Used, 8/8, 2011 to 10/16, 2011

Proverbs 3

There are 23 My sons in proverbs. These My sons could be the Wise Man speaking to his physical sons, or they could be as a teacher speaking to his student.

The first three my sons were in 1:8-19, and warned against hanging around with those who sin against their neighbor's life and property.

The next my son is in 2:1, and encouraged earnest searching for wisdom, which was the way to fear of God and to virtue.

There are three my sons in this chapter: vv. 1, 11 and 21.

Vv. 1-18

The Wise Man has warned his students against the wrong companionships. Now he encourages them to love, faithfulness, self-sacrifice, devotion to God and true wisdom..

Wrong companions will lead to misery and ruin. Proper relationship to God will lead to wisdom, true happiness, blessings and life.

Vv. 1-10 is the next My son. These 'my sons' are not commands, but pleadings of a father to his children, or a teacher to his students. The Wise Man has urged his son (and us) to seek after wisdom, and showed the promised blessings of doing so.

Now he is calling us to the practical side of this wisdom as he gives two requests:

1. forget not my law.

2. let thine heart keep my commandments.

The Wise Man speaks of actively doing the law, forget not my law. Then he tells us what is required to forget not my law.

4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23. Whether young or old, everything that the world, flesh and the devil can gather together is designed to win our heart.
Tools to steal the heart

Movies, TV, internet, education facilities, advertising of all kinds...

The primary requirement throughout all scripture is for the heart, or thoughts and imagination, to be controlled by Scripture. Christ certainly did not present anything new when He told us to protect the our heart. This is the place where all sin starts.

The promise of the new covenant is found in:

Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The only law that will bind men's hearts is God's law, placed there by the Holy Spirit. The only law that will work is His law in the heart, any other kind of law will be oppressive.

The education system, the antinomian religious system, as well as many other things, have done an magnificent job in removing Christian self-control from society.

Theft is rampant, as even air conditioners are stolen for their copper content. A man was electrocuted while trying to steal copper wire that was Ahot@. Others are skilled enough to steal copper wire even while Ahot@. Rampant gangs of kids invade small stores and do a good amount of damage while stealing. Random beatings are taking place:

Nutter Sets 9 PM Weekend Curfew For Minors In Center City, University City

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Mayor Michael Nutter today announced a tighter weekend curfew in the Center City and University City regions of the city, as he continues grappling with the threat of "flash mobs" in Philadelphia.

Nutter today described those engaging in flash mob rampages (see previous story) as "a tiny minority of ignorant, reckless fools."

Then, flanked by dozens of law enforcement and community leaders, he spelled out a substantive (though temporary) change in the city's curfew for two key areas -- Center City and University City -- on Friday and Saturday nights.

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/08/08/nutter-----------city/universitycitycenterinminorsforcurfewweekend9pmsets
Witnesses Describe Mob Attacks Outside Wis. State Fair

Read more: http://www.wisn.com/news/28774396/detail.html#ixzz1UNKzBhWy

WEST ALLIS ---charged scene.goers at the end of the opening night of State Fair, with some callers claiming a racially Witnesses tell Newsradio 620 WTMJ and TODAY'S TMJ4 of a mob of young people attacking innocent fair

Milwaukee Police confirmed there were assaults outside the fair.

Witnesses' accounts claim everything from dozens to hundreds of young black people beating white people as they left State Fair Thursday night.

Authorities have not given official estimates of the number of people involved in the attacks.

"It looked like they were just going after white guys, white people," said Norb Roffers of Wind Lake in an interview with Newsradio 620 WTMJ. He left the State Fair Entrance near the corner of South 84th Street and West Schlinger Avenue in West Allis.

"They were attacking everybody for no reason whatsoever."

"It was 100% racial," claimed Eric, an Iraq war veteran from St. Francis who says young people beat on his car.

"I had a black couple on my right side, and these black kids were running in between all the cars, and they were pounding on my doors and trying to open up doors on my car, and they didn't do one thing to this black couple that was in this car next to us. They just kept walking right past their car. They were looking in everybody's windshield as they were running by, seeing who was white and who was black. Guarantee it."

Eric, a war veteran, said that the scene he saw Thursday outside State Fair compares to what he saw in combat.

"That rated right up there with it. When I saw the amount of kids coming down the road, all I kept thinking was, 'There's not enough cops to handle this.' There's no way. It would have taken the National Guard to control the number of kids that were coming off the road. They were knocking people off their motorcycles."

Another witness, who asked to remain anonymous, said, "it was like a scene you needed the National Guard to control."...
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/126825018.html
The incidents Thursday night come as the State Fair Board has worked to increase diversity at the annual fair, expanding its entertainment lineup and attempting to appeal to a younger, more multicultural audience. Diversity was a priority for former State Fair Park Chairman Martin Greenberg, who spoke of making it a "place of inclusion, not exclusion."

The violence is similar to what occurred in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood over the July 4 holiday, when about 60 young people beat and robbed a smaller group that had been watching fireworks from Kilbourn Reservoir Park. The injured people were white; the attackers were African-American, witnesses said. Another group looted a convenience store.

Thursday night's Main Stage performer was rapper MC Hammer, but a number of people who attended the concert said the show wasn't to blame for the disturbances at the fair. One woman said the crowd watching Hammer was mostly white and adult, and any children there seemed to be with parents.

Another woman said the concert was "very laid-back and had no craziness that we witnessed at all. The craziness was in the midway."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/126828998.html

Though any honest person could see that the attacks in WI were race related, and all the news reports bear this out, APolice: Race a factor in State Fair violence@. http://www.wkow.com/story/15239520/police--------arrestsfairstatetheseincrimeshateno

Black attack on white is not considered a Ahate crime@; however, white attack on black, or even a white suspected of having a bad thought toward a black, he will be charged and prosecuted for "hate crimes". This has been the case for years. http://thefiringline.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-121173.html

No doubt, law enforcement is fearful of starting riots if justice is given to blacks here in the US. My opinion is that the reason we have not yet had Britain's riots is because of the welfare payments, as well as the SSI payments.

Where are the "hate crime" laws with which officials are so quick to charge any anti-sodomite person?

Fears of more violence after worst London riots for years

(Reuters) - London braced on Sunday for more violence after some of the worst riots in the British capital for years which politicians and police blamed on criminal thugs but residents attributed to local tensions and anger over hardship.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/07/us---idUSTRE7760G820110807riotbritain

Verizon reports sabotage as workers continue strike
August 09, 2011|By Taryn Luna, Globe Correspondent

Verizon Communications Inc. reported a dozen cases of sabotaged cable lines and warned of delays in repairs and customer service on the second day of a strike involving about 45,000 employees.

The telecommunications company said there have been 12 acts of sabotage to telephone lines and to Internet and television services in Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York since the strike began.

Fiber-optic lines were intentionally cut in Tewksbury and several other municipalities on the East Coast, the company said. ...

http://articles.boston.com/2011-------workerselectricalworkersstrikingcalvey09/business/29868702_1_myles08

Air rage businessman threatened to stab pilots after being refused alcohol...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article---------alcohol.htmlrefusedpilotsBAstabthreatenedbusinessmanrage2029093/Air

One year old shot in head in South Chicago
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-------20110823,0,2978813.storyshootingchicagosouthinhurtone

Man Asks Pedestrain for $1, Stabs Him Repeatedly When He Says No (Long Island)

6 shot at youth b'ball game... (Philly)
http://articles.philly.com/2011--------shootingfourthtimesmultipleshotcondition23/news/29917768_1_critical08

Call me paranoid if you like, but the hand writing is on the wall:

Daniel 6:22 And thou [O Western Christian], hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; 23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: 24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. 25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. 27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. 28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the [pagans and Muslims].

But sadly, there seems to be no Daniel today in a place of high civil authority to intervien for God's people. Certainly, there is a Great High Priest to intercede before the Judge of all Creation, but it is that Judge that is allowing the just reward for Christian Paganism to come to pass.

But the Lord will not let the lack of Christian self-control chaos reign. He will provide oppressive civil authority to control sin.

What lies ahead? Martial Law, just as sure as I am sitting here typing this in. Either Christian self-control will again reign, or Martial law will be enacted. The goal of the wicked for may years now has been Martial Law. Already the possie commontius act is being quietly violated in many parts of the country. The contitions are being formulated to get the americal people to request Martial Law, thus driving the finishing nail into the possie commontus act.

Only the Gospel of Grace that writes the law of God into the heart brings freedom, because it causes men to want to fulfill their responsibilities.

Religion without God's binding of the heart to his law is just that, religion. The inner heart will delight after the law of God, Romans 7:22.

The only obedience that pleases God must begin in the heart. Outward formality and godliness will not please him:

Ezekiel 33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

V. 2.

He gives two results of keeping his commandments from the heart:

1. length of days... This is not a promise of a charmed life which will make us live longer. In fact, many godly people have suffered what would appear to be a shortened life at the hands of the ungodly.
This would be something like 1 Cor. 5. The ones who were in known sin were promised an early death at the hands of the devil if they did not repent.

Proverbs 3:2 gives the promise that our life will not be shortened at the hands of the devil for evil, because we are not doing intentional evil.

However, we are told that if we obey the commandment found in Ephesians 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;), we will have long life.

2. peace.. Again, this would not be referring necessarily to peace as we think of it. They that live godly will suffer... The Wise Man is speaking of the peace with God through the blood of the Son that is sprinkled before the father:

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Eph. 2:13:14; Col. 1:20.)

This peace includes peace with God here in this life, and peace in the life to come. Rev. 22:14

This could not be clearer, because notice what this says, shall they (the law and commandments of v.1) add unto thee.

V.3. A new thought. We are given two points to remember:

1. mercy: goodness, kindness, faithfulness, clemency, charity, readiness to do good freely to others.

2. truth: firmness, stability, faithfulness in every respect to those duties we owe to God or to man, especially to justice:

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Throughout Scripture, mercy and truth are united:

Psalms 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Psalms 86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

They are perfectly united in Christ.

We have a habit of separating the two. We will proclaim the truth loudly and ignore mercy, or we will have so much mercy that we avoid truth. The two must go together, or we will be so merciful that we are no good to anyone. Thus, we cannot have one without the other. Mercy must be balanced with truth, and truth with mercy.

I have a problem of proclaiming truth with no mercy. I have met more than a few who have all mercy and no truth.

Eph. 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

God does not describe mercy as we think of it. Mercy is being kind and good to others, but it cannot overlook and compromise the truth of matters.

Now, most of us can muster up some mercy and truth once in a while if things have gone right or we are in a proper mood. But the Lord says, Let them no forsake them.

Neck and heart.

Mercy and truth are to be worn as a woman would ware a neckless: to be seen. But the mercy and truth must come from the heart, not just from the head.

V. 4, When mercy and truth are united, they produce good results:

favor: Acceptance

good understanding. insight, or just good common sense.:

Psalms. 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Psalms 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

in the sight of God and man.

Favor with God must come first, and then it is God who gives us favor in the sight of man.
Favor with God. Many try to find favor in the eyes of men without the favor with God. Many think that favor with men comes first, and if they find this favor with men, God will be pleased, so they avoid offending men. God placed this order here for a purpose. We always seek His favor first, then He gives the favor with men as He sees fit.

Favor with men must always be a fruit of favor with God. We do all things to please God, then He may see fit to give us favor with men. Daniel and his three friends were good example of what the Wise Man is saying in Proverbs 3:1-6.

Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

The result of Christ obeying the will of the Father perfectly, was death. Down through the history of the church, obedience to the will of the Father has resulted in death.

Our first responsibility is always to please the Father, then He will cause us to have the relationship with others which is most pleasing to Him.

Peter makes a passing reference to this in 1 Peter 2:15 as he tells us that it is our well doing that puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

To here, August 8, 2011

Vv. 5-8.

This is the central theme for a Child of God. This thought is found so many times in the Scripture that it isn't necessary to trace it down.

One of the men that I looked at on this said of this passage, "This is the polar-star of a child of God--faith in his Father's providence, promises, and grace. (Bridges [1846], pg.23.)

To me the key word of these two verses is the word Trust.

Psalms 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

Psalms 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 7 & Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Do we try to claim God's promises without meeting these eleven listed above?

37:3

V. 3, we show our trust in the Lord by doing good as he defines good, and leaving the results in his hands.

These eleven things are very practical points. They are not identified at all with any kind of an emotional experience. Trust in the Lord is shown by doing good. How many people have I heard say that they were trusting in the Lord, as they continue on in their wicked ways.
I have heart those who are cursing say they are trusting in the Lord. I have heard those who are living in adultery or fornication say they are trusting in the Lord. I have heard sodomites say they are trusting in the Lord.

I do not know how many I have talked to who have told me they were trusting in the Lord to take care of them, and in the next breath tell me that they didn't have time to come to Church.

It seems that trust in the Lord means to many people that they can continue in their own ways according to their own understanding, and trust the Lord to work everything out. That kind of trust leads to death and destruction.

Delight in the Lord:

Delight in reading and studying His word and in prayer.

Delight in doing what His word requires of us in every area of life.

Delight in going in the way that He requires of us.

Commit our way to the Lord:

Doing all actions according to His instruction, and leaving the results up to Him.

And the list goes on.

Proverbs 3:5. Notice the next word, all thine heart. The temptation is to trust in the Lord AND in other things.

We trust wickedness: "I can lie my way out of this mess."

We trust in violence and oppression: "If you do not do it this way,..."

We trust in good works, physical strength, material prosperity, &c.

V. 5, our own understanding is our biggest problem. I can reason my way out of this mess I got myself in, rather than seeking God's wisdom.

We can say that every area is corrupted to an extent, some more than others. This is what is meant by total depravity. Every area is corrupted, but not all totally corrupted. Therefore, there is not one area that our understanding can be trusted in.
And it goes further than this. Our human nature is repelled at the prospect of submitting our understanding to the word of God. Paul tells us that the natural understanding is darkened, Eph. 4:18.

How many times do we cast away our natural understanding on our knees in prayer and confess our hopelessness without the Lord's help and guidance, but as soon as we get up we once again start operating by our own understanding.

Proverbs 3:6 gives us another key word -- ALL. In all our ways we are to acknowledge Him.

We will acknowledge him in some of our ways, maybe the ones which we cannot handle or work out in our one understanding. But this is clear, In all thy ways...

It is our responsibility to see that all we do or attempt to do is in harmony with God's wisdom. This is where our understanding comes in. We are to study God's word, seek its wisdom, then conform our ways to that wisdom.

We are all guilty of searching his word to confirm the way we wan to go. We want our will to be supported by His word, and His blessings on what we want to do. When we do this, we are walking in our own way and mocking God.

After we find His direction, we are to use good common sense in following it.

The promise of direction for our daily walk is conditioned on following His ways all the time, in the big and the small areas; in the areas that we can work out in our own understanding and the areas that we cannot. ALL MEANS ALL AND THAT IS ALL IT MEANS.

What are the three ways that God directs our ways? We have mentioned them several times.

His word, His Spirit and His providence - controlling of circumstances.

Our own wisdom consists of impressions, inward voices, influence of others, circumstances, &c.

he shall direct thy paths is conditioned upon in all they ways acknowledge him.

V. 7 follows immediately.

Isaiah 5:21. 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

A great hindrance to true wisdom in thinking we have already attained it. A speaker can usually tell when someone thinks he already knows it all.

Fear the Lord will cause us to depart from evil. Fear the Lord will compare ourselves to the Lord, and prevent being wise in our own eyes.

V. 7 stands against the self-esteem doctrine, and other efforts to build self-confidence. The Christian's confidence must be that he can do all things through Christ which strengthens him.

Anything less is self-wisdom, rather than God's wisdom, sin.

Notice that self-wisdom is contrasted with fear the Lord.

Fear of the Lord. Fear is not a feeling; rather, it is defined by departing from evil.

Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Fear of the Lord is to depart from evil, and in Proverbs 3:7, the evil is self-wisdom. That is, self-confidence that our way is the best way.

Self-confidence is the opposite of meekness.

Psalms 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

Note, v. 10: All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

It is the meek who He will guide in His righteous judgment. Meekness contains a confidence, but that confidence is in the God of our Salvation. It is confidence and boldness to do His word, leaving the results in His hands.

Sin seeks to cling to the child of God, but by the power of the resurrected Christ and godly fear, the child of God disciplines himself to keep apart from those sins that seek to control. In this we see that there is no true fear of the Lord unless there is humility and departure from evil.

V. 8, laying aside our self-wisdom for God's wisdom results in two things:

health to thy naval... That is, to our body.
Marrow to thy bones... That is, strengthening our bones, preserve and strengthen our body.

In other words, fear of the Lord, which departs from evil, results in a long and healthy life.

Vv. 9, 10.
As we depart from our self-confidence and depend on Him and His word for our wisdom, depend on His Spirit to strengthen us to apply the principles of His word to our everyday activity, we can expect Him to prosper us according to His good pleasure:

Psalms 103:19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Ps 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

He may even see fit to prosper us financially. If so, then vv. 9, 10 tells us how we are to use that prosperity.

We are to honour Him first, THEN comes the plenty. This is an act of faith, more than that, it is a trial of our faith. It shows that we are more godly than we are selfish. Do we honour Him with our prosperity first?

This is hard to convince the natural man of, give to God first, then expect Him to send the plenty. Give to Get from God.

V. 10 presents our biggest danger.

Deut 8:10-18

This passage shows us that it was in direct proportion to their remembering of Him that He blessed them. As they forgot the Lord, He forgot them and removed His blessing from them. In fact, we will find as we follow the history of Israel through, as He removed His blessing from them, He exalted their enemies over them.

The same is true today. As America has forgotten the Lord, He has removed His blessings. It not appears that he has exalted the heathen god haters over us. We are now over our heads in debt to our sworn enemies.

Vv. 1 to the next my son at v. 11, seems to have been a single thought. The though is that trusting in the Lord and applying his wisdom as revealed in his word leads to prosperity, both material and physical.

We are not to forget His laws, they are to ever be in our heart and action.

We are to trust in the Lord at all times, acknowledging Him in all things.

We are to avoid all self-confidence as sin, depending only upon Him.

Our fear of Him will cause us to depart from evil, and to use our worldly wealth for his glory.

Vv. 11-20 is the next My Son, number 6. We could call it, THE WAY OF WISDOM

In this section, we see that sin always pays off.

Note the contrast:

As God should not be forgotten in days of prosperity, so one should not suffer himself to be estranged from Him by days of adversity.

Job 2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Vv. 11, 12 describe the book of Job very well.

V. 11 expresses the problem of the book of Job, and v. 12 gives its solution.

We see that Job was chastened by the Lord because the Lord loved him.

We must be vexed by chastening, nor grow faint-hearted, and be frightened away from the Lord. We must not get angry with him. V. 11 must not be separated from v. 12.

V. 11, the greatest danger of obtaining the prosperity of v. 10 is forgetting the Lord and who gave provided the prosperity.

The result of forgetting is chastening and correction.

The chastening of the Lord. The obvious reference here is to Hebrews 12:5-12 with special emphases on v. 5, chastening and on v. 12, feeble. This passage in Proverbs is almost verbatim of Hebrews 12, only Hebrews goes more in detail with this thought.

Pro. 3:11 contains an interesting word, weary. That is, grieved, dread, abhorrence.

Weary, faint-hearted, and frightened away from God, or become angry at him.

AThe Lord is trying to drive me away from him.@

3:12,

Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

To here, 9/4/11

3:13 could start a new thought, but I am inclined to think that it is carrying on with the line of thought that has held consistent this far.

Wisdom is defined as simply the law of God properly applied to our lives and to society.

1. we are told here that neither wisdom nor understanding are natural in one's self. Both wisdom and understanding must come from God and his word.

2. Both come from diligent searching, seeking as one would seek precious gold or silver.

Wisdom should be the result of the chastening of the Lord, but most of the time it is not.

Wisdom should be the goal when parents chasten their children.

Chastening should cause us to seek wisdom and understanding from the word of God. And sad to say, many will not get into the word of God until there is a major crisis in their lives.

Here He moves from vv.11, 12 and the chastening of the Lord, to Happiness of the Lord. Therefore, happiness is not connected with what is happening with us, but with the wisdom and understanding we gain from the chastening of the Lord back up in vv.11, 12.

As we fit these 'sayings' into the total context of Scripture, we see that they cannot be taken as just some unrelated nice sounding sayings. They present to us a total picture of Christ in action in the life of the believer.

Wisdom does not necessarily produce great wealth. Rather, it is more precious all the material things of this world.

Romans 8:28, 29 fit in here. The difficult things that come our way are to shape us into the image of Christ. The blessings of being in his image is beyond comparison.

Vv. 14, 15, gives us a list of list of physical merchandise that is not as valuable as the wisdom that should result seeking and from the chastening and correction of the Lord.

Here we see the value of wisdom cannot be compared with the precious things of this world.

Scripture only lists one other thing more precious than the physical things listed here, and that is found in,
Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

In the work place, the woman is only valued at 60% of a man's. Yet in the home, she is beyond value.

V. 16, the wisdom that results from the God, the word of God and from the loving chastening of the Lord results in long life

Long life is the same thing promised at the first of this chapter. Long life there was conditioned upon faithfulness to the Law of God, not only in our actions, but in our heart: let thine heart keep my commandments.

The promised results of wisdom here in vv. 16 and 17 are the same as the promised results of keeping the law. In this we see that the law and wisdom are the same. Wisdom is simply the law of God properly applied to our lives and to society.

V. 17, pleasant and peaceful. Again, peace with God, and the pleasantness of eternity.

V. 18.

The description of wisdom here reminds us of the tree of life in the garden, Gen. 2:9

There Adam was forbidden to eat of the Tree of Knowledge but permitted to eat of the Tree of Life. Like so many of us today, he chose to disobey God. Here we are offered the tree of life again, and the choice is ours. Here it is the wisdom of God, the law of God, or the Word of God. It all comes back to a choice of obedience to Him.

I have heard folks say that they would have eaten of the tree of life and not the tree of knowledge. Well, here is our chance to eat of the TREE OF LIFE. Are there any takers?

The tree of life is also found in Rev. 22: 2

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

The usage of the tree of life shows us that applying the law of God, the wisdom of God, results in the healing of the nations in Rev. 22:2.

Ps 33:12, Blessed is the nation who's God is the Lord, Ps. 33:12, etc. Also, Deut. 28-32. In the Revelation, the nations serve the Lord by willing obedience to His law, AND THEY ARE HEALed. In Rev 33:15 the unsaved are still on the earth.

Lay hold on her... Find wisdom, and hold her fast. Constantly be determined not to forsake her.

V. 19.

Here we see all of creation divided into three parts.

1.Earth
2. heavens
3. the elements or the weather (which would actually be part of the heavens).

All things were created, and are held together by the Wisdom of God.

1 Corinthians 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Christ is the incarnation of the wisdom of God.

There are only two things in Scripture that show the wisdom of God.

Creation and redemption.

Everywhere we can look in creation, from the smallest to the largest, God's wisdom is clearly visible. All creation reflects God's wisdom.

Enough of God's wisdom is shown in the creation that man is without excuse, Romans 1:19, 20. The problem is not that man doesn't know about God, but that man will not act on what he knows about God.

His wisdom is particularly seen in Redemption:

Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

God's plan of redemption was not clearly presented in creation, so God gave His written word. The word of God gives us God's plan for man, but it only shows us a small part of the wisdom of God.

When the many things such as science, medicine, mathematics, geology, and astronomy are studied, we actually study the wisdom of God.

This wisdom must be emphasized in the teaching of our children and in their curriculum or we have anti-god education. Education without this emphasis is ungodly and anti-christ.

The wisdom of God. The more we find out about creation, the more we are finding out about God.

Man is given the command by God to subdue the earth and all that is in it. The development of the many sciences will do this.

V. 19, the heavens reflect the understanding of the Lord.

I would suppose that the heavens are the hardest to understand. Feeble man has been trying to understand the heavens, but haven't gotten off the ground.

There is probably nothing that man is any less able to comprehend and control as the heavens. Job chapter 38 (v.35) tells us that the heavens and all that takes place in them, is totally controlled by God. It is His wisdom that directs the rain and storms.

In Genesis 1:28, man was told to subdue and take dominion over the earth, not over the heavens, which belong to God.

In Ps.115:16, we are clearly told that the heavens belong to the Lord. The indication here is for man to stay out of the heavens. He can look at them, but when he tries to subdue and take dominion over them, he has overstepped his boundaries.

We see in the Tower of Babble in Genesis 11:4, that the more sinful man is given over to ungodliness, the more he tries to subdue and take dominion over the heavens

In John 3:7-13, the Spirit of God is compared to the winds of heaven.

Our Lord told Nicodemus that the Spirit of God was like the wind. I believe there is a direct connection between the sinners desire to control the heavens, especially the weather, and his desire to play God. The wind and the Holy Spirit is totally out of the control of men.
The more sinful man attempts to overthrow God, the more interested he becomes in the heavens which are the Lord's domain.

In places like Deuteronomy 28:1, 9, 12, we are told how to control the weather, and that is by obeying the judgments, statutes and laws of God.

The heavens, including the weather, must be left to the Lord. He has told us what to do to influence the heavens, but man the sinner, desires to control this apart from God's way.

The last part of v. 20 the clouds drop down the dew. Once again, something that is totally out of the control of man. Not only is the dew out of his control, but so is the Spirit of God which the dew represents, Zec. 8:12.

In Micah 5:7 the people of God among the pagans are compared to the dew.

To here, 9/18/11

We will go back to Romans 9, but I wanted to do this next section in Proverbs.

As we have said, Wisdom is to see life from God’s point of view.

There are 12 “My Sons” in the first seven chapters of Proverbs, and this next “My Son” in 3:21 is number 7..

In vv. 1 and 13, the Wise Man has empathized keeping the law of God from the heart. He emphasized the results over and over.

This next my son in v. 21 covers the same basic things he has been saying to this point; that is, the benefit of seeking and keeping God's wisdom and knowledge.

The Wise Man repeats himself. He is not afraid of repeating himself many times over. In fact, all the authors through whom God spoke were not afraid to present the same truths over and over.

V. 21, Them-- that is, wisdom and discretion. Discretion—“Knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress,” or “the trait of judging wisely and objectively, 'a man of discretion'.”

I must admit that when I act without considering God's wisdom, I usually embarrass myself. Godly wisdom and discretion mean keeping our tongue under control and most of the time, just keeping our mouth shut.

Mans wisdom is worse than valueless. The Wise Man has told us many times over that man's wisdom leads only disappointment, sorrow and distress. Look around us, and see to where the way that seems right to man leads.

Man's wisdom and his knowledge without God has no life-giving energy in them. As the sons of the prophets told Elisha in 2 Kings 4:40, there is death in the pot. And those who eat of man’s wisdom are committing suicide.

How many times did God ask his people why they were destroying themselves?

On the other hand, God's wisdom and knowledge has life and grace.

V. 21, Thine eyes... That is, keep it close to your heart.

Vv. 23-25, then... This passage gives the results of keeping sound wisdom and discretion...

* Safely
* sound footing
* fearlessness
* sweet sleep

Everything the world, flesh and the devil can throw at the righteous is being thrown at them. The path of the righteous is a slippery path. Only keeping our eyes on the Word of God will keep our feet from slipping.

In Psalms 73:1-2, Asaph “well-nigh slipped” when he saw the prosperity of the wicked. But when he went to the house of the Lord, he understood that it is the wicked who are in the slippery path as they slide into their own destruction.

In prison and in chains, Peter slept between two soldiers on the eve of his expected execution. The angle had to wake him. Acts 12:6, 7.

Paul and Silas sang praises unto God in prison, Acts 16.

In the days of trouble, sweet sleep. Only by God's wisdom and discretion can we sleep with a clear conscience.

Fearlessness and good sleep.

V. 25, sudden fear, desolation.

It is the whole of Leviticus 26 (3-8, 36)

3 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; 4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. 6 And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. 7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

V. 36 And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.

Be not afraid of sudden fear of the wicked.

Desolation of the wicked. Desolation means complete ruin, devastation, waste, such as results from an earthquake, tornado, hurricane or tsunami.

From everything I have read, serious desolation is on its way in the form of a complete financial collapse. Those who depend on the government for their support are in for a very difficult time.

When God moves to suddenly destroy the wicke­d, he will protect his children as he did Lot in Sodom.

Wicked refers to a way of life, contrasted with a righteous life. This is not speaking of a lost person, but one that is living contrary to the law of God, which could easily include those who profess salvation.

V. 25 is a promise to the ones who are trying to live according to the law of God. It also promises that the lawless, Christian or otherwise, will reap what they have sown, desolation.

Devastation... The Lord promises safety to the ones who are trying to live by the total of God's word in the midst of the devastation which is promised to those who ignore God’s requirements upon them.

Again, the contrast is not between the lost and saved, but between the ones who are obeying the word of God and the ones who are not.

For the past 30 years, trusted sources have been warning of the serious financial collapse that is now here. They warned of the insurance collapse, as well as the banking collapse brought about by greedy investments by banks in real estate and junk bonds.

We like to keep up on various economic indicator, and they all say the same thing.

From every quarter, we are getting the same message. Notice the Psalmists prayer in Psalms 104:

35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.

Notice also what David says in Psalms 7:

11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

Clearly, it was just a matter of time before the house of smoke and mirrors must collapse.

We live in a totally different society as was common in the '20s and '30s. Just about all self-control has been removed, replaced by theft, violence and even murder.

It is not uncommon to read of people being killed trying to steal copper from live wires.

What does this have to do with Pro. 3:25?

The promise here is that when the sudden destruction comes, God's people who are trying to follow the principles of God's word, including staying out of debt, will have the protection of the Lord. The best thing anyone can do for preparation is be faithful to the Lord and live debt-free.

V. 26, for those who are living faithful to the Lord, he is the confidence in the time of turmoil, destruction and desolation. Note v. 26. Those who live according to the law-word of God will be protected in their hour of turmoil, destruction and desolation.

Vv. 27 - 30

Now we come to some practical points.

Observe that these are requirements, not suggestions.
.
First, withhold not good from them to whom it is due. (Marg. The owners thereof.) when we have the ability to do good.

Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

The good we are able to do is owed by others. That is to say, our neighbors are the real owners of our good, especially those of the household of faith. However, our “good” cannot be demanded by others, but God will hold us accountable for obeying his instructions.

Note that the context of vv. 27, 28 is not talking about monetary debt, but a debt of actions, the actions of doing good:

1. Withhold not good when we have the power to do it.
2. To whom it is due. We owe good to our neighbour
3. Say not, “I will do good for you tomorrow” when we can do it today.

How many times do we put off doing good for someone in hope that the problem will be gone tomorrow or that someone else will do it? It is selfishness not to pay our debts.

Here are some more commands about paying our debts:

Second, we owe kindness to everyone, especially to those of the household of faith:

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Kindness is not an option; rather, it is an obligation. It is a Godly act no less important than repaying money which we might owe to the bank or to a neighbor.

Note that “kindness” to others does not cost us in time nor money, so it should be the easiest to share with all.

Be kind to everyone, for everyone is having a ruff time.

The Lord addresses kindness:

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Deuteronomy 23:4, 5, God cursed the Ammonites and Moabites for not meeting Israel with bread and water when they came out of Egypt.

Third, we owe prompt payment to the labourer:

James 5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Leviticus 19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

We owe a just wage for honest work, which is to be paid when mutually agreed upon. Notice that James held the Gospel Church accountable to the Old Testament laws.

My dad was a sucker for promises instead of prompt payment from those he contracted with.

To here, 10/2

My Son, #7

We have been looking at Proverbs at various times. We started this section, 27-35 last week, and I want to complete it before we return to Romans 9.

There are 12 “My Sons” in the first seven chapters of Proverbs. These My Sons are as a father speaking to his children or a teacher instruction his students. We started My Son number 7 last week at v. 21. The next My Son is in 4:10, but we will only go to the end of this chapter before we return to Romans 9.

In chapter 3:1 & 13 the Wise Man has empathized keeping the law of God from the heart. He emphasized the results of keeping the law of God over and over. Neither he nor the other authors of Scripture is afraid to repeat their message from God over and over.

This next my son in v. 21 covers the same basic things he has been saying to this point; that is, the benefit of seeking and keeping God's wisdom and knowledge.

I want to finish this section to v. 35 before we go back to Romans 9.

V. 27 starts giving practical, every day advice.

We could call this section a very “notie section” for there are 5 nots here.

Withhold not
devise not
Strive not
envy not
choose not

These nots are as much part of the law of the Lord as thou shalt not commit adultery.

We have covered some of these nots, but let me quickly review:

First, withhold not good from them to whom it is due. (Marg. The owners thereof.) Galatians 6:10 commands us to do good to all men as we can, especially fellow Christians.

Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

In other words, the good we can do is owned by others. Others cannot demand that good, but God will hold us accountable for paying our debt to them.

V. 28 is commonly understood as referring to money; that is, pay what we owe when we owe it. It can be used that way, but that is not the primary context. Rather, it is speaking of doing good when we have the power to do so.

Illustration.

When Carol and I were in Louisiana, we had two cars, neither of which were worth much. When we left, we gave one of the cars to a young widow who had no car. The power to do good was in our hands.

Many times, I have put off doing good for someone, hoping that the problem would solve itself, would be gone tomorrow, the person would forget about it, or even that someone else would do it.

This law of the Lord requires doing that good when we have the power to do so.

Here are some more debts we owe:

Second, along with the good of vv. 27, 28, we owe kindness to everyone, especially to those of the household of faith.

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Thus, we see that goodness and kindness are not an option; rather they are requirements. They are required of us just as much as paying our utility bill, or our car or house payment. The difference is that man will not send the sheriff after us for not paying this bill.

But we will have to answer to the Lord,

2 Corinthians 5:19, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

In Matthew 25:41-46, Christ said that when we have shown kindness unto the least, we have done it for him. Then in Deuteronomy 23:4, 5, that God cursed the Ammonites and Moabites for not meeting Israel with kindness when they came out of Egypt.

Third, in the financial realm, James applied the Law of Moses found in Leviticus 19:13 when he tells us that we owe prompt payment to the labourer,

Leviticus 19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

James 5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Fourth, we owe prompt payment of our debts, which would include payments of goodness, kindness, and money:

Psalms 37:21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

We owe our creditor timely payments.

A problem of loaning money to friends or relatives is that it is difficult to press them for repayment, and they may feel it is not important to repay the loan.

There is big money in holding money in an account until the very last minute. With the electronic funds transfer, the money can be kept in the bank until the last minuet before being used. The result is that the bank will pay interest on that money up to the very last moment.

It is extremely tempting to keep the money for that last penny of interest, and many companies do just that.

Lawyers are bad about this. Though bank draft we had was made out to Owen, the lawyer held it in his account for some time. The interest adds up.

A book publisher in England owes us a good amount of money, and they have put off paying for several months now. The first contact with the author looking for images was over a year ago, and the publisher continually finds reasons not to pay us.

They were the only publisher who did not pay up front for the images. I have learned an expensive lesson.

Fifth, we owe money to those in need:

Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers

We have an obligation to those in need.

We will not get into loaning money to those who are in genuine need, surviving from day to day. That is another law in itself. We will just look at this one as it stands.

There is great power in charity. It purchases vote, and the politicians have recognized its power for many years now. Charity used to be the responsibility of Christians, but the state has quietly taken it over, and Christians have willingly allowed them to assume that power.

Furthermore, people like state run charity, so they do not have to be thankful to the religious community. Rather, they are now not only thankful to but demanding of the state to throw them charity. We are now a welfare State, as the state has succeeded in making people dependant upon the State for their income. The State, with the help of the Church, has now almost total control over the people through the welfare and charity programs.

Sixth, we owe both time and money to the Lord God, Mal. 3.

Seventh, and last, we owe the gospel to all men:

Romans 1:14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

Solomon’s wisdom is revealed in this statement:

Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

How true it is. The Lord does not send his bill collectors quickly after those of us who do not pay our bills we owe to the Lord in these seven things, so:

We ignore this part of God’s laws.
We forget about them.

We hold them unimportant.

For whatever the reason, because there is not an immediate bill collector, we fail to pay our debts one to another.

It is human nature to put off paying what we owe in hopes that someone else will pay what we owe, or will forget that we owe them. Whether the debt is good, kindness or money, it is selfishness not to pay our debts.

V. 29 continues the thought of this “my son”

The command to Withhold not good is followed by devise not evil against thy neighbour...

This neighbour is one who trusts us.

Scripture gives us several examples:

Jacob’s sons pretended friendship with the Shechemits so they could kill them.
David pretended to be Uriah’s friend.
Joab pretended friendship with Abner so he could kill him.
Saul pretended friendship with David so he could kill him.
Of course, Judas pretended friendship with Christ so he could betray him.

The command here deals with the abuse of a confidence and is against making friends with someone to gain their confidence in order to advance our own cause. This is extremely common today, even in the churches. People join so they can take advantage of others.

And really it goes farther than this. This includes taking advantage of a confidence that someone has in us. This neighbour has no reason to be suspect our self-serving motives, so we take advantage of his trust.

This is very prevalent in the business community, and speaks against the business man who would gain the confidence of a client to sell him a shabby product. Or this would take advantage of a confidence that has already been developed.

This forbids making friends with the boss so you can get away with more.

I remember when I was working on the Eagle Creek park project. Many of the other men who were on the job came from the foreman's home town. They were all big coon-hunters and they could get away with more than others who did not go coon-hunting with him.

And this is common on any job. The employees buddy up to the foreman and the result is maybe a better job, extra time off, or any of many things.

Proverbs 3:29 is against such deceitful practices.

Withhold not, Devise not, the next not is,

V. 30, strive not.

The command is found in v. 1 to forget not the law of God nor His commandments. We are to keep His word within our heart at all times and in every situation. We are to at all times let His word direct our paths. We are to honour the Lord with all our substance, or in other words, give to Him what is His. Then we are told of the happy results of finding wisdom from the word of God and applying that wisdom.

Then starting in v. 27 we are given some practical applications of this wisdom in our relationship to others.

Paul restated this command in,

Romans 11:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath

Strive: this is primarily a reference to a verbal combat, dispute, quarrel, but can refer to physical combat:

Exodus 17:1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?

Here we see the Children of Israel striving with Moses over the situation that the Lord brought into.

Note that both Solomon and Paul tells us that we are to be a people of peace. However, there are two words added, without cause.

There are times that require strive. Paul also said, if it be possible.

Our Lord was no mamby-pamby. At every opportunity He called attention to the law of God, which caused great strife among the lawless.

We live among marshmallow Christians in the West; they are are afraid to get involved for the cause to the word of God.

Even those who are trying to not be marshmallow Christians, they have bought the world’s definition of manhood—beer and smoking. Remember what the First Bush did to try to overcome his reputation as a wimp? He started using strong language.

Most Christian striving today is striving for Baal; that is, defending the gods of this world as the people did against Gideon in Judges 6:31ff.

Example: They strive over sports, as they attempt to justify more love for sports than for the Lord.

We are to contend for the Law of God, not for our own personal honour.

In Nehemiah 5:7,13:11, 17, 25, Nehemiah strongly strove, or contended against the sinful elders over their ungodliness.

However, in the Muslim countries, it is not uncommon at all to hear of Christians being threatened with death for not renouncing Christ.

Strive. In Deuteronomy 2:5, 9, 19, Israel was told not strive or contend with the children of Esau who dwelt in Seir. They were to leave the children of Ammon alone as they passed through their land.

We must not get involved in quarrels that are not our own. We must not take up an offense for others. He did him wrong, so I am mad at him–the one who did wrong.

We must not meddle in the affairs of others if we are not part of the problem or part of the answer.

Proverbs 28:4, They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.

According to Proverbs 28:4, the law-keeper will meddle when he sees the law of God at stake.

Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

We should get angry enough over sin that we are moved to Godly action, and do something.

While in Linden, there was a School board election. I wrote a letter to the Editor pointing out the fallacies of what was being said, and one of the incumbents called me and told me to mind my own business. I ask him if I had said anything untrue, and he said that I hadn't. According to him, the problem was that I was not in the district, therefore it was none of my business.

Praise the wicked. Those who see wrong yet fail to get involved have forsaken the law of the bystander as found in Deuteronomy 22:1-4, and 24.

Stronger yet, they praise the wicked by their silence, and they will reap what they have sown.

Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

The cross reference is:

Ps. 50:18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. 19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. 20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. 21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. 22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. 23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

Here the Lord points out that when we fail to get involved when we see the wicked acting against the law, we have cast the words of God behind us, or we have turned out backs on God.

Pr.3:30 If he have done thee no harm.

This statement permits self-defence as well as taking a person who is acting like a heathen to civil court. God instituted civil government for protection against the wicked man who will not recognize the velleity of the law of God or the authority of the Church.

The wicked individual who will not hear the instructions of the Church, or ecclesiastical courts is to us as a heathen and publican, and can be taken before the civil magistrate. Mat. 18:17.

In short, among other things, Proverbs 3:30 speaks against being a meddlesome busy-body and argumentative. If that person is doing us no harm, then leave him alone. This could be something like a argument between two people:

1 Pet. 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.

2 Thes. 3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

1 Tim. 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

However, Proverbs 3:30 does require that we be involved in just causes. The justness of the cause is defined by the law of God.

10/9/2011, to here

10/16/11

I want to finish Proverbs 3. We are in My Son #7, and looking at the 7 nots at the end of this chapter. These nots are part of the law of God, and give us godly instructions in our relationships one to another. Not only our fellow Christians, but with the unsaved also.

v. 21, let not---that is, hold fast to the instructions from God's word in wisdom and understanding.
v. 23, stumble not---fall by the wayside, and onto the wide path that leads to destrucion
v. 25, fear not—the righteous are bold as a lion
v. 27, withhold not---pay the good that God says we owe to our neighbours, saved or unsaved.
v. 27, say not—don't procrastinate doing good when it is in our power to do so.
v. 29, devise not---don't develop and use friendships for our advantage
v. 30, strive not—argumentative, quarrelsome, combative, both verbal and physical, yet there are times when it is impossible to live at peace with others. Our striving should be in defense of Scripture, not in what we might consider self-defense.

Then Proverbs 3:31 gives us our next not, Envy not... Actually, this goes with v. 32.

Envy. That is, to look with ill-will toward another. It includes desiring to be like him.

“We are jealous of our own; we are envious of another man's possession. Jealousy fears to lose what it has; envy is pained at seeing another have.”

In Galatians 5:21, envy is a work of the flesh.

Romans 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

First, envy is a sin.

Second, there is nothing in his character worth envying.

The KJV says oppressor, but the Geneva says wicked.

We look around and see the wicked prosper. Wicked means those who may or may not be professed Christians. It is obvious that professed Christians can and do ignore the requirements of God's word, and can prosper greatly in the world's wealth

We read in Psalms 37 and 73, that they have more than the heart could desire.

We see their indifference to the way of the Lord as described in His word. We envy his success, so we are greatly tempted to choose his ways. We choose to try to gain what we desire to have the same way that he has used.

The wicked or the oppressor cares not that he climbs all over others to gain his power. There is very little he will not do to gain his power, and money buys power.

As I was thinking on this, I was reminded that women use their bodies to gain what they want. From their husbands (which was strictly forbidden by God, making this a sin, 1 Cor. 7:4), in the work place, which would be covered under causing others to lust after her.

The not in v. 29 forbad gaining the trust of another for our own end. The wicked work to tain the trust of others so he can increase his oppression.

V. 32 tells us why we are not to choose any of his ways.

Froward means crooked, and the crooked man is detested by the Lord.

This is the self-willed person who is bent on the gratification of his or her own desires despite the restraints placed on him or her by God or man. He or she will use any means at his or her disposal to gain what he or she wants.

It is common for men to develop friendships, and for women use their bodies to gain what they want. They will take advantage of any opportunities that present themselves, and even work to make those opportunities, so they can advance their goals.

Obviously, we are to take advantage of and even make opportunities to advance the kingdom of God.

As we mentioned back up in v. 29, this is especially bad in the work place. The employee taking advantage of a friendship, as well as women using their bodies to advance their cause.

Strangely enough, I have observed this froward person especially prevalent in "Christian work." They take advantage of the situation, knowing the hands of the authority over them is tied.

I will never forget two men that I have come accost.

One in MD, named .... He didn't do a thing.

The other in LA, named .... He was totally useless after he had been on a job for a year or so.

These froward people may openly do their planing to reach their goal, or they may keep it well hidden. But one thing is for sure, they are detested by the Lord.

It may appear that their schemes and plans have been successful, but the Lord has their number, and the account will come due.

But this frowardness is not restricted to the ones under authority. 1 Peter 2:18 tells us what our response is to be toward the froward person who is in authority.

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

But his secret is with the righteous. This indicates that everything that is so tempting to envy possessed by the oppressor, the wicked and the froward person is available to the person who is trying to follow the ways of the Lord. Psalms 1.

God's love, provision, protection and secret of success is with those who are trying to live a righteous life.

3:33, the wicked have gained what they worked to hard to gain in v. 31. He may have gained in great worldly authority and possessions, but he also gained the curse of the Lord.

On the other hand, those who remained faithful to the Lord gained the blessings of the Lord.

Note where the curse or blessing takes place. In the house, habitation.

How many people have used their 'wiles' to obtain their goal, and the curse against their wickedness settled in their families. Then they wonder why their families go to the devil.

Deuteronomy 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

The wicked include those who hear the word, but do not do it.

Did not our Lord say, If ye love me, keep my commandments?

The word of God is sharper than any two edged sword. The other side of the sword is God's blessings on the house of the just.

Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. 6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

He does not say that there will not be trials and tribulations, but that His blessings will be present in the midst of it all. We will come out better after than we were before.

V. 31 envy not... Envy of the oppressor or of the wicked is foolish. The wicked may have more than the heart could desire, but he has the curse of the Lord. But the righteous has the blessings of the Lord

V. 34

he scorneth the scorners. In this context, the scorner is he who refuses to listen to the instruction of God's word.

He does not really mock God's word, but he refuses to listen or to consider the word of God for himself. Even though it might seem innocent enough to ignore the word of God, the Lord identifies this as scorning.

The scorner is contrasted with the lowly.
The scorner is proud.

The lowly realizes his true character as a sinner, and that he must depend daily upon the grace of God.

The Lord gave a parable along this line, Luke 18:9-14.

The proud person is the one who sits under the word of God and says, "Boy, I hope So and So hears this," without first applying it to self.

The lowly are the ones who will have the abundant grace of God to face whatever the situation holds. There is no need to scheme our ways through, the grace of God is sufficient.

See also, James 4:6 (But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.), 1 Peter 5:5

V. 35.

The thought continues with the wise. 11:2.

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

The wise (humble) will be lifted up. The one who realizes his own weakness and remains humble before the Lord, always seeking His advice for every action.

The fool is the one who says no to God. He says "no God," Ps. 14:1. He says no to the instructions of God. He says no to the way of God. He says that the instructions of God are not for him.

Shame (7036-dishonour, disgrace) will be their promotion.

This word is used many times in Proverbs. Some of the more practical places are:

11:2 Pride will not listen.

13:18 This one is obvious.

22:10, Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

Solomon tells us the cause of contention and its cure. The cure is kind of drastic.
Solomon leaves this chapter on a low note---those who seek to promote themselves above the word of God by seeing no need to seek its wisdom, or in saying that it does not apply to them, will surely find the wrong promotion.