Hosea 13:1-16: a reflection

1When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Israel, but when he became guilty through Baal, he died. 2Now they sin more and more, and have made themselves molten images of their silver, even idols according to their own understanding, all of them the work of the craftsmen. They say of them, ‘They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves.’ 3Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the dew that passes away early, like the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing floor, and like the smoke out of the chimney. 4“Yet I am the LORD your God from the land of Egypt; and you shall acknowledge no god but me, and besides me there is no savior. 5I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. 6According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted. Therefore they have forgotten me. 7Therefore I am like a lion to them. Like a leopard, I will lurk by the path. 8I will meet them like a bear that is bereaved of her cubs, and will tear the covering of their heart. There I will devour them like a lioness. The wild animal will tear them. 9You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your helper. 10Where is your king now, that he may save you in all your cities? And your judges, of whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’? 11I have given you a king in my anger, and have taken him away in my wrath. 12The guilt of Ephraim is stored up. His sin is stored up. 13The sorrows of a travailing woman will come on him. He is an unwise son, for when it is time, he doesn’t come to the opening of the womb. 14I will ransom them from the power of Sheol. I will redeem them from death! Death, where are your plagues? Sheol, where is your destruction? “Compassion will be hidden from my eyes. 15Though he is fruitful among his brothers, an east wind will come, the breath of the LORD coming up from the wilderness; and his spring will become dry, and his fountain will be dried up. He will plunder the storehouse of treasure. 16Samaria will bear her guilt, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword. Their infants will be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.”

This chapter is heavy with judgment on Israel, who had forgotten God in their prosperity, saying, when they were filled and satisfied, their hearts grew proud, and therefore they forgot me. Yet in the midst of the judgment breaks an astonishing promise: I will ransom them from the grip of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, where are your plagues? O Grave, where is your destruction? Even amid judgment, God speaks a word of redemption from death itself, a promise that reaches its fulfillment in Christ's victory over the grave.

Notice the astonishing note of redemption in the midst of judgment: I will ransom them from the grip of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Amid a chapter heavy with judgment, God speaks of redeeming his people from death itself, taunting death and the grave as defeated: where are your plagues, where is your destruction? It is a promise that death does not have the final word, that God is able to redeem even from the grave, a promise that finds its fulfillment in Christ, who conquered death.

That promise, of redemption from death, is a hope to hold. Death seems to have such power, such finality; it grips all who live, and the grave seems to swallow them up. But God speaks a word that death does not have the final say: I will ransom them from the grip of the grave. And this promise has been fulfilled in Christ, who died and rose, defeating death, so that for those who are his, death is a conquered enemy, not the final word. When you face death, your own or that of those you love, do not despair as though death had the final say. God has promised to ransom his people from the grip of the grave, and he has done it in Christ, who conquered death. O Death, where is your victory? For those who are Christ's, death is a defeated enemy; hold the hope that God redeems even from death, a hope fulfilled in Christ's victory over the grave.

Lord, this chapter is heavy with judgment on Israel, who forgot you in their prosperity; yet in the midst of it breaks an astonishing promise: I will ransom them from the grip of the grave; I will redeem them from death; O Death, where are your plagues? a promise fulfilled in Christ's victory over the grave. Let that note of redemption be a hope I hold. Death seems to have such power, such finality; it grips all who live, and the grave seems to swallow them up. But you speak a word that death does not have the final say: I will ransom them from the grip of the grave. And this promise has been fulfilled in Christ, who died and rose, defeating death, so that for those who are his, death is a conquered enemy, not the final word. When I face death, my own or that of those I love, keep me from despairing as though death had the final say. You have promised to ransom your people from the grip of the grave, and you have done it in Christ, who conquered death. O Death, where is your victory? For those who are Christ's, death is a defeated enemy; help me hold the hope that you redeem even from death, Lord, a hope fulfilled in Christ's victory over the grave. Thank you for conquering death.