…,

So I paid fifteen pieces of silver and seven bushels of barley to buy her. Hosea 3: 2

Hosea found Gomer in the slave market and redeemed her; he paid the “ransom price” the price to set her free. Gomer’s choices had landed her in the slave market, and she couldn’t free herself but the one she had rejected, the one whose love she had spurned, Hosea, he paid the price to set her free. Paying that ransom prince was an act that brought about liberation, reconciliation, and restoration.

No wonder when Jesus and the Apostles were trying to explain what the Cross was all about, they used this idea of someone paying a ransom price for a slave so they could experience liberation, reconciliation and restoration.

Gomer was set free from the slavery her sin had landed her in. Redemption always does that. The Cross liberates, it sets us free from sin.

Hosea didn’t pay to set Gomer free so she could slink off and hide in the shadows in shame over what he had done. His act of redemption was an act of reconciliation that restored her to a loving relationship with him.

When Jesus paid not with fifteen pieces of silver and seven bushels of barley but with His precious blood it too was an act that brought about liberation, reconciliation, and restoration.

Imagine Gomer’s emotion at being set free from slavery, of being reconciled to someone she had hurt so badly, to being restored to being a wife after being a prostitute.

Now think about what Jesus did for you when He paid the price to redeem you on the cross. If you are not experiencing some of the same emotions that you thought Gomer would have, I don’t think you have really understood the cross.

As I thought about that these words from an old hymn came into my mind and touched my heart.

Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing:
Praise Him, praise Him, alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.