Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
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THEBOOKOFHOSEA
Lesson19,Chapters10and11
Iendedourpreviouslessonspeakingaboutamostcrucialunderstandingthatis
necessaryforaproperperspectivenotonlyofthesourceofoursalvation,but
alsoofwhatthatmeansforusinabroadersense.ThesourceisYeshua:Jesus
theChrist.Butwhatitmeansisthatthroughthemostselflessactofcourageand
lovethattheworldhaseverknown,orwilleverknow,Hehasjoineduswhowere
atonetimestrangerstotheCovenantsbetweenGodandIsrael…thosewhowere
excludedfromthem…inorderforustobeinunionwiththoseCovenantsandwith
JesusHimselfasthegoalandembodimentofthosecovenants.Andyet,thiscan
onlyhappenforthosewhotrustinYeshuaasMessiahandinHisFatherasthe
GodofIsrael.
CJB
Ephesians2:11-13
11
Therefore,rememberyourformerstate:youGentiles
bybirth-calledtheUncircumcisedbythosewho,merelybecauseofanoperation
ontheirflesh,arecalledtheCircumcised-
12
atthattimehadnoMessiah.You
wereestrangedfromthenationallifeofIsra'el.Youwereforeignerstothe
covenantsembodyingGod'spromise.Youwereinthisworldwithouthopeand
withoutGod.
13
Butnow,youwhowereoncefaroffhavebeenbroughtnear
throughthesheddingoftheMessiah'sblood.
MovingdownalittlefurtherinEphesians2:
CJB
Ephesians2:19-22
19
Sothen,youarenolongerforeignersandstrangers.
Onthecontrary,youarefellow-citizenswithGod'speopleandmembersofGod's
family.
20
Youhavebeenbuiltonthefoundationoftheemissariesandthe
prophets,withthecornerstonebeingYeshuatheMessiahhimself.
21
Inunion
withhimthewholebuildingisheldtogether,anditisgrowingintoaholytemple
inunionwiththeLord.
22
Yes,inunionwithhim,youyourselvesarebeingbuilt
togetherintoaspiritualdwelling-placeforGod!
But,thistrustMUSTbemaintained;itcan’tbeonlyaone-timedeclarationor
event.Hosea,andtheTorah,teachusthatGodwillrescindredemptionshould
thistrustproveitselftohavebeenabandonedbyus,despiteoururgent

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
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pleadingsthatitisnotso,theabandonmentbeingrevealedthroughourwrong
behaviorandthroughourimproperworshipofGod.
CJB
James.5:19-20
19
Mybrothers,ifoneofyouwandersfromthetruth,and
someonecauseshimtoreturn,
20
youshouldknowthatwhoeverturnsasinner
fromhiswanderingpathwillsavehimfromdeathandcovermanysins.
Let’sre-readthefinal3versesofHoseachapter10.
RE-READHOSEA10:13–end
Itishardinourtimetointernalizethedepthofterrorsuchathoughtofwhat
happenedatArbelamusthavebroughttoHosea,andthenashecommunicated
ittohispeople.Yet,boththeBibleandhistoryprovethatthevastmajorityofthe
Israelitesdidn’tbelieveit.Itisprobablynotthatdifferentbetweentheactuality
oftheHolocaustagainsttheJewsinthe1940’sandhowevenwheninvoking
suchanimageasawarningtodayagainstwhatiscomingintheEndTimes,or
eveninsuchwarsasishappeningtodayintheUkraine,thatpeopleshyaway
fromthinkingaboutitinrealistictermsbecauseitseemsthatsuchgenocideand
mayhemcouldnotpossiblyberepeatedbymoremoderncivilizedpeople.Even
so,historyprovesthatnotonlywillsuchatrocitiesberepeated,theycanhappen
atanevengreaterintensityandscopethatisunfathomabletoourminds;andit
seemslikehumannatureoftenrespondsbysimplyblockingouttheunpleasant
possibility.
TheLordsayssuchatrocitieswillbedonetoEphraim/Israelbecauseoftheir
greatwickedness.Andthenaplacethatissymbolicoftheirgreatwickednessis
mentioned:Beth-El.ThisisbecauseBeth-ElisoneoftheplacesinIsraelthatthe
goldencalvesthatJeroboamhadfashionedasimagesofYehovehwasset-up
andwherethousandofIsraeliteswouldregularlygotopayhomageandsacrifice.
Thementionofthekingperishingatdawnmissestheessenceofwhattheverse
means.TheHebrewwordmelekhthatcanbetranslatedas“king”canalsobe
translatedas“monarchy”.Thatis,whilekingisaperson,themonarchyisthe
governmentstructure.HerethemeaningclearlyisthatIsrael’sentire
governmentshallbecut-of,permanently,andnotjustachangetoanewking

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
3/13
(somethingthathadbeenhappeningwithalarmingregularityoverthepastfew
decadesinIsrael).TheusualHebrewwordforcut-offiskareth,butthatisn’t
whatisusedhere.Ratherthewordisdamahanditmeanstoterminateorcome
toanend.Karethinvariablyincludesaspiritualsenseandsource,inthatGodis
partofwhatoneisbeingcut-offfrom.Butheresincedamahisused,nospiritual
senseismeant.ItsimplymeansthatthegovernmentofIsrael,withIsraelite
kingssittingonthethrone,willnolongerexistforIsrael.Theendofanation’s
governmentistheendofthatnation.Ephraim/Israel’stimeasaHebrewnation
(akingdom)untoitselfisbeingprophesiedassoontobeover.Let’smoveonto
chapter11.
READHOSEACHAPTER11all
Hoseachapter11isimmenselypoetic.Itisalsoimmenselyintense,expressing
painandlove.Inmyestimation,itexpressesGod’spainandyetHisenduring
loveforaset-apartpeoplethatHehascarefullynurturedsincetheirbeginning.
Itis,Ithink,themostemotionalandpassionatepassageintheentireOld
TestamentthatdealswithGod’srelationshipwithIsrael.Thedepthofthe
emotioninvolvedcouldonlybeexpressedbypoeticwordsasopposedtomere
historicalnarrative.
Itisimportantthatwerecognizetheliterarydevicecalledanthropomorphism
thatisatplayhere.Anotherlessfancyandeasierwordforitisfigurative.
Anthropomorphismmeanstoapplyhumantraitstonon-humancreatures,gods
orobjects.TheBibleisfullofmetaphorandanthropomorphismthatoftenis
takenbyamisinformedChristianityassomethingmeantfullyliteral.Thus,
humanemotionsandhumaninstitutionscanbeascribedtoGodanditisavery
bigmistakebecauseitgreatlymischaracterizesinwaysthatleadtoverystrange
doctrines.Forinstance,asconcernsboththeFatherandtheSon,marriageterms
areoftenusedtodescribetheirrelationshipwiththeirworshipperstothepoint
thatathoughtlike“brideofChrist”istakenfullyliterallytomeanactualmarriage
withChrist,andthusmembersofHisChurchbecomingYeshua’sspouses.Thatis,
Jesusisoftenportrayedasexactlyahusbandinhumanmarriagetermsandwe,
Hisfollowers,areexactlyHiswifeinthosesameterms.WealsohaveGod
speakingofIsraelasa“son”orasakingofIsraelbeingcalleda“sonofGod”.
Theseareanthropomorphicterms…figurativeterms…andnotliteral.Israelis

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
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notGod’sactualson(orchild)aswethinkofitinhumanfamilyinstitutionnor
doesanykingofIsraelhavesomekindofactualfather/sonbiologicalor
mysteriousorganicrelationshipwithYehovehlikewehavehereonearth
betweenfatherandasonevenifthatearthlyrelationshipweretobenearly
perfect.Ratheritisthatinordertobesthelpwemerehumanstounderstandour
relationshipwithGod…howHeseesit…andhowHeoperatesandmakes
decisions…humantermsandexamplesareusedbecauseitgivesusan
approximationusingvocabularythatwehaveanduseineverydaylife,and
thereforegivesussomethingthatwecanrelateto.
Soeventhoughthemajorthemeofchapter11isGod’sfiercefatherlydevotion
andlovetoHischild(Hisson)Israel,wemustnottakethisthemetoextremes.
JustaswhenwearetoldthatYehovehissendingIsrael“backtoEgypt”,itisnot
usedinthesensethatIsraelisactuallymakingatruereverse-exodusand
literallyformingupcolumnsandmarchingbacktoEgypt.Itisinsteaddesigned
toconnecttheideasoftheoriginalexodusforthesakeofIsrael’sredemption
fromanoppressorwiththenewrealityofIsraelenteringintoaprocessthatonce
againputsthemintotheoppressivehandsofaforeignnation,andthattheywill
atsometimeinthefutureneedtoberescuedfromitbyGod.
Attheriskofbecomingtoorepetitive,I’llsaythis:tocorrectlyinterpretHoseawe
mustbeginbyunderstandingthatGod’sproblemwithIsraelisentirely,100%,
covenantbased.IsraelisnolongeratpeacewithGodbecausetheyhavebroken
thecovenant(theCovenantofMoses,theLaw)bytheirunfaithfulnessthat
consistsprimarilyofpervertedmanmadebeliefs,disgustingworshippractices,
andbadbehavior.Therefore,sincetheanticipationofthissituationwasbuilt-in
totheCovenantofMosesatitsinceptionatMt.Sinai,thennaturallywhatwesee
playingoutarethespecificpenaltiesandconsequencesfortheequallyspecific,
spelled-outviolationsofthecovenant.Thisisn’tGodmakingitupasHegoes.
Thus,asGodbeginstousefigurativeandanthropomorphictermstoexplainHis
thoughtprocess…whatIsraeldidandhowGodisrespondingtoit…thesepotential
violationsandaccompanyingpenaltieswerecontainedandspelledoutinthe
CovenantofMoses,andhadbeenfullyavailableforIsraeltosee…hadthey
wantedtoknow.
Verse1begins:

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
5/13
CJB
Hosea11:1"WhenIsra'elwasachild,Ilovedhim;andoutofEgyptIcalled
myson.
IsraelwasneveranactualchildnoranactualsonofYehoveh(thewaythat
paganreligionsoftenthoughtoftheirgod-to-humanrelations).EvensoGod
relatesHisthoughtstoHoseausingwordsthatbringtomindanearthly
father/sonrelationship.Letusalwaysalsorememberthatwemustdiscardany
modernWesternnotionofatypicalfather/sonrelationshipaswepracticeit
today.ThecharacterandnatureofaMiddleEasternfather/sonrelationshipwas
quitedifferentthananythingtoday.Afatherandsonrelationship…especially
wheninvolvingafirstborn…wasessentiallyasaseniorandjuniorfamily
authority.Afather’sfamilyauthoritywasabsolute.Hecontrolledall.Heowned
allinthefamily.Hecouldkillhischildifhethoughtthatwastheproper
punishmentforaseriousinfraction.Onceasonmaturedsufficiently,hisjobwas
tobecomeasanextensionofhisfather;evenasanagentofhisfather’s
authorityifsuchanauthoritywasgrantedtotheson.Untilhisfatheredpassed
away,theson’sactionswerealwaystoreflecthisfather’swillandwishes.So,it
isinthatcontextthatintheopeningofverse1,Israelwascharacterizedasthat
child…ason…evenafirstborn.Israel’scollectivewillwassupposedtoreflecttheir
father’s(God’s)authorityandwillasitwasexpressedintheLawofMoses.So,to
makeafinerpointofit,whatwe’vebeenreadingaboutthusfarthroughthefirst
10chaptersofHoseaisthatIsraelislikenedfirsttoanunfaithfulwife(Gomer)
andlatertoarebelliouschild…arebelliousson.Arebellioussonwas,foran
ancientMiddleEasternfather,adisaster.Rebellionwasdefinedasachildthat
goeshisownwayanddoeshisownwillandnotthatofhisfather.Yes,thereis
typicallyawarmthofrelationshipincluded;butneverthinkofthatwarmthas
beingtheoverridingfactorofthatrelationship.Theloveofasonwastoexpress
itselfinhisclearandvisibledeterminationtocarryoutthewill,andalwaysto
displaythecharacter,ofhisfatherandneverhisown.Thismalechildwould,
afterall,carryonthebloodlineandreputationofthefamilypatriarchandnearly
alwaysthefamilywealth.InthecaseoftherelationshipbetweenGodandIsrael,
inreturnforhis(Israel’s)obedienceanddevotiontohisfather(Yehoveh),God
says“Ilovedhim”.
This“sonship”wordsusedbyHoseaaremeanttotieinwithExodus4.

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
6/13
CJB
Exodus4:22-23
22
ThenyouaretotellPharaoh:'ADONAIsays,"Isra'elismy
firstbornson.
23
Ihavetoldyoutoletmysongoinordertoworshipme,butyou
haverefusedtolethimgo.Well,then,Iwillkillyourfirstbornson!"'"
Whenwereadthewords“Ilovehim”,wearetotakeitinthesenseoftheword
asitwasunderstoodinancienttimes.Ahav(meaninglove)indeedincludedthe
ideaofawarmaffection,butitalsorevolvedaroundtheideaofloyalty.This
samewordinHebrewwasusedintheAmarnaletterswhereloveisproclaimed
byanumberofvassalkingstothePharaohofEgypt.Clearlytheratioofloyalty
towarmaffectionleanedheavilytowardsloyaltyandwewoulddobesttoalways
letthisbiblicaltermahav(love)leanmoreinthatdirectionaswestudythe
Scriptures.
Althoughthesecondhalfofverse1isoftentranslatedas“outofEgyptIcalled
myson”,inrealityitiswordedabitdifferently.TheancientHebrewexpressionis
mimmisrayim,meaning“eversinceEgypt”.So,inHoseathisexpressionis
definitelymeanttorecallsomethingthattookplacefrom5to6centuries
earlier…theEgyptiancaptivityandthentheexodus.Thatsaid,inorderforusto
getthebestunderstandingofwhatthethoughtisinmodernEnglishterms,“out
ofEgypt”probablyworksbest.Tocall…qarainHebrew…doesn’tmeanitlikewe
wouldcallsomeoneonaphoneandhaveaconversation.Rathertheideaisto
proclaimorbetter,perhaps,itistosummonwithauthoritybehindit;itisn’ta
request.Itisamomentinwhichthepersonwhoisinauthorityintendstogather
someoneorsomethingtohimforaspecialpurposeandtellsthatpersonthatthe
timeisnow.IfthisverseofHoseasoundsfamiliartoyou,itoughtto.
CJB
Matthew2:13-15
13
Aftertheyhadgone,anangelofADONAIappearedto
Yosefinadreamandsaid,"Getup,takethechildandhismother,andescapeto
Egypt,andstaythereuntilItellyoutoleave.ForHerodisgoingtolookforthe
childinordertokillhim."
14
Sohegotup,tookthechildandhismother,andleft
duringthenightforEgypt,
15
wherehestayeduntilHeroddied.Thishappenedin
ordertofulfillwhatADONAIhadsaidthroughtheprophet,"OutofEgyptIcalled
myson."

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
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SoherewelearnthattheGospelwriterMatthewwasdirectlyreferringtothis
passageinHosea,andso“theprophet”hecrypticallyspokeofturnsouttohave
beenHosea.MatthewseesinChristthelatestandnewestfulfillmentofthis
prophecyofGodcallingHissonoutofEgypt.We’llregularlyseeintheBiblethat
awordorphraseofprophecycandodouble-duty.Itcanhavemeaningintwoor
moredifferentscenariosandintwoormoredifferenteras,althoughthe
fulfillmentsarecloselyrelated.Itisnotaone-or-the-othersituation.For
instance,Matthewisnottellingusthatthe“callingHissonoutofEgypt”
prophesywastakenwronglyintimespastwhenapplyingittoIsrael.IntheBook
ofExodusGodindeedcalledHisson,Israel,outofEgypt.InHosea,Godsaysthat
Hewillagaincallhisson,Israel,outofEgyptbutitisinanothersensethatisn’t
madeclear.AndinMatthewtheidentityofGod’ssonmorphsfromnationalIsrael
totheidealIsrael,whichisrepresentedinGod’sSonYeshua.And,outofEgypt
GodwillcallHisSon,Jesus.IsraelwascalledtocometothePromisedLandfrom
Egypt,andlatersowasYeshuaandHisfamilycalledtoreturntothePromised
LandfromEgypt.
Verse2presentsabitofaprobleminthatitishardtoextractthethoughtfrom
iteventhoughthewordsseemtomakesomesense.Thefirstproblemisthat
someonecalled“they”calledthem(Israel)butthemore“theycalled”themore
thepeopleofIsraelpulledawayfrom“them”.Whoistheyandthem?Ithinkthe
CJBhasitrightinassumingthatthishastobereferringtothebiblicalprophets.
GodsummonedIsraelthroughHisprophets,buttheyrebelledandwouldn’theed
thecall.AnditseemedtoGodthatnomatterhowmuchHecalledthrough
howevermanyofHisProphets,Israelwanderedevenfurtherawayfrom
faithfulnessandtruth.AndinwhatwaydidGodmeasurehowfarawaythey
wandered?ItwasintheirincreasingworshipoftheBaalsandofferingtheir
sacrificestoimages.Itmightbeinstructionaltounderstandthatworshippingthe
Baalsandofferingsacrificestoimagesreallywasn’tmerely2waystosaythe
samething.Thesewere2quitedifferentactsonIsrael’spart.
IsraelfullyknewtheBaalgodsystem.TheyhadcertainoftheBaalgodsthey
boweddowntobecauseintheirmindsthesegodsservedafunctionalpurposefor
themsuchasfertility,orforprovidingrainforcrops,orprotectionfromenemies.
Thus,probablywhenHoseaspeaksoftheimagesthatIsraelofferedincenseto,
itwasalways(ornearlyalways)thegoldencalvesthatwerethoseimages.Israel

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
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haddeterminedthatthegoldencalvesweretherepresentativeimagenotofthe
BaalsbutratherofYehoveh,thenationalGodofIsrael.Theywouldofcourse
haveacceptedthatthisidentificationofaGoldenCalfwiththeGodofIsraelwas
anideaandactthatalsooccurredearlyintheexodus,resultinginthousandsof
theirbrethrenbeingkilledforfashioningthatcalfandworshippingit.So,why
wouldtheythinkitOKnow?Israelfiguredthattheexodusincidentwasalong
timeagoandthesituationhadchanged.Itwasaneweraorevenadifferent
“dispensation”,right?MaybegoldencalvesasimagesofGodwerewrongwhen
Israelwaswanderinginthewildernessbutitwaswrongnolonger.Let’snot
shakeourheadsindisgustaswethinkaboutthesefoolishIsraelites,butinstead
perhapslookatourselvesinthemirror.Christianityhassteadilydevelopedits
ownsetofheadscratchingrationalizations.Peopledon’tchangemuchasthe
centuriesflyby.Wealwaysmanagetofindgroundstojustifyourown
preferencesandchoices,andfeelgoodaboutit.ButIsraelwasfindingoutthe
hardwaythatGoddoesnotacceptourrationalesfordisobediencetoHim…inany
eraforanyreason…andtheconsequencesforsuchalapsecanbedire.
Verse3isbasicallysayingthatIsrael’sblatantdisobediencecertainlywasn’t
God’sfault.ItwasHethatpersonallytrainedthemup,sotherecouldhavebeen
noerror.YehovehsaysthatHepersonallytaughtEphraim“howtowalk”.The
imagebeingportrayedisofaparenthelpingandteachingayoungchildtotake
hisorherfirstcautiousandunsuresteps.Itismeanttoevokeatender,patient
fatherthatspendsthenecessarytimewithhischildmakingitaseasyashecan
forhim.Althoughitisadifferentword,JudaismadoptedthetermHalakhato
presenttheirdoctrinalbeliefsabouthowGodwantsthemtolive.Halakhameans
“towalkintheway”.Thechildhadnodoubtwhotheparentwasnorthatitwas
theywhowastheretohelpthem.WhatdidEphraim/Israeldoinreturnforsuch
lovingcarebytheirfather?TheygavethankstotheBaals;theyshowednolove
orloyaltytotheOnewhoactuallytaughtthem,raisedthemupandhealedthem
whentheyfellorweresick.
Again,lookingtotheLawofMoses,thereisaprinciplethatsaysthatifaparent
raisesachildcorrectlybutthatchildbecomesarebel,theparentsbearno
responsibilityforthechild’swrongbehavior.Infact,thatchildoughttodieforhis
rejectionofhisparents’directionandcorrection.

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
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CJB
Deuteronomy21:18-21
18
"Ifamanhasastubborn,rebellioussonwhowill
notobeywhathisfatherormothersays,andevenaftertheydisciplinehimhe
stillrefusestopayattentiontothem;
19
thenhisfatherandmotheraretotake
holdofhimandbringhimouttotheleadersofhistown,atthegateofthatplace,
20
andsaytotheleadersofhistown,'Thissonofoursisstubbornandrebellious,
hedoesn'tpayattentiontous,liveswildly,getsdrunk.'
21
Thenallthemenofhis
townaretostonehimtodeath;inthiswayyouwillputanendtosuch
wickednessamongyou,andallIsra'elwillhearaboutitandbeafraid.
Arebelliouschildisviolatingthebasiccommandmenttohonorone’smotherand
father.Godisestablishing2thingshereinHosea11:3thatwillquicklycomeinto
play.First:He(asthemetaphoricalfathertotheyoungchild,Israel)wasagood
parentanddideverythingrighttoteachthemwell,soHebearsnoguiltinhow
Israelturnedout.Second:thepenaltyforsuchanincorrigiblechildasIsraelis
death.Israeldeservesdeathandtheirbloodisupontheirownheads.Onthe
otherhand,GodisamercifullovingfathertoHisson,andthelastthinginthe
worldHewantsistodestroyHisownchild.Heistornonthematter.Itissovery
painfulforYehovehtohavebeentreatedinsuchawayinreturnforHiskindness.
TogiveusafullersenseofwhatGodissayingtoIsrael,wefindthesamethought
inJeremiahnodoubtbecausehewasgreatlyinfluencedbyHosea’swritings.
CJB
Jeremiah31:19
19
"Isn'tEfrayimmyverydearson,achildwhodelightsme
so?Ispeakabouthimallthetime,Ican'thelpbutrecallhimtomind.Insum,I
deeplyyearnforhim;Iwillsurelyshowhimfavor,"saysADONAI.
Hosea11:4isacontinuationofverse3andprobablyisbestreadasoneunified
thought.
CJB
Hosea11:3-4
3
"YetitwasIwhotaughtEfrayimtowalk;Itookthembytheir
arms.ButtheydidnotknowthatitwasIwhowashealingthem,
4
whowas
guidingthemonthroughhumanmeanswithreinsmadeoflove.WiththemIwas
likesomeoneremovingtheyokefromtheirjaws,andIbentdowntofeedthem.
Thewordsofverse4aswehavethemtodayaresomewhatcorrupted,however
thethoughtthatiscontainedinthemisn’tterriblyhardtodiscern,especially

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
10/13
whenwere-connectverse4toverse3insteadofseparatingthem.Thefirstthing
wemustnoticeisashiftingfromthemetaphorofIsraelasachild,toIsraelasan
animalthatisdependentuponahumancaringforit.Thus,whenwereadofthe
reinsofloveearlyinverse4(sometimesinotherBibleversionscalledcordsor
ropes),itneedstobeunderstoodinthecontextofabeastpullingaloadora
plough.Theideaisofagentleleadinginthatinsteadofputtingtheyounganimal
toheavyworkthroughthefixingofalargewoodenyokeuponitsneck,instead
itismademorecomfortablebyremovingitforthetimebeing.
Toomanytimeswe’llfinddoctrinesofJudeo-Christianitybeinganachronistically
usedtointerpretverses3and4anditsendsusonroadtoallegoryinsteadofthe
intendedmeaning.IthinkMayerGruberhasdoneamasterfuljobinunlocking
thesenseofthispassageinmodernEnglish,passingalongtouswhatitmeantto
itsancientreaders.Itisthis:Goddidn’tputayokeuponIsraelinordertodirect
thembyuseofthereinsattachedtotheyoke(ashumansdoinordertocontrol
abeastofburden).Rather,Heusemetaphoricalreinsoflove.Insteadoftangible
ropesandcordstodirecttheanimal(Israel),Godusedtheintangiblebondsof
love.Infact,whatisironicisthatpartofthatbondofloveincludedthewritten
Torah.Godshowedthemwhatlovereallyis:lovetowardsHimandlovetowards
oneanother.TheTorahismorethanaLawcode,itisacurriculumthatteaches
whatlifeactuallyis.
GruberusesthehumanexampleofaJewishmotherwhoalwaysmeanswell.She
isforeverattemptingtodrawherchildneartoher.But,thatattemptcanbe
perceivedindifferentways:themothermeaningonething,thechildinterpreting
itasanother.Fromthemother’sviewpoint,thetiessheseeksareinloveand
careforherchild.Forthechild,sometimesherattemptcanbeseenascontrolor
maybeevenasenslavement.Thereisatermcalledsmother-lovethatwhileitis
notentirelyapplicabletowhatthispassageisdescribing,itdoesexplainwhya
childmightrebelagainsttheattemptstotrainandcorrect.Smother-lovemeans
arelationshipbetweenaparentandachildinwhichtheparentissooverbearing
andoverprotectivethatthechild’snormalpsychologicaldevelopmentisstunted.
Fromtheperspectiveofan8
th
centuryB.C.Israelite,hereishowIthinkweought
tounderstandthis.Equallyimportantly,howweoughttoapplythistoourlives
asBelievers.OntheonehandweseeGod’sgraceandenduringpatienceon

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
11/13
display.Hisdesireisnottocontrolorenslavebutrathertoteachtheimmature
childhowtohavelifewithinGod’seconomy.Goddidn’tdesigntheUniverseand
allthecreaturesthatinhabititinpiecemealfashion.Hedesignedeveryaspectof
ittoworkinharmonywithHimandwithamysterioussynergythatcanbring
happinesstohumans…IFonlyhumanswillacceptit.Hefleshesoutwhatthat
harmonylookslikeintheBible,beginningwiththeTorah,andlaysoutthe
boundariesandoperatingproceduresofitinTheLawofMoses.WhenIsrael,for
atime,understoodwhatanincrediblegiftoflovetheTorahandtheLawwas,
theyprosperedandweresecureandwereattheirhappiest.But,nowin
Ephraim/Israel,itwasdecidedthattheTorahandtheLawofMoseswasn’tan
easyandtenderbondoflovebetweenthemandGod,itwasaheavyyokethat
burdenedthemandrestrictedandenslavedthem,andsotheyproceededto
shuckitoffsothattheycoulddoaseverymansawfitinhisowneyes.
James,thebrotherofJesus,understoodallthisverywell.Heknewthatwhena
younganimalorasmallchildisjustlearning,theirrearingandtrainingmustbe
donecarefullywithbondsoflove.Andso,allmustproceedwithbabysteps;too
heavyaloadmustnotbeplaceduponthemtooearly.Bynomeansdoesthat
meanthatthechildhasnorulesandboundariesorthattheyaredifferentrules
andboundariesfromeveryoneelse.It’sonlythatthereismoreunderstanding
andlessrequiredatfirst,duringtheearliesttrainingperiod,sothatthereis
ampletimeforthechildtogrowintoamaturitythatiscapableofthemore
challengingrequirementsthatwillcomelater.Thisisreflectedinafamous
passageintheNewTestamentthatwasgiventhenameTheJerusalemCouncil.
READACTS15:1-31
ThispassageinMatthewtreatsthegentilescomingintotheHebrewfaithof
trustinginYeshuaasMessiah,asyoungchildrenaretreated.Itfollowsthesame
God-patternasfoundinHosea11.Thequestionforthesechildren(gentile
Believers….Christians)astheygrowintomaturityisthis:willyouseethe
incredibleloveandimportanceofwhatyouhavebeentaughtandtheboundaries
youhavebeengiven?Orwillyoushuckitoffbecauseyouseetheincreasing
obligationsandstricterboundariesasenslavement,andbecomerebelliousand
ungratefulasdidEphraim/Israel?

Lesson19-HoseaChapters10&11
12/13
We’llcontinuewithHoseanexttime.