A Time for Salt

(Pro 29:8 KJV)  Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath.

I substituted “nation” for “city” (7151) as I read this.  That is natural for us today.  We don’t think in terms of cities as our identity as much as states or nations.  As we look at the condition of our political systems I think there is much to be worried about.  The wrong kind of people are in control.  What can we do about it?

One recommendation is that we be salt.  I know the word is not used here but that is the idea behind the righteous turning away wrath.  God eventually has enough and unleashes His wrath on nations and individuals.  One of the things that seems to hold back the destruction is a group of faithful believers who are living upright lives.  That is the only reason I can think of that He has not brought America to its knees.  Of course, that may already be in motion.

So?  Continue to be faithful.  Continue to live an upright life.  It may be enough to protect society.  It may not.  If not, trust that God will have His hand upon us. 

Understand?

(Pro 28:11 KJV)  The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out.

We live in a day of the oppressed.  Our cultural elites want to make us feel guilt over every good thing in our lives and make us give up our sense of self worth for the downtrodden and “poor” (1800b).  God also has a concern for the poor but His main concern, I think, is for the righteous poor.  That is why this modifier of “hath” (has NASB) is so important.  It isn’t enough to be poor.  You need to also have insight into the things of God and His principles.  Proverbs also teaches that this wisdom is available to anyone regardless of income or social status.

So?  Don’t get all weepy eyed over those who are down and out.  There may be something you can do to help but often their condition is a result of their own decisions and a refusal to live upright lives.  You also need understanding to have the discernment to know the difference. 

Slippery! Beware!

(Pro 27:16 KJV)  Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his right hand, which bewrayeth itself.

Certain relationships and encounters mark us and we can’t hide them.  Here the conflict is with a nagging wife.  The mark is compared to having “oil” (8081), which is the most common translation of the KJV “ointment” even in the KJV, on your hands.  I recently was using some lubricant out of a spray can.  In the process it adhered everywhere including the outside of the can.  That transferred to my fingers.  Once you get oily substances on your fingers it is almost impossible to get rid of them totally.  If you are forced into repeated contact, then forget it.

So it is in some relationships.  Solomon does not offer a simple solution although the next verse talks about iron sharpening iron.

So?  Accept that your relationships effect you.  Be careful whom you rub shoulders with so that you don’t spread what is negative.  There are probably times when it is better just to do something in solitude and let your attitude get back in shape.

Fair Hatred

(Pro 26:25 KJV)  When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.

Although the word does not appear in this verse the focal point is on people consumed with hate.  We live in a day when the accusation of “hater” is common but as so much goes today it is deceptive in itself.  What most people talking about as hate is simply someone who disagrees with them.  By the very nature of the deception they become the object they vilify and part of the charade.

The warning here is to understand that people filled with hate remain filled with hate no matter how smooth they start talking.  They are well schooled to deceive, twist and distort.  They have an aversion to righteousness and truth.  That is one of the key ways in which our modern culture is working against Jesus:  They reject absolute truth and embrace relativity.  

So?  Saturate yourself with the word of God.  Let it guide your decisions and your acceptance of the decisions of others. 

Multi-Dimensional

(Psa 115:9 KJV)  O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

(Proverbs 25 also read)

I have a friend who constantly claims that the Old Testament was written to the Jews so it does not speak to us today.  He might use a verse like this, where the author addresses Israel to back up his position.  Fair enough but keep reading.

The next verse moves the focus from Israel to Aaron.  Let’s assume that the Israel here is the entire nation, not just the northern kingdom.  To whom is he writing when he says “Aaron”?  I would have to suggest he is talking about the priests.

Then in verse 11 the focus again changes.  The target audience in that verse is all people who “fear” (3372a) the Lord.  I think this opens it up to the entire world.  We see the pattern repeated in verses 12 and 13.

So?  We need to understand context when we study the Bible.  That applies in both the Old and the New.  Then we look at what it says and consider what it means.  I think we can rest assured that God oversaw the transmission of the entire Bible because it was all meant to be useful to us.

Get Working

(Pro 24:12 KJV)  If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

Recently our pastor’s wife was accused of being a heretic because she believed in a religion of salvation by works.  This is a common put-down by people who are immersed in the Calvinistic view of theology.  The whole idea of “works” (6467) is condemned wholesale.  These people love to quote Ephesians 2:8-9 which points out the place of grace and faith and ignore verse 10 which uses the Greek version of this word “works” in a positive way.

To me the Bible is very clear about two things.  First, we cannot save ourselves.  We cannot earn enough merit to pay for our sin.  Salvation only comes because God has graciously sent Jesus as the Perfect Lamb of God to be the sacrifice or propitiation.  Second, God expects us to live holy lives in response to that gift.  Grace does not rule out works.  Grace does not negate works.  Even Paul, the Apostle of grace, refers to this.

(2Co 5:10 KJV)  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.

So?  Rejoice that God has provided a way to salvation that is not dependent on our hard work and perfection.  Be alert to the fact that He expects you to live the life He has made possible.  It is not a salvation by works; it is a salvation leading to works. 

A Different Type of Eagle Wing

(Pro 23:5 KJV)  Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Notice that the word “riches” is not in the original Hebrew at this point.  It refers back to the previous verse.  The idea is that riches tend to disappear.  As an example think of people who have won a big check in the lottery, who receive a large inheritance or some other unearned bit of wealth.  What tends to happen?  They blow it and end up as poor as before.

Many Americans have an income that would put them in the upper class in the third world.  I hear about how cheap it is to live in some countries.  In spite of that they are one pay check away from disaster.  They have no savings.  Their credit cards are maxed out.  At the same time someone who has limited income has their bills paid and their home paid off.  Why?  How?

People who focus on riches tend to think it is there to spend.  So they spend.  They figure they will make up for it later but they never do.  As a result, it flies away.

So?  God will meet our needs but we have a part in that formula.  It means that we practice stewardship.  It means we follow His priorities.  It means learning the difference between need and want.  Check your bank account as see how you are doing. 

A Hand Full of Sand

(Eph 3:20 KJV)  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

(Proverbs 22 also read)

When it comes to God I can understand that I can’t understand.  Look at this verse.  He can do more than we can “ask” (154) for.  Even more, He begins at a level beyond what we can imagine.  That humbles us, or it should.  It is like seeing the beach stretching away for miles and picking up a hand full of sand.  We might be able to count the grains in our hand.  We can see it and weigh it but it does not even begin to tell us what is beyond the horizon.

So?  Be humbled.  At the same time be lifted up.  He has decided to work through us.  Have a blessed day of being a blessing. 

Lying Lips

(Psa 120:2 KJV)  Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.

(Proverbs 21 also read)

Whose “lips” (8193) are doing the “lying” (8267)?  It may be obvious to you but it is not to me.  Is this about others lying about David or is it David lying about others.  Or for that matter it could be David lying about himself.  To make an application substitute your name in for that of David.

There is nothing we can do about others talking about us.  There is something we can do about what our mouth does.  In either case it is really going to be the work of the Holy Spirit to bring about change.  

So?  There is the element of trust here.  There is the necessity of repentance.  One goes for those lying about you.  Both apply to our actions.  Truth is basic to our spiritual walks and to the operation of our society. 

Listen up, Goyim

(Psa 117:1 KJV)  O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

(Proverbs. 20 also read)

The message of the Bible has a universal element even in the OT.  Christians assume that the gospel is for the whole world.  God intended His message to go out to everyone even when it was rooted in the law.  There are two words here that declare that.  First you have “nations” (1471).  If you have ever heard the reference to gentiles, goyim, that is a Yiddish corruption of this Hebrew word.  The second word, “peoples” (523) is only used three times and clearly references people who are not part of Israel.

So?  God is universal and always has been.  His message is universal and always has been.  Rejoice if you have experienced this personally. 

Trembleday

(Psa 114:7 KJV)  Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

(Proverbs 19 also read)

Liturgical churches have a calendar that is designed to emphasize a different doctrinal or historical point on a given date.  I know that every Sunday has an emphasis.  I suspect that every day also has one although I have never looked close enough to verify that.  Thus we have Pentecost Sunday and Trinity Sunday.  We have Christ’s mass day.  This verse makes me wonder if it would be appropriate to have a “Tremble” (2342a) day or Sunday.  

We take God for granted so often.  We ignore Him or think of Him as a kind old man.  This verse points out how all nature stops in its tracks at His presence.  I know there is a big bit of poetic license in play but the idea of awe, reverence and fear is also present.

So?  Take a moment to stop and get a bit shaken up at the holiness of God.  Consider His wrath and righteousness.  Be glad that He has made a way through Jesus for us to know His love and forgiveness.  Rejoice. 

God Is Watching

(Psa 113:6 KJV)  Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

(Proverbs 18 also read)

One of the errors we make is to be too consumed with “What a friend we have in Jesus.”  It is easy to take away the eternal and majestic nature of God and just make Him a buddy.  The other extreme is just as bad.  Too many people think of God as just “out there”.  This was the error of the Deists.  For them God created the watch, wound it up and departed the scene.  No.  God takes the time to “behold” (7200) us on earth.

Notice that He is also stooping when He considers the heavens so far above us.  We see here both the uncomprehensible God and the God who reaches out to touch us.

So?  Rejoice.  Our God is both.  He is beyond our feeble attempts to understand and yet He keeps giving us red hot clues for the day. 

The Strong, Silent Type

(Pro 17:28 KJV)  Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

I am finding this advice needs to move front and center in my daily interactions.  One person in particular seems to take everything I say, squeeze it, twist it, distort it, and feed it back to me.  I find it almost impossible to have a civil conversation.  Eventually wisdom shows up and says, “Stop trying.”  

I seem to have several options.  I can be rude and just walk by ignoring the person.  I can listen and say some variation of, “Thank you for sharing that,” then walk on ignoring the person.  I can try the pointless route of dialogue.  What is best is to be courteous, listen as carefully as I can and try to get away without any input on my part.  I can then think about what I heard and decide if it is just noise or something to listen to.  

So?  Life involves constant attention.  Let it be governed by courtesy and kindness as well as long suffering.

Rib Misogyny

(Gen 2:21 KJV)  And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

(Proverbs 16 also read)

I recently gave in to some click-bait that was giving a theory that woman was not made from the rib.  That was presented as a mistranslation based on misogyny.  He then goes on to say the real translation is “side” which implies being equal instead of inferior.  This is a perfect example of people taking their personal agenda and twisting the Bible to fit.  If you do a little thinking you can see how false his teaching is.  

First take the verse being quoted.  However you want to translate this, God took one of something from Adam and closed up the flesh.  Then if you look at verse 23 it talks about “bone of my bone.”  Rib (H6763) seems a good choice.

Then he says there is a perfectly good Hebrew word for rib and mentions a verse in Daniel 7:5 where it talks about the ribs in the mouth of a bear.  This is wrong in two ways.  Daniel is mainly written in Aramaic, not Hebrew, and the word there is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew word used in Genesis.  In reality it is the same word.  The one he uses as proof of an anatomical word for “rib” (G5967) is in a bears mouth and is only used once.  This is not much to build an alternate understanding of the Bible.

So?  Beware of people who talk like they know what they are talking about.  I guess that would include me.  Do your own reading, research and thinking.  There is a lot of ego on the line for them and possible eternal consequences for us. 

Be Careful What You Ask For

(Psa 106:15 KJV)  And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

(Proverbs 15 also read)

Once again the KJV comes through with a literal translation.  Compare the NASB:

(Psa 106:15 NAS77) So He gave them their request, But sent a wasting disease among them.

The marginal note in the NASB says that “wasting disease” (7332) means literally “leanness of soul”.  Again I ask, “Then why not translate it thus and let us make the application.

There is a reason why God does not give us everything we think we want.  He knows what it will really produce.  I don’t know about you but a lean soul does not sound like part of the plan I have for my life.

So?  Pray.  Let your requests be known to God.  Accept His wisdom when He ignores you or gives you an alternative you had not thought of. 

Say Goodby to Eden

(Psa 106:8 KJV)  Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

(Proverbs 14 also read)

This is a hard lesson for us to get down.  God does not exist for our purposes.  We exist for His.  One of the basic tenets of sin is self-centeredness.  Remember Satan’s appeal to Eve that she could be as a god if she would ignore the word of the Lord.  How did that work out?

When we get our priorities reversed we can count on it working out the same for us.  I don’t know what Eden you might be kicked out of or what potential you might be denied but it will not be what you thought it would be.  God is God.  He is the Creator.  We are created.  We are created in His image, yes, but we are still created.

So?  The glory is His.  We need to be grateful that He is willing to let us join Him.

A Key Definition

(1Jn 4:8 KJV)  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

(Proverbs 13 also read)

 This is a proclamation about God that deserves to be trumpeted more often.  We have a simple statement, repeated in verse 16, that “God” (2316) is “love” (25) [agape].  It is important for us to understand this in order to understand God.  

This is agape love.  It is a special category in the New Testament.  It summarizes all of the attributes of God and gives them a context.  We need to be careful that we do not limit God by having a false understanding of what agape is.  It is not Hollywood love.  It is not warm fuzzy love.  It is not an emotion.  It is a decision.  It is a condition.  It is something that not only helps us understand God but reminds us of the kind of person we are supposed to be.

So?  Spend some time thinking about the Biblical definition of love.  Maybe you could get out a concordance and do a word study.  Be one who knows God because you love. 

Rotten Choices

(Pro 12:4 KJV)  A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

How locked in are we to the way people treat us?  Like so many parts of life, we make choices.  When someone “shames” (954) us we can respond in many ways.  We can internalize it and let it fester.  I think that is the situation this verse refers to.  I have noticed in my life that the criticism that bothers me the most is from someone I let past my defenses.  When a beggar at the door of the 7/11 tells me I am cheap it doesn’t bother me.  When my wife says it, “Ouch.”

The solution is not to refuse to listen but to consider.  Consider the source.  Consider the object of the criticism.  It is very possible that the comments are valid and we need to take another look at how we are living.

So?  Don’t let it get you down.  Isn’t that easy to say but hard to live.  Focus on Jesus and grow in grace.  The criticism can be the making of you. 

A Life in Balance

(Pro 11:1 KJV)  A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.

Put your discussions of the trinity on the back burner.  Let the substitutionary atonement wait for another day.  God is concerned about your scales.  We tend to forget this.  God is very practical.  Living a righteous life is very basic.  It comes down to simply not cheating in your daily life.

Obviously most of us do not use a balance beam scale on a regular basis, but I think you get the point.  God’s call to holiness touches every area of our lives, not just our doctrine.

So?  Take a moment to consider your day.  Look back for 24 hours.  Are you applying God to all you do?  Now is a good time to start. 

Glory!

(Psa 100:1 KJV)  A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

(Proverbs 10 also read)

 How should we express our love and awe at the thought and experience of Almighty God?  This verse has two sides expressed in one Hebrew word.  “Make a joyful noise” (Shout joyfully NASB) (7321) is a word that speaks of a loud expression.  In some of the Hebrew usages it has the idea of joy.  Put together the KJV and the NASB and you get an act of worship.  

Our worship is a bit inhibited.  Some of that is personality.  Some of it is training.  Too much of it is lack of awareness of the glory of God and the privilege of knowing Him.  Somehow the creator of the universe has a spot in His being that desires our input, our love.  Moses received the law to help mold these beings.  Jesus went to the cross to make the relationship available to all.  

So?  Think about it.  It is something to shout about.  I occasionally do it in private.  Maybe someday I will shout out in public.  I know I will do it before the throne.

Grandma’s or Fast Food

(Pro 9:4 KJV)  Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

Again I point out that this verse is identical to verse 16.  Every time I go through this chapter I try to put my finger on the differences built around two identical statements.  One leads to wisdom and the other to death.  How can we know which we are listening to?  Today I am noticing the element of preparation.

The first woman spends a lot of time preparing the banquet.  The second sits down and calls.  Think of the difference between dinner at grandma’s and a drive through where the tacos are prepared from the freezer to the fryer to the window.  When it comes to a meal we can tell the difference.  When it comes to Bible teachers I think we can also tell the difference.  The question is, “Do you want to know?”

So?  Consider to whom you listen.  Do their words reflect serious study, contemplation and thought or is it just the current popular jargon of the day.  Partake cautiously.

Difficult Birth

(Pro 8:24 KJV)  When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

In looking at the explanation of “brought forth” (2342a) it seemed like it was a real struggle.  Without getting into whether wisdom is eternal or not we have here a statement that is seems to have been a real difficult move for wisdom to be moved from the nature of God into the universe He created.

It struck me that it is sometimes just as difficult for Him to move that wisdom from the abstract to the concrete in our lives and minds.  Think of trying to stuff a pillow into a case that is a bit small.  Think of herding cats.  Think of imparting wisdom to us.

So?  I want to make it as easy as possible for God to teach me.  He is the power but I am the consent. 

It Is Okay to Ask

(Psa 94:3 KJV)  LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?

(Proverbs 7 also read)

Be honest.  You have asked this same question, haven’t you?  This phrase shows up fifteen times in Psalms, by far the most frequent book that it is found.  It seems to have been a favorite question of David and the other authors of the Psalms.

That makes it an acceptable question.  We get tired.  We are frustrated.  Surrender seems to be on the menu.  We ask.  God has His own way of answering.  Ultimately the answer is in His hands.  How long?  As long as it takes to develop us spiritually and to fulfill all the other irons that God has in the fire.

So?  This is part of living by faith.  It is asking.  It is trusting.  The two go well together. 

Go for the Light

(Pro 6:23 KJV)  For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

If you get feverish at the word “commandment” (4687) [mitsvah] try to relax a little.  A couple of verses earlier it tells us this is his father’s commandment.  Technically we are not being called to the law but in a round-about way we are.  You see, the father probably got his standards from the written law and is passing them on to his son.  Does that mean that we are not held accountable to our parents if they follow the Bible?  Does grace set us free from that?  I doubt it.

The real question is do you want the “light” (216) that is being offered.  If your main concern is your own personal fulfillment instead of the glory of God then you have a bigger problem than grace verses law.  You might want to ask yourself if you are really saved.  Whether you get hung up on obedience and righteousness or deny they are necessary, the evidence of your life is still considered.

So?  Accept God’s gift of salvation.  Trust in Jesus.  Obey your elders.  Go for the light. 

Waxing Poetic

(Psa 98:8 KJV)  Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

(Provers 5 also read)

Isn’t poetry wonderful?  Actually, I don’t like it too much but some people swear by it.  This is an example of poetic license.  One of the things some people have trouble with is the figurative language used in the Bible.  Most are familiar with simile and hyperbole.  This is anthropomorphism.  There is a long list of the possibilities somewhere but I am long past grammar lessons.  Most of us don’t believe rivers have hands or that mountains can carry a tune.  Read the Bible with your mind turned on.

One of the weaknesses of poetic license is that it is limited by the human imagination.  In reality there is no way that we can approach expressing the glory of God.  Yet we try and I think it is possible to please Him.

So?  He loves us.  He rejoices in our expressions of love.  If I showed you some of the “artwork” of my grandchildren you would think someone spilled there dinner on the paper but to me it is glorious.  He considers the source.  Give your best. 

The Bible Is Controversial

(Pro 4:4 KJV)  He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

In this verse we are given three controversial directions.  There are three verbs that Solomon is firing at us and they fly in the face of much modern teaching.  That teaching is based on truth but rapidly descends to the level of “traditions of the elders”.  

What are the three verbs?  First, “hold fast” (8551).  Second, “keep” (8104).  Then you have the results of the first two, “live” (2421a).  

What is the “tradition of the elders”?  It is a talking point of closet Calvinists that anyone who believes that we are to live obedient and righteous lives are pushing a “works based salvation.”  There is a way of thinking that has you earning your way into heaven.  The Pharisees and their oral traditions were on that road.  The problem is that the Bible teaches that we are to be obedient and live righteous lives.  If you read past selected proof texts from Paul you can’t avoid it.

So?  Base your salvation on the Grace of God and faith in the saving blood of Jesus.  Then keep reading and realize that we are to hang in there and keep at it.  The result is life. 

My Law

(Pro 3:1 KJV)  My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

A focal point of my thinking and inquiry for the past year has been this concept of Torah (8451), which is “law” in the KJV or “teaching” in the NASB.  I am still puzzled by the difference between the apostle Paul who is a walking indictment of the law and the view of David and Solomon, which is very positive.  Here we have a middle ground.  The word is used but the law is that of the father, or author of Proverbs.  

Much of Proverbs and Psalms is generic praise for the law.  You often need to search to find out just what the laws are that are being touted.  In this chapter you have to get down to verse 5 before any specifics are mentioned.

The “my” tempers this in regard to Paul.  Solomon is not presenting a plan of salvation.  He is giving directions on how to live a productive life.

So?  We are saved by the power of God which we label as grace.  There is a transformation that takes place which we cannot earn or work ourselves.  Then we get down to the directions and advice of books like Proverbs.  Now is a good time to initiate the sequence by trusting in Jesus and to begin applying it as you walk the walk. 

In the Spotlight

(Pro 2:7-8 KJV)  He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.  He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

It is still early in the year and there is a lot of concern about the direction the nation and the world are going.  The future does not instill a lot of confidence if you look at our leadership and read the headlines.  The gurus tend to be forecasting doom.  Such may be the case in a general sense but we do not live in a general sense.  We live in a specific sense.  There is the picture of living in a bubble, not because it is fragile but because it is not subject to what is outside.

These two verses offer us hope.  It is not a ray of hope.  It is a high lumen spotlight of hope.  God knows who His people are and He goes before us.  

So?  Could things fall apart and could we have social chaos?  Yes, we could.  In the midst of that we are to walk in hope and trust.  God not only has our back but our front and all sides.  Face the future with assurance. 

Tune In

(Pro 1:4 KJV)  To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

This offers a word of hope for all of us even when we don’t know we need it.  Few of us would think of ourselves as “naive” (6612a) (NASB) or “simple” (KJV).  We might be aware of our lack of knowledge and that we are a bit inexperienced, but being simple does not seem like a complement.  It isn’t.  We are.  The first step toward healing is to realize I am sick.

So?  Embrace the awareness of simplicity.  This is one of the reasons we keep studying the word.  This is why we can keep learning even though we have been reading the bible for decades.  There are great depths to be delved into and it won’t happen if we don’t go looking.