“Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples, and is a cake unturned. Aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it - Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he does not know it. And the pride of Israel testifies to his face, but they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek Him for all this.” (vv.8-10)
The prophet Hosea used the tribe of Ephraim as a representation of the northern kingdom of Israel. And in our text he wrote that Ephraim had become, "a cake unturned" (v.8).
In today's terminology, the prophet might have said that Ephraim was "half-baked." In that day, bread was often prepared as a cake that was cooked in a hot brick oven on both sides, something like a pancake, but it had to be turned. In thinking they could serve both the Lord and idols, Israel became like an unturned pancake – burned on one side, uncooked on the other, or half-baked.
The prophet goes on to say of Ephraim that, "Aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it.” This makes the tragedy of Israel’s ruin worse. The nation is being ravaged by sin but does not know it, even though the pride of Israel (Hosea) testifies to his face – yet in their blind ignorance they did not return to the LORD their God.
Man has an amazing ability to deceive himself when he is in sin. Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9). Considering how easily we all deceive ourself, and how our sin can be apparent to everyone but us, Israel’s condition isn’t that unusual. Just turn on the news. You’ll see people deceived committing acts of violence, destruction of private property, theft, arson, acts of brutality, even murder. And they do not consider their actions as evil or sinful, but justified. Even going so far as to claim, "it is their right to do so." Deception is powerful!
It was said of Samson after Deliliah cut his hair that, “he did not know that the strength of the LORD had departed from him” (Judges 16:20). This is where the people of Israel – and some followers of God today – were/are, so far from God and already suffering the effects, yet they don't even know it. Israel became as foolish as an old man who thinks and acts like he is still young, “Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he does not know it.” So Israel began to decline and decay through sin, and by turning away from God, became a half-baked nation.
My prayer for this country is that we can somehow turn from our current deplorable actions, and become a nation that is not half-baked, but one who's heart is grounded in the righteousness of God.
The Truth: “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
The prophet Hosea used the tribe of Ephraim as a representation of the northern kingdom of Israel. And in our text he wrote that Ephraim had become, "a cake unturned" (v.8).
In today's terminology, the prophet might have said that Ephraim was "half-baked." In that day, bread was often prepared as a cake that was cooked in a hot brick oven on both sides, something like a pancake, but it had to be turned. In thinking they could serve both the Lord and idols, Israel became like an unturned pancake – burned on one side, uncooked on the other, or half-baked.
The prophet goes on to say of Ephraim that, "Aliens have devoured his strength, but he does not know it.” This makes the tragedy of Israel’s ruin worse. The nation is being ravaged by sin but does not know it, even though the pride of Israel (Hosea) testifies to his face – yet in their blind ignorance they did not return to the LORD their God.
Man has an amazing ability to deceive himself when he is in sin. Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9). Considering how easily we all deceive ourself, and how our sin can be apparent to everyone but us, Israel’s condition isn’t that unusual. Just turn on the news. You’ll see people deceived committing acts of violence, destruction of private property, theft, arson, acts of brutality, even murder. And they do not consider their actions as evil or sinful, but justified. Even going so far as to claim, "it is their right to do so." Deception is powerful!
It was said of Samson after Deliliah cut his hair that, “he did not know that the strength of the LORD had departed from him” (Judges 16:20). This is where the people of Israel – and some followers of God today – were/are, so far from God and already suffering the effects, yet they don't even know it. Israel became as foolish as an old man who thinks and acts like he is still young, “Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, yet he does not know it.” So Israel began to decline and decay through sin, and by turning away from God, became a half-baked nation.
My prayer for this country is that we can somehow turn from our current deplorable actions, and become a nation that is not half-baked, but one who's heart is grounded in the righteousness of God.
The Truth: “If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
