2020 Mar 20 Proverbs 9, James 4, Psalm 119 Preview 6, weekly CTC
2020 Mar 20 Proverbs 9, James 4, Psalm 119 Preview 6, weekly CTC
Welcome, wishing you safe and well this day! Please continue consideration for others in our emergency. Let's continue in Proverbs 9, verses 10-12, then include a related Christian Small Letter Commentary from James 4, consider the final preview of Psalm 119 stanzas 20-22, and finally replay the weekly "COME TO CONSENSUS CORNER."
"10
The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, And knowledge of the
Most Holy One is understanding. 11 For by me your days will be many, And
years will be added to your life. 12 If you become wise, you are wise
to your own advantage, But if you are a ridiculer, you alone will bear
it."
Prove 9:10 Learning to respect and fear God properly
is the proper motive for beginning to obtain divine wisdom. Without respecting our Creator, the Bible mentions a type of wisdom that is not divine, saying "this is not the wisdom that comes down from above; it is earthly, animalistic, demonic." (James 3:15). Recall also
that the fear of Jehovah means the hating of bad. We must fear to
displease God, fear hurting Him in any way by sinning against Him or
others. Remember that God warns us from sin for our benefit--He knows
the sad results of bad thinking, decisions and actions, and wants us to
avoid such and find true happiness in life. Also, genuine knowledge is
gained with divine understanding, aiming to see the big picture, and see how
each piece fits in with the others, seeking God's view of matters. This is especially important with
the gaining of divine knowledge.
"11 For by me your days will be many, And years will be added to your life."
Prove
9:11 By true wisdom we can happily hope in divine favor and endless
life with a closeness to God, a loyal marriage partner, and earth-wide
family and friends. And only Jehovah GOD can return life to our ancestors and loved ones of the past, who have been "sleeping in death." God yearns to bring them back to us! Imagine eternal life knowing those we love, loving God and us, are safe, secure and happy with Jehovah!
"12 If you become wise, you are wise to your own advantage, But if you are a ridiculer, you alone will bear it."
Prove
9:12 True wisdom acting in harmony with godly love looks out for the
benefit of all persons, but certainly it also benefits ourselves,
helping us find true success in life. However, starkly opposed to true
wisdom is the practice of ridiculing or even reviling others. A
fault-finder is not loving, and is not benefitting himself or others by
his negative thinking. If he continues, he will actually bring much
trouble and have to deal with the consequences. Clearly being in the habit of ridiculing others to exalt oneself does not contribute to true, divine, or lasting wisdom.
**154 Defend me and rescue me; Preserve me alive in harmony with your promise.
**155 Salvation is far away from the wicked, For they have not searched for your [instructions].
**156 Your mercy is great, O Jehovah. Preserve me alive in harmony with your justice.
157 My persecutors and my adversaries are many; But I have not deviated from your reminders.
*158 I look on the treacherous with loathing, Because they do not keep your saying.
159 See how I love your orders! O Jehovah, preserve me alive because of your loyal love.
160 The very essence of your word is truth, And all your righteous judgments endure forever.
*163 I hate falsehood—I detest it—I love your law.
*164 Seven times a day I praise you Because of your righteous judgments.
**165 Abundant peace belongs to those who love your law; Nothing can make them stumble.
*166 I hope for your acts of salvation, O Jehovah, And I observe your commandments.
167 I keep your reminders, And I love them dearly.
**168 I observe your orders and your reminders, For you are aware of all that I do.
STANZA 22 THEME: JEHOVAH WORTHY OF PRAISE, GOD OF SALVATION FOR THOSE WILLING TO BE TAUGHT HIS LAW.
*170 May my request for favor come before you. Save me, as you have promised.
*171 May my lips overflow with praise, For you teach me your [instructions].
**172 May my tongue sing about your saying, For all your commandments are righteous.
**173 May your hand be ready to help me, Because I choose to obey your orders.
174 I long for your salvation, O Jehovah, And I am fond of your law.
**175 Let me live so that I may praise you; May your judgments be my help.
LIFT UP YOUR EYES ...As we began to consider previously, man’s Creator, GOD, has demonstrated great love, power, wisdom, and even a sense of justice in the way He made the Universe, this planet, and all that is on and within it. This includes such an incredible variety of creatures, and food supporting man, who according to GOD’s inspired Word, the Bible, is the only physical, or physiological, creature made “in GOD’s image,” or after HIS likeness, having capacity for the same qualities and full character such as HE has (Genesis 1:26). The Bible opens with these inspiring words: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). Who has raised their eyes to a clear night sky, away from city lights, and not been impressed by the vastness and the sheer number and presumed order of the stars reaching our planet’s view. Notice what the Bible says regarding this: “26 “Lift up your eyes to heaven and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who brings out their army by number; He calls them all by name. Because of his vast dynamic energy and his awe-inspiring power, Not one of them is missing.” (Isaiah 40:26).
DEEPLY IMPRESSED? If you had all the names of these stars in front of you, how many of them could you recall? How long would it take you to learn a thousand, a million, a billion, a trillion? As GOD created them, He reasonably named them, over aeons of time, and Has the capacity to remain familiar with each one. Can we not be deeply impressed, and inspired, as we contemplate and ponder GOD’s great power? Previous to that verse in the Bible book of Isaiah, comes this question from GOD Himself: “25 “To whom can you liken me to make me his equal?” says the Holy One.” Thus, no creation of GOD deserves the same respect, devotion, even worship that only GOD deserves. And by GOD’s own word, another of His inspiring qualities comes to the fore: He is “the Holy One.” Contrary to some opinion, this quality should be quite attractive—it means GOD is pure, clean, uncorrupt, never abusive of His power. That quality does not make Him arrogant, rather it is as He says at Isaiah 57:15: “15 For this is what the High and Lofty One says, Who lives forever and whose name is holy: “I reside in the high and holy place, But also with those crushed and lowly in spirit, To revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of those being crushed.” Thus this quality is in agreement with His primary quality, LOVE.
THE GOD WHO “IS LOVE”
LOVING GOD AND NEIGHBOR. Not only has GOD revealed tremendous love in the way He made mankind and this earth, but His Word, the Bible, actually goes into greater detail on how this quality is cultivated and demonstrated. Other qualities come together to make up this crowning quality of LOVE, which is not only shown by GOD, but should be shown by humans for GOD and for other humans. GOD’s Son Jesus, revealed the greatest commandments of GOD’s law to descendants of HIS servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, renamed Israel, whose lives are depicted in the first Bible book of Genesis. That law is detailed in the Bible books of Exodus and Leviticus. The fifth book of Deuteronomy explains some of that law, in encouraging GOD’s people at that time to love and obey Him implicitly, en route to the Promised Land of their inheritance. GOD had loyally promised Abraham that his descendants would acquire a land of Promise, a land “flowing with milk and honey.” (Exodus 3:8). The commandments Jesus said were greatest had to do with LOVE—we are to love GOD with all we have, and then our neighbor as ourselves. (Matthew 22:37-39). We show our love for GOD by obeying Him (1John 5:3). IT IS GOD WHO KNOWS BEST HOW HUMANS CAN DWELL TOGETHER IN TRUE PEACE AND HAPPINESS—BY OBEYING GOD FIRST WE THUS MAKE HIM HAPPY AND SHOW MORE COMPLETE LOVE TO OTHERS AND PROMOTE GENUINE UNITY.
BLESSED FOR OBEDIENCE. Abraham’s descendants eventually ended up in Egypt, as slaves, but at GOD’s appointed time, HE loyally saved them from their plight, and keeping His promise to His faithful servant Abraham, eventually brought them into the Land Promised to them. When they obeyed GOD, they were blessed, and under the rule of David’s son Solomon, there was extraordinary peace and prosperity, as a foregleam of earthwide promises GOD has made for the near future in our day, under the promised rule of “a son of man,” born in the line of David, with even greater blessings by GOD. (1Kings 4:25; Jeremiah 23:5; Daniel 7:13-14; Psalm 72:7-8; Psalm 132:10-11; Luke 18:7-8). The Bible book of Revelation, among other Bible books, foretells blessings of a government on earth having HIS approval.
GOD’S PURPOSES LOVING, BENEFICIAL, ENLIGHTENING AND TRUSTWORTHY
HE WILL WIPE OUT EVERY TEAR. Revelation makes this promise: “3 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4). Must all people ascend to heaven for true happiness and peace, or is it possible that such conditions could, with GOD’s blessing, come about right here on planet Earth, “with mankind?”!! The Creator, GOD Himself, has an incredible record of reliability regarding His purposes, just as HE was able to rescue His people Israel out of slavery in Egypt, out of the hands of Pharaoh’s army, parting the Red Sea for their escape, where to this day is evidence of Pharaoh’s chariots and chariot wheels, which God’s word stated HE was removing from the chariots as HE fought against them to protect Israel. (Exodus 14:25, KJV).
TRUST GOD AND HIS WORD FOR SALVATION. What of Pharaoh’s army, who perished in the Red Sea? This story makes it clear that people need FAITH, or CONFIDENCE IN GOD AND HIS WORD for salvation and happiness. How so? You may recall that this occurred only after the Tenth Plague on Egypt, the striking of the firstborn. JEHOVAH is a GOD of freedom—so HE allows people to choose their own course, although there are often consequences to bad decisions. God allowed Pharaoh to become so stubborn, despite all the proof of GOD’s great power over the other gods of Egypt. Still, all that was necessary was the placing of the blood of a lamb or a goat on the doorposts of a home, likely using the animal as for a life-saving meal, for the angel to “pass over” the house and not strike the firstborn. Those showing no faith in GOD or HIS WORD, and didn’t heed the warning, did suffer loss. Still, the seriousness of the matter of letting GOD’S PEOPLE GO and worship Him was also made clear—it had become a life or death matter to GOD. It was the Hebrew Joseph that GOD used to save countless lives in Egypt and elsewhere during the great famine. (Genesis 41:54-57). For hundreds of years Egypt had benefitted from Hebrew labor and toil. Yet, that time was up—rather, it was time for GOD to keep His promise to His Hebrew servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thus, chasing after GOD’s people, showing no faith in GOD’s power, was risky business. Israel, however, left with a vast mixed crowd of EGYPTIANS—WHO DID PUT FAITH IN GOD, and wanted to worship HIM among GOD’s people. (Exodus 12:38). Thus it was an individual choice to love and obey GOD or not. It is ultimately ENDLESS LIFE IN TRUE HAPPINESS that GOD PURPOSES for obedient mankind. (Psalm 37:29).
CONCLUSION:
JESUS’ SIMILAR PLEA. Did Jesus support this recommendation? Absolutely! Among the important statements He made when being tempted by God’s enemy Satan was this: “It is written: “ MAN MUST LIVE, NOT ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD COMING FROM JEHOVAH’S MOUTH. ” (Matthew 4:4). Thus, all should aim to become keenly aware of GOD’s instruction and guidance, benefitting from it regularly, just as we benefit from life-promoting food on a daily basis. Another Scripture stating the value of GOD’s written word, is found at 2Timothy 3:16-17.
UNDER THE RULE OF GOD’S GOVERNMENT, THE STANDARDS SET FORTH IN HIS WORD WILL MAKE POSSIBLE PUBLIC POLICIES THAT PROMOTE HONESTY, FAIRNESS, REASONABLENESS AND HAPPINESS.
It may be that even now adherence to GOD's word is allowing some success in policy-making and follow-through. Many of GOD’s policies are clearly set forth in His Word. Still, some questions remain: Is GOD’s word meant to be understood accurately? How so, and how might misunderstandings have hindered confidence in GOD? Also, how is GOD’s purpose Universal in scope, but what should come first? And, HOW IS IT THAT GOD’S STANDARDS ARE REALISTIC, REASONABLE, RELIABLE AND REWARDING?


2025 5C/8C (7Hul-8Lsg2) Find Life and See (7-9) Proverbs B (8) CTC Corner and WGA-B (9) Godlove Home




