Ephraim

The Israelites were afraid, and they cried out to God.

In the hill country of Ephraim, a woman named Deborah sat under a great palm tree.

She was a judge, which in those days didn't just mean someone in a courtroom.

Judges were leaders of the whole nation, people who settled disputes, who guided the people and listened to God on their behalf.

The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria as a tribute to the great king.

Ephraim shall be put to shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol.

Samaria's king shall perish like a chip on the face of the waters.

The high places of Avon, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed.

Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel.

There they have continued.

Shall not war overtake them in Gibeah? Ephraim said, So for yourselves righteousness, reap steadfast love.

Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.

As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope.

Today I declare that I will restore to you double.

For I have bent Judah as my bow.

I have made Ephraim its arrow.

I will stir up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior's sword.

When Blake pressed him, he said very hurriedly that the Italian priests warned everybody against it, vowing that a monstrous evil had once dwelt there and left its mark.

he himself had heard dark whispers of it from his father who recalled certain sounds and rumors from his boyhood there had been a bad sect there in the old days an outlaw sect that called up awful things from some unknown gulf of night It had taken a good priest to exercise what had come, though there did be those who said that merely the light could do it.

If Father O'Malley were alive, there would be many things he could tell.

But now there was nothing to do but let it alone.

Professor Enoch Bowen, home from Egypt, May 1844, buys Old Freewill Church in July, his archaeological work and studies in a cult well known.

Dr. Drown of Fourth Baptist warns against starry wisdom in sermon December 29, 1844.

Congregation 97 by end of 45. eighteen forty six three disappearances first mention of shining trapezohedron seven disappearances eighteen forty eight stories of blood sacrifice begin investigation eighteen fifty three comes to nothing stories of sounds father o'mally tells of devil worship with box found in great egyptian ruins says they call up something that can't exist in light flees a little light and banished by strong light then has to be summoned again probably got this from deathbed confession of francis x feeney who had joined starry wisdom in forty nine These people say the shining trapezohedron shows them heaven and other worlds, and that the haunter of the dark tells them secrets in some way.

Story of Orin B. Eddy, 1857.

And now our portion today from the writings is 2 Chronicles 30.

Hezekiah then sent word to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover for the Lord, the God of Israel.

The king and his officials and the entire congregation in Jerusalem said, had decided to celebrate passover in the second month for they were not able to celebrate it at the regular time since not enough kohanim had consecrated themselves nor had the people assembled in jerusalem the matter seemed right in the eyes of the king and of the entire community So they decided to issue a decree and to proclaim it throughout all Israel from Be'er Sheva to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover for the Lord, the God of Israel.

for it had not been celebrated as prescribed for a long time.

For the Lord your God is compassionate and merciful.

He will not turn his face away from you if you return to him.

As the couriers traveled from town to town, through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, they were scorned and mocked.

Nevertheless, some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

He paints a picture of who God is.

He says in Hosea 5 verse 12, I am like a moth to Ephraim.

Ephraim, do you remember the name for the northern kingdom? It's the largest tribe.

And like dry rock to the house of Judah.

I mean, I don't know if you know anything.

God says, I'm like dry rock.

Not many of you have got that on your fridge, have you? The Lord is my dry rocks.

He says in Hosea 5 verse 14, I will be like a lion to Ephraim and a young lion.

They shall be revived like grain, and they grow like a vine, and their scent shall be like wine of Lebanon.

Ephraim shall say, What have I done anymore with idols? I have heard and observed him.

I am like the green cypress trees.

Your fruit is found in me.