Scripture Reference: Hosea 11-14

2. God’s Disciplines in the Present – Continued

Please read Hosea 12:1-13.16 for the background to this section.

From last lesson: “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” – Hebrews 12:6; (Proverbs 3:11–12).

Hebrews 12:11–17 is the classic passage in Scripture on chastening. The Greek word paideia means “the rearing of a child,” because the purpose of discipline is maturity. Sometimes God disciplines us to correct our disobedience, but He may also discipline us when we’re obedient in order to equip us to serve Him better. David is an example of correcting discipline (2 Samuel 12; Psalms 32; 51), while Joseph is an example of perfecting discipline (Genesis 39–42; Psalm 105:16–22). Note that the context of Hebrews 12 is that of athletics, running the race (Hebrews 12:1–3). Athletes must experience the pain of discipline (dieting, exercising, competing) if they ever hope to excel. Nobody ever mastered a sport simply by listening to a lecture or watching a video, as helpful as those encounters may be. At some point, the swimmer must dive into the water, the wrestler must hit the mat, and the runner must take his or her place on the track. Likewise, the children of God must experience the pain of discipline—correcting and perfecting—if they are to mature and become like Jesus Christ.

The need for discipline (Hosea 12:1). The Jewish people were living for vanity—“the wind”—and receiving no nourishment. The word translated “feed” means “to graze”; but whoever saw hungry sheep ignoring the green grass and chewing on the wind? The very idea is ridiculous, but that’s the way God’s people were living.

Israel was committing two sins: First, they were worshiping idols which are nothing, even less than nothing, and turning from the true God to live on empty substitutes. They were feeding on the wind. Second, they were depending for protection on treaties with Egypt and Assyria instead of trusting their great God. This too was emptiness and chasing after the wind, and God had to discipline Israel to bring them back to Himself and His Word.

The example of discipline (Hosea 12:2–6, 12). Abraham is the father of the Jewish nation (Matthew 3:9), but it was Jacob who built the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 46:8–27). Hosea used the name “Jacob” for the nation because Jacob is an illustration of God’s loving discipline. Hosea cited several key events in Jacob’s life.

“Israel” is the new name God gave Jacob after struggling with him at Jabbok (Genesis 32:24–32), but scholars aren’t agreed on its meaning. The generally accepted meaning is “prince with God,” that is, a “God-controlled person.” Others suggest “he persists with God,” which certainly fits the account; for Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord and didn’t want to give in. Though Jacob made some mistakes and sometimes trusted his own ingenuity too much, he did persist with God and seek God’s help, and God used him to build the nation of Israel. Some people have been too hard on Jacob, forgetting that believers in that day didn’t have the advantages we have today. God has deigned to call Himself “the God of Jacob,” and that’s a very high compliment to a great man.

Jacob struggled with his brother even before he and Esau were born (Genesis 25:20–23), and at birth, Jacob tried to trip up his brother Esau even as they were coming from the womb (Genesis 25:24–26). The name “Jacob” means “he grasps the heel,” which is another way or saying, “He’s a deceiver, a trickster.” During most of his life, Jacob struggled with himself, with others, and with the Lord, and until he surrendered to God at Jabbok, he never really walked by faith. God had to discipline him to bring him to that place of surrender.

All of us are Jacobs at heart according to Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” The Hebrew word translated “deceitful” is the root word for the name “Jacob.” It means “to take by the heel, to supplant.” The English word “supplant” comes from a Latin word that means to “to overthrow by tripping up.” Jacob tripped up his brother and took his place when it came to both the family birthright and the blessing (Genesis 27:36). Of course, God had given both to Jacob before his birth (Genesis 25:23), but instead of trusting God, Jacob used his own devices to get what he wanted. Faith is living without scheming.

To Be Continued

Adapted and modified excerpts from Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Amazed, “Be” Commentary Series.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.