After watching a movie on the Book of Hosea, it sparked my interest to dive back into that book. What amazing love the Father has for us!
We, just like Gomer were purchased with a price. Hosea gave all that he had to purchase back his wife.
Now, just to give a little back drop on Hosea, and history:
Hosea is told to take a wife that is an adulteress, just as the House of Israel had become to YHWH, as the children of Israel had forsaken Him.
The House of Israel occupied the Northern part of the land, and was a separate Kingdom then that of the South. The Southern part was the House of Judah.
Initially the two houses were one, called the House of Jacob(Israel), but because of progressive disobedience the one house split into two…two separate kingdoms.
Hosea was a prophet that was proclaiming the coming judgement upon the House of Israel, and that “Ephraim is laid waste in the day of rebuke” (Hosea 5:9) as they would be sent into captivity and given a bill of divorce(Jer 3:8) by YHWH. History records that in 721 BC the Assyrians captured the capital of Samaria after a three year strong hold and the Northern Kingdom existed no more.
However, there was hope. The coming Messiah would allow them to eventually come back. (If you want to read more concerning this you can read A Tale of Two Covenants part 1.)
This is where it is mentioned in Hosea, purchasing back his wife:
Hosea Chapter 3:
1And the Lord(YHWH) said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, EVEN AS THE LORD(YHWH) LOVES THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.” 2SO I BOUGHT HER FOR FIFTEEN SHEKELS OF SILVER AND A HOMER AND LETECH(HALF) OF BARLEY.
Now, lets look at some parallel Scriptures:
♥Ephesians 5:25HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES, AS MESSIAH ALSO DID LOVE THE ASSEMBLY AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT,
26in order to set it apart and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word,
27in order to present it to Himself a splendid assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any of this sort, but that it might be set-apart and blameless.(ISR 98)
♥Acts 20:28“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Set-apart Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of Elohim which HE HAS PURCHASED WITH HIS OWN BLOOD.(ISR 98)
♥Eph 1:7in whom WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, the forgiveness of trespasses, according to the riches of His favour
Now, I would like you to also pay close attention to these following passages:
Matthew 13:44Again, the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is LIKE UNTO TREASURE HID in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof GOETH AND SELLETH ALL THAT HE HATH, AND BUYETH THAT FIELD.
45Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46Who, when he had found ONE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, WENT AND SOLD ALL THAT HE HAD, AND BOUGHT IT.(KJV)
Once we are purchased, redeemed, what happens?
So, in order to answer that question, I am going to go over to the book of Jeremiah chapter 32. Now, just to give you a quick summary of the passage: Jeremiah purchases a field from his cousin(kinsman) for the rightful inheritance that belonged to him; after that purchase, he put the evidence into an earthen vessel:
Jeremiah 32: 8So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: FOR THE RIGHT OF THE INHERITANCE IS THINE, AND THE REDEMPTION IS THINE; BUY IT FOR THYSELF. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD(YHWH).
9And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, EVEN SEVENTEEN SHEKELS OF SILVER. 10And I subscribed the EVIDENCE, AND SEALED IT, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. 11So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:
12And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison. 13And I charged Baruch before them, saying, 14Thus saith the LORD(YHWH) of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, BOTH WHICH IS SEALED, and this evidence which is open; AND PUT THEM IN AN EARTHEN VESSEL, that they may continue many days.(KJV)
The Kinsman Redeemer, is the relative who restores or preserves the full community rights of disadvantaged family members, to also restore the rightful heir of inheritance(Lev 25:25-27). This we also see in the Book of Ruth. If you would like to read more on the Kinsman Redeemer and the levirate law(Deut 25:5-19) you can read my blog post: Sandal Strap not worthy to Loosen. In both accounts both Jeremiah, and Boaz represent a Kinsman Redeemer; that points us to Yeshua, our Kinsman, as He came in the likeness of flesh, paid our sin debt, so that we may become heirs with Him.
•Luke 20:13“AND THE OWNER OF THE VINEYARD SAID, ‘What shall I do? I shall send my son, the beloved. They might respect him when they see him.’
14“But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘THIS IS THE HEIR. Come, let us kill him, so that the INHERITANCE becomes ours.’
•Romans 8:16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17And if we are children, THEN WE ARE HEIRS: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ — if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.
So, the reasoning behind the parable that Yeshua gave concerning the purchasing of the field and the Kingdom of Heaven, is that once the field was purchased by the kinsman, the rightful heir to the land, then a deposit was given.
Likewise, once Yeshua died on the cross, making the purchase, the promise of the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost.
John 12:23But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24TRULY, TRULY, I TELL YOU, UNLESS A KERNEL OF WHEAT FALLS TO THE GROUND AND DIES, IT REMAINS ONLY A SEED; BUT IF IT DIES, IT BEARS MUCH FRUIT.(BSB)
Once we believe, and repent, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is a sealed purchase deed to the land of Promise.
•2 Cor 1:22PLACED HIS SEAL ON US, AND PUT HIS SPIRIT IN OUR HEARTS AS A PLEDGE of what is to come.
•Eph 1:13In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were SEALED WITH THAT HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE, 14WHICH IS THE EARNEST OF OUR INHERITANCE until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
•Eph 4:30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom YOU WERE SEALED for the day of redemption.
The treasure is hidden in the field, the hearts of men, in the earthen vessel, or jars of clay:
The Spirit is a deposit of the land, that shows the evidence of the purchase. This is why we can have the Kingdom of God within us; through the Seed of Messiah.
•Luke 17:21Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.(KJV)
•Gal 3:16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “AND TO YOUR SEED,” meaning ONE, WHO IS CHRIST.
Yeshua purchased the land and His Bride with His own blood. This is the Pearl of Great price; the souls of men redeemed through the Righteous SEED. Is your soil(heart) tillable? Are you Purchased, Redeemed, and Sealed?
