4/01/2023 Wednesday
Hosea
God reproves Ephraim
Chapter 12
OUTLINE OF HOSEA The Ryrie Study Bible
1. The Prodigal Wife, 1:1-3:5
A. Her Unfaithfulness, 1:1-11
B. Her Punishment, 2:1-13
C. Her Restoration and Israel’s, 2:14-23
D. Her Redemption, 3:1-5
2. The Prodigal People, 4:1-14:9
A. The Message of Judgment, 4:1-10:15
1. The indictment, 4:1-19
2. The verdict, 5:1-15
3. The plea of Israel, 6:1-3
4. The reply of the Lord, 6:4-11
5. The crimes of Israel, 7:1-16
6. The prophecy of judgment, 8:1-10:15
B. The Message of Restoration, 11:1-14:9
1. God’s love for the prodigal people, 11:1-11
2. God’s chastisement of the prodigal people, 11:12-13:16
3. God’s restoration of the prodigal people, 14:1-9
God’s Chastening of His Prodigal People
• Hosea 12:1-2
• Charles Feinberg comments, “Feeding on the wind is a vivid description for pursuit of empty and vain things which are
without profit.”
• Instead of returning to God for help, they sought help from pagan neighbours, Assyria to the north and Egypt to the
south.
• Though Hosea’s message was primarily to Israel he frequently warned Judah of her coming judgment.
• The best thing we can learn from history is to LEARN from history. God included much history in the Bible
for our learning.
• (Romans 15:4) “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and
comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
God’s Chastening of His Prodigal People
• Hosea 12:3-6
• Jacob, the patriarch of Israel, had power with God from birth (v.3).
• Feinberg again states, “It is easily discernible in the life of Jacob that he ever sought spiritual blessings throughout his life.
He may have sought them before the appointed time or in the energy of the flesh, but he did long for the things of the
Spirit of God and the spiritual life.”
• Jacob talked with God at Bethel when he saw the ladder (Gen 28:11-19).
• The LORD was his memorial, he never forgot that encounter.
• With that memory in view, Hosea urged Israel to turn back to God (v.6).
• Recalling former times of closeness to God ought to stir our hearts to renew our closeness. May the Lord
revive us again!
God’s Chastening of His Prodigal People
• Hosea 12:7-8
• When Hosea called Israel a merchant, the Hebrew word actually means a Canaanite. He lived just like the Canaanite
pagans whose land he conquered. He was both deceitful and oppressive.
• Ephraim boasted of her wealth and piety, yet God saw and knew the truth.
• Hosea 12:9-10
• “In spite of their faithlessness, God still remains faithful to Himself and to the covenant which He gave to Abraham.” KJBC
• God yet had great prophecies for Israel. They would again be close to Him as during certain feasts when they lived in
booths (cf. Lev 23:42-43).
• God’s prophets often spoke of coming days of blessing (v.10).
God’s Chastening of His Prodigal People
• Hosea 12:11
• Israel’s sin was nation-wide. Gilead represents those who lived on the east of Jordan and Gilgal represents those who lived
on the west of Jordan.
• They had so many altars to their false gods that they were as numerous as heaps (i.e., clumps of dirt or rocks) in the
furrows of the field after ploughing.
God’s Chastening of His Prodigal People
• Hosea 12:12-13
• God brings up Jacob’s history again when years earlier he had fled into Syria to Haran to find a wife.
• Another history reminder is when God, by his prophet Moses, brought Israel out of Egypt.
• Hosea 12:14
• Instead of being grateful to God, Ephraim provoked the Lord to anger.
• As a result, the Lord would “not take away the guilt and penalty of the innocent blood shed By Ephraim in general, and to
Moloch in particular.” JFB Commentary
• For our good, God will not overlook sin indefinitely. Payday will come if we do not repent and turn from our
sins.
Note similes and metaphors in this chapter
• As in the days of the solemn feast (v.9) – This pictures the times of rejoicing and blessing
• As heaps in the furrows of the fields (v.11) – As mentioned earlier, they had nearly as many altars as they
had clods and stones in their fields.
• Gilead and Gilgal (v.11) – represent the east and west of Israel
Applications for Us Today
• Ephraim was feeding on the wind. If we are not careful, we too will get caught up in vain activities that have
no eternal purpose.
• Though Israel had turned away from God and had been so ungrateful for all that God had done for her, God
still loved her and longed for her closeness. This truth about God is a great blessing for us. Though He never
wants us to stray from Him, if we do, God will never stop loving us and urging us to return.
• If we ever begin to question God, we need to have a history lesson with our heart. Recall again God’s
faithfulness, grace and love.