When Ephraim Spoke, There Was Trembling

“When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel, but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.”

It would appear that, at one time, the tribe of Ephraim exercised considerable authority but now appears to have lost it. People trembled at such authority on display. But over time, Ephraim has become idolatrous (Baal worship) and has been judged (incurred guilt and died). There has been a transfer of allegiance, from being God’s representative to becoming idolatrous.

The concept of worship is introduced by comparing Ephraim as going after Baal. This worship is now false (Baal worship). False worship is the transfer of allegiance and authority to something or someone other than God. The true worship of God leads to blessing (he was exalted). We only have to think of Cain and Abel to discern this (Gen. 4). Abel was accepted and Cain was rejected. There is also the case of Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1, 2), who offered unauthorized fire before the Lord; fire came from heaven and consumed them. Their worship was rejected because it was self-made, and not as God had prescribed. God recognizes delegated authority, but only that which has come from him. Thus, Adam had dominion over all things and was to subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28–30). He was to rule as God’s under-ruler. As long as he did what God commanded, he was right and safe. False worship is doing what God has not authorized. Since it does not come from God, it must be made up.

God does not delegate unbridled worship. He places restraints around himself and around how to approach him. Israel was not permitted to approach the mountain because God was there and told them not to (Ex. 19:16–25), yet God had to send Moses back down to warn them off. God knew they would want to breakthrough. Exodus 32 relays the desire of the people. Moses is still on the mountain and the people are tired of waiting for him, so they ask Aaron to make them gods (idols). False worship is always an indication of not waiting on God and for God. It is an unwillingness to submit to God’s ordained authority. The Scriptures repeat this theme endlessly, it seems. The moment a person turns to false worship, anything goes because there are no restraints. Restraint is one of those rare gifts that God has given to us. There are restraints upon the marriage relationship, upon sexual relationships, upon business relationships, and upon eating, drinking and clothing, to name a few. Most important of all, there are restraints in worshiping God. False worship always takes the authority to itself, and then demands that its worship is right. The lack of restraint is always the display of our sinful nature. It is arrogant and not humble. It is fixated on self and not on God.

I’m sure that when Ephraim turned to Baal, they also laid claim to God. False worship is always ready to accommodate itself to what suits it best. Hosea 11:12 says: “Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit…” They have ascribed to God what he is not. They have done away with the truth. In Hosea 12:1, God says that “Ephraim feeds on the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; they multiply falsehood and violence; they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried to Egypt.” Ephraim is pursuing an illusion. False worship is false because it is like the wind. You cannot lay hold of it. It vacillates and is constantly striving to be acceptable (pursues the east wind). False worship never promotes godliness or holiness. It is violent in nature. It never promotes the truth because it is not true (multiplies falsehood). In Hosea 13:2, the prophet continues by saying: “And now they sin more and more, and make for themselves metal images, idols skillfully made of their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of them, ‘Those who offer human sacrifice kiss calves!’” False worship leads to further sin. It becomes more active. It is always seeking creative ways to promote its substance (idols skillfully made). This insatiable hunger for new forms of worship leads further away from God and ends up in degradation (offer human sacrifice).

So false worship becomes increasingly active, tending toward abominable practices. False worship never leads us to the truth or to true worship. It leads us away into self-deception and darkness. Calvin said that“the first foundation of righteousness undoubtedly is the worship of God.” The hymn-writer, William Cowper, wrote:

“The dearest idol I have known,

Whate’er that idol be,

Help me to tear it from thy throne,

And worship only thee.”

God pronounces a judgment upon Ephraim in Hosea 13:3: “Therefore they shall be like the morning mist or like the dew that goes early away, like the chaff that swirls from the threshing floor or like smoke from a window.” The worshipper is cast away, disappears like mist, dew, and smoke. It blows away like chaff. So false worship evaporates. It is empty in substance and content. It has to be constantly adapting and evolving. Sin always presents itself in new, brighter colors. False worship has to be constantly reinventing itself or reinventing God. It can never stand beside or with true worship. God never tolerates competition. It was God who originally conferred honor upon Ephraim in Jacob’s fatherly blessing (Gen. 48). He was the younger of Joseph’s sons. Manasseh was the eldest and ought to have had the honor, but God chose Ephraim and granted his favor to him. This honor surely was connected to Joseph’s godly life. Ephraim ought to have been inferior, but God exalted him, and the tribe of Ephraim attained preeminence in Israel. It is interesting to read the account of the 144,000 in Revelation 7:1–8. In that list of the tribes, Ephraim is not mentioned, but Joseph is. Perhaps the perfection of the 144,000 is maintained by excluding Ephraim due to his idolatry. The tribe of Dan is also missing; guilty, too, of idolatry. False worship has consequences. Like Dagon, it will collapse before the ark of the Lord (1 Sam. 5:2–4). Hosea 13:4–8 outlines those consequences. Ephraim has become proud and has forgotten God (vv. 4–6). God becomes a wild animal to them: a lion, leopard, bear (vv.7, 8). In order to destroy false worship, God simply removes the worshippers. This is what he accomplished when he sent Israel and Judah into exile (Deut. 28; 2 Chron. 24:18, 19; Ps. 106:34–43; Isa. 2:7–22; Ezek. 26:46–49). The Apostle Paul reminds the Corinthians that they were to “flee from idolatry” (1 Cor. 10:14). The Apostle John reminds his readers: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1John 5:21). These are injunctions to worship God only.

To summarize then, all worship must be measured against God’s ordained authority (the Word). Second, check your allegiance. Where does your heart truly lie? Third, always beware of new forms of worship. Measure them against Scripture. Fourth, active worship is within the restraints of God. Do not go beyond what God has revealed. Beware of emotionalism which will color the true revelation of who God is. Don’t lower God to your standard. Fifth, false worship always brings judgment from God. True worship is always in spirit and truth (John 4:24). The unseen God must be adored by the revealed truth and nothing more. False worship never satisfies. It always craves something else. Let God be your satisfaction and delight, and then worship him.