Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
the Bow » Illustrative » Of the tongue of the wicked
Look, the wicked have bent their bow and placed their arrow on the string, to shoot from the darkness at the upright in heart.
They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD.
Ignorance » Man's » Of God
They will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.
For as I was walking around and looking closely at the objects you worship, I even found an altar with this written on it: "To an unknown god.' So I am telling you about the unknown object you worship.
Even the stork in the sky knows its seasons, and the dove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time for migration. But my people don't know the requirements of the LORD.
They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD.
They'll do this because they haven't known the Father or me.
"For my people are foolish, they don't know me. They're stupid children, they have no understanding. They're skilled at doing evil, but how to do good, they don't know."
These women are always studying but are never able to arrive at a full knowledge of the truth.
After that whole generation had died, another generation grew up after them that was not acquainted with the LORD or with what he had done for Israel.
Ignorance of God » The wicked, in a state of
They will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.
They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD.
Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent,
"Righteous Father, the world has never known you. Yet I have known you, and these men have known that you sent me.
Lukewarmness » Figurative
However, I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.
"What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What am I to do with you, Judah? Your love is like a morning rain cloud it passes away like the morning dew.
They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD.
Their hearts are divided; from now on they are to be found guilty. God will tear down their altars, he will destroy their stone idols.
All of you must stay awake and pray that you won't be tempted. The spirit is indeed willing, but the body is weak."
You didn't go up to repair the breaches in the walls and you didn't build the walls so Israel's house would be able to endure battle on the Day of the LORD.
"How weak is your heart," declares the Lord GOD, "when you committed all of these deeds, the acts of an imperious whore!
"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "These people keep saying, "No, the right time for rebuilding the LORD's Temple has not yet come."'"
"Is it the right time for all of you to live in your own paneled houses while this house remains in ruins?" "Now this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, says: "Carefully consider your ways: You have sowed much but have reaped little. You have eaten but don't have enough to become satisfied. You have drunk but don't have enough to become intoxicated. You have clothed yourself but don't have enough to keep warm. And the hired laborer deposits his salary in a bag full of holes!'" read more.
"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Carefully consider your ways: Go up into the mountains, bring timber, and reconstruct my house. Then I will be pleased with it and I will be honored,' says the LORD. "You turned away in pursuit of abundance, but look at how little you found! What you did manage to bring home, I blew away! And why?' declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "It's because of my house! It lies in ruins while each of you runs off to his own house! That is why the heavens keep withholding dew from you, and the earth withholds her fruit. I sent a drought on the land, on the mountains, on your grain, on your new wines, on your oil on everything the ground produces on men, on livestock, and on everything you do!'"
"This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Carefully consider your ways: Go up into the mountains, bring timber, and reconstruct my house. Then I will be pleased with it and I will be honored,' says the LORD. "You turned away in pursuit of abundance, but look at how little you found! What you did manage to bring home, I blew away! And why?' declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "It's because of my house! It lies in ruins while each of you runs off to his own house! That is why the heavens keep withholding dew from you, and the earth withholds her fruit. I sent a drought on the land, on the mountains, on your grain, on your new wines, on your oil on everything the ground produces on men, on livestock, and on everything you do!'"
Pay attention from now on to how things used to be before one stone had been laid upon another in the Temple of the LORD. When someone came to a pile of grain to get 20 measures, there were only ten. Or when someone approached the wine press to siphon out 50 measures, there were only 20.
"I know what you've been doing. You are known for being alive, but you are dead. Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left, which are about to die. I note that your actions are incomplete before my God.
"I know your actions, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. Since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth.
Lying » The wicked » Prepare their tongues for
They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD.
People deceive their friends, and they don't tell the truth. They have taught their tongues to tell lies. They exhaust themselves practicing evil.
Prophets » Felt deeply on account of the calamities which they predicted
"Therefore I weep with the tears of Jazer for the vines of Sibmah. I drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh for the shouts of joy over your summer fruit and your grain harvest have ended. Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards, in the vineyards people will sing no songs, and no cheers are raised. No vintner treads out wine in the presses, because I've put an end to the shouting. Therefore my insides moan like a lyre for Moab, and my innermost being for Kir-hareseth.
"Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, for then I would cry day and night for those of my people who have been killed. Oh, that I had a lodging place for travelers in the desert, so that I could leave my people and go away from them. For all of them are adulterers, a band of traitors. They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD. read more.
"Beware of your neighbors, and don't trust any of your relatives. For all of your relatives act deceitfully, and every friend goes around as a slanderer. People deceive their friends, and they don't tell the truth. They have taught their tongues to tell lies. They exhaust themselves practicing evil. You yourself live in the midst of deception, and because they are deceived they do not know me," declares the LORD. Therefore, this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Look, I'm about to refine and test them. Because they're my people, what else can I do?
"Beware of your neighbors, and don't trust any of your relatives. For all of your relatives act deceitfully, and every friend goes around as a slanderer. People deceive their friends, and they don't tell the truth. They have taught their tongues to tell lies. They exhaust themselves practicing evil. You yourself live in the midst of deception, and because they are deceived they do not know me," declares the LORD. Therefore, this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Look, I'm about to refine and test them. Because they're my people, what else can I do?
Sin » Progressive
In fact, as if it were nothing for him to live like Nebat's son Jeroboam, Ahab married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon. Then he went out to serve Baal and worship him.
How blessed is the person, who does not take the advice of the wicked, who does not stand on the path with sinners, and who does not sit in the seat of mockers.
They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD.
but now they are sinning more and more, crafting idols from melted silver. Their idols are made with the most exacting skill, all of it the work of craftsmen. People say about them, "They offer human sacrifice, and kiss calf-shaped idols.'
"Oh, you stubborn children," declares the LORD, "who carry out plans but they are not mine, and who make alliances but not by my Spirit, piling sin upon sin.
But evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse as they deceive others and are themselves deceived.
"How terrible it will be for those who parade iniquity with cords of falsehood, who draw sin along as with a cart rope;
because when such a person hears the words of this oath, he will bless himself and say: "I will have a peaceful life, even though I'm determined to be stubborn.' By doing this he will be sweeping away both watered and parched ground alike.'
Then say to them, "It is because your ancestors abandoned me,' declares the LORD. "They followed other gods, served them, worshipped them, abandoned me, and didn't keep my Law. You have done even more evil than your ancestors, and each one of you is stubbornly following his own evil desires, refusing to listen to me.
Truth » The wicked » Are not valiant for
They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD.
Truth » The evil people » Are not valiant for
They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD.
War » Figurative » Mere professors do not maintain
They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD.
Warfare of saints » Mere professors do not maintain
They use their tongues like a bow. Lies rather than truth fly throughout the land. They progress from one evil to another, and they don't know me," declares the LORD.