Offended Yet?

When Ephraim spoke, trembling,
He exalted himself in Israel;
But when he offended through Baal worship, he died. Hosea 13:1

Humble speech and fear of the Lord, and a good result comes to Ephraim. Pride and idolatry brings a different result. It is funny, perhaps even ironic, that from Eve to Ephraim to those who follow the evil at the end, all those who choose to go their own way rather than God's way end up following another way entirely. 

After that shovelful of confusion, let me explain. Eve made a choice, and she likely thought that she would go her own way but was really following the Serpent. Ephraim wanted to go his own may and make his own choices, and ended up following yet another idol named Baal. At the end, many will follow the great evil that comes in the Antichrist, but they will only be following that great red dragon, the Serpent of old. Whether it begins with pride or idolatry or rebelliousness, it all ends in the same following after the deceiver. Follow God's way, or offend God and die. It does not seem so difficult to discern the way to life and truth now.

A joyous day in our Lord Jesus is proclaimed! 

Bucky