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Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. 6 Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar. Proverbs 30:5-6
It should not suprise us that in the midst of the wisdom of the ages we find a statement as to the trustworthiness of the Word of God. That is wisdom indeed - that we can trust God's Word because it is tested. We learn that it is a shield for those who need refuge. It is a word we are not to add to or subtract from. And it is a Word that God will protect to the point of proving that all who add to it are liars. A TESTED Word - The first thing we are told is that every Word of God is tested. There is an interesting start. Every means the whole of something - all of it. Each and every word that makes up God's revelation of Himself is tested. Those who mock the thought that we can trust every word in God's word need to realize that such a statement is not just made by theologians - but by God's Word itself. The idea of these words being tested refers to the smeltin process of silver or gold. The smelting is done by exposing these metals to heat - intense heat - and those bringing out all the impurities in them. What is left over is pure gold or silver. God's Word has been thoroughly tested and purified so that what we have is reliable - it is the smelted pure gold - and we can trust its purity. A SHIELD - This word serves as a shield to those who take refuge in God. Here we see that God's Word is equated with God Himself. Of course this should not shock us because what a person says ought to be true of the person. What a good reminder though that God is good for every word He speaks. A wise man would note this and look to God's Word for the ultimate promises in his or her life. ADDING TO GOD'S WORD - Don't add to God's Word is the warning given here. Yet there are myriad people and groups who have tried. Before turning the cults, first we need to see that individually we can add to God's Word. If we do not know it well, we can take our own personal desires and impose them upon the Lord. We can also go for years thinking that God has said something - and only be mistaken because of personal ignorance of the Word. Regardless of the reason - any personal addition to God's Word is strictly forbidden. There are also groups who add to God's Word. The Mormons have done so by adding the Book of Mormon to it. The Jehovah's Witness group has mistranslated it, and in so doing have built an entire doctrine around denying the deity of Jesus Christ. Numerous other groups have proven foolish doing these same things only to be proven false when we examine the truth. The destruction that faces those who do such things and who adhere to such things is beyond our comprehension, for many will only become aware of their error in the judgment. PROVEN A LIAR - Those who decide to add to God's Word will have the unfortunate position of being proven liars. God promises personally to reprove those who do this. The Word used here for reprove has a legal sense to it - that the person will find a case against them - one with a judgment as well. There is also a sense in which this is a personal reproof - a rebuke. The judgment that will be rendered to those who add to God's Word is that of being a liar - a proven liar. We consider such words strong indeed. Yet God does not take lightly to those who would add to His Word their own thoughts and ideas. It is important to have somethign upon which to found our lives. There needs to be some kind of bedrock document - some truth upon which our lives can be built. The philosophies of our day disdain such truth - or at least disdain that there is a universal truth upon which all men can base their lives. Instead they hold to an individual truth which all men can hold simultaneously in their hearts - even if their truths radically contradict one another. Yet, in spite of all the volumes written and all the speeches given - their truths still stand as the lies of rebellious men who think they know better than God. God's truth has stood throughout time as THE TRUTH. It has stood, will stand, and will be the very basis upon which the ultimate judgment shall be rendered. When looked at in that light we can see the wisdom in holding fast to God's words as they have been given to us. To do otherwise would simply to be to add our name to the list of liars who will be proven wrong throughout history and who, if not in the immediate - in the ultimate - will be shown to be those who misrepresent the truth.
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A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken beyond remedy. Proverbs 29:1
Stiff-necked . . . now there is a term you don't hear too much any longer. Yet, it would be wise for us to avoid being stiff-necked - especially when it comes to how we receive correction and reproof from others - and from God. The "hardened-neck" is the one that is stiff, and it also has the idea of being severe or fierce. Thus the hardening is very decided. When a man hardens his neck - he is doing so with quite the attitude. Zhodiates brings out that this means someone who is harsh with anger - cruel - stiff-necked. This is a difficult person - stubborn and hardened and filled with resentment toward the one offering the reproof. The reproof is not just criticism. It is also not just a one time statement. The proverb says "after much reproof." There are those who are offering the needed rebuke and correction - and when they offer it - they are offering A LOT of it. But - from the previous word - it is clear that the one receiving it is not interested in hearing it. Suddenly speaks of something that happens all at once - there is an aspect to this that is shocking. The promise of the proverb is not for a slow decline - but for a sudden moment of retribution from the Lord. The one who receives this "sudden" consequences is broken. Broken is "shabar" means to break in pieces - and also has the idea of being abolished, crushed, demolished, destroyed, smashed, shattered, or torn down. This is a devastating breaking from God. What is worse is this breaking is described as bein beyond remedy - literally "no healing or cure" - This is something that is not recoverable. When I consider this, it makes me fear pride and arrogance. It also makes me want to turn from areas where I am receiving much instruction - and much rebuke - and turn to the Lord with a humility and brokenness that is self-imposed. Actually, it makes me want to turn in any area where I'm receiving correction - why wait until it becomes "much" reproof - respond now. Oh to have the brokenness that comes from the Lord as a gift - the broken and contrite heart that He gives as a loving gift to His children - rather than the brokenness that comes as a horrific retribution when we resist Him and those who are sent of Him to correct and train us in righteousness. Learn to receive correction and reproof as good friends - friends who only want us to avoid the breaking that comes with arrogance and self-centered thinking that rejects comments not meant to hurt - but meant to protect us from a stiff neck and its consequences. He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered. Proverbs 28:26
"Just trust your heart," is a phrase that we hear often in our world. Yet this counsel runs absolutely counter to what God tells us in Proverbs - and honestly - everywhere else in Scripture. How could there be such a wide discrepancy between the common wisdom of the world and that which God gives us in the Word? To trust in your own heart is to be confident in it. The word means to feel safe and secure - to feel that you can rely on it in every situation. God calls the man or woman who lives this way a fool. But there is a reason God says this - a good reason. The world in all its philosophies usually does not want to take into account the fall of man into sin and rebellion against God. Those stories of a garden and a tree of good and evil are just that - stories. So they write off the rebellion of man - and choose instead to trust their own rebellious hearts. But the one who does not take into account the fall of man is a fool. He does not realize the corruption of his own heart. It is like trusting a watch that has been set incorrectly. No matter how accurate you think it is - it is fundamentally flawed. So is the man who trusts himself and does not see his sin. The one who walks wisely is promised deliverance. We've seen these words before in Proverbs. Walk speaks of our lifestyle - the way we walk about the world. The walk of this man is according to wisdom - which is "chokmah" and means a wisdom - but one used with skill - meaning a practical wisdom that is lived out in a myriad of decisions every day. The one who walks this way will be delivered. Delivered? From what are we to be delivered? What are we escaping? When we walk wisely according to God's ways - we will be delivered from our sinful ways and tendencies. We are declifered . . . from ourselves and from a fallen world that walks contrary to God's wisdom. Believe it or not, that is the primary trap set for us every day - to turn to ourselves rather than to turn to God. Only the wisdom of God's Word will deliver us from such a fate - such a natural fate that it seems like the height of normalcy to live that way. Yet, to fall into those normal patterns of the flesh - trusting ourselves rather than living in a conscious dependence upon God - well - that is a fate which we all need to be delivered from every day. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. Proverbs 27:6
Which would you rather have - wounds or kisses? Without more information, just about anyone would answer kisses. Yet when this proverb is through with us, we might want to rethink our answer. What exactly is a "faithful wound?" To be faithful here means to provide stability and patience. The faithful wound of a friend will help us be built up, supported, nurtured, and established. How could a wound do that? Well, we are speaking of a wound of a friend - not a wound on a battlefield. Our friends wound us when they know that difficult words must be said. They don't take any pleasure in wounding us. Unfortunately they see the need for a difficult statement - a correction - a word of warning about something they see in our lives. They say it to prevent problems not cause them. They see that the wound is necessary in the short term - becuase greater damage will result in the long term without it. So they speak - risking misunderstanding - risking offence - risking making us angry. Yet they see that not speaking - not wounding would be even worse. In fact, not speaking would be the most unfriendly thing they could do. The kisses are those of an enemy . . . enough said. But it might help us to see how they are described. An enemy gives only deceitful kisses. Thus we learn right off the bat that we cannot trust actions alone - the outward can be deceitful. As God says often - the issue is the heart. The word "deceitful" actually means to be multiplied. It actually speaks of someone who does more - or does bigger - or does more numerously than normal. Thus the deceitful person over does it in order to cover the lying nature of his or her actions. So what can we learn from this proverb? First we can learn that when someone is giving us far more affection and congratulation than normal, we might want to be careful about basking in their adulation - it might be deceitful in nature. It might have ulterior motives behind it. Second, we also need to learn to accept the wounds of our friends as gifts rather than grating comments that get on our nerves. This is one time where it is better to receive a wound than a kiss. For the kiss may only be a prelude to something far worse, while the wound is given only for the purpose of blessing us in the end. The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body. Proverbs 26:22
Why is it that we can listen for hours to people talk finding it rather uninteresting, yet when someone lowers their voice to a whisper to pass along gossip, suddenly we come to rapt attention? That is the situation this proverb addresses. "If you want to get someone's attention, whisper." These were the words of an old commercial. They were advertising some perfume - but there is truth in that statement. The Hebrew concept for the word "whisperer" is that of someone who is gossiping or complaining. This person is someone who causes trouble as they seem to constantly be faultfinding or murmuring about others. It is dangerous to listen to a "whisperer." The proverb tells us that their words are like dainty morsels. Our fallen ears take to them like our appetites take to our favorite foods. We savor them and it only leaves us hungry for more. A word of warning is given to us about listening to these kinds of words. These kind of words will go down into the innermost parts of our bodies. Here a fascinating Hebrew word offers us a great deal of instruction. The word, "innermost" means "chambers of the belly." To the Hebrew, the chambers of the belly were not the place of wisdom, but rather the seat of the emotions. The place of wisdom is the heart and mind. Often we see God warning us to think with and guard our hearts and minds - and - to beware of a life driven by the emotions. Listening to complainers and gossips will often stoke the fires of our emotions. The murmuring criticism of these folks will get us mad about what they're mad and soon complaining over their gripes. Certain gossip will set a place on fire - with people becoming angry and resentful over things that are not even true. The truly difficult thing about listening to a whisperer is that once their words go into the chambers of our belly - it's hard to get them out. The other danger is that by listening, we can betray a friendship and offend greatly those who are the subject of such whispering. We've all seen how much damage can come from just a little whisper taking root in someone's belly and firing their emotions. It's kind of like finding one dandelion in your yard - it doesn't remain one for long. Next time someone wants to whisper their complaints and gossip in your ear - don't listen. Don't let them put their dainty morsels in the chambers of your belly - because in the end - you'll wind up with far more than just an upset stomach. You'll wind up with an upset life! Like a trampled spring and a polluted well Is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. Proverbs 25:26
A spring or well holds such promise. When we come to one or hear of one there is the hope of clear fresh water. We can drink and be refreshed. Yet to come to one and find it trampled to where it is dirty and filled with mud and pollutants is such a disheartening thing. This is true in the realm of water - but how much more so when applied to the lives of godly men. This trampled spring or polluted well is actually a godly, righteous man who surrenders and gives way before the wicked. Giving way has the idea of wavering, wobbling and shaking before one falls. The fall is imminent and that is what all the movement indicates is coming. The Hebrew also indicates it can be a foot slipping or a fire flaming out. This picture in the Hebrew is applied to a righteous man who faces the true test of his righteousness. THE test is when he stands before the wicked. He faces standing in righteousness when it may cost him dearly. The test may be as little as the disagreement of others - and it may be as large as facing martyrdom for his stand. Regardless the situation, this righteous man chooses instead to give way - to wobble and totter in his views. He changes his mind - or acts contrary to it. His pollution and trampling come as a result of not standing firm in his convictions. He does not hold to the Word in such situations - but gives way before the world instead. There are so many men and women in history who have given way before the wicked. They have chosen the way of peace - at least peace on this earth. There will be no peace for them in the end when they stand before God. But they do not want to rock the boat. The conclusion of such matters is that a life that could have been so refreshing to others is trampled and polluted. Now all it does it disappoint those who needed a refreshing drink. What they could have offered is ruined - because they chose to waver in their faith before the wicked. There is hope for those who have thus fallen in the New Testament. Peter gave way before the wicked - and that could have been the final message of his life. Fortunately for him Christ came and offered grace and forgiveness. He called Peter to repentance - and then back to usefulness. In no way do I want to lessen the truth of this passage - that righteous men need to stand in righteous views when the wicked come wanting them to compromise. Godly men need to remain godly when the ungodly want them to "tone it down" and lower their standards (which most often means to lower the standards of Scripture). We do need to stand firm and hold to the Word rather than the world. But, when we do fall, it is good to know that when we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive them. Nevertheless, we need to be wise and stand firm when confronted by the wicked. To do otherwise may mean allowing a well or spring that could offer many a fresh drink of the water of the Word, nothing more than the muddy, polluted waters of sinful compromise with the world. There are plenty of places where you can be served a drink of that kind of swill. Yet in our world a drink of living water - that kind of refreshment can only be had from one who remains true to the True Spring - who remains true to the One Who can give you a drink from which you will never thirst again. My son, fear the Lord and the king; Do not associate with those who are given to change, 22 For their calamity will rise suddenly, And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them? Proverbs 24:21-22
Change! We need change! There is the byword of our society lately. Yet, there are some things that do not change, and should not be subject to quick changes. What is fascinating to me is the two areas where this is mentioned. Fear the Lord - that I can understand. At least in the context of change. Those who think that they can do better with God - who think that they know better than His Word are not wise people. An example are those who think that God should change His views on morals to parallel those of a changing society. They are given to change, and do so every time the society decides to loosen their morals beyond what is written in the Word. As it says in verse 22 - their calamity is going to come - it will rise suddenly. And the ruin that comes from such "change" is massive. With God's Word that is easy to see. But that is not where this passage stops. Fear the king . . . that is the second part of this statement made by the wise man. Government? We should fear the government? That is what God's Word tells us. But we need to remember what kind of government they had. Their king was to spend time writing out a personal copy of God's Word so that he would be careful not to overstep what it said. But before we make this statement only apply to a biblical theocracy, we need to remember that Paul urged first century Christians to submit to the government of Rome - or to any under which they lived. We are to pray for those in authority so that we can live peaceful lives in all godliness. Stability in government is actually a good thing. As long as we can live within it for Christ - we should be grateful for whatever form of government we have. The people describes as the ones given to change are those who are desirous of changing the government - which in that day meant an overthrow or a revolution. Hang around with these people long enough - and both you and they will find yourselves at odds with the king. An interesting historical parallel to this is the French Revolution. There were those who were given to change - and who decided to overthrow the monarchy. These revolutionaries soon decided to overthrow one another. Before long - blood ran in the streets as one faction turned on another. The end of all this was the dictatorship of Napoleon and the wars that ensued. France was in shambles due to it all. Associating with those "given to change" led to many being beheaded . . . yep, sounds like calamity to me. The best thing is to fear God - and fear the ones in government to whom He has placed the sword of its power. Romans tells us as much. Historically, being a Christian has rarely meant working for government change. I know in the United States such statements are foreign to us, but biblically the focus of God's people has been building a kingdom that cannot be seen - one that will last forever. So, follow the counsel of Scripture . . . fear God and the king. Work in your life to live under both - but ultimately with a view to standing before the Lord, Who ultimately is the One Who governs our lives. Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the Lord always. 18 Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:17-18
Ever look at the prosperity of sinners and the ungodly with the wrong set of eyes? Here's what I mean . . . it is difficult to miss the the wicked and ungodly are many times prosperous in this present world. It is also difficult to see sinners experiencing instant gratification for their sinning. Too often Christians want to keep this a secret - and not acknowledge such things. But the fact is that these things exist - and that we will have to see them as we walk through this world. The problem comes not with their existence, but rather with those times when we look at them with the wrong set of eyes. The proverb begins, "Do not let your heart envy sinners . . . " This command would not be given to us if there were not a danger of us doing just that, envying sinners. The whole reason for celebrity magazines is to help mankind to envy sinners. The reason for the old show - "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" is to have us envy those who live that way. But the Word of God warns us - don't envy them. What is the counsel we receive from God's Word? Don't envy sinners - don't let your heart be drawn to love what they love - but live in the fear of Jehovah always! Our lives are to be lived in the fear of Jehovah - in the fear of the Lord. How do we do this? We do it by learning wisdom from God's Word - and then allowing the Word to be the primary influence on our desires and direction in life. That Word warns us about the transitory nature of riches - as well as the fact that to whom much is given, much is required. We are warned about sexual immorality in precept and in example. The Word tells us to guard our hearts against the harlot - then gives us a front row seat to the destruction of the strongest man in history by the fleeting lies of free sex - or sex without responsibility. We watch David as he turns from the Word to his own fleshly desires. What seems tantalizing at first becomes a nightmare of lies, deception, and cover-ups later. Then the real price is paid - several times over and literally thousands of times more than his brief pleasure - as daughters are raped, sons die, and an entire nation is thrown into disarray. Yeah - think after watching several episodes of "The Lives of the Judged and Jaded," I think I've been convinced that living in the fear of the Lord always is the better choice! But before we are left with only His judgments to learn from (which actually should be sufficient for us to learn wisdom) we are given a wonderful promise from the Lord Whom we are to fear. When we live in the fear of the Lord - surely there is a future! The word future is so instructive! The word for "future" is "acharith" and it means, "the after-part or the latter end." The Lord is saying to us, "Look at the end of these things! Note and learn from the end of the matter." We are not to focus on the immediate moment when making a decision. Honestly, that is what often gets us in trouble. We look at the chocolate chip cookie sitting on the cookie sheet - wafting out its promise of a "toll-house" moment of pleasure - not realizing the "toll" is higher than we think until we step on the scales. (I know this routine all too well - those cookies call to me like the Sirens of Odysseus) Wisdom is seeing the end from the beginning - to see the consequences ahead of time. When we see them in our mind's eye and heart - we avoid choices that will leave us shipwrecked and without a future. That in the promise - we will have a future - a desired latter-end in life. We'll make choices that may hurt now - but in the end we will be blessed! When we do this we will see that our hope will not be cut off. This is the problem with envying sinners and allowing their short-termed blessing to guide us into making a choice like theirs. We learn only later that the short-termed blessings of sin leave us with long-term problems. There is no long-term hope in sinful actions. There is no future in sin - ask anyone in hell. One last encouragement . . . when sinners flaunt their envious position in the present moment . . . when they try to entice you to join them, don't do it. Don't envy their short-lived adventagious position. They are standing on a fault line of judgment. Sooner or later there is going to be an earthquake from which they cannot escape. Their ground is shifting sand and their house is going to fall. In that moment of temptation remind them of their latter end - man . . . remind yourself of your own latter end if you follow their example. There is a future - a hope. Go to the last book and read of "The Lifestyles of the Happy and Heaven-bound." The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside; I will be killed in the streets!" Proverbs 22:13
Ah, the things a lazy person will do to keep from working. The imaginations of his own mind - which does little else than making up new things that will keep him from work - run amok when the thought of actually getting up and doing something threaten. The sluggard always sees the imminent danger - no matter how ridiculous. This keeps him from having to go outside and work or do something profitable. Ever notice that the world will give you a thousand reasons NOT to do something. If we actually listened to all the "dangers" that are out there - we would do nothing but sit in our homes (which we've learned lately can be just as dangerous as going outside) and be concerned with a thousand imagined dangers that lurk just outside our door. The wise man seeks the Lord to discover what is dangerous. He does not live in fear of the supposed evil that lurks everywhere behind every new turn. Instead, he looks to God for direction for each new day - then walks out the door to work hard as unto His Lord. I'm not making light of the real dangers that are out there - but too often we learn everything is bad for us - everything is dangerous - and everything is harmful to our health. If we actually listened to all this - we'd be like the sluggard who looks for any excuse not to be doing something valuable. The real danger in all this is that we will become so consumed with the imagined dangers of life that we become good for nothing. The sluggard does this to keep from having to ever work. Here's my encouragement for each day from this verse. Seek the face of God each morning - listen to what He has to say through His Word and through His Holy Spirit. After you do this - strike out into each new day energized by what God has to say. This will give you a passion for your life - and for the work He has for you to do each day. It is His will that you work hard - doing something valuable each day. It is His will that you go out and be a change-agent in this world. The fact is that we will all die of something before this life is over - just don't let it be laziness! There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the Lord. Proverbs 21:30
This has got to be one of the most discouraging passages for an atheist or an agnostic. Here they are doing all that they do against the Lord - thinking there is a wisdom that they can have that is not of God - an understanding apart from Him and counsel that goes against what He says. Yet the facts speak for themselves . . . No wisdom against God . . . When you hear words that contradict those of the living God in Scripture - it is not a wise thing you are hearing. There may be people who say things that accidentally agree with God's Word in the midst of their foolish ramblings. Some may consider them wise - but only because they agreed with a principle found in the pages of Scripture. But when they contradict God's Word - there is no wisdom in that. No understanding against God . . . Understanding means a discernment, a reasoning or a skill with facts that gives one the ability to see what is coming. Since God is the One Who is from all eternity - and Who knows the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning - one would think we would get the fact that He is all-knowing. Thus . . . He knows the future - and His Word will always reveal the best course - the one in keeping with understanding. Ever wonder why the so-called "experts" can take all their studies - all their learning - and come up with such inane conclusions? Ever wonder why all the prognosticators get it wrong again and again? It is because they do not turn to God for wisdom - and out of that wisdom understanding. They think they can come up with conclusions that disagree with God. But there is no understanding that is against the Lord. Let them make their forecasts - but we know from the Word of God how all things will go and even more important - how they will all end. No counsel against the Lord . . . The word counsel here means advice - but even more than that - a plan or a plot. There are those to whom the world goes seeking advice. People like Dr. Phil and Oprah and her constant lineup of false prophets seem so wise - so understanding - and therefore the masses cling to them and to their plans. They think that they will be blessed by following them. But the fact is that there is no plan against the Lord. Oh there are actually thousands of plans and plots against Him - but none that will succeed in the end. I think one thing that irks me is when I go to a movie or see a show or read an article that drips with self-congratulation over their own counsel. The arrogance of mankind is astounding when we think of how man gathers his own wisdom - makes his own forecasts - and then sets out on a plan - yet God is nowhere mentioned or accessed. Generations have come and will march into dust so sure of themselves and their plans. Yet the ultimate test is the judgment seat of Christ. It is the day when all the plans of man will come to an end. On that day we will know as we have never known before that there is no wisdom, no understanding, and no counsel against the Lord. I hear the words of the psalmist ringing in my ears: "Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the Lord with reverence And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! Psalms 2:10-12 Now there is wisdom - there is understanding - and good counsel that will stand well throughout eternity. Get ready to face the Son - honor the Son - worship the Son - for in the end the only wisdom, understanding, and counsel that will matter is that which is in agreement with His. |
 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. 
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