The Ephraim of Our Time

The Ephraim of Our Time

“Now as he [Paul] reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’” Acts 24:25.

Couldn’t Paul have spoken to Felix about grace, love and liberty instead? Why did he have to speak about righteousness, self-control and judgment? The Ephraim of our day has a lot in common with Felix. They say in their heart, “Go away. Don’t speak about righteousness, self-control and judgment. That is bondage. We love the liberty that is in grace. The truth makes us slaves; judgment scares us and self-control seems very unpleasant to us. Go away for now. We would rather find someone who will promise us liberty. It does not matter to us that he himself is in bondage to temporal things as long as he can preach peace—peace for us, liberty, grace and love.”

Ephraim of old was “like a wild donkey alone by itself; Ephraim has hired lovers.” Hos. 8:9. Ephraim wandered around lawlessly seeking love—love which he should not have awakened before it pleases. He sought relationships where the Lord wanted separation. He sought to possess in this life everything that appealed to his flesh, and he carefully avoided the cross and tribulations. It would have been bondage for Ephraim to be subject to the laws of the Spirit, to get a bit in his mouth and reins over his back. No, it was better to wander around in liberty and dream about his lovers because “we have come into the Promised Land and we have crossed over the Jordan of death. Now we can contentedly eat the fruit of the land and delight on the heights of Gilgal.”

But hear what the Lord says to Ephraim: “All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them from My house; I will love them no more. All their princes are rebellious.” Hos. 9:15.

You would hardly expect a herd of wild donkeys to need princes, but they have them too. The Lord gives them the right name, however; He calls them “rebellious.” They boast in their liberty and promise liberty to others. This is why they hire lovers for themselves, and they carefully seek to keep themselves and their herd far away from the word of righteousness, self-control and judgment. Through practice they have become quite skillful at dipping their whitewash brushes into what they call love, grace and liberty and then painting over truth, righteousness, self-control and judgment. And the more they paint over them, the more they rejoice, and the more the wild donkeys rejoice together over the tremendous skill of their princes.

We have heard a lot about the “latter rain” revival. I hope it soon sends a powerful rainstorm so that this whitewash that deceives the people can go the way of everything else that is temporal. How refreshing it would be to taste the salt of the ancient truth if it could once again be proclaimed so powerfully that it could break through the whitewash. This is the truth: The time has now come for judgment to begin with the household of God—with us. 1 Pet. 4:17.

“O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness [love] is like a morning cloud, and like the early dew it goes away.” Hos. 6:4.

A very fleeting love. Perhaps this is why they speak so much about it. Unfortunately, it always passes away. The Sun of Righteousness drove away the clouds, and the dew and Ephraim’s love vanished. If Ephraim had had a love of the truth in the depths of his heart, he would have rejoiced in the Sun of Righteousness. But for him, everything is covered with fog, and he is furious with the forces that cause his infatuation to vanish.

In spite of all this, they say that no one must contradict them, no one must rebuke them. Hos. 4:4. If you do, they become hot like an oven and they devour their judges. Hos. 7:7.

But Ephraim has become a silly dove. Hos. 7:11. His leaders have kept him in ignorance so that he will be easier to lead. Even in his old age, aliens devour his strength, and he does not know it. Hos. 7:9. He believes that he will win over the aliens, and he does not know that it is the alien who has won him over. So all Ephraim is left with is a confession about a tremendous power which was devoured long ago. He has lost the knowledge of God, and he is ready to wage war against the truth and the light—the very things that could have given him strength and courage.

“As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird—no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception! Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!” Hos. 9:11-12.

Stand up and fight, Ephraim. Arm yourself for holy war. If only you were right, we would agree with you, but we can do nothing against the truth. If you continue in your apostasy and refuse to repent, then the Sword will slash at your cities, devour your districts and consume you because of your own counsel. Hos. 11:6. The leaders of Ephraim have entertained the people for a long time with carnal jokes and promises of liberty that have caused Ephraim to rejoice, but all that rejoicing will come to an end when the Sun of Righteousness shines its light over the liberty of the wild donkeys. The morning clouds will pass away; the dew will disappear. Ephraim’s lovers will no longer be found. And what will become of Ephraim’s leaders? They will all be dismayed and answer no more. Words will escape them. Job 32:15. Do you have a word, Ephraim? Then answer me and speak. If you have anything to say, Ephraim, answer me. Speak, for I desire to justify you. Job 33:32. But if you cannot answer, then put your hand over your mouth and acknowledge in your heart that you have spoken about things you have not understood, things that are too great for you, things that you cannot comprehend.