God's Word in Our Mouth (Proverbs 22:6; Isaiah 59:21; Joshua 1:8)

PROVERBS 22:6 says, ''... train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he won't depart from it.''

This scripture is fairly well known, and is usually interpreted in relation to raising children in a godly fashion. This interpretation is generally true, but specifically, the meaning is much more exciting!

TRAIN - is elsewhere translated as ''dedicate'', primarily referring to houses or the temple. It comes from the meaning of smearing crushed dates on an infants palate, to prepare them for solid food. The specific meaning is to ''initiate into use'', whether a house or other structure, or a child to be initiated into some activity.[specifically, taking solid food into the mouth].

HE SHOULD GO - this is the only place in the OT that this word is translated ''.. he should go..'' In Isaiah 59:21, the scripture says, ''... my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed's seed..." God says that this is His covenant with us, that His word won't depart from our mouth, nor from the mouth of our children, nor from the mouth of our grandchildren. This word translated ''.. he should go ..'' only in Proverbs 22:6, is translated 4 times in Isaiah 59:1 as ''mouth'',[ the correct translation].

The meaning of the verse, is literally, to ''initiate a child into the way of the mouth'', and when they are old they won't depart from it. [There is basically a play on words in the Hebrew, of taking solid food into the mouth (initiate) and taking the word of God into the mouth (way of the mouth), where ''way'' implies a habitual life style].

JOSHUA 1:8 says, ''... this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night...'' [When it's not day it's night, so it means all the time].

MEDITATE - means to ''mutter'', or more properly, ''to mumble'', under your breath. [i.e., constantly speaking God's word].

DEPART - what is significant about this word, in relation to Proverbs 22:6, and Isaiah 59:1, is that ''to depart'', has the common meaning of ''to leave it's proper place''. The ''proper place'' for God's word is in our mouth, and my responsibility is to teach my children ''the way of the mouth'', that God's words in their mouth has authority and will produce results. When they see that there is a direct relation to what they speak and what is produced in their lives, even when they are old, they will never depart from it.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours