Hosea 13:14: “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.”

November 5th, 2021 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Once again God encouraged His faithful people by giving them a beautiful picture of what hope in the coming Messiah would mean for humanity. To those listening to Hosea, this prophecy had both a near and a far fulfillment. The near fulfillment was God’s restoration of Israel from Assyria soon after, but the far fulfillment will take place when God brings them back to their land for the Kingdom of Messiah. Much like the prophecy of the dry bones in Ezekiel 37, here, it is prophesied that repenting Jews will be restored to the Promised Land.

The Apostle Paul refers to these verses when speaking about how Jesus’ resurrection destroyed death. His victory over death and the grave is the first fruits, the first evidence, the early promise that all believers will experience the power of resurrection:

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:54–57).

Perhaps the greatest human anticipation of all is the expectation of resurrection.

“LORD, we thank You that we do not have to worry over death and the grave because You have defeated both on our behalf.”