The Captivity of Ephraim
Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s 1drunkards, Hos 7:5Isa 28:72Ki 14:25-27Isa 28:3-42Ch 28:62Ch 30:6-72Ki 15:292Ki 18:10-12
to the fading flower of his glorious splendor,
set on the summit above the fertile valley,
the pride of those overcome by wine.
Behold, the Lord has one Ezk 13:11Isa 30:30Nam 1:8Isa 27:1Isa 29:6Ezk 30:10-11Isa 25:4Isa 28:15-19
who is strong and mighty.
Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest,
like a driving rain or flooding downpour,
he will smash that crown to the ground.
The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards Heb 10:29Isa 26:62Ki 9:33Dan 8:13Isa 28:1Rev 11:2Isa 25:10Lam 1:15
will be trampled underfoot.
The fading flower of his beautiful splendor, Nam 3:12Mic 7:1Hos 6:4Isa 28:1Hos 13:1Hos 13:15Hos 9:10-11Hos 9:16
set on the summit above the fertile valley,
will be like a ripe fig before the summer harvest:
Whoever sees it will take it in his hand and swallow it.
On that day the LORD of Hosts will be a crown of glory, 1Pe 5:4Isa 60:19Isa 62:3Rom 11:5-6Isa 41:16Isa 45:25Jer 9:23-24Job 29:14
a diadem of splendor to the remnant of His people,
a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, Psa 18:32-34Jhn 5:30Isa 11:2-4Jos 1:9Num 11:16-17Isa 32:15-16Jhn 3:341Co 12:8
and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.
These also stagger from wine Isa 56:10-12Luk 21:34Ecc 10:17Isa 19:14Mat 24:29Mic 2:11Pro 20:1Ezk 44:21
and stumble from strong drink:
Priests and prophets reel from strong drink
and are befuddled by wine.
They stumble because of strong drink,
muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.
For all their tables are covered with vomit; Jer 48:26Pro 26:11Hab 2:15-16
there is not a place without filth.
Whom is He trying to teach? Psa 131:2Jer 6:10Jhn 12:38Mat 11:25Mat 21:15-161Pe 2:2Isa 53:1Isa 54:13
To whom is He explaining His message?
To infants just weaned from milk?
To babies removed from the breast?
For they hear: 2 Isa 28:132Ti 3:7Jer 11:7Jer 25:3-7Heb 5:12Neh 9:29-302Ch 36:15-16Deu 6:1-6
“Order on order, order on order,
line on line, line on line; 3
a little here, a little there.”
Indeed, with mocking lips and foreign tongues, 1Co 14:21Deu 28:49Jer 5:15Isa 33:19
He will speak to this people 4 to whom He has said: Mat 11:28-29Isa 30:15Jer 6:16Isa 11:10Heb 12:25Jer 44:16Zec 7:142Ch 14:11
“This is the place of rest, let the weary rest;
this is the place of repose.”
But they would not listen.
Then the word of the LORD to them will become: Mat 13:14Isa 6:9-102Pe 3:16Isa 28:10Isa 8:14-15Jer 23:36-38Mat 21:44Psa 69:22
“Order on order, order on order,
line on line, line on line;
a little here, a little there,”
so that they will go stumbling backward
and will be injured, ensnared, and captured.
A Cornerstone in Zion
(1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22; 1 Peter 2:1–8)
Therefore hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers Isa 28:22Isa 1:10Isa 29:20Act 13:41Hos 7:5Isa 5:9Pro 1:22Pro 29:8
who rule this people in Jerusalem.
For you said, “We have made a covenant with death; Isa 8:7-8Amo 2:4Dan 11:22Ecc 8:8Ezk 13:22Hos 2:18Isa 28:18Jer 5:31
we have fashioned an agreement with Sheol.
When the overwhelming scourge passes through
it will not touch us,
because we have made lies our refuge
and falsehood 5our hiding place.”
So this is what the Lord GOD says: Psa 118:22Act 4:11-121Pe 2:6-8Luk 20:17-18Rom 9:33Mrk 12:10Mat 21:42Isa 8:14-15
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
the one who believes will never be shaken. 6
I will make justice the measuring line 2Ki 21:13Amo 7:7-9Rev 16:21Isa 28:2Jer 7:14Rev 11:19Rom 2:2Rom 2:5
and righteousness the level.
Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies,
and water will flood your hiding place.
Your covenant with death will be dissolved, Isa 7:7Isa 8:10Isa 28:15Dan 11:40Isa 28:3Mal 4:1-3Dan 8:9-13Dan 9:26-27
and your agreement with Sheol will not stand.
When the overwhelming scourge passes through,
you will be trampled by it.
As often as it passes through, Hab 3:162Ki 24:2Dan 7:28Dan 8:27Isa 10:5-6Isa 33:7Isa 36:22Isa 37:3
it will carry you away;
it will sweep through morning after morning,
by day and by night.”
The understanding of this message
will bring sheer terror.
Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on, 1Co 1:18-31Isa 64:6Rom 9:30-32Isa 57:12-13Isa 59:5-6Isa 66:3-6Jer 7:8-10
and the blanket too small to wrap around you.
For the LORD will rise up as at Mount Perazim. 1Ch 14:112Sa 5:20Jos 10:12Jos 10:101Ch 14:162Sa 5:25Lam 2:15Deu 29:21-24
He will rouse Himself as in the Valley of Gibeon,
to do His work, His strange work,
and to perform His task, His disturbing task.
So now, do not mock, Isa 10:22-23Isa 24:1-232Ch 30:102Ch 36:16Act 13:40-41Act 17:32Dan 9:26-27Isa 28:14-15
or your shackles will become heavier.
Indeed, I have heard from the Lord GOD of Hosts
a decree of destruction against the whole land.
Listen and Hear
Listen and hear my voice. Isa 1:2Jer 22:29Deu 32:1Rev 2:11Rev 2:14Rev 2:29Rev 2:7
Pay attention and hear what I say.
Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Hos 10:11-12Jer 4:3
Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil?
When he has leveled its surface, Ezk 4:9Mat 23:23Exo 9:31-32
does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin?
He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots,
and rye within its border.
For his God instructs Exo 31:3-6Exo 36:2Dan 1:17Exo 28:3Jas 1:17Job 35:11Job 39:17Psa 144:1
and teaches him properly.
Surely caraway is not threshed with a sledge, Isa 41:152Ki 13:7Amo 1:3Isa 27:7-8Jer 10:24Jer 46:28
and the wheel of a cart is not rolled over the cumin.
But caraway is beaten out with a stick,
and cumin with a rod.
Grain for bread must be ground, 1Co 3:91Co 9:9-10Amo 9:9Isa 21:10Jhn 12:24Mat 13:37-43Mat 3:12Luk 22:31-32
but it is not endlessly threshed.
Though the wheels of the cart roll over it,
the horses do not crush it.
This also comes from the LORD of Hosts, Rom 11:33Jer 32:19Job 5:9Isa 9:6Psa 40:5Psa 92:5Dan 4:2-3Job 37:23
who is wonderful in counsel
and excellent in wisdom.