In the book of Hosea, Hosea said, “the days of visitation are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, or the multitude of your iniquity, and the great hatred”, and in chapter nine and verse eight of Hosea, Hosea said, “the watchman of Ephraim was with my God” where we read,
The watchman of Ephraim was with my God:
but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.
The verse begins, “The watchman of Ephraim was with my God:” Hosea began with the words, “the watchman” or “the prophet, spy and look out” “of Ephraim” which means “belonging to Ephraim whose name means double ash-heap or I shall be doubly fruitful and was sometimes used for the northern kingdom” “was with my God” or “existed alongside my, Ephraim's, Supreme Deity and True God”. Hosea shared how the prophet belonging to “Ephraim” was alongside his Supreme Deity.
The verse goes on to say, “but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.”Hosea continued with the words, “but the prophet” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover the spokesman, speaker and inspired man” “is a snare of a fowler” which means “exists as a gin or trap belonging to a bait-layer and one who entangles birds” “in all his ways” or “within each, every, the whole and everyone of the prophet's roads, journeys, paths, manners, habits and courses of life”, “and hatred” which means “and animosity and enmity” “in the house of his God” or “within the dwelling place, habitation and abode belonging to his, Ephraim's, Supreme Deity and True God”. Hosea said the manners and habits of the spiritual spokesmen existed similar to the journeys, paths and habits of one who catches birds, and animosity existed within the dwelling place of Ephraim's Supreme Deity.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Hosea how there was an inspired speaker within the nation of “Israel”, however, wherever the “prophet” went, there were traps set for him. The spiritual leader encountered animosity and hostility within the dwelling place of their Supreme Deity. We can imagine how offensive this was for Jehovah God, and because He loves the nation of “Israel”, He did not want them to be this way. God loves us, and He knows when we are in opposition to His spiritual spokesmen. He gave His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins, errors and mistakes of every person, and when we yield our lives to Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us the value of treasuring the true spiritual leaders whom He has placed among us.
Next time Hosea says of Israel, “they have deeply corrupted themselves”, 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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