Hosea 11-12

Chapter 11: Ephraim turns from the Lord

Ephraim is represented as an ungrateful child, responding to God’s loving care with ingratitude. Assyria shall be Ephraim’s king. However, God takes no pleasure in chastening. Ephraim will still turn away from the Lord.

Chapter 12: Prophets

The Lord, throughout all time, has used Prophets, and visions to guide His people. Ephraim feeds on the wind of lies and desolation. Though Israel is confident in its wealth, God will bring them low. This will be a humbling experience for them and the idols at Gilead and Gilgal are plain vanity. We learn that Prophets delivered and preserved Israel, and therefore Israel’s rejection of the prophets will incur the Lord’s wrath.

We need to understand that whenever God’s true church is on the earth he will guide us through his prophets (see Hosea 12:10)