out of Egypt

The lectionary, our Bible lessons reading list, for the summer and long season after Pentecost of Year C, has us reading from the Old Testament prophets, currently two Sundays in Hosea, last Sunday July 28 and upcoming Sunday August 4. Hosea makes for interesting discussion in the Bible study session that most often, not always but usually, is our adult Sunday school hour. Indeed, we touched last Sunday on the Hosea verse that kicks off our first reading for next Sunday:

When Israel was a child I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. (Hosea 11:1)

Hosea is one of the four "eighth century prophets of doom", Isaiah, Hosea, Amos and Micah, who prophesied the fall of Israel the northern kingdom (Amos and Hosea) to the Assyrian Empire and the fall of Judah the southern kingdom (Micah and Israel) to the Babylonian Empire; prophecies that indeed came true.

Speaking in the name of God, the prophet Hosea is especially concerned with the degradation of religion from faith and trust in the Lord, and his prophecies, largely poetic oracles, are dire for catastrophic destruction of Israel, yet longingly hopeful; hopeful because the Lord has loved Israel so deeply that He cannot bear to give Israel up totally and forever. So, there is hope; and both the doom (which, in Sunday's lesson is, rather than doomsday rage, actually the Lord's grief at how shabbily he is being treated by Israel) and the hope (pathetically, longingly, almost gut-wrenchingly, the Lord's hope that Israel will turn back to him and give him the slightest excuse, which is all he needs, to forgive and welcome Israel back into his arms) appear in our Sunday reading (scroll down).

But as I say, what jumps out at me is the first verse of Sunday's reading:

When Israel was a child I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

Hosea 11:1, specifically 11:1b, "out of Egypt I called my son".

In Hosea, of course, the Lord is reminiscing about the good old days of the Exodus, when  he led the Children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, that heroic story of salvation through the Red Sea, forty years in the wilderness with Moses, and across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. But centuries later, the Jewish-Christian gospel writer Matthew would seize the verse as his prooftext for his story about the same Lord calling a latter day Joseph to flee with his family, Mary and Jesus, from the murderous King Herod, to safety in Egypt. (scroll down)

For Christians, it's a great and good old Christmas and Epiphany story for December and January that, in this overwhelmingly hot summer swelter, I eagerly look forward to. Hopefully by then again and still back home in 7H - - "again" because very soon, even imminent; but especially "still" because hurricane season will have passed once more: hopefully "passed" but not "through".

RSF&PTL

T

The Escape to Egypt
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15)

Hosea 11:1-11

When Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called my son.

The more I called them,

the more they went from me;

they kept sacrificing to the Baals,

and offering incense to idols.

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,

I took them up in my arms; 

but they did not know that I healed them.

I led them with cords of human kindness,

with bands of love.

I was to them like those

who lift infants to their cheeks. 

I bent down to them and fed them.

They shall return to the land of Egypt,

and Assyria shall be their king,

because they have refused to return to me.

The sword rages in their cities,

it consumes their oracle-priests, 

and devours because of their schemes.

My people are bent on turning away from me.

To the Most High they call, 

but he does not raise them up at all.

How can I give you up, Ephraim?

How can I hand you over, O Israel?

How can I make you like Admah?

How can I treat you like Zeboiim?

My heart recoils within me;

my compassion grows warm and tender.

I will not execute my fierce anger;

I will not again destroy Ephraim;

for I am God and no mortal,

the Holy One in your midst,

and I will not come in wrath.

They shall go after the Lord,

who roars like a lion;

when he roars,

his children shall come trembling from the west.

They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,

and like doves from the land of Assyria; 

and I will return them to their homes, says the Lord.