Therefore, behold, I will allure her, anal bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. — Hosea 2:14

IN the former part of the chapter we find words of accusation and threatening most justly uttered towards a guilty nation. In this second portion we come to a passage of unmixed grace. The person dealt with is the same, but she is dealt with under another dispensation, even that covenant of grace of which we find an abstract in verse 23.

God, intending to deal with his sinful people in love, speaks words which are of the most extraordinary tenor.

1. God finds a reason for grace where there is none. Why else did he bless Israel, or any one of us?
2. God makes a reason which overrides all other reasons. Because his people will persist in being so evil, he will display more love till he wins them from their wanderings.
3. God creates a reason for out of reasons against. "She forgat me, saith the Lord. Therefore I will allure her" (see all preceding verses). The great sin which is in itself a reason for judgment is by divine grace turned into an argument for mercy.
4. God justifies his own reasoning with men by a reason. According to the margin,"I will speak to her heart," is the promise of the text, and the Lord gives a "therefore" for it. He has a gracious reason for reasoning with us in love.

The sovereign grace of God had chosen his people, and his immutable love resolves to win this people to itself, therefore it sets about the work.

l. Allurement of love surpasses in power all other forces. It appears that other methods had been used, such as:

• Affliction with its thorny hedge (verse 6).


• Instruction with all its practical application (verse 8).


• Deprivation even of necessaries (verse 9).


• Exposure of sin beyond all denial (verse 10).


• Sorrow upon sorrow (verses 11 and 12).

The sweet allurement of tenderness would succeed where these failed.

• Assaulted we defend, allured we yield.

• The person, work, offices, and love of Jesus lead men captive.


• The freeness and abundance of divine pardon vanquish opposition.


• The grace and truth of the covenant defy resistance.


• The adoption and inheritance so graciously bestowed subdue the heart by overwhelming force of gratitude.


• The sense of present peace, and the prospect of future glory, allure us beyond all things.

l. She is made to be alone. Free from tempting, distracting, or assisting company. All her lovers far from her. Her hope in them is gone.
2. Alone with God. He becomes her trust, desire, aim, love.
3. Alone as in the wilderness. Illustrate by Israel, who, in the wilderness, knew the Lord as Deliverer, Guide, Guard, Light, Manna, Physician, Champion, central Glory, and King.
4. Alone for the same purpose as Israel, for training, growth, illumination, and preparation for the promised rest: above all that the' might be the Lord's own separated ones.

1. Real comfort is given to souls alone with God. The divine speech is applied to the heart, and so its comfort is understood and appropriated, and effectually touches the affections.

• By renewed gratitude: "she shall sing there as in the days of her youth" (verse 15).


• By a more confiding spirit:"thou shalt call me Ishi," etc. (verses 16 and 17).


• By an established peace (verse 18).


• By a clearer revelation of eternal love (verses 19 and 20).


• By a surer sense of the eternal future and its marriage-union of endless bliss; for betrothal prophesies marriage.

When God's free grace has pitched upon its object, it often solicits that soul in its own peculiar way: I mean that grace woos and wins by its own graciousness, it conquers not by arms but by allurement. Have you not seen a mother allure her child to run into her bosom with the promise of a kiss? Have you never heard the little birds alluring their mates with rapturous song? Know you not the way of love by which it wins its victories? If so, you also understand why the beloved one is to be spoken with in the wilderness. Love is shy, and shuns the crowd: solitude is her element. When a soul is made to be alone with God, it shall hear many things which for the present could not be spoken to it. Speaking to the heart is reserved for retirement; it were not meet to display the secrets of divine communion to a mingled concourse. Understand, therefore, O lonely one, why thou art made to be one by thyself; and now surrender thy heart to the sacred allurements of sovereign grace! — C. H. S.

Some years ago an affecting incident was reported in reference to the ex-Empress Charlotte, an Austrian princess, whose husband was for a short time Emperor of Mexico. In the year 1867 he was shot by the revolutionists, and his unhappy widow became the victim of melancholy madness, which her physicians gave up all hope of curing. As in similar cases, she returned to the tastes and habits of childhood, one of which was a passion for flowers, and she spent most of her time over them. Their attractiveness for her was touchingly manifested on the occasion in question, when, having eluded the watch of her attendants, she had fled from the castle. When overtaken it was found impossible to induce her to return, except by the use of means which would certainly have proved hurtful. One of her physicians happily bethought himself of her intense affection for flowers; and by showing them from time to time before her, she was gradually lured on her way back to her home. May not this story be taken as an illustration of the way in which God allures wandering souls back to himself by the invitations and promises of the gospel?