An Angry Countenance for a Backbiting Tongue - Proverbs 25:23

In the book of Proverbs Solomon said, “If your enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink. For you shall heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward you”, and in chapter twenty-five and verse twenty-three of Proverbs Solomon said, “the north wind drives away rain” where we read,

The north wind drives away rain:

so does an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

The verse begins, “The north wind drives away rain:” Solomon began with the words, “the north wind” or “the breath and air that comes from a northern direction” “drives away rain” which means “twists and whirls rain showers”. Solomon referred to the way the breeze from the northern direction twists and whirls away rain showers.

The verse goes on to say, “so does an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.” Solomon continued with the words, “so does an angry countenance” or “even and indeed a denouncing, indignant, defiant and abhorrent presence or face” “a backbiting tongue” which means “a secret, hiding, covering or covert wedge in the mouth used for speaking”. Solomon said an indignant and abhorrent look will drive away a disguised and secretive speech. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon how we may use our facial expression to disapprove of the speech of a person who is secretly talking about others “behind their back” or without their knowledge. Some people are talebearers and like to gossip about others, however, when we encounter someone like this, our indignant and abhorrent look to what they are saying will deter them. God wants us to love one another even as He loved us, (See John 15:12) and when we understand that God proved His love to us when He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, we may believe and trust in Him and He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us how to disapprove of those who use their “tongues” and speech to “backbite” and complain about others. 

Next time Solomon shares about, “the corner of the housetop” and “a brawling woman”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".