Ephraim Feeds on the Wind – Hosea 12

Evangelicalism faces the same choices as Israel.  She can return to her first love, Christ and the gospel, or continue to sell her soul for cheap to the east wind of politics and Christian Nationalism.

Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence; they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt.

The northern kingdom of Israel, whose capital city is Ephraim, is relying on Assyria and Egypt for its well-being instead of Yahweh.

The LORD has an indictment against Judah and will punish Jacob according to his ways; he will repay him according to his deeds. In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God.  He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor.  He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us—the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD is his memorial name:  “So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God.”

Yahweh has opened a case, an indictment, against both the northern kingdom Israel and the southern kingdom Judah, both descendants of Jacob, and urges them to be like Jacob.  Jacob strove with God and obtained favor.  Jacob met God at Bethel, which is now a center of idolatrous worship in the northern kingdom, but which could once again be a sacred place of return to Yahweh and to love and justice.

A merchant, in whose hands are false balances, he loves to oppress.  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.”  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.

But Ephraim’s motivation to return to Yahweh is compromised by her financial success.  Only the success is built on fraud and iniquity.  She thinks she will not be found out, but Yahweh has found her out, and He will make her dwell in less that glorious ways, as she did in the wilderness and as she recounts in the Feast of Tabernacles when she dwells in tents to commemorate those days.

I spoke to the prophets; it was I who multiplied visions, and through the prophets gave parables.  If there is iniquity in Gilead, they shall surely come to nothing:  in Gilgal they sacrifice bulls; their altars also are like stone heaps on the furrows of the field.  Jacob fled to the land of Aram; there Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he guarded sheep.  By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt, and by a prophet he was guarded.  Ephraim has given bitter provocation; so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt on him and will repay him for his disgraceful deeds. (Hosea 11, ESV)

As God used the prophet Moses to guard and rescue Israel from Egypt, so he has sent prophets, like Hosea and others, to use visions and parables to warn and help restore Israel to true worship.  If she remains in sin she will come to nothing.  If she repents she will become fruitful as Jacob did with his wives from Aram, generating the twelve tribes.