Journal Through the Bible: Week 55 Tuesday

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Hosea 11:1-12:14

Does God issue any commands?

• Citing the history of Jacob/Israel, including his wrestling incident with the angel, God compelled His people to return to Him. They had supplanted but they could overcome, too.

Does God make any promises?

• With the love and sadness that a husband would feel toward his unfaithful wife, God said that Israel would be taken captive by Assyria because of her infidelity toward Him. Such infidelity began almost from the moment they left Egypt. Yet God promised that He would not destroy them in His anger like a man might be tempted to do to his unfaithful spouse.
• In spite of everything God promised future restoration.

Does this passage teach anything about Jesus?

• God makes note of the faithfulness of Judah but makes it clear that this faithfulness was not entirely their own doing either. They had received a measure of grace due to their kings being of the offspring of David. This lineage was the human line of Jesus.
• In 12:4-5 God tells of the wrestling between Himself and Jacob. If I am reading the pronouns correctly God is saying that Jacob spoke with "us." Who is "us?" The three members of the Godhead. The "us" could not be in reference to just "the angel," whom I believe most likely to be a Theophany or Christophany or Jesus anyway since Jesus is God in the flesh.

Does this passage teach anything about yet-future events?

• The nation of Israel is described in this passage as being espoused to God. Revelation 21:2 described New Jerusalem adorned as the bride for her husband.