Tag Archive | wisdom

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 156

Jun4

   Day 156—We are in the 6th month of Bible reading.  We are also reading the 16th book in the Bible: PROVERBS.

 Day 156 – Proverbs 7 – 9 (a father continues to instruct his son on pitfalls and wisdom)

Chapter 7 begins, sounding like an instruction from Deuteronomy. “My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of hour heart.” 

The father says this will keep the young man from sin, specifically the adulteress. The rest of the chapter describes all her temptations, from her silky smooth words, attire, perfumed and soft linens, and couch.  Her husband is away on a long trip, she says. 

If he yields to her he will be as an ox going to slaughter, as a stag with an arrow through it, or a bird caught in a snare. “He does not know that it will cost him his life.”

Chapter 8 compares the perfections, graces, and delights of WISDOM’s path. “Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth… all the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. They are all straight to him, who understands.  Take my instruction instead of silver and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.”

“Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Blessed is the one who listens to me….. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD.”   “…but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

Chapter 9 compares the WAY of wisdom with the WAY of folly. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. By me, your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.”

COMPARE THIS (FOLLY)…….”The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive and knows nothing.  She sits at the door of her house… calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way.”   “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”    “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”   “But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol (the grave).”

TO THIS (WISDOM)……. “Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table.”   “She has sent out her young women to call, ‘Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.’ To him who lacks sense, she says, ‘Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.’  Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 154 & 155

Jun3

    Day 154 & 155—We are in the 6th month of Bible reading. Praise God! Today, we are also reading in the 16th book in the Bible: Proverbs. 

(Note: SUNDAY’s and MONDAY’s readings are combined.)

    Day 154 – Proverbs 1 – 3 (Solomon’s proverbs, many written by him or in his style, but all perhaps “compiled” by him.)

The purpose of Proverbs: 1. To KNOW wisdom and instruction, 2. to UNDERSTAND words of insight, 3. to RECEIVE instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity, 4. to GIVE prudence to the simple, and knowledge and discretion to the youth.

The theme of Proverbs is “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” (Verse 1:7, and also concluding the book in verse 31:30)  “Wisdom” is more about practical skills in living well in the fear (reverence and awe) of God in a way that honors both Him and others.

There are several speeches from a father to his son in these chapters. 

1:6. “Hear, my son, your father’s instructions, and forsake not your mother’s teaching….”

1:10. “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.”

2:1. “My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you…”

3:1. “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.” 

3:11. “My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of His reproof…”

3:21. “My son, do not lose sight of these – keep sound wisdom and discretion and they will be life for your soul…”

In several sections, “wisdom” speaks as a person, sounding very much like God. (See 1 Corinthians 1:30).

1:23. “If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.”

1:28-29. “Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD…..”

1:22. “But whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

A favorite and often repeated wisdom is in 3:5-6. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

I all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”

.

    Day 148 – Proverbs 4 – 6 (These chapters continue with a father’s warnings and instructions to his son.)

Chapter 4.  The father urges his son to “Get wisdom; get insight…”  “Keep hold of instruction; do not let her go; guard her, for she is your life….”    “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”   “The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”

Chapter 5.  Here, the father begins to warn and caution his son about adultery and the temptress.  “For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end, she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death…..”

He advises his son to be true to his own wife. “Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.”   “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe.”

Chapter 6. Now, the father offers practical warnings and advice about co-signing for someone, about working hard for your own needs, and not being lazy, for then, poverty will surely come. 

A list of SEVEN things that the LORD hates is given. Consider what the opposite would be: WHAT GOD LOVES.

  1. Haughty eyes — HUMILITY
  2. A lying tongue — TRUTH-TELLING
  3. Hands that shed innocent blood — COMPASSION
  4. A heart that devises wicked plans — GOODNESS
  5. feet that make haste to run to evil — EAGERNESS TO HELP
  6. a false witness who breaths out lies — HONESTY
  7. One who sows discord among brothers — UNITY.

The father again urges his son to keep his commandments and mother’s teachings. “Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. when you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.”   “For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light.” (See Psalm 119:105)

And, for a third time, the father warns his son about the evil woman, this time another man’s wife… and, in the end, the rightfully jealous husband.

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 152

May31

   Day 152—We are almost finished with the FIFTH month in our reading and have begun a new book in the Bible. – 2 Chronicles. 

   Day 152 –  2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72 (Solomon’s request, fame & glory, wealth.)

2 Chronicles 1. Much of this chapter is a repeat of 1 Kings 3. in Solomon’s sacrifices to God, God’s request of him, and Solomon’s seeking wisdom and understanding to lead the people of Israel.

God gives him abundant wisdom, as well as riches and honor. Verse one says, “…and the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.” As for riches, Solomon “made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stone…”  

However, this rich and wise king disobeyed God’s words about how kings should live in Deuteronomy 17 by importing thousands of horses and chariots from Egypt and Kue. These were not only for himself, but he also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria. (Huh???)

(NOTE: Kue is possibly Cilicia, including Tarsus, located north of Israel, Lebanon, and Syria.)

Psalm 72. This is a “coronation psalm” written either by David or Solomon himself. It’s a prayer for the king to be a righteous judge of the people. It’s challenging him to care for the people by defending them and supplying their needs. It states the desire for there to be righteousness and peace in all his kingdom as it expands in all directions. 

“Long may he live… May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all day!” (How many of us pray for our leaders continually and invoke God’s blessings on them?) Many more blessings are prayed for the king, his people, and his kingdom.

Then the psalmist directs the reader to the One who makes it all possible. “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory!”

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 151

May30

   Day 151—We are almost finished with our FIFTH month of Bible reading, and we’ve begun our 13th book – 1 Kings.  

   Day 151 –  1 Kings 3-4 (Solomon’s early days)

1 Kings 3. First off, we see King Solomon making a big mistake. He makes a marriage alliance with Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

Why is that a mistake? First, this nation kept the people of Israel in slavery for 400 years, subjecting them to cruelty and the worship of multiple pagan gods. Second, God cautioned any king of Israel 1. NOT to return to Egypt to acquire horses & chariots, 2. NOT to acquire many wives (make alliances with foreign kings), and 3. NOT to amass a lot of silver & gold for himself. (Deuteronomy 17:14-20.)  In 1 Kings 4, we see King Solomon also going to Egypt for thousands of horses & chariots, and also the account of the massive amount of provisions he needed for JUST ONE DAY OF MEALS. 

And… there would be trouble at the end of his reign concerning that connection with Egypt. (Sigh.)

1 Kings 3 also tells of King Solomon’s dream. In it, God came to him and said, “Ask what I shall give you.”  The new king, probably dealing with all kinds of stuff left over from his father’s reign, asked for WISDOM (an understanding mind to govern God’s people and to discern between good and able). This pleased God. “Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.”

The gracious and generous God also promised to give Solomon riches and honor like no other king and to give him “length of days” if he would walk in His ways and keep His statutes and commandments.  When Solomon awoke, he went before the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD and made offerings. 

THE FIRST TEST OF SOLOMON’s WISDOM came shortly afterwards. Two prostitutes came to him arguing about a living baby. Each woman claimed it was hers and that the dead baby left at home was the other’s.  The wise king called for a sword to cut the babe in half to share equally and identified the TRUE MOM as the one willing to give up the baby rather than see it killed.

“Oooo! Aaaaa!” All of Israel heard of the judgment and stood in awe of the king because they perceived that the WISDOM OF GOD was in him to do justice. 

1 Kings 4. This chapter lists all of the new king’s high officials (his cabinet), twelve in all. It also lists twelve officers over all Israel who provided food for the king and his household (one each for the months of the year).  Interestingly, the first named was Ben-Hur (Remember that huge movie by Cecil B. DeMille? no connection.)

Verses 20-21:  “Judah and Israel were as many as the sand by the sea. They ate and drank and were happy. Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.” 

This is a clear allusion to the Lord’s promise to Abraham. The early part of King Solomon’s reign was characterized by population growth, peace, and prosperity, foreshadowing the blessings that will prevail when the Abrahamic Covenant is fully fulfilled in the future. 

An interesting epitaph about Solomon is at the end of this chapter:  “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all other men… and his fame was in all the surrounding nations.”  WOW. Talk about God answering requests!  (And yet….1,000 wives?? How smart is that?)

This chapter then lists all his oral/written accomplishments:  3,000 oral proverbs, 1,005 songs, oral compositions about trees (from the gigantic cedars to the hyssop that grows out of a wall), beasts, birds, reptiles, and fish. 

 

#2024 GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 13

Jan13

Won’t you read the Bible with me this year?  (You can also listen to an audio recording.) It only takes a few minutes and you will be blessed.

Day 13 – Job 35 – 37 (Elihu continues.)

In chapter 35, Elihu continues to speak to Job (and his other three friends), and he is as far off the truth as they were.  He tells Job the reasons why God hasn’t answered him are three. First was his pride (10 & 12). Second was that Job had wrong motives (13). And the third thing was that Job lacked trust (14).  

Well, actually, those are reasons why OUR prayers are not sometimes answered too. It’s just a shame that God’s silence towards job had nothing to do with them.  (And soon – very soon – God IS going to respond. And then, Job and his friends had better listen!)

Chapter 36 starts out with Elihu claiming to speak on behalf of God. He says his own words are not false and that he is one who is perfect in knowledge.  (Cough! Choke!  Really Elihu???)  He then goes on self-righteously (in my opinion) to describe how Almighty God, his maker, deals with mankind.

He does say some truth about God’s majesty in creation, and (I like this) “God is great, and we know Him not; the number of His years is unsearchable.” (36:26)  He got that right because God IS from eternity past and will go on forever into eternity future. 

He goes on in chapter 37, proclaiming God’s majesty in nature, specifically in the elements; storms of wind, rain, ice and snow.  I love this in verse 13, “Whether for CORRECTION or for His LAND, or for LOVE, He causes it to happen.”  Think of that the next time you read about (or experience) blizzards, flooding, tornados, or heat waves. Wow.

And at the end of the chapter, he almost (unknowingly) preaches at HIMSELF!  “Therefore men fear Him; He does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.”  (Hah, Elihu!  Remember 36:4?)

(But alas, am I not like that too?  Lord, forgive me. Thank You.)

 

On Sunday and Monday (posts together, and concludes Job), we will read God’s words to Job and his friends, in a series of hundreds of questions, the answers always pointing to God Himself.  Wow. Talk about an interrogation! 

#2024 GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 12

Jan12

Won’t you read the Bible with me this year?  (You can also listen to an audio recording.) It only takes a few minutes and you will be blessed.

Day 12 – Job 32 – 34 (Elihu, the original “burning man”)

Job’s three friends have exhaused their words of “comfort” (more like condemnation). Job himself seems to have come to the end of his rebuttals. Now, Elihu, who is younger than all of them and seems to have been there all along waiting, takes the stage.

And he’s mad.  Four times in the first 5 verses the word says, he “burned with anger.  I can imagine him sitting in the group all this time and getting more and more steamed up, face red, eyes wide, breathing fast. But he waited his turn out of respect for age. And now, youth wills out and he stands with (in his own mind) authority.

In his first paragraph he disparages their age, saying “It is not the old who are wise, nor the aged who understand what is right” (32:9) and, “Listen to me; let me also declare my opinion.” (32:10, 17)

But, you know what?  He basically says the same things.  It’s all Job’s fault. How dare Job claim to be righteous! God doesn’t afflict a good man! God repays man according to his works!

Elihu digresses a bit in mid chapter 34, praising the almighty, sovereign God, perfectly just and powerful. (Amen, Elihu!)

But he closes the chapter with stinging words agains Job. “Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men. For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against. God.” (34:36-37)

Sigh.

Elihu will speak for three more chapters in tomorrow’s reading. He will continue to condemn Job, but will finally turn his thoughts to God and magnify Him. That will be a welcome relief.