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Verse 7

"And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine; yea, their children shall see it, and rejoice; their heart shall be glad in Jehovah."

If there had been any doubt of the spiritual nature of these promises, this verse would have removed it. It is not old fleshly Israel "in their land" that is promised here, but the "Bride of Christ," God's new Israel "IN JEHOVAH," "IN THE LORD." This expression, used some 169 times in Paul's writings alone, dominates the entire New Testament; and the startling appearance of the phrase here shows quite definitely that God is speaking of New Testament conditions. Salvation for any one who ever lived is possible only "in the Lord."

Commentators make a serious mistake when they cite specific campaigns and historical persons as any kind of fulfillment of a passage like this. The prophet is not always foretelling future events.

Oftentimes he is teaching, warning, and exhorting; and generally he is enunciating great principles, the truth of which would appear in the future, rather than predicting particular facts.[16]

Again, the figurative nature of the verse is heralded by the little word "like," showing that a simile is being used.

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