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July 21, Day 203 – Trading Places

Writer's picture: Dr. Eric StrickerDr. Eric Stricker

Psalm 87 tells us that God “has set His foundation on the holy mountain” of Zion, and that He loves its gates more than all the dwellings of Jacob” (verses 1-2). This is a reference to Jerusalem in the time of the millennial kingdom when “glorious things are said of you, O city of God” (verse 3). Over the years, not much good has been stated or recorded about Jerusalem, but when Christ comes into His kingdom, Jerusalem will be His capital. It will become the “dwelling of God Who will reside with men, and He will live with them and … be with them” (cf., Revelation 21:3-4). In this Psalm, God reveals to us that He keeps a “register of the peoples” (verse 6), and in it, He records their birthplace. Interestingly, He lists several Gentile nations “among those who acknowledge” Him (verse 4), including “Babylon, Philistia, Tyre, and Cush” (verse 4). Formerly, these places were enemies of God, which indicates their decision actively to turn from their previous sins and place their faith in Him - by which the Lord proclaims of them, “this one was born in Zion” (verse 6) - an obvious reference to the new birth in Christ Jesus. This change results in the nations praising God in a song that identifies Him as the Source of all their “fountains” (i.e., blessings). This Psalm presents a beautiful picture of all that God has planned for His children - both Jew and Gentile alike.


In Hosea 1-2, we see God’s unique call to Hosea to become a prophet to Israel during one of its periods of great unfaithfulness. God used Hosea’s message as a visible object lesson of His own faithfulness and love toward the people of Israel who had rejected Him. Hosea tells us that, “When the LORD began to speak through him, He said, ‘Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness” (verse 2). Strange as it may seem, God specifically directed Hosea to marry a prostitute – “because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD” (verse 2). Hosea married Gomer, who bore him three children with meaningful names that point to Israel’s past apostasy and its restoration in the future. The first child was a son – Jezreel – which means “the Lord sows.” Jezreel was a reminder of “Jehu’s massacre at Jezreel” (verse 4). The second child was a daughter – Lo Ruhamah – which means “not loved,” and she was a reminder that God would no longer show His love to the house of Israel because of its spiritual departure from Him. I can’t imagine a little daughter growing up with the painful name of “not loved.” Finally, Gomer gave birth to another son named “Lo Ammi,” which means “not my people” (verse 8). In the same way that the people of Israel were proclaiming that God was not their God, God was returning the favor – “I am not your God” (verse 9). That’s almost as dreadful as a little girl and boy growing up with these names. “Yet …” as we said yesterday, hope springs eternal. Notice verse 10, where God says, “Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore which cannot be measured or counted.” This turn of events is not the end of the line for Israel. In chapter 2, we see that God promises to restore Israel: “I will speak tenderly to her … I will betroth [Israel] to me forever” (verses 14-20). This is what God wants to do for every sinner.

In Romans 6:1-14, Paul logically argues that our sins are no longer our masters - having legally been “done away with” (verse 6). Thus, for us to continue to sin defies logic (i.e., reason) - it doesn’t make sense. Paul’s point is that we should commit ourselves to “live a new life” (verse 4) which does not “allow sin to reign” over us (verse 12). Paul says, “For sin shall not be your master; because you are not under law, but under grace” (verse 14). Paul is contrasting two different ways of living under two different masters. One master is sin; the other is Christ. We cannot please both masters – we must live unto the One or unto the other. We are either slaves of sin or servants of Christ. Slaves have no say in their bondage, but a servant serves by free will. Grace invites us to trade places. It moves us from the yoke of slavery and enables us the freedom to serve a new Master – the One Who freed us from the bondage of sin and death and removed us to freedom and new life. All three of today’s passages present this same message of redemption and restoration. What could be better than that?

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