God for Us

“And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept watch.” (Hosea 12:12)

About a thousand years after Jacob fled to Syria, Hosea speaks of Jacob when he prophesies to Israel about their infidelity to the Lord by idolatry and moral decay. The Lord had Hosea illustrate this with his life as a faithful husband to an adulterous wife. He brings up Jacob to show the diligent and resolute character of Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes.

Jacob fled to the country of Syria, the country of his father’s family. He could have fled anywhere, maybe Egypt or other foreign country. But Jacob chose to go to the country of his father’s family. It was a hard and arduous journey, but one he made to save his life from his brother’s wrath, but also to find a wife rather than marry a heathen like his brother. Sometimes, it’s necessary to flee our homes symbolically or literally to save our lives. We have to flee the inevitable outcome of staying where it’s comfortable instead of journeying into the unknown. When we come to Christ, we may have to make some changes in our familiar surroundings to go where God wants us. The Lord may bring up circumstances to give us a push whereas we would otherwise not move. Such was the circumstances with Jacob. (Genesis 27:1-42) “And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then I will kill my brother Jacob. And these words of her older son Esau were told to Rebekah. And she sent and called her younger son Jacob, and said to him, Behold, your brother Esau is going to ease himself on you, to kill you.” (Genesis 27:41-42)  He had incurred his brother’s wrath and ran for his life. But all was in God’s plan.

Hosea then switches from Jacob to Israel. On his way to Syria, Jacob had an encounter with God and God changed his name from Jacob to Israel. “And He said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for like a prince you have power with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28) Hosea illustrates that in this verse by changing the name from Jacob who left his home to Israel who found a wife. Even though Laban, his uncle worked him hard and deceived him, Israel continued to serve Laban faithfully. But God was on Israel’s side and turned things so that when Laban took advantage of Israel, things turned in his favor. And Israel became prosperous. Hosea was pointing out to the people that the father of their tribes acted honestly with integrity in the face of ill actions against him. He was willing to work for what he got making him blameless for his actions.

Sometimes the move that we make may seem like the wrong one because things turn against us or are difficult. But with integrity and diligence in our walk and eyes set on God, the Lord will turn things in our favor and make us prosperous even when others are exploiting us. What we need to do is remain blameless and allow the Lord to fight for us. He will not fail us. “...so shall My Word be, which goes out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall certainly do what I sent it to do.” (Isaiah 55:11)

It seems like Hosea repeats himself when you wrote, “Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept watch”, but he is illustrating that Israel had to work for Laban another seven years for the wife he wanted because Laban deceived him and gave him Leah in marriage instead of Rachel, whom he thought he was working for those first seven years. I wonder how he didn’t notice that he was marrying Leah instead of Rachel. This has been a matter of discussion by Bible scholars also. First, there is the custom of the elder daughter marrying first, of which he was not aware. Then we are thinking that the groom and the bride came together for a ceremony. But the arrangement for marriage was made between Israel and Laban. There was no dating in those days, so Israel was not familiar with Rachel, except that he fell in love with her beauty. “And Leah was weak of eyes, but Rachel was beautiful and well-favored. And Jacob loved Rachel, and said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” (Genesis 29:17-18) The words “weak of eyes” actually means that her appearance was not pleasing. Then there is the wedding feast. There was no vow between the bride and the groom. The vow, pact, covenant or agreement was between Israel and Laban. In those days there was a wedding feast and after the feast the bride and groom consummated the marriage. Leah and Israel went into the bridal chamber in the dark, so Israel would not have noticed that it was Leah instead of Rachel. The Bible doesn’t tell us that Leah deceived Israel. Knowing the tradition, Leah probably didn’t even know that Israel wanted to marry Rachel instead of her. Later on Leah accuses Rachel of stealing her husband which lends to this assumption. “And she said to her, Is it a small matter that you have taken my husband? And would you also take my son's love-apples? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with you tonight for your son's love-apples.” (Genesis 30:15)

The fact that Israel worked seven years for Rachel whom he fell in love with then another seven years to acquire Rachel as his wife, tells much about his character. This is what Hosea was expounding in this verse to a people who didn’t any longer follow God’s commandments. Few are the men who would have humbly worked another seven years. They would have sought revenge maybe, but Israel took it humbly and with the integrity of which Laban had none. How about us? We won’t be working seven years for a wife, but in this world, we will come to circumstances in which we are deceived or talked into something we were not aware of. Sometimes salesmen don’t tell you all the ramifications in the purchase of a specific car, the purchase of a house or a commitment to something. How do we react? We have given our word or signed an agreement. Do we follow through and take our losses or do we take revenge or take them to court? Do you know that if you sign an agreement, the deal is sealed, even if you were deceived, unless it specifically mentions in the contract that you have recourse. So a civil suit will just cost you money.

The subtle inferences Hosea made in this verse were not lost by the people who shamefully broke God’s commandments. And they should not be lost on us either. God doesn’t change. When we become His children through the sacrifice of Jesus, there is a change that will take place in us. God will move us to a place spiritually and maybe literally where we will find our destiny which God ordained from the beginning. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) And when others oppose us, the Lord will prosper us in all that we do if we remain blameless before Him. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) Will we walk with integrity when we are hoodwinked? “He who walks uprightly walks surely; but he who twists his ways shall be known.” (Proverbs 10:9) The word uprightly was translated from a word that means full of integrity. And the word that was translated surely means with assurance and confidently. So if like Israel, we maintain our integrity, we will walk confidently that the Lord will turn it for our good.

Let us pray:

Father God, I thank You that every Word You have revealed to us is nourishment to my spirit. It reveals Your Will for me. There is no mistake in Your Word. It’s intentional and is not lost to forgetfulness or neglect. Help me to meditate on it so that I can grow in righteousness. Help me to obey the instruction that You lay out for me in every Word. Today Lord, I learned how You keep those who keep their integrity in the face of opposition. Help me Lord to always remember who I am in You. Help me to remember that it’s You Who fights for me. And it’s You Who protects me and prospers me regardless of the evil intentions of others. Thank You Lord for Your Word. Thank You for Your everlasting love and mercy in my life. I love You Lord. Help me to remember Your faithfulness and Your love in the difficult times. In the Name of Jesus, I pray, amen.