The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it. Proverbs 30:17
This proverb is one of those that seems a little harsh when you first read it - especially if you've ever been disrespectful to your parents. Your average kid might say, "You mean to say that if I scorn my parents, I'm doomed to have scavenger birds peck my eye out and eat it?" Since we know that not every rebellious child and teenager has had his eyes destroyed by a flock of ravens and eagles - we know that this passage has more to teach us than just a scary warning that probably would not work on kids anyway. But just what is this proverb trying to show us? The key comes in understanding why a bird - especially a scavenger would have any interest in an animal's eyes. You see both of the birds mentioned in this passage are scavengers. That means that they both eat dead things. But one practice that ravens have as they approach carrion is that they need to be sure it is dead. That can mean the difference in having a meal and being one to the raven. Therefore when a raven suspects an animal to be dead - he goes straight for the eye. The raven lands near the animal and sees if the animal makes any movements. Then when the raven detects that things are clear for the most part - he subjects the animal to the ultimate test as to whether it is alive or dead. He pecks at the animal's eye. If an animal does not move to protect the eye, it is dead. As the raven picks out the eye of the animal - it assures him that the animal is dead. Often early in the meal that follows, a larger predator - which is where the young eagle comes in - will arrive and take over the meal from the raven, who wisely knows when he is outmatched. Now, let's take what we've learned from nature - and apply it to what is said in this passage. When a young person feels his oats enough to begin mocking his own father and mother it is a very dangerous sign. The reference to the raven and the young eagle is not a direct threat - but rather a reminder. He is spiritually dead. This is not so much a threat of future aviary retribution - but of the spiritual reality of where this young man or woman is. God promises us that the one who honors his mother and father will live long on the earth. Great blessing is in store for the child who learns about respect, honor, and submission in subjection to his parents. These are vital lessons to learn if he or she is going to be successful in life - and after life is over. These come through properly relating to one's parents. If we don't learn them in the home - we will face learning them out in the world where the cost to learn them is far higher than it is with mom and dad. One last thing that we need to note here is that we are not talking about open rebellion here - but the "eye" that mocks father and mother. This is as much a look as it is an action. I remember my mother telling me not to look at her in that tone of voice. It was a little bit of a joke - but not really. She knew, and so did my father, when my eyes were revealing what was really going on in my heart. The eyes are the window to the soul - and reveal much of what is truly going on in our hearts. Thus we need to be careful to not only watch our words concerning our parents, but also the way our eyes function as well. Quite often we might be obeying in our outward members - but our eyes reveal another story altogether. Remember then, that when the scavengers come looking for the dead - they come looking for those who are dead in their eyes. When a wise man seeks to determine whether someone is spiritually alive or dead - he can learn much in how a person treats their parents.
9 Comments
Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God.
Proverbs 30:8-9 Here is the request of a wise man. It is a very wise request because it deals in two things that will derail a life that is seeking to be guided by God. It deals with deception and greed. As you seek to walk through this world in a way that pleases and honors God - you will find that these two things are snares that often will seek to trip your feet and make you stumble. The man who watches for them - and cries out for God to deliver him from them - is wise indeed. His first request deals with deception. He cries out to God to keep deception and lies far from him. If we are going to live a godly life, we are going to have to have truth. The wise man has come to know that there is an absolue truth that God gives in His Word. He will cling to it. Jesus prayed for His disciples, "Santify them in the truth. Your Word is truth." If we are going to be purified and preserved in this life - it will be because God has kept us from deception and lies. There is one sure cure for lies - and it is the truth. Why should we be in God's Word every day? Why should it dwell richly within us? Why should we hide that Word in our hearts? It is so that we know the truth - because it is only that truth that will set us free. The most secure prison in the world is nothing compared to a man who enslaves himself by believing lies and deception. The wise man's second request has to deal with the sin of greed. The best way to describe the danger of greed is by sharing the answer of a man who was very wealthy. He was asked how much money it would take for him to be content. His answer was telling because it did not refer to a specific, fixed amount. He sad, "Just a little more." There is the danger of greed. No amount is enough because we will be deceived into thinking that a little more will give us the illusive happiness that we seek from money. Our problem is that we were not made for money. Elsewhere in Scripture we are warned that when we set our eyes on wealth - it takes wings and flies to the heavens - always just a little beyond our reach. This pursuit will take forever - and will never end in contentment. The truth is that we were made for God - and until we find our contentment in Him - we will never be truly content. The writer of Proverbs cries out and asks for neither poverty or riches. He knows that both of those situations leaves him in want. Poverty in a want for enough - and riches in a want for just a little more. What he asks for is the food that is his portion. Ah, a wise man he is indeed. His words parallel those of Jesus in His teaching on prayer. "Give us THIS DAY our DAILY BREAD!" There is wisdom - give me what I need today - and keep me in need of only one thing constantly. Keep me constantly needing You, Lord! That is the prayer of the wise man. Next the wise man states why this request for enough for today is truly wisdom. First, he knows that too often the rich man thinks he does not need God. He looks to his riches and foolish thinks he does not need God. Such was the case for the rich farmer in the parable of the rich fool told by our Lord. He thought his bumper crop meant that he was set for life. His problem though was that he was not set for death. God came to him and called him a fool. That night he was to die - and he would suddenly have nothing. All his wealth was left behind - and since he did not prepare to meet God - he faced a horrific fate. He was about to enter into eternal poverty - having decided that storing up treasures in heaven was not a worthy pursuit. Here on earth his riches deceived him into thinking, "Who is the Lord?" The answer to that question is one that does not need to be put off until after death. It needs to be answered here and now - because the one who puts it off - or ignores it altogether - will spend all eternity in a poverty that will consume his flesh with fire forever and ever as the smoke of his torment will never cease to rise in an epitaph revealing his eternal stupidity. The second reason he asks God for enough is because he knows that hunger may deceive a man into thinking that stealing is a way of getting enough. Want often leads men to profane God's name by their thievery. They steal thinking that God has not provided and therefore they need to take things into their own hands. Here is a wise man - praying. He seeks God for what is necessary for that day. He also knows that the best thing for him is to have to do this each and every day. His stomach may be full - and possibly can be provided for well into the future. But - he knows that his need of the Lord will never subside. He needs God continuously. May it be the wisdom of that need that guides us to our knees daily to ask for God's mercy and grace to deliver us from the twin foes of deception and greed. The leech has two daughters, "Give," "Give." There are three things that will not be satisfied, Four that will not say, "Enough": Sheol, and the barren womb, Earth that is never satisfied with water, And fire that never says, "Enough." Proverbs 30:15-16
Among verses in Proverbs this has to be one of the stranger ones. Because this passage has no real pointer within it except the fact that it speaks of a specific kind of leech whose daughters are insatiable, it is one of those verses that has a myriad of explanations by commentators. These explanations range from the two daughters being death and hell, heaven and hell, as well as a myriad of negative character traits all focusing on greed in its various forms. So how do you come to any kind of secure conclusion about a verse like this? Let's take a look and see if we can discern anything from looking at this very strange verse in Proverbs. First of all, when a passage itself does not immediately release its meaning - it can be very dangerous. That is because too many people will begin allegorizing it quickly. You will have people saying that these two sisters are anything and everything under the sun. But when a verse does not yield immediate clarity - we MUST turn to the context to better understand it. Let's start with what we do know. The being spoken of here is a leech - and more specifically, a horseleach. This is a blood sucking creature that actually has a two lipped appearance. It is through these two lips that the leech sucks the blood out of its victims. Because the horseleach has these two sucking mechanisms - it is known for having an insatiable appetite for a large amount of blood. That might account for the reason that the passage speaks of the leech having two daughters. But we come again to what all this means? What is the context of this passage. The previous verses, 12 through 14, are a unit in themselves - and verse 15 does not really fit with them. These verses spoke of the arrogance and pride of various individuals - and how their arrogance make their mouths very dangerous. But when you look at verse 15 in the context of the next set of verses - it fits quite well. These verses deal with things that are unsatiable - that won't ever say, "enough." The next piece of the puzzle is found when we see that verse 15 speaks of two things - then of three, and ends with a comment in verse 16 that says there are even four things that will not be satisified or say enough. Verse 16 then gives us what those four things are. So what does this context say to us - or help us to see about this horseleach? When I took time to seriously look at what Solomon was saying, I think that the horseleach was being referred to by his physical characteristics - as an example of the first number (2 things) that are insatiable. It is part of the buildup that Solomon is giving to get to the number four. Solomon is using a verbal tactic or a rhetorical device to make his argument more powerful. He is saying that there are two - no three - no four things that will not say enough. Therefore - the leech spoken of here is not a two-pronged greedy set of things - like death and hell or greed and avarice - or like the most ridiculous commentator suggested - a vampire! The leech is an example of something (here I believe the two-lipped or two-suckered opening that sucks blood - and that according to Solomon is saying always, "Give, Give!" Beyond that example out of nature - Solomon is most likely saying nothing else. He moves on in the very next statement to count to three then four - and makes it clear that he speaks of things that will not say enough. He speaks of these four things before the next verse is over. What this passage does help us to see is the danger of just haphazardly taking verses or parts of them that don't seem to have any clear meaning - and assigning them things that we just figure they must be. I've even heard some use this verse to speak derrogatorily of daugnters - saying that they are like blood-sucking leeches who are constantly taking money from daddy - and who never say, enough. Again, here is the dagner in all this. What we don't clearly understand - we need to submit to further scrutiny and a searching out of the text and context. This will usually yield a blessing in the end. Here - it yields the use of a rhetorical device - not a secret two-fold code concerning things we are left to guess about in the end. But what about wisdom? This passage is saying to us that we should see that this life and this world are never satisfied. Whether it is "sheol" (which is the place of the dead -or death itself) or a barren womb (which is never satisfied until there is a baby on the way - even one born to the barren woman) of the earth that is never satisfied with the water rained upon it, or a fire that consumes everything it can get - never being satisfied with what it has burned - we are facing the fact that this present world never gets enough. If we are wise - we will follow Solomon's reasoning - and see that not having satisfaction is kinda normal in this world. The Rolling Stones were quasi-prophetic when they sang, "I Can't Get No, Satisfaction, even though they were terrible grammarians. Wisdom tells us to be careful about our desires and unmet wants. Wisdom tells us that this world is saying something to us about our dissatisfaction. This world is not right - and it cannot satisfy us. In the end - satisfaction will have to be found "outside" this existence. We are not told where we can get this satisfaction here - just that nature and life should tell us not to expect all that much of it from this present life and this present world. What we learn from the rest of the testimony of Scripture is that this IS a problem - and it is only satisfied when we come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Only He can bring us fullness. I guess the proper way to close this particular post is to say that maybe there is a fifth thing that never says enough. That would be commentators who take passages like this and make them say something that neither the meaning of the words in the verse - nor the verse as a whole in its context actually means. Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die . . . Proverbs 30:7
I love people who can simplify life for me. It is actually not difficult to make things difficult - people do it all the time. They have a gift for taking something that should be simple - and making it incredibly complicated and hard to understand. Then they charge you money to do what they have made difficult - since now you think there is no way that you can do it yourself. If you are wanting the simple made difficult, this is not a proverb for you. God has this proverb written to help us understand important life principles - and do so in two easy concepts. In future posts I deal with the actual request - but this post I want to deal with the writer and his heart in making the request. The writer here asks two things from God. He has learned the blessing of economy in his relationship with God. There are times for us to expand things out and look at multiple aspects of a live lived for God's glory. and these two things are two principles we should remember to live a happy life and one that is founded on sound biblical footing. This request is vital because the writer says here that these two things are things he does not want God to refuse him before he dies. That is the last thing we can learn from this man - he is passionate about his request. "Do not refuse me before I die!" This is the way the writer expresses the intensity of his desire. Lord, there are definitely two things I have to have. I must have them before I die! There is a passion here that often is missing in ordinary Christians. This guy does not want to end his life without knowing and having walked out two things. We later learn that these two things are to walk in the truth always - and to experience contentment. As he seeks the Lord for these things, he does so with a hunger that is inspiring. Too often in our lives we're not really sure what we're really going after and we are thinking about being committed to getting it - at least we're pretty sure that we are. That is not what we see here. We see a man that knows the importance of walking in truth - and walking with a contentment in what God has given him. He knows one thing - that falsehood does not lead to a good end in life - and that running after this world does not either. He is chasing after something much different and much more satisfying. We learn by verse 9 that what he truly desires is to please and honor God. He wants to live a life that acknowledges God and that will be pleasing to Him in the end. We so desperately need to embrace what this writer is expressing in our lives. Do you know and can you enumerate a few things - no more than three that you absolutely have to have in life? Is there a higher purpose for living in your life than just making it through life? Are you bored - unchallenged by life and the goal for which you are living, or the lack thereof? Make the time to get alone with God and hash out what really matters in your life. Find in Him and in His purposes a reason to live! Than, rather than just having life go by as you watch confused as to its purpose, you can go out every day and agressively give yourself to a purpose that goes far beyond life itself - it goes gloriously into eternity! Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son's name? Surely you know! Proverbs 30:4
Wisdom has as its core quest God Himself. A wise man will look at the glory of the heavens and the earth and realize that such order and such majesty is not just the work of random forces. Thus he will see the order - see the creation and immediately realize that there is a Creator. We will try to look at each of these questions and see the wisdom in asking these things. (Due to the sheer grandeur of the questions themselves - we will only answer one each post on this verse - therefore there will be multiple posts on verse 4 in this blog). Question #1 - "Who has ascended into heaven and descended?" What is fascinating is that God asked questions very similar to this to Job when Job decided that God was unjust - and that Job needed for God to explain Himself in Job's suffering. The Word of God answers this first question - which assumes that there is a God. There is also an assumption that the one who has ascended into heaven itself and descended would be an authority on these matters. Humans are a horrible choice when it comes to the matter of the origin of the earth and all its processes (like wind, clouds and rain, creation, and the identity of God Himself who made all these things). Here we have our first problem with philosophers in our world. They want to know why and how we can just assume that there is a God. They make no such assumption - demanding proof that there is a God or gods before they continue. The argument here is honestly pretty simple. For there to be a creation - for there to be something - there has to be a creator - there has to be someone who made it. When we see a painting we do not doubt there was a painter. When we see a building we do not doubt there was a builder. When we see a book we do not doubt there was an author. Why then when we see creation do we doubt a creator? To argue that there is no God - and that creation was never created - it just happened - is to argue that nothing plus no one equals everything. It is also to argue that if random processes just happened to bring about everything around us - that there is absolutely no reason to exist - and that it is the height of foolishness to even ask if there is meaning in anything around us. The worldview that demands that God prove Himself beyond the fact that there is a creation of His making, is to descend into Nihlism. That is the only "honest" conclusion that can be reached if there was no intelligent being behind the design in our universe. If everything came about by chance - it still exists by chance - and since there is no reason to random chance - there is no reason to our lives and no reason for which we exist. The wise man, as said earlier, knows to ask these questions. His assumption is that God is able to ascend and descend the heavens at will. If God is able to make all that we see - and even beyond that - going up into heaven and coming down from there is not difficult. If there is such care and such glorious design in all that there is - He must be a God of detail and beauty. No one has seen God at any time. The Word itself tells us that if a man were to see God he would not live. Thus, the question also asked here is who has the revelation of God. Who has ascended before Him - and who hase descended to earth again. Here we have the answer - it was Jesus Christ - He is the One who has given us the perfect revelation of God through His life, death, burial, and rsurrection. There is only one who has done this - and it is the Lord Jesus Christ. He has ascended and descended! He has brought us revelation of God - but has also brought us far more! He has brought us salvation and a payment for our sins. Wisdom drives us to know Who God is. And true wisdom is in knowing that God has revealed Himself and shown us Who He is. We find in Scripture that this is answered on our behalf. Jesus Christ is the One who has ascended into heaven - and descended from it. Know Him and we will know wisdom. Know Him and we will know all that we truly need to know in this life and in this world. Surely I am more stupid than any man, And I do not have the understanding of a man. 3 Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. Proverbs 30:2-3
I know that at first reading this sounds like the Proverb of the one lacking self-esteem. But if this is your thinking, it is simply because you are too much a child of this age and the deception of its culture. Although we may not see it like we should, this is actually a man who is about to move from foolishness to wisdom in short order. As a result we have much we can learn from him. He speaks with serious lament in his voice. "Surely I am more stupid than any man, and I do not have the understanding of a man." His lament is for wisdom - for he sees such a strong need of it in his life. The vast majority in this world do not have such a lament. If anything, their mindset is that they have pleanty of knowledge and understanding. They do not feel stupid! They are brimming with the confidence that they are worthwhile and that they usually get stars and high grades on all their papers. They've gotten the token trophies that everyone gets - regardless of their performance or achievements. Stupid! Lacking understanding! How could anyone be so filled with a lack of self-esteem! Who educated this poor soul to where he would think he lacked anything? There is the crux of the problem with our educational system. We are so concerned about the effect of actually correcting the children of this generation (for fear of harming their poor self-esteem) that we will not do what is necessary to help them see their need. They have a socialistic system that promises them government money from cradle to grave - whether they work or not! They have a government that guarantees a world without problems - at least ones that the government promises to fix. They have a promise that no one will be considered more successful or more intelligent than them (at least not without serious punishment for it). Thus seeing themselves stupid, lacking in understanding, even in need - well those ideas are out of style in our socialistic utopia. This man is on the verge of great wisdom because he knows the great truth. That truth is that he needs wisdom. He needs education. He needs understanding that can only come from God Himself. What he needs is God - and the wisdom that comes from intimacy with God in sweet fellowship with Him. He begins with the statement that he is stupid - more stupid than any man. Rather than have him brimming with self-centered, self-induced, and self-glorifying pride, this man has learned the truth. He is a sinner - and as a sinner he is cut off from the all-wise God. Thus he makes foolish and stupid decisions. He does so because He lacks understanding - lacks wisdom - but most of all, lacks knowledge of the Holy One. Our problem is not our environment! Educationally . . . our problem is our sin. We are not wise - because we reject God's wisdom. We are lacking in understanding because we will not listen to our Father in heaven Who longs to give it to us. We lack wisdom because we refuse to see things God's way. We lack all across the board because we do not know the Holy One of Israel! This world was made by God . . . for God. It is beset with all his working - and works best when His wisdom is applied to daily living. Without Him - we are stupid - and will continue unabated in that stupidity until His mercy lays hold of us and we understand His grace. The man who is the closest to receiving God's wisdom, understanding, and knowledge . . . is the man who embraces humility. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. The fact is until we come to the place this wise man reached - we are not candidates for God to work mightily in our lives. When we do come to the place where we humble ourselves and trust Him - we will lack. But to the man who embraces humility - to the man who grasps and deals with the fact that he is not a genius - to that man goes the marvelous gift of God's grace, mercy . . . and the joy of knowing Him . . . which is wisdom indeed! The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle. The man declares to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal: Proverbs 30:1
Here we have an interesting verse in Proverbs. It is generally accepted that this person named Agur was an actual man - and that his students, Ithiel and Ucal were also real as well. Thus this is probably part of the collection of wisdom that Solomon had. He was probably greatly impressed by this collection of wise sayings and incorporated it into his own collection as well. What do we know of these three men. Well, beyond the meaning of their names and this particular collection of sayings - nothing. Yet God used them to offer to us an entire chapter of Agur's wise sayings. In fact, Agur is called, "the oracle," which means that Solomon considered him a prophet - or at least a man inspired by God to put these sayings from Him into a list of sorts. Let's take a closer look at their names and what they mean. Agur means collector or gatherer. This name probably designates that he was a collector of wise sayings - but the "son of Jakeh" refers to his father. Jakeh means to be on one's guard - and this particularly before God Himself. Thus the idea here is that of piety - guarding ourselves before God - and guarding others so that they walk in godliness. Thus, when we grasp Agur's full name - he would be considered to be the gatherer, the son of the man who guarded piety - who desired to walk in holiness and purity before God. If a name meant anything - and in Hebrew culture it did - then this was quite a man God used to collect these sayings from God and then declare them as an oracle from God Himself. Not only did this man offer these wise sayings as much needed wisdom - he took the time to state them to others. Ithiel and Ucal were Agur's students. Ithiel means, "with me is God" while Ucal means "to eat or to devour." These are quite the names of his students. Evidently his students wanted the presence of God in their lives - and also had a hunger for the things of God. At least this is what their parents hoped and desired for them when they named their children. We come back to this verse - apart from trying to gain information from the names themselves and see a very important principle of discipleship here. At face value, we have a situation where a godly man - even a prophet or oracle of God is taking two others under his wing for the purpose of declaring to them the things God has made known to him. This is the heart of true discipleship. Life on life ministry is so important. It is not enough to just try to read the Bible - we so desperately need for godly men to pour their lives into younger men and pass wisdom to them. Jesus did it with 12 - Paul did it with Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Epaphroditus and others. If we are wise, we will do it too. Do not slander a slave to his master, Or he will curse you and you will be found guilty. Proverbs 30:10
Here is an interesting proverb that speaks to a couple of issues. First it speaks to the issue of gossip. We are being told not to slander a slave to his master. The slander here is speaking false, damaging statements against a third party to someone. We are not to speak with our mouths that which is false and slanderous. What I love here is that God seeks to protect the weakest with this admonition. God's statement here is protecting a slave - who is slandered to his master. Too many think that just because a man is not a person of power and influence - they do not have the same rights as others. Our system of justice seeks to right this wrong - and it was based in many ways on the teaching of Scripture. God wanted to protect the weakest from even the strongest. Justice is blind - and should be the same whether when dealing with a poor man or a rich one. In the same way - we should refrain from gossiping about anyone - no matter what their status in life. What I find interesting is that God says in Psalm 101:5 that He Himself will avenge this kind of action with destruction. The second thing to note here is that God does care about employer/employee relationships. He wants a basic fairness to be used when dealing with these situations. Thus the Lord speaks to the idea of a slave being slandered to his master. We do not want these relationships to turn bitter and divided. In the early years of this century employers took such bad advantage of their employees that they began to unionize. This was profitable in the short run - but has become a disaster in the long term. Now we have groups whose whole purpose is to stimulate bad blood between employer and employee. This will not be good for business in the long run. That is why even the slave is given recourse here. He is allowed to bring charges against the false statements made about him. Therefore all in society are reminded that there is a basic justice that will prevail in the dealings of men with other men. In the end, though, we are reminded that God wants us to shut our mouths when it comes to slander and gossip. How much better served we are to make such matters a chance to pray hard to know what to do and how to do it. That way we do not foment the kind of anger and hatred that has been the downfall of many businesses. Let us be reminded that God does not want mob rule. But let us also be reminded that those who do not want mob rule, must embrace those in authority over them, pray for them, and talk with them in a respectable manner. "Under three things the earth quakes, And under four, it cannot bear up: Under a slave when he becomes king, And a fool when he is satisfied with food, Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband, And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress." (Proverbs 30:21-23)
There are things that make society shake. This may seem a little shocking to us, because as Americans we are taught to cheer for the little guy. But this is not about the little guy - it is about situations that should not happen - and when they do - the earth shakes under it and can bearly bear up under it. There is such a thing as decorum - and the proper way things should be done. In each of these situations something improper happens. That is why the earth quakes in each of these situations. The Bible is not putting the little man down in saying these things. Instead, what is happening is that when one of these four people gains access to these situations, the earth itself and society upon it, feels opressed - and often is because when it does happen, too often it is also ushered into a kind of "payback" situation as well. One thing we can learn from this is the whole concept of winning or ascending to a position with grace and with class. Too often when one does rise up - they do so with an attitude that they are going to make all those pay who oppressed them. Let's look at these four and see what we learn from them. The first situation is when a slave becomes king. The problem here is that Proverbs 19:10 speaks of this - and that this slave is probably considered a fool. It is not fitting for a fool to rule over princes. There are several situations where this might happen - but most of those would be ruled out by the fact that representative democracy did not exist when this was written. The only way a slave would become king in this time period would be by either murder or insurrection. Slaves did NOT become kings. But this slave did - and when he did there was treachery afoot. The problem with this is that when people overthrow governments - and especially when slaves and servants do so - the result is often a major disruption of society. The one in power due to deception and treachery will only rule according to the same standards by which he or she ascended to the throne. The end of this scenario is oppression and domination of the public. It is a sad thing to watch someone in power abuse that power to remain there. When I think of all the governments that have begun with a slave or common man rising to power through military power and intrigue, none of the nation states over which they rule are blessed. It is not that I support the oppression of any people by monarchy either, but too often when the slave comes to the throne - his attitudes and actions do far more to oppress the poeple than liberate them. The second situation is when a fool is satisfied with food. The fool here is the one who does not have any intention to work or to doing any kind of gainful employment. He is lazy and undisciplined - ungodly and unconcerned with adding anything to society. Thus, when he is fed, he simply continues to be a drain on society - and spreads his laziness. Anyone who has watched a welfare state in action knows that the world trembles and quakes under such a situation. I have no qualms with society taking care of the truly needy and those who cannot work, but that is not what is said here. What is happening is that a fool is being underwritten in his foolishness. He is fed, fat, and happy - and intends on staying that way without the thought of any kind of labor. In fact, what happens historically is that the fool becomes discontent with his provisions by the government - and complains for more. While he continues doing little of nothing - he causes great damage to society because of his drain upon it. Ben Franklin commented on the English system of welfare and was horrified by how it caused many in England to become lazy, undisciplined, and ungodly. The Bible clearly states that the workers appetite works for him - and that a principle is that if a man will not work - we should not let that man eat. Let him become hungry and he will get up and begin doing something to provide food for himself. Sadly, we see that attitude as cruel - when it actually is best for the person and for society as well. The third situation under which the earth quakes is when an unloved woman gets a husband. Now here is one that seems out of place. Wouldn't it be a great thing for this unloved woman to get a husband? What is being said here? The word for "unloved" here is a little too tame. The Hebrew word is "sane" and it means to hate. The King James does a better job of translating this word when it says "odious." That word fits better. Several other ways this is translated is as repugnant, hateful, bitter or hated woman. This gives us a much better picture of the woman who is getting married here. This lady is NOT going to make a good wife. In fact, Proverbs has much to say about her - and none of it is good. When you meet a man married to such a woman - or experience her children and friends - you come to understand why Proverbs says the earth cannot bear up under this. She is skilled at making those who love her as miserable as they can be. Such a woman does not need a husband - she needs a moral and social makeover! The last is when the mistress takes the place of her master's wife. Here we have an example in Scripture, when Abaham mistakenly followed the bad advice of Sarah in taking her maidservant, Hagar as a wife. This was to have her bear children to fulfill God's promise - but this was not how the Lord intended to fulfill His promise. This situation brings jealousy to its most ugly manifestations. If this was the way it was between Sarah and Hagar - imagine the carnage when the situation is a man who begins committing adultery with his maidservant and allows her to supplant her mistress. Unfortunately we see this again and again in our society - maybe not with slave girls, because we've moved past slavery. Our problem is with secretaries and with woman who work in our offices and plant floors. A woman works her way into a man's heart (by the way, with very little protest from the whore-mongering man) at work and then becomes his mistress or wife by supplanting his current wife. The world quakes when this happens - and often the earthquake continues for years as the children are broken to pieces by the divorce and subsequent marriages that result. Well . . . what seemed to be out of place at the start of this passage seems to be perfectly in order. God desires for us to avoid the social earthquakes that come with sinful social situations. He knows that the fall of man brought with it much social baggage. By following the wise and sage counsel of our God we can avoid picking up bags that we were never meant to carry - and in so doing - keep our lives much more harmonious as a result. 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. |
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!
Archives
August 2018
Copyright 2024 Calvary Chapel Jonesboro | all rights reserved |