A divine decision is in the lips of the king; His mouth should not err in judgment. Proverbs 16:10
Here is a verse that was greatly misused by kings and rulers throughout the middle or dark ages. They would slightly misquote this passage and state that they had what is called, "the divine right of kings." This they then used to rule over people in a way that was totally contrary to what Scripture stated. Let's look at this issue - but also look at a balanced view of rulers and how God uses them in a nation to accomplish His purposes. The misquote here was due to how the King James version rendered this verse. The KJV reads, "A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; his mouth transgresseth not in judgment." This was taken as meaning that the king cannot make an error in judgment - and that since a divine decision was in his mouth - he could not make mistakes. This bad doctrinal view was then used to state that no matter how wicked or ungodly a king was - his was a divine rite from God. The king was not to be questioned in any decision he made therefore, because it was God's decision when he said it. One can see how this bad exigesis led to horrific abuses by leaders. One can also see why so much resentment brewed toward the Roman Catholic Church because they supported this view. Part of their reasoning behind this was because if the king's decisions were divine, then that gave them the right to say that the church then would have to approve every king - and could depose them if excommunicated. Oh the power that was enjoyed unscripturally by so many who purported to be God's messenger. It was not until the reformation that this began to be corrected - and the divine rite of kings was reigned in by the proper understanding of this verse - as well as the whole counsel of the Word of God. In order to understand this verse, we first need to grasp that Solomon is writing to kings here. The Word of God clearly states that no authority exists except that which is from God. Yet, this does not guarantee that all rulers will be godly or Christian. If that were the case we would have to wonder why God couldn't even get that to happen in Israel and Judah. God is not interested in an earthly kingdom (Jesus said as much in the gospels) but in saving a people for Himself - and for His coming kingdom in heaven. Thus the natural flow of sin and rebellion will even affect the social institutions of this world and the governments that rule over the affairs of men. When Israel rejected God from being king over them - and cried out for a king, "like all the other nations," God warned them what this would bring. He warned them of the excesses and the danger of having one "man" over them. As a man, this king was just as affected by sin as anyone else. This is why God also instructed the king to write out a copy of the Law by hand - so that he would be reminded to obey the Lord and do according to everything that was written in God's Law. We read about all this in 1 Samuel 8 and Deuteronomy 17. The reason this is important for us to understand is that God knew they would ask for a king - and therefore he gave command before it ever happened how the king was to live - what was allowed and what was forbidden. When you read through Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, you see clearly where the kings veered off God's course and subsequently turned evil. At this point the king was still in authority - but his actions were clearly outside of God's will. Thus for someone to quote this proverb and say that a king could never err in judgment or in what he says is patently outside the scope of Scripture. What is actually said here is that a divine decision is in the lips of the king and that he SHOULD NOT ERR in judgment. Solomon knew that great power came with the title of king. That power had tremendous consequences for individuals - but much more than that - for the future of an entire nation. He may have remembered the case of the two harlots who came before him. They argued over which of their babies had died, and which was alive. God gave Solomon great wisdom as he commanded that the living baby should be cut in half and a half given to each women. One agreed, while the other who was the real mother, had compassion on her child and said to give it to the other woman rather than killing it. Solomon, filled with the wisdom of God, knew that the compassion of the one woman showed that it was her child. He then gave the command to give it to her - for it was her child. Everyone was amazed at this decision and knew God's wisdom was in him. In many ways this strengthened his power and authority among the people. They knew God was with him - and that he ruled with great caution to make the right decisions. But Solomon also knew of his sins - how his heart was drawn away by foreign women. God commanded that His people not do this - because these women would turn them away from God to their false gods. Solomon ignored this command and did his own thing. He erred in judgment. The end of this was the eventual destruction of Israel. The more they turned from God the greater the judgment fell upon the nation. Truly as king he should not have erred in judgment. Every leader on this earth should have this verse etched into his psyche. We have those today who say that there should be a separation of church and state. I agree with them if they mean that Congress should not establish a national denomination - or a national church run according to the dictates of the government. But what they have done is enforce the establishment clause of the first ammendment, but have completely ignored the fact that there is also a protection clause. They are never to prohibit the free exercise of religion - and our founders meant the Christian religion in particular. They said that a man was not fit to run for office if he was not a Christian. Our founders said that this nation was predicated on our ability to obey the 10 commandments. They knew that if God's Law reigned in our hearts (realizing it needed to rein in our hearts) that a plethora of human laws would not be necessary. We've rejected such things - and as a result - our leaders have rejected God's ways and Word. It really should be no great shock to us that the nation has and is declining. The worst aspect of this is that our president and Congress no longer look to God's Word for leadership. They think that they know what to do from their own thoughts and ways. This can lead no where except to disaster in the end. Our President and Congress need to recapture what is said in this proverb. They have great power - and God tells His people to honor the power of their governing officials. But that power is not absolute. They are under the same Word of God as we are. They should not err in judgment as they rule over the people. When they do, they need to realize that their power is NOT absolute. God, who said we should obey them, is also the One who said that He raises up kings and overthrows them as well. In his divine providence He has seen nations rise up - and others destroyed and humbled. In the end we all will answer to Him. For some He may not do it as quickly as they want, but the fact remains that He ultimately rules over all the affairs of men. If only our current rulers would recognize this - our nation would turn around to a place of blessing under their leadership. But as long as they think they cannot err in their own judgment - we are probably not going anywhere good in our future as a nation.
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The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9
Who controls the events of this world? Ever wonder that in an ultimate way? Solomon had great wisdom in this regard because he had a good grasp on reality. He understood that though a man may think he determines his own way by planning and by careful thought - that ultimately God is the One who directs his steps. To some this is a very disturbing reality. James wrote about this same thing when he said, "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.' Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.' But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. " What an interesting thing we have before our eyes here. God wants us to consider His will and plans ultimate in our lives. We are not to think that we can plan to do whatever we want and thus think our way is made plain. We are to say, "Lord, if it is Your will, I will do this - and may it be for Your glory and to adance Your agenda and purposes on earth." James then warns us that we cannot move our lives in any direction unless God is pleased with that choice. The fact that we have another day to live is a gift from Him - and we should never take that for granted. The truth is that when we take our days for granted - we are guilty of arrogant boasting before God. Men plan their way. That is a simple fact of life. God is not against planning - just against those who think that they determine their lives by their planning alone. Plans can be good things when they are submitted to the Lord. They become bad things when they are contrary to what God desires in your life. He still may allow you to plan your way and work your plan. Yet, He will direct your steps. You are not a free agent to do whatever you want or please. Your way will ultimately be directed by Almighty God - and whether you serve Him or not - He will even take your rebellion and clothe Himself in it - to prove to you and everyone else that His purposes are the ones that will stand in the end. Anyone who thinks otherwise will no longer think that way when they face the ultimate judgment at His throne. History is littered with examples of men who thought they could conquer and change the world. In the end their lives were brought to their end - and God even used their arrogance in His ultimate plans and purposes to bring Jesus Christ to this world to die for sin and be raised to life. The Pharisees and Saducees thought that they would control things - and planned to kill Him by having the Romans crucify Him. Even that supposed plan of men was used by our sovereign God to accomplish salvation for His people. No man ultimately controls his steps. They are directed by God to achieve what He desires in this world. What a wise man would do when faced with this self-disturbing truth is humble himself and turn to the Lord. He would learn to live by the will of God. This way his works will be profitable - as He does the will of God. He can enjoy being God's workmanship, created for good works that the Lord has planned beforehand - so that he may walk in them. This way no aspect of life is wasted on the lie that a man controls his own destiny. Better is a little with righteousness Than great income with injustice. Proverbs 16:8
One of the things that personally grieves me as a pastor and as a believer is the focus of the health, wealth, and prosperity movement. Their focus is too often on how God wants us to be rich and wealthy - and too little on how God wants to make us holy and His above all things. This particular proverb let us know that a little with righteousness is something to be desired. It is better to have just a little if we have God's righteousness. This statement is not glorifying being poor. It is saying that if the choice is between having a little and God's ways - or having a lot and injustice and ungodliness - the choice for little is far better. The "little" mentioned here is just that - a small amount. But the righteousness speaks of doing righteous acts and deeds. It refers to the possibility that doing the right thing might even cost us. But if it does - it is better to embrace God's ways and doing right than to have the wealth and prosperity that might come if we set God's ways aside. To have great income, yet to have injustice, is a mistake of monumental proportions. There are too many who sell their souls to make a buck. There are even more who do this if a large amount of money is involved. But there is no amount of money on earth that merits selling your integrity and your godliness. Some would not even think of selling themselves if it is a little money - but would seriously consider it if the amount would make them rich. But think of this before you consider doing this. A prostitute is a prostitute whether she sells herself for a little or for a million dollars. The fact that she would sell her purity and be a prostitute is the key fact - all else is just a matter of setting the price. When we sell our integrity for any amount, we simply prove that we are not people of integrity and honor. After that fact has been established everything afterward is simply negotiating the price. Hold fast to the Lord - and to your integrity as a believer. There is nothing worth selling out that one wonderful thing. Realize that there is no asking price for who you truly are. To do so would be to infinitely cheapen something that cannot be regained once you give it up for something. Therefore - even if you have to be poor as a result - keep your integrity and a righteous direction in life. There is a wealth that consists of integrity and honor that no amount of moeny on earth will ever restore or merit. When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7
You mean to say that if my ways please God, I will never have an enemy? That is how too many people view this proverb. But the proverb itself assumes that we will have enemies when we are walking with the Lord. Then what does this proverb mean - and how can we know when God has done this on our behalf. This passage teaches us that when our ways are pleasing to God that God does some wonderful things in our lives. He takes those who are our enemies and makes them to be at peace with us. It does not mean that we don't have enemies, it means that they are at peace with us instead of warring or seeking to destroy us. They may still be our enemy, but they will choose peace rather than to be in open conflict with us. The stories of this are many in our society. J. Vernon McGee speaks of a man who hated him, but who was heard saying to others, "I hate the man, but he preaches the Word of God." That kind of thing is what this proverb is saying to us. The world will continue to hate us - but due to our lives being pleasing to God, they will see godly character in our lives. I know of situations where the ungodly came to the aid of believers not because they agreed with our theology or teaching, but simply because they knew the character of the person and vouched for them. Let me take a moment here and say something about what this points to in the human condition. Why would the world be at peace with us when we choose God's ways? In fact, why should God's ways even be viewed positively? Ever wonder why our world values things like peace and joy and what we call good character? Think about it for a moment. Why, if we are supposed to be the result of survival of the fittest, do we not value a more cut throat kind of existance? Why would we value the weakest - and embrace values that would allow others to take advantage of us? Why shouldn't we value the thief and the one who crushes all others on his climb to the top? These should be things we value and admire if we are simply a process of evolutionary processes. Why shouldn't we admire Adolf Hitler and even thank him for trying to get rid of the more errant DNA in our worldwide gene pool? The truth is that we don't admire these things - we consider them evil and wrong - even among the most ardent evolutionists. Even thsoe who live this way have mighty struggles with their own behavior - somehow just knowing deep within themselves that they are not living right. But I want to ask this incredibly important question, "Who told them this?" The answer, though the world hates it, is in the Bible itself. Romans 2 speaks of the way that our conscience works in either approving and condemning our actions and attitudes. This is the mark of God in our world. It is the hidden proof that we are His workmanship - we are His creation. His original design - though badly marred by sin - still is written on our hearts. We may try to sear it from our memories and ignore it in our actions, but it still remains deeply written within us. When the ungodly are at peace with us due to our choice to act on God's character-transforming Word - it is only a testimony to this very spiritual DNA that is a remnant of His creative work before the fall. God does not promise we won't have enemies. In fact just the opposite is told to us. If we desire to live godly in Christ Jesus, we will suffer persecution. Jesus faced enemies that desired and conspired to put Him to death. To say that God promises a carte blanche freedom from having enemies is to say that Jesus did not please the Father - and evidently His ways were not pleasing to God. Nothing could be further from the truth. God does not promise freedom from enemies - He promises that when we do have them - He will choose to even make our enemies to be at peace with us. This is why we should choose the wisdom of God's ways and walk in them. There is a desirable-ness in how we live. There is an honesty - a joy - a freedom - a peace that will make even our enemies say good things about us. When this happens, we can know that God in His grace has worked in our lives - taking even those who oppose us - and making them testify of His grace that works in us when our ways are pleasing to Him. By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is atoned for, And by the fear of the LORD one keeps away from evil. Proverbs 16:6
Here is wisdom . . . He atones for iniquity by lovingkindness and truth. The Hebrew does not give the impression that any kind of lovingkindness and truth will do - it is His that does this - it is God's mercy and truth that grants us forgiveness of sin. Let's look at this - because imbedded in this verse is the gospel itself! Lovingkindness is the Hebrew word for God's covenant love and mercy. This word speaks of God's grace - that He shows us mercy in keeping with His covenant with us - and with the fact that He has set His love upon us. Here is salvation described gloriously to us. God Himself has set His love upon us - and because of His mercy and what He has done to give us something we don't deserve - He has forgiven us all our sins. What is even more wonderful about this verse is that God does not separate the work of His grace from the work of His truth. It is by both God's mercy and truth that iniquity is atoned for when God is working in us. He brings truth to us by the Spirit of God when the Word convicts us. He does this by bringing of all things the Law which convicts us of sin. Without this work of truth showing us our sin - we are unfit for mercy - for mercy presumes that we realize that we don't deserve anything but judgment from God. But when truth brings us to the end of ourselves and our godless ways - we come to grace and cry for God's mercy. Once that work of grace happens by God's truth and mercy - we need something to keep us away from evil. Proverbs tells us that this work happens as we fear the Lord. When we properly reverence God - when we see Him as holy - we tremble over sin and over anything that would be rebellion against Him. What a great verse instructing us how to walk with the Lord. We are taught of both salvation and sanctification - of grace and godly fear - of mercy and of fear. There is a balance to the things of God that too often is lacking. We all tend to lean more toward mercy or truth - and yet God's Word tells us that both are necessary. We want all grace or all fearing God. What we find is that God tells us that both must be present for us to grow in the Lord. May we have the wisdom to embrace both the work of grace and the work of the fear of God in our lives. Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished. Proverbs 16:5
If you even wondered how God feels about pride, this should be enough to cure you of ever wanting to be "proud in heart." Let's take a look at this thing called "pride" and see if we can avoid its pitfalls. Pride here is the Hebrew word "gaboah" and it means a high, exalted, and proud demeanor. This particular proverb speaks of how dangerous it is to be "proud in heart." How dangerous is this particular heart condition? God says He finds it an abomination to be in this condition. It is not just dangerous - it is eternally deadly! Pride is having an exalted attitude of self - and a very pitiful mindset toward God. This is the condition of fallen man. Man is fallen - and he has falllen into this sin of pride. At the core of this sin is the idea that we are able to handle things ourselves and that we do not need God. It is an attitude of independence from God and dependence upon self. When man chose to disobey God in the garden - he chose to live by the knowledge of good and evil rather than by the spiritual life that God would have provided by his grace and free gift. Man decided he wanted to be like God by his own efforts. He wanted to decide what was good and evil on his own. He wanted to trust in himself - rely upon himself - live for himself - and make his own destiny. Oh, one last thing - all these things he would be doing for himself - he would also be doing them for his own glory, honor, and praise. Here is the crux of the human condition of arrogance and pride that is at the very core of sin. This pride began with Lucifer himself - who in Isaiah made the comment that He would raise his own throne above that of God and He would have the honor that he was created to give to God. Oh, how this arrogance reeks before a holy God. What is interesting to most folks is that often they don't get this whole "pride" thing. In fact - many - when they hear that God wants man to give Him the glory - accuse God of pride. Here is where the greatest disconnect from the fall is manifest in the hearts of wicked men. They are so blinded by their own arrogance that they don't see God for Who He is. This is why God has to reveal Himself to us through the Scriptures - because we are utterly blind to Him in creation and in our own beings. Scripture says that the heavens are declaring the glory of God. Man . . . he invents a theory that says that we are a cosmic accident - a happenstance that just eventually had ridiculous levels of order and design. So man denies the existance of God. Scripture tells us that when we consider the human body we should come away with the thought that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Man . . . again decides that we are what the primordial slim just accidentally belched forth over billions and billions of years. Man will negate God every way that he can - because man will not tolerate a God greater than Himself. In the rare instances when he does - he wants that god to have all of his problems and idiosycracies. At least that way he can continue to exalt himself in his fallenness. In the rare instances where we see a human being accosted by the glory and majesty of God - the human suddenly hits the deck - falling on his face. He trembles and fears for his life. Even godly men, when experiencing the power and glory of God - are so struck with awe and wonder - that they struggle to breathe. Man faces the truth - there is One greater than himself - there is One to Whom he is accountable - there is One Who is responsible for his very existance - and - there is One who is grieved and angered by his unbending arrogance. That is why this proverb tells us in no certain terms that this arrogant, prideful heart is an abomination to God. That the one who has such a heart will be punished for it. We are told bluntly in proverbs 16:5, "Assuredly, he will not be unpunished!" There it is for mankind - put as bluntly and as clearly as anyone can put it. A prideful heart is a horrific condition - one that is dangerous and deadly - and one that reminds us that God has every reason to bring punishment upon man to the fullest measure. Yet - the astounding reality shown to us in the Scriptures is that God, Who has every right to condemn us and punish us - chose instead to reveal His glory the brightest by having His own Son face the ultimate cost for our wickedness and pride. His glory shines with full force in the grace He has made available through the crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of His Son. Truly - He is a God of inestimable mercies! The LORD has made everything for His own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil. Proverbs 16:4
Well, here is a proverb that many would rather leave alone. But the good thing about disciplining yourself to walk through the Scriptures is that you have to deal with verses like this one. So . . . let's take a few moments to consider this little bit of wisdom. The first thing we run into is the fact that God made all things. The simplest sense of the Hebrew word "made" is that God is the maker of all things. This comes as a shock to those who hold to evolutionary theory. Yet even their theory does not explain where all things came from - because their theory never explains why matter itself existed. Their theory, whether they realize it or not, has far more to do with their own pride and unwillingness to submit to a god - any god, than it has to do with valid science. The proverb gives the reason why this is so. God has made everything for His purpose! The evolutionist and the atheist chaffe at this statement. They reject God so it is only consistent with their beliefs that they also reject His purposes. Yet, God HAS made everything for His purpose. This world - even as it rebels against God - is fulfilling His ultimate purpose. Oh how angry this makes them. Yet we see at the close of this proverb the most brazen statement yet. Even the wicked are fulfilling God's ultimate purposes when the day of evil comes. This presents to some a very real problem with God. God makes the wicked for the day of evil? That is what this passage says. So the question arises, "Does God make wicked people - is He responsible for wickedness?" The answer to this question is a resounding NO. God is incapable of doing wickedness or evil. He will not - in fact, He cannot sin. Thus this speaks of those who have descended from Adam - who were made after his image and likeness. It refers to God working in spite of the fall of man to accomplish His eternal counsel and plans. He does so in spite of man's wickedness. He is not responsible for it - but He will indeed judge it. Thus even the wicked God works into His purposes. But what is His purpose for them? That is a sobering reality as we see it revealed in Scripture. God's ultimate purposes for those who sin - and then who reject His grace in Jesus Christ - is that they are reserved for the day of evil. This "day of evil" could be just an ordinary day when the just desserts of wickedness are served. But when we consider this view we run into problems because even with the righteous there are days when "bad" things happen to them. This day of evil I believe refers ultimately to the day when God's judgment falls upon them. They rejected God all their lives. They rejected Him with their sinful choices and desires. When God offers forgiveness and grace they reject Him again. They continue rejecting Christ until the day of their death - thus culminating a lifelong wickedness. What remains for them is the day of evil. The day when God brings the ultimate punishment and "bad day" that will last forever. This my dear friend is wisdom. Wisdom is acknowledging God as Creator of all that there is. Wisdom is then realizing that everything He made - though originally made good - is truly messed up due to sin. Wisdom is seeing that sin is not just some ethereal concept - it is a choice. Wisdom is seeing that sin is personal - you've committed it every day of your life by disobeying God's laws and commandments. Wisdom is then realizing God's ultimate purpose by embracing Jesus Christ as His way of paying for sin and providing salvation. Wisdom is receiving the conviction of the Holy Spirit and rejoicing when you are granted repentance and faith! Wisdom is then turning from your sins and trusting Jesus Christ to pay for them with His work on the cross and resurrection! Wisdom is then living for God's purposes all the remaining days of your life - embracing His glory as your ultimate pursuit! Interesting isn't it - how a proverb that seems like a can of worms can wind up being a gracious gift from God? If we will only learn the wisdom of seeing God as the Ultimate - then living for His ultimate purpose and plan. That will be the day when we truly embrace what is wise! Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3
Plans . . . we all have them. Some people have detailed plans on just about everything, while others have sketchy plans at best. Where do planning and plans fit in the Christian life? How wise is it to plan and, how do you go about doing it? I doubt if every aspect of planning will be addressed by this proverb, but it is a good place to start. The actual Hebrew word that starts this proverb is "roll." When we commit our works to the Lord, what we are doing is rolling them onto Him. When I hear this word I see a picture of a man trying to roll this huge, heavy object. He is straining himself trying to get this thing rolling and keep it rolling. It is difficult work - and if he ever gets to a hill where he will have to roll it up that hill, he'll never be able to do it. That is us in our lives. We are living from day to day with things that we need to do. God calls us to walk through this life accomplishing these things - yet also calling us to get them done in a way which honors and glorifies Him. I don't know about anyone else, but for me this load is heavy. In fact, it is too heavy for me to bear and to carry. This is why I need to roll this burden and heavy load onto the Lord. What is involved in "rolling your works onto the Lord?" First we ask the Lord what kind of works we should be doing. This is accomplished by spending time in His Word and learning His heart each day we live. We learn what He wants us to be doing - and we go about doing those things to His glory. Second, we turn to Him for the strength to accomplish these works. It is a simple fact that the Christian life cannot be lived in our own strength. It is the life of Christ within us that enables us to live out God's purposes and plans. Third, we commit ourselves to this path and have no plan B. Here is a problem that often crops up in Christians. We are committed to God's plan - until it gets too difficult. When difficulties mount up and become too much for us - then we start looking for a different way - or want to modify God's way. The promise from God is that when we do this, our plans will be established. The plans of our heart need to be established by God. We can seek to establish them here on earth - but then the only promise we have is that they will last until our lives are over - or maybe a generation beyond. They will not last throughout eternity. If our plans are not established and made firm and fixed by God - we will carry nothing into eternity. We will lose it all. Living for our own plans and purposes is a dead-end lifestyle. Such a lifestyle of planning only plans for now - but does nothing for eternity. This counsel from Proverbs helps us make plans that will last - plans that God will approve - and plans that God will establish not only for now - or next week or year - but for all eternity. The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Proverbs 16:1
To what level is God sovereign in our lives? There are some who think God is not sovereign over their lives - they can do whatever they want. They can plan their lives to the smallest detail without ever consulting with the Lord to make sure that their lives are pleasing to Him. The truth though is something far different. The plans of the heart belong to man is what Proverbs tells us. A man makes plans - and tries to set up how his life is going to be. There are those who make a few plans - and others who have an entire plan-book detailing almost every aspect of their lives. Whichever you are - you make those plans in your heart thinking that if you act on them you will be able to do what you want. But here is where Proverbs tells us something a little different - well - a lot different. The answer of the tongue is from the LORD. Jehovah is the One who determines whether the plans of men are accomplished or whether they just remain plans. God is the ultimate arbiter of all things - if He says this will not happen - it will not happen. But on the flip side of this is a very comforting realization. If God says something IS going to happen - it will just as He said it would. This does place us in choppy waters at times, because men will criticize God for what He allows within the scope of difficulties, disasters, and ungodly behavior. All we can do in these situations is to call upon the revealed character of God as well as His perfect wisdom and wait until the day that all the secrets of men's hearts will be revealed to us. To us life may take on the look of the backside of a tapestry with threads seemingly going all directions in what looks like a helter-skelter pattern. Yet the front of the tapestry reveales His eternal plan which is beautiful in every way. What we are to learn from this Proverb is what James tells us in his letter. When we presume upon God by saying we will do this or that, we are acting in insolent pride. What we need to say is that we will do this or that if God wills it. That is the wise man's stance on these things. There is one last lesson though - and that is we should seek and know God to where what is most important is not the inadvertant ways we may cross God's will with "our" desires, but rather that we would strive to know Him intimately so that "our" desires are submitted to His design at all times. All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the Lord weighs the motives. Proverbs 16:2
Motives . . . everything can look great that a man is doing until someone begins to reveal his motives. I remember the first time the Lord revealed to me the issue of motives. It was like a light went on inside of my spirit. When the light went on, things did not look very pretty. In fact, things looked horrible the first time God decided to show me my motives in something I had done. If all we do is look at the outward acts of a man - most men will look fairly good. But why is this man doing what He does? Is there an ulterior motive behind all the good works that reveals a darker side to things? This is why Solomon says that even though a man's ways are clean in his own sight, the Lord is going to weigh the motives behind his deeds. It is like a man giving millions to a cause - for all the good press it will earn him in the eyes of men. Sure the money will still bless those who receive it, but the heart of the one who gave it is far from sterling. The word "motives" here is the word "ruach." It is plural, so the literal word means spirits. The Lord weighs the spirits involved in whatever acts that we do. The weighing the Lord does involves taking the act or acts and putting them through His "moral evaluation" where not the act itself is tested, but the spirit in which the act was done. It is possible to do the right thing the wrong way or with the wrong spirit. Such heart-searching is a minefield for humans because they are fallen and will usually think whatever they are doing is fine. That is why the verse says that in his own sight a man considers all his own ways clean (a word used to describe the objects used in worship of Jehovah in temple worship). We need God to reach into the deepest recesses of our spirit and reveal what is truly going on there. Then and only then can we know if an action in which we are engaging - a path we are taking - a word we are speaking - is the right or godly one. It takes going to the level of the work of the Holy Spirit to truly understand yourself. Only God Himself can test us to the level of our spirit. Thus, in the end, fellowship with God and walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit is the only way to ensure that you are walking in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. |
Proverb a DayEach day, we'll take a look at a verse from the chapter of Proverbs for the day. Our hope is to gain wisdom each day - and from that wisdom - to have understanding to make godly decisions in the throes of everyday life. Thank you for visiting our website! Everything on this site is offered for free. If, however, you would like to make a donation to help pay for its continued presence on the internet, you can do that by clicking here. The only thing we ask is that you give first to the local church you attend. Thank you!
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