The Power of the Redeemer

In the book of Hosea, right in the midst of God pronouncing His judgment on Israel for their continual sin against Him, God says, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes." (Hosea 13:14, NKJV)

We all are guilty of sin against God and we have already been convicted in His court (Romans 3:23). He is the judge, but He is also the witness who has seen our lives perfectly. That is why the sentence has already been passed. Simply put, God's promised punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). This is more than physically dying, though physical death is an illustration of what God ultimately means. When we die we are separated from all those we love here on Earth. In spiritual death, our spirits are separated from the One who loves us more than any on Earth. After physical death, a person will naturally continue being away from God and spend eternity in Hell as part of the punishment of death.

That's when we come to the good news that God said in Hosea 13:14. Just like Israel, we have sinned and deserve punishment, but He has a plan to save us! He said, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave." That plan has already been put into motion through Jesus Christ! The Bible says, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all..." (1 Timothy 2:5-6, NKJV). The Bible also explains, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. " (Romans 5:6-9, NKJV) Jesus had the power to save us from paying the price of death! That's why He said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26, NKJV)

Those who believe in Jesus Christ, as the one who paid their ransom and lives to give them life, will experience the rest of the promise of Hosea 13:14, as it is referred to by the Apostle Paul: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?' The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. " (1 Corinthians 15:53-57, NKJV)

Lord God, I thank-you for sending someone who could and did die in my place. No-one could have done that but You. I couldn't save myself from the penalty that I earned, but you offered Your own self in my place. No wonder they call it "Amazing Grace!" Amen.