Hosea 2:16 KJV
And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.
This context is speaking about Israel as a nation but I think there is also an application for the Gentiles too. The Lord is speaking about doing a work in the midst of this people so that they go from calling God "Baali" to "Ishi."
Now, the term Baali sounds to near to Baal or Baalim for my taste. Baal and Baalim were phonecian gods. The were the idols of pagans. The term Baali is not connected to those false gods with the exception of the similarity in sound. It is a word that means "Lord." The term Ishi means "man or husband." So the Lord simply said to Israel that He would do a work in them so that they progressed from calling God Lord to calling Him husband. They would go from formal (forced, mechanical)worship to having a real, living and soul stirring relationship with God.
I can't help but see that the same need exists today. Too many who are unbelievers have heard of God but do not have a relationship with Christ. They are outside of the faith, outside of the new birth and therefore outside of Christ's church which is His bride.
And too many Christians have a mechanical relationship without a living relationship with Christ. I do not want to imply that everyone whose relationship with the Lord does not meet my own criteria is lost, but I am suspect of any sort of Christianity that is a must do sort and not one that has so changed the heart that our love is to live for and please the Lord.
This is a work that only God can do. No man can choose to love God. We love Him because He first loved us. May more and more bath in the love of the Lord and find that His loving them brings them to Love Him.
And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.
This context is speaking about Israel as a nation but I think there is also an application for the Gentiles too. The Lord is speaking about doing a work in the midst of this people so that they go from calling God "Baali" to "Ishi."
Now, the term Baali sounds to near to Baal or Baalim for my taste. Baal and Baalim were phonecian gods. The were the idols of pagans. The term Baali is not connected to those false gods with the exception of the similarity in sound. It is a word that means "Lord." The term Ishi means "man or husband." So the Lord simply said to Israel that He would do a work in them so that they progressed from calling God Lord to calling Him husband. They would go from formal (forced, mechanical)worship to having a real, living and soul stirring relationship with God.
I can't help but see that the same need exists today. Too many who are unbelievers have heard of God but do not have a relationship with Christ. They are outside of the faith, outside of the new birth and therefore outside of Christ's church which is His bride.
And too many Christians have a mechanical relationship without a living relationship with Christ. I do not want to imply that everyone whose relationship with the Lord does not meet my own criteria is lost, but I am suspect of any sort of Christianity that is a must do sort and not one that has so changed the heart that our love is to live for and please the Lord.
This is a work that only God can do. No man can choose to love God. We love Him because He first loved us. May more and more bath in the love of the Lord and find that His loving them brings them to Love Him.
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