Have Mine Own Way
January 6, 2011 at 9:47 am | Posted in Uncategorized | 3 CommentsTags: 12 tribes, backsliding, division of the tribes, Ephraim, Exodus 32, golden calf, Have Thine Own way, Hosea, Hosea 4, idol worship, Israel, Jeroboam, Judah, Judah and Israel, King Solomon, northern kingdom, pagan worship, Rehoboam, Solomon, southern kingdom, the discipline of the Lord, The Lord, the prophet Hosea, two kingdoms of Israel
When King Solomon died his kingdom became divided. Two of the twelve tribes, led by Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, became the southern kingdom of Judah. The other ten tribes, ruled over by Jeroboam, became the northern kingdom of Israel (also known as Ephraim).
Jeroboam did not want his subjects going to the southern kingdom so they could worship in Jerusalem. Therefore, he found a way to entice them to stay. He placed golden calves for the people to worship, and allowed pagan fertility rites and prostitution to be practiced in the northern places of worship. It seems almost unthinkable that a race of people who had almost been rejected by God because of the worship of a golden calf (see Exodus 32), would back-slide into such evil again.
Hosea the prophet was one of only a very few voices crying out against such wickedness.
For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
Hosea 4:16
He also warned the southern kingdom not to follow their example.
Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
Hosea 4:17
What a sad day it is when the Lord’s people turn back to that from which they have already been delivered. Many of us have been rescued from the idolatry of this world by loving Christian friends. We must not make the mistake of presuming upon God’s grace, however. There may come a time when the Lord says to your friends, “Let him alone.” One of the harshest disciplines that God may give to His children is to let them have their own way.
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