Ephraim feedeth on wind, striving after vain and empty things, AND FOLLOWETH AFTER THE EAST WIND, a hot wind coming up from the Arabian Desert, scorching everything with which it comes into contact; HE DAILY INCREASETH LIES AND DESOLATION, faithlessness and violence, whereby the nation was undermine... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD'S ACCUSATION... [ Continue Reading ]
The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, a contest to be decided in a court of law, by a formal suit, AND WILL PUNISH JACOB, the ten northern tribes, ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS; ACCORDING TO HIS DOINGS, as he has deserved by his transgressions, WILL HE RECOMPENSE HIM. The name Jacob calls to mind the... [ Continue Reading ]
He took his brother by the heel in the womb, showing subtlety even before he was born. Genesis 25:26, AND BY HIS STRENGTH HE HAD POWER WITH GOD, Genesis 32:25;... [ Continue Reading ]
yea, he had power over the Angel, who is thus identified with God, and the ancient conception of Him as the Angel of the Lord, the revelation of the Son of God in the Old Testament, is correct, AND PREVAILED, as the Angel Himself stated; HE WEPT AND MADE SUPPLICATION UNTO HIM, by stating that he wou... [ Continue Reading ]
even the Lord God of hosts, the most exalted Ruler of the universe. THE LORD IS HIS MEMORIAL, who had revealed Himself to the patriarchs as the God of salvation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore, because the God of Israel, who had revealed Himself in the words of the prophets, was the God of the covenant known to the patriarchs, TURN THOU TO THY GOD, for Jehovah was still ready to stand in this relation to Israel; KEEP MERCY AND JUDGMENT, observing the demands of brotherly love an... [ Continue Reading ]
He is a merchant, rather, "Canaan," the name here applied to the northern kingdom, since, like a dishonest merchant, he sought greatness by deceit and oppression, THE BALANCES OF DECEIT ARE IN HIS HAND; HE LOVETH TO OPPRESS, so that the inhabitants practiced the very opposite of what was enjoined in... [ Continue Reading ]
ANOTHER SERIOUS REPROACH... [ Continue Reading ]
And Ephraim said, in refusing to heed the Lord's admonitions through His prophets, YET I AM BECOME RICH, thus trying to excuse his dishonest ways, I HAVE FOUND ME OUT SUBSTANCE, becoming prosperous as a result of doubtful cleverness; IN ALL MY LABORS THEY SHALL FIND NONE INIQUITY IN ME THAT WERE SIN... [ Continue Reading ]
And I that am the Lord, thy God, from the land of Egypt, where He first revealed the greatness of His mercy toward Israel, WILL YET MAKE THEE TO DWELL IN TABERNACLES AS IN THE DAYS OF THE SOLEMN FEAST, the allusion doubtless being to the Feast of Tabernacles, which not only commemorated the privatio... [ Continue Reading ]
I have also spoken by the prophets, so that He had always been in close touch with His chosen people, AND I HAVE MULTIPLIED VISIONS AND USED SIMILITUDES, making known His will by parables, BY THE MINISTRY OF THE PROPHETS. All this surely showed the interest which the Lord had in His people and shoul... [ Continue Reading ]
Is there iniquity in Gilead? Surely they are vanity, or, "If Gilead," representing the eastern half of the northern kingdom, "is worthlessness and iniquity," if it has reached the depths of moral ruin, then physical annihilation will certainly follow. THEY SACRIFICE BULLOCKS IN GILGAL, which represe... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep, the purpose of this reference being to remind Israel of the labor and misery which their forefather endured in comparison with the blessings which the Lord was pouring out over his descendants.... [ Continue Reading ]
And, this being noted by way of contrast, BY A PROPHET THE LORD BROUGHT ISRAEL OUT OF EGYPT, Numbers 12:6; Deuteronomy 18:15, AND BY A PROPHET WAS HE PRESERVED, for it was the intercession of Moses which saved Israel from being destroyed by the Lord.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ephraim provoked Him to anger most bitterly, in spite of all the blessings which God had showered upon His people; THEREFORE SHALL HE, the Lord, LEAVE HIS BLOOD UPON HIM, leave Israel in his blood-guiltiness, AND HIS REPROACH SHALL HIS LORD RETURN UNTO HIM, so that it would be charged to his account... [ Continue Reading ]