Arrows, not Weathervanes

(Pro 21:15 KJV) It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

As I read this chapter this verse jumped out at me because of what I see happening in the national arena but to go there would require me to get more political than I want to get here.  The point is still important because of the terms involved.  There are two concepts here that are very important but we are in real danger of interpreting culturally rather than Biblically.  Those can be addressed without being overtly political.

First we have the idea expressed in the KJV as “just” (6662) and the NASB as “righteous”.  We have developed Valley Girl speech patterns to the point where we insert the word “just” as a filler that becomes meaningless.  Because of that you need to think of it as referring to a decision based on eternal values of right and wrong not a modifier as in “just too cute”.  Even the KJV uses “righteous” 164 times to 42 for “just” when translating it.  God has standards that do not change.  He is holy and His standards reflect that.

The second is the “do” (6213) of the KJV and the “exercise” (6213a) of the NASB.  Here the KJV gets it straight and simple.  Even the NASB uses a form of “do” around 1,000 times to the one translation as “exercise”.  Politics aside, we are to do what is right and the measure of what is right is God and His word, not the latest edition of your favorite TV show.

So?  God’s people are called to be arrows pointing true north not weathervane rotating with the latest wind of fashion.  Many who attend church don’t like it but it is still true.