Hosea 11:1 - Jesus The True Israel

Hosea 11:1 

When Israel was a youth I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.

Message: Jesus the True Israel

Time: Hosea ministered during the 8th century BC focusing his attention primarily on the northern kingdom of Israel (often called Ephraim). During the early part of Hosea's ministry, Jeroboam II ruled over Israel and the northern kingdom enjoyed a great deal of prosperity. But spiritually and morally, the Israelites were bankrupt, having fallen into idolatry that would ultimately cause God to drive them out of their land in 722 BC. The book represents 40 years of prophetic ministry - 755 BC to 710 BC. 

What the Lord is Saying:

Hosea

Even as I write the words above, I immediately think of Hosea - a prophet called to speak to a people trading God for idols; and yet a people that is living with prosperity. That itself sounds familiar to today's times. American's seem to love their idols: safety, security, entertainment, like to control their own lives and not be told what to do. Hosea was called to speak to this kind of people. 

I read the first chapter of Hosea and he was told by God to take a harlot as a wife and then named children with names that signified lost people. I mean, his life was supposed to mirror the acts of the people he was called to minister towards. “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord.” He did it. 

Then in the 3rd chapter Hosea is told by the Lord to marry again. “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.” He did it. Go love a woman loved by her husband. 

Basically that's it with the book, in regards to Hosea. The rest of the book is writing's about the Lord's words toward this people - how they have messed up, but one day they will return to the Lord. Still, initially I'm surprised about Hosea and what he is called by God to do and be. 

Now the lesson

Now onto this lesson, which is a quote from Hosea 11:1. The name of this lesson is - Jesus the true Israel. The TableTalk reading for this text states that 

"Matthew tells us that Jesus fulfills Hosea 11 (Matthew 2:13-15). Jesus is the true Israel, the faithful Israel who succeeds where old covenant Israel failed. Jesus when tested, passed the test, while Israel did not. Jesus is worthy to be called God's Son because of who He is in His deity and because of what He accomplished in His humanity." 

In addition, Tabletalk describes 'sonship,' that God's people, chosen by Him, are sons of God by adoption -- and therefore, inherit all of the promises given to God's old covenant people. 

I'm not sure I have ever really taken the time to examine this idea or the assertion of Matthew 2:13-15 being prophecy fulfilled from Hosea 11:1. Is this prophecy? Or an illustration? 

In the Old Testament, Israel is clearly called by God and chosen to His representative and to make the truth of Him known to everyone. Yet, Israel fails. They wallow back and forth in this commitment. Their temple has a special place for Gentiles and yet they often ignore them. They fall into idolatry at times and become adherents to the Law and miss grace. Jesus is sent by God to speak to all people - Jews and Gentiles and bring the message of God to all. Jesus succeeds where Israel failed. 

Thus, reading Hosea 11:1 - When Israel was a youth I loved him - God loves Israel and after Israel was called, you could describe the 400 years of its beginning as its time of youth. God loved Israel and yet Israel did not always love God. and out of Egypt I called My son - so, out of Egypt Jesus is called. 

There are differing views on this. One of the commentaries provided on Biblehub.com is by Charles Ellicott (1819-1905), an English theologian who wrote a commentary on the New Testament in 1878 and then was editor, meaning he wrote some but mostly compiled commentaries of other writers on the Old Testament in 1897. On this passage he remarks - "In this context there cannot be a prophecy of the Christ, for obstinate conduct and rebellion would thus be involved in the prediction." Matthew 2:15 "quotes the passage in illustration of the fact that the true Son of God was also submitted in His youth to the hard schooling of a cruel exile." To me he is saying this isn't a prophecy but instead an illustration. My brother made the comment that we need to always view the words of the Old Testament as also prophetic of Jesus. 

In Exodus 4:22 is the remark that "the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son." Ellicott believes this means that this text is unique to Israel. Joseph Benson (1749-1821) comments Israel is called God’s son, and his firstborn, and therein was an eminent figure of the Messiah, in whom all God’s promises were fulfilled. Both are God's sons, but Jesus fulfilled all God's promises while Israel did not. Benson states further, "And this is observable in many other prophecies, which can but improperly be applied to those of whom they were at first spoken; and, taking them in their strict, literal sense, are only fulfilled in Christ."

I like the word illustration instead of prophecy. Matthew quotes from Hosea to show the similarity between the two, but I don't think Hosea is a prophecy of Jesus, in that I don't think Matthew believe that Hosea's words were written to only be about Jesus, but rather Hosea's words now are more clearly brought to light by who Jesus is and became. The events of Israel are analogous to Jesus. They are similar.  

Promise: Jesus did do what Israel did not: completely get the message of God to all people and was successful.  

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for this passage and learning about Jesus and Israel and the similarity between the two but also seeing that Jesus fulfilled all that God intended - salvation to all. Thank you for Israel and how I am reminded of how I need to be true each and every day to your calling. Continue to give me wisdom as I study these truths. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of April is about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April was about salvation by grace alone; March about the sovereign providence of God; February was about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January was about the doctrine of God.

When the Godly slump - Abraham, Friend of God, Charles Swindoll Study Guide

Genesis 12:10-20

This is a familiar passage to me. Abram leaves the land where he is at because there is a famine there and it is severe and so he goes to Egypt. Prior to entering Egypt and because he knows his wife is very beautiful, rather than entering Egypt with her as his wife and his fear that leaders will simply kill him to get to his wife, instead he tells Sarai that she should act as his sister. As they enter Egypt the people in Pharaohs court see that she is beautiful and bring her to Pharaoh and Abraham receives gifts – sheep, cattle, donkeys, servants, camels. But then Pharaoh‘s house receives a disease and Pharaoh learns that Sarai is Abram’s wife, summons Abram to ask why did he say this and then tells him to leave/go. 

Failure is a part of life. It is not something we enjoy. We try to limit our mistakes. We like to always seem like we are better than this. There are certain people in life that we place on a pedestal and yet they are still human. They still make mistakes. 

I’ve noticed that society places people on pedestals and then write stories about their mistakes. WE prefer to be the one seeing a person's mistakes than on the other end. There is an idea I think that God blesses only those who are obedient and therefore when the media sees a Christian failing, people are alarmed and yet I think feel good about finding the evil because there is the feeling the Christian sees themselves as better than others. But, they do the same thing with movie stars or others we view with high regard, as if we somehow expect them to be perfect.

A divine test 

The first test Abram received was famine. In this passage we only see Abram acknowledge the famine and leave the land to go some place else. What we don’t know or see in the text is whether he prayed or consulted God. All we read is that He left. 

Life is difficult. Being a Christian still means life is difficult. Challenges like a famine test us. Right now we are tested in this life with this famine. It seems alarming to me and I too seem to think I know better that the decision makers - that maybe they have another motive. Am I really willing to trust the process or be grumpy through it? I see good outcomes from it. Don’t fight it. Live with it and continue to encourage others through it. 

Fear and sin 

Abram experiences fear and his focus is on himself. Sarai has to start living in deceit as well. She had to pretend to be something she isn’t. But the scriptures focus is Abram trying to safe his life because he fears the truth. 

Lying is not new to me unfortunately. I often in my life have lied and altered who I am ever so slightly because I don’t believe in my life as it is. Often I tried to make myself out to be better that I was. Sometimes I did things with little reason so I created a bigger reason. I often just didn't think my life as it was sounded good enough. I wanted it to look better. The problem is the lie has to be fed with more lies. 

Abram is found out

Abram's sin is discovered. This is my greatest fear: discovery of sin. Sin is a caper and we fear it’s discovery. Pharaoh found out his sin and this was a good thing for Abram as he needed to embrace the truth. In some ways Abram was fortunate. Though it hurts - once the sin is out in the open we can be restored. 

When the Godly Slump

• I remember one time in college and there is a Christian band that showed up on our campus and I was involved backstage with them and I was having a meal with some of the performers in the band and one of them was not present and was off to himself. I was bothered and I looked at his not being there is selfishness. Instead I should just accept him is different.
• God gave Jonah a task to do to preach because of the wickedness of the people. Instead Jonah ran away and by doing this others he was affected and others also experienced hardship. Once he listened to God things were not as bad as he thought. 
• My father often tells me that the reason he left the church we were at in high school and he would never return to the Christian church was the lead pastor made a comment about a patient he was seeing that was inappropriate. 
• Many pastors and leaders in the church have been exposed with having committed sexual sin outside their marriage. 

Do the right thing. It sounds simple. But that's it. But also, admit your mistakes. 

Maintaining Vital Contact - Abraham, Friend of God, Charles Swindoll Study Guide

In Genesis 12:1 “the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you.’”  

Paul Tournier says - Man needs a place. To exist is to occupy a particular living-space to which one has a right. 

In this time I am living in - we are told to stay ‘safe at home.’ At this time we are encouraged to not leave but remain. The Lord told Abram to leave. Their is comfort in remaining where you are - I think moreso as I age. Granted I think that once retirement hits - it might propel me to leave and go some place different and yet leaving friends and family would be difficult. Perhaps instead the idea is to leave temporarily on vacation or even live some place else for a season. But always with the thought of returning. 

In moving Swindoll remarks on some challenges. 

- Rootlessness: when a plant separates from its soil it misses its nourishment and often has a hard time continuing. Familiar support systems are absent. 

- Loneliness: distance separates friends. It takes time to cultivate new friendships. We all knew one day we would leave college and graduate and yet most of those friendships are never as close as they once were. New relationships must be watered. 

- Insecurity: a new environment means learning new ways of getting around. Only the rare breed finds this exhilarating. 

- Uncertainty: what will things now be like? 

Key: Maintain vital contact with the Master Gardener. Regular contact with God will foster our courage and hedge us against the perils of moving. 

I can’t help but think of my dad right now and the angst he is experiencing after the loss of my mom. Granted there is much that he has kept that is familiar: family, his surroundings - yet all are different now. 

Abram was confident in God’s strength 

The good news about Abram is he was leaving with a promise - that blessing would continue by him, land will be divine. 

Altars built became visual reminders of God’s presence and the path promised. Our churches today are our altars: a designated place to worship God. 

I learned from my mom about having specific places to meet alone with God. Right now I’m on the porch - away from people - in a quiet place. It is morning while things are still awakening. This is my favorite time as the distractions haven’t yet started. 

I try to be regular in this time. But it is always hard. I go to bed at different times and wake up at different times. Right now during this pandemic I haven’t had to make food for Pamela so this time is more mine. 

Early on in my faith I was encouraged to have tbese quiet times. I spend time writing down my thoughts. I also keep a journal but this is often separate from this time or I try to keep it separate. Each day I seek to start afresh and start with Him. I like to study and I admit I have a hard time doing other things like praying - singing. I’m okay with the TV on at other times of the day but hate it on now.