Hosea 9:10-17
“Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree
in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved. Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception! Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them!
Ephraim, as I have seen, was like a young palm planted in a meadow; but Ephraim must lead his children out to slaughter. Give them, O Lord—what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds, I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels. Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death. My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they shall be wanderers among the nations.”
in its first season, I saw your fathers. But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved. Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird— no birth, no pregnancy, no conception! Even if they bring up children, I will bereave them till none is left. Woe to them when I depart from them!
Ephraim, as I have seen, was like a young palm planted in a meadow; but Ephraim must lead his children out to slaughter. Give them, O Lord—what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. Every evil of theirs is in Gilgal; there I began to hate them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds, I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their princes are rebels. Ephraim is stricken; their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, I will put their beloved children to death. My God will reject them because they have not listened to him; they shall be wanderers among the nations.”
For many years the people of Israel brought God great pleasure like finding grapes in the wilderness or the first figs from a fig tree, but something happened at Baal-peor that changed the chosen people and the fellowship God had with them. So what can you and I learn from this account, we know it is God who is speaking and this is His word; “But they came to Baal-peor and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame, and became detestable like the thing they loved.” Now we need to grasp what has happened and the cost in both fellowship with the Father and the cost of lives that sin brings on a nation, so turn and read Numbers 25:1-9, it is the rest of the story.
Ephraim's glory was the LORD, and in a day it left, the blessing of the land, and childbirth they took for granted and protection from their enemies also left. It makes me wonder are we in the USA not close to becoming like Ephraim? God had placed Ephraim in a land of resources and had protected them from all their enemies, and now the Assyrian king Shalmaneser was going to attack Ephraim and kill and destroy what they placed all their faith in.
We find in the last two verses of chapter nine, God brings up Gilgal, and it will be helpful to return to Chapter 4:15, to see that Gilgal had become the center of the Israelite apostate heart. God is speaking through the prophet Amos, in Amos 5:4-6, “For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "Seek Me that you may live. "But do not resort to Bethel And do not come to Gilgal, Nor cross over to Beersheba; For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity And Bethel will come to trouble. "Seek the LORD that you may live, Or He will break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, and it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel.”
Today is the day of Salvation for the United States of America, and today is the time for your Salvation, leave Gilgal and seek the LORD Jesus Christ.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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