Software Vault: The Diamond Collection/The Diamond Collection (Software Vault)(Digital Impact).ISO/cdr24/provso21.zip/PROVERBS.NTE

Text File | 1994-12-01 | 19KB | 469 lines

"My son, hear the instruction of thy  father,
and  forsake  not  the  law  of  thy  mother"
(Proverbs 1:8).

Notes:

        This  presupposes  that  the paternal
instruction is  wise, and  that the  mother's
law  is  according  to  the  truth.   It   is
unfortunately the case,  in the present  evil
age, that fathers  and mothers do  not always
afford to their offspring a guidance that  is
wholesome to  follow.   In a  sense not  very
important, it is doubtless safe as a  general
rule for  children to  follow the  counsel of
their  parents,  who  by  experience know the
workings  and  issues  of  things better than
children can.   But in  the higher  sense, it
rarely  happens  that  this  proverb  can  be
applied  to  one's  immediate  family circle.
What is to be  done?  The remedy  is obvious.
Solomon,  in  these  spirit-dictated  maxims,
stands well  in the  place of  a wise  father
and  mother,  and   therefore  supplies   any
natural  lack  there  may  be.   Let children
young  or  old,  adhere  to  the  instruction
afforded  by  the  law  laid  down  in  these
proverbs,  and  they   will,  at  the   last,
experience the  sweetness of  wisdom and  the
profitableness  incalculable  of  walking  in
her ways.
"Wisdom and instruction shall be an  ornament
of grace unto thy head, and chains about  thy
neck" (Proverbs 1:9).

Notes:

        True,   true.    Men   can   see  the
excellence of  wisdom, even  now.   Universal
experience endorses  the declaration  of Ecc.
2:13:   "Wisdom  excelleth  folly  as  far as
light   excelleth   darkness."     What    is
unlovely,   what   is   hideous   in    human
character,  what  is  destructive  of   human
wellbeing,  like  the  things  condemned   by
wisdom?   When  does  human  nature appear at
its best but when wisdom reigns in the  human
heart,  shaping  its  utterances  and guiding
its  ways?   It  is  one  of  the  numberless
proofs of  the divinity  of the  Bible that a
man, entirely subject to its precepts,  would
be  the  loveliest  specimen  of manhood upon
earth: a  fearer of  God, a  lover of  man, a
speaker  of  truth,  a  doer  of  justice,  a
performer of kindness,  a hater of  evil, yet
free of resentments, a forgiver of injury,  a
sufferer  of  evil,  a  rewarder  of  good, a
sympathizer with sorrow,  a man of  patience,
wise in counsel, magnanimous in view,  prompt
in  action,  industrious  in  life, hearty in
action,  true  in  friendship,  consistent in
life,  persevering  in  goodness,  noble   in
everything.
"My  son,  if  sinners  entice  thee, consent
thou not," (Proverbs 1:10).

Notes:

        Learn to say "No," especially to  act
on it.   Life depends upon  it.  The  want of
decision  will  land  us  in ruin, especially
when "enticement" is resorted to - a  drawing
of  a  man  from  his integrity, by plausible
considerations and inducements.  This is  the
time when firmness is  most wanted.  Few  men
are in danger  of consenting to  open glaring
sin: it is the  things that lead to  sin that
have to be guarded against.  It is the  small
beginnings  that  are  dangerous.   The  safe
rule is to make no compromise with sin.   Say
to sinners, especially  when they profess  to
be  saints   (it  is   then  they   are  most
formidable):  "I  am  obliged  to  say 'No' .
You  must  go  without  me."   The  momentary
embarrassment of  having to  refuse, will  be
rewarded  a  thousand   times  over  by   the
sweetness  of  finding  yourself  on the safe
road that  leads to  life, when  the enticing
sinners are  plunging headlong  in a  path of
destruction, whose insidious beginnings  they
were not able to discern.
"My  son,  walk  not  thou  in  the  way   of
sinners; refrain  thy foot  from their  path"
(Proverbs 1:15).

Notes:

        It is often inconvenient, but  always
wholesome,   to    refuse   partnership    or
companionship  with  evil  men.   It  takes a
little courage - sometimes much courage -  to
refuse;  but  the  courage  is well repaid by
the  sweetness  and  safety  that come of it.
It is of often difficult, in the  complicated
ways of  modern life  to know  just where  to
draw the  line; but,  as a  rule, a  just man
will instinctively put  his foot down  at the
right  place,  refusing  companionship in the
voluntary      occupation      of        mere
pleasure-followers,  and  standing  off  from
the  ways  and  customs  that  are  dear   to
sinners.  Where there  is doubt it is  better
to be  on the  safe side.   No evil  can come
from abstaining from  the very appearance  of
evil;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  you can
never be  sure you  are safe  when consorting
with  ungodly  men,  especially  in   ungodly
ways.  As Jesus  expresses it: "it is  better
to  enter  life  halt  or maimed, than having
preserved all to be devoured at the last".
"Sinners lay wait  for their own  blood; they
lurk privily for  their own lives"  (Proverbs
1:18).

Notes:

        They  don't  think   so,  and   other
people are liable to not think so.  They  see
the  schemes  of  unrighteous  craft succeed,
and  the  lurking  schemers  elevated  on the
pedestal of their success, to prosperity  and
sunshine,  while  the  meek  and  unresisting
servants  of   righteousness  are   prevailed
against and  trampled in  the dust.   This is
the  picture  of  the  moment.   But there is
another picture,  the contemplating  of which
will evoke the exclamation: "Verily there  is
a reward for the righteous; verily, there  is
a  God  that  judgeth  in  the  earth".  This
other  picture  shows  that  the  success  of
sinners   is   truly   a   success    against
themselves: "God shall bring every work  into
judgment,  with  every  secret thing, whether
it  be   good  or   whether  it   be   evil."
Responsible  sinners  will  find   themselves
alive again  at a  day appointed  to face the
issues of their own  actions in the light  of
the  stern  tribunal  of  divine  justice, at
which sinners will  not be justified  and the
righteous condemned as now.
"Wisdom  crieth  without;  she  uttereth  her
voice in the streets" (Proverbs 1:20).

Notes:

        It might  seem as  if the  reverse of
this were  true; as  if folly  alone made the
streets resound with its "maniac mirth."  And
truly  the  appearance  is  the  reality   as
regards the doings of  the fools.  But  there
is  another  reality   underlying  both   the
appearances  and  the  realities  of   folly.
This  other  reality  is  wisdom.   Creation,
both   astral   and   sublunary,   is  wisdom
concrete - not folly.   This is not  abstract
folly.   Folly  is  the  aberration of unwise
persons  -  not  the   working  out  of   the
constitution of things.  The constitution  of
things is  divine.   There is  only one  God,
and "in wisdom hath He made all things,"  and
these things cry to  men.  If they  would but
consider they would be guided aright.   "Doth
not  nature   itself  teach   you?"   (Paul's
question) is of very wide application.   Even
in a  natural sense,  pondering the  uses and
tendencies of things  and actions would  lead
men  to  see,  as  Solomon expresses it, that
wisdom excels  folly as  far as  light excels
darkness.   But  wisdom  teaches  in a higher
sense than in  the passive exhibition  of her
excellence.   Wisdom  dwelt  in  the midst of
Israel, and spoke to  God's nation as it  has
spoken  to  no  other  -  which doubled their
privileges and responsibilities.
"How  long  ye  simple  ones  will  ye   love
simplicity?  and  the  scorners  delight   in
their  scorning,  and  fools  hate knowledge"
(Proverbs 1:22).

Notes:

        How  long,  indeed?   Very  long   it
would seem.   By all  appearances, the  world
would go on  for ever in  the way it  went on
in Solomon's day, and has been going on  ever
since.   One cause  of this,  doubtless, lies
in  the  fact  that  every  age  sees  a  new
generation  which  comes  on  the  scene   in
ignorance and inexperience, and is only  just
beginning to learn the superiority of  wisdom
when  it   disappears  in   the  grave.     A
melancholy situation -  due to the  advent of
sin  which  has  brought  death.   The bright
spot  in  the  situation  is  the  advent  of
wisdom with a mission.  It is not without  an
object she cries  to "the simple  ones," "the
scorners,"  and  "the  fools."   There  is  a
"good time coming," for which her mission  is
a  preparation.   In  the  good  time  coming
there will  be no  death.   But to  make this
tolerable,  there  must  be  no folly; and so
wisdom has gone  out.  She  calls to them  to
leave    their     simplicity    (want     of
discernment),  which  bring   disappointment;
their   scornfulness,   which   scorches  and
blights the  heart; their  folly, which  only
ends in  death.   Some among  them respond to
the call,  and will  be found  at last  among
the joyous guests of the King's table.
"Turn you at my  reproof: behold I will  pour
out my spirit unto you, I will make known  my
words unto you" (Proverbs 1:23).

Notes:

        This is wisdom's  appeal.  It  is not
a vain  appeal.   It does  not call  upon men
for impossibilities.   It ignores  Calvinism,
and the  practical fatalism  that would  make
God  responsible  for  every imperfection and
failure.  It assumes  that men can turn,  and
in doing so,  it is in  harmony with what  we
practically find human capacity to be,  apart
from theories  of metaphysicians.   Men  turn
up and down, for good and evil, according  to
the  pressure  of  surrounding  circumstances
and  influences.   They  become  educated  or
remain  in  a  brutalized  state according as
they are compelled  to submit to  instruction
or left to run  to waste.  Wisdom  recognizes
this moral elasticity of man's situation,  or
implores  them  to  turn.   It  presents   an
incentive.   The  spirit  of  wisdom  -   the
knowledge conveyed in wisdom's words  -  will
become the property of those who give heed  -
a precious property  - conferring, even  now,
a wealth of grace and excellence and  honour,
and in the  end, the otherwise  unpurchasable
glory of everlasting life.
"I  have  called  and  ye  refused:  I   have
stretched out  my hand  and no  man regarded"
(Proverbs 1:24).

Notes:

        This  is  the  present  situation  as
regards  the  bulk  of  mankind.   A call has
come.  It has come authentically, and it  has
come in  a definite  and palpable  form.   It
came  to  Israel  by  personal  hands  and in
visible form.   It has  been extended  to the
nations of the earth by an embassage as  real
and  as  personal  as  any ambassadorate that
ever leaves  any country  for another  court.
The men by whose actual hands it came to  the
Gentiles  are  in  their  graves.   But their
message  has  survived  them,  and is intact,
and in the hands  of every nation upon  earth
that circulates the Bible.   Yet the call  is
refused:   the   stretched   out   hand    is
disregarded.  The  Bible is neglected:  Bible
things   excluded   from   practical    human
interest  and  attention;  and men everywhere
preoccupied with  their own  devices.   There
will be a  terrible sequel.   Retribution has
been long gathering,  and will shortly  burst
in  devastating  storm.   Blessed  will those
then be seen to be who have not been  carried
away  by  the   universal  folly,  but   have
heartily  accepted  the  call  of wisdom, and
bowed  reverently  before  her   outstretched
arm.
"I will laugh at  your calamity, I will  mock
when your fear cometh" (Proverbs 1:26).

Notes:

        This  is  no  idle  threat.   Now and
hereafter  it  will  be  fulfilled,  but more
particularly hereafter.   It is the  end that
waits  the  persistent  disregard of wisdom's
ways.   It  is  a  terrible  end.   What more
cruel, crushing withering experience could  a
man have than to be laughed at in the  crisis
of his calamity.  Such a thing is  considered
inhuman; but  this will  be a  moment when it
will be  just. "The  righteous shall  rejoice
when  he  seeth  the  vengeance."   It is the
terrible destiny in reserve for ungodly  men,
to  be  laughed  at  in  the  midst  of   the
"tribulation  and  anguish  and  wrath"  that
will come upon them  in the hour of  judgment
- to be laughed at, too, not by friends,  not
by  evil  men,   but  by  Eternal   Goodness,
incarnate in  Jesus and  the saints,  in "the
day  of  the  manifestation  of  the  sons of
God!"  "He that sitteth in the heavens  shall
laugh; the Lord shall have them in  derision"
(Psalm 2).   The Lord is  slow to anger,  but
there is  a limit  to His  patience, and when
once His wrath  is kindled, more  hapless lot
is not possible  to man.   Oh that men  would
open their  eyes beforehand  to the  terrible
issues of folly.   It is vain to  bewail them
when they open their jaws to devour.

"Then shall  they call  upon me,  but I  will
not answer.   They shall  seek me  early, but
they shall not find me" (Proverbs 1:28).

Notes:

        It  is  possible  to  have  too slack
views  of  the  divine  clemency.   Men   are
taught   such   views    from   the    pulpit
everywhere.    It  is   a  public   tradition
retailed   in   every   form   of   ingenious
diversification and  worked into  every shape
suggested by  imaginative fervor,  that God's
love  is  so  great  and  so  cheap  that the
vilest can  command it  at the  latest moment
of an  abandoned course  by a  mere spasm  of
remorse.   No   greater  falsehood  or   more
irrational  sentiment  could   be  put   into
circulation.   Apostolic doctrine  is sterner
and more reasonable  stuff altogether.   This
is the tone of it: "Be not deceived.  God  is
not mocked.   Whatsoever a  man soweth,  that
shall  he  also  reap."   The  man who sows a
lifetime  to  the  flesh,  will  find himself
terribly out of his calculation if he  accept
clerical leading in this matter.  Many a  man
will get down on  his knees at the  last, and
with  uplifted  hands,  implore  in vain with
agonizing  earnestness  that  the  award   of
justice  may  be  averted.   They  will  call
loudly;  but  there  will  be  no   response.
Their earnest appeals  will find a  deaf ear.
This God says, and His word is truth.
"They hated knowledge and did not choose  the
fear  of  the  Lord!  They  would  none of my
counsel.   They  despised  all  my   reproof.
Therefore  shall  they  eat  of  the fruit of
their own way, and  be filled with their  own
devices" (Proverbs 1:29-31).

Notes:

        Men mostly love that which  gratifies
appetite, or  the lust  of pride  and beauty.
They   love   "pleasure"   and   they    hate
knowledge; and as for  the fear of the  Lord,
it is  a worse  than meaningless  phrase with
them.  It is a nauseous thing - a weak  thing
- a thing of pious cant.  Such aversions  are
irrational.  They have  their root in a  dark
and untrained  state of  mind.   They are kin
with  barbarism.   Knowledge  is  the highest
exercise  and  most  beautiful  ornament  and
sweetest employment of  the human mind.   The
fear of the Lord  is its crowning glory,  and
its   most   precious   acquisition.      The
despisers thereof will  yet find their  folly
in  the  terrible  desolation  of  a hopeless
life, and  in the  blight and  failure of all
their joys.   Destruction and  misery are  in
their  ways.   The  divine  counsel rejected,
will recoil with terrible retribution on  the
heads  of  the  infatuated  mortals  who will
seek in vain to  be delivered from the  fruit
of their own ways.
"Whoso  hearkeneth   unto  me   shall   dwell
safely,  and  shall  be  quiet  from  fear of
evil" (Proverbs 1:33).

Notes:

        The "Me" in  the case is  the eternal
and universe-filling "Me" - the Creator,  the
Sustainer,  the  Possessor   of  heaven   and
earth.   Hence the  strength of  the proverb.
Though God is "high",  He has regard for  the
lowly: He loves those  who love Him, and  who
hope in  His mercy  and do  His commandments.
This He has revealed.   All we have to do  is
to believe it.   The result is  safe-dwelling
and freedom from  fear.  "Wherefore  should I
fear?" asks David.  "The Lord is  my defence.
I will not fear what man can do unto me."  If
the  Lord  chastise,  that  is another thing:
this  David  was  ready  to  accept,  as  the
visitation of love.  But he had no fear  such
as plagues  the mere  man of  the flesh.   If
this  is  the  case  with the righteous while
sin  reigns  on  earth  and  God's  face   is
hidden, what must it  be when the wicked  are
rooted out of  the earth, and  the tabernacle
of God is with men?
"My  son . . . receive  my words  and hide my
commandments with thee" (Proverbs 2:1).

Notes:

        Nothing more  unpalatable in  the way
of  advice  could   be  uttered  in   Gentile
circles -  and there  are scarcely  any other
than Gentile  circles.   But here  and there,
there  is  a  responsive  ear,  in  which the
words are uttered not  in vain.  "My  words,"
the words of God, are received and  embraced,
and stored  deep in  the inner  man; and here
they must  remain to  be effectual  for their
work.   And here  they cannot  remain without
steady renewal in  the daily readings  of the
Scriptures.   The  human  mind  is very weak,
especially  to  divine  ideas.   A   constant
supply  is  the  cure.   Nothing  else   will
finally   satisfy   the   taste   which  they
generate.  Nothing  else will so  secrete the
commandments  of  God  in  the heart as that.
They  will  be  an  ever-living and available
power of action.   But for this,  a man  must
stoutly fight, else this wise policy will  be
taken out  of his  hands through  the chronic
oppositions and revolts of the Gentile  mind,
within and without.   Having taken the  right
cue from  the Spirit's  voice, let  him close
his ears to the  devil's din that would  call
him  in  other  directions,  and  go straight
onward to the heavenly city.
"Incline  thine  ear  to  wisdom: apply thine
heart to understanding" (Proverbs 2:2).

Notes:

        This  means  making  an  effort.   An
effort is necessary.   There are things  that
require no effort, such as breathing,  seeing
with  the  eyes,  getting  hungry, etc.  Such
things that come by effort are more  precious
and more  enjoyable than  those that  come of
themselves.    Because  of   this,  and   the
trouble necessary  to get  at them,  the bulk
of  mankind,  as  things  are  now  upon  the
earth,  never  attain  them.   The  schoolboy
prefers  play  to  lessons;  and  would never
learn  if  he  were  left  to himself.  Grown
schoolboys are  mostly the  same, hence  men,
almost     universally,      die      without
understanding.   That which  is agreeable  is
their  rule:  not  that  which  is wise.  God
calls  upon   us  to   act  differently:   to
"incline"  and  "apply"  our  minds  to   the
highest wisdom  - the  knowledge of  Himself,
and His  ways, and  His purpose  as revealed.
Obedience will  prove sweet  in the  end, and
nonetheless because it  has to be  yielded as
the cost of self-denial meanwhile.