I know all about Ephraim; Israel is not hidden from me. Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution; Israel is corrupt. – Hosea 5:3

Today's Scripture Reading (April 10, 2026): Hosea 5

I remember the game. We were winning; in fact, it wasn't a contest. It was late in the game, and we were up by over 4 touchdowns, threatening to score again. It was early in the season, and we were unbeaten. None of the games had been close, but then again, we hadn't played the good teams yet. In the stands, the crowd's emotions were rising. Then, suddenly, I heard the beginnings of a chant. "We're number one. We're number one." I think I muttered, "Yeah, we're number one." It was the truth. Unbeaten, we were in sole possession of first place in our division. Yes, it was early, but we had to be the favorites to win the division.

Unfortunately, I was walking past the coach when I made my comment, and he immediately voiced his displeasure. He did not want to hear any of his players making that comment. We weren't number one until the timer had hit zeroes on the final game of the season with us in the lead. Until that moment came, all we were was a bunch of wannabes with a lot to prove.

Have you ever noticed that no one brags about being number two? We remember the champions, but seldom remember the runners-up. Okay, most of the time, unless there is something special about the futility. I am old enough to remember watching the Buffalo Bills play in four consecutive Super Bowls from 1991 to 1994. Maybe I remember that team because they lost them all. They came in second four years in a row. They are the only team to appear in four consecutive Super Bowls, and of course, the only team to lose them all. It has been over three decades since then, and they have never been invited back to the dance.

It is not just in modern sports that this competition exists. All through our lives, we want to find something that we can dominate at; something where we can say, "I'm number one. Number twos need not apply."

Judah was the largest of the twelve tribes of Israel. They were in possession of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple, and the line of David came from their ranks. For the other eleven tribes, it was a reminder of Judah's supremacy. As a result, jealousy arose between the tribes, especially between the Tribe of Ephraim and Judah; Ephraim was number two. And they became defined by their "twoness."

So, they became the masters of imitation. Ephraim had led the rebellion against Judah after Solomon's reign. Judah might have Solomon's Temple, but Ephraim enthusiastically supported the worship advocated by the northern tribes of the two Golden Calves, which were placed in Bethel and Dan. Ephraim contaminated the Northern Tribes with their leadership and quickly led their neighbors away from God.

There is a principle that argues that if you tell a lie often enough, people will eventually begin to believe it. But there is a more insidious effect of telling the lie. If you tell it enough, you begin to believe it yourself. Hosea argues that Ephraim had told their lies so often that they began to believe them. Hosea reminds them that not only were they rejecting a truth, but God was aware of their acceptance of a lie, and He was not pleased. In using the title "Ephraim," he was not just indicating the tribe, but all of the northern tribes who had chosen to follow "number two" into evil and defeat.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Hosea 6