Ephraim Mixing Himself - Hosea 7:8

In the book of Hosea, Hosea shared how Jehovah God said of Ephraim, “In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners. For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleeps all the night; in the morning it burns as a flaming fire. They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that call unto me”, and in chapter seven and verse eight of Hosea, Hosea said, “Ephraim, he has mixed himself among the people” where we read,

Ephraim, he has mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

The verse begins, “Ephraim, he has mixed himself among the people;” Hosea began with the word, “Ephraim” whose name means “double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful” and was the name sometimes used for the northern kingdom, “he has mixed himself” which means “he, Ephraim, has mingled, confused and confounded his own self” “among the people” or “in the midst and middle of the human beings both male and female who are kinsmen, kindred, compatriots and country-men”. Hosea shared how the nation of “Ephraim” mingled itself within the midst of the kinsmen, compatriots and country-men. 

The verse continues, “Ephraim is a cake not turned.” Hosea added the words, “Ephraim is a cake” or “Ephraim whose name means, double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful and was the name sometimes used for the northern kingdom, exists as a baked disc or round ash-cake” “not turned” which means “in no way or manner overturned, turned over or changed”. Hosea shared how “Ephraim” existed similar to a “pancake” that was only cooking on one side and not flipped over. 

When we think through Hosea's words in this verse, we learn how Jehovah God understood the state of the nation of “Ephraim”. Not only did they mingle themselves within the middle of the compatriots and country-men, but they were also similar to a “pancake” that was only cooked on one side. This is not the way God wants us to be. When we yield ourselves to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us by His Holy Spirit with whom we are to keep company as we are properly turned toward His ways to live in the world. 

Next time Hosea shares how Jehovah God says, “strangers have devoured his strength”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".