| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
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| 1 Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: |
Woe – Ho (Young's translation). R3404:3
To the land – By many, supposed to refer to the United States of America. R3404:3
Shadowing with wings – Sheltered by divine providence as an asylum for the liberty lovers and truth lovers of the world. R3404:3, R3405:1
Which is beyond – A fitting description of the location of the United States. R3405:2
Rivers of Ethiopia – Beyond the waters of the ends of the earth. R3405:2
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| 2 That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled! |
Sendeth ambassadors – God's messages of Present Truth. R3405:2
Vessels of bulrushes – Papyrus, paper. R3405:2
Ye swift messengers – God's message going forth in literature, the Millennial Dawn books, tracts, etc. R3405:4
To a nation scattered – "A Holy Nation, a Royal Priesthood." (1 Pet. 2:9) R3405:4
Also the Jewish nation, in stumbling over Christ. R1962:6
And peeled – Polished. R3405:4
A people terrible – In their experiences hitherto. R3405:4
A nation meted out – Whose course and experiences in life the Lord has measured out for them, for their own highest welfare. R3405:4
And trodden down – As a part of their necessary experiences. R3405:4
The rivers – Either of death or as in Psa. 46:4. R3405:5
Have spoiled – Divided. The river of death separates this Holy Nation from its inheritance on the other side of Jordan. R3405:5
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| 3 All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. |
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| 4 For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. |
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| 5 For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.
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| 6 They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. |
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| 7 In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion. |
In that time – The time when the message of the swift messengers goes forth. R3405:5
Shall the present – The Holy Nation, brought as a present to Jehovah. R3405:5
The mount Zion – The heavenly Kingdom. R3405:5
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