by
Rev. Mark Perkins, Pastor
Denver Bible Church
326 E. Colorado Ave.
Denver, Colorado 80210
To: Hosea
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I. Introduction:
A. This chapter divides into two unequal parts.
1. The first part really begins with the last verse of chapter eleven, and continues on until verse eleven of chapter twelve. It serves as another indictment against the northern kingdom.
2. The second part covers just verses twelve through fourteen, and summarizes the Divine rationale for their punishment.
B. The chapter concentrates very much on the history of the patriarchs
- the early history of the nation of Israel.
"Ephraim has surrounded Me with lying, and the house
of Israel with deceit;"
The indictment against Ephraim.
1. Ephraim and Judah.
a. Ephraim's deceit.
1. The Northern Kingdom has surrounded God with lies - they lie to God at every opportunity.
2. This is deceit that comes first in the soul through spiritual blindness, which is dishonesty with self and negative volition.
3. From the self, the lying and deceit moves to God - they lie to themselves about the true nature of God.b. Judah's shaky faithfulness. " and Judah still wanders restlessly with God, and is being faithful with the holy ones."
1. Judah wanders with God. They are being faithful with the holy ones.
2. In other words, even though things may be a little shaky, they are still on the right side of the wrath of God.
"Ephraim is feeding [like an animal] on wind, and pursuing
the east wind all the day."
Ephraim's folly.
Their folly illustrated, This is an especially humorous metaphor.
The verb translated "feeding" specifically means to
feed like an animal. They feed and slobber and munch like pigs
- but only the the wind. They chase the east wind, a wind that
is similar to our Zephyr winds. It is the wind that occurs every
day throughout the year. You chase it, and it leads down to the
ocean.
Their folly named, "He multiples lies and violence. And,
he cuts a covenant with Assyria, and oil is personally carried
to Egypt."
1. The more they lie, the more they must lie, in order to perpetuate
the original lie.
2. The more violence they commit, the more revenge that is demanded.
3. They make a covenant that is a human effort to avert divine
discipline.
4. They carry oil personally to Egypt in another attempt at the
same thing.
"And there is a dispute between Yahweh and Judah, and
as He visits Jacob according to his ways, He will personally
repay him according to his deeds."
Yahweh's attention comes to Judah in verses two through six.
The existence of Divine displeasure and the method of discipline,
1. God has a dispute with the southern kingdom, even though they
are still on the right side.
2. God will deal with them fairly if they continue the course
of degeneracy. The discipline will be fair, intensive, and personal.
Jacob is a metaphor for the nation. His struggle with God, and
his humility.
"In the womb he took his brother by the heel,"
Jacob's character from birth,
Jacob's character applied to his relationship with God, "and
by his [manly] strength he wrestled God.
"He wrestled against the angel [preincarnate Christ]
and he [the angel] prevailed;"
Jacob's humility before God, and the application brought to the
southern kingdom. "he wept and sought His favor. He found
Him at Bethel, and there He really spoke with us.
"Even Yahweh, the God of Armies; the Lord is His name.
"Therefore, you will return to your God; keep virtue love
and justice, and wait for your God continually."
So Jacob humbles himself after losing the struggle with the preincarnate
Christ. He found God at Bethel, the house of God.
Then Hosea turns the phrase to include the entire nation of Judah.
In fact, Hosea, a northerner, includes himself in the bunch.
Then Hosea confirms that they found the one true God, and no
impostor.
And he implores the people of the south to return to God, and
to keep inside of them the true virtues, and to wait always on
God.
"A merchant, in whose hands are false balances, he loves
to oppress."
The economic deceit of the time.
This serves as a sort of pause from the narrative.
It is a completely separate thought that likely applies to both
north and south; it makes the transition to the next section.
"And Ephraim says, "Surely I have become rich, I
have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they will find
in me no iniquity, which is sin."
The people of Ephraim look at their prosperity and mistake it
for blessing from God.
Although it is not mentioned, they do not identify the seedier
elements of their society as divine discipline.
They do their work, no mater how crooked, and receive good wages
due to that deceit. And then comes a bold proclamation - there
is no sin in him.
"But I have been Yahweh your God since the land of Egypt;
I will personally make you live in tents again, as in the days
of the appointed feast.
"I have also intensely spoken to the prophets, and I personally
gave numerous visions; and by the hand of the prophets I intensely
used parables.
"If there is idolatry in Gilead, surely they are worthless.
In Gilgal they really sacrificed bulls, yes, their altars are
like the stone heaps beside the furrows of the field."
There is first a historical reference - to the former great relationship
between God and His nation. It concentrates on the faithfulness
of God.
And then another historical reference - to the disastrous wilderness
journey, and the feast of tabernacles.
And then the communication of God - prophecies and visions, even
regular old parables, used intensely.
The last part has a conditional sentence and not a question.
If there is idolatry, then they are worthless.
At Gilgal there was an intensity of demon worship; but now, just
nothing left but altars broken up like piles of rocks.
"And Jacob fled to the land of Aram, and Israel served
for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
"And by a prophet the Lord personally brought Israel from
Egypt, and by a prophet he was kept.
"Ephraim has provoked to bitter anger; so his Lord will
leave his bloodguilt on him, and bring back his reproach to him."
Verses 12 through 14 are a summary for divine judgment.
The past illustration of Jacob/Israel, verses twelve and thirteen,
The bloodguilt was that which applied in a murder or act of violence.
Here, God leaves it on Ephraim. This also has a wider, salvation
application.
Grace Notes
Warren Doud, Editor
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