We begin the final section of Chapter 31, and the final chapter of the book of Proverbs. It's unclear whether the mother who was giving advice to her son in the first portion of this chapter is still the person who is speaking. Some Bible scholars say yes, while others think Solomon wrote the passage.
Up until now we've found Solomon speaking about women without virtue. He warned his son against visiting prostitutes and against listening to the smooth words of the adulterous wife. He cautioned against marrying a woman who is argumentative and nagging. He seems to have had a poor opinion of the character of most women, or at least the women of his acquaintance. Those of you who studied Ecclesiastes with us may recall Solomon observing, "I found one upright men among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all." (Ecclesiastes 7:28) We know Solomon had a thousand wives and concubines, and if he did not find even one of these women to be upright in character, this is probably because he shunned the godly women of his own culture to marry foreign women who worshiped false gods. He was a man unlucky in love, but he only had himself to blame.
Whether Solomon wrote this passage, or whether this is the advice of King Lemuel's mother, it's beneficial for both men and women. Single men can use it as a guidebook for choosing a wife of noble character. Married men can praise their wives for being honorable and industrious like the woman in this chapter. Single women can use this chapter as premarital advice for how to conduct themselves as a wife and mother and career woman in the future. Married women can use it as a checklist to see whether they are adhering to the spirit of this chapter when it comes to behavior in the home and in the workplace. The woman of Chapter 31 is no shrinking violet, no meek and mousy woman who fades into the background. She is confident and courageous. She works both in the home and outside the home. She thinks for herself while at the same time keeping the best interests of her husband and children at heart. She adds to the fine reputation of her husband and helps him to be all he can be. She watches over her children and is aware of everything going on in their lives. She is known and admired in the community. But most of all she fears the Lord and obeys His word.
Most of our Bibles will title this passage "The Wife Of Noble Character" or "The Virtuous Woman". But in the original Hebrew it is "The Woman Of Valor". My thesaurus says valor means "boldness, courage, determination, endurance, enterprise, fearlessness, fortitude, heroism, invincibility, lion-heartedness, power, self-confidence, and spirit". Apparently the early church fathers felt these qualities didn't sound feminine enough for a godly wife, so the word which is otherwise translated "valor" when it's applied to men in the Bible was amended to "virtuous". I believe the Lord said what He meant to say when He called this honorable woman a woman of valor, and that's because it takes courage to be a woman of God. It calls for valor to stand for what is right and to be willing to swim against the stream. We need spiritual muscle to make it in this world, and as we study the woman of valor in Chapter 31 we find she is strong in body and in mind and in spirit.
"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." (Proverbs 31:10) This is not the type of woman a man can just bump into anywhere. He has to search for her. He has to carefully consider the qualities of the women he meets or goes out with. He must consult God's will in his choice of wife. As Solomon so wisely advised his son, "A prudent wife is from the Lord". (Proverbs 19:14) A man should prayerfully make certain that the woman he's interested in marrying is the right woman for him according to the will of God.
The author is saying something like this to the young man who is looking for a wife, "A mighty woman of valor is hard to find, and you should be looking for her in the right places. She's worth waiting for. Don't settle for less than God's best for your life. A woman like this will be more valuable to you than all the wealth you could possibly accumulate. She will be a true helpmate and friend."
The woman of Chapter 31 is going to sound a bit like Superwoman to us, but aren't all godly women Superwomen? We aren't perfect, and neither was the woman of Chapter 31, although the author does not point out any of her faults. Her power comes from knowing the Lord, just as ours does. Her confidence comes from knowing God is behind her. We will find her happily laughing at the future without any fear because God also goes before her. In Christ, we can all be women of valor!
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Counseled By The King: The Proverbs Of Solomon. Day 97, A Mother's Advice
Today we begin the final chapter of Proverbs and in it we find the advice of a loving mother to her son. We do not know who this son, Lemuel, is. Some scholars have attempted to equate Lemuel with Solomon and the mother with Bathsheba, but the original text contains some Chaldean characters which would likely not have been used in the time of Solomon. Other scholars believe Lemuel is a pet name King Hezekiah's mother used for him. This is possible, since we know Hezekiah made a collection of Solomon's sayings, and since this Lemuel is said to be a king. Still other commentators think the first section of Chapter 31 is an allegory, a little story about a fictional mother and son. No matter who Lemuel was, or who his mother was, we find some advice in this passage which is good for anyone, and especially for anyone who holds a position of leadership.
"The sayings of King Lemuel---an inspired utterance his mother taught him. Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings." (Proverbs 31:1-3) Many a man has been brought low by illicit relations with women. We've seen politicians lose their careers because of affairs. We've seen church leaders and evangelists disgraced because of relationships they conducted outside of their marriages. Lemuel's mother knows what she's talking about when she tells her son that running after women ruins kings. Look what happened to King David when he chased another man's wife. Think about how far Solomon drifted from the Lord when he lusted after and married an outrageous number of women. Consider what happened to Samson because he had an insatiable appetite for Philistine women. The Bible is full of stories of men who made unwise choices where women are concerned. Lemuel's mother knows that mighty men may survive the battlefield only to be vanquished in their private lives.
"It is not for kings, Lemuel---it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish! Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more." (Proverbs 31:4-7) The king must keep his wits about him. Alcohol is another thing that has ruined many a man (and woman). The king's mother counsels, "Save beer and wine for those who are ill and in pain, and for those whose hearts are broken. Think of it as medicine. But you, my son, are strong and in the prime of life. You must be sober. You must set an example. You must be capable at all times of making wise decisions."
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." (Proverbs 31:8-9) To be the champion of the needy is to be like the Lord, for David says of Him, "Who is like You, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them." (Psalm 35:10) And, "He stand at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them." (Psalm 109:31) And, "I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy." (Psalm 140:12) Lemuel's mother advises him to be a godly king. He is to care for the poor and needy. He is to avenge those who have been unfairly treated. In other words, he is to model himself after the King of kings. He is to look upon his subjects as the Lord would look upon them, and he is to love them as the Lord loves them. The Apostle John spoke on this same subject of loving our fellow man in 1 John 4:20-21, and we will conclude with his words, "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."
"The sayings of King Lemuel---an inspired utterance his mother taught him. Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb! Do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings." (Proverbs 31:1-3) Many a man has been brought low by illicit relations with women. We've seen politicians lose their careers because of affairs. We've seen church leaders and evangelists disgraced because of relationships they conducted outside of their marriages. Lemuel's mother knows what she's talking about when she tells her son that running after women ruins kings. Look what happened to King David when he chased another man's wife. Think about how far Solomon drifted from the Lord when he lusted after and married an outrageous number of women. Consider what happened to Samson because he had an insatiable appetite for Philistine women. The Bible is full of stories of men who made unwise choices where women are concerned. Lemuel's mother knows that mighty men may survive the battlefield only to be vanquished in their private lives.
"It is not for kings, Lemuel---it is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. Let beer be for those who are perishing, wine for those who are in anguish! Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more." (Proverbs 31:4-7) The king must keep his wits about him. Alcohol is another thing that has ruined many a man (and woman). The king's mother counsels, "Save beer and wine for those who are ill and in pain, and for those whose hearts are broken. Think of it as medicine. But you, my son, are strong and in the prime of life. You must be sober. You must set an example. You must be capable at all times of making wise decisions."
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." (Proverbs 31:8-9) To be the champion of the needy is to be like the Lord, for David says of Him, "Who is like You, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them." (Psalm 35:10) And, "He stand at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them." (Psalm 109:31) And, "I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy." (Psalm 140:12) Lemuel's mother advises him to be a godly king. He is to care for the poor and needy. He is to avenge those who have been unfairly treated. In other words, he is to model himself after the King of kings. He is to look upon his subjects as the Lord would look upon them, and he is to love them as the Lord loves them. The Apostle John spoke on this same subject of loving our fellow man in 1 John 4:20-21, and we will conclude with his words, "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Counseled By The King: The Proverbs Of Solomon. Day 96, Don't Play The Fool
We conclude the sayings of Agur today.
"There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, 'Enough!': the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, 'Enough!'" (Proverbs 30:15b-16) Agur spoke about greed yesterday, and today he compares the greed of mankind with other things that are never satisfied. A greedy spirit will never say, 'Enough!'
"The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures." (Proverbs 30:17) Agur is threatening the one who disrespects his parents with a fate considered worse than death in ancient times: having one's body remain unburied. This often happened to criminals, who were left hanging so that the citizens could see what happens to lawbreakers. Agur correctly believes that the person who has no respect for the authority of parents will have no respect for any authority.
"There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock. the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman." (Proverbs 30:18-19) This passage is a bit confusing, but several of the commentaries I studied give it a sinister note, saying that Agur is speaking of things that leave no trace behind. The eagle, the snake, and the ship leave no path behind them to let us know they were ever there. And apparently Agur is saying in the final sentence that virginity is difficult to prove or disprove. He's asking, "Who can say whether this particular man and woman slept together? It's not written on their faces. No more than the eagle leaves a trail behind it in the sky can we be certain of anyone's purity."
The reason scholars believe that's what Agur means by "a man with a young woman" is because our next verse deals with sexual immorality. "This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.'" (Proverbs 30:20) He compares casual sexuality with the eating of a meal. We eat a meal and then go on with our lives, thinking little of it. He says the person with low morals has the same attitude toward intercourse with someone else's spouse. They treat such a sin as casually as the satisfying of the stomach's hunger, committing their act and going about their business as if they've done nothing wrong.
"Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat, a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress." (Proverbs 30:21-23) Agur mentions several incidents of unfair promotion and of the types of people who will become unbearably conceited by their new status in life. As Solomon once said, "Honor is not fitting for a fool." (Proverbs 26:1b)
"Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in king's palaces." (Proverbs 30:24-28) God has built instincts into these creatures. He has also built something into mankind which yearns for fellowship with Him. Let's at least be as smart as these bugs and reptiles and do what we were made to do. Our destiny is to know our Creator; let's not miss our destiny!
"There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt." (Proverbs 30:29-31) These four are confident in their power. I'm reminded of what Solomon said earlier in the book of Proverbs, "The righteous are as bold as a lion." (Proverbs 28:1b) We, as Christians, can walk securely in the power of our God. This is not a prideful confidence, but a grateful confidence. The prophet Isaiah made this promise to the people of God, "The Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard." (Isaiah 52:12b) Our God is so mighty that at the same time He can go before us into battle and protect us from attack from behind. He surrounds us on every side, therefore we can boldly say what David said, "The Lord is my light and my salvation---whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life---of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1)
Agur concludes his writings with these words, "If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife." (Proverbs 30:32-33) It's inevitable that trouble will ensue if we stir up anger, if we are gossips and talebearers and busybodies. Agur says, "Cover your mouth! Don't say something that will start an argument. Don't devise wickedness in your heart to pit one person against another." The Apostle Paul said that discord is one of the symptoms of living according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit. (Galatians 5:19-21) We are not walking in a way that honors our Savior when we enjoy stirring things up, and this is why Agur cautions us, "Don't play the fool!" Ah, this Agur is a man after Solomon's own heart! If Solomon's sayings could be summed up under one theme, I think it would be, "Don't play the fool!" Solomon would say, "Don't mess up your life by living it apart from God. Don't separate yourself from the wisdom and the power that comes from living in fellowship with the Lord."
"There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, 'Enough!': the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, 'Enough!'" (Proverbs 30:15b-16) Agur spoke about greed yesterday, and today he compares the greed of mankind with other things that are never satisfied. A greedy spirit will never say, 'Enough!'
"The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures." (Proverbs 30:17) Agur is threatening the one who disrespects his parents with a fate considered worse than death in ancient times: having one's body remain unburied. This often happened to criminals, who were left hanging so that the citizens could see what happens to lawbreakers. Agur correctly believes that the person who has no respect for the authority of parents will have no respect for any authority.
"There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock. the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a young woman." (Proverbs 30:18-19) This passage is a bit confusing, but several of the commentaries I studied give it a sinister note, saying that Agur is speaking of things that leave no trace behind. The eagle, the snake, and the ship leave no path behind them to let us know they were ever there. And apparently Agur is saying in the final sentence that virginity is difficult to prove or disprove. He's asking, "Who can say whether this particular man and woman slept together? It's not written on their faces. No more than the eagle leaves a trail behind it in the sky can we be certain of anyone's purity."
The reason scholars believe that's what Agur means by "a man with a young woman" is because our next verse deals with sexual immorality. "This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.'" (Proverbs 30:20) He compares casual sexuality with the eating of a meal. We eat a meal and then go on with our lives, thinking little of it. He says the person with low morals has the same attitude toward intercourse with someone else's spouse. They treat such a sin as casually as the satisfying of the stomach's hunger, committing their act and going about their business as if they've done nothing wrong.
"Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: a servant who becomes king, a godless fool who gets plenty to eat, a contemptible woman who gets married, and a servant who displaces her mistress." (Proverbs 30:21-23) Agur mentions several incidents of unfair promotion and of the types of people who will become unbearably conceited by their new status in life. As Solomon once said, "Honor is not fitting for a fool." (Proverbs 26:1b)
"Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in king's palaces." (Proverbs 30:24-28) God has built instincts into these creatures. He has also built something into mankind which yearns for fellowship with Him. Let's at least be as smart as these bugs and reptiles and do what we were made to do. Our destiny is to know our Creator; let's not miss our destiny!
"There are three things that are stately in their stride, four that move with stately bearing: a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing; a strutting rooster, a he-goat, and a king secure against revolt." (Proverbs 30:29-31) These four are confident in their power. I'm reminded of what Solomon said earlier in the book of Proverbs, "The righteous are as bold as a lion." (Proverbs 28:1b) We, as Christians, can walk securely in the power of our God. This is not a prideful confidence, but a grateful confidence. The prophet Isaiah made this promise to the people of God, "The Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard." (Isaiah 52:12b) Our God is so mighty that at the same time He can go before us into battle and protect us from attack from behind. He surrounds us on every side, therefore we can boldly say what David said, "The Lord is my light and my salvation---whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life---of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1)
Agur concludes his writings with these words, "If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife." (Proverbs 30:32-33) It's inevitable that trouble will ensue if we stir up anger, if we are gossips and talebearers and busybodies. Agur says, "Cover your mouth! Don't say something that will start an argument. Don't devise wickedness in your heart to pit one person against another." The Apostle Paul said that discord is one of the symptoms of living according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit. (Galatians 5:19-21) We are not walking in a way that honors our Savior when we enjoy stirring things up, and this is why Agur cautions us, "Don't play the fool!" Ah, this Agur is a man after Solomon's own heart! If Solomon's sayings could be summed up under one theme, I think it would be, "Don't play the fool!" Solomon would say, "Don't mess up your life by living it apart from God. Don't separate yourself from the wisdom and the power that comes from living in fellowship with the Lord."
Monday, September 11, 2017
Counseled By The King: The Proverbs Of Solomon. Day 95, Defiled From Within
Today we continue on with the sayings of a man named Agur. We don't know anything about him except from this one chapter of the Bible, but this one chapter is enough to tell us he was a godly man. In yesterday's passage he spoke about not being brilliant enough to understand everything about the Lord. He doesn't have a doctorate degree in theology, he doesn't have the highest IQ on the planet, and he isn't the wisest man on earth like Solomon. But he knows the Lord, and because he knows the Lord, the Holy Spirit has instructed him with these wise proverbs which he passes on to us.
"Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it." (Proverbs 30:10) To slander someone is to accuse them of something, usually falsely. It's an attack on their character. Agur warns, "Be careful about accusing a man's servant of wrongdoing, especially when it isn't true. This curse will fall back on your own head when you are proven a liar. Besides, it's not your business to meddle in the relationship between master and servant."
This is particularly wise advice for anyone who dares to slander the servant of God. The Apostle Paul cautioned against passing judgment against those who have accepted Christ as their Redeemer, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand." (Romans 14:4) The Lord has promised to avenge every servant of His who has been slandered, and this happens to be one of my favorite verses because it assures us that God is always watching out for His servants, "'No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from Me,' declares the Lord." (Isaiah 54:17)
"There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers; those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from mankind." (Proverbs 30:10-14) Agur points out some distressing trends he's observed in his generation, and we can observe these same trends in our own times. There are those who have no respect for their parents or for authority figures of any kind. They believe it's fine to do anything they want, and that there really is no right or wrong, and that they have the right to pursue their desires no matter who it hurts. They speak sharp words that cut others to the quick and they have no compassion on the poor and needy.
We can only expect these conditions to worsen as we near the end times, as the Apostle Paul points out, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God---having a form of godliness but denying its power." (2 Timothy 3:1-5a)
"The leech has two daughters. 'Give! Give!' they cry." (Proverbs 30:15) Agur compares the person who is greedy and driven by selfish ambition to a leech who sucks blood until it's ready to burst and still wants more. Solomon says of greed, "Death and destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes." (Proverbs 27:20) The Lord Jesus said that greed is one of the character flaws that defiles us. He was criticized for not observing ceremonial washing before eating, and He countered the accusations of the hypocritical Pharisees and teachers of the law by saying, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For it is from within, from a person's heart, that evil thoughts come---sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person." (Mark 7:20-23)
As we continue Chapter 30 we will find Agur discussing several of these defiling things that Jesus mentions. He will discuss flaws of the human heart that cause us to constantly crave more, even if it belongs to someone else. He will talk about those who are disrespectful to parents, those who are sexually immoral and refuse to admit their wrong, those who are foolish but have risen to high positions, and those who consumed with pride in themselves. All of these are attitudes that defile us, as the Lord Jesus warned. As servants of God we must not live this way, for it gives unbelievers grounds to accuse us and a reason to reject Christ because we have set such a poor example of what being a Christian means.
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Counseled By The King: The Proverbs Of Solomon. Day 94, What Is His Son's Name?
Chapter 30 contains the sayings of a man named Agur, a man who is not known outside of the book of Proverbs. Some scholars believe he may have lived during the reign of King Hezekiah, since we just concluded a section of Solomon's sayings that were collected by Hezekiah. All we know about Agur is that he was a man of humble character whose words are said to be inspired, and we can safely conclude that his words were inspired by the Holy Spirit, for he received an Old Testament vision of the Son of God. The chapter begins, "The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh---an inspired utterance." (Proverbs 30:1)
"This man's utterance to Ithiel: 'I am weary, God, but I can prevail. Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One." (Proverbs 30:2-3) We don't know the identity of Ithiel, either, but he may have been the man who wrote down the words of Agur. Agur expresses his utter inability to understand the awesome nature of God. He is not the only man of the Bible to speak with such humility. Job, after God finally spoke to him, said, "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know...My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:3b,5-6) David knew he was incapable of comprehending all of God's plans, so he purposed in his heart to trust in the Lord even when he didn't understand, "I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me." (Psalm 131:1b) Agur is saying, "I believe in God. I can't describe Him. I can't understand everything about Him. I am so lowly and He is so mighty. I can never hope to know everything about Him while I live in this flesh."
He now reveals his belief that no one truly knows God and that no one but God's Son can reveal Him to us. "Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his Son? Surely you know!" (Proverbs 30:4) The Apostle John, when affirming the deity of Jesus Christ, said, "No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known." (John 1:18) Agur is asking, "Who can reveal God to me? Who can make Him known to me? Who can bring Him down to my level so I can understand Him and have fellowship with Him?" This Old Testament believer had only a shadowy idea of the coming incarnation, but the Apostle John lived in a time when Christ had become living flesh and had dwelt among men. John says, "No man has ever seen Almighty God. But we have seen the Son. The Son has revealed God to us. He has made Him known to us. In Christ, God came down to our level so we could understand Him and have fellowship with Him." Jesus confirmed the truth of this by saying, "Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father." (John 14:9)
"Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar." (Proverbs 30:5-6) The word of God is perfect and whole. There is nothing we can add to it. Additions made by man can only corrupt the Scriptures, which is why such a stern warning is given at the end of the book of Revelation regarding the prophecies contained in it, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll." (Revelation 22:18-19) God is indescribably holy and the word of God is indescribably holy. The Lord performed all the work of salvation and there's nothing we can add to it. My works didn't save me; the works of Christ saved me. There's nothing I can do to make myself more saved. In the same way, the word of God needs nothing from me. Adding the traditions or rituals of man to it will only pervert it and perhaps keep our fellow man from coming to the truth of the salvation that is by faith alone.
We conclude today's portion of Chapter 30 with this beautiful prayer, "Two things I ask of You, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown You and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:7-9) This man Agur loves the Lord. He claims the Lord as his own, calling Him "my God". He prays about his heart's desire, which is to live a life that honors his God. He fears becoming false and hypocritical, so he asks the Lord to help him to remain an honest man. He has seen people become lifted up in pride as their riches increase, so he tells the Lord only to provide what he needs. He has also seen people become hungry enough to steal, so he asks the Lord not to allow him to be in want. In all things and in every way Agur intends to honor the name of God.
"This man's utterance to Ithiel: 'I am weary, God, but I can prevail. Surely I am only a brute, not a man; I do not have human understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One." (Proverbs 30:2-3) We don't know the identity of Ithiel, either, but he may have been the man who wrote down the words of Agur. Agur expresses his utter inability to understand the awesome nature of God. He is not the only man of the Bible to speak with such humility. Job, after God finally spoke to him, said, "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know...My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:3b,5-6) David knew he was incapable of comprehending all of God's plans, so he purposed in his heart to trust in the Lord even when he didn't understand, "I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me." (Psalm 131:1b) Agur is saying, "I believe in God. I can't describe Him. I can't understand everything about Him. I am so lowly and He is so mighty. I can never hope to know everything about Him while I live in this flesh."
He now reveals his belief that no one truly knows God and that no one but God's Son can reveal Him to us. "Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his Son? Surely you know!" (Proverbs 30:4) The Apostle John, when affirming the deity of Jesus Christ, said, "No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known." (John 1:18) Agur is asking, "Who can reveal God to me? Who can make Him known to me? Who can bring Him down to my level so I can understand Him and have fellowship with Him?" This Old Testament believer had only a shadowy idea of the coming incarnation, but the Apostle John lived in a time when Christ had become living flesh and had dwelt among men. John says, "No man has ever seen Almighty God. But we have seen the Son. The Son has revealed God to us. He has made Him known to us. In Christ, God came down to our level so we could understand Him and have fellowship with Him." Jesus confirmed the truth of this by saying, "Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father." (John 14:9)
"Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar." (Proverbs 30:5-6) The word of God is perfect and whole. There is nothing we can add to it. Additions made by man can only corrupt the Scriptures, which is why such a stern warning is given at the end of the book of Revelation regarding the prophecies contained in it, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll." (Revelation 22:18-19) God is indescribably holy and the word of God is indescribably holy. The Lord performed all the work of salvation and there's nothing we can add to it. My works didn't save me; the works of Christ saved me. There's nothing I can do to make myself more saved. In the same way, the word of God needs nothing from me. Adding the traditions or rituals of man to it will only pervert it and perhaps keep our fellow man from coming to the truth of the salvation that is by faith alone.
We conclude today's portion of Chapter 30 with this beautiful prayer, "Two things I ask of You, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown You and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." (Proverbs 30:7-9) This man Agur loves the Lord. He claims the Lord as his own, calling Him "my God". He prays about his heart's desire, which is to live a life that honors his God. He fears becoming false and hypocritical, so he asks the Lord to help him to remain an honest man. He has seen people become lifted up in pride as their riches increase, so he tells the Lord only to provide what he needs. He has also seen people become hungry enough to steal, so he asks the Lord not to allow him to be in want. In all things and in every way Agur intends to honor the name of God.
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Counseled By The King: The Proverbs Of Solomon. Day 93, Fear God, Not Man
Solomon discusses several miscellaneous subjects today, and he instructs us to fear God more than man.
"Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor." (Proverbs 29:23) If we need an example of this, we don't need to look any further than the Lord Jesus, who is "meek and lowly of heart" (Matthew 11:29), but who has been "exalted to the highest place" (Philippians 2:9). If we want to be like Him we must submit ourselves to God, having the same attitude the Lord Jesus had. The Lord honors a humble spirit, but He resists the proud. (James 4:6)
"The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify." (Proverbs 29:24) In other words, with friends like these you don't need enemies. A wicked man will choose friends as wicked as he is, and their character can't be trusted anymore than his own character can be trusted.
"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." (Proverbs 29:25) How many wrong things have we agreed to because we were afraid of what someone would think about us or say about us? How many times have we cared more about man's opinion than God's opinion? Our duty is to obey our God. He is the one we will stand before someday to give an account for our lives. It won't matter then what our neighbors or friends thought about us. Solomon says, "It's a trap to care too much about what others think of us, or to fear man more than we fear God. We need to obey God, and if some people don't want to have anything to do with us because of our faith, that's fine. The righteous life is not a popularity contest. Stand for what you believe in."
"Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one gets justice." (Proverbs 29:26) Solomon's wisdom came from the Lord, so he could be making the statement that when a person brings his case before a godly judge, it's really the Lord who is securing justice. But I think he also makes another point here, because we don't always get justice from our legal system. The courts are run by men and women who are imperfect. We can trust God to set things straight in His court even if no court of man gets it right. Many a murderer or criminal has gone free because of a lack of enough evidence to convict, but God saw their crimes and they will someday have to answer to Him.
"The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright." (Proverbs 29:27) You may have heard the saying, "oil and water don't mix". Neither do the righteous and the wicked. They are opposites of each other, as the Apostle Paul said, "What do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14b) Wickedness desires to have its way, and righteousness desires to have its way. We find here the principle of not being unequally yoked together. Believers should marry believers. Business owners who are believers should only take on partners who are a believers. If not, there's always going to be a struggle.
Tomorrow we begin our final two chapters of the book of Proverbs. Chapter 30 is a section to itself and is attributed to a man named Agur who was a collector of wise sayings. Chapter 31 deals with the wife of noble character. This is a great chapter for women, but men can learn a lot from it too. Single men will learn what to look for in a godly wife; men who are already married can read about attributes they can praise in the godly character of their wives. When we conclude the book of Proverbs we hope to do a study on the prophetic book of Zechariah.
"Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor." (Proverbs 29:23) If we need an example of this, we don't need to look any further than the Lord Jesus, who is "meek and lowly of heart" (Matthew 11:29), but who has been "exalted to the highest place" (Philippians 2:9). If we want to be like Him we must submit ourselves to God, having the same attitude the Lord Jesus had. The Lord honors a humble spirit, but He resists the proud. (James 4:6)
"The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies; they are put under oath and dare not testify." (Proverbs 29:24) In other words, with friends like these you don't need enemies. A wicked man will choose friends as wicked as he is, and their character can't be trusted anymore than his own character can be trusted.
"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe." (Proverbs 29:25) How many wrong things have we agreed to because we were afraid of what someone would think about us or say about us? How many times have we cared more about man's opinion than God's opinion? Our duty is to obey our God. He is the one we will stand before someday to give an account for our lives. It won't matter then what our neighbors or friends thought about us. Solomon says, "It's a trap to care too much about what others think of us, or to fear man more than we fear God. We need to obey God, and if some people don't want to have anything to do with us because of our faith, that's fine. The righteous life is not a popularity contest. Stand for what you believe in."
"Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that one gets justice." (Proverbs 29:26) Solomon's wisdom came from the Lord, so he could be making the statement that when a person brings his case before a godly judge, it's really the Lord who is securing justice. But I think he also makes another point here, because we don't always get justice from our legal system. The courts are run by men and women who are imperfect. We can trust God to set things straight in His court even if no court of man gets it right. Many a murderer or criminal has gone free because of a lack of enough evidence to convict, but God saw their crimes and they will someday have to answer to Him.
"The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright." (Proverbs 29:27) You may have heard the saying, "oil and water don't mix". Neither do the righteous and the wicked. They are opposites of each other, as the Apostle Paul said, "What do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14b) Wickedness desires to have its way, and righteousness desires to have its way. We find here the principle of not being unequally yoked together. Believers should marry believers. Business owners who are believers should only take on partners who are a believers. If not, there's always going to be a struggle.
Tomorrow we begin our final two chapters of the book of Proverbs. Chapter 30 is a section to itself and is attributed to a man named Agur who was a collector of wise sayings. Chapter 31 deals with the wife of noble character. This is a great chapter for women, but men can learn a lot from it too. Single men will learn what to look for in a godly wife; men who are already married can read about attributes they can praise in the godly character of their wives. When we conclude the book of Proverbs we hope to do a study on the prophetic book of Zechariah.
Friday, September 8, 2017
Counseled By The King: The Proverbs Of Solomon. Day 92, Discipline And Self-Control
The king talks about discipline and self-control today. He speaks of the importance of instructing those we are responsible for, such as our children and our employees. He reminds us how important it is that we take godly instruction to heart and maintain self-control.
"Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire." (Proverbs 29:17) He says, "Bring your children up in the right way. Teach them how to be godly men and women. They will be a delight to you as you grow older."
"Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds instruction." (Proverbs 29:18) The Lord has spoken to mankind in a number of ways, as the author of Hebrews points out, "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at various times and in many ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son." (Hebrews 1:1-2a) God has had His faithful ones in every age who took heed to the words of those sent by Him. Solomon declares, "Blessed is the one who hears God's word and takes it to heart!" If the Old Testament saints were blessed by obeying the instructions given to them by prophets of old, how much more are we blessed in our generation when we obey the instructions given to us by God's only Son?
"Servants cannot be corrected by mere words; though they understand, they will not respond." (Proverbs 29:19) Some have suggested Solomon is saying it's alright to beat servants who are reluctant to obey, and such a practice would have been common in ancient times, but I don't think we can conclude from this one verse that Solomon believed in hitting his servants. He doesn't strike me as a violent person. He's a man who took a dim view of laziness, so we can be pretty certain he rewarded the servants who performed their jobs faithfully, while he probably reprimanded or removed privileges from servants who slacked off on their work. In our own times an attitude of insubordination in the workplace is dealt with by reprimanding the person or even demoting or firing them, so I'm sure Solomon had similar procedures in place to deal with employees who didn't perform up to standard. If he had intended to say it was okay to beat his servants, he was capable of saying so plainly, but he doesn't.
"Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them." (Proverbs 29:20) Solomon has discussed this subject several times. It's imperative that we take time to think before we speak. He says, "It's more likely for a spiritually reprobate man to become righteous than for someone who speaks in haste to learn from his mistakes. The one who never thinks before he speaks is always going to be in trouble."
"A servant pampered from youth will turn out to be insolent." (Proverbs 29:21) The king believes in keeping the hierarchy intact. He's noticed that if he treats his servants like family members they begin to behave like they own the place. They start to ignore his orders. Anyone who has ever been the boss at work will know what he means. The boss should be respectful and friendly to employees while avoiding becoming so chummy with them that employees begin to behave disrespectfully. It's hard to give instructions to someone you've treated like family or to reprimand them when needed. The king says, "Be kind and considerate to employees; just don't let them forget you're the boss."
"An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins." (Proverbs 29:22) A person who harbors a spirit of anger stirs up conflict wherever he goes. He keeps things unsettled at home. He causes arguments at work. He brings discord into the church. He can't get along with his neighbors. Anger has a way of leading us into many sins, as Solomon cautions. Self-control is the goal of the Christian. If we give way to our emotions we will be indistinguishable from unbelievers. Then what influence will we have on those who don't know Christ? They will look at us and say, "She looks just like me! He does the same things I do! How would I benefit by following Jesus? As far as I can tell, these Christians aren't any better than I am."
We have to go out into the world every day and interact with people, so let's keep in mind that we are ambassadors of Christ. We must practice self-control. We can't yell at our server in the restaurant or be hateful in the checkout line or scream at our co-worker for making a mistake. You probably remember several years back when all the merchandise came out with "WWJD" (What Would Jesus Do?) on it. Unfortunately that became such a common catchphrase that it almost of lost its meaning, but it's a valid question we should be asking ourselves all the time. When we're driving in heavy traffic and somebody cuts over in front of us, what would Jesus do? When the server gets our order wrong, what would Jesus do? When our co-worker speaks to us disrespectfully, what would Jesus do? When a friend says something that hurts our feelings, what would Jesus do? When interacting with unbelievers who scorn us for our faith, what would Jesus do?
"Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you the delights you desire." (Proverbs 29:17) He says, "Bring your children up in the right way. Teach them how to be godly men and women. They will be a delight to you as you grow older."
"Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds instruction." (Proverbs 29:18) The Lord has spoken to mankind in a number of ways, as the author of Hebrews points out, "In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at various times and in many ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son." (Hebrews 1:1-2a) God has had His faithful ones in every age who took heed to the words of those sent by Him. Solomon declares, "Blessed is the one who hears God's word and takes it to heart!" If the Old Testament saints were blessed by obeying the instructions given to them by prophets of old, how much more are we blessed in our generation when we obey the instructions given to us by God's only Son?
"Servants cannot be corrected by mere words; though they understand, they will not respond." (Proverbs 29:19) Some have suggested Solomon is saying it's alright to beat servants who are reluctant to obey, and such a practice would have been common in ancient times, but I don't think we can conclude from this one verse that Solomon believed in hitting his servants. He doesn't strike me as a violent person. He's a man who took a dim view of laziness, so we can be pretty certain he rewarded the servants who performed their jobs faithfully, while he probably reprimanded or removed privileges from servants who slacked off on their work. In our own times an attitude of insubordination in the workplace is dealt with by reprimanding the person or even demoting or firing them, so I'm sure Solomon had similar procedures in place to deal with employees who didn't perform up to standard. If he had intended to say it was okay to beat his servants, he was capable of saying so plainly, but he doesn't.
"Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them." (Proverbs 29:20) Solomon has discussed this subject several times. It's imperative that we take time to think before we speak. He says, "It's more likely for a spiritually reprobate man to become righteous than for someone who speaks in haste to learn from his mistakes. The one who never thinks before he speaks is always going to be in trouble."
"A servant pampered from youth will turn out to be insolent." (Proverbs 29:21) The king believes in keeping the hierarchy intact. He's noticed that if he treats his servants like family members they begin to behave like they own the place. They start to ignore his orders. Anyone who has ever been the boss at work will know what he means. The boss should be respectful and friendly to employees while avoiding becoming so chummy with them that employees begin to behave disrespectfully. It's hard to give instructions to someone you've treated like family or to reprimand them when needed. The king says, "Be kind and considerate to employees; just don't let them forget you're the boss."
"An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins." (Proverbs 29:22) A person who harbors a spirit of anger stirs up conflict wherever he goes. He keeps things unsettled at home. He causes arguments at work. He brings discord into the church. He can't get along with his neighbors. Anger has a way of leading us into many sins, as Solomon cautions. Self-control is the goal of the Christian. If we give way to our emotions we will be indistinguishable from unbelievers. Then what influence will we have on those who don't know Christ? They will look at us and say, "She looks just like me! He does the same things I do! How would I benefit by following Jesus? As far as I can tell, these Christians aren't any better than I am."
We have to go out into the world every day and interact with people, so let's keep in mind that we are ambassadors of Christ. We must practice self-control. We can't yell at our server in the restaurant or be hateful in the checkout line or scream at our co-worker for making a mistake. You probably remember several years back when all the merchandise came out with "WWJD" (What Would Jesus Do?) on it. Unfortunately that became such a common catchphrase that it almost of lost its meaning, but it's a valid question we should be asking ourselves all the time. When we're driving in heavy traffic and somebody cuts over in front of us, what would Jesus do? When the server gets our order wrong, what would Jesus do? When our co-worker speaks to us disrespectfully, what would Jesus do? When a friend says something that hurts our feelings, what would Jesus do? When interacting with unbelievers who scorn us for our faith, what would Jesus do?
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