Hosea 2:21-23 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, said the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;… 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. 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. As the word "Jezreel" literally means "seed of God," I shall take it in its etymological sense, and regard it as denoting the good in every age and land. Our subject is God and his universe, and the text contains three facts. I. That the operations of the universe are UNDER THE WISE DIRECTION OF THE GREAT GOD. The universe is represented as in action. The "heaven," the "earth," the "wine," the" corn," and "Jezreel" are all acting. There is nothing stationary. Creation is like a flowing river, there is not a particle at rest. It is our happiness, however, to know that all its activities are presided over by God. It is not a self-acting machine; the great machinist is ever in it and with it. The fact of his superintendence serves several useful purposes. 1. To account for the unbroken order of nature. Why does not the ocean overflow its boundaries, or the massive globes swerve from their orbits? God is over all. 2. To impress us with the sanctity of nature. God is in all - the luster of the light, the beauty of the lovely, the majesty of the grand, the support of the feeble, the might of the strong. 3. To inspire with reverence for God's greatness. How great must he be, etc.! II. That the operations of the universe are GENERALLY CONDUCTED UPON THE MEDIATORY PRINCIPLE. "I will hear the heavens," etc. One part of nature is here represented as acting upon another, in order to give a certain result. In the material as well as the spiritual world, God works out his plans by secondary instrumentalities. Look at this in relation to man. 1. In relation to him as a material being. Whence came these corporeal frames? how are they sustained? by what menus are they broken up? All through secondary means. 2. In relation to him as a spiritual being. How is he instructed, converted, sanctified? Not directly, but mediatively. III. That the operations of the universe are MERCIFULLY SUBORDINATED TO THE INTERESTS OF THE GOOD. "Jezreel," the seed of God, i.e. good men, are spoken of as receiving three things. 1. The blessing sought. Jezreel prayed, and all nature is represented as conveying its prayers to God. The universe labors for the good. 2. The multiplication of their number. "I will say to them," etc. The strongest desire of the truly good is to make others good. 3. The heightening of the sympathy between them and their God. "I will say to them which were not my people," etc. What a privilege is this! - D.T. Parallel Verses KJV: 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; |
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