THE CHILDREN LONGED FOR

Older children who are diligent in reading both the Old and New Testaments may remember the solemn verse in the prophet Hosea, "Ephraim is joined to idols: leave him alone". How thankful those people, young and old, whom Ephraim represents should feel that God did not say, 'I will leave him alone'! In fact whilst Ephraim was unfaithful his God still yearned for him. He is able to do what no one else could ever do, and at length in God's ways Ephraim said, "What have I any more to do with idols?" He also said that he was like a green fir-tree. This is interesting because fir-trees from Lebanon helped to build God's house, the Temple. His house now is a spiritual one made up of believers who have the Holy Spirit.

In the types of Scripture Ephraim stands for all those people who make up their minds to do just those things that please themselves and despise God's rights over them and indeed their own blessings too. As to actual idol worshippers, of whom there must be in the world many millions, we have to leave them to God's mercies which are unknown to us and are spoken of as 'uncovenanted'. Suffice it for ourselves as believers on the Lord Jesus that He, in love for us was 'alone' when the Sin-bearer and forsaken by a righteous God. Even the soldier who offered Him drink upon a sponge said "Let alone".

Some hundreds of years ago, at a time when there was in Europe a fresh interest in the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus, many people were prepared thankfully to confess that salvation was to be known by faith in Him alone. However some other persons required that the believer must provide some work of his own towards his salvation. There were even amongst rulers of countries public discussions of the matter. To one of these a prince sent his ambassadors with this message, 'See that you bring back the little word 'alone'; do not dare to return without it'. They at least should maintain that Christ's work was - and is - sufficient! Maybe the prince had in mind the verse of Scripture, "but to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness". Is it reckoned to you?

J.C.Evershed