Hosea Chapters Twelve and Thirteen

Written By: Timothy Fish Published: 10/13/2008

We are reminded of Jacob’s nature in Hosea 12. When he was born, he grabbed his twin brother by the heel. He fought and prevailed over the angel of the Lord. He worked to get his wife. He always went hard after what he wanted. Hosea points to Jacob’s example and tells Israel to seek after the Lord as hard as Jacob did.

Instead, what we see is the deceit of a merchant who is trying to get his customers to pay too much. Ephraim has said that he is rich and there is no iniquity in what he does.

In chapter 13 we still see Ephraim’s sin, but we also see God at work. “Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me; for there is no savior besides me.” The Lord identifies himself as the one who brought them out of Egypt. He tells them that he will not allow them to have other gods. They are in need of a savior and there is only one savior. (Hosea 13:4)

He tells Israel that they have destroyed themselves, but their help is in the Lord. (Hosea 13:9) The same is true for us. Whatever mess we may have gotten ourselves into, the Lord is able to get us out of it. We look around and see the mess we are in and we doubt that anyone can help us. We are fearful and yet God is able to help us, if we will turn to him and let him.

For the Love
of a
Devil

Please consider purchasing For the Love of a Devil. This novel is a modern retelling of Hosea in which a beleaguered English teacher, Geoff Mywell, longs for the love he thought his wife once had for him, but when she leaves him for another man on their fifth anniversary, he is forced into the life of a single parent. He isn't sure whether to give in to the relief of having her out of the house or be sorry that the marriage seems broken beyond repair. He goes after her as she moves from one man to the next. He wants her to come home, but he knows that the best he can do is try to provide for he in some small way. He keeps asking her to come home and just when he thinks she is nearly persuaded her grandmother forces her into a dark world beyond Geoff's reach. Geoff must enter the darkness and pull her back or lose the woman he loves forever.
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