"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the
wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from
there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she shall sing there,
as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the
land of Egypt." Hosea 2: 14-15
God had just pronounced that He was going to destroy the vine and fig tree because Israel used the blessings He gave them to serve idols. In these verses, God speaks hope in the face of a coming calamity. But consider what He planned to do: He will allure her and speak comfort to her. These, however, will happen only as Israel responded to His chastisement and repented. When Israel feels the discomfort brought about by divine chastisement, she will harken to the voice of God.
God was going to make them attracted to Himself in such ways that they were not going to be able to resist. The devil allures his victims by enticing them with sweet coated evils that damn the souls of men, but God was going to allure His people with that which is true and edifying. This way, He hopes to draw Israel to Himself.
God promised to restore Israel from captivity in such ways that will turn what was once a reference to trouble into hope. Achor was a place of trouble where Achan's sin was discovered and judged. Now God promised to turn the valley of Achor into a door of hope. This is what God does when His people truly repent and turn to Him: the valley of trouble becomes a door of hope.
Toni
God had just pronounced that He was going to destroy the vine and fig tree because Israel used the blessings He gave them to serve idols. In these verses, God speaks hope in the face of a coming calamity. But consider what He planned to do: He will allure her and speak comfort to her. These, however, will happen only as Israel responded to His chastisement and repented. When Israel feels the discomfort brought about by divine chastisement, she will harken to the voice of God.
God was going to make them attracted to Himself in such ways that they were not going to be able to resist. The devil allures his victims by enticing them with sweet coated evils that damn the souls of men, but God was going to allure His people with that which is true and edifying. This way, He hopes to draw Israel to Himself.
God promised to restore Israel from captivity in such ways that will turn what was once a reference to trouble into hope. Achor was a place of trouble where Achan's sin was discovered and judged. Now God promised to turn the valley of Achor into a door of hope. This is what God does when His people truly repent and turn to Him: the valley of trouble becomes a door of hope.
Toni
