Hosea Chapter 12 "A Reproof of Ephraim, Judah, and Jacob." This Bible Study is written by Roger
Christopherson, and made available with written
permission by http://www.theseason.org Hosea 12:1 "Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he daily increased lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt." This verse follows the thought of Hosea 11:12. Ephraim, referring to Christian nations in these end times, who are trying to fill themselves on the wind, "Ruach" [spirit], only it is not the Holy Spirit. This spirit is the "east wind", or foreign spirits and heathen gods that the church world is pursuing. Our leaders will strike an alliance with any heathen dictator, in the name of peace, trying again to buy friends. During the peace covenants that were signed in 1979-80, President Carter indebted the United States to buy oil from Syria, and Arab nations for Egypt. It was part of the peace covenant necessary to bring settlement between Israel [Jewish nation], and Egypt. It was prophetic in light of this verse. Hosea 12:2 "The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him." This is why we see Hosea 11:12 was not translated correctly. God has a problem with Judah, and when "Jacob" is used, it includes all the tribes of both Houses, Judah, and Israel. God is recording everything done in this final generation, and He is going to hold everyone accountable for what they do with God's word, and how each person carries on with Satan's [Antichrist's] world system. Hosea 12:3 "He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength [in his manhood] he had power with God:" This comes from the story of the birth of the twins, Jacob and Esau, recorded in Genesis 25:26, and as stated in this verse Jacob means "heel grabber". Hosea 12:4 "Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;" So we see here that when Jacob overcame his test, or battle with God, and won, Then God changed Jacob's name to "Israel". Israel means "Overcomer with God". Israel prevailed, and met God in Bethel. Hosea 12:5 "Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial." This is rendered, "and Jehovah [is] God [Elohim] of the host; Jehovah [is] His memorial [name]." God is letting us know His name. Hosea 12:6 "Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually." God is asking you and I, living in these last days, to return to Him. God has a plan, and that plan is what this book of Hosea [salvation] is all about. God is asking you to know His plan, and have understanding of it, so we will have the patients to seek God's mercy and wait upon the Lord. Everything in His plan will happen in the order that it is suppose to happen, and not before. We live in a time when many prophecies will come to pass, and we will witness them. God and the prophets took the time to warn us and other Christians, yet most Christians pollute His Holy Word with heathen custom and fairy tales. It is time to wake up, study and wait upon the Lord. Hosea 12:7 "He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress." Ephraim is like a merchant, and has made himself like the "Kenites' [those offspring of Satan, through Eve "Cain", in the Garden of Eden]. As great as our nations were, we have turned our nations [Christian nations] into a pack of heathen peddlers. America today, as well as most of the church world is out to rip everyone off. That deception is by a crooked balance [stealing], defraud, and deceit. Hosea 12:8 "And Ephraim said, yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin." You hear this, "I am rich, I have found me out substance: in MY labours"; from both the governmental leaders, as well as most church leaders today. They allow God's blessings upon them to trigger off a streak of vanity and pride in themselves. They equate what God has given them to their own worth, and out of that comes self-righteousness and pride. The same ingredients that caused Satan's fall. Where they claim there is no sin, has caused their greatest sin. They have left God out of it, without giving God thanksgiving for His many blessings. Hosea 12:9 "And I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt will yet make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast." God is telling us, through Hosea's writing, that their is a time coming when you will worship Him exactly as you worshipped Him in the days of the "feast days". If you fail to worship the right way, then there will be no hope for you. You will worship again, as in the "feast of the tabernacles, or booths [in the Millennium]. Hosea 12:10 "I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitude's, by the ministry of the prophets." Where God spoke and man wrote it down; we call it recorded in "the Bible". God has given us types, and through these types we can know what to expect from God. These types are examples in others lives, and his laws and commandments. We have those writings in every home, and God will hold us accountable for it. Hosea 12:11 "Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields." This verse is directed to the Christians of our day, and it is very true. The Christians of today sacrifice the very best they have on their heathen altars of idolatry, and worship. Yet their worship is void, because it is full of vain tradition, and false doctrine. Their doctrine will lead them to the false Christ, not the true Messiah, Jesus Christ. On the sounding of the fifth trumpet, recorded in Revelation 9:1, The whole world [Christians alike], will chase after Antichrist, and in ignorance, pull their families into Antichrist also. What a shame. Hosea 12:12 "And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep." In all of Israel's wanderings over many thousands of years, God took care of Them, and built the House of Israel into many nations, which exists today. God blessed Israel, and Israel still continued in sin, with all their riches. They forgot to give thanks. Hosea 12:13 "And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved." It is through God's prophets that God preserves His people. They bring knowledge and blessings to all who will believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. Hosea 12:14 "Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him." The Word of God will save you, and bring you out of trouble, if you will listen to those prophets. However, if a person refused to seek the Lord, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, God's reproach will be upon that person. Our Lord is keeping records, and He is waiting for each of us to give repentance to Him. Our God is a loving and forgiving Heavenly Father.
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