New Wine, part 4

The earth will answer with new wine…Hosea 2:22

God chose Hosea to speak of a new day. A day with God would God, will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the LORD, Hosea 2:20. A Day when God will answer heaven and earth, Verse 21. A day when the earth shall answer with grain, with new wine, and with oil; they shall answer Jezreel (literally: God will sow), Verse 22.

From grain we get food. Food for our livestock and food for ourselves. From oil we get light and food and healing. From the new wine we get refreshment: Grain shall make the young men thrive and new wine the young women (thrive.) Zechariah 9:17. Both oil and wine were used as medicine. Mix grain with oil and you get bread. Add wine and you have the emblems of communion: the bread and the cup.

From communion with our Lord, we became refreshment to those around us. Not just fun to be with, but spiritual refreshment, that is, renewal. We take in the Bread of Life and lead people to Jesus. We take in the cup of the New Covenant and lead people to Christ. We lift up Jesus and He shall draw people to Himself.

In the world, too much wine is not good, harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart, Hosea 4:11. In the church, grain, oil, and wine, are blessings to be shared with those in the world. Jesus came to set the captives free—free from their sins. We are His ambassadors. We have the privilege of taking His message of freedom to the captives, and the gates of hades shall not resist us!

While some may take the imagery of grain, oil, and wine too far. We know they speak of God’s wonderful gift: His Holy Spirit. Your cup overflows so you can share. Give from a cup that never runs dry…