Hosea 12
Israel has a good lineage, a godly pedigree, they come from good people; but a godly heritage is only good if I am godly myself.
12:1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.
12:2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
12:3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God:
12:4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us;
12:5 Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial.
12:6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.
In v 2-4 he is
speaking of the patriarch Jacob.
Took his brother by
the heel - Genesis 25:24-26 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins
in her womb. And the first
came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name
Esau. And after that came
his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called
Jacob.
Jacob means heel holder or supplanter; a supplanter takes the place of something or someone that was there first.
By his strength he had power with God – after a life spent in supplanting, Jacob had an encounter with God at a place he named Peniel, where he wrestled all night with “a man” (the angel of the LORD; Gen 32:24-32), and his name was changed from Jacob (supplanter) to Israel (God prevails), for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Bethel – house of God, God appeared to Jacob at Bethel and confirmed the covenant and his name change.
Hosea is reminding them of their heritage, and it is a good one.
Even the LORD God of hosts; the LORD is his memorial – As I have said many times, when we read “LORD” (all caps) it is YHWH in Hebrew. This is God’s name, Yahweh. “Yahweh Elohim Sabaoth” or Yahweh God of hosts. Yahweh is God of all the angels, of the sun, moon, and stars, of the whole creation. This is their God. This is our God. Hallelujah!
Exodus 3:14-15 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:* and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God (Yahweh Elohim) of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually – O Israel, you have such a heritage! Turn to thy God! How? Keep mercy (compassion) and judgment (do what is right); wait on thy God continually (draw nigh to, hope in, trust in your God).
12:7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.
12:8 And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.
12:9 And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.
12:10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
Israel has sinned by lies, oppression, and pride. They are in trouble. Yet
the LORD speaks restoration, I will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles.
I have also spoken by the prophets – I have not left you alone and on your own, I have spoken to you. I have given you guidance, I have rebuked you, encouraged you, warned you, and given you hope and promises.
and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes – “Sometimes I have spoken plainly, many times I spoke to the prophets in visions. I’ve used similitudes.” What in the world is a similitude? The Hebrew word means to liken, compare; to illustrate by comparison. Similes and metaphors: they are all hot as an oven, Israel is like a silly dove, Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer, Ephraim is a cake not turned and more. The prophets are fun to read and by that I mean a challenge, because they speak so often in visions and similes and metaphors.
Paul seemed to have this verse in view, when he wrote Hebrews 1.
Hebrews 1:1, by many portions and many ways in time past God spoke to the fathers by the prophets, a little here, a little there; sometimes a word, sometimes a vision; here a simile, there a metaphor.
Hebrews 1:2 but in these last days he has spoken to
us by a Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the
worlds. The prophets
spoke of the Coming One, he has come and God has now made a full and complete revelation in
him, his Son. No more shadows or similes, now He has spoken as the apostle wrote, with great
plainness of speech, that is, without the use of figures and comparisons.
Amen. We are so blessed.
12:11 Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.
12:12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
12:13 And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.
12:14 Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.
He again takes up
their heritage: v 12 is Jacob, v 13 is Moses and Joshua. They have such a rich
heritage! God guided and blessed them abundantly, yet they provoked him to
anger most bitterly. Sin makes you stupid.
Hosea asked, Is there iniquity in Gilead? Jeremiah asked, Is there no balm in Gilead? The balm is the mercy of God. Why are they not healed? Their iniquity - they refused His mercy, and thus provoked him to anger most bitterly. O let us accept the mercy of God, so that we may know and sing:
There is balm in Gilead,
To make the wounded whole;
There's power enough in heaven,
To cure a sin-sick soul.
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