So again, this "woe" is especially upon the false leaders of Ephraim which do much of the misleading, when they are responsible to God in helping to feed and guard His sheep:

Isa 28:3    The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet:
4    And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.

     Historically, the "drunkards of Ephraim" in the old northern Kingdom of Israel indeed were trodden down .

 

2 Kings 17: Read All.

 

The Assyrian came upon them and took the ten tribes out of the land, and moved them to Assyria and the cities of the Medes. That occurred approximately 130 years prior to the "house of Judah" being taken captive to Babylon. One of old Assyria's political strategies in controlling a land was to remove the original dwellers, and replace them with peoples from other lands. After the "house of Israel" (ten tribes) was taken out of the land, Assyria brought in peoples from five different pagan nations to dwell there instead .

 

2 Kings 17:23-24. Read All.

 

If you realize who the first one in the field is "taken" by (i.e. by antichrist), then what the Assyrian did historically represents what antichrist will spiritually do to those who intend to 'fly away' to save their souls.

 

 Ezek.13: Read All.

 Luke 17:33-37: Read All.

 

 Matt.24:28, For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

Isa.8:14-15: Read All.
     Recall the blessing of Genesis 27:28 which Jacob received, that God would give him "...the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:"; then this "head of the fat valley" mentioned still represents Ephraim as the head of the ten tribes of the "house of Israel" for today. And certainly, the western Christian nations represent the fattest valleys upon the earth, historically producing much more than they could ever consume.
     What is this "hasty fruit" idea? Is there a prophetic link for today with this 'hasty fruit', with the antichrist as a 'type' for what the historical Assyrian did to the ten tribes under old Ephraim? What did our Lord Jesus teach about summer harvest time, and the season of His coming? This "hasty fruit" (early fig) means the first fruits of the season, prior to the main summer harvest (common fig). Didn't our Lord teach something about this in His parable of the fig tree?

Mark 13:28     Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
29    So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

     Summer is the symbolic season of our True Lord Christ's coming. When a fruit tree begins to bring forth leaves in the spring, then you know summer is just around the corner. Likewise it is with the time of our Lord's return. His harvest will metaphorically be in the summer, during the time of the common fig. That's the symbolic season of the gathering of His to Him. To put trust in the 'hasty fruit' (early fig) of an early harvest is symbolic of not waiting for the true time of harvest, which means the season of His coming.