Spiritual Training 28 April 2015

Posted: April 28, 2015 in leviticus, Spiritually Cleansed
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)

Leviticus 8:1-36 Instructions for the priests 

The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons

    1The LORD said to Moses, 2“Bring Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams and the basket containing bread made without yeast, 3and gather the entire assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” 4Moses did as the LORD commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

    5Moses said to the assembly, “This is what the LORD has commanded to be done.” 6Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water. 7He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him. He also fastened the ephod with a decorative waistband, which he tied around him. 8He placed the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece. 9Then he placed the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the sacred emblem, on the front of it, as the LORD commanded Moses.

    10Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. 11He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them. 12He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him. 13Then he brought Aaron’s son forward, put tunics on them, tied sashes around them and fastened caps on them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

    14He then presented the bull for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. 15Moses slaughtered the bull and took some of the blood, and with his finger he put it on all the horns of the altar to purify the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. So he consecrated it to make atonement for it. 16Moses also took all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys and their fat, and burned it on the altar. 17But the bull with its hide and its flesh and its intestines he burned up outside the camp, as the LORD commanded Moses.

    18He then presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. 19Then Moses slaughtered the ram and splashed the blood against the sides of the altar. 20He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces and the fat. 21He washed the internal organs and the legs with water and burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

    22He then presented the other ram, the ram for the ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. 23Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. 24Moses also brought Aaron’s sons forward and put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Then he splashed blood against the sides of the altar. 25After that, he took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys and their fat and the right thigh. 26And from the basket of bread made without yeast, which was before the LORD, he took one thick loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf, and he put these on the fat portions and on the right thigh. 27He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and they waved them before the LORD as a wave offering. 28Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar on top of the burnt offering as an ordination offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD. 29Moses also took the breast, which was his share of the ordination ram, and waved it before the LORD as a wave offering, as the LORD commanded Moses.

    30Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments.

    31Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, “Cook the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination offerings, as I was commanded: ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’ 32Then burn up the rest of the meat and the bread. 33Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days.v 34What has been done today was commanded by the LORD to make atonement for you. 35You must stay at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and do what the LORD requires, so you will not die; for that is what I have been commanded.” 

36So Aaron and his sons did everything the LORD commanded through Moses.

Why did Aaron and his sons need to be cleansed and set apart? Although all the men from the tribe of Levi were dedicated for service to God, only Aaron’s descendants could be priests. They alone had the honor and responsibility of performing the sacrifices. These priests had to cleanse and dedicate themselves before they could help the people do the same.     The ceremony described in Leviticus 8 and 9 was their ordination ceremony. Aaron and his sons were washed with water (8:6), clothed with special garments (8:7-9, 13), and anointed with oil (8:12). They placed their hands on a young bull as it was killed (8:14-15), and on two rams as they were killed (8:18-19, 22-23). This showed that holiness came from God alone, not from the priestly role.

Lets Bring it Home: Similarly, we are not spiritually cleansed because we have a religious position, reputation, or title. Spiritual cleansing comes only from God. No matter how high our position or how long we have held it, we must depend on God for spiritual vitality.

Proverbs 27:19 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 27, 2015 in Uncategorized
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 27:19 As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.

Human hearts are similar. Your feelings, needs, and responses are like others’. Knowing yourself can help you understand others. Knowing them will help you learn others. You know those around you better than they think, and they know you better than you think.

Water makes a natural mirror. Looking into water shows a man the image of his face. He can see how he looks, for the reflection is quite accurate. Human hearts are also similar, as our natures, passions, and vulnerabilities are much the same. We can know much about another person’s heart by virtue of knowing our own, for they are much alike.

Here is a simple simile, a comparison made by “like” or “as.” In the way a man can see his face and know its features by reflection in water, so a man can know and understand other men through having a similar heart. Your experiences in life should give you the discernment and understanding to help others when they face similar circumstances.

Though a man’s heart may answer himself by his conscience, that internal knowledge is not the lesson of this proverb (Pr 14:10; 20:27; John 8:9; Rom 2:15). The analogy chosen here and the lack of a reflexive pronoun indicate that Solomon intends the similarity of one man’s heart to the hearts of other men. Human hearts are similar. Accept the wisdom.

Consider the different species of birds, animals, and fish. Each individual member is unique – there are no two parrots, dogs, or perch exactly alike. They have slight variations in size, color, temperament, and strength, by breed and by individual. Identical twins mean they have a unique relationship to each other due to the least differences.

But within a species, they all have the same nature. All parrots are similar – that is how you know they are parrots! They do not have an eagle’s nature, nor do they have an ostrich’s traits. You can learn a lot about parrots by having just one for a pet. And though you have only one human heart, you can learn a lot about others by knowing yourself.

Men vary in size, color, temperament, intelligence, and strength. But all men still have the same heart and basic nature. No man has the nature of a parrot, dog, perch, or angel. He is a man, and the heart of one man is similar to the hearts of other men, and it is this commonality that provides the internal ability for one man to relate to another man.

The similarities of nature between any two persons are greater than the differences created by individuality. Every snowflake is individually different, but yet all snowflakes are still frozen water vapor! Though individual men vary, they still have the same nature. Though they may differ in intellectual ability or education, they are more similar than they are different when it comes to basic human responses and thought processes.

God made the hearts of all men alike (Ps 33:15), and all nations and races are made of the same human blood (Acts 17:26). To think otherwise is to miss the lesson. From Adam to your grandchildren, man perpetually begets the next generation in his image and with his likeness (Gen 5:3). The same heart and nature is passed from one generation to the next.

The depraved hearts of natural men are the same – one man is like the next. They all walk according to the course of this world and Satan’s direction (Eph 2:1-3). They are all foolish, pleasure-mad, envious, and hateful (Titus 3:3). There are none that understand, seek God, or fear Him (Rom 3:9-18). “They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one” (Ps 14:3).

The regenerated heart of the spiritual man is also the same from one person to the next. Every child of God knows the horrible conflict Paul described between the flesh and the spirit (Rom 7:14-24). They all know Paul’s strait betwixt departing to be with Christ and remaining here to love and serve others (Phil 1:23-24).

The born again children of God all relate to the wide variety of Psalms, in which David intimately covered the spiritual spectrum of praise, prayer, distress, and delight. His very personal words describing his circumstances and passions answer the deepest thoughts of their own hearts better than they could likely express themselves.

What is the lesson of wisdom? You can know yourself better by observing others. For you see the good (of the new man), the bad (of the old man), and the ugly (the perverse conflict of the two). It is only human pride that thinks you are different – better than others. A wise man will remember, “As in water face answereth to face.” A wise man will condescend to men of low estate, for he knows it is his own true estate (Rom 12:16).

What is the lesson of wisdom? You can know others better by knowing yourself. For you know the good (peace and joy in the Holy Ghost), the bad (guilt and pain of temptation and sin), and the ugly (the instability of being double minded). You can help bear the burdens of others’, and you can rejoice with them that do rejoice and weep with them that weep (Gal 6:2; Ro 12:15). You can empathize in the way God expects you to (Heb 13:3).

What is a further lesson of wisdom? You can know how to treat others by how you want to be treated. For you know the good (actions you appreciate), the bad (actions you resent), and the ugly (the pain of inconsistent conduct). The golden rule assumes how you want to be treated will be perfectly suitable for all others (Ex 23:19; Luke 6:31).

Is there more wisdom? Each time you stoop to the froth of socially and politically correct speech, you defraud others and yourself of true profit. The reality of your heart can provide the only help to other hearts, and only the reality of their hearts can truly connect with your heart. Why do most waste so much time in foolish and superficial generalities!

Apply the lesson. You can understand the actions of others better than you admit, for they are only doing what you also have done. You should forgive them easily (Eccl 7:21-22).

You can also commiserate with suffering of others, for you have known their pain, and this is the true friendship and love expected in true churches (Rom 12:15; I Cor 12:26).

You can receive and give counsel and comfort, for you know what you desired, needed, and received when in a similar situation, so you should now reciprocate it (II Cor 1:3-4).

You can pray for one another with true empathy, for your experienced groanings can be offered up to God for them, so that they are not alone in beseeching the throne of grace.

No honest person can say, “No one suffers like me.” God has plainly declared that every man’s temptations are common, not unique (I Cor 10:13). They are more similar from man to man than they are different. Get off your high horse, and humble yourself before God and all men. Others have been there before. You are not in uncharted territory.

Jesus Christ was tempted in all points like you are tempted, and this experience makes Him a merciful, faithful, helpful, and compassionate High Priest (Heb 2:17-18; 4:15-16; 5:1-2). Yet He never sinned (Heb 4:15; 7:26)! While He comforts others with temptations and the promise of forgiveness, you who know the grief, guilt, and shame of sin have a humble role to commiserate with them to repentance (Gal 6:2; Heb 13:3; I Pet 3:8-9).

Spiritual Training 27 April 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: April 27, 2015 in Uncategorized
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)
Leviticus 6:12-13

12The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it.
13The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out. 
While the previous offerings and sacrifices were ones that the people did, the section from 6:8–7:38 deals with general and continual priestly duties. The burnt offering was presented in the morning and evening for the whole nation (see Exodus 29:38-43). The holy fire on the altar had to keep burning because God had started it. This represented God’s continual presence in the sacrificial system. It showed the people that only by God’s gracious favor could their sacrifices be acceptable.

Lets Bring it Home: God’s fire is present in each believer’s life today. He lights the fire when the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, and he tends it so that we will grow in grace as we walk with him. When we are aware that God lives in us, we have confidence to come to him for forgiveness and restoration. We can carry out our work with strength and enthusiasm.

Spiritual Training 24 April 2015 (Leviticus)

Posted: April 24, 2015 in Acceptance, Battle Focus, Bible Study, Dear Woman, leviticus
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)

Leviticus 7:28-30 

28The LORD said to Moses, 29“Say to the Israelites: ‘Anyone who brings a fellowship offering to the LORD is to bring part of it as their sacrifice to the LORD. 30With their own hands they are to present the food offering to the LORD; they are to bring the fat, together with the breast, and wave the breast before the LORD as a wave offering. 

God told the people of Israel to bring their fellowship offerings personally, with their own hands. They were to take time and effort to express thanks to God. You are the best person to express your thankfulness to God and to others.

Lets Bring it Home: Do you leave it to others to express thanks to someone who has been helpful? Do you rely on the one leading in prayer to thank God for you? Take time to communicate your personal gratitude both to God and to others who have helped and blessed you.

Proverbs 24:13 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 24, 2015 in Bible Study, Proverbs 24, Wisdom
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 24:13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.

Sweets can be rejuvenating and delightful. Solomon used honey for his comparison. It is good for reviving a hungry man (I Sam 14:27). Honey also tastes sweet for pleasure in eating it (Ps 19:10). Honey illustrates two blessings of wisdom – it revives the soul and provides much pleasure. Wisdom also rewards with certain success (Pr 24:14).

The proverb before you is the first half of a metaphorical comparison with wisdom. Here is the second half: “So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off” (Pr 24:14). Gaining wisdom is energizing and delightful, and then it leads to rewarding prosperity.

Honey was a common food in Israel during Solomon’s reign (Lev 20:24; Is 7:15; Matt 3:4). Eaten in right amounts, it was invigorating and very pleasant. Too much of it could make you sick, but that is not considered here (Pr 25:16,27). Its properties to rejuvenate and delight the soul are what he used to illustrate and exalt the value of wisdom.

Have you experienced the sweet exhilaration and pleasure of honey? Or much rather, do you know the reviving delight of wisdom? Once you have tasted honey, other sweeteners or substitutes are easily detected. Once you learn God’s wisdom, even the world’s best ideas are bland or bitter to your heart and mind, for they are far inferior by comparison.

David used a similar comparison. The creation, especially the sun, reveals God’s glory, so that men are without excuse for ignoring Him (Ps 19:1-6; Rom 1:18-21). But far better than what nature shows is the wisdom of the Bible (Ps 19:7-9), which is more valuable than gold and sweeter than honey (Ps 19:10). Like the wisdom lesson here, the scriptures also save men from trouble by their warnings, and they bring great reward (Ps 19:11).

If you know honey rejuvenates and delights, would you want cabbage when famished and desiring a lift? Once you taste the good word of God, why would you consider anything the world has to offer? This latter contrast is far worse, for the world and its wisdom are opposed to God, and He is fully committed to destroying both (I Cor 1:19-21; 3:18-20).

Do you pursue and approach the preaching of God’s word with the desire and joy a famished man would show toward honey? Or do you despise prophesying as the Bible warns (I Thess 5:20)? Do you resent sound doctrinal preaching like modern so-called Christians (II Tim 4:3-4)? Confess your foolishness and humble yourself before the great God, thank Him for His inspired word and its wisdom, and find yourself a Bible preacher.

Spiritual Training 23 April 2015

Posted: April 23, 2015 in forgiviness, Holy Spirit, leviticus, restoration
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Under Gods Command (Book of Leviticus)

Leviticus 6:12-13 The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it.

13The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out. The Grain Offering    

While the previous offerings and sacrifices were ones that the people did, the section from 6:8–7:38 deals with general and continual priestly duties. The burnt offering was presented in the morning and evening for the whole nation (see Exodus 29:38-43). The holy fire on the altar had to keep burning because God had started it. This represented God’s continual presence in the sacrificial system. It showed the people that only by God’s gracious favor could their sacrifices be acceptable.

Lets Bring it Home: God’s fire is present in each believer’s life today. He lights the fire when the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, and he tends it so that we will grow in grace as we walk with him. When we are aware that God lives in us, we have confidence to come to him for forgiveness and restoration. We can carry out our work with strength and enthusiasm.

Proverbs 23:27 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 23, 2015 in adulteresses, Battle Focus, distractions, immoral woman, prostitute, Proverbs 23, whore
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 23:27 For a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

The greatest threat to men, especially young men, is whores and adulteresses. An attractive, bold, and immoral woman is their most dangerous enemy. Solomon asked his son for his heart and his eyes, so he might warn him to avoid the fatal snare of these sexual destroyers (Pr 23:26). With the cold and calculating heart of a beast of prey, they use any means of enticement to capture and destroy noble men (Pr 5:6; 6:26; 23:28).

Hunters once trapped wild animals by covering pits with thin branches and grass; the animals would fall through the deceptive cover and be captured (I Chr 11:22). The hole or pit was deep to keep them from leaping out, and/or it was narrow to prohibit running or movement. The depth was too great to escape upward, and/or the width too narrow for moving or speed. They were designed to prevent escape. Capture or death was certain.

The metaphors are powerful! Sexual sins can destroy you. Escape from the temptation, the obsession, and her manipulation is rare. Once a man gives in to a woman, he is trapped by his lusts, her selfish demands, and/or the revenge of an angry father, husband, wife, populace, or magistrate (Pr 22:14; 5:20-23; 7:25-27). Men are seldom recovered.

A whore is a woman willing to have sex outside marriage, usually an unmarried woman who is promiscuous. A strange woman is any woman you have not married, especially a married woman willing to commit adultery against her husband. The great God of heaven, Who invented and designed sex, limited its pleasures to marriage (Heb 13:4).

Solomon had read about Joseph’s trouble with Potiphar’s wife and Samson’s ruin by Delilah, and he had clearly seen the great pain of his father for adultery with Bathsheba. Only Joseph survived, and he spent years in prison due to the revenge of his spurned seductress. Samson was finally ruined, and David suffered greatly for the rest of his life.

Young man, avoid company or communication with loose women. Reject their advances. They are liars. The very short pleasure they offer is nothing in comparison to the long suffering here and hereafter. They are a deep ditch and narrow pit. You should marry a woman that fears the Lord and enjoy her and children by her (Pr 5:15-19; I Cor 7:1-5).

God named a popular church the great whore and mother of harlots (Rev 17:1-6). The Roman Catholic Church is the mother, and Protestant churches are her daughters – born in the Reformation. If you join them, you will be trapped in a deep ditch and narrow pit. Find a faithful and loyal church of Jesus Christ that follows the simplicity of the gospel, and save yourself from spiritual adultery (II Cor 11:1-4; I Tim 4:1-6; Jas 4:4).

Proverbs 21:12 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 21, 2015 in Proverbs 21
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Under Gods Command 

Proverbs 21:12 The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.

Good men always win in the end. Though it appears they are losing at times, they know better, and Almighty God is on their side. The wicked assume they are in control, but the Judge of all is committed to destroy them. These are the certain rules of life and eternity.

Due to compromise of truth in these perilous times of the last days (II Tim 4:3-4), this common theme of the Bible is nearly unknown (Ps 9:16-17; 37:34-40; Pr 10:6,24-25,27-30; 11:3-9,18-21; 12:2,7,21; 13:6,9,21-22; 14:11,19,32; 15:8-9,29; 21:18,21; 28:18).

Can you see the future? Wisdom gives that ability. Do you have wisdom? You should see that many of those who are popular and prosperous now will soon be wiped out. Which ones will be destroyed? God will judge those who openly and proudly live wicked lives. Wisdom includes the discernment and understanding to see God’s soon reckoning.

Moses wrote about those who sin against the LORD, “Be sure your sin will find you out,” (Num 32:23). Wise men know this axiom of God’s universe. The more public and profane a sinner, no matter how secure at the time, the more likely his soon demise (Job 20:4-29). Learn to look past the glitter and glib of famous sinners to see their early ruin.

Righteous men live disciplined lives, denying lusts that others obey daily. It may shake their faith and resolve to see the wicked prospering in wickedness (Ps 73:1-15), but they quickly recover by recalling God’s holy justice and vengeance against sinners (Ps 73:16-28). They know God is not mocked – a violent reversal of fortune is coming (Gal 6:7).

The world adores profane and profligate sinners, especially celebrities in entertainment, athletics, or politics. They have household names; their every word and move are closely followed; their pictures are everywhere; they are referred to as stars; they get huge financial contracts; they are welcome anywhere at anytime. To their fans and sycophants, they seem invincibly happy and successful. But God is burning (Na 1:2,5-6; Heb 12:29)!

Consider a few. How great is Alexander, his family, or Greece now (Dan 8:8; 11:1-4)? Where are the Pharaohs? Why is Egypt a base nation (Ezek 29:14)? The once beautiful and powerful cities and kingdoms of Babylon and Tyre are ruins compared to what they were when living wickedly. They had a reversal of fortune (Is 47:1-15; Ezek 28:1-26)! Can you find the Hittites, Amorites, Ammonites, Philistines, Moabites, or Edomites?

Consider a few more. By Bible definitions of wickedness, which are strange and extreme to even religious people in this ignorant generation, can you recall these lives without sentimentality corrupting the view? What about Elvis, the Babe, Marilyn, John Lennon, Lenin, Errol, Jimi, James Dean, Jim Morrison, MLK, Princess Diana, JFK, Al Capone, Eva Braun, MJ, Bonnie and Clyde, Keith Moon, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, etc.?

Do you know the average life expectancy of rappers is around 27 and that of rockers not many years more? God is not mocked. They cannot live the public lives of excess they do and get away with it. God is on His throne laughing at them (Pr 1:24-31; Ps 2:4-5; 37:9-15). Righteous men learn to consider such persons wisely and foresee their bitter end.

The humble righteous, the children and friends of God, know divine fury is held back by God’s longsuffering (Ps 50:21-22; Rom 9:21-24). They know He holds back judgment for the wicked to commit greater sins and earn greater judgment (Gen 15:16; Dan 9:24; Matt 23:29-36). The longer He waits, the hotter the fire of His holy and jealous wrath.

If you do not know this dreadful and terrible God, you need to start reading the Bible (Deut 29:20; 32:21-25; Ps 21:9; 76:7; 137:7-9; Is 66:15-16; Jer 10:10; II Cor 5:9-11; Heb 10:26-31). If you read the Bible but did not know this, then you need a new preacher (Is 30:8-14; Jer 1:9-10; 23:25-32; Mal 2:7; Matt 21:40-46; 22:1-14; II Tim 4:3-4).

What is the lesson? Wise men learn God’s horrible fury is coming on the wicked, so there is no cause or reason to envy them (Ps 37:1,7; Pr 3:31; 24:1,19). They consider the great reversal of fortune that is coming in this world and the next. They know it is better to be the beggar Lazarus than the rich man living luxuriously (Luk 16:19-26). Do you know it?

Why is there a disjunctive connecting the two clauses of this proverb? The righteous man shows his wisdom by not being moved by the short-term prosperity and success of the wicked. Though he looks happy and secure now, God is just about to throw him down. The “but” indicates that God’s overthrow of the wicked is contrary to all appearances.

The life of the righteous is win-win. God blesses them in this world, and then He gives them eternal life in the next world. The blatantly wicked are chased by numerous evils in this life, and then they are cast into the lake of fire for eternity. Even if the righteous sacrifice things now, God rewards them 100-fold more with those things (Mk 10:28-30).

Do not envy the wicked. Do not live like them. Never be a hypocrite by trusting this proverb while living sinfully yourself. Look past the world’s flattering lies. Reject rosy tales of popularity and wealth. See a holy and jealous God coming in vengeance on those who defy Him. Believe it is coming; pray for it; rejoice in it (Ps 58:6-11; Ex 15:1-21).

Proverbs 20:30 Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 20, 2015 in Corporal Punishment, death pentalty, Proverbs 20
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Under Gods Command 

Proverbs 20:30 Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.

Corporal punishment works. Pain is an efficient deterrent and effective instructor. Do you believe both rules in spite of what effeminate fools and social do-gooders say today?

Why are you careful with fire? By studying the laws and theories of fuels, heat, oxidation, combustion, and thermodynamics? By theorizing why fire hurts and destroys? Or because you felt the biting sting of fire when you were young. Ah, yes, fire hurts!

If you want to be wise, and Proverbs was written for that, then submit to God’s word. Let God be true, but every man a liar (Rom 3:4; Ps 119:128). God and Solomon had more wisdom about modifying behavior than any man, group of men, institution, or theory on earth. Freely given without charge, they wrote it down for your great profit and success.

Foolishness and wickedness are terrible human traits, causing much pain and suffering, including ruined lives and estates and death. How can these traits be reduced? Sin is more than a bad habit; it is the inborn reaction of deceived rebels (Jer 17:9). Most men must be beaten, bruised, and wounded before they will change or improve. This is the lesson.

Do you wisely wound those who need it? Do you receive wounding well when you need it? Do not resist the wisdom taught here. Severe and wise punishment is far less painful than unrestrained self-will or obstinate rebellion. A fool not corrected will cost himself and those around him far more than the light sting of a whipping. This is the application.

Parents drive foolishness from children with the rod (Pr 22:15; 23:13-14); God scourges foolishness from His children (Pr 3:11-12; Heb 12:5-11); friends correct one another by verbal blows (Pr 27:6; Ps 141:5); and Jesus was bruised and wounded for our iniquities (Gen 3:15; Is 53:5,10). Corporal punishment greatly reduces crimes. This is the result.

Until recent decades of perverse thinking and loud talking by social engineers, everyone knew corporal punishment worked. They used to say, “Reading, writing, and arithmetic, taught to the tune of a hickory stick.” In a wise society, magistrates beat criminals (Deut 25:2-3), and employers beat offending employees (Pr 29:19; Ex 21:20-21).

Solomon’s inspired wisdom is despised today. Social dreamers and arrogant educators teach that flattery and freedom work better than corporal punishment. Read Benjamin Spock’s, Baby and Child Care. They do all they can to outlaw parental spanking of children, just as they have outlawed flogging for maintaining order and discipline in schools, the military, and society. But look at the results! They have miserably failed!

What a beautiful proverb! Here you see the nature of proverbs as clearly as anywhere.  The words are chosen and arranged to create maximum beauty, force, and rhythm; but the sense is slightly hidden for you to discover and enjoy. Can you find a few metonyms?

Consider the proverb’s words. When a body is bruised, the place often turns blue. We say it is “black and blue.” The first clause by use of metonymy teaches that proper wounding for corrective purposes will drive foolishness away. Corporal punishment is a God-ordained means for purging away sin (Pr 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; 26:3; 29:15).

Note the metonyms. Blue wounds do not correct rebels. Corporal punishment properly applied reforms them, which creates wounds, which often turn blue. These are metonyms, the substitution of one thing for a related thing. This is metonymy of effect, where the effect is put for the cause – blue wounds for the punishment producing them.

In the second clause, “stripes” are metonymy of effect for beating with a rod (Pr 17:10; 19:29; Ps 89:32; Deut 25:2-3), and “belly” is metonymy of subject for man’s soul and spirit (Pr 18:8; 20:27; Job 32:18-19; Ps 44:25).  Stripes, applied on the back by a rod, for the purpose of correcting behavior, will have the same positive training result that the wound of the first clause will have (Pr 17:10; 19:29; Ps 89:32; Deut 25:2-3).

This beautiful and wise proverb teaches God’s ordinance of corporal punishment. But today’s enlightened world prefers the darkness of the perverted speculations of educators. They will suction a million screaming babies into pieces in their mothers’ wombs, while protecting teenagers and criminals from ever being touched! These perverse persons are the devilish corrupters of nations, and the results of their policies are visible everywhere.

Horses have been restrained and trained with physical devices for several thousand years, and so have fools (Pr 10:13; 26:3). What jockey would mount an 1100-pound Thoroughbred and expect to control him at the start and win a race without a bridle, bit, and whip? If these brute beasts can be taught careful maneuvers and maximum effort for desired goals, how much more the rational minds of children and men? Let God be true!

With only a few proper lessons from a rod, children will grow up into mature and wise adults (Pr 22:6,15). Feed them for 17 years without this tool, and you will have a child that brings you shame, ruins his life as well, and is a burden to those around him (Pr 23:13-14; 29:15). The self-restraint needed to prosper and succeed in life is brought by the rod and reproof. Correct children, and they will give you rest and delight (Pr 29:17).

Let parents remember the rule – the rod works. Let school principals and magistrates consider – the rod works. Let friends recall – sharp reproofs work. The wise use of corporal punishment will correct fools and sinners and reform the heart. This is not fanciful advice of the ignorant: these are inspired rules of the wisest man ever! Are you wise enough to grasp who is right? God and Solomon or Ben Spock and UNICEF?

Let every man gratefully and humbly receive wounds from God and man, for they are designed for his learning (Pr 3:11-12; 9:7-9; 27:5-6; Ps 141:5). Without them, there is no evidence that either God or men love you, and there is no hope for your improvement or perfection. You should look for a church where you are wounded weekly by preaching.

Some natural men limit this proverb to foolish medical advice. They say the blue color around a wound is evidence that infection is being purged from it. And they say that developed abdominal muscles (“a six-pack” of stripes on your belly) promote the health of your lower internal organs. What an ignorant travesty of interpretation! Forget it!

God hates sin but loved His elect, so He severely bruised and wounded the Lord Jesus by the Jews and Romans. During the hours leading to His death, He turned blue from many wounds, and many stripes covered His back. Why? Because He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, chastised for our peace, and by His stripes we are healed (Is 53:5,10). His blue wounds and many stripes cleansed us from all evil!

Proverbs 17:11 (Rebellion) Wisdom for the Soul

Posted: April 16, 2015 in conspiracy, Proverbs 17, rebellion, rebellious, sin
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Under Gods Command

Proverbs 17:11 An evil man is bent only on rebellion; a merciless official will be sent against him.

Rebellion is a terrible sin. It shows how arrogant, contrary, malicious, and willful man can be. God compares it to witchcraft (1 Sam 15:53). When you see it, you have found an evil man. These fools cannot submit to correction or government, so they must rebel. But the great God, the originator of all authority and rule, will have the last laugh. He will send just retribution against such rebels of present punishment and then eternal misery.

Reader, have you felt your soul bristle when others correct you? Do you find it necessary to question most things you are told to do? Which is more important to you – your rights or your duties? It is part of your foolish nature that does not want to be governed. Though you arrived utterly helpless and ignorant in this world, in just a few months you expect to be able to do as you wish without regard for the authority or wisdom of others.

Rebellion brought sin into the universe. The devil rebelled against his role in heaven – he wanted more (Jude 1:6). Adam condemned humanity to death – physical and eternal – by rebelling against God’s word in Eden. God burned up Sodom for rebelling against God and nature’s laws for man-woman sex. And he opened up the earth to swallow Korah for complaining against Moses (Num 16:1-34).

Rebellion is promoted from the top and bottom. At the top – a false concept of God as a begging weakling allows men to think they can reject Him and the Bible. At the bottom – permissive parents and flattering schools program children to rebel against any threat to their freedom. And in between, rulers legislate privilege and protection for rebellion and sedition – like labor unions and free speech – that keep the evil in motion.

This evil conspiracy creates widespread dysfunction. Women revolt against submission to husbands, wrecking marriages. Students defy teachers, causing classroom disorder. So-called patriots despise civil laws, promoting anarchy. Deacons overrule pastors, neutering their leadership. Women have short hair, men have long hair, rap is called music, Picasso is called an artist, piercing tongues is accepted, and adultery is called having an affair.

The Lord, the great God, will punish rebellion against His word or His authorities. He kept Moses from Canaan for rebelling against His command (Num 20:24) He describes civil rebels as comparable to diseased dogs needing to be put down (II Peter 2:10-12). Beware!

Reader, it is wisdom to learn obedience and submission today! The Bible clearly states your duties to God and men. Learn them, do them, and teach them to your children.

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