In the book of Hosea, Hosea shared how Jehovah God said, “I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, you commit whoredom, and Israel is defiled. They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the LORD”, and in chapter five and verse five of Hosea, Hosea said, “the pride of Israel does testify to his face” where we read,
And the pride of Israel does testify to his face:
therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.
The verse begins, “And the pride of Israel does testify to his face:” Hosea began with the words, “and the pride of Israel” or “and the majesty, exaltation and arrogance belonging to Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob” “does testify to his face” which means “answers, responds, speaks, shouts and bears witness to Israel's own front, presence and countenance”. Hosea shared how the arrogance within “Israel” bore witness against her.
The verse continues, “therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity; Judah also shall fall with them.” Hosea added the words, “therefore shall Israel” or “wherefore, then and on this account will Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob” “and Ephraim” which means “and Ephraim whose name means double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful and was sometimes used name for the northern kingdom” “fall in their iniquity” or “stumble, stagger and totter within their, Ephraim's, perversity, depravity and mischief”; “Judah” whose name means praised and was the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon” “also shall fall with them”or “even so and indeed will stumble, stagger and totter alongside of them, Ephraim”. Hosea shared because of the arrogance bearing witness of the people in “Ephraim and Israel”, not only would they stumble and stagger, but also the people in “Judah” would totter and stumble as well.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn through Hosea how arrogance and “pride” would bring down the people of Ephraim, Israel and Judah, and because they were known for their obstinance, “Ephraim, Israel and Judah” would “fall”. Solomon wrote, “Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (See Proverbs 16:18), and anyone who allows their arrogance to be their witness to others not only brings themselves down, but also may bring those around them down as well. God desires to have an intimate relationship with us through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us to humble ourselves before Him and others as we bear witness of Him in this world.
Next time Hosea says, “they shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the LORD”, 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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