Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, But who can find a trustworthy man?
Proverbs 20:6 I love it when one of the proverbs has a perfect biblical example in the New Testament. This is the case with today's proverb. It speaks of those who declare their own loyalty - but then asks the question of whether anyone can even find a trustworthy and faithful man. The situation we learn of in the New Testament is the history of Peter - who declared that though all the other disciples would abandon Jesus - he would not! Peter made this statement during the Last Supper - and it was followed by strong declarations made aby all the rest of the disciples. But what we saw at the crucifixion was a very different situation. Peter followed Jesus at a distance and eventually denied he even knew Jesus. The others did not even make it that far - abandoning Christ in the garden when the mob came to arrest Him. So much for the prideful declarations of those who proclaim their own loyalty. There is something fundamentally wrong with a man who trumpets his own loyalty. Filled with pride - he makes boasts of how loyal and trustworthy and faithful he is. Such declarations really should be made by those whom he serves. They are the ones who have evidence of his loyalty - and they should be the ones who speak of that loyalty. Yet this passage states that this guy is blowing his own horn. Be careful then with those who boast of how faithful and true they are. And . . . if you are one who has done this in the past, take the advice of another proverb and, "Let another praise you, and not your own lips." The question that is asked in the second part of this proverb is also interesting. "Who can find a trustworthy man?" Let us take a look at that for a few moments. There are trustworthy men found in the history of the Bible. Solomon knew of one because of his own mother. She was married to a man named Uriah. Now he was a trustworthy man. He was faithful to God and to David. When David brought him home under the guise of asking about the battle - he would not go to his home and sleep with his wife. That was what David desired so that he could cover his own adultery with Bathsheba. But Uriah was a trustworthy man. He said he would sleep in the open like his fellow soldiers - and not go to his home and to his wife. His faithfulness eventually cost him his life. David, who was not being a trustworthy man, had Uriah killed by taking him too close to the wall - where the archers would be able to kill him. The history of the world is more a history of men being unfaithful. When Solomon asks if anyone can find a trustworthy man - he is asking a very poignent question. There are actually no trustworthy men on the face of the earth - except one. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All have turned aside and become worthless. There is a sin nature that is in every man and woman alive that will assure us that they are not an absolute trustworthy person. There has only been one trustworthy man - the man Christ Jesus. God testified to that at His baptism where He declared, "This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased." Near the end of his time on earth - God allowed James, John, and Peter to see Jesus' inner nature at the Mount of Transfiguration - where the absolute purity and trustworthiness of Jesus was allowed to shine forth. And His resurrection from the dead was absolute proof that He was the only trustworthy man ever. Solomon's question is a good one. There is only One Who is trustworthy. That man is Jesus Christ - the God-man. He was trustworthy and faithful in all God's commandments. That is why He was able to go to the cross and die for all our sins and rebellion. It is also why God can now declare us righteous. It was because of the One Man Who was a trustworthy man. Although it was said in a different context - Pilate was right when he declared, "Behold the Man!" Even Pilate could not find any fault in Jesus. And the only sentence Christ was declared guilty of - was the fact that He said that He was the Christ. The Pharisees and Saducees on the council declared Him a blasphemer - but God declared Him the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead! Cling to that faithful and trustworthy Man.
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He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good. Proverbs 19:8
How does the Bible teach us to love ourselves? Here is an interesting question because there are some who think that before we can ever love someone else, we have to love ourselves. Personally, I find that kind of teaching to be contrary to sound wisdom. The reason I feel this way is because those who are taught such things spend all their time going deeper inward to determine if they love themselves enough. The problem with this kind of psycho-babble is that happiness comes when we are no longer consumed with ourselves and learn to give our lives for others and for the glory of God. A person who constantly goes inward to determine if they love themselves properly will have precious little time to love others. It is usually a downward spiral that can lead to a person being consumed by a desire for their own happiness. Jesus said that if we love our lives we will lose them - but if we lose our lives for Him and for His kingdom's sake, we will gain them for all eternity. But this passage in Proverbs genuinely speaks of loving our own soul. So what exactly is God teaching us here? The translation here reads, "He who gets wisdom . . . " yet the actual word translated wisdom is the Hebrew word, "leb" which refers to the heart. What Solomon was seeking to say is that the one who gets a heart - the right kind of heart - loves his own soul. Here is where we need to grasp what the Bible says about our hearts. We learn from the whole counsel of Scripture some very interesting things about the human heart. First, we learn that our hearts are messed up due to the fall of man into sin. Jeremiah tells us that the heart is wicked and desperately evil, and is impossible to understand with our own wisdom. (Jeremiah 17:9) To plumb the depths of our hearts - without grasping the wickedness of sinful man - will get you no where. That is why secular psychology will yield very little in dealing with the true human condition. None of the major psychological constructs admits that man is a sinner - and that the real problem with humanity is a sin problem - a rebellion against God. The next thing we learn is that God Almighty can understand the heart - and has done what is necessary to change it and transform it. The change for the heart is available by faith in Jesus Christ. God takes out of us our heart of stone, that does not respond to God's Word or commandments. In its place God miraculously puts a heart of flesh that has the very commandments of God written upon it. Thus we are regenerated in Christ with a new heart and a desire to do what He commands. The other lesson that God teaches us in His Word is that once we are saved, our hearts and minds need to be renewed by the Word and the work of His Spirit. While we are here on earth, we will face temptation and a constant battle with the three enemies of our soul, the world-system, the flesh, and the devil. Because of the way that these three things want to influence our minds toward sin, it is imperative that we renew our minds with the truth - which is God's Word. Actually, this is the way we "get heart." We "get heart" when we begin to understand God's wisdom and God's ways. We no longer try in our own strength to deal with the myriad of temptations and trials that come to our hearts. We know that such an endeavor is doomed to be fruitless. Instead, we embrace what God has done in Jesus Christ. We embrace godly wisdom and understanding. As we do this we are actively loving our own soul! Remember that Jesus said that if we want to save our "fleshly" lives in this world - we will lose them. But the one who chooses to lose his soul - who dies to self - and who embraces a regenerated heart - that man loves himself in the end. He embraces an understanding of life that has conversion and regeneration at its core. As he does this - he finds good! He learns to die to himself - and die to the desires of the flesh. He learns that when his heart is drawn by temptation to a worldly point of view that he needs to reject it. He chooses instead to "not love the world or the things of the world." He goes to the Word of God to renew his mind so that he proves that the will of God is good, acceptable, and perfect. He faces the lies and deceit of the devil and learns to expose them for what they are. He chooses instead a life instructed by the Scriptures. He spends time in the Word so that he is walking with "understanding" at all times. The two words "keeps understanding" are very beneficial to know here. He "keeps" understanding points to the fact that he watches over it - guards it - and is constantly on the lookout for anything that would detract from God's ways and will in his life. He keeps "understanding" points to the fact that he desires a discernment from God on all things. The word "understanding" is the Hebrew "tebunah" which means to discern or understand how things differ. He looks at every choice wanting to discern the difference between his flesh and the Spirit of God. He wants to discern the difference between the kingdoms of this world vs. the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. He longs to discern the difference between his own desires and those given by the Lord. He yearns to grasp the difference between sin and righteousness - between glorifying self and glorifying God. This is the way to love yourself. You love your own soul by protecting and guarding it from the tyranny of self. You choose instead to embrace God's wisdom in the heart. You decide that you will guard and protect yourself from anything that turns you even slightly from a life lived for the glory of God - from a life lived for the kingdom of God - and a life lived by the Spirit of God as He teaches and leads you by the Word of God. Want to love yourself? That is the way to do it! The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body. Proverbs 18:8
Gossip is a sin that is too often ignored in the church. We think it is one of those things that is out there - and it will continue to be out there. Many see it almost as a victimless act - but the proverb today lets us know that even if everything looks OK on the outside of this sin - the inner workings of it are very dangerous. The "whisperer" is the gossip. The Hebrew word means one who gossips - but does so by murmuring and complaining. It actually means to excessively complain - and the word is used in passages that create serious relational problems between men - and between man and God. It is combined with other sins like complaining, criticism, faultfinding, and causing trouble. When God experienced these things with Israel in the wilderness in the book of Numbers, He had very strong reactions against it. No matter how we define gossip and a complaining, murmuring spirit - God defines it as very serious wickedness. He deals with this sin very severely. Why is God so opposed to this particular sin? It is because when someone hears gossip and complaining, it is like a dainty morsel to them. Think of gossip like you would your worst craving for a food you know you should not eat. For me this would be homemade chocolate chip cookies. I can resist these for a time - but the problem is that being my version of "dainty morsels" - my ability to resist is limited. Now, if someone set out broccoli puffs, the ability to resist is not a matter of power - it is a matter of not really wanting them in the first place. Thus, some sins are dangerous because of what they present as well as what they promote. Gossip is one of these. Consider your own response to someone who says, "Did you hear about so and so?" Imagine how difficult it is to resist statements like, "I can't believe what I heard the other day about this person." These kind o statements are very difficult to resist. Consider also the gossip magazines that are at the check-out lines at your local grocery store. Why are they so tempting - and why do they sell - even though many times what they say is either completely false - or an exaggeration of the truth. It is because the thought of knowing something about someone else that is supposed to be secret is something that is very difficult to resist. The other reason that this sin is so dangerous is that when we hear these things - Scritpure tells us that they go into the "innermost parts of the body." The literal Hebrew says that these statements go to the chambers of the belly. That is why they are dangerous and difficult to control. These statements of gossip are embedding themselves into the innermost part of our being. We tend to remember and focus on the complaints, the gripes, the criticism and fault-finding that others throw out at us. We look at the person against whom such criticism is leveled with a jaded eye after hearing these things. They color how we see them and how we respond to them - and usually we respond negatively after hearing such things. Unfortunately this is the case whether such things are true or false. That is why the very word used for whisperer here is identified with those who cause relational troubles between people. So how do we deal with this sin - in ourselves and in others. First of all we refuse to participate in gossip ourselves. One principle that is helpful is to use any information we have about others that could be the source of gossip and criticism as fuel for intercessory prayer rather than gossip. When we do this we will insure that we only eat our dainty morsels in the presence of God. There we take such information and use it in mercy - to pray for someone. We never use it for judgment - to injure them with words that we speak to others. Secondly we refuse to listen to gossip from others. Elsewhere in Proverbs we read that an angry countenance will send away a backbiting tongue. Two things I try to do personally when gossip comes my way is to first say that I would prefer not hearing it. When someone seems to want to persist, I then tell them I will listen - but only for the purpose of getting them together with the person with whom they have a problem within a couple of weeks. This has led to two things. It has led to people stopping the gossip from being spoken - and it when someone continues - it has led to me becoming a peacemaker between them and the person with whom they are offended. Oh, and as people have gossipped about how I deal with gossip - it has led to the gossips avoiding me like the plague. Don't let the dainty morsels of gossip lodge themselves into your spirit. Refuse to hear it - and if someone persists take the role of a peacemaker. You will be doing yourself a favor first of all - and secondly, you will be causing blessing to come to the body of Christ as you do your part to stop this sin in its tracks when it seeks to come into your fellowship and divide the saints. A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner; Wherever he turns, he prospers.
Proverbs 17:8 Bribes are interesting things in the world around us. I remember going on a trip to Mexico and experiencing the power of a bribe. I watched as our group was slowed to a halt at the border. It was very apparent that we were going to be held up for a long amount of time unless a bribe was paid. Fortunately for us (because the border guards were talking hours before they would let us through - if even allowing us at all) the people who took us knew of these shady dealings and had money actually budgeted for bribes if they were necessary. Once the money was paid, the wheels were greased and we were taken through customs (where we knew we had every passport and visa in order) and were on our way to minister to those for whom we had come to minister. A bribe is like a charm in the sight of its owner. That charm often takes a situation where you are stalled or opposed and turns it around. Suddenly you are moved from a stalled status - to a faorable one. You are afforded favor where once there was no favor. Now realize that Solomon is not saying that this is something wonderful - for elsewhere in the Scriptures we read where those who will receive bribes are those who pervert justice in doing so. But as with some of the Proverbs - this book was written to speak of the basic behavior of men - and the blessing of knowing this behaior in advance. There is something that needs to be said about bribes though. We read where Solomon speaks of how a bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner. The "briber" here is thinking that his bribe will get him whatever he wants. There are two instances where this will not be the case. In fact, in these two cases a bribe will be seen as offensive and degrading. The first place is with a just and righteous man. To him a bribe says two things. First it says that the men with whom he is dealing is not an honorable man. He is not willing to let his character and works stand on their own. He feels the need to help things along with money. The second case is at the throne of God. There is no payment that is enough to bribe God. He is holy and cannot be bribed or misled by some payment. Bribes can work like charms and prosper a man when used on the ungodly. But remember that just as the man thinks he can charm a cobra and make it do what he wants - so also that situation - that cobra can turn on him. If a man will receive a bribe from you - he will receive a larger one from someone else. It is better to allow your character to speak and be the reason you prosper. To do otherwise may gain you prosperity on earth - but will never bless you in the sight of God. 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. Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will. Proverbs 14:9
How a person views and deals with sin determines whether they are wise or they are foolish. Here we have Solomon teaching us the important lesson that how a man views the whole concept and reality of sin is vitally important. If we miss this - and decide how a person sees sin is not really important to us - we will find ourselves in the company of those who are fools. We will find ourselves allowing those who think sin does not even exist - be those who counsel us as to how we should have a sound mind. The fact that we are bypassing this issue - especially when it comes to our worldview - is wreaking havoc on the church. Let me explain for a moment, because this issue is absolutely vital to us today. How a man views sin will ultimately either bless or corrupt everything he does. Most philosophies actually reject the idea of sin. They see our problem as a lack of education - or a lack of opportunity for people. Some even see the problem as believing that there is truth upon which we define and state whether actions and choices are sinful or not. They reject the very idea of sin - and consider guilt as a root problem for all people. The way they deal with this is to make truth an issue of individuality. Your truth is your truth - and you are free to live however you want based on what you consider to be true. Thus, if your truth states that there is no sin - that guilt is a bad thing - then that is true for you. This denial of sin goes further because it asserts that no one has the right to call your truth falsehood. You can imagine the problems this makes for a society in which everyone is a free agent, determining what is right or wrong for themselves. Actually it is not much different from the book of Judges where there was no God and every man did what was right in his own eyes. In this kind of society rules are constantly shifting like blowing sand. The end of this is a state in which a growing ungodliness and lawlessness begins to take root. By the way - this eventually leads to a culture of corruption and violence that is out of control. The people begin calling for someone to rise up and restore order - which in turn gives rise to a dictator who then re-establishes "order" according to "his rules." If you would like to know when this has happened in history, take a look at the Weimar Republic - which gave rise to Hitler's Germany. It has also happened in numerous examples of dictatorships of every stripe. Mankind is best ruled by God's law established in their hearts by the work of His grace. But until men come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ - it is so necessary for a Law to be established because of the wickedness of man's fallen heart. Here we see why it is so important to define sin - and define it according to God's Word. If God has revealed Himself in the Bible, then we know how to define righteousness - truth - and what is and what is not sin. This becomes the bedrock of laws that are established in a nation. But the best thing - which our founders realized - is that men's hearts be ruled according to God's law. Our founders knew this - and thus were pinning their hopes on a heart initially ruled by God's 10 commandments. This set of God's laws would restrain so much sin and ungodly behavior - that then a society could be ruled by fewer laws. But where there is no law - there is no sin. Since our nation has rejected the 10 commandments as an illegal document by which to rule our nation, then we are left to the shifting sands of public opinion and man's evil heart to govern us. Is it any wonder that our laws continue to degrade - allowing just about any conduct to be considered legal - but not just legal - acceptable. In the end the Bible tells us where this will go - as men call good evil and evil good. Watch closely, dear saints, as more and more Biblical positions will be considered illegal by those who mock at sin. But there is even a greater evil that is foisted upon us by mocking at sin. When sin is mocked - when the whole idea of guilt is abandoned - then there is no real reason for a Savior. The second half of this proverb states that among the upright there is "good will." The word used here for "good will" means "the favor of God." When the concept of sin is rejected by the philosophies of this present world - then there is no need for any kind of redemption from it. If we are not guilty of anything before God, then it seems pretty arrogant of God to call for the death of His only Son to pay for . . . "nothing." Follow where your philosophy ultimately leads you. If you mock at and deny guilt and sin - and this is where it leads. That is why we have modern day preachers in the church calling the death of Christ, "divine child abuse." Without sin and guilt - there is actually no wrong behavior. But a corollary to this doctrine is that without wrong behavior - neither is there any real "upright" behavior either. All things become neutral - and the matter of individual hearts. You have no business in that society stating your view on anything. To do so is to risk the danger of being called "judgmental." The problem is that there IS WRONG BEHAVIOR! We all know it in our conscience. The only way to rid ourselves of this is to sear our conscience as with a hot iron. The fact is that there is sin - whether men mock it or not. There is a guilt that comes with breaking God's Law. That guilt and that offense is real - and it poses a serious problem. According to God's Word, sin and guilt require accountability and punishment. There is an earthly punishment meted out by men in the governmental sphere (Romans 13) - but the real problem is the divine retribution for rebellion and sin. The good will - i.e. grace - that the upright know is one given not by works, but by grace through faith. God has provided the way through Jesus Christ - His death, burial, and resurrection. That is given as a gift to those who respond when God grants knowledge and conviction of sin, repentance, and faith to the sinner through the gospel. When we look at the amazing thing God has done for us - and His infinite mercy in granting it to us - we have to come to the same conclusion that our proverb states to us today. Only a fool would disdain this grace . . . only a fool would disregard the wonderful work of God's conviction by the Spirit . . . and mock sin. By doing so, he also mocks the grace that is freely given to those made upright by it. He mocks the gospel. The ransom of a man's life is his wealth, But the poor hears no rebuke. Proverbs 13:8
We see the typical scene in movie after movie. The wealthy man has someone in his family - even himself - taken captive. The FBI is in the home awaiting the fateful phone call. When it comes there comes with it the call for ransom. They knew he was wealthy - and therefore he was their perfect target. Now that they have his life in their hands - he must pay and pay handsomely if he wants to preserve his life or the life of a loved one. Who would have thought that thousands of years ago God gave this wisdom to Solomon to warn the rich that due to the sinful, selfish tendencies of fallen man, they would at times have to realize that their riches would be the ransom for their life? Here we have a proverb that simply states human nature. Very seldom do we read of a poor man who is held ransom for his good name and his hard work ethic. We don't see him held ransom for the simple way that he works and lives and loves his family. There is no demand for the happiness of a poor family who is content with the little they have - because they have each other. Men may covet such things when they realize that money really doesn't make a person happy, but seldom do they think that such basic joys can serve as a ransom for another's life. This is a problem for the rich and not the poor. They have spent a great deal to get what they have. But there are those who would take them captive, even threatening their lives, for the purpose of extracting as much money from them as they can. Sin and rebellion to God make evil men think that they will be happy if they get enough money. They think no matter how they get it - they will have it made once they escape. Fascinating that the movies don't really follow these crooks to their fateful end. They show us the really cool ways they do their crimes - and how clever they are as they get away. They have the closing scene where they toast one another with champagne and talk of what they'll do with their loot. They don't show us men and women who are hunted for life - and who are looking over the shoulder at every turn. But then again, that wouldn't sell in a movie would it? The rich have much - but they also have the struggle to keep what they have. Since their lives are bound up in their bottom line, they spend much of their lives protecting it any way they can. They do all they can do to protect their money - and they also have to spend a pretty penney on security to protect their lives and their families. When you look at all they do - and how they have to deal with fear of losing it all - you have to wonder, is it worthy it? The poor man hears no such rebuke. He does not live in fear of having his family, friends, or himself taken captive for ransom. Now I am not against wealth or riches - because there are many who are very godly to whom God has given riches. There are those who use their riches wisely - and to the glory of God. But then again, we see them making wise choices and seeing wealth through the eyes of God. They may have the money of the rich man - but they most likely have the values of the poor content man at their core. They live for simple things even though they are wealthy. In fact some of the most precious people I've ever known were wealthy - but did not come close to living like it. Just about everyone they knew had no idea how wealthy they were - because they chose a very modest lifestyle. Interestingly, they probably heard no rebuke either - since they did not flaunt their wealth. Makes you think about how you are living. It also makes you think in one more way as well. Even though the rich may have their wealth to pay their ransom here on earth - it will do them no good at the end of the age. Just a closing passage of Scripture that rings in my ears as I think about this proverb. It is from the Psalms . . . Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me, even those who trust in their wealth and boast in the abundance of their riches? No man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him—for the redemption of his soul is costly, and he should cease trying forever—that he should live on eternally, That he should not undergo decay. Psalm 49:5-9 There is NO ransom for a man's soul. There is only ONE acceptable price paid for sin. That price is what Jesus Christ paid with His blood at the cross. The redemption of a man's soul is indeed infinitely costly. Maybe money can buy "everything" here on earth according to sinful men - but the second a man passes from this life, he better not be deceived into thinking that his wealth can be the ransom for his eternal life. Thinking like that can cost you . . . literally everything! The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand. Proverbs 12:7
Men rise to power - reign for a period of time - are overthrown and within a generation are forgotten. Only the most infamous of leaders is remembered after being destroyed - but their memory is like rottenness - a reminder of a horrific man who chose a wicked way to live. They are remembered as a byword and a warning. Don't become like such men - whose wickedness chased them down and destroyed them. There is an interesting thing about this particular proverb. The wicked after being overthrown are no more. First, their reigns are so odious to the people that they feel the need to rise up and destroy them. Once they are destroyed no one wants to continue their ways. This is because their ways were wicked. The people want nothing more to do with them - thus they do all they can to forget them. They leave no enduring house or legacy. The only thing they leave is a cautionary tale of warning to those who would desire to be like them. The very principles upon which they built their lives ensured their demise. This is why wickedness will not stand or last forever. The wicked and all their kingdoms will end up in the lake of fire in the last day - suffering everlasting torment for their godless, evil empires. Their house will eternally be destroyed around them - and their testimony will only be that of agony and knashing of teeth as they suffer the worst of ignominies for their choice to live a wicked life in defiance of God and His principles and rule. The righteous though have a house that will stand. The very principles that they have chosen will last. That is because they are principles that flow from the heart of God Himself. That Word will stand forever - as well as what is built accordingly. As an example of this consider the house and lineage of David. He was a man after God's own heart. He chose to follow the Lord - and even his greatest mistake (his adultery with Bathsheba) was an example for generations in its cost as well as David's example of repentance as he turned from his sin. That house stands forever. His writings in Psalms that record his conviction and repentance stand. They bless every generation that reads them. More than any of that - God's promise to build Him an everlasting legacy also stands as Christ Jesus was the fulfillment of that promise. His house - founded upon Calvary's hill stands to this day - though kings, false prophets, and wicked men have tried to destroy it in every generation. May we remember such things as we seek to build our house - not a structure made of rock, wood, and nails - but a life and family grounded on the solid rock of God's Word. May we remember as we labor on that house day after day - week after week - and year after year - teaching and admonishing our children with all wisdom from God's Word. May we remember as we sink deep foundations dug with time on our knees. May we remember as we build not with wood, hay, and stubble - but with silver, gold, and costly jewels. May we remember that our labor in the Lord is not in vain - but is used by the Lord to build an enduring house - one founded upon a rock - and that rock is Christ! The righteous is delivered from trouble, But the wicked takes his place.
Proverbs 11:8 God's ability to deliver out of trouble is nothing short of amazing. If we only knew all the times that God has delivered us from situations and problems - we would fall and worship at His feet. As it is we will have to wait for that day when we see Him and know as fully as we are known. But thankfully the Lord has put some of His glorious history in the Bible from which we can glean the wonders of His power to arrange providence according to His will. We read here that the righteous is delivered from trouble, but that the wicked takes his place. The first thing we need to state here is that God does not promise to deliver the righteous from ALL trouble. There are times when God's purpose is served by the death of His martyrs. But for every martyr it seems that there are also those times when God does glorious deliverances among His people. There are two that are amazing because they mirror exactly what is said here in this passage - that the wicked take the place of the one who was delivered. We read of Mordecai who would not give worship to the wicked Haman. Haman decided to do more than just kill Mordecai. He got authorization from the king to kill the entire people of Mordecai - going after the entire Jewish nation. As the Jews prayed earnestly for deliverance, God was engineering a wonderful array of providence to provide deliverance for them. Esther was queen so she had access to the king - and was willing to go even though she was not requested - thus risking her own life. As Haman proceeded to build a gallows like none other upon which to hang Mordecai - God was having the king experience a sleepless night in which he had court records read to him. He learned of Mordecai speaking of a plot to kill him - and desired to honor him. That event led to a glorious change of circumstances - in which Mordecai was delivered from the gallows - yet Haman was hung on them instead. Instead of Mordecai's family being killed - the family of Haman was hung along with him upon the gallows he built for Mordecai. Ah, the glories of my God and King - Who can work miracles of providence to accomplish His own will in history. The second piece of Bible history involves Daniel and a lion's den. A group of wicked advisors to the king were jealous of Daniel - and thus sought a reason to accuse him before the king. Darius the King was a vain man so he fell for the trap laid for Daniel. The advisors had him sign a law that no man could pray to anyone except him for a day - with the penalty being death by lion's den if they disobeyed. Once signed - these wicked advisors awaited Daniel's godly choice to pray to God three times a day. When he bowed to pray to Jehovah, they were ready to pounce. They dragged him before the king and had him pass sentence even though he was loathe to do so. Thus Daniel found himself being lowered into a den of ravenous lions - a trouble that seemed destined to have him consumed as soon as he reached the floor of the den in which the lions awaited his arrival with salivating mouths. But God shut those mouths and delivered Daniel until morning. As he was raised out of the den - the lions did not have to worry about going hungry. The king, furious with their deceitfulness, had the wicked advisors thrown into the pit with the lions who more than obliged his offer of a second meal - crushing them as soon as they hit the ground. God is able to deliver to the uttermost. We need to know that and trust Him to deliver us when we face trouble because we confess His name. We also need to know that He is also able to bring the wicked to a most horrific end as well - even having them take our place as He delivers us. Trust Him at all times, dear saints of God. He is good and will do what is good in our lives. Whether He offers an earthly deliverance or not - remember this one thing. The most glorious deliverance that He offers is that which is bought and paid for with the blood of His own Son at Calvary's cross. There He delivered us from His own wrath and judgment - not at the cost of the wicked - but at the cost of His own beloved Son. May that ultimate deliverance from trouble drop us to our knees daily in worship, adoration, and praise! She is boisterous and rebellious, Her feet do not remain at home; Proverbs 7:11
What kind of lady do you want to be drawn to in life? For the women who are reading this - What kind of woman do you want to be - or do you want your daughters to become? Hopefully, this passage in Proverbs 7 will have a little bit of wisdom for you today. The woman described here in this verse is the one mentioned in verse 10. This is the adulteress - the woman who dresses as a harlot - and who has her sights set on a very foolish young man who has decided to stray into her web. She is described in three ways in this passage - and I would dare say that these are traits that woman would do well to avoid. First of all we read that she is boisterous. The word for boisterous means to growl, roar, or howl. It means someone who is loud - who is very tumultuous. This is interesting to read because Peter encourages the women in the New Testament to be women whose beauty if from the "inner man of their hearts" (a reference to the fullness of Christ within them) - and adds - a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth to God. (from 1 Peter 3:4) This woman is not either of these things. She is neither quiet or gentle. Her boisterousness manifests itself by the fact that she is out confronting young men - initiating to them. She is out seeking sex and as she does - she is loud and bold in her actions and words. Here we come to an interesting thought. God desires women to be the gentler sex. He sees great worth in a quiet and gentle spirit in a woman. We are not stating that women should never speak - that is a over statement of this principle. It also does not mean a woman cannot laugh or enjoy herself - but that she must be stoic and quiet as a mouse. The passage here and in 1 Peter is saying that a woman ought to have a tranquil heart - and not have to be the center of attention and the life of the party. There is another thing we need to see here. She is not just boisterous - but boisterous and rebellious. Her loudness comes packaged with a rebellious heart as well. She doesn't want to submit to her husband -or to the proper way to carry herself in public. This is evident by the fact that she is seeking an adulterous partner in the streets at night. Most of all she is not willing to submit her life to God and His Word. She desires to run her own life - do her own thing - and say and act however she wants. Men, such a woman is NOT a good woman to marry. Ladies, such a character is NOT wise for you to adopt - and neither is it wise to allow your daughters to be influenced by such women. The third and final description of the adulteress in this verse is that "her feet do not remain at home." This is literal first of all as we watch her leave home and seek out a sexual partner other than her husband. But it is also evident in other aspects of her life. Titus speaks of having the older women teach the younger women to be "workers at home." I'm sure I'll hear about this - but I do not think it is the wisest choice to have women out in the workplace. That will most likely be received as a statement made from the dark ages - but actually it is made from Scripture. The more women have been liberated from this Scriptural principle - the more they have actually been enslaved to the problems that come from it. Women's liberation movements have tried to tell us that a woman should abandon her maternal instincts and leave home to do what men do. The results of this social experimentation have been nothing short of disastrous. As women have embraced being like men - they have also encountered the sins of men as well. It has helped to disintigrate the family and the institution of marriage. When a woman's feet do not remain at home - the protection the Scripture speaks of will be lost to them. I know that I've said some pretty controversial things today. Most likely I'll get some pretty negative comments from this posting. But the facts of Scripture are the facts. Boisterousness, rebelliousness, and women who leave home to pursue their own agenda are not those who are held up and honored in Scripture. I'm not saying that all women who are this way will end up in adultery. But I am saying that the wise woman reads such a passage and leans heavily to the opposite of such things. May God grant to all those who read this His wisdom to see the role that He has for women in this world. Contrary to what the NOW and other feminist organizations will say, such a role is not demeaning to women. It exalts them to the place of their greatest effectiveness and power. Women who have lived out such lives know this. They know that being a women of godly character, graciousness, and sacrificial love - will bless them - and will bless the many generations that will know the love of a godly mother - a godly wife - a godly woman. May God multiply their number in the church once again in our day! |
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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