The prophet Hosea speaks so very profoundly that it is laborious work to penetrate his meaning.But, according to promise, we must insert something from his book.He says, "And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there they shall be called the sons of the living God."(6) Even the apostles understood this as a prophetic testimony of the calling of the nations who did not formerly belong to God; and because this same people of the Gentiles is itself spiritually among the children of Abraham, and for that reason is rightly called Israel, therefore he goes on to say, "And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together in one, and shall appoint themselves one headship, and shall ascend from the earth."(7) We should but weaken the savor of this prophetic oracle if we set ourselves to expound it.Let the reader but call to mind that cornerstone and those two walls of partition, the one of the Jews, the other of the Gentiles,(8)and he will recognize them, the one under the term sons of Judah, the other as sons of Israel, supporting themselves by one and the same headship, and ascending from the earth.But that those carnal Israelites who are sow unwilling to believe in Christ shall afterward believe, that is, their children shall (for they themselves, of course, shall go to their own place by dying), this same prophet testifies, saying, "For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, without a prince, without a sacrifice, without an altar, without a priesthood, without manifestations."(9)Who does not see that the Jews are now thus? But let us hear what he adds: "And afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and shall be amazed at the Lord and at His goodness in the latter days."(10Nothing is clearer than this prophecy, in which by David, as distinguished by the title of king, Christ is to be understood, "who is made," as the apostle says, "of the seed of David according to the flesh."(1) This prophet has also foretold the resurrection of Christ on the third day, as it behoved to be foretold, with prophetic loftiness, when he says, "He will heal us after two days, and in the third day we shall rise again."(2) In agreement with this the apostle says to us, "If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above."(3) Amos also prophesies thus concerning such things: "Prepare thee, that thou mayst invoke thy God, O Israel; for lo, I am binding the thunder, and creating the spirit, and announcing to men their Christ."(4)And in another place he says, "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and build up the breaches thereof:
and I will raise up his ruins, and will build them up again as in the days of old: that the residue of men may inquire for me, and all the nations upon whom my name is invoked, saith the Lord that doeth this."(5)CHAP.29.--WHAT THINGS ARE PREDICTED BY ISAIAH CONCERNING CHRIST ANDTHE CHURCH.
The prophecy of Isaiah is not in the book of the twelve prophets, who are called the minor from the brevity of their writings, as compared with those who are called the greater prophets because they published larger volumes.Isaiah belongs to the latter, yet I connect him with the two above named, because he prophesied at the same time.Isaiah, then, together with his rebukes of wickedness, precepts of righteousness, and predictions of evil, also prophesied much more than the rest about Christ and the Church, that is, about the King and that city which he founded;so that some say he should be called an evangelist rather than a prophet.But, in order to finish this work, I quote only one out of many in this place.Speaking in the person of the Father, he says, "Behold, my servant shall understand, and shall be exalted and glorified very much.As many shall be astonished at Thee."(6) This is about Christ.
But let us now hear what follows about the Church.He says, "Rejoice, O barren, thou that barest not; break forth and cry, thou that didst not travail with child: for many more are the children of the desolate than of her that has an husband."(7) But these must suffice; and some things in them ought to be expounded;yet I think those parts sufficient which are so plain that even enemies must be compelled against their will to understand them.
CHAP.30--WHAT MICAH, JONAH, AND JOEL PROPHESIED IN ACCORDANCE WITHTHE NEW
TESTAMENT.
