Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird—no birth, no pregnancy, no conception. – Hosea 9:11

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 12, 2016): Hosea 9

Jordan Hoffman argues that the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “The Trouble with Tribbles” is quite likely the first Star Trek episode you ever saw. His argument is based on the idea that “The Trouble with Tribbles” scores higher with non-Star Trek fans than with Trekkies. It is also the episode that critics argue becomes better with age. Later Star Trek series have also paid homage to the episode. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine inserted their characters digitally back onto the original Enterprise during the Tribble Trouble in an episode they called “Trials and Tribble-ations.” And for those who have fallen in love with the small furry beasts, there is a disturbing episode in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode “The Breach” where Dr. Phlox feeds a tribble to one of his pets.

Of course, “The Trouble with Tribbles” is their incredible ability to reproduce. Dr. McCoy explains that as far as he can tell the furry creatures were “born pregnant.” There is no end to their reproductive abilities – which means that left alone with no predators and ample food, they will overfill the available space. It might be that Dr. Phlox has the right idea, maybe they are a self-replicating food supply for pets.

Hosea notes this about Israel. Ephraim’s success was due to an unprecedented birth rate. It was what made Israel dangerous while they were still in Egypt, and thus it was the reason why the Pharaoh decided to throw all the Hebrew boys into the Nile. The trouble with tribbles makes an interesting comparison with the Hebrew people in Egypt – their ability to replicate meant that they were taking over. Even in the desert wanderings, Israel continued to grow. Hardship seemed to have no impact on the fertility of Jacob’s descendants. So when they moved into Palestine, they had a growing population base ready to secure the borders and take care of any problem that might arise. Hosea argues that this is the strength of Israel. God has allowed them, maybe unlike any other nation on the earth, to fulfill the command of God and “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28).

At least, this had been the strength of Israel. For the Northern Tribes that Hosea is speaking to, that era ends now. Their ability to had been Israel’s glory, but it is no longer. Now there will be no more births; in fact, there will not even be any more conceptions. The nation is about to disappear, and they will never again instill fear into their neighbors because of their population. God has cut them off.

As we get closer to Christmas Day, it is also a reminder that our strength starts with the conception and birth of a child. But he is a fulfillment of a promise made to Judah – but not to Israel or Ephraim. Ephraim will be barren, but Judah will produce a child. But this child will be born from someone who should have been barren because of circumstance. “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) (Matthew 1:23). The barrenness will be removed by God and the result will be a child who could only be known as “The  Son of God.”

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Hosea 10