This chapter details God’s point of view on Israel’s past, present, and future. He likens them to a beloved daughter whom He rescued, only for them to squander His gifts as offerings to idols, and conduct themselves as a prostitute.
” ‘But you trusted in your beauty and played the whore… and lavished your whorings on any passerby… You took some of your garments and made for yourself colorful shrines… You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore… And you took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured… you slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering by fire… yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant. Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed…’ ” (v15-17, 20-21, 60-61 abr)
God uses some very strong language to describe the treachery of His people. Yet, despite their numerous sins, God still promises to restore them and establish a new everlasting covenant with them, one that they and we (thankfully) can not break.
Jesus is the key to the new covenant – He fulfilled all of God’s promises for the redemption of His people. All of us are under this new covenant, for we are all God’s children, made in His image and likeness (whether we acknowledge this or not).
I encourage us to be obedient servants of the Lord God Almighty, our Creator and Redeemer. In doing so we with be called ‘good and faithful servants’, children who are constantly restored by the blood of Christ (even when we still sin from time to time). If we completely decline God’s grace and mercy through Jesus, or permanently reject God once we have known Him, we will have a far less appealing namesake.
Father God, our Almighty Creator and Gracious Redeemer, we praise Your holy and awesome name. Thank you for the new covenant through Jesus, who redeems and restores us. May we fully embrace Your mercy, confess our sin, and willingly choose obedience. When we sin, may we quickly repent and not flee You out of shame. May we honor You with our words and actions so others may see the love of Jesus in our hearts. We seek to honor, glorify, praise and obey You, each and every moment, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training