26 “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
26 “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
This is a quotation from Hosea 1:10 (also quoted in 1 Peter 2:10). The idea here is that God will restore Israel to her land.
‘You are not My people,’
During the time of the northern kingdom, God told Israel, “You are not My people.” God executed divine discipline upon the 10 tribes at that time because of their apostasy. Israel lost her title as God’s chosen people.
There they shall be called sons of the living God.”
There will come a time when God will call the 10 tribes “sons of the living God.” That is when He will gather Israel to her land again. At that time God will label them as adult sons of the God who lives. The Greek word “sons” points to their unique standing with God at that time (the Millennium).
There is a remnant of Israel today who believed in the Messiah and there will be a future remnant who will believe (11:26-27). Whether the restoration of Israel or the inclusion of Gentiles into God’s plan, it is the work of God’s grace in both cases.
PRINCIPLE:
God’s system of salvation always pivots around the grace principle.
APPLICATION:
God extends His grace to non-Christians in the wake of Israel’s rejection of their Messiah. Those who believe have the right to regard themselves as God’s people. God’s grace is wide enough to include non-Christians (Gentiles). God will continue His principle of grace by saving a remnant from Israel in the future.
