Thursday 3rd July Hosea 7.8-16

Qn. 3

Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned (8): As mentioned earlier, the Israelites mixed with the Canaanites up to the point of worshipping other gods. The LORD compares the Israelites with an unturned cake. Such cake tastes so badly. The same applies to someone who no longer obeys God, but instead is driven away by heathen practices. Such person loses the taste before both the LORD and his fellow men. The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this (10): God’s reproach is not limited to the Jews, but goes also to the rest of the Israelites. God is disgusted by the fact that they all deliberately refuse to return to him. Woe to them, for they have strayed from me!….(13): Someone who sneaks tiptoes until he gets out of sight of everyone, and then runs away. The Israelites strayed and got lost among other gods. Nowadays, some Christians stray into filthy things like drunkenness, adultery, quarrels, grudges, and other sins. Despite that, God counsels us (Is. 1.18-20).