11:12-12:14 God’s ' surrounds me with lies, the house of Israel, with deceit. still wanders with God and is faithful to the holy ones. Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and violence. He makes a covenant with , and olive oil is carried to Egypt. The Lord also has a dispute with Judah. He is about to punish Jacob according to his conduct; he will repay him based on his actions. In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and as an adult he wrestled with God. Jacob struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He found him at , and there he spoke with him. The Lord is the God of Armies; the Lord is his name. But you must return to your God. Maintain love and justice, and always put your hope in God. A merchant loves to extort with dishonest scales in his hands. But Ephraim thinks, “How rich I have become; I made it all myself. In all my earnings, no one can find any iniquity in me that I can be punished for!” I have been the Lord your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will make you live in tents again, as in the festival days. I will speak through the prophets and grant many visions; I will give parables through the prophets. Since Gilead is full of evil, they will certainly come to nothing. They sacrifice bulls in ; even their altars will be like piles of rocks on the furrows of a field. Jacob fled to the territory of Aram. Israel worked to earn a wife; he tended flocks for a wife. The Lord brought Israel from Egypt by a prophet, and Israel was tended by a prophet. Ephraim has provoked bitter anger, so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him and repay him for his contempt.'

Introduction This book can be difficult to follow because the author (God through Hosea) refers to his audience with many different names. He calls the Northern kingdom Israel, Ephraim, Jacob, and even refers to them by the names of several prominent cities, Gilgal, Gilead, etc... Even the names of the two major kingdoms Israel and Judah were the names of Jacob (named Israel at Bethel) and Judah, the son of Jacob from whose line the rightful king of Israel would come. The reason God uses these names for Israel is because the story of the Isrealites is a story stretching over a thousand years, and their past, present and future are bound up indivisibly.

As you read this book you will see the author continuing bringing them back to the entire history of Israel from the creation of the nation at the time of the Exodus and ever farther back to the time of the Patriarchs. This chapter in particular uses the character of Jacob and his story to remind them of how they have failed to live up to the example of their namesake. The story of Jacob fleeing from his brother Esau’s wrath at stealing his birthright and his blessing and traveling to the land of his uncle Laban to find a wife is critical to understanding this passage. While on the way back from Aram, Jacob wrestles with God, and is named Israel. Once you have that background, it is easier to see how God is using that flawed but ultimately faithful character to show the great failing of his namesake, the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

Day 2 - Hosea 11:12-12:6 'Ephraim surrounds me with lies, the house of Israel, with deceit. Judah still wanders with God and is faithful to the holy ones. What does God accuse Ephraim of here? Are there specific lies in mind here? Is there a difference between Ephraim and Israel here?

What is the comparison between Israel and Judah here? Is Judah doing what is right?

Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and violence. He makes a covenant with Assyria, and olive oil is carried to Egypt. What does it mean that Ephraim chased the wind? What does it mean that he multiplies lies and violence?

Why does he say they made a covenant with Assyria and olive oil is carried to Egypt? The Lord also has a dispute with Judah. He is about to punish Jacob according to his conduct; he will repay him based on his actions. Is Judah completely innocent?

Who does God/Hoshea mean when they refer to Jocab.

When it says God is about to punish according to his conduct, does that mean punishment that is deserved based on his conduct? Why is this same thing repeated in another way?

In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and as an adult he wrestled with God. Jacob struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with him. How does Hosea characterize Jacob’s character as demonstrated by these events in his life?

What does Hosea seem to be commending about Jacob?

Why is Hosea bringing up Jacob here?

The Lord is the God of Armies; the Lord is his name. But you must return to your God. Maintain love and justice, and always put your hope in God. What attribute of God does Hosea emphasize here? Why?

What does he say Israel should do here? Why is he telling them this?

Day 3 :7-11 A merchant loves to extort with dishonest scales in his hands. But Ephraim thinks, “How rich I have become; I made it all myself. In all my earnings, no one can find any iniquity in me that I can be punished for!” According to this the “merchant” is aware that he is cheating others and takes pride in doing it. How does he contrast this with Ephraim?

Does Ephraim recognize who is responsible for its wealth? Are they really innocent of any wrongdoing? How would you characterize Ephraim according to this passage.

I have been the Lord your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will make you live in tents again, as in the festival days. I will speak through the prophets and grant many visions; I will give parables through the prophets. What does God remind them about? What does he then tell them will happen?

What is he telling them that he will speak through prophets? Is this tied to their living in tents again?

Since Gilead is full of evil, they will certainly come to nothing. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; even their altars will be like piles of rocks on the furrows of a field. What is Gilead here for? What does it mean they will come to nothing?

What does it mean that they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? What are these altars and what does it mean that they will be like piles of rocks in the furrows on a field?

Day 4 Hosea 12:12-14

2 Jacob fled to the territory of Aram. Israel worked to earn a wife; he tended flocks for a wife. What does it mean Jacob fled to the territory of Aram? Fled what? Is this the same person (Israel) that worked to earn a wife? What does this mean to the nation of Israel?

Do you think God may be telling Israel they too will be exiled and have to work to prove their worth?

The Lord brought Israel from Egypt by a prophet, and Israel was tended by a prophet. Who was the prophet who brought them from Israel? Again, why is this being emphasized?

Is Israel also going to be “tended by a prophet”? What might that mean?

Ephraim has provoked bitter anger, so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him and repay him for his contempt.' How does this final sentence function here? Is it telling us anything new or maybe just summing up?

Discussion Questions

'Ephraim surrounds me with lies, the house of Israel, with deceit. Judah still wanders with God and is faithful to the holy ones. Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and violence. He makes a covenant with Assyria, and olive oil is carried to Egypt. The Lord also has a dispute with Judah. He is about to punish Jacob according to his conduct; he will repay him based on his actions. Much of Hosea functions as a court case against Israel. What is the primary charge being leveled against Ephraim (i.e. the Northern Kingdom of Israel) here?

In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and as an adult he wrestled with God. Jacob struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He found him at Bethel, and there he spoke with him. The Lord is the God of Armies; the Lord is his name. But you must return to your God. Maintain love and justice, and always put your hope in God. Hosea/God here refer to their audience as Jacob, pointing out several key events in the actual Jacob’s life. How does Hosea/God compare Israel with its namesake Jacob?

A merchant loves to extort with dishonest scales in his hands. But Ephraim thinks, “How rich I have become; I made it all myself. In all my earnings, no one can find any iniquity in me that I can be punished for!” Now the author compares Ephraim to a dishonest merchant who revels in cheating others. How does Ephraim’s dishonesty compare to thiers?

I have been the Lord your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will make you live in tents again, as in the festival days. I will speak through the prophets and grant many visions; I will give parables through the prophets. The author returns to Israel's history, how does he use that to foretell what their punishment will be like?

Since Gilead is full of evil, they will certainly come to nothing. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; even their altars will be like piles of rocks on the furrows of a field. What picture does the author paint of the effect of pagan worship on Israel?

Jacob fled to the territory of Aram. Israel worked to earn a wife; he tended flocks for a wife. The Lord brought Israel from Egypt by a prophet, and Israel was tended by a prophet. The author again returns to the historical Jacob. How is he comparing the story of Jacob going to Aram with Israel?

Why does he emphasize the role of the prophets in Israel’s history?

Ephraim has provoked bitter anger, so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him and repay him for his contempt.' How does the author end the case offered against “Ephraim”?

3

Outline 1. Ephraim is charged with lying and deceit (11:12-12:2) a. Ephraim has offended God with Lies and Deceit (11:12a) i. Judah is still waveringly faithful (11:12b) b. Ephraim's lies are futile (12:1) i. He compounds his lies to cover his sin leading to violent evil ii. He tries to appease his enemies Assyria and Egypt c. All of God’s people bear Guilt (12:2) i. Judah is not without fault ii. All of God’s people will receive the reward they have earned 2. Jacob (the Northern Kingdom) has failed to live up to its namesake Jacob (3-6) a. The Example of Jacob i. He prevailed over his brother and wrestled with God (3) ii. He struggled with the angel, clinging onto God, desiring his favor and God rewarded him (4) b. God was revealed to Jacob as the almighty God (5) c. Israel must return to the God Jacob knew by exercising love and justice while waiting patiently for God (6) 3. Ephraim’s Deceit will lead to re-exile (7-11) a. Dishonest businessmen exult in their evil (7) i. But Ephraim denies its dishonesty, imagining it earned its blessings honestly (8) b. Israel will be sent back to the wilderness as in the exodus (9) i. Where God used the prophets to speak to his people (10) c. The idolatry of Israel will be its downfall (11a) i. The altars used in idolatry are the obstacles that prevent their faithfulness, like stones in a field prevent it from yielding its harvest (11b) 4. The summary of the charge against Ephraim a. A historical example was set for Ephraim i. Jacob had proved his worth for a reward while in exile (12) ii. God used prophets to deliver and protect his people in exile (13) b. But Ephraim has forgotten whose he is and provoked God to anger (14a) i. Ephraim will pay a heavy price for his violence and contempt for God (14b)

4