Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
Ephraim mixing itself among the peoples means losing its distinct spiritual character by conforming to the surrounding peoples. The cake not turned is a people made unfit through that conformity. Worldly ambition and avoidance of the faith's distinguishing traits destroy spirituality and erase the mark that sets God's people apart from the world.
The unturned cake also pictures incompleteness and one-sidedness in ministry. A minister who only preaches and neglects personal visiting, shepherding, and care for the members of the church fails to do the whole work. Learning to visit and shepherd the flock and to care personally for the congregation completes the ministry and gives full proof of it.
Ephraim mixing itself among the peoples means losing its distinct spiritual character by conforming to the surrounding peoples. The cake not turned is a people made unfit through that conformity. Worldly ambition and avoidance of the faith's distinguishing traits destroy spirituality and erase the mark that sets God's people apart from the world.
The unturned cake also pictures incompleteness and one-sidedness in ministry. A minister who only preaches and neglects personal visiting, shepherding, and care for the members of the church fails to do the whole work. Learning to visit and shepherd the flock and to care personally for the congregation completes the ministry and gives full proof of it.