“So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine.” — Hosea 3:2 (NLT)
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Apple holds an annual event to unveil new products, and year after year, fans line up to get their hands on these devices. This harmless ritual is ignored by many, but the coveted latest Apple product seems too good to pass up for some. Sometimes, the most loyal users of Apple’s products view the price tag as a minor inconvenience compared to the promised benefit of the technological convenience.
This proves that a manufacturer can set its price tag based on what people are willing to pay. In a nutshell, an object’s value is determined by the going rate.
The Book of Hosea tells us of a bizarre instance when God told His servant, Hosea, to marry a prostitute named Gomer. Gomer was unfaithful to Hosea, and yet he pursued her with everything he had. This story is analogous to God’s pursuit of His people even though they run to other things.
One day, Hosea finds his wife at the auction block and purchases her for 15 pieces of silver and a little bit of barley (Hosea 3:2, above). The going rate to purchase a slave at the auction block was 30 pieces of silver, so why did Hosea pay with only 15 pieces and some barley? Because it’s all he had. He loved his wife so much that he gave all he had; she was that valuable to him.
This is what Jesus did. When the payment for our debt (sin) was too high, He willingly gave everything He had just to be with us forever, and it was enough. Through Him, we have all we need.
— Reza Zadeh, Denver Broncos chaplain
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