Hosea 12

Micah Gafford

The Minor Prophets • Sermon • Submitted a year ago

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Who ate the wind?

Hosea 12:1 (ESV)

Ephraim feeds on the wind

and pursues the east wind all day long;

they multiply falsehood and violence;

they make a covenant with Assyria,

and oil is carried to Egypt.

Right away we went from last week being fairly clear text to a what the heck version. This first line can be translated shepherd instead of feeds on. So it could also say Ephraim shepherds the wind and and pursues the east wind all day long. now to understand this knowing to the east is desert and the winds coming from there aren’t good you might start to get the picture of a pointless attempt to shepherd wind and chase after a wind that isn’t helpful. The rest of the verse is fairly straight forward about falsehood and violence or the alliances outside of Israel that we’ve talked about before.

Hosea 12:2–5 ESV

The Lord has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds. In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us— the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord is his memorial name:

First we know that Judah is mentioned many times but now Jacob what could that mean? Jacob is the birth name of the man who later is known as Israel. His story is important here so we’ll review it. Gen 25:19-26

Genesis 25:19–26 ESV

These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham fathered Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

Now the story goes on and Jacob contrives to get Esau’s birthright and to take the blessing Abraham meant for Esau. This really ticks off Esau and the boys split ways with Jacob fearing for his life.

Much later when Jacob is going back he knows he will encounter his brother again and is very afraid aof what’s going to happen here. He sends forth gifts and messengers. We pick up in Gen 32:21-31

Genesis 32:21–31 ESV

So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp. The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

Now if you’re comparing storyline in Hosea to the order of events in Genesis you start to say “Hey.... what’s with the funny business here.” The story has been re-arranged. In verse 4 the mention of Bethel comes up but that happened between these events. Why is Hosea telling us his version of this story out of order? It’s because his main point here is the transformation of Jacob. He is born fighting, trying to take blessings. But God is the one who accomplishes God’s goals. So in the retelling the contrast is between the Jacob who contends with everyone including God and the one who is then named Israel part of the promise to all humanity for redemption.

Hosea 12:6–8 ESV

“So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.” A merchant, in whose hands are false balances, he loves to oppress. Ephraim has said, “Ah, but I am rich; I have found wealth for myself; in all my labors they cannot find in me iniquity or sin.”

This admonition pairs up to our story, don’t go off “accomplishing” things that God seems to be having trouble with in your view. Stick to the basics. Love, Justice, and faith - or waiting on God. The rest of this phrase gives us the clues about the people who think too highly of themselves. I am rich - because they are rich they can’t be found guilty - they plan on getting away with their iniquity because of hteir wealth. What’s clear from Hosea all over is that they may indeed get away with that in the courts of Israel but they won’t get away with it in the Court of Yahweh.