Source: https://www.dailyreadings.org.uk/default.asp?act=notesdisplay&displaytype=day&m=3&d=30
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 12:48:35+00:00

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12 v. 10 - Here we have an example of a time when God punished a particular person for a particular sin - though there was a purpose in it for the benefit of others' faith too. She was to suffer a seven day punishment (v.14,15) but then God would remove the leprosy. She made herself an outcast by her deeds. There is a serious lesson for us here. Let us make sure that we do not do the same. Deut.24:8,9, Mic.7:8,9.
13:26 - 27 Whilst the spies acknowledged the beauty of the land they did not believe what Yahweh had said unto them. The showing of the land by Yahweh was to give them a foretaste of the land that they were to receive. However because of the flesh they looked for the problems rather than the blessings that would flow from faith.
13:4-15 Here we have the names of all 12 spies sent out to spy the land. Without looking can you remember their names? - Doubtless you can only remember Joshua and Caleb. The lesson for us is that if we want to be remembered for good then we must believe like Joshua and Caleb did.
When the spies came back from exploring the land they made their report. It was a good and fruitful land, the fruit was great - it took two men to carry one bunch of grapes! It was just as God had described it to them, "a land flowing with milk and honey." The land was so good it had also produced giants and the giants were the reason for the huge "BUT" in the report of the spies. "The land is good," they said, "BUT the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large ... they are stronger than we are. ... The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size ... we seemed as grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."
All the people were distressed after this faithless report. They had forgotten that God had rescued them from the strongest power on the earth and had promised them the land. "Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."
Often we come across seemingly impossible problems just as Israel did in this case, and when we do, let us remember that with God's help "We Can Certainly Do It!"
12:2 The complaint of Miriam and Aaron was, to some extent true. Aaron had, in act been Moses' mouth piece speaking the word of God (Exodus 7:1) - the problem with Aaron and Miriam's criticism was that it was based on jealousy and was used as a pretext for a different complaint - they really wanted to complain about the Ethiopian he had married. The lesson for us is that we should speak about what really is the issue rather than avoid the real issue and simply complain about our feeling of injustice - that we have not got the importance we feel that we deserve.
None of the children of Israel had ever been into the land of Canaan. God had promised to take them there and described it as a land flowing with milk and honey - something they could only dream about. Now, as Moses sent the twelve spies into the land, they were the first people to see it for themselves. Their report was just what the people had hoped for. "We went into the land to which you sent us and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its' fruit." And at that stage they would have showed the people the huge bunch of grapes they picked, carried between two men. This was the first glimpse of the promised land for the children of Israel.. They hadn't seen it themselves yet, but it was certainly an exciting foretaste.
Like Israel, God has given us little glimpses of the kingdom through his word and his creation - enough to whet our appetites and know that the kingdom is what we really want.
But when they heard of the challenges that faced them going into the land, they chickened out. They thought it would be too hard. And, unfortunately many people who have heard what God has offered also chicken out when they find out that it will take effort and faith to receive what God has promised.
So let's be like Joshua and Caleb whose faith in action allowed them to receive the promised land.
12:3 In describing Moses as 'meek' we should not presume he was 'spineless' or reticent in speaking. Rather his meekness was seen in the way that he did not exalt himself. Rather he left judgement in the hands of God.
13:2 It may appear that it was Moses' idea that spies should be sent to spy out the land. However it was at the instigation of the people Deut 1:22 and Moses saw no problems with the plan. However it was a contributory factor in the downfall of the people. How often do we feel the need 'to test the waters' before going in faith?
Miriam, and not Aaron, was punished for the rebellion against Moses (12:10). This suggests that it was Miriam who instigated the affair. The phrase spake against (12:1) would bear that out as the verb is written in the feminine singular in Hebrew. The affair seems similar to Aaron's involvement in making the golden calf at the instigation of the people (Exo 32:21-24). The people were punished not Aaron.
Aaron asked for forgiveness for the rebellion (Num 12:11) and received forgiveness for himself and Miriam.
Miriam had her leprosy healed after seven days instead of having to bear the disease for life. Her condition was later cited as the way to treat leprosy (Deut 24:8-9). She is also mentioned as being a chosen leader in Israel (Mic 6:4). This citation shows the mercy of the LORD to forgive and elevate to a position of grace.
The leprosy (= sin) that we carry can be forgiven by the LORD and we can be elevated to grace in the Kingdom.
12:13 And again Moses acts as the intercessor even though Aaron was high priest.
13:1 The spies were not sent to establish whether the nation had the strength to take possession of it. God had told them that He was going to give it to them. So the spying out the land was so that the people knew what God was going to give them before they entered. In like manner Scripture shows us what the kingdom will be like. The clearer picture we have of the kingdom the easier we will find it to believe that God will give it to us.
Moses seems as a type of Christ 12:1,2,3,12 - his bride is not accepted just as the Gentiles and tax collectors in Christ weren't, he is meek Matt 11:29, and he (unlike Aaron the priest) intercedes as Peter Forbes noted 1Tim 2:5.
13:23 We understand that the grapes that are harvested in this area are the size of prunes, or of a man's thumb. We have often wondered if the cluster of grapes was so heavy that this was the only way they could be carried, this is difficult to imagine. Recently, someone suggested that they would carry them this way to protect them. Regardless, the sight of grapes this large would have to have a positive impression of the promised land on the Children of Israel, as the grapes that they were familiar with, would have been the small grapes of Egypt.
The logo of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism is a graphic depiction of two men carrying a cluster of grapes on a staff between them (13:23).
v 8 "face to face" would appear in the Hebrew to actually be "mouth to mouth" 06310 and we are reminded of 2Tim 3:16, which says that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God" or is "God-breathed" 2315 We are reminded of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. What God breathes out, becomes "inspired" by the prophets, and we have written down for our learning.
13:2 Notice Gods comment about the land was ‘which I give …’ This was just the point that Israel were unable to grasp. The and was theirs because God was going to give it to them. How do we feel about God’s gift to us?
Both Aaron and Miriam rebelled against the authority of Moses (12:1,2). Why was Miriam the only one punished? It can be drawn that she was the instigator of the affair. Moreover, Aaron’s being stricken with leprosy would be incompatible with the LORD’s requirements for the priesthood (Lev 21:17-21).
The two faithful spies were Caleb and Oshea (13:6,8). Moses changed Oshea’s name to Jehoshua (13:6).
Oshea means deliverer, while Jehoshua means Yahweh saved. Jehoshua, or as we commonly call him Joshua, would lead the Israelites into the land of promise. He foreshadowed Jesus. When Jesus returns to earth, He will bring His people back to the Promised Land. Jesus is the Greek form of Jehoshua, and it is through him that all humanity has the opportunity of salvation.
Caleb means dog. This would describe Caleb’s temperament as being rabid in the sense of furious, fanatical, and vigorous. He did not see the giants in the land as a reason not to go in and was as unafraid as an attack dog (13:30). His vigorous character continued with him into his later years (Josh 14:10,11).
13:32 The reaction of the people indicates that they did not believe what God had said about their possession of the land – Num 13:2 – Do we believe Jesus’ words about God’s desire – Luke 12:32.
Num 12:8 - "similitude" [Heb "temunah" (8544) means "likeness, image, similitude, embodiment, manifestation, as a shape", etc.]; it wasn't literally God Moses saw (1Tim 6:16).
Num 13:23 - the single cluster of grapes and red pomegranates (many seeds in the red juice of the pomegranate) on a lifted pole between two men may be an echo of the sacrifice of Christ which allows his many decendants to overcome giant obstacles of the flesh and reach the land of promise.
12:10 Miriam's outward leprosy matched the uncleanness of her inward thoughts.
Humility is one of the most difficult concepts for us to grasp. We may understand what humility is, we may have the theory right, but putting humility into practice and having our humility tested can be quite a different thing. The moment we find ourselves proud to be humble, we have lost it!
As well as the faithfulness Moses showed, we can be sure that it was his humility that grew this close relationship with God. When Aaron and Miriam stood against Moses, they opposed him in their pride, but God rebuked them and Miriam's pride was lost completely when she became a leper and an outcast from society.
Pride kills humility. True humility kills pride. The one cannot exist with the other. Humility, like Agape-love, is to put the best interests of others as our first priority.
Let us aim to be humble like Moses and to develop a close relationship with God like the one Moses had.
Occasionally we buy or are given a bunch of grapes. They are usually put in a desert bowl in the dining room where we can all pick at them randomly, making sure we leave some for the other members of our family.
Our desert bowl would be much too small for that bunch of grapes! It would take up the whole dining room table! Yet when the spies came back from exploring the land of Canaan, their report was that the land was too difficult to conquer. This land of milk and honey was never going to be theirs.
Like Israel, we are on a journey to the Promised Land. We are in the wilderness at the moment, where even the best things are drab compared to what they will be like in the kingdom of God. It is not easy battling the giants of sin to conquer our human nature and to be part of God's kingdom, but God is here to help us. He wants us in his kingdom. He has promised us great things. So let's not turn in fear from receiving his promises, but stand up in faith, believing his word and the hope he has given us. Let us press on in God's strength to his kingdom.
The word, giants, is # <5303>, nephil, and means, “tyrants, bullies.” While a variety of interpretations are given to this word, Gen 6:4 gives us the proper interpretation wherein we read that the “giants" were Nephilim, (plural of nephil) # <5303>. In Gen 4 we have the development of the descendants of the line of Cain, and in Gen 5 we have the development of the descendants of the line of Seth. Then in Gen 6 were read that the sons of God from the line of Seth mixed into the apostate line of Cain through marriages. As a result, the world was filled with wickedness and violence These Nephilim were cruel and mighty warriors, and greatly feared. Nephil is derived from the word naphal, # <5307>, and means, “to fall” to come down upon, to “light down” as falling upon one’s prey. This same word is used of Rebekah in Gen 24:64 when she saw Isaac, and lighted (naphal) off the camel.
The Anakim may well have been the Hyksos who invaded and controlled Egypt between the times of Joseph and Moses. Their progenitor was Arba (Josh 15:13) from whom the city of Hebron took its name of Kirjath-Arba. Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai made up the three tribes of the Anakim (Num 13:22). Eventually, Caleb drove them all out (Josh 15:14). Zoan was the capital of the Hyksos rulers who were a mixture of Semitic and Mongol races. It is here where the Pharaohs lived and where Moses executed his judgments against the Exodus pharaoh (see Psa 78:42-43; Isa 19:13; 30:4) The fact that the spies brought up the name of the Anakim would have struck great fear into the hearts of the Israelites (Num 13:28-30)!
It is interesting to note that the Anakim were described as those who “eateth up the inhabitants thereof.” The metaphor of grasshoppers (locusts), therefore, tells us it was not about size, but about their might and power! They were fierce tyrants. A swarm of locusts devour everything in sight as during the plague of locusts before their exodus from Egypt. Ironically, the Anakim viewed Israel as grasshoppers! We read in Josh 2:9-11,24 wherein he mentioned three times how they felt faint, and melted away with fear ever since they heard about the Israelites crossing the Red Sea 40 years earlier! Moses admonished the people of Israel in saying, “If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD (Yahweh) thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt…” (Deut 7:17-19). It may well be that Moses had these 10 spies in mind when he uttered these words. How truly amazing that these 10 spies and the nation of Israel were so fearful and unbelieving, when even the mightiest of the pagan warriors feared them because of Yahweh's miracles!
12:10 As Miriam became leprous and, it seems, no ill befell Aaron we might infer that Miriam was the ringleader in this challenge against Moses.
Num 13:1 Israel were on the very brink of entering into the promised land that flowed with milk and honey,all the blessings of God. And as they reached that stage Moses decided to send out spies to search out the land. They had come to the wilderness of Paran which has as its root meaning to glorify to beautify. And in particular they had come to Kadesh which means holy. They should have Psa 29:2 Given unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness, that they might be ready to enter the kingdom.But the word Kadesh is also used in the context of temple prostitutes and sodomites who made themselves holy to the false gods and idols. And the question is was Israel going to be holy set apart for the Lord God or were they going to be holy for use in the temples of idolatry, in their wicked minds.
13:22 we meet these inhabitants of Canaan again in Judg 1:10.
"Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it... Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,.. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
12:13-14 The way in which God was willing to forgive Miriam and yet required her to be shut out of the camp for a period demonstrates that actions have consequences. Forgiveness does not remove the consequences of the sin. We would do well to take not of that.
Moses was the most powerful person in Israel. At his word the whole nation would jump. But here he was confronted by Aaron and Miriam who argued against him because of the Cushite wife he had married. It is at that point we are told that "Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth." (Num 12:3).
What was it in Moses that showed humility, particularly at that moment? Moses didn't argue back. The only word Moses speaks in this entire chapter is to plead for healing for his sister Miriam. He could have defended himself - but he didn't. It was God that defended Moses. Jesus did the same years later: "He was oppressed and afflicted yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." (Isa 53:7).
The desire to defend ourselves stems from pride (the opposite of humility). It comes from the belief that we are too important to be wronged in any way. It comes from a lack of faith that God will defend us.
So if we want to be humble, let's not think of ourselves as any better than we actually are; let's accept criticism and determine to learn from it, and trust in God to defend us when we need it.
13:30 “go up” and “once” is the same word <5927> repeated. Likewise “well able” and “overcome” are repeated words <3201>. Calen was forcefully asserting that God was able to give Israel the land.
13:33 That they appeared like “grasshoppers” is not how God viewed His people. It was their lack of faith that prevented them from seeing themselves as God saw them .
8 v. 1-11, 9:1-3 - This description of wisdom leaves us in no doubt what we should seek out and what we should throw out in our lives. The value of wisdom is beyond all else. Isa.55:1-3, Matt.28:19,20.
8 v.34 there are a number of times when 'blessed is the man' is found in Scripture. A review of those occasions Psalm 1:1 32:2 34:8 65:4 84:5,12 94:12 112:1 Isaiah 56:2 Jeremiah 17:7 Romans 4:8 James 1:12 will help us to understand how to please our God.
9:8 - Do we love those that rebuke us? Wise people do.
ch.8 - The theme of this chapter is 'wisdom' :1,2,3. So the 'she' :16 etc: is wisdom. In fact throughout the whole chapter 'wisdom' is personified as a woman. So :30 the one who was 'by him' again is wisdom. Wisdom was with God as the thing that He delights in. If this is so then 'wisdom' - that is the wisdom of God - should be our delight also.
9:3 'Wisdom' has her companions. They are 'maidens' that is those who associate with wisdom are virgins who have not been defiled. In fact the identify with the woman who is 'wisdom'. If we wish to be amongst those who are the chaste virgins presented as a glorious church to Jesus [2 Corinthians 11:2] we must associate ourselves with the things of the 'wise' now and avoid the 'strange woman' of Proverbs 7.
The things that are most valuable to us should be the things that we spend the most time, energy and resources to attain. To many people money and riches are the most valuable, so they spend hours working and investing to increase their wealth. To others, lifestyle is important, so all their resources go into their houses, cars, boats and the things they do.
Here we read of the worth of wisdom. It's value far exceeds all the temporary things that could fill our lives. Wisdom says, "Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies and nothing you desire can compare with her." (Proverbs 8 v 10 - 11). If it is the case that wisdom is more precious than all the things we usually aim for, then it stands to reason that we should spend more of our time, energy and resources getting wisdom instead of getting all the things that are of much less value. We also learn that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 9 v 10). So let us from now on set our priorities in the right order. Let us first put our resources - our time, energy and possessions - into what is really important. Let's get to know the fear of the LORD and get wisdom.
Wisdom is worth much more.
8:5 From a worldly point of view the 'simple' are those who are unable to fit into this life well. They tend to be viewed as lacking understanding - even that they cannot be taught. What a wonderful way to describe those who want to serve God. Wouldn't it be wonderful if our minds were such that the influences of the world were not able to instruct us because our minds were so steeped in the things of God - God's wisdom as seen in Scripture?
matches Exodus 20:12. So 'wisdom' and keeping the commandments are the same.
Prov 8:1 The voice of wisdom crying out to the 'simple' contrasts markedly with the 'strange woman' of Chapter 7 where she physically 'caught him' Prov 7:13. The world and it's inducements has a strong hold on us but our Father calls to us. Whilst the world grabs at us and holds us the Father calls us and waits for us to respond.
Prov 9:10 We maybe think of Solomon's ideas as being unique to him. However here he is echoing what his father David had said Psa 111:10. Solomon is not teaching some new doctrine. He is setting out and developing ideas which have been seen earlier in Scripture.
8:33 "Hear" Once again we receive direction, which most around us are not willing to accept. One of the biggest problems today is an unwillingness to listen. If we are to receive God's Word, we must listen and hear it. It is the spoken Word.
All of chapter 8 and most of chapter 9 are devoted to the discussion of the virtuous woman, wisdom. Those who wish to please the LORD will listen to her.
Prov 9:13-18 discusses the adulterous woman who is out to entice the foolish and easily seduced (simple).
Her ways are subtle, sensuous, and sophisticated.
Who would not want her company? We have to fight our inbred desires (the natural man) not to want to. We must keep our eye on the prize (1Cor 9:24) and forgo the present pleasures.
Prov 9 The commendation of wisdom is continued in this chapter, under the figure of a liberal host. The character of those who are invited is followed by a contrasted description of the rejecters of good counsel; and with the invitations of wisdom are contrasted the allurement of the wicked woman.
godly people carry on learning until they die.
8:10,11,12,13,27,30,34; 9:1,2,5,6 - 8:10 in reference to the value of God's wise instruction and knowledge the word "receive" Heb. "laqach" <3947> means "accept, receive, take, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, seize, send for, use, win", etc.; we read that the love of money is the root of all evil and that money is no substitute for God's love and care (1Tim 6:9-10;Prov 13:7; 22:1; 11:4,28;Heb 13:5;2Cor 8:9). 8:11-12 we read of the value of wisdom and are encouraged to ask for it (James 1:5); people who have "wisdom" have "prudence" <6195>. 8:13 true wisdom is rooted in "fear" [Heb. yirah <3374> meaning "reverence, fear"] of God and hating evil attitudes (pride, arrogance), evil behaviours, and evil speech. 8:27 a "compass" [Heb. "chuwg" <2328> meaning "circle, compass"] upon the face of the deep indicates wisdom being present at the formation of the earth and suggests an understanding of earth's form (Isa 40:22). 8:30 wisdom was "delight" personified, while watching the progressive stages of the world's formation; again, though speaking of wisdom, it also reminds me of Christ as it refers to "one brought up" [Heb. "amown" <525> meaning "in the sense of training, skilled, an architect, a craftsman" (NIV)] and 8:34 in noting how we are to watch gates and wait at door posts perhaps suggests the wisdom of waiting for Christ (Matt 24:42; Exo 12:7; John 10:9); the gates and doorposts perhaps refer to the entrance of the house of wisdom in 9:1 which can be a wise man's foundation in Christ (Matt 7:24-27), our assemblies of worship, or ultimately the millenial Kingdom of God on earth. 9:1,2,5,6 though speaking of wisdom, notes having a house, mentions 7 which can be the number of spiritual perfection and a possible hint of the millennium, the stability of pillars perhaps suggests assurance that nothing can interfere with God's wise plans, and a table/feast of bread and wine (Psa 23:5) which perhaps suggests the wisdom of following Christ who offered his life so we could "live; and go in the way of understanding" and have a hope of eternal life upon his return.
8:1 The ‘wisdom’ that cries out in this chapter is the father of the previous chapter – it is the commandments of God.
9:4 The ‘simple’ here are not those who are slow to understand. They are those who recognise the need to learn. Pride often gets in the way of our learning the things of God.
Wisdom hath hewn out her seven pillars (9:1) is telling us that the construction of the house of wisdom (pillars) is complete and perfect (seven).
9:3 Whilst the ‘strange woman’ of Prov 7 lurks and hides to entice ‘wisdom’ is not ashamed of her call. She cries out for all to hear.
9:9 The more that a wise man learns, the more he loves wisdom.
8:32 ‘blessed are the that keep my ways’ is the basis for Jesus’ language in Luke 11:28.
8:5 The simple understanding echoes David in Psa 119:130 where it is God’s word that makes one wise which contrasts with the tree in the garden of Eden.
8:8 If only we could say, with confidence, that every word we speak was pure in God’s eyes! Clearly here we see Christ in spirit.
Like a man aiming to become a king in the eyes of God, getting to know God is the most important step. Fearing the LORD and growing in the knowledge of Him is something we need to take very seriously if we want to grow up to be wise and to be godly leaders in our families and communities. Fearing the LORD and growing in the knowledge of Him is not just a doctrine to be taught. Before we can truly teach this, it must be a natural part of our lives. While we may teach about Him in our words, by far the greatest teaching we do - especially with our children, is going to be by our consistent example of what they see us doing, and how they see us acting, even when we think no one is watching us.
Let us pray that God will reveal himself to us more and more, and that we will grow in the fear and knowledge of Him, getting to know God better, and so leading others toward Him by our example and teaching.
8:22-29 Wisdom is personified – presented – as a person. In fact the ‘person’ is Jesus in the mind of God. Jesus was in God’s plan right from even He created the world.
1. Prov 8:1-3 - wisdom and understanding/truth have been stated openly and boldly (Prov 1:20-21;John 18:20;1Tim 2:4), in contrast to the alluring voice of the deceiver.
3. Prov 8:4 - wisdom calls to "men"<376> of social status and the sons of "man"<120> i.e. humanity at large.
4. Prov 8:5 - "'simple'<6612> ... 'wisdom' (<6195> only time this Heb word is translated 'wisdom', in Prov 8:12 it is translated "prudence"): and, 'ye fools'<3684>".
5. Prov 8:10 - "instruction"<4148>, "knowledge"<1847>.
6. Prov 8:11 - "rubies" <6443> - Matt 13:44-46.
8. Prov 8:14 - counsel, wisdom, understanding and strength/might are attributes of Christ (Isa 9:6;11:2).
9. Prov 8:15-16 - degrees of authority - "kings"<4428>, "princes"<7336>, "princes"<8269>, "nobles"<5081>, "judges"<8199>.
10. Prov 8:17 - the faithful love wisdom and seek it early before it is too late (Luke 11:9-10;James 1:1-5).
11. Prov 8:18 - "Riches"<6239>, "riches"<1952>.
12. Prov 8:18 - 2Cor 6:10;8:9;James 2:5;Rev 2:9;Matt 6:19-20.
13. Prov 8:19 - "fruit"<6529> comes from a tree (Prov 3:18;Rev 2:7;22:2); "gold"<2742>; "fine gold"<6337> (Psa 19:7-11).
14. Prov 8:21 - worldly possessions are never denounced in Scripture as inherently evil.
2. Prov 8:22 - God possessed wisdom from the beginning, before He created the universe.
3. Prov 8:22-23 - v22 "beginning" (<7225> mention of "firstfruit, principle thing", etc.) "of his way"<1870>, v23 "was set up" (<5258> mention of "anoint a king, to pour out" Isa 53:12) "everlasting" (<5769> mention of "properly concealed, the vanishing point") "beginning"<7218> - could these words be connecting wisdom to the thought/plan of salvation through Christ?
4. Prov 8:31 - the same principles which God applied in the formation of the universe have to be applied by man in the creation of the new man.
6. Prov 8:32,34 - happy are God's children who hear and keep His ways of wisdom.
7. Prov 8:35 - those who find wisdom find life - ultimately this wisdom is illustrated in Christ; the Son of God's life, work and teachings demonstrate that he found and exercised wisdom.
8. Prov 8:36 - to hate God's way of wisdom is to love the way that leads to death.
2. Prov 9:1 - wisdom is personified as a woman who has an impressive house built with seven pillars - we have all the churches represented by seven (Rev 1:4) - in contrast the foolish woman (apostate churches?) knows nothing, has a seemingly unimpressive house (Prov 9:13-14).
3. Prov 9:2 - "table" (<7979> implies a feast which perhaps reminds us of the memorial feast - Prov 9:5;Psa 23:5).
4. Prov 9:3 - "sent forth her 'maidens'<5291>", could this be an echo of bridesmaids/believers (Matt 25:1-6) preparing for and awaiting Christ the bridegroom?
5. Prov 9:4,16 - the "simple"<6612> can be similarly persuaded by wisdom or folly; v4 "understanding"<3820>.
6. Prov 9:6 - avoid the "foolish"<6612> way, choose the way of "understanding"<998> and have eternal life.
7. Prov 9:7-12 - closed or open mind?
8. Prov 9:7 - wisdom has been openly reaching out to all including "scorners"<3887> but at some point it's too late to reach them and time is more profitably spent elsewhere with wiser people who are more receptive and appreciative (Matt 7:1,2,6).
10. Prov 9:13 - "foolish"<3687>, "simple"<6615>.
11. Prov 9:15 - the woman of folly tries to lure those who are making their paths straight.
12. Prov 9:17 - note it is an "easy feast" there is no blood suggesting sacrifice, it was stolen not fully paid for, there is no yielding of one's will - "'stolen' (<1589> can figuratively mean "deception") waters" (Prov 20:17) vs (Prov 5:15-20) - (Isa 5:20).
13. Prov 9:18 - the way of folly leads to death (Hos 4:6).
14. Wisdom stands for creative power, faithful belief leading to divine life.
15. Folly stands for the waywardness of man which leads to disobedience, disorganization, lies and religious harlotry leading to death.
Some have claimed that these words are really all about the Lord Jesus Christ and his personal pre-existence. What are some points that can and should be made in response to such an interpretation?
Throughout the whole of this chapter, Solomon is speaking about wisdom and personifying that quality of God's as a woman. In v. 1, there is "her" voice; in v. 2 "she" takes "her" stand; in v. 3 "she" cries aloud; etc. So quite obviously if a pre-existent Jesus were meant, then he is a she!!
There's also the major problem for trinitarians who attempt to use this in support of an eternal God the Son - of the writer saying that "the LORD brought me forth as the first of his works before his deeds of old...When there were no oceans, I was given birth to...." (vv. 22,24). If this were Jesus and he was brought forth or given birth to, then how could he be eternal? And, for that matter, what does "given birth to" mean in the case of a pre-existent Christ - "poofing" him into a pre-existent form as 2nd part of a triune godhead? Way, way too many problems with this view, to say the least.
When Jesus is referred to in the Old Testament with various names and titles, it invariably carries with it the idea that when he is born he will be... (fill in the blank) - the seed of Eve, the seed of Abraham, the seed of David; the branch; Immanuel; the servant of the LORD; the sun rising with healing in his wings; the stone cut out of a mountain without hands; etc., etc.
"He said, 'Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God" (K.J.V.).
The R.V. and N.I.V. translate that last phrase "a son of the gods", which really has to be the right idea since the speaker is a Babylonian king who had just thrown 3 righteous Jews into a furnace for failing to fall down and worship his image of gold. So if a pre-existent Jesus really were there, then this man would be the last to have any knowledge about him. But what he did witness with his own eyes was an angel, one he assumed was a son of one of his many gods, who had come to protect the three (cp. Job 38:6,7 for another usage of "sons of God" where they equal angels of Yahweh).
One final point going back to wisdom in Prov. 8 - pretty obviously Solomon is saying that wisdom was demonstrated by God in His acts of creation (or even before the 6 days' creation of Gen. 1). And wisdom surely can't exist apart from God; it is wrapped up with God and is a part of His being.
If we want to be wise, it is worth knowing what the enemies of wisdom are. It is a bit like growing a garden. We can do all the right things to have a thriving garden, but if we don't recognise the garden enemies like snails, weeds and diseases, what should be a beautiful garden is reduced to decay at ground level. So Solomon, in the middle of telling us how to grow wisdom, also tells us what the enemies of wisdom are so that we can remove them from our lives, allowing wisdom to grow as it should.
Wisdom says, "I hate pride and arrogance, evil behaviour and perverse speech." (Prov 8:13) Wisdom cannot grow in a proud and arrogant person whose evil behaviour and perverse speech is not checked. Any wisdom they have is foolishness. Unfortunately, pride is a disease that is very easily caught, and arrogance can also grow very quickly. If we plant ourselves in the wrong sort of environment, it doesn't take long to become like the people we associate with - swearing and doing things that displease God.
So let's weed out any traces of pride, arrogance, evil behaviour and perverse speech from our lives, while allowing God's wisdom to grow in us. Then we can shine with the wisdom and glory of God.
8:20-29 Notice the repeated use of ideas from the creative record in Gen 1. God is telling us that His plan and purpose with the one who was “wise” was in place even before He had started His creative work.
9:6 We may thing that the things we do when we are enjoying ourselves make our life enjoyable, lively. However we must take care to remember that it is God’s wisdom that gives life, nothing else, no matter how enjoyable, can give the true life. This should help us to set our priorities.
The "fear of the Lord" is the theme of Proverbs and there are 14 occurrences of this word in Proverbs. The KJV margin reads that it's "the principal thing", in otherwords it's the chief principal - not a stage one leaves behind. The fear of the Lord (reverence) is the essential prelude to all wisdom and successful living - cp.Psa.111:10; Psa.64:9 and Prov.2:1-5 shows us how you develop this "fear of the Lord" in our lives. Wisdon here is portrayed as a woman who guides us (v.1-13) and makes us succeed (v.14-21) Wisdom should affect every aspect ofour entire lives, from beginning to the end. Lets be sure to open up all the corners of our life to God's direction and guidance.
- Prov.2:1-5 - is how you develop this "fear of the Lord"
9:4 The simple who are appealed to here are to be seen in a similar way to the “simple” one of Prov 7:7. Those who are “simple” are in need of instruction. The “strange woman” or “wisdom” are the only two options for gaining knowledge. One leads to death the other to life.
8:35 the “life” that is found is the life which shows what God is like – Prov 21:21.
Seek not wealth and pleasure and power. Pray fervently for the real treaures: the treasures of character and personality and realitionship to God -- for deeper, clearer, stronger faith and vision. Pray for compassion and love and patience and zeal. Pray for knowledge and understanding and wisdom: seek them constantly in the Word. Labour for the imperishable treasures that enrich the mind and the heart, the treasures that become part of yourself forever.
External relationships and circumstances are nothing, except as they help to relate us to God and to eternity. Build your character by constant study and self-discipline. Lay up the true riches. Every spiritual thought we think, every spiritual fact we learn, every spiritual deed we do -- adds to our true wealth and inner value.
We begin life as useless, valueless, empty shells. Most end life as useless, valueless, empty shells: a once-for-all eternal opportunity frittered away in stupid folly. They only are rich who fill themselves with God's freely offered riches of spiritual instruction and transformation. Let us be rich.
I have a friend who can name just about any song on the radio and tell me what it is called, who recorded it, and the year it was produced. I have another friend who used to work in a tire shop and who can spot a bad or worn tire at a glance. Trackers can spot marks that we would never recognize in the sand belonging to certain animals that have come that way. All these people have tuned their eyes and ears to certain things and have practiced over long periods of time to become completely tuned in to the things they are looking or listening for.
Stop and listen for a moment. What do you hear? "Does not wisdom call?" (Prov 8:1). How tuned in are we to the call of wisdom? Is it something we look for and listen for at every opportunity? Or do we tune out and fill our minds with all the other rubbish that magazines, television, and the internet throw at us?
If we want to tune in to wisdom, we need to give wisdom opportunities to speak to us. Bible reading, prayer, quiet time and discussions with others who are also looking for wisdom are a good place to start. And as we practice listening to the voice of wisdom, it will become easier to hear and respond to. Let's make a point of listening to wisdom today.
8:26 the unlearned questions “what was there before Creation?” God actually tells us. He and His wisdom were there. By implication there was never a time when He did not exist.
v.3 - David had a similar experience to Christ here - Ps.55:12-14. This betrayal was portrayed in Zech.11:12,13. It is also taken up and made into a lesson for us all to heed in 1Tim.6:9,10, 2Pet.2:15, Jude v.11.
22:2,3 The feast in Bethany when Jesus was anointed slots in between these two verses when making up a chronological record.
22:7 This is the next day - so the feast in the upper room took place the day (night) after the meal in Bethany.
22:11 'Guestchamber' is the same word found 2:7 'inn'.
The preparations had been made for Jesus and his disciples to eat the Passover. When the time came "Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." This was one of the moments that Jesus had been longing for - a time of quiet intimacy between the master and his disciples. The Passover meal was the one event that Jesus was looking forward to in his last few hours of life, and the thing that made it all the more desirable was to spend it with his best friends around a meal of celebration to God.
After he had taken the bread and the cup and given it to them, he said, "Do this in rembrance of me." So once a week we meet together to observe his commandment as we join with other believers and share the signs he has given us - bread and wine.
Do we do this with the same attitude as that of Jesus? Jesus eagerly desired to share these moments with his disciples and we must eagerly desire to meet with him, and with our brothers and sisters, to do the same. So let's make sure that the next time we participate in the feast on the Lord's day, we come with an eager desire to do what he commanded.
:12 - The "upper room", Gk:anogeon, means 'above the earth' and corresponds to the Holy place where Christ ministered before passing through the veil into the Holiest of all(Heb 9:3;10:20).
In other places, the word Upper room from Gk:"hupersion" corresponds to the Most Holy Place, as in Acts 1:13,9:36-41,20:9.
:16,18 - "I will not any more eat thereof", "...drink of the fruit...".
Christ eats fish in Luke 24:42-43.
He is here referring to not eating or drinking of the Passover. This he will not do until he does it in the temple meal Ezekiel describes in Eze 44:3.
.22:1 We are now 2 days before the Passover.
V.32 As Simon needed Christ's prayer, we all need to pray for each other. It can strengthen our Brethren and Sisters.
The Lord clearly talks about the Kingdom of God being a real entity and not the church or something that only dwells in one's heart (v.18,29,30).
The Lord reminds us that our attitude towards our brothers and sisters should be one of humility (v.26).
We know that Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. But was money the initial motivation? We know that there was a general hope that Jesus would deliver Israel from its enemies (i.e. the Romans). After Jesus' resurrection, His disciples were also expectant (Luke 24:21; Acts 1:16). Perhaps Judas lost hope in the one who once looked promising, but who now appeared ineffective. Do we adopt the same attitude? Has our expectation of our Lord's return diminished? Have we betrayed Him by becoming evil servants, indulging in worldly pursuits, putting the Lord's return on the back burner (Matt 24:48). If so, let's smarten up. The Lord will return unexpectedly (Luke 12:40). Let him find us eagerly waiting for him and doing the right things (Luke 12:43-46).
22:11 Whereas the ‘inn’ would have been furnished (2:7) the manger would not. It would have been bare and inhospitable for men and women. Now at the end of the ministry Jesus is in the furnished room, so to speak. His life has transformed the dwelling place! We were in an animal pen with the animals. We have been lifted out of that into the house of God.
Jesus had planned “The Last Supper” for some time. He had looked forward to it (Luke 22:15,16). This was the most important thing that He asked His friends to remember Him by. Therefore our Memorial Service must really become the focal point of our week.
22:8-10 The enigmatic way in which Jesus told Peter and John where the supper would be eaten would prevent Judas from being able to tell the Jewish leaders where they could take Jesus. The meal in the upper room had to be private and uninterrupted, hence the secrecy.
22:4,12 Contrast Judas and the two disciples who went to prepare the Passover. Judas ‘went his way’. The two did as Jesus had request. This contrast marks the difference between those who pursue the fleshly thinking and those who wish to do Jesus’ will.
The acquisition of a sword(s) was for an object lesson (vs.36,38). Jesus had the power of the heavenly host to protect and defend Him (Matt 26:53). Why would He, then, require two measly swords for security? He wanted to show His followers, and His opposition, that His way is a way of peace and healing. He allowed the exercise to unfold (vs.50,51). With all the divine power at His disposal, Jesus went meekly to His death (Isa 53:7). He urges His followers to follow peace and love with all men, even enemies (Matt 5:43,44).
22:3 ‘Satan’ entering into Judas is the sort of language used in Acts 5:3where Peter is confronting Ananias. On that occasion it is clear that the evil desire came from within Ananias – Acts 5:4 shows that the idea came from within Ananias.
Luke 22:3 - would a supernatural "Satan" enter into a man who is a supernatural "devil"? Of course not, it doesn't make sense, nor does it fit the definitions of the pre-translated words.
In Prov 8:1-3 we read of wisdom crying out. Wisdom here is personified, not to be understood as a literal being. Similarly, in John 6:70-71, Judas was referred to as a devil. If Judas was literally a supernatural devil how could a supernatural satan literally enter into him? A common understanding would be an evil supernatural being is somehow entering into itself with a human being perhaps thrown into the misguided mix. Certainly God is not the author of such confusion (1Cor 14:33). When when we look up the original meaning of words like "satan" (satan means "an adversary" or "an opponent" - at one point Mark 7:33 the apostle Peter was referred to by Christ as "satan" - obviously Peter wasn't an evil supernatural being) or "devil" (devil, "diabolos" in the Greek, means "traducer" or "false accuser" or "slanderer"; unlike satan the word "devil" is always associated with evil or sin) we get the true sense of their meaning. Judas hung himself (Matt 27:3-5) and he wasn't a supernatural being any more than Peter. The devil is a personification of sin and not a literal being any more than wisdom is a literal being. James 1:13-15 clarifies the process of sin and that it is an internal not external force.
Jesus has promised the Disciples that they will govern his Kingdom.
22:30 Given that Jesus has already told the disciples that he will not share a Passover meal with them until the kingdom is established – 22:16 – this promise of them sitting on twelve throne would have heightened their expectations that the kingdom was going to be established very soon.
22:44 Adam was to ‘sweat’ in his labour for survival. Jesus, on the other hand, ‘sweat’ ‘as it were ... blood.’. Lev 17:11 teaches that the life is in the blood so we see that Luke is teaching us that Jesus’ effort culminating in pouring out his life.
"...But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one... And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough."
It is often asked if this is literal or figurative? We know that there were 12 apostles who traveled in pairs, and if each group took just one sword, that would be six swords. Clearly then, two would not have been enough. Jesus could not have been speaking literally of the number of swords. "It is enough," rather, was an expression of his exasperation with the disciples who failed to see at this late stage that they were to fight not with a literal sword, but with the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph 6:17). The Apostles were being sent out into a hostile world to spread the Gospel, and needed to prepare themselves for the next phase of their mission without their Master.
22:28 In saying that the disciples were the one that had continued with Jesus in his ‘temptations’ we remember that Jesus’ temptations took place right through his life – not just for 40 days in the wilderness. Actually on that occasion the disciples were not even with him.
Peter was not able to look at him and fled and wept.
Then when Peter was finally ‘on board’ with Christ he was able to look someone in the eyes.
My reply: Looked in Luke is # <1689>, emblepo, “to look on, to observe fixedly," fastening in Acts is # <816>, atenizo, “to gaze intently," and "Look" # <991>, blepo, "to look at." There are subtle differences with these words, and it is interesting to note that emblepo is only used once and that is for this account in Luke. Plainly put, emblepo may be likened to a video shot, atenizo to a snapshot, and blepo to just simply looking! Peter just asked the lame man to look at them. The prefix em added to the root, blepo, changes the tense to aorist, an active voice. It is an intensified form, not just a brief glance; Jesus fixed his eyes upon Peter in an intently searching sense. Consider the difference between the word “know,” which may be oida or ginosko in the Greek, the latter being of more in-depth personal knowledge.
In order to look someone in the eyes, this someone would have to be looking up at you. Eye contact is a direct visual contact with another’s eyes, and is one of the most powerful body language tools and one of the subtlest movements we can make. It speaks volumes!
What was Jesus telling Peter when he turned and looked at him? For one: “Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (cf. v. 33; 1Cor 10:12). When Jesus looked at Peter, it reminded Peter of his prediction that he would deny knowing him (cf. Matt 16:16; Mark 8:29). That penetrating look at Peter would also remind Peter that Christ had prayed for him (and all the disciples who also fled), that his faith fail not (Luke 22:32). Peter fell, but he would not fall away. What Peter saw in Christ’s eyes was his love and grace, a Saviour who willingly went to the cross to die for his failures. Christ did not have to say a word; his look penetrated deep into Peter’s heart and Peter was awakened to the stark reality of what he had done, and was ashamed, remorseful, and wept bitterly.
What a lesson for us! The living Word acting on the basis of the written Word will one day look intently and searchingly at each and every one of us individually at the judgment seat and may we stand before him, not flee, or be sent away, is my prayer.
My reply: Jesus desired to be able to eat the Passover with them, but he knew he would be dead, having by then been sacrificed as our Passover Lamb (1Cor 5:7). Instead of going into a detailed explanation of how he would be crucified and dead by the time they came to eat the Passover meal, Christ simply told ­Peter and John (Luke 22:8) to go and prepare for the upcoming Passover. They would be observing the Passover the next day, but not Christ. He knew it would be his last supper with them, at which time he instituted the memorial breaking of bread.
The Greek word for the phrase, “with desire” is Strong’s # <1939>, epi­thumia. Strong's defines it as “a longing (especially for what is forbidden).” This word is translated in the King James as “lust” thirty-one times out of the thirty-eight times it appears. Hence we can understand Strong’s definition of “a longing especially for what is forbidden.” Why would Jesus use this phrase relative to the Passover when there are several other Greek words Jesus could have used to express a good desire, a desire that is not forbidden? Christ's time had come that he should be delivered into the hands of wicked men (cf. John 7:6).
Furthermore, Judas left the Lord’s Supper with the money bag with him. The disciples thought he was going to buy things needful for the Passover (John 13:29). The betrayal, the trial and crucifixion all occurred before Israel ate the Passover. The Apostle Paul reveals that the Lord's Supper took place on the night in which he was betrayed, so we see that all these events could not have taken place at the actual time of the Passover meal (1Cor 11:23-24).
22:6 Only two days before the Passover did Judas make his pact with the Jewish leaders. So he would not have much opportunity to betray Jesus to them. But from this time forward Judas would not have been listening to Jesus’ words but would have been planning his betrayal. The last supper would seem to have been the last opportunity. So we can imagine Judas mind would not have been on the last supper at all throughout the whole of the evening in the upper room.
22:67 This seems to be the second time the Jewish leaders had asked Jesus if he was Christ. The first being Matt 26:63. Whilst Matthew records the question before Peter denied Jesus here we see the question is asked after Peter’s denial.
22:5 The gladness of the Jewish leaders shows that the prophet –Isa 59:7 – accurately predicted the behaviour of the Jewish leaders when Judas betrayed Jesus.
22:4 Judas’ self seeking behaviour as he “went his ways” contrasted markedly with legion who as he “went his way” - Luke 8:39 - acclaimed Jesus.
These seven "unfathomable" words are probably the most difficult words for us to voice. While these words are simple, the complexity of it is deep because the very thought that we may fail is terrifying. Divine chastisement is our lot too, to which we must submit no matter how grievous. While the word of God is a savour of life unto life, it may equally prove to be a savour of death unto death (2Cor 2:16). It all depends on how we react to it.
Christ recognized he came not to do his own will, but the will of the Father who sent him (John 5:30). Christ also recognized and submitted to the higher Authority in all things, even the painful death by crucifixion (John 12:27). Christ learned obedience by the things that he suffered, and it was by his obedience that he learned to submit (Heb 5:8). Obedience is absolutely vital to salvation (cf. 1Sam 15:22-24).
The life of our Saviour is the perfect example of what God desires ours to be, and the sufferings borne are intended to mould us more and more closely after that pattern. The will of God is set forth plainly enough for us in the Scriptures, which can make us wise unto salvation if we let them have their perfect work (2Tim 3:15). No one understands better than God how difficult it is for humans to embrace His will (cf. 1Cor 10:13). And, no human has ever suffered more in embracing the Father’s will than His Son.
As with Christ, our Heavenly Father prepares and uses His children for His work. God could have prevented the famine of Egypt without any human interference, but He did not. He prepared Joseph through the things he suffered to play an important part in this event in saving His people. God could have also led the children of Israel out of Egypt into the Promised Land without human aid, but He did not. He raised up and prepared Moses by his early training at his mother’s knee; at the court of Pharaoh, and as a shepherd in Midian to lead them out.
God has told us in His word that all things, i.e., the good, bad, and the ugly, work together for our good if we are His faithful and dutiful children (Rom 8:28). We may not see its out-workings now, but God’s work will be accomplished in His own good time. Meanwhile, we must do the work allotted to us. If we do, there is a day drawing near when those who have executed their work faithfully will be called to a greater work - that of association with Christ in ruling the earth in righteousness. God’s glory is always paramount, and our finished work is to result in God being all and in all (1Cor 15:28).
Let us keep in mind that when our paths are dark, our hearts are weary, when we feel all alone, that we allow God, our Master Builder, mould us according to His good pleasure, and stay the course with Christ, who is our Compass, our Chart, and our Guide.

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