Ephraim was the second son of Joseph, the son of Jacob, who was born to him in Egypt while he was the prime minister there. However, when Jacob was to bless Joseph’s children, he inexplicably crossed his hands and laid the right one on the head of Ephraim and the left on Manasseh, the first son. This meant that Ephraim got the blessings of the firstborn while Manasseh became the second. Joseph eventually took the place of Reuben as the first son (1 Chr. 5:1), getting a double portion, seeing that Levi had no inheritance in the division of the promised land.
But with time, Ephraim grew proud and arrogant, thinking himself to be better than other tribes. Despite the blessings of God upon him, he refused to submit himself to the refining process of God, which process would enable him to fully accomplish God’s word over his life. No wonder God lamented that Ephraim is a cake that is not turned – Hosea 7:8. Ephraim was so mingled with other nations that one side is completely burned in evil worldly alliances. One another side, Ephraim was uncooked, unrefined, unbaked, and raw; therefore, useless and unfit for food. One aspect of Ephraim that didn’t experience transformation was his prideful disposition. He remained uncooked in his prideful adamic nature.
Two short illustrations to buttress this are found in:
Gideon’s war against Midian
God had commanded Gideon to choose 300 men from all the people that came out to fight the Midianites. He considered the multitude excessive for the miracle of utterly defeating the Midianites, lest the people take the glory that belonged to Him.
As the battle raged and victory was in sight, other tribes of Israel like Naphtali, Asher and Manasseh came out and pursued the Midianites. Gideon sent messengers to the tribe of Ephraim and asked them to cut off the water supplies and waterways of the Midianites by seizing the waters of Jordan down to Bethbarah. Also, two prominent and fierce princes of Midian were escaping from the battlefield, Oreb meaning raven and Zeeb meaning wolf, and were not to be left alive after what Midian had done to Israel for seven years.
The children of Ephraim hearkened to Ephraim and executed the task assigned to them. One would think that this moment of victory would unify everyone as they chased after the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna. But no, Ephraim had to waste precious time and strength in sharply chiding Gideon. Reason? They were not called to assist in the fight against the Midianites.
A reason that, when analysed, holds no water considering who began the fight, how the men were chosen and the fact that Gideon sent messengers to them. Also, were the Ephraimites blind to the oppression of the enemy these seven years? Why didn’t they put themselves forth to lead the fight all these years? Cowards will always sound courageous when the battle is over, but in the face of danger, they lose their voices.
To show that it was pride, what abated the anger of the Ephraimites was when Gideon told them that the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim is far greater than all the vintage in the land of Abiezer. Gideon reduced his family’s victories and magnified the victory of Ephraim. He also reminded them that their tribe had just killed two of the most powerful princes of Midian.
If this meek, humble, and peaceable deportment weren’t displayed, Ephraim could start a fight with Gideon just to prove a point. Remember that Gideon is from the tribe of Manasseh, the senior brother to Ephraim, but who was made less than his brother because of the blessing of Jacob. So, Ephraim would have exploited that opportunity to rub it in Manasseh’s face that he was in charge and should lead.
Jephthah’s war against Ammon
The Gileadites had sent for Jephthah because the nation of Ammon had set themselves in battle array against them and they were sore afraid. Unable to find a captain, the elders decided to reconcile with Jephthah, who had been estranged from the land as a result of family issues – Jephthah was the son of a harlot, and his father’s children didn’t want him to share in the family’s inheritance.
After agreeing with the elders of Gilead, Jephthah returned and, by God’s help, defeated the Ammonites. Upon his return from victory, the Ephraimites came with their trouble. As always, they would not come out to take charge of a battle at the beginning, but they would always appear after the victory to ask why they weren’t called.
To underscore how ravenously haughty the Ephraimites were, they were set to burn Jephthah’s house with him in it to prove their point. Jephthah reminded them of how he had asked for their help, but none came to his aid, thus leaving him to fight alone.
The Ephraimites were not having that answer, so war ensued, and 42,000 lives of the people of Ephraim were lost because of a foolish and boastful argument. It is in this war that you had the famous story of Shibboleth and Sibboleth because the children of Ephraim were linguistically unable to frame their tongue to say Shibboleth because they lacked the ‘sh’ sound in their own dialect. So, when the Gileadites asked the fleeing Ephraimite soldiers to pronounce Shibboleth, they would say Sibboleth, thus exposing their origin. Ephraim’s arrogance cost him 42,000 men. Truly, pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall – Proverbs 16:18.
So many people have failed to fully realise what God placed in them because of pride. Once they get a prophecy, a dream, or an audible voice of God in their spirit, they assume that automatically qualifies them as head over nations and dictators over God’s people. What they fail to realise is that even Jesus, who is God, had to subject himself to teachers in the temple when He was a child. Apostle Paul was discipled by Barnabas, and Elisha by Elijah.
Allow God to cook you, so you’ll be a cake that is well turned and good for food.
