In the book of Hosea, Hosea shared how Jehovah God said, “I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled. Also, O Judah, he has set an harvest for you, when I returned the captivity of my people”, and in chapter seven and verse one of Hosea, Hosea shared how Jehovah God said, “the iniquity of Ephraim is discovered” where we read,
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief comes in, and the troop of robbers spoils without.
The verse begins, “When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria:” Hosea began with the words, “when I would have healed” or “at the time and moment that I, Jehovah God, would have cured and made whole” “Israel” whose name means God prevails and was the name for the descendants and nation of the descendants of Jacob, “then the iniquity” or “at that time the perversity, depravity, mischief and guilt” “of Ephraim was discovered” which means “belonging to Ephraim whose name means double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful and was the name sometimes used for the northern kingdom”, “and the wickedness” or “and the criminal, guilty of crime, evil and hostile to God acts and deeds” “of Samaria” which means “belonging to Samaria whose name means watch mountain and was the region of northern Palestine associated with the northern kingdom of the ten tribes of Israel which split from the kingdom after the death of Solomon during the reign of his son Rehoboam and were ruled by Jeroboam”. Hosea shared at the time Jehovah God desired to cure “Israel”, the sin and wickedness belonging to “Ephraim” and “Samaria” was revealed.
The verse goes on to say, “for they commit falsehood; and the thief comes in, and the troop of robbers spoils without.”Hosea continued with the words, “for they commit falsehood” or “because, since and on account that they, the people of Ephraim and Israel make and practice deception, disappointment, fraud and wrong”; “and the thief comes in” which means “and the stealer enters and is introduced”, “and the troop of robbers” or “and the marauding bands, divisions, detachments or forays of raiders or thieves” “spoils without” which means “invades, strips off, makes a dash, raids and flays outside and in the street”. Hosea shared how the people of “Ephraim and Samaria” practiced deception and allowed stealers and divisions of robbers to invade and strip them within their streets.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn through Hosea how Jehovah God desired to cure Israel, however, the wickedness within “Ephraim” and “Samaria” was revealed. They continually performed in fraudulent and deceptive ways, and they permitted “thieves” and marauding bands of “robbers” to pillage them in their streets. God loves people, and His desire is to “cure” every person from the curse of death for their sins, and He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay the price for the sins of everyone. When we surrender our lives to Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and keep us separated from the wicked behavior of “thieves and robbers” who desire to steal, kill and destroy us. (See John 10:10)
Next time Hosea says, “they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness”, 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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