A Cake not Turned

“Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.” (Hosea 7:8)

Ephraim was Joseph’s son, but Israel made Joseph’s sons of an Egyptian woman, as his adopted sons with all the privileges of sonship. When Israel gave his patriarchal blessing to Ephraim and Manasseh his older brother, Abraham gave preference to Ephraim as an older son instead of Manasseh. So, Ephraim received the greater blessing even though he was the younger son. (Genesis 48:13-20)

When the kingdom divided, the northern kingdom Israel, was at times called Ephraim because it comprised most of the kingdom. Israel mixed itself among the heathen, taking their wives and intermarrying. They looked to Egypt for their help instead of the Lord.  Hosea prophesies against them. “For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.” (Hosea 8:7)

The second phrase in our verse of study states that “Ephraim is a cake not turned.” When we hear the word cake, we have a different image from what was then called a cake. In those days a cake was more like a pancake. And as happens to a pancake when it’s not turned, the bottom closest to the fire is burned while the top part is uncooked. It’s not fit to eat. Hosea was saying that Israel was good for nothing because of their rebellion and sins against God. (Hosea 7)

Today there are those who say they are believers but who are like Ephraim who deceived themselves into thinking they were God’s children, are really sinners. A born-again person may fall into a sin but will not continue in sin. It’s impossible. The Holy Spirit would not permit that. And we have the promise of Jesus that no one will snatch us out of His hand. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28) If a person is sinning continually, I doubt that they were at all saved.  Their true nature has revealed it. 

What does happen to the believer is that in the process of sanctification or that process of making us more and more in the image of Christ, sin in us or I should say in our flesh is revealed. Remember that it was our spirit that was born again of God, not our flesh and not our soul. We are three-part beings.  We are spirits who live in a body and who have a soul (mind, will, emotions). Depending on how obedient we are to the Holy Spirit, the flesh or the Spirit will influence our soul, our mind or thinking which influences our emotions and our will to obey or disobey God’s commandments. The more we put God’s Word which is alive and active in our hearts the more it transforms our minds and the more influence the Holy Spirit will have on us. Paul wrote: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2) We will prove, allow and approve what is God’s will in thought, word and deed.

When we fall into sin, the Holy Spirit’s conviction that we have sin and need to abandon it will help us repent of it and help us loath it so that we will not sin again in that way. This is an ongoing process as the Holy Spirit changes us and sanctifies us. An example: Let’s say a godly man is doing construction and hurts himself. He may yell some swear words. It may be something he never has said before or they may be words he used before his salvation. He has sinned in a way that is against his holy nature reborn of God. These are not words that usually come out of his mouth. Sin in his flesh has been revealed. He needs to repent of it and ask the Holy Spirit to help him to never let such words come out of the lips of someone who worships God with those same lips. The Holy Spirit will cause that sin to become so loathsome, that the man will never do that again.  This example is simplified but in essence, it’s what happens when a child of God sins.

Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:16-20) This measurement will help us help those who are deceived. They need the Lord. Church attendance is not the measurement. The fruit will reveal if they are a “cake not turned.”