Tag: Christianity

Will Not Suffer

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Proverbs 10:3 The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casts away the substance of the wicked. 

‘Will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish.’ Examples are Elijah (1Kin. 17:1-24) and David (2Sam. 17:1-29).

Elijah is considered one of the greatest of the prophets. He is not called a writing prophet because he didn’t leave a book like the ones from Isaiah to Malachi, but he did write four verses (2Chr. 21:12-15). No prophet has been more vividly described as he has been, nor have any been so counterfeited. Many throughout the ages have claimed to be Elijah since he is clearly predicted to return to the earth to help restore Israel just before the second coming of Christ (Mal. 4:5-6; Rev. 11:3-12). Elijah is also revealed as one of two anointed men who now stand before God, symbolized by two olive trees and two candlesticks (Zech. 14:11-14; Rev. 11:3-12). He is the only prophet whom people tried to identify with John the Baptist (Matt. 16:14; Mark 6:15; 8:28; John 1:21-25), and the only one whom John the Baptist imitated in spirit, power, and ministry (Matt. 11:14; 17:11-12; Mark 9:12-13; Luke 1:17).

Three times Elijah was miraculously fed: By ravens – many meals, twice daily for several days (1Kin. 17:4-7) – an amazing miracle for creatures of limited intelligence who are afraid of man and have no obvious means of providing food. By a widow (1Kin. 17:9-16). By an angel (1Kin. 19:5-6).

David was provided for – fourteen kinds of supplies – by others (2Sam. 17:28-29) through God’s provision when he hid from Absalom in Mahanaim.

‘Casts away the substance of the wicked.’ Four examples of destroying goods of the wicked: Israel (Jdg. 6:1-4); Samaria (1Kin. 18:2; 2Kin. 6:25); Jerusalem (Lam. 5:10; Zeph. 1:18); Chaldeans (Hab. 2:8).

Wickedness vs Righteousness – Part 2

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Proverbs 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivers from death. 

Three chief characteristics of the godly: They trust in God. They love God and His name. They are righteous (Ps. 5:12).

Twelve characteristics of the righteous: They walk uprightly – without blame. They work righteousness. They speak truth inwardly. They are free from backbiting (Ps. 15:3). They do no evil to neighbours. They receive no reproach about neighbours. They hold vile people condemned (Ps. 15:4). They honour them that fear the Lord. They keep their word even to own hurt. They take no advantage of one in need to increase riches (Ps. 15:5). They refuse bribes. They protect the innocent.

Five blessings of the righteous: They have a refuge (trust) in God. They are joyful in God. They have security in God. They are blessed by God. They have God’s favour or grace (Ps. 5:12).

Two comparisons between the righteous and the wicked: The righteous are like a tree planted, cultivated, and well-watered; not like one growing wild in the field (Ps. 1:3) and the wicked are like chaff that blows away and soon perishes (Ps. 1:4; cp. Ps. 35:5).

Wickedness vs Righteousness – Part 1

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Proverbs 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivers from death. 

‘Wickedness’ [Hebrew: resha‛] lawlessness. All classes of the wicked are like the troubled sea that cannot be still and constantly stirs up the mire and dirt of sin and corruption. They have no peace (Isa. 57:20-21), no calmness of soul or spirit; their passions and appetites keep them in continual turmoil seeking something satisfying; the wealth, business, pleasure, pride, pomp, flattery, and unrest of the world only keep them dissatisfied; and strong undercurrents of malice, jealousy, lust, revenge, strife, and ambitions to outdo others keep them at war with God and fellowmen. The guilt of a past life and the burning memories of wrongdoing agitate the sinner day and night to cover up his evil, but he cannot escape the fear of hell and future reaping.

‘Profit nothing’ – Three examples of no profit to such gain: Rehoboam (2Chr. 12:1-4, 9); Gehazi (2Kin. 5:20-27; Pro. 21:6) and the rich fool (Luke 12:20; Pro. 11:28).

‘Righteousness delivers from death.’ Three examples of righteousness delivering: Noah (Gen. 7:1; Heb. 11:7); Daniel (Dan. 6:1-28) and the three Hebrew children (Dan. 3:1-30)

To be continued…

A Wise Son… A Foolish Son

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Proverbs 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

‘Proverbs of Solomon.’ This title also covers the first 9 chapters (1:1). Here there are 288 individually contrasted persons and things (10:1-19:19). These sayings were all composed by Solomon who spoke 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs (1Kin. 4:32). All the proverbs in this section are composed of 2 statements, except Proverbs 19:7. They are miscellaneous and generally not connected in thought. For some that are thought connected see Proverbs 10:2-7, 8-10, 11-14, 15-21, 22-25, 27-30; etc.

‘A wise son makes a glad father.’ A good example was Joseph (Gen. 47:12; cp. Gen. 48:2). What a joy to any parent – a wise child!

‘A foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.’ A good example was Esau (Gen. 26:34-35; 27:45-46). Any foolish child – no matter what age – causes his parents and family grief. A fool who has no sense of responsibility is a shame to his parents (17:25) because he brings troubles, calamities and ruin (19:13).

The Giants – Part 2

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Proverbs 9:18 But he knows not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell. 

Rephaim is translated “giant” in Deuteronomy 2:11, 20; 3:11, 13; Joshua 12:4; 13:12; 15:8; 18:16; 2Samuel 21:16, 18, 20, 22; 1Chronicles 20:4, 6, 8. The phrase “remnant of the giants” in Deuteronomy 3:11 and Joshua 12:4; 13:12 should be “remnant of the Rephaims,” because there were many nations of giants other than the Rephaims who filled the whole country trying to contest God’s claim on the promised land. They are listed as Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaims, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, Jebusites, Hivites, Anakims, Emims, Horims, Avims, Zamzummims, Caphtorims, and Nephilims (Gen. 6:4; 14:5-6; 15:19-21; Ex. 3:8, 17; 23:23; Deut. 2:10-12, 20-23; 3:11-13; 7:1; 20:17; Jos. 12:4-8; 13:3; 15:8; 17:15; 18:16). Og was of the remnant of Rephaims, not the remnant of all other giant nations (Deut. 3:11; Jos. 12:4; 13:12).

All these giant nations came from a union of the sons of God (fallen angels) and daughters of men after the flood. Beings of great stature, some of them even had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot and carried spears weighing from 4,5 to 11 kilogrammes (2Sam. 21:16-22; 1Chr. 20:4-8). Goliath, whom David slew, wore a coat of armour weighing 89 kilogrammes and was 3 metres tall (1Sam. 17:4-6). The pyramids of Egypt, the giant cities of Bashan and other huge monuments of construction may remain a mystery until they are accepted as the result of the labour and skill of giants.

The revelation of giants in Scripture gives us a true picture of what Greek mythology tries vainly to give. Mythology is but the outgrowth of traditions, memories, and legends telling of the acts of supernatural fathers and their giant offspring – the perversion and corruption in the transmission of actual facts concerning these mighty beings. The fact that giants were partly of supernatural origin made it easy for humans to regard them as gods.

A Foolish Woman

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Proverbs 9:13-17 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knows nothing. For she sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, To call passengers who go right on their ways: Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanted understanding, she said to him, Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 

‘A foolish woman is clamorous.’ Five facts about a foolish woman: She is clamorous – in continual uproar; noisy; boisterous (9:13; 7:11). She is simple – silly; easily seduced (9:13; cp. 2Tim. 3:6); the opposite of wisdom in Proverbs 9:1. She knows nothing – knows no shame; utterly ignorant and depraved (9:13). No shame in her manner, clothing and appearance. She watches for victims of sin (9:14; Gen. 38:14; Jer. 3:2). Sinners always seek company. She is impudent or bold to call to any stranger and tempt the innocent to sin (9:15-17).

‘Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither.’ One who goes into a woman who behaves like a harlot lacks understanding (9:13, 16).

‘Stolen waters are sweet.’ The foolish woman (9:13) preaches that unlawful pleasures are sweeter than lawful ones. Upon this is built all the adulterous behaviour in the land (9:17).

The Beginning of Wisdom

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Proverbs 9:10-12 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. If thou be wise, thou shall be wise for thyself: but if thou scorn, thou alone shall bear it. 

‘The fear of the LORD’ – to have a whole reverence for God. We are warned to be in the fear of God all day long (23:17-18). The fear of the LORD is: to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth (8:13); the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding (9:10); prolonged days, whereas the years of the wicked shall be shortened (10:27); there is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge (14:26); it is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death (14:27); is the instruction of wisdom (15:33); men depart from evil (16:6); it tends to life: and he that has it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil (19:23); by humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life (22:4).

‘For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.’ Vice shortens life; righteousness has the promise of long life (Ps. 91:1-16).

‘If thou be wise, thou shall be wise for thyself.’ A wise man may profit himself, but not God; the same was true of a righteous man (Job 22:2-3). The sin of man cannot affect God’s plan or conduct; it only affects man’s destiny (Job 35:6).

‘But if thou scorn, thou alone shall bear it.’ Rebels seek wisdom but don’t find it because they reject God, the source of wisdom (1:7; 9:10).

A Scorner – Part 2

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Proverbs 9:7-9 He that reproves a scorner gets to himself shame: and he that rebukes a wicked man gets himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 

Three examples of rebuking and being hated: Joseph (Gen. 37:2, 18-28). The prophet (2Chr. 25:16). John the Baptist (Matt. 14:1-10).

‘Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.’ We can rebuke or warn a fellow Christian, depending on how far and for how long such an individual has backslidden. Christ warns that He will spew such a person from His mouth because they are lukewarm (Rev. 3:15-17) and most people do not want to ‘hear the truth’ about their sinful state, that’s why they choose it and keep on living in that state – they reject the knowledge of the Truth and will thus be rejected (Hos. 4:6; Heb. 10:26).

Three examples of rebuking and being loved: Nathan (2Sam. 12:1-31). Two disciples (Luke 24:25-29). Peter (John 21:17; Gal. 2:11-14).

‘Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.’ To instruct – reading (or quoting), not preaching – from God’s Word will remind us of how we must live and act and keep us on the straight and narrow (Matt. 7:13-14) therefore Scripture commands us to be renewed in the spirit of our minds by His Word (Eph. 4:23-24; Rom. 12:1-2).

A Scorner – Part 1

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Proverbs 9:7-9 He that reproves a scorner gets to himself shame: and he that rebukes a wicked man gets himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 

‘Scorner’ [Hebrew: luwts] to make mouths at; to scoff; to mock (Ps. 1:1; Pro. 1:22; 3:34; 9:7). Anyone that rejects, jokes or makes light of the Word of God.

‘Wicked’ [Hebrew: rasha‛] lawlessness (Isa. 57:20-21). All classes of the wicked are like the troubled sea that cannot be still and constantly stirs up the mire and dirt of sin and corruption. They have no peace (Isa. 57:20-21), no calmness of soul or spirit; their passions and appetites keep them in continual turmoil seeking something satisfying; the wealth, business, pleasure, pride, pomp, flattery, and unrest of the world only keep them dissatisfied; and strong undercurrents of malice, jealousy, lust, revenge, strife, and ambitions to outdo others keep them at war with God and fellowmen. The guilt of a past life and the burning memories of wrongdoing agitate the sinner day and night to cover up his evil, but he cannot escape the fear of hell and future reaping.

‘Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee.’ This scripture is a great warning to all Christians not to rebuke those who reject the Word of God, because it will end in them making a mockery of you and the Scripture and they will not heed your rebuke, because ONLY the Holy Spirit can convict others of sin (John 16:7-11). Matthew 7:6 confirms this truth and gives the result if you persist in this warning: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast you your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rend you.” Do not force truth upon rebels who reject it, or give holy things to faultfinders, mote hunters, or evil speakers. To rebuke a sinner (Matt. 7:1-6; Rom. 2:1-11) means you condemn and judge them for what they chose and it leads to condemnation instead of conviction (Rom. 8:1).

To be continued…

Forsake the Foolish and Live

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Proverbs 9:5-6 Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. 

‘Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.’ The invitation of wisdom to eat her bread and drink her wine is a symbol of life through proper wisdom and understanding.  In the New Testament bread and wine symbolize the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ, which give life to all who appropriate their benefits by faith (Matt. 26:26-30; 1Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-30).

No justification of using alcoholic beverages can be justified by using any Scripture. The word wine was the common word for the product of the grape (grape juice) and was taken from ‘fruit of the vine’ and fermentation (the process of rot that causes alcohol production) was not always clearly stated. Scripture, however, is clear on being sober (1Thess. 5:6,8; 1Tim. 3:2; Tit. 2:2,4,6; 1Pet. 1:13; 5:8) and the sin of drunkenness (Pro. 20:1; 21:17; 23:29-35; Isa. 5:11; Hab. 2:15; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:18; 1Tim. 3:3; Tit. 1:7) that refers to the user and not only the state of the user as most people interprets.

‘Wine which I have mingled.’ Among Jews, Greeks, and Romans, wine was rarely used without mixing with water. Some mixed 3 parts water with 1 of wine, and others 5 to 1. The common mixture was 3 parts water and 2 parts wine.

‘Forsake the foolish, and live.’ Four examples of forsaking things to live: Moses (Heb. 11:24-27); Rahab (Jos. 2:9-13; 6:25; Heb. 11:31); Ruth (Rth. 1:16; 2:11-12); Disciples (Matt. 4:18-22; 9:9; etc.).