In the book of Hosea, Hosea shared how Jehovah God said concerning Ephraim, “though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me”, and in chapter seven and verse sixteen of Hosea, Hosea shared how Jehovah God said, “they return, but not to the most High” where we read,
They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow:
their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
The verse begins, “They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow:” Hosea began with the words,“they return” or “they, the people of Ephraim, come back, are refreshed and restored”, “but not to the most High” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover in no way or manner toward the upward, above and Highest Supreme Deity”: “they are like a deceitful bow” or “they, the people of Ephraim, exist similar and in likeness to a lax, slack and treacherous archer's bow”. Hosea shared how the people of “Ephraim” came back, but they did not come back to Him because they were similar to a crooked hunter's bow.
The verse continues, “their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.” Hosea added the words, “their princes” or “their, the people of Ephraim's, youthful leaders, chieftains, officials, rulers and overseers” “shall fall by the sword” which means “will be cast down and prostrated through the means of the knife, cutting stone, axe, dagger or cutting instrument” “for the rage” or “on behalf of the anger, indignation and fury” “of their tongue” which means “belonging to their, the people of Ephraim's, wedge in the mouth used for eating, drinking and speaking”: “this shall be their derision” or “this, their princes falling through means of a cutting instrument, will exist as their, the people of Ephraim's, mocking, stammering and scoffing” “in the land of Egypt” which means “within the country, territory, region and nation belonging to Egypt whose name means and is ”. Hosea shared how Jehovah God said the youthful leaders and officials would be cast down by sharp cutting instruments for the anger and fury of their “tongue”, and this would cause the people of Egypt to mock and scoff at them.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we discover through Hosea how the people of “Ephraim” came back, but not to the the Most High Almighty God because they were similar to a crooked hunting “bow”. Even their youthful rulers were to be mocked and ridiculed by the people in Egypt for the wrath and anger which they spoke. These are the direct results of forsaking and abandoning a loving and all-caring God. The same happens today. God sent His Only Begotten Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the errors, mistakes and wrongs of every person, and when we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and keep us from “raging tongues” and wrath filled speech which only causes others to mock and ridicule us.
Next time we begin a new chapter and see Hosea say, “set the trumpet to your mouth”, 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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