Hosea speaks here of Ephraim’s sin figuratively. He says God’s people pursued the hot east wind but if they caught it, they would be burned by their own sin, Hosea 12:1 / Hosea 8:7.
They made a treaty with Assyria, Hosea 12:1, to keep them happy and they also sent olive oil to the Egyptians, Hosea 12:1, in an effort to keep them close, just in case the Assyrians came against them. They trusted everyone except God for protection.
Judah, the Southern Kingdom were following in the steps of the Northern Kingdom, Hosea 4:2. Although they weren’t going to be sent into captivity at this moment, they were warned by the punishment that befell Ephraim, the Northern Kingdom, in their captivity, Hosea 12:2. The name, ‘Jacob’ here, Hosea 12:2, refers to all of the twelve tribes of Israel, all of them would eventually be punished because of their idolatry.
Jacob grasped his brother’s heel in his mother’s womb, Hosea 12:3 / Genesis 25:26. The twelve tribes of Israel were Jacob’s sons. Jacob was full of deceit but later repented, he struggled with God but then finally submitted to Him, Hosea 12:4 / Genesis 32:22-32. In the same way, Israel was striving against God but could still repent.
Because Jacob struggled with God, his name was changed to Israel, the name by which all twelve tribes became known. God’s name is everlasting and eternal, Hosea 12:5, it never changes, and so, Israel is asked to return to God who will deliver them for their future existence, Hosea 12:6.
Hailey, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The power of Jacob to prevail was the power of Israel of Hosea’s day if they would but avail themselves of it. The power was in the name of Jehovah, the God of hosts, and was to be laid hold upon by weeping and supplication, as in the case of Jacob.’
If we simply take the text of Genesis 32:22-32, it’s clear that this person is a man. However, some believe it was an angel and others believe this is a Christophany, which suggests that this is a preincarnate appearance of Christ. How can we know? A little Scripture detective work will really help us identify who this man is.
When we read Hosea 12:3-5, we begin to notice some parallels. Notice that although Jacob asked for a name, the man didn’t give him one, Genesis 32:29. It seems that Jacob came to the conclusion that the man he wrestled with was actually a representative of God because he damaged Jacob’s hip joint with a single touch, Genesis 32:25, and because this man knew everything about his past, Genesis 32:28.
The man said Jacob has wrestled with God, Genesis 32:28 / Hosea 12:3, and Jacob says he has seen the face of God, Genesis 32:30. As a man Jacob struggled with God, Hosea 12:3 / Genesis 32:28, but he struggled with ‘the angel,’ Hosea 12:4. Note Hosea doesn’t say ‘an angel’ but ‘the angel’. Notice that Jacob overcame him, Hosea 12:4 / Genesis 32:25, and begged for his favour, Hosea 12:4 / Genesis 25:26.
We see that Jacob wanted a blessing from the man and wanted to know the man’s name, Genesis 32:29. He received the blessing, but not the name, Genesis 32:29. However, Hosea said that Jacob received the blessing but found the name of his benefactor in Bethel, Hosea 12:4, and it was there it was revealed that the blessing came from LORD God Almighty, Genesis 35:9-15 / Hosea 12:5.
To summarise what we’ve discovered so far, we read in Genesis 32:24-30, the person is described as a man. In Hosea 12:3, we read that Jacob wrestled with God, in Hosea 12:4, and we read that Jacob wrestled with ‘the angel’. We now move from the question of who is this man, to who is this angel? In Hosea 12:5, the angel reveals His Name as the LORD God Almighty.
Who is this angel? This is the pre-incarnation appearance of the Christ. He is the angel of the LORD. Remember the word ‘angel’ in Hebrew is ‘malak’ and it simply means messenger.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘This was doubtless the Lord Jesus Christ, who, among the patriarchs, assumed that human form, which in the fulness of time he really took of a woman, and in which he dwelt thirty-three years among men.’
Haynes Jr, in his commentary, says the following.
‘A study of these passages reveals that the Angel of the Lord appeared in human form, Genesis 18:2 / Genesis 22:1-18 / Hebrews 13:2, and performed normal human functions, Genesis 32:24 / Numbers 22:23 / Numbers 22:31, yet he was an awe-inspiring figure, Genesis 32:30 / Judges 6:22 / Judges 13:22, exhibiting divine attributes and prerogatives including predicting the future, Genesis 16:10-12), forgiving sin, Exodus 23:21, and receiving worship, Exodus 3:5 / Judges 13:9-20.’
Here Israel are described as a deceitful merchant, using dishonest scales, Hosea 12:7 / Leviticus 19:36 / Deuteronomy 25:13 / Deuteronomy 25:15 / Proverbs 16:11. They had a clear lust for wealth and would go to any length to accumulate it and as a result, they thought their wealth would be a substitute for their sinfulness, Hosea 12:8.
God reminds them that He has been their God since He brought them out of Egyptian bondage, Hosea 12:9. Israel’s exile would be both punishment and restoration to God. Whilst in exile they would lose all their riches and so become poor but it would be in their poor state that God would restore their faith.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following, concerning the tents, Hosea 12:9.
‘This plain reference to the Feast of Tabernacles, during which the children of Israel lived in make-shift outdoor shelters as a reminder of their once great poverty, is another example of the way the Book of Genesis and the whole Pentateuch dominate every word of Hosea. Without that prior written Covenant in all its details, Hosea has no meaning whatever. What is promised here is that Israel shall again dwell in tents, not for a few days, as in the feast, but permanently. God will again reduce the nation to poverty, slavery, and deprivation, because they forgot the Lord and walked in wicked ways.’
Hailey, in his commentary, says the following, concerning Hosea 12:10.
‘They had no excuse for their ignorance of Jehovah, for he had spoken to them through prophets, through multiplied visions and by the use of similitudes through which they should have learned.’
Hosea now gives Israel a history lesson. Gilead, Hosea 12:11 / Hosea 6:8, and Gilgal, Hosea 12:11 / Hosea 4:15, had become the main places for idol worship. He reminds them of their father Jacob, Genesis 29-31, who fled to Aram Hosea 12:12. It was there he served Laban for his wife, Hosea 12:12 / Genesis 27:41-28:17.
God spoke through a prophet to bring them out of Egypt, God spoke through a prophet to call Israel out of Egyptian captivity through Moses, Hosea 12:13. Despite everything God has done and said through His prophets, Israel still rebelled against Him and provoked Him to anger, Hosea 12:14. Israel’s blood was upon their own shoulders and they are going to have to pay for their own sin by going into captivity, Hosea 12:14.
Polkinghorne, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Hosea 12:14, gives the final verdict on Israel from the patriarchal period onward. His severe provocation of the Lord necessitates the death penalty, which it is not proposed to waive. Only here does Hosea use the Hebrew word for ‘Lord’, ‘Adonai’, as distinct from ‘YHWH’.’