Read Hosea 2 at Bible Gateway.
Three times in Torah, Moses called heaven and earth to witness against Israel, that they would be unfaithful to YHVH God:
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. Deu 30:19 (see also, Deu 4:26 and 31:28).
And now in Hosea’s prophecy, the indictment of unfaithfulness against her is brought, and its judgment is to be carried out: the kingdom of Israel will end and be taken away captive in the valley of Jezreel.
And the land of Israel, which was once lush and green like the garden of God, flowing with milk and honey, became a desert as the heavens and the earth witnessed against her, in withholding rain, and fruit.
But, God Himself reverses the judgment into joy! He will speak to the heavens, and answer their witness, and the heavens will speak to the earth and answer its witness. The heavens speak to the earth with rain, and the earth answers back with fruitfulness.
Why This Matters: Jezreel means “God will sow,” and Israel was sown to the four corners of the earth, beginning with the Assyrian captivity. The “Ten Lost Tribes” eventually forgot who they were, and became thoroughly assimilated with the Gentile nations where they had been driven.
But in Messiah Yeshua, God answered the heavens, informing its witness. The heavens once again rained down—the Holy Spirit poured out upon all who believed, across the whole earth. That “rain” caused new life in Him to spring up, and just as the earth answers the heavens with fruitfulness, so His people answer the Spirit with His fruit–love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). Unfaithfulness will never again define God’s people.
The Hebrew paragraphs for this chapter:
1:10-2:13 {s} Israel will be My people to whom mercy is shown/ The charge against Israel who forgot YHVH
2:14-20 {p} YHVH will woo Israel, so that she will forget the Baals/ He will betroth her to Himself
2:21-23 {p} YHVH will answer heaven and earth/ He will sow Israel for Himself, and have mercy
If there are questions, these are good resources:
The Teaching Tool of Natural Pictures – Christine Miller
Redeemed Israel – Batya Wootten
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