Accordingly, Hosea 12 pursues the reproof of Ephraim, and charges Judah also with offenses in His sight. Thus Jacob is brought in not only as guilty in his sons, but personally as an object of divine dealing in order to counsel the people now. And a most interesting appeal it is, where Jehovah now pleads with His people, not so much appealing to conscience, nor letting them know His own pain in smiting them, but urging on them the reminiscences of past mercy to their father Jacob as a present lesson to his sons. How many a soul has been brought back to God by reminding it of joys once tasted, though long, long forgotten!
And Jehovah will use any and every right measure to win His people back to Himself. So here He reminds them of Jacob. “Ephraim feedeth on wind” (vs. 1) — what folly! “And followeth after the east wind” (vs. 1) — of all winds the most fierce and scorching. “He daily increaseth lies and desolation” (vs. 1), deceitful evil and its recompence even now, as well as by and by. “And they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt” (vs. 1). They might like to curry favor again with the mighty; but their false heart, breaking the covenant, and seeking to win Egypt also by presenting what they could expect abundantly, only made the Assyrian their enemies. So end all efforts at setting one power against another to one’s own advantage. It is unworthy even of a man—how much more of the people of God!
Supplanting Jacob
“Jehovah hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will He recompense him” (vs. 2). It was not Ephraim only but Judah too which was in question, though not yet so far gone as the rest. This gives the link reminding them of the ancient history of their common father. “He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God” (vs. 3). From the first Jacob did that which indicated the supplanting of his brother on the one hand, before it could be set down to developed character, but on the other God recalls what grace did when it gave him strength beyond his own in his weakness. When he was shrunk up in the sinew of his thigh, he was strengthened of God to prevail with the angel and acquired the name which pledges the blessing of grace and all overcoming to the seed of Abraham. “Yea; he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him” (vs. 4). What! The man who cowered and wept for fear of Esau? The self-same man on that very same occasion, when full of plans—though not without prayer at the alarming approach of Esau—learns the sufficiency of grace, and has this strength made perfect in his weakness. “He found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us [identifying strikingly and touchingly the children with their forefathers] even Jehovah the God of hosts; Jehovah is his memorial. Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on thy God continually” (vss. 4-6). What a withering rebuke in verses 7-8! “A merchant [Canaan], the balance of deceit in his hand, he loveth to overreach! And Ephraim said, I am simply become rich; I have found me out substances: it is all my labors. They will find no iniquity in me that is sin.” How often prosperity blinds to evil, and God’s judgment those who should know both.
Jacob Fled, yet Served God
In verse 9 Jehovah binds together His deliverance of Israel from Egypt with that mercy which will yet make good what the feast of tabernacles pledged; in verse 10 He reminds them of this extraordinary testimony when they ruined themselves by breaking this law and forsaking Himself; in verse 11 He sets before them the lamentable and ruinous witness of their idolatry. Then in verse 12 Their father Jacob is once more held up to rebuke them, who fled in weakness, but served faithfully—sad contrast of his sons; and yet, though brought by God’s word and power out of Egypt, most bitterly did Ephraim provoke to anger now therefore should his Lord leave his bloodguiltiness on him and requite his reproach to him.