Jesus our Redeemer Husband

Isaiah 54:1-8

8 February 2021

Isaiah begins with these words of the Lord in Isa 1:3  “An ox knows its owner, And a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand.” Not only had Israel forgotten that they belonged to God , but they had walked out of their marriage covenant with God. In Ezekiel God addresses Israel as “You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband!” Eze 16:32 . But that was unfaithful Israel . But how about God ? Did He stone Israel to death, so as to wipe it off from the face of the earth ? No,  He had loved Israel when she was unlovable and undesirable. We read in Eze 16:5-6  No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born. And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’.  Thus began the story of God’s love for Israel.  A loving Husband who loved unconditionally.  A caring Husband who provided for Israel.  An affectionate Husband who sheltered Israel under His wings. A tender hearted Husband who waited longingly for His adulteress wife to return.  A Redeemer Husband who would one day redeem His wife with a more better sacrifice than the sacrifice of bulls and goats.

But what about us gentiles ? Oh we were enemies of God. We were under the wrath of God . We were worthless and useless, just fit to be burnt in the Gehenna fire. How did God ever consider us fit to be a bride for His Son Jesus ? Surely He could have chosen from among the angels. Or could have created a new race that was “without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless” .When the case was presented in the halls of Heaven, Jesus stepped forward to pay the redemption price. The  redemption price demanded was not in silver or gold .The redemption price demanded was the precious blood of  Jesus –the sinless Son of Man . So on the cruel cross, Jesus took on Himself the sins of His bride and bore the fury of God’s wrath. We therefore became worthy to be a bride of God’s only Son, because God’s only Son was ready to pay the price to make us worthy.

And therefore is the Lamb worthy to be adored, loved , magnified and glorified .Yes, a thousand times yes, Jesus alone is worthy to be the  object of our adoration.

Christ has for sin atonement made – What a wonderful Savior

We are redeemed the price is paid –  What a wonderful Savior

I praise Him for the cleansing blood – What a wonderful Savior

That reconciled my soul to God – What a wonderful Savior

He cleansed my heart from all its sin – What a wonderful Savior

And now He reigns and rules therein – What a wonderful Savior

Elisha Albright Hoffman

I will one day be His bride – What a wonderful Savior

Forever living by His side – What a wonderful Savior