In the book of Hosea, Hosea said, “turn you to your God: keep mercy and judgment, and wait on your God continually. He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loves to oppress”, and in chapter twelve and verse eight of Hosea, Hosea said, “Ephraim said, yet I am become rich” where we read,
And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance:
in all my labors they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.
The verse begins, “And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance:” Hosea began with the words, “and Ephraim said” or “and Ephraim, whose name means double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful and was the name sometimes used for the northern kingdom, uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “yet I am become rich” which means “indeed, surely and verily I, Ephraim, exist as wealthy”, “I have found me out substance” or “I, Ephraim, have attained, secured, acquired and detected generative power, strength, might and force”. Hosea shared how the people of “Ephraim” boasted in their own wealth, power, might and ability.
The verse continues, “in all my labors they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.” Hosea added the words, “in all my labors” or “within each, every, the whole and everyone of my, Ephraim's, toils, produce and results of work” “they shall find none iniquity in me” which means “not any person has discovered perversity, depravity or consequence for punishment within me, Ephraim” “that were sin” or “that existed as crime, offense and fault”. Hosea shared how the people of “Ephraim” thought that no one could discover any perversity, cheating or wrong within them.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Hosea that “Ephraim” thought they were the source of their wealth, and they believed that they did nothing wrong in obtaining all they possessed. Many people forget, “the earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein” (See Psalms 24:1) In other words, it's all God's. No one has anything that has not been given to them, and because we “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (See Romans 3:23), we need a Savior. Jesus was sent by His Father God to the earth to be crucified on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and help us to understand our wealth and blessings come from God so we never think like the people of “Ephraim” who believed themselves to be self-sufficient and self-made.
Next time Hosea shares how Jehovah God says, “I that am the LORD” and “will make you to dwell in tabernacles”, 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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