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Hosea 12:7-9  A short reading for today - a warning that Ephraim is a trader using false balances, an oppressor. When Ephraim said "I am rich, I have gained wealth for myself," all his riches could not offset his guilt. God will again make the people of Ephraim dwell in tents.

 

Ephraim was the second son of Joseph and the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribe of Ephraim settled in Canaan, but eventually was punished by God for their adultery, falsehood, violence, and dealing with heathen nations. Ephraim was carried into captivity by the Assyrians, one of the heathen nations with whom they had been dealing. Basically, Ephraim went bad. It got rich, it thought it was its own doing, and it felt justified in its lying and cheating to maintain its power (sound familiar?). It was corrupt. That is the false balance here - when one's wealth or power is born from deceit, he has a thumb on the scale, he is an oppressor. He is robbing the people of the truth to gain their money or freedom. He might think that he's gotten away with it, and it often seems as if he has for a while (too long, if you ask me, not that anyone did!😉), but God sees all injustice and repays it in his time and in his way. Just as the oppressor, the liar, the cheater, is saying to himself "Ah, I am rich, I have gained wealth for myself," (as if we can ever gain anything of true value on our own!), God is planning to have Ephraim go back to dwelling in tents. And they do, when they are taken into captivity by Assyria.

 

Many people can now see the corruption, lying, deceit, and guilt of our current leadership class. They most definitely are using false balances. And our system of government and media, which are supposed to be means of checks and balances, are instead being used to shut down any discussion of possible wrongdoing. We see their corruption, and how they are hurting so many people with their lies and deceit, but we cannot speak openly of it.

 

Many are getting impatient for justice against them. It may have to get a lot worse (I fear it will), we may have to end up living in tents, but eventually God will bring about his justice. And he will protect those who have been faithful. But remember, we are not to be too attached to the things of this world! If we have to live in tents for a while, so be it - we are still being held in the palm of his hand!

 

Also, the term "false balances", to me, brings to mind false equivalance, another major problem of our time. The people who are most corrupt right now, and most hateful, constantly portray their opponents as doing the same as or worse than they do. "Oh, both sides do that." (If I hear this one more time!) Of course, we are all fallen sinners, and no one person on either side is perfect, but the attempt to project their sins onto the people calling out their wrongdoing is such evidence of how strong a grip evil has on these people. They will not admit their guilt, their lying, their deceit, or examine their consciences, instead they fling false accusations at the people who try to investigate their wrongdoing or who threaten their power. They ruin lives and reputations with impunity.

 

The congresswoman who represents my district was one of the eight impeachment managers who submitted falsified evidence at the most recent impeachment trial. This woman is an attorney, a representative of the people, and a member of my parish! She should be disbarred and removed from office, but there have been no repurcussions at all, nor is the lying of these managers even spoken of, in fact they are lauded as worthy of promotion! This is just one small example of what we are dealing with. It is easy to see that corruption like this cannot stand, and the truly evil things that are going on are of such a larger scale, it is overwhelming!

 

Buckle up, it's going to get a lot bumpier! Something that cannot go on forever, won't. God's going to take the evildoer's thumb off the scale eventually, and the righting of the balance is going to be a rough ride, but we will get through it and, in the end, the world will be a much better place! Stay close to God and stay joyful, all shall be well in the end.