We are now on the second track of Hosea 12:4. The verse is set in the
context of repentance as written in Hosea 12:2-7.
While we were at the trail of Genesis 32:28, we saw that Jacob
was a picture of a sinner. Here, in Hosea 12:4, we see another picture
of a repentant sinner seeking God’s favour.
In Luke 4:19, we see that “the
favorable year of the Lord” refers to the day when salvation and the favor of
God abound greatly. Therefore, the word
“favour” in Hosea 12:4 refers to salvation.
The word “Bethel” means the house of God. This “house of God” points to the physical
Body of Christ. The scriptural proof can
be found in John 2:19-21 and Hebrews 10:5. In John 2:19-21, Jesus spoke of
destroying the temple of God and rebuilding it in three days. He was referring to His Body vis-à-vis His
resurrection which signified the acquittal of sinners from the penalty of sin
as written in Romans 4:25. In Hebrews 10:5, Jesus revealed that
God has prepared a physical body for Him to lay as the sacrifice for sin. And we know from Acts 2:23-24 that God
raised Him from the dead and thereby shown His glory.
An initial glance at the phrase “God spoke with him
and through him with us” seems to be talking about Jacob. However, the phrase is preceded by the word
“Bethel” which we have just seen as referring to the physical Body of Jesus,
the Promised Messiah. I read “He met Him
at Bethel” as Jesus Who was made sinner met God on the Cross as in “Sin met
Justice”. When demand meets supply,
there is equilibrium and when sin meets justice, there is protevangelium, the
fulfilment of the first mention of the Gospel as recorded in Genesis 3:15. And there, through the sacrificial Body of Jesus,
God spoke to us in finality in that all of our sins have finally been
completely forgiven; “It is finished” as recorded in John 19:30. When we read Hebrews 1:1-3, we get confirmation of this
notion. In that passage of scripture, it
is stated that “In the past God spoke to our people through the prophets. He
spoke to them many times and in many different ways. And now in these
last days, God has spoken to us with finality through his Son. “
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