The Covenant of Outward Peace
George Hutcheson. Hosea 2:18-19 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowls of heaven… God's favour and covenant shall secure them from hurt by any of the creatures, and shall give them peace and security from wars. Doctrine — 1. All the creatures of God are justly at enmity with man, and armed against him, so long as he is not reconciled to God their Creator. 2. Reconciliation with God brings peace with all the creatures, so far as is for the reconciled man's good. 3. That which secureth the godly man from trouble from the creatures, is God's dominion over all of them. 4. As peace and deliverance from war is a great blessing, so it is the Lord only who puts an end to war and giveth peace. 5. When a people study reconciliation with God, and are cordial in following a thorough reformation, they are in God's way for obtaining outward peace. 6. When the Lord hath given peace, it is He only who must maintain it, and can give quietness of mind to make people enjoy quietness and tranquillity by it. Unless He giveth peace, outward tranquillity will not afford it; and if He give that, we have no cause to complain, though we be in the midst of trouble. (George Hutcheson.) Parallel Verses KJV: And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. WEB: In that day I will make a covenant for them with the animals of the field, and with the birds of the sky, and with the creeping things of the ground. I will break the bow, the sword, and the battle out of the land, and will make them lie down safely.