In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.   Proverbs 14:26

It is in the book of Proverbs that we learn that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Only when we have a proper respect and fear of God will we understand things as we ought to in life.  It is a lack of fearing God that leads to sin and to ungodly behavior and choices.  Thus it should be no shock to us that the fear of the Lord brings us a strong confidence in how we live, what we say, and in how we look to the future.  The fool has no such confidence in life.  Their brief forays into confidence are mere moments of braggadoccio that fade into insignificance when suffering and death make their appearance. 

Confidence comes to the man or woman of God because they fear the Lord.  They truly know the end of the story - which is that man will stand in the judgment before a holy God.  That seems a little odd at first because we read in the book of Hebrews that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God.  But for the one who fears the Lord, that day will not involve falling into the hands of a yet angry and wrathful God.  Wisdom has told him to run to God's provision of forgiveness and grace which is in Jesus Christ.  When we do this we know that the wrath of God fell upon His own Son, so that we might be forgiven and granted great grace by our loving Father.

When we choose to fear God now - we will not have to cower in terror later.  We fear God now - looking in absolute terror at the cross and what God truly requires in His holiness to pay for the debt of sin.  It is in seeing what had to be done to Christ Jesus to pay for sin that we cringe in horror at what our wickedness truly costs.  But when we embrace Jesus Christ, receiving the gift of repentance and faith, our sins are gone.  Thus there is no longer the "terror of the Lord" at the thought of judgment, but rather a strong confidence that our anchor will hold.  Jesus Christ has paid all that there is to pay - and we are forgiven and free. 

The second part of this proverb is vital for us to see as well.  We are told that the children of the man who fears the Lord will have a a refuge.  This points to the fact that if a man truly knows the Lord, his greatest desire is for his children to know his Savior as well.  The refuge that his children have is first seen in how he rears them and teaches them the Scriptures.  What a wonderful refuge is provided by a set of godly parents to their children as they grow up in the Lord.  The parents may not be perfect, but they provide an example of two who walk with the Lord - and who look to Him for their hope and their salvation.  They also do their very best to teach their children the things of the Lord and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  They pray for their children and do all that they can to see that they follow them in their pursuit of Jesus Christ in life. 

God desires for men to be saved.  That is a given when you read the Scriptures.  But there is more.  He also desires that there be many godly generations descending from a family who have come to Christ.  This is the legacy that comes to children and grandchildren - and even great grandchildren of those whose parents fear the Lord.  Oh that we would see this and live in the fear of God.  Oh that we would provide a lasting refuge - a lasting legacy of godliness and gospel-led lives to our children - and even to many generations of our families.

To make you know the certainty of the words of truth That you may correctly answer him who sent you? Proverbs 22:21

Why does a wise man teach his student or his son wisdom?  Why does he call him to listen and apply himself to gaining a knowledge of how to live?  Why does he call his pupil to trust in he Lord and to learn how to put that trust to use in very practical ways?  Why does he write to him of the wonderful Words of God - words that are filled with glorious counsel and knowledge that will last a lifetime?  We've been looking at verses 17-21 for the past several days - and learning from this call to God's wisdom.  Today we come to the final verse of this call and in it we find the reason this teacher/father has called his student/son to pursue and seek after God's wisdom.

"To make you know the certainty of the words of truth."  It really does not get much more plain that this does it?  The teacher is pointing the student to God's Word and wisdom because he wants him to know the truth.  Even more than this - he wants him to know that the truth is true.  I know that this sounds a little strange to us - but the literal translation of this phrase is this, "to make you know the truth of the words of truth."  The idea here is that first of all there is an ultimate truth.  There is an absolute truth upon which we can base our lives and our moral choices.  The world today does not believe this.  They believe that all truth is relative - and that we make our own truth.  This is the same lie Satan used in the garden, and the same lie that Romans chapter one says God reveals His wrath against.  In a nutshell it is the belief that we are gods - and therefore we make our own truth relative to what we (the god of ourselves - and our ultimate deception of self-worship) want for ourselves. 

The book of Proverbs (and indeed the entire Bible) militates agaisnt that view with the strongest prejudice possible.  God is ths author of truth - and He has revealed Himself through the Word of God, the Bible.  We know truth - if we know the Bible.  Remember that the teacher here is urging the student to know wisdom - the knowledge and understanding that comes from seeing the world as God sees it.  When we read His Word we KNOW the truth.  But when we learn to think according to His wisdom - to reason, to consider and discern things by His Word - then we will know not just the truth itself, but also the certainty of it - the truth that the truth is the truth. 

Please stay with me until I finish this argument.  We not only need to know Scripture - but we also need to know how to reason by it and defend it.  Do not misunderstand what I am saying - God's Word IS the truth.  But as we walk through this world filled with its deceptions and lies - we are going to need to be certain of the truth.  We WILL face opposition to our beliefs from the world that is around us.  I live in the college town and know from dealing with students who have had professors attempt to destroy their faith that there is a need to be able to defend the truth in your mind - and at times - openly to others.  This will not come by reading a little devotional each day - and having a few moments of prayer at meals.  This comes by speanding time thinking, considering, and learning to reason and discern as God's Word directs.  It means knowing God - spending time with Him in intimate fellowship so that you can know the conterfeits and lies that will seek to draw you away from Him.  The teacher/father knows this - and that is why he is calling his student/son to know wisdom.  For when he knows wisdom and has a functioning worldview that operates according to God's wisdom - he will know the certainty of the Word of God.

The second reason he makes this call is given in the last half of this verse.  "That you may correctly answer him who sent you?"  The Hebrew here can honestly go one of two ways - as this is a little difficult to translate.  Yet either way is very helpful to us.  One way to translate this is that we are correctly answering the one who has sent us out.  What this is promoting is accountability.  We are sent out by God - or by an authority who is under Him - and in the end we will have to give an answer.  The word "correctly" here gives the idea of returning truth to someone.  Thus, as we are sent out to live a godly life, we are going to be accountable for the truth that has been given to us.  Godly wisdom is crucial to this responsibility.  We can return the truth we have been given - which basically would mean that we give an account of how we have lived by God's truth in life - and in making moral and spiritual choices.  Knowing wisdom will mean being faithful to God - and therefore doing well as we are accountable to Him or to those He has placed over us to lead and guide us.

The other way this second phrase could be understood is in the context of living in the world - and giving an account for our faith.  Peter speaks of this in 1 Peter 3:14-16  when he says, ". . . and do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame."  We need to be ready to answer those who "send for us," or who basically call for us to answer their questions about our faith, about our Lord, and about why we live the way we do.  This is somewhat of a call to know apologetics - or being able to share the reason you believe.  Wisdom will give this to you.  You may answer with truth the questions that are posed about your relationship with God. 

We are called to know wisdom - to know God's wisdom.  This is a call to be able to think, consider, discern, and reason according to what God says in His revelation of Himself - in the Word of God.  As we heed this call God will instruct us and help us gain wisdom.  And as we learn to apply this wisdom in a way that will help us build a godly, Christ-centered, Bible-based worldview and way of living - we will find that we become very confident of our faith - of the truth itself.  One of the things our world desperately needs is beleivers who know what they believe, why they believe it, and Whom their belief helps them to know.  May we be among those who not just hear the call to God's wisdom - but who realize we need it - heed it - and are blessed because of it.

Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. Proverbs 3:25-26

Sudden fear, dread, terror that comes suddenly - all these are things that wisdom will protect us from in our lives.  Now please do not misunderstand that this passage is not saying that bad things will never happen to good people.  We all know that we've grieved over godly people who have been killed in car accidents and in other disasters.  But what is promised here is that the godly - those who build their lives on wisdom - who are guided by the north star of God's Word - will not have the "onslaught of the wicked" when they are punished for their wickedness. 

Let me quote several passages of Scripture to help us grasp this concept of the Word.  Psalm 121 tells us of the protective care of the Lord.  Verses three and four are especially comforting to us.  "He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep."  (Psalm 121:3-4)  God promises great peace and protection to those whose lives are guided by His wisdom.  But for the wicked God promises that this thing called, sudden terror and sudden fear will come upon them.  Proverbs 1:26-27 speaks of a "dread" that comes upon the wicked.  It says that dread, calamity, and distress will come like a storm and like a whirlwind.  Then again in Psalm 49 we read of the foolish and those who approve their foolish words this terrifying statement made by the Lord, "As sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no habitation." (Psalm 49:14) 

The above passages instruct us as to the end of the foolish who ignore and mock God's wisdom and Word.  They will have a sudden end that will overtake them.  In Psalm 73 David struggled with why the wicked often seem to have it so good in their lives here on the earth.  He came to the point of almost losing his faith and betraying others who followed God with all their hearts.  Then he said that he came into the sanctuary and saw the latter end of these who walk in wickedness and foolishness.  He spoke of how suddenly they fall and are destroyed.  No matter how good anyone has it here on the earth, they will one day face God in the judgment.  No matter how awesome they have it now - there is a latter end for them when all their deeds will follow them to that place of ultimate payback or reward.  The wicked who will not turn from their sinful ways will face this ultimate dread - but the godly who order their ways according to God's wisdom will not have this happen to them. 

We are told in verse 26 that Jehovah will be our "confidence."  The Hebrew word for "confidence" here is fascinating because of what is points to spiritually.  The word is "kesel" and it means a sense of confidence and security.  It also points to an area of the body - the midsection or specifically the area where our kidneys are located.  The reason this is fascinating is because in Leviticus 3:4,10,15; Leviticus 4:9 and Leviticus 7:4 this exact same word is used of sacrifices that were made before God.  In Leviticus 3 it is used of the peace offering that was made before God.  In Leviticus 4 it was the sin offering and in chapter 7 it spoke of the guilt offering.  When we consider this word and its usage it paints a beautiful picture for us of what Christ does for us.  These were all pictures of how these sacrifices would take care of sin and promise peace to those who confessed their sin and brought them to God for a payment for that sin.  They were all precursors of what Jesus Christ would do through His death and resurrection.  Thus the idea here is that our confidence is not in ourselves but rather in our Lord.  That is exactly what this verse says - that Jehovah will be our confidence. 

We are also told that our foot will not be caught in the snares of the wicked - in the things which their lifestyles bring upon them.  Our foot will be firmly planted on a rock - the Rock Christ Jesus.  We will have our lives firmly planted in the Word of God - which is the rock upon which the house that did not fall was built.  The sand of the world system and its shifting views of truth and godliness will not stand in that day.  Instead they will face the sudden fear and sudden onslaught of God's judgment in the end.  But for those of us who love the Lord and live according to His wisdom, our ultimate fears are gone - taken away by the grace of God and the "kidneys of Jesus Christ" which were offered on our behalf as a peace offering, a guilt offering, and a sin offering which brings us into God's favor and protection.  Learn to delight, not in yourself and your own strength, but rather in God who freely has given us forgiveness and grace in Christ Jesus our Lord!