At the beginning of Ephraim’s history, Ephraim was God’s favourite and a symbol of blessing. In Genesis 48:20, Jacob pronounced these blessings on Ephraim:
“...In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.”
David also spoke about the blessings on Ephraim in Psalm 108:8. Without any doubt, Ephraim was indeed a beneficiary of divine blessings. But at some point in history, Ephraim became an object of ridicule (Jeremiah 7:15). How did Ephraim come to this state? The answer is in Hosea 4:17:
“Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.”
 
What is idolatry? Idolatry is the act of reverencing anything other than the Almighty God. It can take the form of esteeming your culture, race, idea, achievement, etc over and above the Almighty and His Word. Idolatry can also be an insatiable craving for the material things of this world (1 John 2:15-17). When you esteem your children, your cars or your educational qualifications so highly that you make them “no go areas” for the One who gave them to you in the first place, then you are guilty of idolatry. This was the undoing of King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:30-33).
 
Idolatry is one of the archenemies of divine blessings. The Almighty God warned His people against idolatry in Exodus 20:3 saying:
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
When the children of Israel became comfortable in the Promised Land, they joined themselves with the natives to worship their gods. For this reason, they suffered series of servitude under neighbouring kingdoms. At some point, they were even carried away into captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians. A nation that had hitherto enjoyed divine blessings in the land flowing with milk and honey became slaves all over again because of their sin of idolatry. This was exactly what turned Ephraim’s divine blessings into a curse.
 
The word of the Lord is coming to you today to beware of idolatry. Put God first in all you think, say or do, and you will not be a victim of the sin of idolatry.