_When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died._ TWO CONDITIONS OF EPHRAIM “Spake trembling,” _i.e._, there was trembling. “Ephraim was once very awful,” Bishop Hall says, “so as, while he spake, the rest of the tribes were ready to tremble.” The... [ Continue Reading ]
_They sin more and more._ STEPS IN APOSTASY There is no stop in apostasy. Let men once apostatise from God, there is no stop then; they cannot tell whither they may go, when once they begin to roll down. Steps in an apostate’s departure from God are-- 1. Some slight sin against knowledge, though... [ Continue Reading ]
_As the morning cloud. .. early dew. .. as the chaff. .. as the smoke out of the chimney._ THE LIFE OF THE WICKED I. It is deceptive. “Like the morning cloud.” In Palestine and countries of the same latitude, dense clouds often appear in the morning, cover the heavens, and promise fertilising show... [ Continue Reading ]
_I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought._ WILDERNESS-KNOWLEDGE God knows His people where nobody else will take any notice of them. You do not know a man until you know him in the wilderness. There is but little revelation of character in laughter. So long as a man is livin... [ Continue Reading ]
_According to their pasture, so were they filled. .. therefore have they forgotten Me._ THE CONJUNCTION OF SECULAR PROSPERITY AND SPIRITUAL PERVERSITY Here are men in good physical circumstances, in rich pastures well fed, getting thereby proud in heart and forgetful of their God. I. It is a comm... [ Continue Reading ]
_O Israel thou hast destroyed thyself; but in Me is thine help._ MAN THE SELF-DESTROYER, AND GOD THE SAVIOUR I. The lost state of man, both by nature and by practice. Observe to whom the words were spoken. Of His ancient people, the Lord, by His prophet, declares that “they had destroyed themselves... [ Continue Reading ]
_I gave thee a king in Mine anger, and took him away in My wrath._ SAUL The Israelites seem to have asked for a king from an unthankful caprice and waywardness. The ill conduct of Samuel’s sons was the occasion, an “evil heart of unbelief” was the cause. To punish them, God gave them a king “after... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will ransom them from the power of the grave._ FOR EASTER MORNING For long ages,, it must have almost seemed as if God had forgotten His challenge. Death reigned from Adam to Moses”; from Moses to David, who “died and was buried”; and from David to Christ. One of the earliest Chapter s of the Bi... [ Continue Reading ]
_An east wind shall come._ REVERSES OF FORTUNE IN HUMAN LIFE This and the following verse set forth the devastation and destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes which was to precede the deliverance promised in that which precedes. I. Reverses in human fortune are sometimes very striking. Ephr... [ Continue Reading ]