Semi-Prophecy

Psalm 31:5 (KJV) Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.

(Proverbs 31 also read)

I don’t think that David was imagining this verse being applied to the Messiah.  I think he was simply expressing his trust in his God.  Yet we have Jesus himself repeating these words on the cross.

Luke 23:46 (KJV) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

This is a good reminder to us that prophecy is not always a matter of clarity, in fact, I would say that prophecy is generally more confusing than it is clarifying.

So of what value is prophecy?  That’s a good question.  It’s one that I often ask.  To those who have it all figured out, it’s a great source of doctrine.  To the rest of us who, shall we say, see more clearly, not so much.  Was Jesus quoting David?  I would say there’s a good chance of that, however, I don’t know that He was in a position to be thinking up pithy quotations.

So?  Read with discernment.  Listen with compassion.  Interpret with humility.  Every verse is not meant to be understood in every aspect.  Learn to deal with that. 

The End of the 70

Proverbs 30:4 (KJV) Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

I would say that this verse is a great way to finish out the month of reading the Septuagint.  It points out to us specifically the dangers of translations that are made by people with an agenda.  Notice what the Septuagint says in verse four,

Proverbs 30:4 (BES) Who has gone up to heaven, and come down? who has gathered the winds in his bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children?

You may not notice it right away because you haven’t been looking at it month by month, but noticed that instead of “sons”, the Septuagint has “children”.  I went and checked all of my translations, and every one of them, except for the Septuagint, has sons.

So you may ask, “What is the big deal?”  The big deal is that here in the Old Testament, in the Hebrew, you find a reference to not only the Creator, but to His Son.  And it seems that there is a name for this Son.  It’s one of the many places in the Bible, but we find reference to such things as the Trinity, for salvation by faith through grace and other New Testament theological points, or what we consider New Testament points.  In reality, we find them anchored in the old covenant.

So if you are a Jew, who would not be open to the idea of the trinity, you were going to find a way around it and you do it by translating things to fit your theological presuppositions.  We find this blatantly in such things as the New World translation.  My fear in translations that use dynamic equivalence is that the opinions of the translators also creep in.

So?  Again I say, always read with your mine turned on.  Remember things that you have read other places and other times, and if you find there is an incongruity, check it out.  This is the way the Holy Spirit works in teaching us truth. 

The Point of Vision

(Pro 29:18 KJV)  Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

I think most people are familiar with this verse from the King James Bible.  The Septuagint gives an interesting paraphrase of this,

Proverbs 29:18 (BES) There shall be no interpreter to a sinful nation: but he that observes the law is blessed.

The man of vision is portrayed as someone who interprets what the word of God is for us.  This could be a preacher.  It could be a family member.  The message is there.  The information is there.  But sometimes you need someone to lay it out for you where you can’t ignore it anymore.

What is also key here is the idea that we as a people need to be living righteously or God will not speak to us in the way of giving us guidance.  He may reprove.  He may correct.  There are many things that He might want to say to us, but if we’re not listening, He may choose not to waste His breath.

So?  If you want to know what God would like to say to you, then listen.  The art of listening is seeking to obey within the range that you were able to obey. 

A Man’s Castle

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

I continue to wonder what the translators of the Septuagint were using as their text.  If you look at how they translate this and the differences from the King James, it gives different ideas.

Proverbs 28:4 (BES) so they that forsake the law praise ungodliness; but they that love the law fortify themselves with a wall.

I think I said it before, but it’s almost as if they have the philosophy of modern translators of dynamic equivalence, and they’ve been drinking heavily before they came up with their dynamic equivalence.

Don’t give me wrong here.  I like their insight or their opinion, depending on which way you look at it.  I look at the idea of the law being a wall and I like it.  I like the idea that if we build a certain moral structure, it will be like a guard rail that keeps us from falling off the top floor of the building.  It’ll be like those rumble strips along the edge of the road when you aren’t paying attention.  It will wake you up.  It will protect you.

So?  Always look to the actual literal meaning of passage, but don’t be afraid to apply it in ways that make it possible for you to live a more righteous life.  Of course, our ultimate confidence is in God’s gracious love, and His willingness to forgive.  That is multiplied by the gift of the Holy Spirit and the guidance and strength that He provides.  Meanwhile, build a wall. 

Antidote to Temptation

Proverbs 27:7 (KJV) The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.

The basic point of this verse resonates.  At the end of a meal, we are less tempted by desert than we would be at the beginning.  We are less inclined to overindulge in sweets when we have overindulged in meat and potatoes.  When we’re hungry, anything tastes good.

This is where the other translations make this a richer understanding.  My first indication of this was looking at the Septuagint, which uses the word “scorn” instead of the KJV’s “loatheth”.  My iPad software is set up right now to run the Septuagint in parallel with the Legacy Standard Bible. In the LSB it has “trample” (947).  When I looked across different translations, I saw that idea of trampling as being echoed, so I looked to the Hebrew a little bit.  There I saw that the basic idea was to step on, or to tread upon, so trampled is probably the best of the translations.

What this told me was that one of the best ways to resist the temptations of life, the sweets or the honeycomb, is to be satiated with the things that God considers righteous and holy.  If I am in a Sunday morning service where we are passionately singing to him “Holy!  Holy!  Holy!”, I find that I have very little inclination to rush off and open a bag of Doritos.  The comparison is foolish, but you get the idea.

So?  Spend some time focusing on the things of God.  I find that meeting with Him in the morning and just thinking about His attributes and the ways in which he has interacted with His chosen people through the ages, gives me a different perspective on my day. Of course, as usual, results may vary. 

Don’t Be Gullible

Proverbs 26:24 (KJV) He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;

The church in America today is very weak.  It is becoming infiltrated with heretics.  In addition to that it’s being diluted with people who want happy feelings and warm fuzzies.  They hate the idea of being holy and not conforming to the world.  It makes people shudder.

In addition to that we run into people who are really know how to get us, and they are so good at manipulating that.  We do not respond correctly.  That’s why I like this Septuagint translation of this verse.

Proverbs 26:24 (BES) A weeping enemy promises all things with his lips, but in his heart he contrives deceit.

I think we are so anxious to be accepted by the world that we refuse to use any discernment when it comes to people who made a clear purpose of destroying us.  We tend to always think that they mean it when they apologize and say it will never happen again.  Generally speaking, it will happen again

So?  We are not living in a day when the gift of mercy is at a lack.  It is discernment that we don’t have.  Pray that God would make you wise in the decisions you have to make.

I John in Psalms

Psalm 32:5 (KJV) I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

As I read this, it seemed familiar.  After a moment of thinking, I realized it was very close to I John 1:9.

(1Jn 1:9 KJV)  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This is consistent with all of this chapter in the book of Psalms.  It talks about forgiveness.  It talks about loving kindness.  It talks about our living relationship with the living God.  Not once is the law mentioned.  It doesn’t say that you offer up a sacrifice on the altar in the temple.  It says you confess to God.

So?  Although there are different approaches, and more mature understandings, the New Testament and the Old Testament tend to agree on the basics.  Read the whole word.  Contemplate the whole word.  Rejoice in the revelation of God. 

The Mystery Man

(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?

The Septuagint translation of this verse brings to mind a parent-teacher meeting in which I said to the parent, “I don’t know this child.  I have never met him before.”  Now this may seem strange since I was his teacher, and saw him every day, but if you consider the way he behaved in my classroom and compared it to the way he was behaving in the presence of his parents and the principal you would understand.  This well behaved, polite, quiet child had never appeared in my classroom.  That’s why I like the phrasing in the Septuagint.

Proverbs 24:12 (BES) But if thou shouldest say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders to every man according to his works.

The point is that we as human beings can never truly know each other.  They are always limitations when it comes to two people getting together.  The person one knows could be totally different than the person someone else experiences.  The point here is that God knows who we are, He knows our heart.  It doesn’t do any good to try and hide it from Him.

So?  Since it doesn’t do any good, don’t try.  Be open with God at all times especially when you were worshiping or in prayer.  Remember, He’s not your mother, you can’t fool Him. Of course, you probably couldn’t fool your mother either so you know what I’m talking about. 

Fake It

(Pro 23:3 KJV)  Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
(Pro 23:3 NAS77) Do not desire his delicacies, For it is deceptive food.
(Pro 23:3 Brenton)  desire not his provisions; for these belong to a false life.

Various translations add a lot of interesting nuances.  It’s hard to know how many are accurate so you need to be careful, but they are worth considering.  The King James talks about “deceptive meat”.  The NASB as “deceptive food”.  That’s not really much different from KJV, just a little more modern with the idea of food than meat.

The Septuagint really gets into the paraphrasing.  Based on other verses I’ve seen I’m not sure if it’s really paraphrasing or just a totally different manuscript.  What’s interesting is the way in which it says that fancy food is part of a “false life”.

How many things in our life are part of a fantasy world that we want to be a part of but we never really will be.  I think of people who wear jerseys with the number of a famous athlete on it.  I think of people who wear monograms of different brands.  I think of people who consider themselves better because they have expensive taste and a deep wallet.  Even worse or those who have expensive taste with a shallow wallet.

So?  I guess it’s OK to want the filet mignon rather than the ground beef.  The question you need to ask yourself is, “Can I afford it?”  In some areas of life it won’t matter much but other areas I think God is really concerned about how we make our choices. 

The Pest

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

I’m sure you are familiar with this idea of the “scorner” (3917b).  I believe the NASB has “scoffer”.  The Septuagint has an interesting way of expressing this, which I will have to admit, fits into the category of paraphrase or personal opinion.  They call this a “pestilent person”.

    Proverbs 22:10 (BES) Cast out a pestilent person from the council, and strife shall go out with him; for when he sits in the council he dishonours all.

That is an interesting insight.  People who do nothing but scorn or scoff definitely tend to be pests.  Think in terms of being a polluting influence.  The recommendation that is made here is that this person be kicked out.  That goes so against our concepts of warm fuzzies and being non-judgemental.  Yet there it is.  Notice that it says that “strife”  will leave when he does.

So?  There are many hard choices we have to make in life.  Too often we hide behind the idea of being kind and courteous and reject the advice.  We might apply it more often.  It will make life better for everyone.

Rest Easy

(Pro 21:1 KJV)  The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

We are in a time of great political tension.  Some of that tension is just a normal human condition.  We have an election coming up and we disagree on many issues.  Part of the disagreement is the sign of a healthy republic.  It says we have the right to speak our minds, and to express what we believe to be true.  It’s called freedom of speech, sometimes referred to as the First Amendment.  So this is a good time, even if it is a time of tension.

On the other hand, there are some of the issues that are really key.  We have a lot of people running for office who live in a world that is totally antithetical to our beliefs and what our God demands.  They have many followers.  What happens when we lose, or if we lose?

That is where this verse comes in and we need to be reminded of it.  God has the ability to force individuals in certain paths.  We believe in free will and we believe that God gives us the opportunity to make choices.  That’s part of the philosophy behind a republic or voting in a democratic system.  The people get what they want, or when I’m cynical, what they deserve.  At the same time God has the power to do what is necessary to bring about His well.

Remember how He eventually forced Pharaoh to let Israel go?  Remember how He broke Nebuchadnezzar?  Remember how He brought Paul to the point of repentance.  You may even have memories of things He did in your life to make you obedient.

So?  Get out there and do all the things that God wants you to do as a free citizen in a still somewhat free republic who has some remaining rights.  Speak up on what needs to be spoken up about.  You might include some testimonies about your God, and why He wants you to speak up.  Ultimately trust God because He is the one who is really in charge. 

Loving Law

Psalm 119:159 (KJV) Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.

(Proverbs 20 also read)

Here we have the balance.  On the one side, we have the “precepts" (6490).  That would be the written law.  That’s one of the words used for commandment, law, statute, and so forth.  Notice how the author of this Psalm does not fear the law, feel imprisoned by the law, or in any way condemned by the law.  He “loves the law”.  It is a glorious thing for him.

And then notice how that law is expressed to us.  It is through the “lovingkindness” of Almighty God.  This is grace, God‘s love in action.  This is God, taking the directions He has given us for righteous living and interpreting them with mercy and kindness.

This is the law of God as opposed to the law of the rabbis.

So?  Meditate on the law.  I might suggest that you actually take the laws that are worth meditating on such as the fact that we are to have no other God but Yahweh.  And then apply it in a view of the character of God and how He sent His son to die for us.  That is a glorious application of the law. 

Key Element

(1Ch 16:29 KJV)  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

(Proverbs 19 also read)

The phrase, “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” came to my mind.  I wondered if it was “His Holiness,” so I looked it up.

We need to remember that the key element in our worship experience is always available.  That is the Lord God himself.  The key element is not our mood.  It’s not how we feel about things.  In a sense it’s not even our attitude, although that certainly can block us from coming into His presence.

The glory of worship is that we are coming into the presence of the living God.  Actually, we were not even coming into His presence, because we are always there.  He is with us, He is watching, He is upholding.  What we need to do is to reach out and touch Him and worship Him in the beauty of His Holiness.

So?  I guess you could wait for Sunday but God offers so much on a “now” basis.  Worship.  You might want to pull over to the side of the road if you don’t multi-task well. 

He Abides

(Joh 14:16 KJV)  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

(Proverbs 18 also read)

There is a portion of a song going through my mind.  The title is “He Abides”.  The words that keep vibrating through my brain are, “...for the hand of God in all my life I see.”

That pretty much sums things up.  I see my fingerprints on things and the chances of success are low.  And yet I see things in my life that I would chalk up as success if I saw them in anybody else’s life.  Many times they go contrary to what I thought I wanted.  Most times they work out for the best.

Most of this is because of Providence, the hand of God, the work of the Holy Spirit, grace in action.  I praise God for his hand in my life.

So?  Ultimately, it always comes bound down to trust and obey.  Rejoice. 

One of a Kind

(Psa 47:7 KJV)  For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.

(Proverbs 17 also read)

This is a chapter filled with little, except for praise towards God.  We need to be more conscious of praise in our lives.

One of the things that stood out to me was this verse.  It shows us one of the key differences between the God of the Bible, and the gods of the pagans.  Yahweh is not a local god.  He is the God of the entire earth, whether you acknowledge Him or not.  Most gods were confined to a geographical location.  Thus in the pagan world when you went to a new area you might actually pray to the local god or offer a sacrifice, or an offering to the local god.

The Jews were to be different.  We are to be different.  There is only one God in reality.  We need to make sure that even in our imaginations there’s only one God.  And it is not us.

So?  When you praise God it’s not like telling your wife she’s got a nice dress on.  You are praising Him for His entire being:  For His loftiness, for His Holiness.  He is the real king of all the Earth. 

Missing

(Pro 16:6 KJV)  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

In the beginning of this chapter in the Septuagint, there are a number of verses that are just missing and some that are translated totally different.  I ask myself why might this verse in particular be left out?

Not being a genuine scholar who can read all the foreign languages I probably don’t have a clue, but I have suspicions.  This at the first the talks about salvation coming from the mercy of God rather than following the law.  The Septuagint was translated into Greek at a time after the rabbis had taken over the scholarship regarding the Bible.  I’m thinking that they would want to push their theological opinions as they were translating for a new group of Jews who did not, perhaps, understand Hebrew.

This is the problem of scholars.  They tend to fall into this trap of thinking they’re smarter than God.  It’s not just the Jewish scholars.  I think we see the same thing amongst Christians and definitely today among the Progressive Christians who are denying most of the truth of the Bible.

So?  Accept the truth, even when you don’t agree with it, or it doesn’t say what you wanted to say.  That is the nature of truth, especially in the world where fallen man seems to think that he wants to be as a God. 

Better

(Pro 15:17 KJV)  Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

I was thinking about our pastor and his gifts.  He is a good man.  He is a godly man.  I think if he had a gift or wanted a gift it would be the gift of evangelism.  That is the thrust of every sermon and just about every Sunday school lesson.  He’s concerned about your soul.  I was asking myself if he ever had an original thought and it was as if the Holy Spirit brought this verse to mind.

Original thoughts are fine.  Being willing to be faithful to the word is even more important.  So in the figurative language of Proverbs, it’s better to have plain vegetables and truth, than to have great thoughts that are corrupted.

So?  In an ideal world, you would have both, but we all know we don’t live in an ideal world.  Usually we have to settle for the better rather than the best.  Of course, the thing that makes it better is that it is anchored in truth. 

It Is Said

(Psa 44:1 KJV)  To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, Maschil. We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

(Proverbs 14 also read)

The first way that we learn about things is often with our ears.  Granted, a newborn is exploring his entire sensory package:  Taste, smell, sight, pressure, pain and of course don’t forget wetness.  But one he probably can’t get away from is the sense of sound.  Babies, like all of us, learn by hearing.

Here the children of Israel are pointing out that they first learned about the things of God because their fathers told them.

That is a good place to start.  The important thing about it is that we start.  We listen to our parents, our Sunday school teachers, our relatives, and some people I guess even think their cats talk to them.  But we listen.  As I said, it’s a good place to start.

We have to go on from there.  I guess in a sense when we read we are listening.  And I would say that the directions of the Holy Spirit require listening.  But there comes a part where we have to do some active investigating on own.  I just started reading this chapter.  I don’t know if this will be continued later on.  I feel right now I am told in my inner soul that I need to listen and then investigate.

So?  Be receptive to the input.  Make sure your brain is turned on and you’re thinking is flexible.  And then meditate on what you hear.  Think about it.  Organize it.  And let it bring you to a place of faith in the Almighty God.

Even Worse

(Pro 13:6 KJV)  Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.

If I were translating this into Greek, I think that I would use the present tense for the word “overthroweth”.  The reason for that is in the Greek, the present tense has this idea that it is a continuing action.  If you look at the verse in Proverbs, the person is already labeled as wicked or evil.  They are already on the bottom of the totem pole.  What more can you do?  I guess you can just keep driving them down lower and lower, which is the idea here.

So?  Evil does not take a vacation.  It is not getting milder.  It does not go away.  It must be purged, and that requires the shedding of blood, the blood of Jesus. 

A Chapter of Powerful Words

(Psa 25:6 KJV)  Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

(Proverbs 12 also read)

If you were looking for a chapter in the Bible to read to lift up your spirits and encourage your heart this would be a good place to start. The verse above is just one of many.  Notice some of the key words of mercy and loveingkindness.  As you read through the Psalm you find forgiveness, hope, trust, truth, and compassion.  I probably missed at least one.

David is exulting in his God.  He is rejoicing in knowing the creator.  And he is offering that praise to us in the form of scripture.

So?  Be a reader.  As you read be a thinker.  As you think be a believer. Make it all come together as you worship the living God. 

The Business of Good

(Pro 11:26 KJV)  He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

The Septuagint at this place says that the person “gives” the grain.  A quick rundown of the other translations has the word "selling" used consistently.  I think this is an important distinction.  I have no idea why the Septuagint does their own thing, but they do.

According to my tools of research, the word in Hebrew clearly means to buy and sell.  As I look down the way in which the word was used, I noticed that it seemed every time to also include the buying and selling of food.  I would say in our modern society of trying to weaken people and make them dependent on the government, the idea of giving things away has a certain appeal.  We ignore the fact that often by giving something to someone that they should have earned or paid for we just just weaken them and make them a ward of the court, so to speak.  It would seem that this is not a new idea.  It would seem that the translators of the Septuagint had the same problem.

So?  Be careful in your charity.  I know it feels good to do good by our definition, but we are called to do what is best for the other person not what makes us feel good.  They are not usually the same thing. 

Bi-Attitude

Luke 15:31 (KJV) And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

(Proverbs 10 also read)

In worship this morning, my mind went to the prodigal son.  One of the parts of that parable that always stands out to me is how the older son gets a bad rap.  Everyone labels him as the legalistic, works-salvation heretic.  I tend to get a little different view on that but what does stand out to me is that he did have a problem.

The older son did have an attitude problem, but we need to understand.  It was an attitude problem that went two ways.  First he had the problem of not wanting the best for his brother.  He did not love.  Love involves forgiveness.  It involves wanting the best for other people, and being willing to put them ahead of yourself.  He needed an attitude check.

The second failure was was his refusing to celebrate in his own life the fact that he was a child of the father.  He worked hard.  That is good.  He was faithful.  That was good.  At the same time he did not grasp the inheritance that he had.

I think that I am guilty of both of these.  I have long been aware of the need to work on the first.  It is the second that needs more focus at this point in my life.

So?  Celebrate the gifts of God in your life.  You can start with salvation.  That should keep you going for a while, but when that winds down, you can go to family, living in America, food on the table, and you can take it as far as you want.  Rejoice. 

Interpretations

(Pro 9:16 KJV)  Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,

How much flexibility do you allow a translator in conveying the truth of God?  Do you notice in this verse the word in the KJV, “simple” (6612a).  I believe the NASB has “naïve”.  The same word in Hebrew is used earlier in the chapter when wisdom is calling people.  Here it is the opposite of wisdom that is doing the calling with almost an identical spiel.  In the other translations, the same English word is used in both places but here in the Septuagint they substitute a different word.

Proverbs 9:16 (BES) saying, Whoso is most senseless of you, let him turn aside to me; and I exhort those that want prudence, saying,

To be honest, I like the difference.  It gives me an insight into people who respond to the nonsense of the world.  The problem I have is that the Hebrew word is the identical in both places.  I think this is a liberty that should be allowed in the commentary but not in the actual text.

So?  Choose your translation wisely.  Read carefully.  Think deeply.  Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to the understanding you need.

Surprise

Proverbs 8:1 (KJV) Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

I am finding that reading this translation of the Septuagint is enjoyable.  I don’t know if it is the translator or the text, but it is a refreshing way of expressing things I’ve read many times.  Take this verse for instance.  Here is how the Septuagint expresses it,

Proverbs 8:1 (BES) Thou shalt proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to thee.

The other translations, which I assume are based on the Masoretic text, are similar and have wisdom crying out.  That’s good.  I can get inspiration from that.  But this translation of the Septuagint has understanding being obedient to wisdom.  It is a dependent status.

So?  Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you as long as you understand that the Holy Spirit is not the author of confusion, and will not conflict with what scripture as a whole says.  Enjoy. 

Prophecy Is Where You Find It

Psalm 16:10 (KJV) For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

(Proverbs 7 also read)

When prophecy comes up in a discussion, my eyes start to glaze over and my mind starts looking for neutral, if not reverse.  Prophecy is one of those things that I classify as a dessert, or a sweet, or empty calories.  I know some people get really excited and feel it is a vital topic, but when you don’t know what something means until after it is fulfilled, it gets kind of pointless.

Here is the verse that has messianic prophecy in it.  One thing that makes it clear it is a messianic prophecy is that it is totally out of context and impossible in the place you find it.  The first part of the verse deals with David and his relationship with God.  The second part of the verse obviously doesn’t refer to David because David did see corruption.  That’s an indication that we’re talking about genuine prophecy.

So?  God speaks in interesting ways, and sometimes it is the awkwardness that reveals what his intent is, and gets our attention. 

A Response to Debt

Proverbs 6:3 (KJV) Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

Again, I find that the Septuagint has an interesting spin on the text of the Old Testament.  I really don’t know how accurate it is, but I like the applications that it gives me.

Proverbs 6:3 (BES) My son, do what I command thee, and deliver thyself; for on thy friend's account thou art come into the power of evil men: faint not, but stir up even thy friend for whom thou art become surety.

If the clear direction of God is not enough to convince you that debt is bad, if your own struggles to pay the interest payments don’t make you regret your decision to buy something you really didn’t need, the 70 give you another reason to get out of debt:  Do it for your friend.

We are told to get serious and to work on getting out of debt.  We are told to make it almost a public issue.  And part of the reason given here is so that we can “stir up our friends” and get them perhaps to follow her example.

So?  People watch us.  We are an example.  Be aware that what you do and why you do it affects other people both positively and negatively. 

Footwork

Proverbs 5:5 (KJV) Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

When I read from different translations, I often wonder how accurate they are as opposed to how creative.  The Septuagint gives me another place to ask that question.  Here is how the Seventy put this verse,

Proverbs 5:5 (BES) For the feet of folly lead those who deal with her down to the grave with death; and her steps are not established.

I like that phrase “feet of folly”.  What a great way of expressing how we tend to wander off by not paying attention or by deliberate choices.

Do we recognize folly when we approach it?  Does it blind side us?  Are we without excuse?  I’m afraid that the answer to that is not something we want to know.  We are very good at rationalizing our behaviors in our choices.  The last thing we want to admit is that we were the reason things went wrong.  We always want to blame other people.

The only way to avoid that difficulty, or tragedy, is to know what is right and wrong based on an unimpeachable source.  For us that source would be God’s word. It won’t be the words of the Pastor or the advice of a friend.  It will be God‘s word.

So?  Are you reading?  Are you paying attention?  God has provided the resources we need, from the written word to the active filling of the Holy Spirit.

Just a Taste

(Psa 34:8 KJV)  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

(Proverbs 4 also read)

I worship in the morning to start my day by coming into contact with Almighty God.  He meets me.  He is faithful.  I, of course, go through different emotional states and mental conditions.  My attitude is not always perfect.  That should be obvious to all of us.

I also am aware, or made aware, that God is infinitely beyond me.  My hope is based on the revelation of Jesus, and that through Him we can know God.  Still, as wonderful as that is, as a mortal human it is impossible for me to even begin to approach the infinite nature of God.

Then David suggests that we don’t run off into the sunset crying and weeping over this reality.  What we are to do is “taste” (2398) and “see” (7200) the nature of God.

So?  When they tell you that you can only have one piece of cake, do you turn in disgust and walk away?  No.  You enjoy that piece of cake.  You understand without it being said that if there is any left tomorrow, you may get another piece.  And of course, in eternity, you may get the whole thing. 

Pronouns Strike Again

Proverbs 3:6 (KJV) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

In reading the Septuagint I almost skipped over this part, but when I looked closely there was a difference.  Notice how this verse is translated,

Proverbs 3:6 (BES) In all thy ways acquaint thyself with her, that she may rightly direct thy paths.

Do you notice immediately the pronouns of “her” and “she”?  It is a definite difference in the translation.  I don’t know that it is part of the actual text in Hebrew.  I know that when I looked at the Hebrew, I couldn’t find any gender markings, but if you look back at the verses before it is definitely talking about God.  My first thought was that the translator may assume it was talking about wisdom, which is feminine.  But no, it is talking about God.  The issue is that in Greek the word for “ways” is a feminine noun and grammatically the pronoun agrees with the noun.  So legalistically “her” is correct in Greek but in translation it gives a devious understanding.

So keep in mind that when people talk about how the Bible sometimes refer to God as “she”, they may have been reading the Septuagint, or letting their imagination go with them like this translator.

So?  You can never stop thinking.  It just doesn’t work. 

An Extra Word

Proverbs 2:11 (KJV) Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

As I read through Proverbs in the Septuagint, I see numerous differences.  I don’t know enough about Greek to tell if it’s actual differences in the text or just the opinion of the translator, so I’m not going to make any great theological conclusions.  I did notice in this verse though that the Septuagint seems to add an extra word which I feel gives insight.

Proverbs 2:11 (BES) good counsel shall guard thee, and holy understanding shall keep thee;

Notice the adjective added to make it “holy understanding”, instead of just “understanding”. Again my tools are limited, but I don’t see that in the Hebrew text itself.

However, I find it useful to include this word.  Our understanding should be based on God’s understanding, and not just man’s.  I noticed that the Legacy Standard Bible uses discernment instead of understanding.  That makes me wonder if they were consulting with the Septuagint.

So?  Although it is not a specific scriptural understanding here, it is a good insight.  Our understanding, our grasp of things, our interpretations, should be based on God’s view of things, on holy understand. 

New Translation

(Pro 1:7 KJV)  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Today I begin reading a new translation for the month.  It is called Brenton’s English Septuagint.  One of the things I noticed, as I was studying in another spot, was that Jesus seem to read from the Septuagint rather than the Hebrew text.  It will be interesting to see if that is consistent here.

In this first verse, you see a definite difference between the two.  Here is the one from the Septuagint,

Proverbs 1:7 (BES) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and there is good understanding to all that practise it: and piety toward God is the beginning of discernment; but the ungodly will set at nought wisdom and instruction.

Noticed that the first part is close, but the second part seems to be either an editorial comment or work a scribe trying to write an interpretation.  This is one of the reasons why we don’t tend to lean heavily on this Greek text.

So?  Read, but read with discernment.  Go ahead and compare other translations, but always do so with the idea of what you know about the entire scripture not just one isolated verse.