29
Backslidden Israel. Likened to a heifer refusing to be obedient in perform its duty. Manifesting a spirit of rebellion and stubbornness in turning from the Lord. They had likened the Lord to the image of a calf, now He was calling them a heifer of disobedience. 1 Kings 12:28 Israel always refusing the voice of the prophets sent to her. She is about to be removed out of her land and scattered abroad. Like a lamb lost in the areas into which the Lord will send them. Hos. 4:16 Ephraim, another name for the ten tribes. Perhaps called so because they were the most dominant of the ten tribes. Ephraim means double fruit, in this case it has a negative connotation. The great harlot of the tribulation period will have her punishment doubled unto her. Rev. 18:6 Israel, Ephraim was about to be separated, torn from the land she loved because of her many idolatrous actions. They were forsaken of the Lord and were to be left to their punishment. Hos. 4:17.
Their drink is sour. The joy has been removed from their idolatrous form of worship. To worship without joy is drudgery. They were simply going through the motions and were bored with the monotony of their worship. They continued in their wayward paths knowing all the while that they were walking contrary to the will of the Lord. They were not innocent or without understanding in their vain worship of gods, who were not gods. Isa. 44:8 The word sour (cuwr. Heb) means to turn off. No pleasure may be derived from the worship of any deity, other than the true and living God. That they were unhappy with their gods there is no question, but it had become a way of life with them and so they continued in that style of worship.
Hos. 4:18 Further evidence of their unhappiness is the fact that they worshiped with shame. They were not ignorant of the will of the Lord. They well knew that their actions were greatly displeasing to the Lord. Like the horse leach, with its cry of give, give (Prov. 30:15) the dissatisfaction of false worship demands more and greater effort, without ever giving in return.
The wind (ruwach, wind, air, spirit), the spirit of whoredom has become a bondage to Israel. Their wings are useless. They cannot open them and soar on the thermal columns arising from the earth. They are earth bound when created to fly. The power of truth, eagles wings power has been removed from them. The Lord had demonstrated that ability in their deliverance from Egypt. Ex. 19:4 The gods of the heathen whom they now worship are powerless. They do not have the ability to protect them from their enemies, therefore the Lord will allow them to be utterly removed forever from their land. They are now the ten lost tribes of Israel. Shame, heaped upon shame will be theirs when they realize that they have paid the ultimate price for their rebellious spirit against the Lord. Their trust, confidence and worship of false gods brought only failure.