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| 1 Ask of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain; Jehovah will make lightnings, and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. |
Showers of rain – Truth. B256
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| 2 For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams: they comfort in vain. Therefore they have gone away as a flock, they are in distress, because there is no shepherd. |
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| 3 Mine anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the he-goats; for Jehovah of hosts visiteth his flock, the house of Judah, and maketh them as his majestic horse in the battle. |
The shepherds – Greedy, ignorant, lazy teachers. F287
In the battle – The time of trouble. D527
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| 4 From him shall come forth the corner-stone, from him the nail, from him the battle bow, from him every exactor together. |
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| 5 And they shall be as mighty men, treading down the mire of the streets in the battle; and they shall fight, for Jehovah is with them, and the riders on horses shall be put to shame. |
And they – Verses 5 to 12 evidently apply to the second advent. R2124:5
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| 6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back again; for I will have mercy upon them; and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am Jehovah their God, and I will answer them. |
House of Joseph – Not mentioned as antagonistic or a rival kingdom to Judah or Ephraim, but as unitedly sharing divine favor--of the same kind and at the same time. R2124:5
Not cast them off – The Lord assures Israel that the coming favor will be to both, and to all the tribes. R2124:5
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| 7 And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their hearts shall rejoice as through wine; and their children shall see it, and rejoice; their heart shall be joyful in Jehovah. |
They of Ephraim – Christendom. D22
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| 8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall multiply as they used to multiply. |
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| 9 And I will sow them among the peoples, and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children and return. |
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| 10 And I will bring them again out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them. |
The land of Egypt – The kingdom of darkness. F458
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| 11 And he shall pass through the sea of affliction, and shall smite the billows in the sea, and all the depths of the Nile shall dry up; and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away. |
Through the sea – The coming time of anarchy. D596
River shall dry up – "The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up." (Rev. 16:12) R1371:6
And the sceptre – Right to rule. B83
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| 12 And I will strengthen them in Jehovah; and they shall walk in his name, saith Jehovah. |
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