Saved Again and Again

In Hosea 12, the prophet walks us through the history of Jacob, from whom the 12 tribes of Israel descend. If you know the story, Jacob is not the most admirable man. 

Hosea 12:3–6 (ESV) In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. 4 He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us— 5 the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD is his memorial name: 6 “So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.”

I find hope in this verse despite the dire situation in which Israel found herself. For though they descended from a schemer, we must remember that Jacob schemed because it seemed as if the whole world was against him. Only his mother favored him. Everyone else sought to push him down (Isaac), steal from him (Laban), or kill him (Esau). But Jacob won in life because he wrestled with God and listened to His voice. 

Now the nation is commended to do that once again. The way out of subjugation to the Assyrians is to fight it out with God, and not seek the help of foreigners. 

Dear Christian, this is our spiritual heritage. None of us has a claim to some sense of moral superiority. We are saved by grace alone, just as Jacob was chosen by grace. Yet we do well to listen to the prophet here and take our case to God. He is our only source, and nothing anyone else says or does actually determines our fate! Israel is invited to seek God in the midst of their rebellion, remembering they were saved from rebellious ways in their forefather Jacob. 

The problem, however, is stipulated in the next two verses for the nation:

Hosea 12:7–8 (ESV) A merchant, in whose hands are false balances, he loves to oppress. 8 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.”

Israel had fooled itself. It let its prosperity lead to pride and self-righteousness. All the while God saw the true condition of her heart as a wayward prostitute wife who pursued her sin instead of her husband.

So God declares:

Hosea 12:9 (ESV) I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast.

This sounds harsh. They will be removed from their homes and dwell in foreign lands and enter a national wilderness season of sorts. Yet it is a profound kindness, for God has already stated in this prophet's writings that it was in the wilderness where He drew Israel to Himself. 

Hosea 2:14–15 (ESV) “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her... as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

Make no mistake, as Hosea repeats again and again, the discipline of their exile will be the process by which God will derail their idolatry and bring them back to Himself, to restart their relationship again. 

Scottish minister Alexander Whyte said, “The victorious Christian life is a series of new beginnings.” We do not always walk properly, and the Lord's commitment to us is sometimes the necessary rock bottom moment we need to start again. 

In this chapter of Hosea, we find that the way out of their current idolatrous situation will be similar to their first way out of Egypt, where they worshipped false gods as well. 

Hosea 12:12–13 (ESV) Jacob fled to the land of Aram; there Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he guarded sheep. 13 By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt, and by a prophet he was guarded.

The Lord brought Israel out of Egypt through Moses; He will bring true Israel out of slavery through someone greater, Jesus Christ Himself. And His salvation is better than that of Moses, for He saves to the uttermost.