Hosea 9:11

Hosea 9:11 says, As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.  The glory that Ephraim felt in their own ability apart from God's will was going to fly away like a bird.  God's people had been separated by God so that He might protect them as they followed His will.  They were now filled with self-pride and didn't feel the need for God, so He was going to remove His protection and let them fall.  They would no longer be a nation set aside for God from the time they were born but would be scattered throughout the land until they returned to Him.  We as followers of Christ are set aside for His purpose, not from the time we are born, but from the time we are born again through faith in Christ.  If we begin to stray from God's will, we will be allowed to suffer the consequences of that straying or rebellion.  Verse twelve adds, Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them! Children were still being born into the nation of Israel, and God had already told the parents that it was their responsibility to teach them about Him.  Since they had failed not only to teach them about God, but also led them to follow false gods, the nation was going to be destroyed.  We still have that responsibility today.  We are to teach our children about God, so that they will come to Him through faith in Christ.  Still, the responsibility for accepting Christ lies with them.  If we fail to reach the next generation, the church, the followers of Christ, will cease to exist.  Verse thirteen continues, Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.  Those who were called God's people, but who had rejected Him in fact, were going to lose His protection, and without it, they were doomed.  When we decide to live by our own strength instead of under God's guidance and protection, we too will fail in this life, no matter how successful we think we are.  Verse fourteen states, Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.  The people of Israel were to be a great nation because of their relationship to God, but they had forgotten that.  We, as followers of Christ, are made great through our relationship to God, and never of our own worth.  We must never forget that fact. Verse fifteen adds, All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.  God said because of their wickedness, He would drive them out of His house.  Today, if we begin to give in to sin, though we do not lose our salvation, we may be driven out from under God's protection in this world.  As followers of Christ, God gives us abundant life, not just occasional peace and joy.  When we doubt Him, we lose these things.  Verse sixteen continues, Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.  God's people, when living under their own abilities, lost their claim to be God's.  Verse seventeen concludes, My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.  Though there is now a nation of Israel once more, they were indeed without a country for many centuries.  Though they continue to call themselves God's people, the still reject Christ as their Savior, and we must accept His salvation to truly be God's people.