I think everyone can agree that the Bible is not a straightforward account of history or the future. While there is instruction and prophesy included in the Bible, they are somewhat disguised using metaphors, parables, different names and other varied ways of making God’s Word convoluted. I believe this is intentional so that no person, on their own, can interpret what God actually means, and instead must rely on the Spirit of God to understand the hidden messages in God’s Word. “First of all, understand this: no prophesy of Scripture is to be interpreted by an individual on his own; for never has a prophesy come as a result of human willing – on the contrary, people moved by the Ruach HaKodesh [Holy Spirit] spoke a message from God.” (II Peter 1:20-21)
Jesus himself taught in parables, and explained his reason to the disciples. “Here is why I speak to them in parables: they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. That is, in them is fulfilled the prophesy of Yesha’yahu [Isaiah] which says, ‘You will keep on hearing but never understand, and keep on seeing but never perceive, because the heart of this people has become dull – with their ears they barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, so as not to see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and do t’shuvah [turning], so that I could heal them.’” (Matthew 13:13-15, Isaiah 6:9-10)
I believe this accurately describes congregants and church leaders who continue to read the Bible as a devotional or with a skewed view of God and his Word; believing what they have been taught rather than asking God to reveal the truth of his Word through his Spirit.
We are at the threshold of the Great Tribulation, and only God knows when inhabitants of the earth will cross that threshold. “…when that day and hour will come, no one knows not the angels in heaven, not the Son, just the Father.” (Mark 13:32)
There are prophesies from ancient times that refer to our present day and age. It was noted in Daniel that his prophesies were for the “time of the end” (Daniel 12:9), and Zechariah, Ezekiel, David, Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, Jeremiah, and Daniel are all referenced in Revelation, a prophesy about the end of times. The Great Tribulation will be one of distress, with the fury of God on full display, but his purpose is to demonstrate to the world that he is the one true God, and that “…he is patient with you; for it is not his purpose that anyone should be destroyed, but that everyone should turn from his sins.” (II Peter 3:9)
But we don’t have to wait for the Great Tribulation in order to recognize the majesty and grace of God. He not only cries out to us through his emissaries – John, Peter, Paul, James (and many others) – but also through the prophets of old, like Hosea.
Hosea is thought to be one of the oldest prophets, living several centuries before the coming of Christ, so he would be unfamiliar with Messianic Communities or the church as we know it today. This does not mean that what he said is not relevant to our lives. Reading Hosea, I couldn’t quite understand why Ephraim was mentioned separately from Israel, as they were considered one of the tribes of Israel, and the other tribes were not listed separately. Ephraim was Joseph’s son born in Egypt to Joseph and his Egyptian wife.
Sometimes in scripture other names are used as descriptions to make a point. One of the best examples of this is found in Revelation, chapter 11. The angel with John labels the location of the two witnesses as, ““Sodom” and “Egypt” the city where their Lord was executed on a stake” (Revelation 11:8). Rather than just say Jerusalem, the angel uses the names of two other cities known for their wickedness in order to “reflect its spiritual condition” (Revelation 11:8). We can apply this reasoning when considering the use of ‘Ephraim’ in Hosea, and I believe God, through the prophet Hosea, is talking about Gentiles.
Revelation references Hosea’s prophesy in the letter to the church of Laodicea; “For you keep saying, ‘I am rich, I have gotten rich, I don’t need a thing!’ You don’t know that you are the one who is wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked!” (Revelation 3:17) The scripture in Hosea reads; “Ephraim says, ‘I have gotten so rich! I have made me a fortune! And in all my profits no one will find anything wrong or sinful.”’ (Hosea 12:9(8)) It’s clear Ephraim is representative of the modern-day church.
The book of Hosea begins with God instructing Hosea to marry Gomer, a whore (Hosea 1:2). They have children, and there comes a time when she goes back to whoring. God uses these real-life circumstances to illustrate the behavior of the children of Israel. In the second chapter of Hosea, God laments and accuses the Israelites of whoring with other gods, detailing the punishment that will follow, although by the end of the chapter God is laying out his plans for reconciliation! “But now I am going to woo her – I will bring her out to the desert and I will speak to her heart.” “I will betroth you to me forever; yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness, in justice, in grace and in compassion; I will betroth you to me in faithfulness, and you will know Adonai.” (Hosea 2:16(14), 21-22(19-20))
Chapter three begins with God instructing Hosea to seek out and love his wife, “…just as Adonai loves the people of Israel, even though they turn to other gods…” (Hosea 3:1) This describes reconciliation between God and the people of Israel, and does not fit into the ‘replacement’ narrative of the church. King David, along with Gentiles, call Yeshua Lord. “Therefore, let the whole house of Israel know beyond doubt that God has made him both Lord and Messiah this Yeshua…” (Acts 2:36) There seems to be an ‘either or’ mentality which purports that either God chooses Israel or the church. He loves both, and I believe Hosea bears this out in his prophesy. So, for purposes of mining the true meaning in the Word of God, it will be important to define the ‘church’ as any and all religions outside Judaism. In truth, the church is no more lovable than the Israelites, and no less corrupt. Let’s look at what God says about both Israel and ‘Ephraim’ – the church – in order to understand that he is choosing both.
For most of Hosea chapter four, God, through the prophet, details his case against Israel. “Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel! For the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of this land, because there is no honesty and no goodness and no obedience to God in the land.” (Hosea 4:1, Tanakh) God then targets Ephraim. “Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone! When they finish carousing, they start their whoring; their rulers deeply love dishonor.” (Hosea 4:17-18)
God continues to warn both Israel and Ephraim. “I know Ephraim; Israel is not hidden from me; for now, Ephraim, you are a whore; Israel is defiled. Their deeds will not allow them to return to their God, for the spirit of whoring is in them, and they don’t know Adonai. Israel’s arrogance will testify in his face; Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their crimes; Judah too will stumble with them.” (Hosea 5:3-5) The last verse makes it clear that Ephraim is not representative of Judah.
Throughout the prophesy of Hosea, God does not disavow his covenant with Israel and Judah, or his commitment to Ephraim, although his anger is evident. “In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; whoring is found there in Ephraim, Israel is defiled. For you, too, Judah, a harvest will come! “When I restore the fortunes of my people, when I am ready to heal Israel, the crimes of Ephraim confront me, along with the wickedness of Samaria. For they keep practicing deceit; thieves break in, bands of robbers raid outside. They never say to themselves that I remember all their evil…”” (Hosea 6:10-7:2)
Let’s try and decipher what is being said. We have a new name, Samaria, and as I don’t know what this means, I won’t speculate. It’s important to begin to see what God is saying about Ephraim – the church. Specifically, in these verses, “They never say to themselves that I remember all their evil” reminds me of the belief among Christians that God forgets past sins. As I have stated in a previous post, I don’t believe God is amnesic.
Chapter seven is mostly about Ephraim. Let’s read this with the modern-day church in mind. “Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples, Ephraim has become a half-baked cake. Foreigners have eaten up his strength, but he doesn’t know it;…” “Ephraim behaves like a silly, foolish dove – going to Egypt, then to Assyria for help. Even as they go, I will spread my net over them; I will bring them down like birds from the sky; I will discipline them, as their assembly was told. Woe to them! for they have strayed from me. Destruction to them! for they have wronged me. Am I supposed to redeem them, when they have spoken lies against me?” “They return, but not upward; they are like an unreliable bow. Their leaders will die by the sword because of their angry talk…” (Hosea 7:8-9, 11-13, 16)
Chapter nine includes a section in which God remembers choosing Israel and their turning from him. “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing a fig tree’s first figs in its first season. But as soon as they came to Baal-peor, they dedicated themselves to something shameful; they became as loathsome as the thing they loved.” (Hosea 9:10) He then goes back to describing Ephraim. “The glory of Ephraim will fly away like a bird – no birth, no pregnancy, no conception.” “Ephraim, as I see it, is like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place; but Ephraim will bring out his children to the slaughterer.” (Hosea 9:11, 13)
These verses in Hosea chapter nine highlight the history God has with his Chosen Ones. He laments for his people in chapter ten. “Israel was a luxuriant vine, freely putting forth fruit. As his fruit increased, he increased his alters; as his land got better, he improved his standing-stones. Their heart is divided; now they will bear their guilt. He will break down their alters and destroy their standing-stones.” (Hosea 10:1-2) Then God speaks to both Ephraim and Israel. “…Ephraim will be put to shame, and Israel be ashamed of his own advice.” (Hosea 10:6)
The beauty of God, and this prophesy in particular, is that his love remains for both Israel and Gentiles. “Ephraim, how can I give you up, or surrender you, Israel?…” “If you sow righteousness for yourselves, you will reap according to grace. Break up unused ground for yourselves, because it is time to seek Adonai, till he comes and rains down righteousness upon you.” (Hosea 11:8, 10:12)
Keeping with his loving nature and his grace, God ends the prophesy with hope. “I will heal their disloyalty, I will love them freely; for my anger has turned from him. I will be like dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily and strike roots like the Lebanon. His branches will spread out, his beauty be like an olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon. Again they will live in his shade and raise grain; they will blossom like a vine, and its aroma will be like the wine of the Lebanon.” (Hosea 14:5-8(4-7)) As Hosea first foretold in chapter three, God will reconcile with his people. He also offers hope to Ephraim. “Ephraim [will say], ‘What have I to do any more with idols?’ And I, I answer and affirm him…” (Hosea 14:9(8))
Hosea enables us to see that the Israelites and the church are unfaithful to God, and not one more than the other. He loves his Chosen Ones, the Israelites, and looks forward to reconciling with them. “For the people of Israel are going to be in seclusion for a long time without a king, prince, sacrifice, standing-stone, ritual vest or household gods. Afterwards, the people of Israel will repent and seek Adonai their God and David their king; they will come trembling to Adonai and his goodness in the acharit-hayamim [the end of days or latter days].” (Hosea 3:4-5)
Gentiles are reconciled to God through the sacrifice of his Son, Yeshua the Messiah. “…”Be reconciled to God! God made this sinless man be a sin offering on our behalf, so that in union with him we might fully share in God’s righteousness.”” (II Corinthians 5:20-21)
Israel and Ephraim – Gentiles – will not only be reunited with God, but also with each other. “Ephraim’s jealousy will cease – those who harass Judah will be cut off, Ephraim will stop envying Judah, and Judah will stop provoking Ephraim.” (Isaiah 11:13)
*All scripture is from the Complete Jewish Bible unless noted otherwise. Some names in the Complete Jewish Bible have been translated to English.