Jeremiah (Chapters 17-22)
OBSERVE: In our Sunday readings, we came upon a very profound statement that can’t be overlooked. The prophet Jeremiah wrote “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9) Throughout our readings today, we see this truth played out in the narrative. At first, God attempts to show Israel their wickedness through the examples of the potter and the flask. The response to these examples goes on to confirm their wickedness as they then persecute Jeremiah. God then does the unthinkable and confirms that not only will Judah be attacked but that he would fight for their attackers. All of this suffering would be a sign to the nations that they had gone astray and had turned their backs on their God with their wicked hearts. INTERPRET: The Old Testament doesn’t exactly gloss over the reality of sin in the human heart. Genesis 6:5 told us that “The Lord observed the extent of the human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.” As centuries passed, and even after humanity “started over” after the Flood, not much seemed to change. King David put this truth into poetry in Psalm 14: 2-3 “The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!” We see that this problem of the wicked heart was not just an issue with Judah at the time of Jeremiah, but rather it was a problem that affected the entire human race throughout all ages. It was a problem that absolutely needed an answer; a total cure. APPLICATION: Christ’s coming and Christ’s dying provided the only hope for sinners who are totally evil, corrupt, and desperately wicked – which is everyone ever born. The Apostle Paul explained it this way “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners………And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.” (Romans 5: 6, 9) We are not basically good people who occasionally do bad things; we are thoroughly bad people who occasionally do good things. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus came to save bad people by taking their punishment and giving them his own personal goodness. REFLECTION: Do you recognize your absolute need for the Good News? PRAYER: Jesus; I am a sinner through and through and the only answer is you. I believe that you are the only cure for my wicked heart and that I need your goodness. AMEN. SONG: The Cure (By Unspoken) Text: Jeremiah 4-6
Observation: Through the words of the prophet Jeremiah, we see God’s heart longing for his people, Judah, to cease their rebellion and turn back to Him. He implores them to cut off their wicked practices and “break up the unplowed ground” of their hearts so He can grow something good in them again (4:1-4). Jeremiah personally experiences anguish and terror because of the things he both hears and sees prophetically about the coming punishment that God is bringing on the people of Judah and Jerusalem (4:19). Just as Judah’s hearts are unplowed and unfruitful, Jeremiah warns of coming disaster that will leave the land empty and desolate--a warrior nation will come from the North that will besiege Jerusalem and terrorize all the people so no one is left unharmed. The end result is a forsaken land where once Judah flourished (4: 23-28). God contrasts the people of Judah to His other creations. Whereas the seas and land obey his divine authority and order, God says the people do not fear or respect him (5:22-23). Even those in the roles meant to facilitate God’s rule and reign – his prophets and priests –are lying and using their own authority instead of upholding God’s authority (5:30-31, 6:13-15). This rebellion against God’s natural order and authority results in the autumn and spring rains coming out of regularity and dependability so that the food harvest is disrupted (5:24-25). The Lord implores the people to seek His divine order once again: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (6:16) Using the poetic imagery of a silversmith (6:27-30), God talks of his people, comparing them to ore, and Jeremiah is testing this metal with the prophetic words and images he receives from the Lord and delivers to the people. But rather than refining the ore to reveal precious silver, all Jeremiah’s fire-y words and warnings do not result in repentance from the people. Therefore, God says he will reject and punish them because evil would not be purged from their hearts and they are not fulfilling their call to bless the nations for God’s glory (4:2). Interpretation: When the people God chose as His own made the conscious choice to reject and rebel against His rule and authority, they stepped outside the design and order of their divine Creator, who purposed to use them to bless the nations. Jeremiah saw, foretold and witnessed the result of this opposition to God’s purpose and order: turmoil, destruction, desolation. We see God’s heart pleading with His creation to follow His order so that they could live in the blessings of His plans and purposes; so they could find “rest for their souls”. Ultimately when Jesus came, he perfectly filled the role of prophet and priest to re-establish God’s rule and reign on earth. Listen to his similar words recorded in Matthew 11:29-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Application: God wants us to walk in alignment with His plans and purposes for our lives. When we accept salvation, made possible by Jesus, and when we surrender ourselves to Him and submit to His authority, we are following the divine order he established. The scriptures tell us that this is how we find “rest for our souls”. Is your life in alignment with God’s divine order? Have you surrendered yourself completely over to God? What areas of your life are lacking peace? Is it possible that these areas need to be submitted to God’s authority? Prayer: Father God, you are Lord over my life. Thank you for the peace that comes from submitting to your rule and reign. Help me to enter the soulful rest that you want to give me. Gently show me any adjustments I need to make in my life so that I am more completely in alignment with and in submission to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Song: Rest by Wake Worship Be Still My Soul – sung by Trish Reimer Text: Jeremiah 1-3
Observe: The prophet Jeremiah is called by God to speak to the people of Judah, and the surrounding nations, during the reign of King Josiah through to the reign of King Zedekiah. God tells him that He had a plan for him from before he was born and set him apart for this specific task. At first Jeremiah is reluctant, saying he is too young and doesn’t know what to say, but God commands him to go and says He will put the words into Jeremiah’s mouth. His message is not a popular one, but God tells him not to be afraid because He is with him and will not allow Jeremiah to be overcome. So, faithfully for over 40 years, he travels far and wide, continually calling out the sin and hypocrisy of the people, priests and kings. Ultimately, Jeremiah prophecies that because of their defiance and immorality, God’s punishment will lead them to exile in Babylon. In Jerusalem, Jeremiah reminds the Israelites that they were the beloved people of God, and how he brought them out of bondage and gave them a land that was not their own as an inheritance in fulfillment of His promise to Jacob. Everything that God had ever done was for the good of His chosen people. Yet, over time the people turned away from God and worshipped other idols. They adopted many of the detestable practices and rituals of the people who had lived in the land before. They came to rely on their own strength, developed their own wisdom, and followed their own ways. God says that they committed two sins: they had forsaken Him, the spring of living water; and dug their own broken cisterns. In times of difficulty, the people would call out “Come and save us!”, but always they would fall back on the false idols that they had created with their own hands, worshipping inanimate objects instead of the Living God. And even when they did worship their God and Creator, it was always with empty words and meaningless motions. They would cry out that they were innocent, yet continue to offer sacrifices to other idols, and living like a donkey chasing after wild cravings. The Lord, through Jeremiah, compared them to prostitutes for their brazen ways, instead of being virtuous wives to God, the faithful husband. By their immorality, they had defiled the good land and home that God had provided them. Yet, through all of this rebellion, God in His mercy continued to call them back, and wanted to teach them His ways. But, always the people would backslide into immorality. Interpret: This is a theme that is played out over and over again in scripture. Out of His great love God, gives His beloved chosen people everything they need for a good life. He saves them from bondage; gives them a fertile land to live in; and blesses them with His excellent laws to live in a right relationship with Him. But, it’s never enough. They wander in their own ways, not recognizing their error which leads away from God and into sin. They begin to think that it was by their own work that they had become successful. They began to worship idols created by human hands and adopted practises that were evil and immoral. No matter how often God disciplined His wayward children and called them back to Himself, they would soon forget Him and turn back to sin. They would talk the talk but their hearts were never in it, and so they were not able to walk the walk. They brought their own destruction down on their heads. Application: In these verses, we see the consequences of disobedience to God’s will. When we follow the ways of the world, we get caught up in the illusion of success: the chasing after money, power, sex, and celebrity. They become the idols we worship. We begin to think that our successes are the result of our own efforts, and if anyone else is struggling, that’s obviously their doing and their own problem. We begin to see ourselves as central to our existence. We do what’s good for us or whatever feels good to us. Our own rules become our guide. Jeremiah reminds us that disobedience to God will leads only to misery and destruction. Yet even in this message of warning to the wayward people of God there is an expressed hope for the future. (Jeremiah 1:10), “See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” Although God will uproot and destroy what is evil, He will also plant and build up that which is good and righteous. If we really want the things that are important and lasting, Jesus tells us to follow Him. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, (John 14:6). His good and perfect will for us (Romans 12:2) is transformative. It is in Him that we find the abundant life (John 10;10) that we so desperately desire and seek. Questions: How often have we gone our own way, only to find that what we had sought after was just a fleeting pleasure? How often have we gone along with the world’s view of success only to find a growing emptiness? What must be torn down in our lives before God can build us back up again? Are we willing to see Jeremiah’s unpopular message as a hope for the future? Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for Your unfailing faithfulness and mercy despite our striving after worldly things. Help us to recognize those things which draw us away from You and give us the courage and patience to allow them to be torn down. Give us hearts to seek and love you. Give us wisdom and faith to allow You to transform us into the people you created us to be. Help us bend our will to Yours. In the mighty and merciful name of Jesus, Amen. Song: “Give Us Clean Hands” ; Chris Tomlin OBSERVATION
As mentioned in Monday’s blog, The Song of Songs is a Hebrew love poem, depicting a courtship and marriage between a young woman and a man. The Song also has a long tradition of being used as allegory of the love between Christ and the church. In chapters 5 – 8, the couple appear to be chasing each other in the forest and meadow, like a hide-and-seek. Using richly evocative symbolism drawn from the created world, these songs portray the beauties of the physical body and the splendours of human love. The dialogue between the man and the woman is joyful and full of love, speaking to each other of their delight in each other. INTERPRETATION Can we use this poetry book in the canon of the Bible to teach us something about romance and marriage that is blessed by God? I would answer “Perhaps” in the sense that this is a depiction of sexual love between one man and one woman, therefore a God-ordained marriage. However, this book is not a teaching about marriage as such. That kind of teaching may be found in the account of creation in Genesis. A marriage relationship is also described by St. Paul in Ephesians 5. Moreover the chapter on love (I Cor.13) is a rich description of the love among members of the Christian church. APPLICATION Some Christians still believe –or perhaps are just suspicious that the physical body is not as important as spiritual thoughts and feeling. The Song challenges that view, showing in vivid pictures and words that the physical body formed by God in the garden of Eden is beautiful, and that sexual expression of love between a man and a woman is a glory to God. QUESTION Our society accepts as normal a wide range of sexuality and gender definitions. From childhood to adult, individuals are encouraged and given permission to explore both hetero and same-sex attractions, and gender identity that may or may not be congruent with one’s biology. I believe a question for all Christians and especially Christian parents and leaders is one of learning to know and understand what God desires in relationship, especially relationships between men and women. PRAYER Dear Lord God, teach us once more who we are as sexual beings created by you. Help us to set your guidelines for our children in all their social behaviours. For those who are struggling with body dysphoria and unhealthy sexual relationships, draw them back into your arms of love. SONG The Gift of Love OBSERVE: From the book of Songs of Songs we learn about emotional intimacy and exclusivity of our relationship with the God of the universe. Throughout the first four chapters we hear the repeated theme of an intimate and loving relationship summarized best in the following verse:
My love is mine, and I am his. (2:16) INTERPRET: Though the surface meaning of this book is clearly concerned with human sexuality, throughout all ages Christians have seen in it a metaphor of the intimate love relationship Christ has with his bride, the church. Jesus is not pictured here as King or Priest or Prophet, but as a Bridegroom and Lover of his bride. Though God is infinitely above us, he delights in us and in giving himself to us. He is not the fleeting love of a human suitor who may or may not love us tomorrow, but the secure love who has claimed us as his own for eternity and given us all that he owns. APPLICATION: And certainly Jesus has the power to hold us tight to himself, to preserve us, so much that Jesus said of us, “No one can snatch them away from me” (John 10:28). God has come to us in Christ to draw us to himself so that he can love us: All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love…….Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for the fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. (1 John 4: 15-16, 18-19). Jesus demonstrated his love for us by making the first move toward us, calling us to himself. He has loved us best by taking our judgment upon himself so that we need not fear. And when we begin to grasp the goodness of his love for us, we find that we can “love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love” (Ephesians 6: 24). REFLECTION: Do you feel secure in the loving arms of God Almighty? PRAYER: JESUS, I love you because you first loved me and drew me to yourself. You hold me so securely in your love that nothing can come between us or ever snatch me away. I am yours and you are mine, forevermore. AMEN. SONG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roQovDZeAWE Observe: Ecclesiastes 7-12
The seventh chapter of Ecclesiastes is a contrast between wisdom and folly and indicates that wisdom is good with an inheritance and a protection. It acknowledges that God is in charge of both the day of prosperity and the day of adversity, and laments the fact that the wicked flourish while the righteous suffer. Chapter eight gives a subtle allusion to Moses having had a face that shone after speaking with God, saying “A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.” There is an assurance here that those who fear God will ultimately do well, even though the evil person does well for a time yet has to one day stand before Him. The author then goes on in the ninth chapter, encouraging the reader to eat bread and drink wine and enjoy a merry heart since there is none of this in Sheol: our destination if we live for ourselves and do not fear God or seek His wisdom. This is followed by the assertion that wisdom is better than might or power or riches or the strength of youth, that indeed wisdom once saved a besieged city which thought itself great. The last chapter comes to a rough conclusion in an aside to the reader, saying “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Interpret – Plato once famously wrote “The unexamined life is not worth living,” to which Kurt Vonnegut wittily replied “Plato says that the unexamined life is not worth living. But what if the examined life turns out to be a clunker as well?” Ecclesiastes does exactly that: beginning with an exhaustive search and examination of all of life’s qualities and trials, it threatens to conclude that all of man’s toiling and struggle and pursuit of wealth and fame is “vapour,” a mist that vanishes. This book portrays the very real frustration facing those who try and find meaning in the work of their hands or their riches and power, as Dave pointed out the other day. There are some key developments in the author’s thinking around chapters seven to twelve as he slowly start to drive home the truth that to seek and fear God is the duty of mankind, the only worthwhile pursuit under the sun. The final chapter begins with an exhortation to “remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them,” … and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who have it.” There is a sense of acceptance in the last two verses which I quoted in the above section – a bowing of the head and bending of the knee to the truth that, after all has been said and done, we must all “fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Take a moment to picture Solomon, whose words this book is based around. He was the wisest of the wise, the richest of the rich, had one thousand wives, and was the king of Israel, God’s chosen people, yet he was in a major crisis. It was clear that he was granted the fulfilment of every human earthly desire, however it was not enough to satisfy his very soul. Nor could it. If we approach this problem from a logical perspective, it is clear our immaterial souls can never be satisfied by material goods. C.S. Lewis puts it more succinctly (obviously): “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” Ecclesiastes, therefore, shines a light on the foolishness of those who would try to replace God Almighty with anything under the sun. Jesus Christ summed it all up when, in the Gospel of Matthew, He was asked what the most important commandment was – so let us go forth with these words written on our hearts and minds: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Application – If I might add a personal note here, if you have heard my testimony, you’ll know I came to a very similar place as this Teacher in Ecclesiastes. I found that nothing really mattered. I was at the end of myself, the end of my abilities, and was shown the fruit of my life being lived selfishly. In the face of such futility, and to cut a long story short, the only, and I mean the only way for my life to have any meaning whatsoever is to give it to God for Him to do with it as He pleases. If we could apply Ecclesiastes in any way, and if my former dire situation could serve as any help at all, let us not come to a breaking point before we decide to put Jesus first and foremost in our hearts and minds. Let us not put Him on a shelf as we pursue other things. Let us not ignore Him as a task or a burden but let us run to Him as the giver of life and love and light and meaning! Do not wait! Take time each day in prayer before Him and allow His loving presence to guide you on – for nothing done for Him is ever meaningless! Prayer – Lord Jesus, thank you for bringing us out of darkness and into your marvelous light. Thank you for putting your Holy Spirit in us so that we might please you and grow as your sons and daughters. Thank you especially for making a way when there was no way and for running to us while we were still a long way off! We pray that you might convict and guide us if we have put anything above you in our lives and hearts. Teach us to put you first and to live that out, so that others may see that we live and work not in futility or darkness, but for our Good and Loving Father whose return we anxiously await. Amen! Song: Pat Barrett - Build My Life (feat. Chris Tomlin) “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
Ecclesiastes 3: 11 Ecclesiastes 1-6 (Psalm 6) Observe
Interpret The ‘Teacher’ or ‘Preacher,’ the author of this book, is traditionally thought to be Solomon. However, further theories exist that point to a possibility of three authors or a single one. Given the uncertainty, it is probably best, to simply see the author as anonymous. The Teacher asks the questions that are on human hearts; basically, what is the meaning of life? His answer is the key theme of the book; all is meaningless except for the fear of God. Humans need to keep God’s commands for one day all will give an account to Him. Eternity, the desire for meaning in this life and life beyond, has been placed in the human heart by God. Yet humankind cannot really change anything meaningfully, time is in God’s hands and He is sovereign. Human’s lives are short and full of tribulation but God blesses humankind with meaningful employ. Death is inevitable and renders much that is achieved in life…meaningless. Real wisdom belongs to God (3: 14-15) yet there is benefit in humans pursuing wisdom which is better than folly (2: 13-14). Application There will be times in our lives where we all echo the questions and sentiments of the ‘Teacher.’ Whilst he may only partially answer his own questions, wonderfully, the bible answers them more completely and the full answer is found in Christ. On Sunday (6th June) we considered how Jesus is the ‘Wisdom of God’ for us. He provides the answers to life and death; He is our redemption, righteousness and holiness (1 Corinthians 1: 30). He gives meaning and purpose to our lives. Whatever the season is, that we are experiencing, good will come out of it; He will make all things beautiful in His time, including us (Romans 8: 28; Ecclesiastes 3: 11; & Colossians 1: 22). Whatever our hands find to do in work, family and leisure, can find meaning in Christ. Even death has lost its sting and meaninglessness for life, for it becomes the door to eternity, opened by Christ for us if we but believe; our hearts will be satisfied in eternity (1 Corinthians 15: 54-57). None of us have fathomed or imagined the wonders that God has prepared for us who love Him (1 Corinthians 2: 9). What we do in this life will influence what is to come in eternity; a sobering and exciting thought. The Question of Application The Teacher is sometimes seen as a pessimist or sceptic because of his views and outlook. How we view life and circumstances impacts our hearts, attitudes, views and behaviour. How do you view life; through the lens of the Gospel or the wisdom of the world? The latter leads to meaninglessness the former to the gift of life itself. Prayer Almighty God you have made everything beautiful in its time. You have set eternity in our hearts; yet we cannot fathom what You have done from beginning to end. Help us to be happy and to do good while we live, may we find satisfaction in all our toil and see this as a gift from you. Everything You do endures for ever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. May we therefore give ourselves to you Holy Father in submission and awe inspired fear of you. Amen From Ecclesiastes 3: 11-14 Praise You make everything beautiful by Rebecca St. James Red Sea Road by Ellie Holcomb (for difficult seasons) Text Prov 27-31 (Ps 5)
Observe We’ll concentrate on two passages in these chapters: 30 (Agur) and 31 (Lemuel). That’s enough to chew on for now. Chapter 30:1-3 is Agur’s humble self-assessment of his knowledge and spirituality, recalling Job 38-39. He recognizes human limitation in the face of God’s work. Then, a Hebrew-Bible ‘…give us this day…forgive our trespasses…’: he prays for only two things: to speak the truth, and for just enough (6), to avoid the too-much of wealth and its self-sufficiency, where forgetting God is all too possible; or the too-little of poverty which could bring on theft, dishonouring God. (7-9) The ‘Three then four’ stanzas, interspersed with other proverbs recall chapter 6. Agur ponders greed (15-16); concealment and deception (18-20); personal and social unrest (21-23); the amazing wisdom of God in small creatures, and the ‘wisdom’ they possess (24-28); dignity (29-31) reflected in noble bearing and behaviour. The final stanza is like a bookend. Agur spoke humbly of himself at the beginning of the chapter; he says in this stanza that exalting oneself is foolish. And a final warning: if evil plans are afoot, stop involvement and keep quiet, avoiding strife. Lemuel’s poem (chapter 31) differs entirely from the Proverbs template. Yes, there are warnings about the effects of wine on a king (4,5) and reminders to defence the rights of the poor (8,9). But the lengthy final stanza (10-32) praises a woman who does things well. With no hurry or pressure, she simply carries out her work, bringing honour to her husband and family in her calm orderliness. Lemuel attributes wisdom to this woman as she does her work, faithfully and fully. Interpret In Jewish culture, men, not women, read Proverbs 31 -- as a song of praise to the women in their lives. The intended male audience is instructed to Praise her for all her hands have done (28b)., to see her as precious, not for what she does but who she is. It takes the heat off our mums when they again find this chapter copied into a Mother’s Day card, or in a well-meaning Mum’s Day sermon! Sensing for another year running their utter inadequacy in the face of Perfection, let’s insist Chapter 31 is NOT: a job description, a To Do list, a supermom bio, a model for slavish imitation, nor does it Strongly Suggest Single Ladies Get Married, raise kids and learn to weave! We first met Lady Wisdom in Chapter 8; she is also the woman in 31:10-32. Think Lady Wisdom, not Martha Stewart. Think eshet chayil, a “woman of valour”, (rather than ‘virtue’), not because of bravery, though that might enter in too, but because how she carries out daily tasks in faithfulness is more important that what she does. Recall Boaz. He calls Ruth an eshet chayil because of her noble character.1 (Ruth 3:11) Apply For a man (gibor) or woman (eschet) valour may be an unnamed gift of the Holy Spirit. One can be a teacher of valour, a mum of valour, a pastor of valour, a barista of valour, a singer of valour a labourer of valour, a midwife of valour, a Giant Tiger cashier of valour – a retiree of valour! We do what we are privileged to do with all courage and heart, by God’s grace and guidance. And in observing our determination to live out His life fully and faithfully, those around us just might ask, ”What makes you tick?” And we tell them! Ask What do I pray for? What for me is ‘enough’ so I don’t forget God has given me my life and everything with it, or resort to other means of having because I think I need more? Do I take time to marvel at God’s creation, at how little I know? Who are the women and men of valour in my life? Why? How can I praise them, and , more importantly, praise God for them? Pray Lord God, thank You for Proverbs, for the pithy verses that still apply, for the reminders of what our life could look like to You and to others. Thank You for those who wrote and collected; what a remarkable part of Your canon this is! Praise to You, our great Lord of all that is wise and good! Song Psalm 5: Maranatha Singers 1 I owe these ideas to Rachel Held Evans (1982-2019 OBSERVATION
Chapters 22-26 are, as indicated at the beginning of proverbs, a collection of wise sayings in no particular order. Some themes are revisited:
22:2—The rich and the poor have this in common: The Lord made them both. 23:4,5—Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich…in the blink of an eye wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like an eagle. 24:3,4—A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables. 25:11—Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket. 26:23,24—Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot. People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils. INTERPRETATION Let’s unpack the verses I’ve listed above: 22:2—There is one Creator God and God will determine what is just regardless of a person’s wealth and power. 23:4.5—Our only reference point – our goal and ground in life is the Holy Triune God, Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit. If we start focusing on getting rich, we will lose sight of what has true meaning. 24:3,4—This reminds me of Jesus’ parable about building one’s house on the rock rather than on the sand. It also reminds me of the story about storing up treasures in heaven rather than here on earth. Look for what has eternal value—see Philippian 4:2 whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good report—think on these things. 25:11—Listen to good advice—but also be prepared to sift through the advice you’ve been given so you will recognize the good advice versus poor advice. 26:23ff –Be discerning of people. Don’t be taken in by a charming manner or pretty words. Don’t accept what people tell you without weighing it –where does it come from? What is the person’s motivation in telling you the news? Be aware of evil in peoples’ lives: see I Peter 5:8--Stay alert, your adversary as a roaring lion seeks—to devour. APPLICATION Wisdom sayings are easy to read and easy to memorize. I encourage you to take the plans or issues you are working on or thinking about, and go through the book of Proverbs to find some “pearls of wisdom” that pertain to your situation. You will find that it is a book of wisdom for today and for us as well as for the ancient peoples. QUESTION What plans and decisions am I working on today? Does God say anything to me about my work? My family? My relationships? Holy Spirit – guide us in the way of the true Gospel and live your life through me. PRAYER Dear Lord God, you have told us to ask You when we lack wisdom. So we ask you to remind us of your words of wisdom as we make our day-to-day plans and decisions. Keep us mindful that you are the only One who is ever faithful and ever sure. You are the ground of our being. You are the One who keeps us always in your care. SONG Ever faithful, ever sure. – D. Bruce Moore Observe These chapters range from behaviour of sons to a king’s mind and heart, from making plans to living uprightly, in no particular arrangement. Let’s look at speech, one among many topics but always relevant.
Our plans vs God’s ways: Addressed in 16:1-4, God has graciously given us minds to choose, to consider, to think through. We can’t rely on these, though. Planning in God’s will puts Him first. We pray for wisdom and He assures us that as we do so, He knows the details. While these verses do not directly address speech, we often talk out our plans! Pleasant vs abusive speech: 16:21-24; 27-30 contrast the effects of words: loving words, springing from a pure heart, bless the hearer and the speaker; harsh words only bring trouble and heartache. 17:14 addresses the problem of angry words that increase strife; best to leave off before both of these increase, bringing only destruction. Gossip and strife: In 18:5-8, misuse of words has its own consequences. In the courts, v 8 implies a malfunctioning legal system full of innuendo, gossip, lying. Death-dealing gossip is a spreading virus. Oddly, 18:18 says The lot puts an end to strife and separates those locked in dispute. (Recall Acts 1:26 when the apostles chose Judas’ replacement by lot.) Ultimately, God makes the choice; strife ends in a final decision. Fools: always examples of what not to do or say. 18:2, 6-8 tell us they only want to listen to themselves, have no sense of right speaking, delight in gossip that damages another. The ‘fruit of the lips’ praise God or destroy a reputation. Fools are oblivious to this. False witness: Bookends, 19:5,9 are direct repetitions, implying the need for honesty; lies will come into the open; unfit words may exploit the poor, though the poor are not immune to uttering falsehoods. Scoffing/mocking: 19:25-20:1 and 21:16 recall Psalm 1:1c. Condemnation is appropriate for scoffers, a good beating for fools -- then will they understand? Counsel: 20:18-19 show that major decisions need counsel but take care in choosing counselors. Can they keep shared confidences? Slander and babblers are close relatives. Justice: When practiced by those who love good, justice is sheer joy. (21:15). The pursuit of righteousness and kindness return these lovely virtues to those who seek good, who seek God. No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel/can avail against the Lord. (21:30) The sovereign will of the Lord prevails in all our planning. His goodness, kindness always win out over wealth and power, certainly over evil and its adherents. This is especially true in speech. Interpret In Proverbs, we encounter a different mindset; our linear minds find these couplets hard to grasp. Verses repeat, maybe word for word, in different chapters; parallels and contrasts abound; an idea repeats in different ways; a topic lasts five verses then abruptly switches gears. Repetition indicates the significance of the teaching. Proverbs stretches our brains as we accommodate this circular way of thought! Apply Our Bible in a Year introduces us to Hebrew thought; Proverbs are meant to give life and we see God’s wisdom in them, requiring careful rereading. Maybe in the next year or two we could revisit small blocks of Wisdom literature, looking more deeply into how it still applies. It’s all part of the Word! Ask Out of the heart, the mouth speaks (Mt 12:34). Did Jesus have Proverbs in mind when he urged me to keep a clean heart, so my words honour and glorify Him, bringing His life and love to others? Pray: Lord, let what travels from ear to heart to mouth reflect Your kindness, goodness, righteousness, and light. Thank You for these little gems of Your practical wisdom. Song Psalm 3: Not Afraid Jason Silver Psalm 3: You are My Shield My Soul among Lions |
Preachers BlogIn 2024, each week's blog is a follow-up reflection written by the preceding Sunday’s preacher to dig deeper into the sermon topic and explore engaging discussion questions. Archives
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