In the book of Hosea, Hosea said, “the princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water”, and in chapter five and verse eleven of Hosea, Hosea said, “Ephraim is oppressed and broken” where we read,
Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment,
because he willingly walked after the commandment.
The verse begins, “Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, ...” Hosea began with the words, “Ephraim is oppressed” or “Ephraim, whose name means double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful and was sometimes the name used for the northern kingdom, exists as pressed upon, wrong, violent and exploited” “and broken” which means “and crushed, bruised and discouraged” “in judgment” or “within justice, ordinance, process, procedure and litigation”. Hosea shared how Jehovah God said
“Ephraim” existed as violent, wrong, crushed and discouraged in process and procedure.
The verse goes on to say, “... because he willingly walked after the commandment.” Hosea continued with the words,“because he willingly walked” or “since and on account he, Ephraim, was pleased, agreed, determined and resolved to depart, proceed, move and traverse” “after the commandment” which means “following human precepts and idols”. Hosea shared how “Ephraim” was pleased and agreed to make their way according to precepts of human understanding and idol worship.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Hosea said Jehovah God knew the spiritual condition of the people of “Ephraim”. They were living in a wrong and violent manner, and when they encountered procedure and litigation, they were discouraged. The source of their faulty ways was their reliance upon human wisdom and the worship of idols. God wants us to make Him and His ways first in our lives (See Matthew 6:33), and when we realize He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for our sins and believe and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a passion through His Holy Spirit to follow Him and His ways in areas of justice and “commandments”.
Next time Hosea says, “therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth”, 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".
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