmit to him as a King, which is the duty of all true Converts. Doct. 6. True converſion will appear in its conſtancy and perſeverance; and particularly, in the Converts entertaining an holy fear and aw of God: For, when Iſrael ſhall returne and ſeek the Lord, they ſhall alſo hold on, and ſhall fear the Lord. 7. As God is alwayes good to his own people, whatever they think to the contrary, Pſal. 73.1, 2. ſo much of his goodneſſe will be manifeſted in the time of that life from the dead, when all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved: For, ſo is imported here, the Lords goodneſſe will then be matter of holy exerciſe. 8. The goodneſſe of God will not make a true Convert preſumptuous; but will be unto him matter of reverence, and holy fear and trembling: For, they ſhall fear the Lord and his goodneſſe. 9. Albeit Iſrael be long in gathering and converting; yet we are firmely to beleeve, that before time end, it will certainly come to paſſe: For, all this ſhall be in the latter dayes: Which albeit it often ſignifie all the time of the diſpenſation of the Goſpel; yet in this prediction is to be taken for that period of time more immediately preceding the end of the World.