Introduction
It has become common today to hear of “Hate Speech”, that “words are violence”, and frequent accusations of “provocative rhetoric”. The fact is, that according to the Bible, this is true, because words can cause individuals pain. Hateful, demeaning, slanderous and provocative words can indeed cause permanent injury to others…emotionally, mentally, and, most of all, spiritually. God tells us in Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.“ Proverbs 12:18, “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise [is] health.” (And we should all know that God hates a lying and deceitful tongue: Proverbs 6:16-19.)
Contrariwise, while evil words can bring injury and death, God makes very clear that loving words should rather be used to build up our fellow man (and as Proverbs 12:18 says above, good words of the wise actually promote health and life). God instructs us from the Bible to use our words lovingly, sparingly, and always in Truth, to encourage others and most of all to share the Gospel of Salvation, speaking of Jesus Christ, the Living Water and the Bread of Life, to everyone possible that they might have eternal life (while also praying that God might grant them the spiritual “ears to hear” to effectuate it).
Proverbs 10:21, “The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.“
Proverbs 18:4, “The words of a man’s mouth [are as] deep waters, [and] the wellspring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook.”
The duty of every Christian is to use his or her mouths (and very lives) to faithfully proclaim the LORD Jesus Christ, Who Is The Word of God as is found in the Bible, and thereby Comfort, Edify (“build up”), Encourage, Exhort, Establish, Perfect, Settle and Strengthen the faith of the Saints (the true Believing Christians, the “Sheep”, the Eternal Church of Jesus Christ per Jesus’ instruction to the Apostle Peter in Luke 22:32 to “strengthen thy brethren“). And also help the believer to more fully comprehend what we read in 2 Timothy 3:16&17, “¶All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.“
The believer goes further to use his or her words to Worship and Praise God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) for Who He Is, our LORD God Creator and Savior and Eternal Life Giver. We use words to sing Praise in Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs (Ephesians 5:19&20, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” and Colossians 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.“). This is the good and proper use of our mouths to Give Glory and Honor to God.
The purpose of this post is to create a compendium of God’s instructions regarding how God wants us to use our mouths/lips/ tongues and speech, so that this post can serve as a future reference for anyone seeking to know and do God’s Will more faithfully. There is no better place to begin than with Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” and Proverbs 25:11, “A word fitly spoken [is like] apples of gold in pictures of silver.“
God said this by the hand of King Solomon in Proverbs 4:20, “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.” And Jesus made this even more clear Luke 6:45, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” And this brings to mind how God describes the heart of the natural, unregenerate, person, Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart [is] deceitful above [all things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?“
Remembering also what Jesus said in John 6:63, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life.“
Finally, the best answer that any person can give, in response to any worldly subject today (and which will glorify God in the process), is to simply follow Jesus’ example and quote from appropriate Bible Scripture. Three times Jesus was tempted by the devil, and in all three cases Jesus only replied with the appropriate Bible verse:
- Matthew 4:4 referring to Deuteronomy 8:3,
- Matthew 4:7 referring to Deuteronomy 6:16
- Matthew 4:10 referring to Deuteronomy 10:20 (& Deuteronomy 6:13, Joshua 24:14)
The Mouth of the Righteous Speaks Blessings of Truth and Life
The believer speaks from God’s Word the Bible, Joshua 1:8, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.“
Psalm 34:1&2, ¶[[A [Psalm] of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.]] “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise [shall] continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear [thereof], and be glad.”
Psalm 39:1, “[[To the chief Musician, [even] to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.]] I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.“
Psalm 77:12, “I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.“
Psalm 141:3&4, “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to [any] evil thing (word), to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.” Remembering what Jesus said in Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” referring back to Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.“
Job 27:4, “My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.“
Proverbs 16:1, “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, [is] from the LORD.”
Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.“
Psalm 37:30, “The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.”
Psalm 15:1, “¶[[A Psalm of David.]] LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbitten not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.“
Psalm 49:3, “My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart [shall be] of understanding.“
Psalm 139:4, “For [there is] not a word in my tongue, [but], lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.“
God says in Proverbs 8:13, “The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.“
Isaiah 50:4, “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to [him that is] weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.“
Zephaniah 3:13, “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make [them] afraid.“
Philippians 2:10&11, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.“
Colossians 3:8, “¶But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.“
Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.“
Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech [be] alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.“
1 Peter 3:8-12, “¶Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord [are] over the righteous, and his ears [are open] unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord [is] against them that do evil.“
1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.“
Proverbs 10:19, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips [is] wise.”
1 Corinthians 10:31, “¶Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.“
These verses outline the closeness of honoring God by honoring His sabbath day along with NOT seeking “pleasurable” diversions from Him (and His rest), and with NOT speaking idle words, but instead to be using our mouths in speaking from His Word: Isaiah 58:13&14, “If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, [from] doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking [thine own] words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it].”
The Mouth of the Wicked Speaks Lying, Deceit, and Death
Regarding the wicked, God tells us in Psalm 10:7, that, “His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue [is] mischief and vanity.” and then in Psalm 52:1-5, “¶[[To the chief Musician, Maschil, [A Psalm] of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech.]] Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God [endureth] continually. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good; [and] lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words, O [thou] deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of [thy] dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.“
God Hates the Lying Tongue; It Only Brings Death
Proverbs 6:16-19, “These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.“
Also we read in Psalm 50:19, “Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.” and “He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.“
Proverbs 10:18, “He that hideth hatred [with] lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, [is] a fool.”
Proverbs 18:8, “The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.“
Psalm 5:9, “For [there is] no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.“
Psalm 12:3, “The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, [and] the tongue that speaketh proud things:
Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who [is] lord over us?“
Psalm 58:3&4, “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison [is] like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder [that] stoppeth her ear;” Remembering what Jesus said to the Jews in John 8:44, “Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he isa liar, and the father of it.“
Proverbs 4:24, “Put away from thee a froward (עִקְּשׁוּת (ʿiqqᵊšûṯ))H6143 mouth, and perverse (לְזוּת (lᵊzûṯ))H3891 lips put far from thee.” Proverbs 6:12, “A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward (עִקְּשׁוּת (ʿiqqᵊšûṯ))H6143 mouth.” The original Hebrew word that is translated as “froward” in English means fraudulent or deceitful speech. To be deceitful is to be false and misleading, another way of describing someone who lies. And again the “father of lies” is the devil (John 8:44). We see this also in Psalm 36:3, “The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, [and] to do good.“
Psalm 59:12, “[For] the sin of their mouth [and] the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying [which] they speak.“
Proverbs 15:23, “A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good [is it]!“
Proverbs 17:4, “A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; [and] a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.”
Proverbs 21:6, “The getting of treasures by a lying tongue [is] a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.“
Proverbs 21:28, “A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.“
Proverbs 16:28, “A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.”
Proverbs 17:20, “He that hath a froward (עִקֵּשׁ (ʿiqqēš))H6141 heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.“
Proverbs 18:6, “A fool’s lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.“
Proverbs 18:7, “A fool’s mouth [is] his destruction, and his lips [are] the snare of his soul.“
Proverbs 18:8, “The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.“
Ecclesiastes 5:2, “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter [any] thing before God: for God [is] in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice [is known] by multitude of words.“
Ecclesiastes 5:6&7, “Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it [was] an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?“
Jeremiah 9:5, “And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, [and] weary themselves to commit iniquity.“
Jeremiah 9:8, “Their tongue [is as] an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: [one] speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.”
Psalm 64:2&3, “Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: Who whet their tongue like a sword, [and] bend [their bows to shoot] their arrows, [even] bitter words: That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.“
Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
Matthew 5:22, “But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”
And God has this to say about the natural, unsaved, of all mankind as is recorded by the pen of the Apostle Paul in Romans 3:13, “Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips: Whose mouth [is] full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet [are] swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery [are] in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.“
Does not this sound a lot like Psalm 140:1, “¶[[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; Which imagine mischiefs in [their] heart; continually are they gathered together [for] war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison [is] under their lips. Selah.” And within a short space, Psalm 140:11, “Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow [him].“
And Heaven is shut up to those who tell lies: Revelation 21:27, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.“
Juxapositions
Proverbs 10:20, “The tongue of the just [is] as choice silver: the heart of the wicked [is] little worth.“
Proverbs 10:31, “The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.“
Proverbs 12:18, “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise [is] health.“
Proverbs 12:19, “The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue [is] but for a moment.“
Proverbs 15:2, “The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.“
Proverbs 15:4, “A wholesome tongue [is] a tree of life: but perverseness therein [is] a breach in the spirit.“
Proverbs 15:7, “The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish [doeth] not so.“
Proverbs 15:26, “The thoughts of the wicked [are] an abomination to the LORD: but [the words] of the pure [are] pleasant words.“
Proverbs 15:28, “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.“
Words to Live By
Proverbs 21:23, “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”
Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.“
Proverbs 25:15, “By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.”
Proverbs 16:23, “The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.”
Proverbs 16:24, “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.“
Proverbs 18:13, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth [it], it [is] folly and shame unto him.“
Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.“
Luke 6:45, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.“
Matthew 12:36, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.“
Matthew 15:10&11, “¶And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.“
Matthew 15:18, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.”
Acts 18:9, “¶Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.“
Ephesians 4:15, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:“
Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.“
1 Corinthians 15:33, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.“
Hebrews 13:15, “By him (Jesus) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.“
2 Samuel 23:2, “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word [was] in my tongue.“
The Book of James Has a Lot to Say about the Tongue
James 1:19, “¶Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:“
James 1:26, “¶If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion [is] vain.” (Note how this relates back to Psalm 39:1)
James 5:12, “¶But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and [your] nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.“
The Tongue Is a Fire!
James 3:1-9, “¶My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same [is] a perfect man, [and] able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though [they be] so great, and [are] driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.” (Note alsl how the bit in the horse’s mouths relates back to Psalm 39:1)
Morever, we next read in James 3:10-12, “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet [water] and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so [can] no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”
NOTE: It is naturally IMPOSSIBLE for these earthly examples described above to exist together. So too it is IMPOSSIBLE for a true believer to love God and hate someone. We must take to heart the following verses from the book of 1 John:1 John 3:15, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. ¶Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? ¶My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 4:20, “¶If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?“
Conclusion
Words can save or condemn. The Mouth and Tongue of the believer should be a “balm of life” for our fellow man, and never a “weapon of war” that brings forth only poison and death”
Our mouths, via our tongues and the words we say with them (due to our natural lack of self-control), can be powerfully evil and destructive. It’s not a small problem. It’s rooted in the fundamental spiritual problems all people have: pride and lack of self-control, which is due to the sin problem, which originated with the Fall of Adam. May we all humbly call upon God as the Psalmist in Psalm 19:14, and pray, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.“
Let us all learn to Honor God with our mouths, as well as all of our members and ask God to please make us more conscious of the words we speak and quickly repent of any comment that dishonors Him. Our words should demonstrate the power of God’s grace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives. May God enable us to use our words as an instrument of His love and saving grace to the hearers that they too might be saved. Romans 10:17, “So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.“
We should also remember that the believers will be speaking with “New Tongues” upon regeneration by God’s Holy Spirit.
POSTSCRIPT
Regarding the fountain (spring) that sends forth only “sweet” water is a picture of the true Gospel (The Word) going forth with rivers of sweet living water to bring eternal life, versus the spring of “bitter” water, which is a picture of the false gospels that will only bring forth death. The Bible makes this clear when we look at the following verses:
LIVING WATERS, The True Gospel
Proverbs 16:22, “Understanding [is] a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools [is] folly.“
Proverbs 18:4, “The words of a man’s mouth [are as] deep waters, [and] the wellspring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook.”
Jeremiah 2:13, “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.“
Jeremiah 17:13, “O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, [and] they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.“
Isaiah 12:2&3, “Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.“
Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.”
Jesus said in John 7:38, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
Revelation 21:6, “¶And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.“
POISONED WATERS, the False Gospels
Revelation 8:10&11, “¶And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” The great star from heaven is the devil cast out down to the earth. The third part represents the corporate church that becomes apostate through the pollution of the bitterness and poison of the wormwood, which then brings forth false gospels that result only in the death of their hearers.
Jesus warned the disciples how false doctrine (false gospels) can be compared to “leaven” as we read in Matthew 16:11, “How is it that ye do not understand that I spake [it] not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they how that he bade [them] not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” Note how this harmonizes with what the Apostle Paul wrote concerning the false gospel of circumcision for salvation in his letter to the church at Galatia in Galatians 5:8, “This persuasion [cometh] not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.“
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