1 - The Proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
These are the Proverbs of David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Lemuel and Agur. Generally David is credited with the first nine proverbs (1:1-9:19), Solomon to Chapter 24 (10:1-24:34). A collection assembled by king Hezekiah to Chapter 29 (25:1-29:27) Agur Chapter 30 and Lemuel recounting his mother’s advice on women Chapter 31. I Kings 4:32 states, “And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.” We are told that King Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs (of which only 800 are recorded in the Book of Proverbs).
The Second Great Comission: Luke 1:17b "...to make ready a people prepared for the Lord"
Monday, June 07, 2010
Sunday, June 06, 2010
The Book of Proverbs, Introduction
I use my spare time to write commentaries on the works of Solomon (Proverbs; Ecclesiastes and now Song of Solomon). I am going to begin publishing the contents of these commentaries for the edification of anyone who wants to read them...as always comments are very welcome!
Introduction
The Proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel
The entire book of Proverbs can be summarized in one thought; a man will eat the fruit of his own choices, if he chooses wisely God will bless him but if he chooses foolishly then God will remove His blessing. Jeremiah puts it like this: Jeremiah 17:10 “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” As you read and study Proverbs, let this be the key that demystifies and unlocks the hidden treasures of this extraordinary book.
There are certain comments we should make which will help us to understand the Spirit of the book of Proverbs. For instance, Proverbs will condemn the fool and his folly but also gives hope to the fool by encouraging him to seek wisdom (Proverbs 1:22-23). On one hand Proverbs says harsh things about the simpleton whilst on the other hand we are told this book will give subtlety to him (Proverbs 1:4). Many who are righteous today and are considered pillars of wisdom had periods where they perhaps lived foolishly and deserved the wrath of Almighty God, however, by surrendering their lives to Christ and their continual embracing of the ways of God and the precepts of this incredible book they have, through years of trial and error, become recipients of the blessings of righteousness and wisdom. So too will you, dear reader, if you surrender your life to Christ embracing the precepts of this book allowing it to instruct you and form your mind become a recipient of the righteousness and wisdom of God. But those who are wicked remain simple and foolish and are condemned and destroyed in the end; they refuse the words and instructions of wisdom (Proverbs 1:24-26). Finally, contemporary Christianity seeks to put the cart before the horse. They focus in on the blessing of God without a clear definition of how to really obtain it; therefore, it is always an unachievable mark (the blessing of God is only obtained by walking in righteousness and keeping His commandments, that is true wisdom). Proverbs very clearly defines for the simple the way to obtain the blessing of God; it is by walking in wisdom, righteousness and the fear of the Lord
The Structure and Emphasis of Proverbs
There are four specific points we want to cover about the style and emphasis of Proverbs:
1) First of all Proverbs deals specifically with the 3 relevant areas of life; thoughts, words and deeds. Each of these when finished becomes the platform for the other. In other words, our thoughts when established become the foundation of our words and our words when established become the foundation of our deeds. Therefore, wisdom and righteousness begin in the mind:
Our Thoughts – Proverbs tells us the thoughts of the righteous are good and merciful whereas the thoughts of the wicked are cruel and filled with conspiracy (bribes, false accusations and collusions). God will respond to a man in some regard according to his thought life.
Our Words – Proverbs speaks much about the lips. The lips speak the truth in love or they are hateful and deceptive, they can be used in righteousness or in wickedness. Proverbs speaks much about using the lips righteously or wickedly and will pronounce blessing or cursing upon individuals based on how they use speech. First of all concerning how we speak of ourselves (pride/humility), and secondly how we speak of others (kindness/cruelty). Because one is a believer does not automatically incur the blessings of God it is very much based on our speech
Our Deeds – Proverbs speaks much about what is done in the realm of deeds; righteousness and wickedness are revealed in the life by what act one performs and the fruit that results of that act. Being saved in and of its self does not automatically produce good fruit one who walks in righteousness will produce good fruit while one who walks unrighteousness will produce bad fruit. Again, let us be perfectly clear Jeremiah 17:10 says – “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” O’ how we need to cry out the Lord to cleanse our ways and make straight paths for our feet!
2) There are precepts and maxims established in the book of Proverbs. The precepts establish for us a basis of life; in some cases they may be unwritten, yet plainly implied laws that govern our world:
There is no middle ground - Proverbs does not deal with areas of gray or lukewarm; it rather takes the position of black or white, hot or cold “either you are with me or against me”. In the book of Proverbs there is no mention of the man or woman who is sometimes righteous; one is doing what is righteous or they are participating in folly. This is seen in the characters of the book; on one hand you have the harlot who is the wicked extreme, then you have the virtuous woman who is the righteous extreme, you also see the wise son or the foolish. You will not see the in between version such as half wise half foolish. We ascertain from this as it is stated in Revelation 3:15-16 that God hates mixture, the luke warm and the middle ground.
Righteousness is blessed and wickedness is cursed – the above statement not withstanding (that God does not like mixture) it is possible that one will be blessed in areas where they conduct themselves righteously; and at the same time suffer under a curse in areas where they are unrighteous. It is possible for one to be blessed in one area and be cursed in another; on one hand having developed righteousness in one area and yet not cleansed from unrighteousness in another. What we are saying is that we want to seek the Lord that He so work in us that we conduct ourselves in wise and righteous manner in every area of our lives, that He fill us entirely with His righteousness. As stated in the previous paragraph God hates the middle ground.
· On a point of clarification let me say this, Bildad, Eliaphaz and Zophar Jobs three friends made an erroneous declaration, they implied that if you walk in righteousness you will never suffer, suffering is for sinners. Therefore, Job, lf you are suffering by Gods hand you must have un-repented sin in your life. One must be very careful on this point because as we see in Job the righteous do suffer not because they necessarily have un-repented sin but that God may produce with in them humility. So when we say that Proverbs declares that if you walk in righteousness you will be blessed we do not mean to say you will never suffer.
The enemy draws one away by the weaknesses that exist in their heart - The fool is taken in his folly, the angry man by his anger, the unclean by his uncleanness and simple by his simplicity. We must seek the Lord to be filled with His wisdom and fear in every area of our life; when He reveals sin we must take it very seriously indeed because it is the unrighteousness in mans heart that will lead him astray, it is like a handle that the enemy can use us to steer them into the wrong direction (James 1:13-14). The strategy of the enemy is not to entrap one in areas where they are strong but to ensnare them in the areas where they are the weakest. The enemy does not attack strengths but weaknesses! When one walks in a way that is contrary to Gods ways it produces fruits that opens them up to the enemy and he can ensnare them by the weakness in their own heart.
Behavior dominates ones life - righteous behavior has a profound affect in ones life; it has the power to break bondages that dominate ones life. This power is clearly declared in Daniels counsel to Nebuchadnezzer Dan 4:27 “…break off thy sin by righteousness”. When one walks in righteousness it literally can break sins. We have confirmation to this point in Proverbs 10:2 and Proverbs 11:4 where it states that "righteousness delivers from death". On the other side of this truth, however, we see the opposite is also true as well that unrighteousness can produce bondages. This is illustrated in Gods counsel to Cain; unrighteousness produces judgment and bondage (Gen 4:7). Where inherited bondages or besetting sins are concerned one who has inherited a curse may break it through a behavior of righteousness (Rom 6:12-14) but one will open the door for curses through unrighteous behavior (Proverbs 14:34).
· Consider for a moment what is it exactly that opens up a life to evil spirits? It can be one of several things but at the core, at the beginning of that bondage there is some disobedience or unrighteousness. That is why Daniel told king Nebuchadnezzer to break off his sins with righteousness.
3) In order for us to fully appreciate this wonderful book we must also draw attention to several words particularly emphasized in Proverbs, they are as follows:
Wisdom - Proverbs 4:7 – “Wisdom is the principal thing...” if one lacks wisdom it is a tragedy that can result in a catastrophic event in their life! We will use the ostrich to illustrate what we mean. The Lord tells us she is deprived of wisdom and as a result her fruit is destroyed because she does not know how to make right choices (Job 39:13-17). Without wisdom man cannot make right choices and can live a fruitless life and remain in bondage, whereas, a man of wisdom knows how to make right decisions, he knows where to focus his energies (Psalm 90:12). To further illustrate how this works we will use the following example: A man has stomach pain for which he is taking a mild medicine to relieve his stomachache. Consider that this man actually has stomach cancer; his best efforts to deal with the problem are in vain because he is not really dealing with the root cause, he is treating the wrong symptom because he lacks the wisdom to know what the root cause of his problem. Therefore, because he does not understand the root cause of the problem he is not applying the correct remedy. His ignorance, not knowing the source of the pain, makes all his efforts in vain. In the same way a man may be seeking his whole life for the remedy to some area of his life but because he does not have the wisdom to understand the root cause all of his best effort are in vain. Wisdom enables one to know why something is happening and more to the point how to effect change. Proverbs 21:22 Solomon rightly concludes that wisdom is better than strength (Eccl 9:14-18)! See also Proverbs 24:3; Pro 8:15-16; Pro 9:11
Knowledge - Knowledge is a collection of information. In Proverbs 21:11 we learn where knowledge comes from; it comes from instruction. Instructions come from life lessons; lessons from mentors, teachers and personal study, they produce this knowledge. Now, we can carry this a bit further because while knowledge is good we must add something with it and that is the ability to rightly interpret that knowledge. That is where the next word "understanding" comes in. Knowledge, by the way, is not benign, it can be good knowledge, which promotes holiness, or it can be evil knowledge, which promotes sin and unrighteousness. There is the knowledge of good an evil as we learned in the garden and we must be very careful what knowledge we pursue because knowledge produces fruit. There is some knowledge (sin and vice), which we should not know! I will also state it plainly here, do not study false religions, that is evil knowledge and it will produce evil fruit. Do not study Psychology, it is an evil spirit and will not promote holiness. It is not the knowledge of false Gods or of the human mind that we should seek, it the knowledge of the holy one that we should seek.
Understanding – Knowledge, as stated above, is the collection of facts while understanding is putting them together in a way that makes sense. We must be able to rightly divide knowledge or “Truth”. Along this same line we must understand, as we just stated in the previous paragraph, that there is a good knowledge and an evil knowledge. We must first of all learn to discern the difference between good knowledge and evil and secondly to choose the good and refuse the evil (Isaiah 7:15). Understanding helps us do just that, it helps us to make right choice because we understand the outcome of those choices. We understand that if one chooses and evil path then they will eat the fruit of that choice whereas those who make wise choices will eat the fruit of that choice, understanding helps us to understand the outcome. Proverbs 4:7 declared that “Wisdom is the principle thing…” and then it said, “…In all thy getting get understanding”. And so understanding is only second to wisdom itself. In one sense there is a general understanding of how thing work, for instance, I understand that when I turn the key on the car it closes switches which complete an electrical circuit which causes the starter to engage and the electrical system to engage and the car will start but then there is an understanding which helps us to understand how life works; if I make wise choices then the Lord will be pleased He will release His hand of blessing upon my life and it will become brighter and brighter and my load will become lighter and lighter because the Lord will be with me. This is the understanding we want to cry out for.
Prudence - Proverbs 14:8; Proverbs 14:15; Proverbs 22:3 these verses define for us the quality of this virtue of prudence. They describe a cunning person of great wisdom and knowledge who understands the way he takes. He is able to clearly recognize the difference between the good path and the evil path. He can recognize danger while it is still afar off and has the ability to change courses to avoid it. He knows what to participate in and what to avoid. Proverbs gives to the one who comes to this book with a sincere desire to know the good path the prudence they need to stay on the good path.
Discretion - discretion preserves, it is the God given ability to be discreet in thought, word and deed. Knowing when to speak or to refrain from speaking; it takes great discipline and wisdom. Daniel was a man who possessed this virtue Proverbs emphasizes (Prove 22:11). He chose his words very carefully. We find this virtue is tremendously lacking in mankind today.
4) Finally, Proverbs teaches by contrasts. This style of teaching is a practical common sense type of wisdom demonstrated through comparisons. In order for one to be truly wise they must be able to understand and sort out the best between two or more choices. Many times this sort of practical wisdom is overlooked in the church. Let’s illustrate this brand of teaching from Hag 1:3-11 – Israel was suffering economically because God was not pleased with them for ignoring His house, however, the problem was they were not making the connection so God had to tell them their present distress (economic poverty) was related to their behavior (Ignoring Gods house). So, using the comparison style of wisdom found in the book of Proverbs to the people of Haggai’s day we would say “Better is it to build Gods house that to build our own”. Now, let us consider several verses that will demonstrate this style of teaching by contrast (i.e. “better is X…than Y” or “X is better than Y”):
Proverbs 15:16 “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.”
Proverbs 15:17 “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.”
Proverbs 16:8 “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.”
Proverbs 16:19 “Better it is to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”
Proverbs 16:32 “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”
Proverbs 17:1 “Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices with strife.”
Proverbs 19:1 “Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.”
Proverbs 19:22 “The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.”
Proverbs 21:9 “It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.”
Proverbs 21:19 “It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.”
Proverbs 25:24 “It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.”
Proverbs 27:5 “Open rebuke is better than secret love.”
Proverbs 28:6 “Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.”
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Breastplate of Righteousness
“The Breastplate of Righteousness...”
Righteousness is one of the most powerful defenses we have against our adversary; the enemy is full of unrighteousness and therefore cannot penetrate the armor of one who is truly righteous. There are few things that unravel the victory of a believer quicker than unrighteousness in some area of their lives. We are not by these opening statements saying that if one is upright that our adversary cannot come against us and make our life difficult but rather it is to say he cannot get inside to exploit a weakness; as Jesus said, “…the enemy comes (he will most certainly come) and hath nothing in Me”. Lets use Judas as an example to illustrate what we are saying; he is one who was not protected from the wiles of the devil because of a breach in his armor (unrighteousness through covetousness) and as a result the enemy found a place to get in, he open the door to the enemy through covetousness. Because there was unrighteousness in him there was a weakness in his life that the enemy could exploit and did, Satan entered into him through his weakness and provoked him to betray the Lord for love of money. However, one who has the character of righteousness worked out in their lives effectively stands against the enemy and there is no place for him to get in. We must as believers deal with all sin and unrighteousness; I would commend the prayer of our Lord in Heb 5:7 – “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;” The Lord cried out resisting sin and temptation that He might walk a straight path and reside in the place where He always did those things which pleased His Father. What a beautiful testimony, what an apt description of righteousness “I do always those things which please my Father”; it is somewhat like the description of the kings as we read: “He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord”. O’ may we strive to reside in this place, what a power it gives us against the enemy, what a power to break sins (Dan 4:23 – break sin through righteousness).
Righteousness is one of the most powerful defenses we have against our adversary; the enemy is full of unrighteousness and therefore cannot penetrate the armor of one who is truly righteous. There are few things that unravel the victory of a believer quicker than unrighteousness in some area of their lives. We are not by these opening statements saying that if one is upright that our adversary cannot come against us and make our life difficult but rather it is to say he cannot get inside to exploit a weakness; as Jesus said, “…the enemy comes (he will most certainly come) and hath nothing in Me”. Lets use Judas as an example to illustrate what we are saying; he is one who was not protected from the wiles of the devil because of a breach in his armor (unrighteousness through covetousness) and as a result the enemy found a place to get in, he open the door to the enemy through covetousness. Because there was unrighteousness in him there was a weakness in his life that the enemy could exploit and did, Satan entered into him through his weakness and provoked him to betray the Lord for love of money. However, one who has the character of righteousness worked out in their lives effectively stands against the enemy and there is no place for him to get in. We must as believers deal with all sin and unrighteousness; I would commend the prayer of our Lord in Heb 5:7 – “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;” The Lord cried out resisting sin and temptation that He might walk a straight path and reside in the place where He always did those things which pleased His Father. What a beautiful testimony, what an apt description of righteousness “I do always those things which please my Father”; it is somewhat like the description of the kings as we read: “He did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord”. O’ may we strive to reside in this place, what a power it gives us against the enemy, what a power to break sins (Dan 4:23 – break sin through righteousness).
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
The armor of God...cont.
“Having your loins girt about with truth…”
As believers we must be lovers of the truth. Christ is described in John 14:6 as “The Way the Truth and the Life”. He is the truth; there is nothing false in Him and so we gird ourselves with truth when we, just like Christ, embrace and walk in present truth not living a lie (living a lie is confessing one thing but living another). Let us consider for a moment, what is truth? It is having Gods true balance on a given matter and not our own intellectual conclusions. In short it’s having the same balanced opinion as God; confessing what He is confessing, embracing what He is saying. One might find at times what He is saying is painful to hear; for He said to one man “…one thing thou lackest…” or to a group of believers “I have somewhat against thee…” This was Gods conclusion, was this truth embraced? We may find ourselves at the receiving end of such truth, how will we receive it?
Loving the truth is having integrity of heart not deceiving ourselves, thinking more highly than we ought to of ourselves. Having a balance works the other way as well, not becoming overwhelmed by our faults when in actuality God’s assessment of us is good (1 John 3:20 – “Beloved If your heart condemn you God is greater than your heart”). Embracing the truth is to be rid of all falsehoods and hypocrisy. It is having the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart acceptable in His sight.
There is another aspect of being gird about with truth and it is illustrated for us in 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. In this instance truth is doctrine; doctrine is so important, it determines where we are going in the Lord, this too requires integrity of heart. Jesus clearly established the connection between the condition of one’s heart and understanding truth, or good doctrine when he stated in John 7:17 that if any man will do His will he shall know the doctrine (understanding truth or good doctrine protects us from being deceived).
In summary we can say this, a false balance is an abomination to the Lord and this applies to the truth as well, whether the truth be for us or against us. This true balance is part of the armor of God needed to defeat Satan and also possessing it gives us a good footing. Finally, we know the Father seeks for those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24) we must also remind ourselves it is loving the truth indeed, which sets us free (John 8:32).
As believers we must be lovers of the truth. Christ is described in John 14:6 as “The Way the Truth and the Life”. He is the truth; there is nothing false in Him and so we gird ourselves with truth when we, just like Christ, embrace and walk in present truth not living a lie (living a lie is confessing one thing but living another). Let us consider for a moment, what is truth? It is having Gods true balance on a given matter and not our own intellectual conclusions. In short it’s having the same balanced opinion as God; confessing what He is confessing, embracing what He is saying. One might find at times what He is saying is painful to hear; for He said to one man “…one thing thou lackest…” or to a group of believers “I have somewhat against thee…” This was Gods conclusion, was this truth embraced? We may find ourselves at the receiving end of such truth, how will we receive it?
Loving the truth is having integrity of heart not deceiving ourselves, thinking more highly than we ought to of ourselves. Having a balance works the other way as well, not becoming overwhelmed by our faults when in actuality God’s assessment of us is good (1 John 3:20 – “Beloved If your heart condemn you God is greater than your heart”). Embracing the truth is to be rid of all falsehoods and hypocrisy. It is having the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart acceptable in His sight.
There is another aspect of being gird about with truth and it is illustrated for us in 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. In this instance truth is doctrine; doctrine is so important, it determines where we are going in the Lord, this too requires integrity of heart. Jesus clearly established the connection between the condition of one’s heart and understanding truth, or good doctrine when he stated in John 7:17 that if any man will do His will he shall know the doctrine (understanding truth or good doctrine protects us from being deceived).
In summary we can say this, a false balance is an abomination to the Lord and this applies to the truth as well, whether the truth be for us or against us. This true balance is part of the armor of God needed to defeat Satan and also possessing it gives us a good footing. Finally, we know the Father seeks for those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24) we must also remind ourselves it is loving the truth indeed, which sets us free (John 8:32).
The armor of God
Introduction:
Ephesians 6:11-17 – “Put on the whole armor of God...” Paul is counseling the Ephesian saints to put on what he calls “The whole armor of God”. I must confess that prior to undertaking this study the armor of God always seemed a bit mysterious to me; I didn’t understand how it was to work. Was it representative of some external accoutrement’s God put on some people? How do I put it on and what does it feel like? However after undertaking this study the Lord has opened up my eyes to what Paul means by this armor of God. When Paul is speaking here of the armor of God he is stating that this armor is in fact representative of attributes that the believer is to possess in their personal character and once they do then they are able to stand and even advance against the enemy. Paul said that we are more than conquerors, the armor of God illustrates how that is to be.
I want to note at this point that this armor is not used to combat worldliness (a task completed through circumcision of heart; Galatians 2:20 & Romans 6:6) nor is it used to overcome the works of the flesh (for that we refer you to Colossians 3) but it is to combat the devil “...that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”. Therefore, this armor represents qualities or virtues that a mature saint possesses, or should be striving to possess, in their personal character (I will comment that Adam & Eve did not have this armor when they were tempted by Satan and fell. However, Christ did possess this armor during His temptation and was victorious over the devil.). This armor will preserve the saint so the enemy does not have access to them but it will also equip them with the tools needed to advance against the devil.
Let’s look into this armor:
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Proverbs Introduction
It has been sometime since I have posted to my blog, I have been very, very busy and also I must confess I am a terrible procrastinator. Of recent I have been possessed with the book of Porverbs; here is a first submission as an introduction to the book:
Prov 1:1-4 – the scope of the book
V:1 – to whom it is addressed – a king; these are truths given to royalty for royalty. 1 Peter 2:9 - We are called to be kings and priests; proverbs are essential to ruling and reigning.
V:2 – To Know: Wisdom - what – to know what to do; Instruction – how to – the how to do it;
Understanding – why – appreciate why it is so important. Note: if the conclusions we draw in life are not right our actions will not be right. Many times the conclusion one draws is because of a flaw in their character; therefore wisdom is a character issue as well (Prov 17:16 – no heart for it).
V:3 – To receive the instruction of wisdom. This is the capability to receive wisdom; able to grasp it; able to appreciate it. Prov 17:16 – “seeing he has no heart to it” – it would be of no use for the fool to buy wisdom, if it could be bought, since he has no ability to grasp it.
He cannot grasp it
He cannot appreciate its worth
We must seek God for the ability to even grasp it – Prov 1 & 8 - wisdom cries out in the streets but how many grasp it and embrace; it is because they do not have a heart to it…The inevitable end of those void of wisdom is destruction; people are destroyed for a lack of it. One can have wisdom in one area of their lives and yet be brutish (stupid) in another; we want wisdom to fill our being. Therefore desire wisdom more than gold or rubies; all things that can be compared to wisdom do not equal it! We must search for it as for hidden treasure and lift up our voice to God for it!
V:4 – Subtlety, knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil; Wisdom is the principle thing!
Principle Characters:
1. The Father
Without wisdom it is impossible to fully bring pleasure to the heart of God; he takes no delight in foolishness and stupidity. He is compassionate on the ignorant but he takes no delight in their choices. He is the Father who wishes to take delight in a wise son and a virtuous daughter and He encourages us to seek for wisdom with all our heart. It was because of the wisdom of the Son that He took such great delight in Him in Proverbs 8.
2. The Wise Son
Jesus – I do always those things, which please my Father. Prov 8-9 – wisdom personified, the father takes great delight in the wise son, He is diligent.
3. Virtuous Woman
She does always those things, which please her husband and builds up her family; Prov 31 – dedicated to this type of woman. Prov 9 – she builds her house with the 7 pillars of wisdom. She is industrious
4. The Foolish Son
He brings shame upon the father; He troubles his house – sinful man. He is easily enticed by the harlot and drawn away from the right path; he is a great waster.
5. The Harlot
She brings shame on her husband and home; She plucks down her home and does not build it up. She is not a keeper at home. Prov 9:13 – she is clamorous – no control over her mouth, no restraint; The virtuous woman builds her husband up but she is a destroyer of mens souls
V:1 – to whom it is addressed – a king; these are truths given to royalty for royalty. 1 Peter 2:9 - We are called to be kings and priests; proverbs are essential to ruling and reigning.
V:2 – To Know: Wisdom - what – to know what to do; Instruction – how to – the how to do it;
Understanding – why – appreciate why it is so important. Note: if the conclusions we draw in life are not right our actions will not be right. Many times the conclusion one draws is because of a flaw in their character; therefore wisdom is a character issue as well (Prov 17:16 – no heart for it).
V:3 – To receive the instruction of wisdom. This is the capability to receive wisdom; able to grasp it; able to appreciate it. Prov 17:16 – “seeing he has no heart to it” – it would be of no use for the fool to buy wisdom, if it could be bought, since he has no ability to grasp it.
He cannot grasp it
He cannot appreciate its worth
We must seek God for the ability to even grasp it – Prov 1 & 8 - wisdom cries out in the streets but how many grasp it and embrace; it is because they do not have a heart to it…The inevitable end of those void of wisdom is destruction; people are destroyed for a lack of it. One can have wisdom in one area of their lives and yet be brutish (stupid) in another; we want wisdom to fill our being. Therefore desire wisdom more than gold or rubies; all things that can be compared to wisdom do not equal it! We must search for it as for hidden treasure and lift up our voice to God for it!
V:4 – Subtlety, knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil; Wisdom is the principle thing!
Principle Characters:
1. The Father
Without wisdom it is impossible to fully bring pleasure to the heart of God; he takes no delight in foolishness and stupidity. He is compassionate on the ignorant but he takes no delight in their choices. He is the Father who wishes to take delight in a wise son and a virtuous daughter and He encourages us to seek for wisdom with all our heart. It was because of the wisdom of the Son that He took such great delight in Him in Proverbs 8.
2. The Wise Son
Jesus – I do always those things, which please my Father. Prov 8-9 – wisdom personified, the father takes great delight in the wise son, He is diligent.
3. Virtuous Woman
She does always those things, which please her husband and builds up her family; Prov 31 – dedicated to this type of woman. Prov 9 – she builds her house with the 7 pillars of wisdom. She is industrious
4. The Foolish Son
He brings shame upon the father; He troubles his house – sinful man. He is easily enticed by the harlot and drawn away from the right path; he is a great waster.
5. The Harlot
She brings shame on her husband and home; She plucks down her home and does not build it up. She is not a keeper at home. Prov 9:13 – she is clamorous – no control over her mouth, no restraint; The virtuous woman builds her husband up but she is a destroyer of mens souls
Sunday, April 09, 2006
BROKEN CISTERNS Part IV
Other Broken Cisterns
Besides loving the things of this world there are other broken cisterns and I want look into them. It is important that we see with the eyes of the Lord the following verses so we can see what God is warning His people about. The prophet picks up this theme again in Chapter 9: Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, [the fountain of living waters] that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” We see three other broken cisterns, human wisdom; human strength or abilities and the false security of money and wealth.
RICHES
1 Timothy 6:17 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;” Note the phrase “uncertain riches”; this is clearly a broken cistern. Sometimes one can get caught up saying, “If only I had lots of money to do what I want, and then I would be truly happy”. One might consider that the same as saying: “If I had all the money I wanted then I wouldn't have to trust anyone for my daily needs!” Yet, in actuality riches are quite uncertain, they can come today and go tomorrow without warning. The Lord Jesus, however, is very certain, very stable and is worthy of our devotion and trust. Let me illustrate this by something that happened to me. I well remember a time when I was pastoring a small church in New York. The church was too small to give us a living wage and the job market in the area was very depressed so I could not find a decent job. During my time there I was brought to a place where I literally did not know where the money was going to come from to pay for our rent, utilities and daily necessities. I was so overwhelmed by this burden of how to provide for my family that in the middle of the night I was driven into the woods to cry out to God and weep before Him; while kneeling in the woods in the middle of the night I simply got one phrase, “I am your loving heavenly Father and I will take care of your needs”. At the time it was almost impossible to see how God would provide, I might have said that if I had a lot of money right now I would be happy but in truth there were other ways God was going to make me rich; rich in faith and trust and I would learn how to lean on the arm of my beloved. We did not have any extra but God provided for our every need even to this day! I didn’t need more money; I needed more grace.
Paul also said this to Timothy: 1 Timothy 6:6-8 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” Don't become caught up in vain pursuits, riches are snares, seek the one who is the fountain of living waters. 1 Timothy 6:9-10 “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Don't fall in love with money; it will bind you. The best policy is this; don't allow yourself to trust in bank accounts and money, learn to walk in loving obedience to the Master and see the hand of the Lord provide for your daily needs.
May God truly bless each and every one of you.
Rev. Frank R Anderson
Besides loving the things of this world there are other broken cisterns and I want look into them. It is important that we see with the eyes of the Lord the following verses so we can see what God is warning His people about. The prophet picks up this theme again in Chapter 9: Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, [the fountain of living waters] that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” We see three other broken cisterns, human wisdom; human strength or abilities and the false security of money and wealth.
RICHES
1 Timothy 6:17 “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;” Note the phrase “uncertain riches”; this is clearly a broken cistern. Sometimes one can get caught up saying, “If only I had lots of money to do what I want, and then I would be truly happy”. One might consider that the same as saying: “If I had all the money I wanted then I wouldn't have to trust anyone for my daily needs!” Yet, in actuality riches are quite uncertain, they can come today and go tomorrow without warning. The Lord Jesus, however, is very certain, very stable and is worthy of our devotion and trust. Let me illustrate this by something that happened to me. I well remember a time when I was pastoring a small church in New York. The church was too small to give us a living wage and the job market in the area was very depressed so I could not find a decent job. During my time there I was brought to a place where I literally did not know where the money was going to come from to pay for our rent, utilities and daily necessities. I was so overwhelmed by this burden of how to provide for my family that in the middle of the night I was driven into the woods to cry out to God and weep before Him; while kneeling in the woods in the middle of the night I simply got one phrase, “I am your loving heavenly Father and I will take care of your needs”. At the time it was almost impossible to see how God would provide, I might have said that if I had a lot of money right now I would be happy but in truth there were other ways God was going to make me rich; rich in faith and trust and I would learn how to lean on the arm of my beloved. We did not have any extra but God provided for our every need even to this day! I didn’t need more money; I needed more grace.
Paul also said this to Timothy: 1 Timothy 6:6-8 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” Don't become caught up in vain pursuits, riches are snares, seek the one who is the fountain of living waters. 1 Timothy 6:9-10 “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Don't fall in love with money; it will bind you. The best policy is this; don't allow yourself to trust in bank accounts and money, learn to walk in loving obedience to the Master and see the hand of the Lord provide for your daily needs.
May God truly bless each and every one of you.
Rev. Frank R Anderson
BROKEN CISTERNS Part III
Other Broken Cisterns
Besides loving the things of this world there are other broken cisterns and I want look into them. It is important that we see with the eyes of the Lord the following verses so we can see what God is warning His people about. The prophet picks up this theme again in Chapter 9: Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, [the fountain of living waters] that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” We see three other broken cisterns, human wisdom; human strength or abilities and the false security of money and wealth.
MIGHT
The prophet also listed strength as a broken cistern; 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” The weak things of this world to confound the things which are mighty; it is a sign of Gods favor on your life when he touch's your strength or ignores your talents. He might touch our strength by giving some physical limitations, he could do it through pressures, He could do it through people who have authority over us. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” God has to bring us at times to the end of our strength, so we don't swell with self-confidence.
I am sure you remember what Jesus, the Son of God told everyone; John 5:19 “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” Also, he continues later in the same chapter; John 5:30 “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” Later in the book of John he further drives home this point; John 8:28 “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” The Lord was trying to make his disciples understand that the power He possessed was the result of His submission to His Father. It was not of Himself; His own strength or His own might (although He was the Son of God); it was His dependency on His loving Heavenly Father. The point is further illustrated for us in John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
We want to come to the place where we know that in ourselves we can do nothing. Why is this so important? It is because man is so easily lifted up in pride and arrogance; the fallen nature wants to be recognized and praised for its accomplishments. That posses a problem for the Godhead since 1 Corinthians tells us in v: 29 “That no flesh should glory in his presence”. Also, 1 Corinthians 1:31 states “…He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” As true believers let us glory in the Lord; He is our fountain of living water!
May God truly bless each and every one of you.
Rev. Frank R Anderson
Besides loving the things of this world there are other broken cisterns and I want look into them. It is important that we see with the eyes of the Lord the following verses so we can see what God is warning His people about. The prophet picks up this theme again in Chapter 9: Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, [the fountain of living waters] that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” We see three other broken cisterns, human wisdom; human strength or abilities and the false security of money and wealth.
MIGHT
The prophet also listed strength as a broken cistern; 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” The weak things of this world to confound the things which are mighty; it is a sign of Gods favor on your life when he touch's your strength or ignores your talents. He might touch our strength by giving some physical limitations, he could do it through pressures, He could do it through people who have authority over us. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:12 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” God has to bring us at times to the end of our strength, so we don't swell with self-confidence.
I am sure you remember what Jesus, the Son of God told everyone; John 5:19 “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” Also, he continues later in the same chapter; John 5:30 “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” Later in the book of John he further drives home this point; John 8:28 “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” The Lord was trying to make his disciples understand that the power He possessed was the result of His submission to His Father. It was not of Himself; His own strength or His own might (although He was the Son of God); it was His dependency on His loving Heavenly Father. The point is further illustrated for us in John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
We want to come to the place where we know that in ourselves we can do nothing. Why is this so important? It is because man is so easily lifted up in pride and arrogance; the fallen nature wants to be recognized and praised for its accomplishments. That posses a problem for the Godhead since 1 Corinthians tells us in v: 29 “That no flesh should glory in his presence”. Also, 1 Corinthians 1:31 states “…He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” As true believers let us glory in the Lord; He is our fountain of living water!
May God truly bless each and every one of you.
Rev. Frank R Anderson
BROKEN CISTERNS Part II
Other Broken Cisterns
Besides loving the things of this world there are other broken cisterns and I want look into them. It is important that we see with the eyes of the Lord the following verses so we can see what God is warning His people about. The prophet picks up this theme again in Chapter 9: Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, [the fountain of living waters] that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” We see three other broken cisterns, human wisdom; human strength or abilities and the false security of money and wealth.
HUMAN WISDOM
A broken cistern of today that Gods people are turning to for satisfaction is human wisdom. One needs to be careful here; let us remember that human wisdom stems from the fallen human nature. God has made it very clear in the scriptures that our thoughts are not His thoughts and our ways are not His ways; we also have this that the human mind is continually at enmity with God. Peter speaking out of his own human thinking argued with the Lord when Jesus spoke of His soon departure and the method of His death, “surely this shall not be”, Peter made an assumption using his own reasoning and The Lord Himself rebuked his little declaration and condemned his speech as the words of Satan. We must be very careful in this area, there is only one truth, there is only one right and it is founded in the Word of God and the Words of Jesus Christ.
I want to give a little counsel to those who depend on psychology, even Christian psychology. Psychology is the study of the human mind and how it works. One should be very careful about feeding on this, the human mind is incapable of discerning Gods thoughts; at it’s best it is unreliable, and at it’s worst it is wicked. Bear in mind what Jeremiah said in 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Why study the mind to try and figure it out? The book of Proverbs tells us the fool is the one who seeks to know his own heart: Proverbs 18:2 “A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.”
We find the real power over the mind in Romans 12:2 “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This comes by seeking he who is the fountain of living waters. This word transformed is actually “metamorpho”, which is where we get our word “metamorphosis” or “to transform”. It is the same process that changes a caterpillar into a butterfly. We don't need to know the human mind; we want to know the mind of Christ. This word for “transform” is also translated “transfigure” in Matthew 17:2, and Mark. 9:2. The same word is used in 2 Corinthians 3:18 and is translated “Changed”. 2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
In reality this is where the metamorphosis takes place; our human minds are fallen, corrupt, we don't need intellect we need The Spirit of God to touch us and renew our minds. The Lord is the fountain of living water, only He can satisfy. He is the only one we need. The Apostle Paul also gives stern warning in the book of Colossians: Col 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Psychology is vain deceit after the rudiment of this world; it is not of Christ and therefore, it can only leave one with more questions about truth than they started with. Col 2:9-10 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” On He can satisfy, complete us. Is Jesus satisfying to us or do we need other things? Answer the following questions as honestly as you can:
Do you need to have earthly things to be happy and secure?
Do you feel confident in your own strength and abilities?
Does your intellect need to be titillated with human wisdom?
If any of these are true of us, then we may be drinking from a broken cistern and we may have already forsaken the fountain of living water. Dear ones let us conclude this essay with words from the book of Colossians: Col 2:9-10 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Christ came that we might find in him our all sufficiency; let us do His sacrifice for us justice by making Him our all in all.
May God truly bless each and every one of you.
Rev. Frank R Anderson
Besides loving the things of this world there are other broken cisterns and I want look into them. It is important that we see with the eyes of the Lord the following verses so we can see what God is warning His people about. The prophet picks up this theme again in Chapter 9: Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, [the fountain of living waters] that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.” We see three other broken cisterns, human wisdom; human strength or abilities and the false security of money and wealth.
HUMAN WISDOM
A broken cistern of today that Gods people are turning to for satisfaction is human wisdom. One needs to be careful here; let us remember that human wisdom stems from the fallen human nature. God has made it very clear in the scriptures that our thoughts are not His thoughts and our ways are not His ways; we also have this that the human mind is continually at enmity with God. Peter speaking out of his own human thinking argued with the Lord when Jesus spoke of His soon departure and the method of His death, “surely this shall not be”, Peter made an assumption using his own reasoning and The Lord Himself rebuked his little declaration and condemned his speech as the words of Satan. We must be very careful in this area, there is only one truth, there is only one right and it is founded in the Word of God and the Words of Jesus Christ.
I want to give a little counsel to those who depend on psychology, even Christian psychology. Psychology is the study of the human mind and how it works. One should be very careful about feeding on this, the human mind is incapable of discerning Gods thoughts; at it’s best it is unreliable, and at it’s worst it is wicked. Bear in mind what Jeremiah said in 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Why study the mind to try and figure it out? The book of Proverbs tells us the fool is the one who seeks to know his own heart: Proverbs 18:2 “A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.”
We find the real power over the mind in Romans 12:2 “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This comes by seeking he who is the fountain of living waters. This word transformed is actually “metamorpho”, which is where we get our word “metamorphosis” or “to transform”. It is the same process that changes a caterpillar into a butterfly. We don't need to know the human mind; we want to know the mind of Christ. This word for “transform” is also translated “transfigure” in Matthew 17:2, and Mark. 9:2. The same word is used in 2 Corinthians 3:18 and is translated “Changed”. 2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
In reality this is where the metamorphosis takes place; our human minds are fallen, corrupt, we don't need intellect we need The Spirit of God to touch us and renew our minds. The Lord is the fountain of living water, only He can satisfy. He is the only one we need. The Apostle Paul also gives stern warning in the book of Colossians: Col 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Psychology is vain deceit after the rudiment of this world; it is not of Christ and therefore, it can only leave one with more questions about truth than they started with. Col 2:9-10 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” On He can satisfy, complete us. Is Jesus satisfying to us or do we need other things? Answer the following questions as honestly as you can:
Do you need to have earthly things to be happy and secure?
Do you feel confident in your own strength and abilities?
Does your intellect need to be titillated with human wisdom?
If any of these are true of us, then we may be drinking from a broken cistern and we may have already forsaken the fountain of living water. Dear ones let us conclude this essay with words from the book of Colossians: Col 2:9-10 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Christ came that we might find in him our all sufficiency; let us do His sacrifice for us justice by making Him our all in all.
May God truly bless each and every one of you.
Rev. Frank R Anderson
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
BROKEN CISTERNS
BROKEN CISTERNS
Part I
I want to ask us all one simple question, Is Jesus Christ our fountain of living water? Does Jesus Christ truly satisfy us?
I assume you know, of course, that not all of God's people are satisfied with him alone. Some turn to other things of this world for their satisfaction. I want to consider with you something Jeremiah said to the people of his day that applies to our day as well. Namely that Gods people, ones who once burned for him, can become cold and look to other worldly things to satisfy them. This was indeed the condition of Jeremiah's time; Jeremiah 2:12, 13 “Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water”
Forsaking the Fountain of Living Waters for Broken Cisterns
The prophet Jeremiah points out to his generation that there are 2 evils being committed (by His people): First, they had forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water. This very much has application to us today because in order for us to be truly committed Christians we must be convinced that only Jesus Christ truly satisfies, He is our fountain of living water. This truth is exemplified for us in John 7:37,38 “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Secondly, Gods people had hewn out for themselves broken cisterns. A cistern is a reservoir made out of earth, like a pond, or carved out of rock; metaphorically these cisterns are other pleasures that were pursued for satisfaction and fulfillment. They had before them the Lord Himself, the fountain of living water, and yet they turn to a manmade broken cistern; a device that is faulty and can fail in its duty to hold water, not to mention problems with stagnation.
Therefore the prophet continues his indictment: Jeremiah 2:18 “And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt (World), to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
The people of God were finding their satisfaction from the rivers of Egypt and Assyria. Here's the problem in a nutshell, Gods people are drinking from the waters of Egypt! Egypt has long been recognized as speaking of the world, to put it into today’s setting we would say these cisterns represent the music of the world, dress of the world, talk of the world, entertainment of the world etc. When one drinks from the waters of Egypt, their desire for the Lord begins to die and they no longer find that he satisfies. They become disconnected from Him and become bored with the church and Gods people.
Here is the inevitable end of those who turn to the things of this world Jeremiah 2:19 “Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.” It is indeed a tragic thing, when the people of God make the wrong choices in what they choose to satisfy themselves, the consequences of those choices more times than not is that these things end up hindering their walk and hold them back from the things of God.
Part I
I want to ask us all one simple question, Is Jesus Christ our fountain of living water? Does Jesus Christ truly satisfy us?
I assume you know, of course, that not all of God's people are satisfied with him alone. Some turn to other things of this world for their satisfaction. I want to consider with you something Jeremiah said to the people of his day that applies to our day as well. Namely that Gods people, ones who once burned for him, can become cold and look to other worldly things to satisfy them. This was indeed the condition of Jeremiah's time; Jeremiah 2:12, 13 “Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water”
Forsaking the Fountain of Living Waters for Broken Cisterns
The prophet Jeremiah points out to his generation that there are 2 evils being committed (by His people): First, they had forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living water. This very much has application to us today because in order for us to be truly committed Christians we must be convinced that only Jesus Christ truly satisfies, He is our fountain of living water. This truth is exemplified for us in John 7:37,38 “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Secondly, Gods people had hewn out for themselves broken cisterns. A cistern is a reservoir made out of earth, like a pond, or carved out of rock; metaphorically these cisterns are other pleasures that were pursued for satisfaction and fulfillment. They had before them the Lord Himself, the fountain of living water, and yet they turn to a manmade broken cistern; a device that is faulty and can fail in its duty to hold water, not to mention problems with stagnation.
Therefore the prophet continues his indictment: Jeremiah 2:18 “And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt (World), to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
The people of God were finding their satisfaction from the rivers of Egypt and Assyria. Here's the problem in a nutshell, Gods people are drinking from the waters of Egypt! Egypt has long been recognized as speaking of the world, to put it into today’s setting we would say these cisterns represent the music of the world, dress of the world, talk of the world, entertainment of the world etc. When one drinks from the waters of Egypt, their desire for the Lord begins to die and they no longer find that he satisfies. They become disconnected from Him and become bored with the church and Gods people.
Here is the inevitable end of those who turn to the things of this world Jeremiah 2:19 “Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.” It is indeed a tragic thing, when the people of God make the wrong choices in what they choose to satisfy themselves, the consequences of those choices more times than not is that these things end up hindering their walk and hold them back from the things of God.
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