Confronting Deceit in Israel
Notes
Transcript
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,
the house of Israel with deceit.
And Judah is unruly against God,
even against the faithful Holy One.
1 Ephraim feeds on the wind;
he pursues the east wind all day
and multiplies lies and violence.
He makes a treaty with Assyria
and sends olive oil to Egypt.
2 The Lord has a charge to bring against Judah;
he will punish Jacob according to his ways
and repay him according to his deeds.
3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel;
as a man he struggled with God.
4 He struggled with the angel and overcame him;
he wept and begged for his favor.
He found him at Bethel
and talked with him there—
5 the Lord God Almighty,
the Lord is his name of renown!
6 But you must return to your God;
maintain love and justice,
and wait for your God always.
7 The merchant uses dishonest scales;
he loves to defraud.
8 Ephraim boasts,
“I am very rich; I have become wealthy.
With all my wealth they will not find in me
any iniquity or sin.”
9 “I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of Egypt;
I will make you live in tents again,
as in the days of your appointed feasts.
10 I spoke to the prophets,
gave them many visions
and told parables through them.”
11 Is Gilead wicked?
Its people are worthless!
Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?
Their altars will be like piles of stones
on a plowed field.
12 Jacob fled to the country of Aram;
Israel served to get a wife,
and to pay for her he tended sheep.
13 The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt,
by a prophet he cared for him.
14 But Ephraim has bitterly provoked him to anger;
his Lord will leave upon him the guilt of his bloodshed
and will repay him for his contempt.
Introduction
Introduction
We are looking together at the words of God to Israel through the prophet Hosea. These are important words for us to consider. They are important words for us, even as the church, to take to heart, simply because we serve the same eternal God that the Israelites worshiped, although we know that the Messiah has truly come.
But the way in which God dealt with the Israelites is very instructive to us in our day, simply because our God is unchanging. And we get glimpses of God’s glory and His holiness and His righteous conduct, even through God’s dealings with Israel.
In the present text before us, one of the great themes that comes through relates to the deceitful ways and practices of Israel. How they conducted themselves in such a manner that it demonstrated that they were both deceitful, and quite honestly, deceived.
But also shown in this passage is the truth and the wondeful joy that God is faithful and merciful, despite the shortcomings of man.
As we come then to this passage, notice firstly with me...
1. Israel Deceitful Before God (11:12-12:6)
1. Israel Deceitful Before God (11:12-12:6)
We begin by reading in verse 12 of chapter 11...
12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,
the house of Israel with deceit.
And Judah is unruly against God,
even against the faithful Holy One.
The charge that God has with Israel is immediately brought to the fore in this prophetic word by Hosea. The essence of the charge is that Israel is decietful. They are filled with lies. They are living and acting before God, as His chosen people, in a manner that is deceitful before Him.
The first striking thing about this verse is the way that God refers to the conduct of Israel. He almost speaks in military terms, as if israel had turned against God and was now confronting and working against Him. God says here that Israel “has surrounded” him. They have encircled around Him, so as to attack him. Although they may not have recognised this as their own actions, this is what God says that they are doing due to their conduct.
The phrase that Hosea used here is one that is familiar in the Psalms as the enemies would encamp around the Israelites, or the Psalmist himself.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
The same picture is that which God uses here to speak of His own people Israel.
Notice further how God refers to himself in this verse as the “faithful Holy One.” This is the God that they worshiped and that they claimed to love and serve. He was the faithful God. He was the holy one. There is a striking contrast in terms of the nature and the character of God as He remained faithful to His people, and holy in His conduct, when compared with that of the Israelites.
They were not living in a faithful, holy manner before God and other nations around them.
Now we must recognise that the sin of deceit is that which most certainly flows from the arch-enemy of God, namely Satan.
44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
And so, in this text, Hosea tells the nation Israel that they are deceitful. They are speaking lies.
But what precisely was this deceit that they were engaging in? How were they acting in a manner that was deceitful?
Well, most certainly they were being decietful by worshiping false gods, and yet claiming to worship the true and living God. They were putting their hope in themselves, and in other gods. This has already been looked at previously, but notice just one verse by way of reminder.
13 But you have planted wickedness,
you have reaped evil,
you have eaten the fruit of deception.
Because you have depended on your own strength
and on your many warriors,
14 the roar of battle will rise against your people,
so that all your fortresses will be devastated—
as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle,
when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.
Israel had in essence broken covenant with God, and yet claimed to love and serve God. They were thus living a life of deceit.
As we look further in our passage, we read in verse 1 of chapter 12...
1 Ephraim feeds on the wind;
he pursues the east wind all day
and multiplies lies and violence.
He makes a treaty with Assyria
and sends olive oil to Egypt.
Notice the phrase that “Ehraim feeds on the wind....” God is saying here that Ephraim, Israel, is doing that which is meaningless and of no use. This is vanity. It’s Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, that writes about the meaninglessness of life, and how these meaningless pursuits are a chasing after the wind. But here, God says through Hosea that what Israel is doing in terms of breaking covenant, and putting their hope in other things, in other nations, in material abundance - all this is a chasing after the wind.
In verse 2 of chapter 12, we begin to see a response from God in terms of what Israel has been doing.
2 The Lord has a charge to bring against Judah;
he will punish Jacob according to his ways
and repay him according to his deeds.
The Lord is now bringing this charge against Israel, and he is going to punish Jacob according to his ways.
The Lord refers here to Jacob whose name was ultimately changed to Israel - he was the father of 12 sons who then became the foundation of the 12 tribes of Israel. As God refers here to Jacob, he brings in this name
The name Jacob means “deceiver.” That is why Hosea links Jacob with Israel here. The conduct and the actions of Israel are now going to be shown to them by using a picture from their very own forefather of the faith, the one through whom the entire nation came to be.
Verse 3 of our passage goes on to say...
3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel;
as a man he struggled with God.
Grasped the heel - that’s where his name came from. What is the significance?
Ultimately, his name was also “deceiver.” - Esau picked this up when he said that Jacob is rightly called deceiver after stealing his blessing (the birthright had already been taken)
As a man, Jacob struggled with God. This was a good thing.
Note the context of the struggle - as he was traveling back to his own land, and Esau was coming out to meet him.
He thought that Esau was coming to kill or attack him, and he was very afraid.
He cried out to God - he wrestled with God (see Gen.32:22-32) (Turn there…)
4 He struggled with the angel and overcame him;
he wept and begged for his favor.
He found him at Bethel
and talked with him there—
This verse speaks of a wonderful communion that was eventually engaged in.
Initially, there was a great struggle. They wrestled all the night through.
But this was an intense battle that took place, because Jacob recognised his deep need of God. He recognised that without God he had no hope.
It was during this encounter that God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.
Dramatic and important moment in the history of Israel.
Essentially, Jacob was blessed by God through this encounter, and he was given a promise that he would be richly blessed.
We must see the significance of the struggle that Jacob engaged in with God.
He wept… begged for God’s favour....
And he found him at Bethel.
God had shown exceedingly great mercy and kindness to Jacob, the Father of Israel…
Returning to Hosea, notice that Hosea goes on in verse 5 to give the name of God...
5 the Lord God Almighty,
the Lord is his name of renown!
Very striking verse this!
The Lord God Almighty - The LORD is his name of renown.
It’s almost as though God says to them here that this is his name. They should have known it. They did know it.
Jacob longed to know the “name” of God.
He wasn’t given it at the time. But he was given the blessing of God .
The striking picture that is given here - Jacob earnestly sought after God… And he received the blessing.
How far Israel had drifted...
While Jacob, the deceiver, had certainly been involved in deceit, he was also the one that sought the favour and blessing of God.
But now, Israel had fallen away and drifted away from God.
6 But you must return to your God;
maintain love and justice,
and wait for your God always.
Israel is called to vital fellowship with God!
They ought to follow Him and live in obedience to Him.
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
NOTE!! - “Return to your God...”
The deceit was that they had abandoned God!
Must return… Must live for the praise of God.
Notice secondly...
2. Israel Self-Reliant in Life (12:7-14)
2. Israel Self-Reliant in Life (12:7-14)
In a sense, this flows directly out of what has just been considered.
Israel there was seen to not truly be trusting in God.
But here we see further that they were instead trusting very much in themselves and their riches.
We notice in verse 7...
7 The merchant uses dishonest scales;
he loves to defraud.
Here was another dimension of the deceit of the people of Israel. They were dishonest in their financial dealings.
They engaged in fraud.
Fraud is nothing new. It has been around for just about as long as sin has been in the world.
But it is that which is entirely contrary to the truthful nature and direction of God.
And it was something that ought to have been contrary to the people of God.
In fact, the wording in the original in this verse speaks of the Canaanite being the one that uses dishonest scales.
But the verse is directed at Israel.
In other words, Israel is told here that they are acting completely out of character… out of what is to be expected of their true nature… they are making use of dishonest scales as was expected of the Canaanites…
1 The Lord abhors dishonest scales,
but accurate weights are his delight.
23 The Lord detests differing weights,
and dishonest scales do not please him.
But even the merchants within Israel had descended into fraud and deceit.
It goes even further than this, however...
8 Ephraim boasts,
“I am very rich; I have become wealthy.
With all my wealth they will not find in me
any iniquity or sin.”
Israel had become self-confident and self-reliant. They thought that they had become untoucable - all due to their wealth.
10 Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
In the book of Proverbs, we read...
28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
What follows are warnings from God, reminders from Him concerning his grace and kindness.
9 “I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of Egypt;
I will make you live in tents again,
as in the days of your appointed feasts.
Difficult to perceive exactly… - A threat as well as a promise…
As God had brought them out of Egypt…
Reminder - God established them.
He gave them their wealth! They should not have been acting in self-reliance...
He would lead them again to live without much… just the bare necessities.
The reference that he gives here is to the festival of booths...
42 Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths
That would be a reminder to them of their earlier struggles...
One commentator...
They knew from those days the relative primitiveness and inconvenience of tent dwelling. An undesirable fate awaited them.
God goes on to say...
10 I spoke to the prophets,
gave them many visions
and told parables through them.”
Without excuse...
God has consistently revealed his expectations for his people.
Continual reminders of covenant obligations...
But they needed to keep in mind that the words spoken were the very words of God.
Amos said...
7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing
without revealing his plan
to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared—
who will not fear?
The Sovereign Lord has spoken—
who can but prophesy?
And Jeremiah...
9 But if I say, “I will not mention him
or speak any more in his name,”
his word is in my heart like a fire,
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot.
These were not the self-proclaimed prophets… true prophets of God.
How important that we take heed of the words of Christ... Words of Scripture...
God goes on to speak of the extent of the evils as Israel had turned away from God...
11 Is Gilead wicked?
Its people are worthless!
Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?
Their altars will be like piles of stones
on a plowed field.
Gilead was apparently known for some sort of murder, literal or figurative, in which its priests had a part (6:8–9). Gilgal was a place where virtually any sort of cultic worship might be engaged in—except perhaps orthodox worship—depending on one’s preference.
12 Jacob fled to the country of Aram;
Israel served to get a wife,
and to pay for her he tended sheep.
13 The Lord used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt,
by a prophet he cared for him.
The Lord now, through Hosea, goes back to an image of Jacob, this time, bringing in the picture of Jacob being a shepherd.
Although somewhat cryptic to us, these verses refelct on the shepherding of God over His people Israel.
Jacob was a shepherd that tended sheep. This truth is developed into verse 13, where we are reminded that God used a prophet to bring the people up from Egypt.. Notice the phrase “he cared for him.” Again, this is a shepherding term. Moses was the shepherd.
But this only serves, under the current context, to say to Israel that they were now guilty of straying away from the care of the shepherd.
Within the broader context, there is also an allusion here to the covenant… the law given through the covenant mediator - Moses.
Israel has strayed from under the law… They have broken covenant.
14 But Ephraim has bitterly provoked him to anger;
his Lord will leave upon him the guilt of his bloodshed
and will repay him for his contempt.
This is how God will respond…
The provoking here is Israel provoking God to anger..
“Blood-guilt” is a term denoting a level of guilt so great, for an offense so severe, that capital punishment is required.
The evil nation has not learned from the example of its eponymous ancestor Jacob, from Moses, or from Hosea or other covenant prophets. It despises Yahweh, and must be paid back (curse type 26) for such a capital offense.
Application / Conclusion
Application / Conclusion
Let us be those who rest daily in trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.
the grand reality - New Covenant. We are enabled in far greater way.
This is reason for praise.
Let us be those who seek always and often to place our trust in the Saviour, in each day.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let us not be those who in any way trust in riches!!
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
Let us stay close to the shepherd of our souls.
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Let us keep trusting in Christ, and keep on bearing the fruit of godliness dear friends.