Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh; but I will place a yoke on her fair neck. I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, and Jacob will break the hard ground. Sermons
I. MORAL ABASEMENT IS SHOWN IN PREFERRING THE LOWER TO THE HIGHER LIFE. "Ephraim is as a heifer;" whereas, in the next verse, Ephraim is exhorted to be as a husbandman. The former is what the people had become, the latter is what God meant them to be. It is the constant tendency of man thus to sink below a possible ideal. Men of the highest intellectual culture will deprive themselves in their religious life of the liberty and dignity of the sons of God. Many hearers avowedly wait for some overpowering manifestation of God's presence before they believe in him. They would have upon them some influence so mighty as to be resistless. The evil and adulterous generation is still seeking a sign; and gathers around the Christ, asking, "What sign showest thou? what dost thou work?" Now, the tendency of all this is to ask God that we may be dealt with as animals, not as men - as those who are without the spiritual capacities which belong to beings made in the image of God. We would be as the heifer, wanting the yoke and the goad; not as the husbandman, who, obedient to the inner thought that is given to him, intelligently, and freely breaks up the fallow ground, sows the seed, and seeks upon it the blessing of God. But listen to the exhortation of the psalmist: "Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle [not, 'lest they come near,' but] because they will not come near to thee" to do thee service; but rather be as a child, so looking for the Father's glance, so ready to obey his faintest sign, that he can say, "I will guide thee with mine eye" (Psalm 32:8, 9). Ephraim was called to be as the husbandman (ver. 12), but was content to be as the heifer. II. MORAL ABASEMENT IS SHOWN IN RENDERING A PERFUNCTORY AND IRRELIGIOUS SERVICE. "Ephraim is as a heifer that is taught." She is accustomed to do a certain kind of work, and does it day after day from the memory of the past; as a perfunctory performance, without the inspiration of the thought that it will please her master. Such obedience abounds amongst men. Right acts are done by multitudes, as they were by scribes and Pharisees, without there being in them the moral worth God looks for. For example, it is right for a man to be diligent in business, to do his work with all his might. The idle and thriftless sink ever lower in character and circumstances. But it would not be difficult to find one who is regular and punctual, failing in no engagement, prompt in all his dealings, setting before others a commendable example of hard work thoroughly done, who never has a thought of his Lord's approval, sees nothing of the eternal issues which may flow from the present life, but is "as a heifer accustomed to the yoke." Such perfunctoriness may creep into religious service; into the prayers which are said by rote, into the gifts which are given from custom, into the work and organization which is the outcome of habit, etc. III. MORAL ABASEMENT IS SHOWN IS OBEYING PROFITABLE COMMANDS FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR PROFIT. "Ephraim is as a heifer that... loveth to tread out the corn." The allusion is to the Eastern custom of driving oxen over the reaped corn, that by their feet or by the implement they dragged behind them the grain might be separated from the straw. In the Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 25:4) the command was given, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn." The ox was to share in the bountiful gifts God had bestowed on man in the harvest, and might eat what he pleased. Hence, when it is said "Ephraim is as a heifer that.., loveth to tread out the corn," yet refuses to plough till the yoke is forced on its fair neck, the meaning is that Israel obeyed the command of God when they could get any immediate good as the result of obedience, but refused to obey when obedience, like plowing, brought no instant fruit. Well may Trapp remark, "It is an ill sign when men must pick and choose their work; this they will do for God, but not that... Judas will bear the cross, so he may have the bag." It was because our Lord discerned this spirit in his hearers at Capernaum that he rebuked them, saying, "Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you" (John 6:26, 27; see also Matthew 6:33). The true test of character is to be found, not in the morality that wins applause and popularity, but in the righteousness which is followed through evil as well as good report. To all those who are toiling for the sake of what they can get of earthly good, Christ says, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, and ye shall find rest to your souls." if the Spirit of Christ be ours, then we shall find "A life of self-renouncing love is a life of liberty." - A.R.
Render thus, Israel's punishment is enhanced by contrast with her former prosperity, which, as a mark of the Divine goodness, is compared to the consideration with which a young heifer is treated by its master. The work of treading out the corn was pleasant and easy; the heifer could eat freely as it walked without a muzzle round and round the threshing-floor. But this heifer, that is Israel, has abused the kindness of its Lord, and henceforth shall be put to the heavy labour of the field — a figure for the depressing conditions of life under a foreign master. The rendering "spared" (lit. passed by) is justified by Micah 7:18; Proverbs 19:2; it adds a beautiful distinctness to the figure, for the heavy yokes used in the East not only gall the necks of the animals, but often produce deep wounds. The meaning is that Jehovah has hitherto pre served His people from the yoke of captivity.(T. K. Cheyne, D. D.) 1. It is a fault incident to our nature to be much addicted to our own ease, and that which brings present content and comfort, and to abhor any lot or way of God's service which proves contrary to that. 2. It is a great snare to men, making them to dote on an easy way, when they have been accustomed in God's providence to such a lot, and, by taking too well with it, become effeminate: for "Ephraim is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn," that is, hath been tenderly dealt with, and hath accustomed his own heart to that way. 3. God hath an indignation at such as are too delicate, and take too well with ease, and is provoked to put them to trouble. For "I passed over upon her fair neck," that is, I brought her under the yoke, who kept herself so dainty: as if a man put a yoke upon the fat and sound neck of an undaunted heifer. 4. Let wicked men tamper as they will, yet they will not get trouble always shifted, but God will bring captivity and bondage, or other trouble upon them. Ephraim shall be tossed into captivity, as a man makes his horse carry him in far journeys. 5. The Lord's sentence is universal against all secure and delicate sinners, that He will send toil and trouble upon them, be they less or more corrupt. Therefore doth Judah, though more pure in many things than Israel, come in in the sentence, "Judah shall plough," which is a hard labour. 6. The hard lots of sinners may yet, through God's blessing, prove useful and profitable to them, however they may be ill-satisfied with them. (George Hutcheson.) People Hosea, Jacob, Jareb, ShalmanPlaces Assyria, Aven, Beth-arbel, Beth-aven, Bethel, Gibeah, Gilgal, SamariaTopics Beautiful, Break, Broken, Cause, Clods, Corn, Cow, Crushing, Draw, Drive, Ephraim, E'phraim, Fair, Goodness, Grain, Ground, Harness, Harrow, Heifer, Horseman, Jacob, Judah, Loved, Loves, Loveth, Loving, Neck, Passed, Pleasure, Plough, Plow, Ride, Rider, Spared, Taking, Taught, Thresh, Trained, Tread, Turning, Working, YokeOutline 1. Israel is reproved and threatened for their impiety and idolatry, 12. and exhorted to repentance. Dictionary of Bible Themes Hosea 10:11Library 'Fruit which is Death''Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images. 2. Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: He shall break down their altars, He shall spoil their images. 3. For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the Lord; what then should a king do to us? 4. They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture A Divided Heart How to Promote a Revival. The Books of the Old Testament as a Whole. 1 the Province of Particular Introduction is to Consider the Books of the Bible Separately... Arbel. Shezor. Tarnegola the Upper. Letter Xli to Thomas of St. Omer, after He had Broken his Promise of Adopting a Change of Life. Of Love to God The Prophet Hosea. The Worst Things Work for Good to the Godly How Christ is the Way in General, "I am the Way. " The Barren Fig-Tree; Directions to Awakened Sinners. "There is Therefore Now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who Walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. " Hosea Links Hosea 10:11 NIVHosea 10:11 NLT Hosea 10:11 ESV Hosea 10:11 NASB Hosea 10:11 KJV Hosea 10:11 Bible Apps Hosea 10:11 Parallel Hosea 10:11 Biblia Paralela Hosea 10:11 Chinese Bible Hosea 10:11 French Bible Hosea 10:11 German Bible Hosea 10:11 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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