Theology

What Do You See In Times of Difficulty? Numbers 13

About 350 years ago a shipload of travelers landed on the northeast coast of America. The first year they established a town site. The next year they elected a town government. The third year the town government planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness. In the fourth year the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it was a waste of public funds to build a road five miles westward into a wilderness. Who needed to go there anyway?

Here were people who had the vision to see three thousand miles across an ocean and overcome great obstacles to get there. But in just a few years they were not able to see even five miles out of town. They had lost their pioneering vision.

This reminds us there are always two ways of looking at things: with the eye of faith or without the eye of faith. Tell me, when you face life’s problems, perplexities, trials, and tribulations do you look at things with the eye of faith? When tragedy strikes, or sickness, or death, or calamity, do you face these things with the eye of faith? When you look at the wicked world we live in, a world that we are to conquer in Christ’s name, do you get discouraged and say “What can I do?” When we look at your church and where God is directing you, do you see the Promised Land, or do you see insurmountable obstacles?

For two years Israel has been traveling through the wilderness. Now, at last, the people are perched on the southern edge of the Promised Land. How exciting that they are now on the verge of entering the land God had promised to Abraham so many years before.

In today’s text only two men (Caleb and Joshua) stood out as men of faith among the millions of Israelites that were brought out of Egypt. In the midst of cowardice and unfaithfulness, Caleb and Joshua took a whole-hearted stand for God’s Word. In this age of Christian luke warmness (Revelation 3:15-19), may we be whole-hearted Christians (Colossians 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”) The following four things are evidence of a whole-hearted Christianity. It’s a way of living that distinctly stands out among the vast crowds.

Whole-hearted Christians Go Ahead of Everyone Else (vv. 1-16)

¹ The LORD said to Moses, ² “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.” ³ So at the LORD’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites. . . . ¹⁶ These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.)

Why would God need the Israelites to send spies? Didn’t God know what was there, wasn’t He with His people? Why not just march in and conquer? After all, hadn’t God promised this land to them? It was a test. God wanted to test the Israelites to see if they truly depended on Him and His promises to them. He wanted them to have a full picture of what they were going against in God’s name.

Joshua and Caleb were not only willing to be leaders of Israel (Numbers 13:3), enjoying the privileges of prestige and power but he was also willing to go on the difficult and risky forty-day spy mission into enemy territory (Numbers 13:17). Today’s Christians practice “selective obedience” — obeying what is easy, and ignoring what is difficult and unpleasant.

These men were willing to do what was required to be a leader. They were willing to sacrifice and obey. Many Christians obey God’s command to gather together for Sunday worship but ignore the command to separate from worldliness, be witnesses of the Gospel, contend for the faith and serve the LORD whole-heartedly.

“Selective obedience” is disobedience. When we choose what to obey, we are effectively telling God that we are His masters and have the right to decide for ourselves. Such people do not understand the meaning of obedience.

These men were willing to make themselves vulnerable for the sake of others. This group of leaders when they left the Israelite camp had a huge metaphorical target painted on them. If they were to be found out as spies, they most certainly would have been killed.

If we are to reach our world for Christ, we must expose ourselves and let our guard down. While it is true that if we never share our faith, or serve our neighbor, or minister in Christ’s name we will never be embarrassed, or have a sore back, or have time away form our pleasures. This is however a life lived selfishly.

Luke 9:23-25 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”

They were willing to lay down their own lives for the sake of others. Are you willing to lay down your life for the sake of others? Whole-hearted Christians look for opportunities to be vulnerable for the sale of Christ and are willing to lay down their safety, comfortableness, personal resources, and even their lives for the opportunity to serve Christ.

Whole-hearted Christians Follow God’s Directions (vv. 17-20)

¹⁷ When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. ¹⁸ See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. ¹⁹ What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? ²⁰ How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)

God through Moses gives a plan for the spies to follow. He specifically gives them the route they are to follow and tells them what to look for. Moses let’s them know specific things that will be beneficial to their conquering the land.

Moses picks out one man from each of the twelve tribes. These twelve men act as a sort of commando group behind enemy lines: scouting the land; counting soldiers, horses, and chariots; checking out Canaan’s readiness for war; looking at city walls and gates. For forty days these men cautiously travel through the land watching, looking, counting, measuring, and taking notes.

Even before the report of the spies comes back, Moses is trying to discover the plan of attack, after all this was the Promised Land, and God has always been faithful. We see that these leaders follow this direction and it takes them a vineyard where they are able to carry off a huge cluster of grapes.

Whole-hearted Christians Bear the Burden of Proof In Their Lives (vv. 21-25)

²¹ So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. ²² They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) ²³ When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ That place was called the Valley of Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. ²⁵ At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

Their first discovery, the cluster of grapes, was so big that it took two men to carry its weight. Here was the proof that the land was truly “flowing with milk and honey.” At the end of forty days these leaders brought back their experiences and this cluster of grapes.

God brought back evidence that He is being faithful, yet again. Has God ever been faithful in your life? We, like these men, are to carry around with us the proof that God is faithful in all of His promises.

The second discovery is not as nice as the first: the descendants of Anak, or, as they are called elsewhere in Scripture, the Nephilim. The Nephilim are a race of giants, mighty men who inspire fear and dread in the hearts of lesser men (cf Gen 6:4; Deut 1:28).

Whole-hearted Christians Give Truthful Testimony of God’s Word (vv. 26-33)

²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷ They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. ²⁸ But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” ³⁰ Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” ³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” ³² And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. ³³ We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

Some Christians are willing to obey all of God’s commandments – as long as it does not cost them too much. They are willing to give or serve in any ministry as long as it does not demand too much sacrifice or effort. They are willing to separate from ungodliness and contend for the faith as long as it does not cost them the loss of friends. Caleb and Joshua were willing to honor God though they were outnumbered. They hold to God’s promises and give a faithful report against millions and even to the point of being stoned to death (Numbers 14:10).

_________________

If you were part of Israel and were listening to the report of the spies, what would your reaction be? How would you look at the Promised Land after hearing the report of the spies. Numbers 13 relates for us two different ways of looking at the Promised Land.

I. The first way of looking at the Promised Land is the way of ten of the spies. These ten looked at the land and came to the conclusion it could not be conquered. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it” (Num 13:32). The land of Canaan was unusually fertile and was fought over by those tribes and nations looking for a homeland or a better homeland; so its ownership was constantly being contested. Also, the land of Canaan stood at the crossroads of Asia and Africa. Invading armies and traders from both continents passed through the land and also contested its ownership.

They also said “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are” (Num 13:31). The Canaanites were so big and so strong that next to them they felt like little bugs, they felt like grasshoppers next to giants (Num 13:33). Imagine this! For two years the Israelites had been traveling to reach the Promised Land. They had faced enemies, drought, hunger and they had spent long hours traveling through the wilderness. Their goal was the land of Canaan. Finally they were at its border. The spies went into the land. They found grapes of such enormous clusters they had to be carried on a pole by two men.

The Promised Land was even better than they had dreamed it would be. These spies did not have the eye or faith.

II. The second way of looking at the Promised Land was the way of Joshua and Caleb. They simply said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Num 13:30). These two did have the eye of faith. Ten of the twelve spies sent out by Moses to scout the Promise Land also spoke disheartening words at the critical hour; they spread gloomy tidings about the colossal power of the native people; they frightened the Israelites with their talk of giants and grasshoppers.

The real tragedy here is that majority of the spies were blind to the power of God. They forgot the miracles God had done. They did not view the Promised Land through the eye of faith. So they became scared and pessimistic and discouraged.

Joshua and Caleb, on the other hand, were optimists; they were full of courage. What makes some people courageous and others cowardly? Courage has to do with what we see. The ten spies saw the same thing with their physical eyes. The inhabitants of Canaan were heavily armed giants.

Joshua and Caleb saw them too, but they saw more; with their spiritual eyes they saw God. And that gave them courage. By looking at Canaan through the eye of faith they saw a land that their covenant God would give them just as He promised. With God they knew that nothing was impossible.

Like Israel it seems that there are impossible tasks in front of us some times. We have been called to possess and claim the earth in Christ’s name. What a big job! If we look at this challenge without the eye of faith, the world looks scary and our mission seems like an impossible venture.

We are called upon to bring the Gospel to our neighbors and communities. It is so easy to say, “It is impossible to do this Lord. There are so few of us and so many of them. Where will we get the money and the missionaries from?”

Faith says all things are possible with God. When we look at our seemingly impossible tasks with the eye of faith then the impossible become possible. The Bible says that all things and all people will someday bow down before God and His Christ – even giants and fortified cities.

I want you to notice what happens when God’s people take their eyes away from God and His power. Turning a blind eye to God results in unhappiness. For even happiness and security is a matter of what one sees.

The first three verses of Numbers 14 tells us what happens. The people did not look at the fortified cities and giants with the eye of faith. So they became scared and unhappy and actually wanted to go back to the slavery of Egypt. Their lack of faith made them so unhappy that they wept. They wept for the entire night. Without faith life becomes scary, threatening, frightening, and discouraging.

_________________

For a number of years sociologists have been conducting tests to determine what makes people happy. They have finally concluded what we Christians have known since the days of Christ. We know that jobs, living conditions, sexual satisfaction, wealth, etc. have little to do with happiness. Professor Jonathan Freedman of Yale University concluded his study vaguely with this statement, “Happiness is in the head, not the wallet.” Happiness depends upon how one looks at things. Happiness depends upon the eye of faith.

Being a Christian doesn’t automatically bring happiness. Because you know as well as I do that there are many unhappy Christians. Yet, deep down within their hearts, Christians know the secret to happiness – a quiet trust and faith in Christ as Savior and Lord.

We have a choice. We can look at life, we can live life, with faith in the power of God and His Christ, or we can look at life and can live life without faith in the power of God. I urge you, like Joshua and Caleb, to live by faith. The first step on this road toward faith is to receive the free gift of forgiveness of your sins. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Consequences; Part Three – “Remembering Mistakes So That We Don’t Repeat Them”

When I was a kid I took several art classes but on one occasion I had the assignment to sketch with charcoal a basket with fruit in it. Every time I would sketch it, I would lean in and meticulously draw each and every detail that I saw, except at the end my drawings would always be skewed and disproportionate. So the instructor told me to try again, but every few moments lift my head and step back and look at the whole drawing, and take in the big picture. My problem was that I was not looking at the whole picture; I was only focusing on one section at the time.

This is why Lamentations was written. Every now and then we need to step back from life and look at all of life – remembering the past successes and defeats, and planning toward the future. If we only focus on here and now – this day, this moment then our view of life gets skewed and disproportionate. If we don’t remember life’s lessons, we repeat them again and again.

Review

Lamentations is a series of 5 poems written during the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and was read at the subsequent annual memorial of this event. The poem was written to give a voice to their suffering as it was happening, and as it was read during the years after, it would remind them of what their lives were like, as a people, when they had turned from God.

Lamentations 5

“5:1 Remember, O Lord, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace! 2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners. 3 We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows. 4 We must pay for the water we drink; the wood we get must be bought. 5 Our pursuers are at our necks; we are weary; we are given no rest. 6 We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to get bread enough. 7 Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities. 8 Slaves rule over us; there is none to deliver us from their hand. 9 We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness. 10 Our skin is hot as an oven with the burning heat of famine. 11 Women are raped in Zion, young women in the towns of Judah. 12 Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders. 13 Young men are compelled to grind at the mill, and boys stagger under loads of wood. 14 The old men have left the city gate, the young men their music. 15 The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning. 16 The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned! 17 For this our heart has become sick, for these things our eyes have grown dim, 18 for Mount Zion which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it. 19 But you, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations. 20 Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days? 21 Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old—22 unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us. (ESV)”

1. Question – Why?

Chapter 5 is a list of how bad things have become for God’s people. Instead of breaking down each one of the consequences of the people’s sin, we can readily see that this was a horrific time in their lives right now. They are in disgrace, they have become slaves, and that what was once theirs by birthright now has to be paid for.

Those who they turned to for help (instead of God) are now abusing them. They can’t rest because they are working all the time. There is constant danger where they live, and any signs of joy are gone. They are having to deal with the sins their fathers have done, and on top of that they add their own.

It’s important to understand from Lamentations that there are consequences from our rebellion and sin against God. The longer we rebel the more sever the consequences.

It is a prayer of the author to God, where he asks the question, why? Chapter 1 of Lamentation begins by asking “how?” – it was a word shouted at funerals, as if to mean, “how did this happen?” – so in chapter one the author cries out as if at a funeral, “how did this happen to God’s people?”

There is a recognition that is because of God’s people’s rebellion against God and for their own sin. Again in verse 16 if chapter 5 there is an admittance of their sin, “The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!”

But the questions changes from “how” to “why.” In God’s sovereignty he has brought judgment upon His people – all of the horrific items described were brought upon the people by God – this answers the “how” question. So now the author cries out, “why?”

To answer this we have to look at how they were living. We know their lives are miserable now, but had it always been that way? They were worshipping other gods, even sacrificing their children to these gods. They looked to other nations (Assyria and Egypt) for help instead of God.

The nation had corrupted the worship of God and even sacrificed to other gods in the temple. They had rejected the prophets, so that they were God’s people in name only. God’s people were doing what they thought best in their own eyes.

So, didn’t the people have a choice if they wanted to follow God or not? If they wanted to do their own thing – so what?

(A) The Christian’s Mission

Every moment that they were living for themselves they were dishonoring God, hurting themselves, and not sharing God’s plan with others. Genesis 12:2 “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

Does it really matter how we live if claim to be a follower of Christ? Lamentations serves as a reminder to the people and it was read every year to remind the people that this is what happens to those who turn from the Lord. Yes, how we live out our lives before God and men is very important. Sadly, it is only pain and suffering that often gets our attention. There are a lot of people out there that when we begin to share Christ with them, they point to some an obnoxious person or church that hurt them in some way.

(B) The Christian’s Relationship With God

Every moment that we do what we think is best in our own eyes, and turn from God and His ways, we dishonor Him, we hurt ourselves (sin has negative consequences) and we are not sharing God’s plan with others. Jesus says, John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

So is God some powerful being who says, “if you don’t worship me, I will destroy you!” – well we do see again and again in Scripture that God is jealous. Exodus 20:4-6 (the ten commandments) “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.” He is jealous for our love because of His love for us.

When a husband is jealous because his wife is showing another man attention that should be his – is that a wrong? If a child is jealous for a mother’s love when she shows more attention to other things instead of her child – is that wrong? When the Creator and sustainer of the universe, the God above all, and Holy One desires our attention and loving of Him – is that wrong? He loves us and desires a relationship with His creation.

Above all of this however, is the fact that only God is worthy to be praised. All other worship of other things is taking from His deserved glory.

(C) The Christian’s Well-Being

But other than our relationship with God, there is also how we relate to ourselves. God’s discipline allows us to be rid of things that are destructive. It is a painful process to get us to recognize that our sin is harmful – but we have to see it and admit this in our repenting of it or we won’t change.

So “why” are God’s people going through this horrific time in Lamentations? (1) God is a jealous God how demands holiness and fidelity in His children, (2) For their own sake, sin is destructive and out of love he disciplines us (3) So that we can actually carry out what He has called us to do in this life and not waste all of our time seeking after things that are worthless and destructive.

2. Question – Is There Hope For Me?

The book of Lamentations ends on a down note, and with another question, “21 Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old—22 unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.”

In his prayer he asks for restoration and renewal. This was God’s only chosen people who were given a very special plan (to share God with all the nations) and it was through them that the Savior of the world would come. To be restored would be for their lives to get back onto this track, and for them to be renewed would be the resources, energy, and excitement to go about this mission once again.

In the ancient times every now and then a shepherd would have a lamb that tended to wander off. The danger was that not only could the wandering lamb be hurt, but the other lambs that may follow him as he wandered. So eventually the shepherd would break one of the lamb’s legs, wrap it, and then place the lamb on his shoulders and carry it around until the leg healed. When the lamb’s leg would eventually heal and it would stay close to the shepherd.

The author is not sure if things are finished. “Lord my life is a mess right now, and it is because of my sin. Will you make me useful to You again, unless I am just through?” So once we have sinned, and have brought consequences upon our lives and lives of others – is God finished with us?”

For Jeremiah and God’s people during the time when Lamentations was written, they don’t know because the rest of the Bible had not been written yet. God was exceedingly angry with them, but “His mercy endures forever, and his grace is renewed day-by-day.” Lamentations 3.

I came across this illustration some time ago, but do not remember it’s source. “One night at dinner a man, who had spent many summers in Maine, fascinated his companions by telling of his experiences in a little town named Flagstaff. The town was to be flooded, as part of a large lake for which a dam was being built. In the months before it was to be flooded, all improvements and repairs in the whole town were stopped. What was the use of painting a house if it were to be covered with water in six months? Why repair anything when the whole village was to be wiped out? So, week by week, the whole town became more and more bedraggled, more gone to seed, more woebegone. Then he added by way of explanation: “Where there is no faith in the future, there is no power in the present.”

The Bible tells us again and again, that we have not traveled so far away from God, that He can not bring us back home. Even now if you are uncertain of the next step in your life, know that your loving Creator can turn whatever you have turned your life into away from Him into something beautiful. Have faith in your future (based on God’s promises), it will give you strength for today.

This is part three of a three part series.

Lamentations – Part One “When It Finally Catches Up With You”

Lamentations – Part Two “Consumed By Loss of a Relationship”

Can God Use A Flawed Leader? 1 Kings 3:1-15

Caleb and Joshua’s birthday is coming up, and when they were younger every time we would go to the grocery store, Wal-mart, Burger King, or when they would see a commercial on TV; they would say almost constantly, “Dad, I want that for my birthday,” “I want that, I want that, dad I want that” and I may say, “Caleb do you really want a Shrek foam lamp?” or “Joshua do you really want that movie, it will give you nightmares?”

Many of our prayers are like that, “ Lord, I want this, and this, and that, and can you do this, and that” . . .on and on we go, while God is sitting there saying, “Are you sure you want to have that, or do this, or go there?” “I have such a bigger vision for your life than a Shrek foam lamp, I want to pour out my goodness on your life and give you this.” As you consider your walk with the Lord and the things you ask of Him, consider the following from 1 Kings 3. He desires to use flawed people to accomplish unimaginable things. He desires to use you to do the wonderful. But there is a process.

What Kind of Leader Would Solomon Be? (vv. 1-4)

^“1 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. ² The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD. ³Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. ⁴ The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.”

The book of I Kings opens with David making Solomon king, David giving his son some instructions and making a few requests of his son, and Solomon then doing some housekeeping. And in today’s text we get a first glimpse of what kind of king Solomon was to be.

An Alliance with Egypt

When God was giving the people the law, he warned that the people would one day want a king, and he warned the people not to let him do certain things. Deuteronomy 17:16 “The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” To go back to Egypt was to return to a place of slavery. But here we see that Solomon sees the need to marry the daughter of Egypt.

2 Chronicles 1:14-16 “Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. ¹⁵ The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills. ¹⁶ Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue’ the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.”

Married to Foreign (Women)

1 Kings 11:1-2 “King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. ² They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love.”

Solomon marries these women from foreign lands. Just as an aside, this is not a racial issue — it has to do with the false gods these women worshiped.

Performing Burnt Offerings to Foreign gods

God wanted the people to worship and sacrifice on the altar of the tabernacle, in the manner He commanded Moses, but even more so, He wanted their obedience. Every time we see sacrifices mentioned in the Bible, we need to remember that this is part of God’s concession, and not His will, as we are told in 1 Samuel 15:22 “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”

Duet. 12:1-2, 4 “These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess, as long as you live in the land. ² Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains and on the hills and under every spreading tree where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. . . ⁴ You must not worship the LORD your God in their way.

But Solomon once again ignores God’s Word, “. . . . except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places”

The Presence of “High Places”

“The king [Solomon] went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices.” We first see the city of Gideon in the Bible when they fool Joshua in Joshua 9:14 “The men examined some of their [Gibeonites] provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice.” God’s command to Joshua and the rest of the people was to clear out the promised land of foreign people who worshipped foreign gods. This group of people was allowed to stay, and now the king of God’s chosen people is there worshipping their gods.

Here are four examples where the leader ignores God’s Word and decides to do what “seems right in his own eyes.” But, how do we explain that God is about to appear before Solomon, he is going to bless him in ways that no other man has ever known, and yet we see him here, he is clearly going against God and His ways? The first time we really see Solomon acting as king, he is messing up big time.

Do you ever feel that way as a leader? You may not see at the time, but if you look back over your life you see mess ups, mistakes, bad calls, and just plain sinfulness. Can God use you? Is it possible to overcome these things?

Read on friend.

The King Makes a Wish (vv. 5-9)

⁵ At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” ⁶ Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day. ⁷ “Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. ⁹ So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

“The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices” While Solomon was on the high place, going against what God’s Word and Commandments clearly teach, sacrificing animals to other gods, “At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon.”

Romans 10:20 “And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”

God in His grace and mercy came to Solomon, when Solomon would not come to the Lord in His Temple. And even though Solomon had sinned against Him, the Lord said, “I want to bless your life greatly!” he said, “Sinner, I want to use you, I want to bless you, I want to use you greatly!

This is one reason why I love the Bible, God loves to reach down and take sinful people and bless them and that’s what happened to the Apostle Paul in Acts 9:1-4 “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ²and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

Abraham, who was worshipping other gods is called, Joshua 24:2 “Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods.”

God’s words didn’t come through a prophet, or a seer, God appeared to him in person. And He simply said to Solomon, “ask for whatever you want me to give to you.” Have you ever heard the teaching on prayer, that says, God answers prayer with yes, no, or wait? Many times God desires to bless us, or use us in a powerful way, but we have to grow into it, or be able to handle it. God desires for us to learn things about ourselves and what He desires to do through us.

What if God were to come to you, and say, “ask for whatever you want me to give to you.” Jesus put it this way, Mark 11:22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. ²³“I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. ²⁴Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.“

In this process of talking with God Solomon recognizes four things about himself:

(1) “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you . . . a son to sit on his throne this very day” — Solomon recognizes that he is in a position that he did not earn, deserve, “ it was because of someone else’s righteousness, his father David, that he is able to be where he is. When we spend time with God we quickly encounter His greatness and our humanity.

(2) “Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king,” He recognizes that he was king, whether he deserved to be there or not, whether someone else could do a better job, no matter what his view of himself was, he was there, on the thrown and he was king. If you find yourself to be the leader then God expects you to lead.

(3) “But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.” He recognizes that in his responsibilities, he does not know how to do it well. He feels like a child, inadequate, and fumbling. In most things that relate to leadership, people, and the spiritual, we humans are this way. Those that think they “have arrived” or are “experts” will eventually discover that it is by God’s grace that they have had success.

(4) “⁸Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.” Solomon recognizes that the task before him is a great one. He feels overwhelmed and doesn’t know what to do. God’s vision for you is great, do you see it? It is larger than what you can do on your own.

The Wonder of God’s Grace (vv. 10-13)

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹ So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, ¹² I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³ Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for, both riches and honor” so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.

Why was the Lord so pleased with Solomon’s answer? Because his response was all about asking God to give him what he needed to adequately do what God had put him in the seat to do, not his own selfish personal whims.

“I will do what you have asked . . . I will give you [so that]. . . Moreover [so that.]” Solomon’s one time response to God brought about wisdom and wealth so that the world had never seen. But there was also an ongoing response to God that he had to make on a moment by moment basis.

^“14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” ¹⁵ Then Solomon awoke,”and he realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.

God also promised Solomon long life, but there is clause, this blessing would be based on “if you walk in my ways” a moment by moment decision to follow God and His ways. Which is more important? The riches the world has never seen (which has no conditions) or a long life (with a condition)? God can give either, but to God which is more important?

Years on this earth, in obedience to God, and living out His calling upon your life, is far more precious than vast wealth, education, or any other trappings of the world. Why? Because the longer you have on this earth, the longer you have to influence other people. Solomon, would influence millions.

How great is the vision that you have for your life? Ask God to show you, “Lord how can I make the most of the years that you have given me, to influence as many people as possible for You?” Don’t let the worries of this world crowd that out. Don’t let that burning movement of His Spirit in your chest become an after thought.

“He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.” God came to Solomon in Gibeon and now Solomon moves into God’s will by going back to Jerusalem. The mercy and grace that God pours onto Solomon, moves his heart to obedience.

So if God loves to bless sinful people, and change their lives, shouldn’t we be all the more sinful? Romans 6:1-4 “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ²By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Solomon, understanding God’s grace, doesn’t continue to sin by going to Gibeon, he changes his life and leads the people to God in Jerusalem.

In order for God to show you His great plan for your life, you have to give Him your heart. Be ready when He comes to you. He will tell you of His love for you, and how he want to bless your life, how he wants to change your life, won’t you give Him your heart? If your wish is for Jesus to take your sin away, he will do it. If your wish is for Him to use you for His glory, He will do it. But be warned, it will be big, scary and require your dependence upon Him.

Panic; Psalm 74

There was a time when my boys were of an age where they loved to get up and turn on the TV and choose â€œtheirâ€ show (Batman Brave and the Bold, Star Wars Clone Wars, H-Gâ€™s was Olivia), etc. One morning Kimberly had gone to run some errands with the rest of the kids, and Caleb I were left in the house. I was going to do some yard work so I called Calebâ€™s name. He didnâ€™t respond, so I called a little louder, he was focused on this tv show that he was watching, and I he really didnâ€™t hear me. But I told him, â€œIâ€™m going out to the garage.â€ So I went out into the garage and started to get the lawnmower ready to cut the grass, I put some new string in the head of the weed eater, filled them up with gas, and I was out there about forty-five minutes just doing different things.

When the TV show went off, Caleb regained consciences and began to look around. He began to run through the house yelling for Kimberly and I. No one was in the house and he began to panic. His loving father was not there, and he felt all alone. Eventually he came outside, really upset â€“ to find me in the garage.

Have you ever had a time when suddenly you realized that God was not there anymore, or at least it felt that way? You pray, but donâ€™t sense His presence. You serve, and discover that His power is not there anymore â€“ you know you are doing it in your strength. You come to worship â€“ But He doesnâ€™t speak to you â€“ you are just going through the motions. You seek Him, but you canâ€™t seem to find Him anywhere â€“ He is gone. Just like with Caleb, God told you â€œIâ€™m not staying here anymore, I want you to go with meâ€, but you have allowed ourselves to be distracted by something. For some time it has had our complete focus. But now there is an awakening.

â€œFew things in life are more excruciating than suffering defeats while serving God. When Godâ€™s work is met with setbacks, his people agonize over these losses and long for Godâ€™s kingdom work to be reestablished. And until Godâ€™s kingdom is again prospering, distress fills the hearts of his servants. Until we find Him, and are in His presence again there is panic. This is the focus of Psalm 74.â€[1] This lament expresses how Godâ€™s people experienced agony because of their devastation and were calling upon him for relief and restoration.

In 2 Kings 25 the enemies of God have destroyed the temple, and even worse it seems that God has forgotten them. It occurs 586 years before Christ is born â€“ those who were not killed by Babylon were carried off into exile. The people are pleading for God to reestablish his people in their land. So they pray â€“ but if we find ourselves in a similar situation what should we pray for? The following Psalm walks us through how to pray for the panic to stop, and our hearts to be calmed.

I. Pray with a Realistic Picture of Reality (vv. 1-3)

O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? 2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. 3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!

Because of the events that occurred around them, Godâ€™s people cry out and ask God, â€œWhy have you rejected us forever?â€ God had not rejected them; he had withdrawn the power of his presence from them. The psalmist asked how long will this rejection last? His abandonment was demonstrated by the ransacked city and ruined temple (Psalm 79:1).

â€œWhy does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?â€ â€“ Godâ€™s people see the image of a smoldering city that had been devastated by a foreign power and link it to Godâ€™s rejection and abandonment of his people.

The psalmist asks God to remember how He has dealt with them in the past â€“ his people who He had purchased from Egypt (Ex 20:2). God had chosen them to be His inheritance (Deut 4:20), those that He has redeemed (Ex 15:13, 16), God had dwelt among his people on Mt Zion (1 Kg 6:12-13), which was Godâ€™s holy hill (Ps 2:6), and dwelling with them (Ps 132:5, 7). God has done all of these same things for us.[2]

The Psalmist is asking God to look at the smoldering temple, how Godâ€™s people have been carried off into exile â€“ in other words, â€œLord look at our current condition.â€ This was not just a short term thing, but â€œperpetual ruin.â€ The destruction keeps going on and on and on.

â€œLord this has been going on for some time nowâ€, and â€œthe enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuaryâ€ There was nothing left within the temple that the enemy had not desecrated and destroyed.

II. Pray With A Realization of the Destruction (vv. 4-9)

4 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs. 5 They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. 6 And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers. 7 They set your sanctuary on fire;
they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground. 8 They said to themselves, â€œWe will utterly subdue themâ€; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. 9 We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long.

The psalmist now points us to the foe himself. He comes into Godâ€™s house of worship and roars! He lifts up his battle flags and plants them right there in the meeting place where Godâ€™s people worship.

1 Peter 5:8 â€œBe sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.â€ While Godâ€™s people are distracted and focused on everything but the Lord, the enemy enters into the very temple of the Lord, and roars. His teeth snap the necks of the weak and the young.

As the enemy of the Lord he raises his disgusting and foul flag and he dares to plant it among the congregation. The enemy who roars says, â€œI have this one, and this one, and this, and this one, and this one, and this one â€“ they are mine.â€ All the while, Godâ€™s people stare blindly into space.

The temple had beautifully carved wood paneling build by master craftsmen. So when we see â€œThey were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. 6 And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers.â€ The enemy takes his ax to the temple paneling and splinters the temple. The enemy seeks to destroy what has been built. It is so much easier to tear down and burn rather than build.

How many churches has Satan taken his hatchet to, so that at the end of day it lays as a pile of splinters? Some here, some there â€“ churches litter the landscape that have been destroyed â€“ that have closed their doors for the last time.

Then when it was completely devastated, before it has a chance to rebuild â€“ he goes one step further â€œThey set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground.â€ There is a very real enemy who seeks to bring every church burning to the ground.

The enemy has a plan and he is relentless in his carrying it out. The enemy is set on bring about our destruction â€“ in hell they hold pep rallies where 8 They said to themselves, â€œWe will utterly subdue themâ€; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.â€ They will not be happy until every church is destroyed â€“ including yours. Have you not seen him parade with his flags and clamp his teeth on your fellow church member? You seek to build, but he splinters it again and again with his ax of destruction.

â€œ9 We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how longâ€ â€“ There is nothing more terrifying and discouraging then not knowing how long will this pain and devastation continue. How long will this condition last among Godâ€™s people? Will the church wake up?

Will it regain consciousness? When will the destruction become so great that it will awake and do something? Will the church have to burn around us? The splinters are hitting you in the face. The person that sat next to you last week isnâ€™t there anymore, only his foul and horrific flag is left. Blood paw prints stains the aisles and the motherâ€™s around you weep.

III. Pray with Godâ€™s Reputation in Mind (vv. 10-11)

10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? 11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!

Why does God seem to do nothing as His temple is destroyed and His people are carried off into captivity? To answer this question we go back to 2 Kings 25.

2 Kings 25 tells us that the nation is punished because of the sins of Manasseh. Manasseh was a king that we first see in 2 Kings 21:2-9 â€œAnd he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed, and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, â€œIn Jerusalem will I put my name.â€ 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 And he burned his son as an offering and used fortune-telling and omens and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 7 And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the Lord said to David and to Solomon his son, â€œIn this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. 8 And I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander anymore out of the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them.â€ 9 But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.â€

There was a king who led the people to walk away from God. And the people willingly followed and left the Lord, and did things in the presence of the Lord that were horrible. The Lord moved, and His people did not follow, and it was only as they were being carried off into captivity that they awoke and realized what was going on.

IV. Pray With a Worshipful Heart (vv. 12-17)

12 Yet God my King is from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. 13 You divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan; you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness. 15 You split open springs and brooks; you dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. 17 You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.

When things seem the darkest and you donâ€™t know how you will continue, it is helpful to remember what God has done for you in the past. The psalmist says â€œyouâ€ eleven times in vv. 12-17 â€“ and he praises the Lord for what he has done for His people. He praises God for his strength to crush and control.

For example, we donâ€™t know what a Leviathan is but God has crushed it. God has power over all of creation, streams, brooks, day and night, stars and moons, seasons, and where the land begins and where it ends â€“ God is in control. God has the power to stop this condition that His people are in.

Even after Israel had turned to false gods, (which involved the killing of their own children), even after all that they had done â€“ God was still their God and He was still their king. When they turn from their wicked ways, He is still there. This God and King is always seeking to restore and redeem his creation â€œworking salvation in the midst of the earth.â€

God is able to see and understand something that we canâ€™t. Since he â€œis from old,â€ He has seen all this before. A people who follow God, then turn from Him, then He must discipline them, and then they return â€“ only to repeat the cycle again.

V. Pray with Godâ€™s Promises In Mind (vv. 18-23)

18 Remember this, O Lord, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name. 19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever. 20 Have regard for the covenant, for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence. 21 Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame; let the poor and needy praise your name. 22 Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day! 23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually!

When the nation has forgotten why God had allowed the destruction of the temple, the psalmist asks God to remember. But to remember how the enemy has mocked Him and His name. He is asking God to not hand over his covenant people to the world or â€œwild beasts.â€

Genesis 17:1-22 â€“ God had promised to preserve them as a nation. When the â€œwild beastsâ€ invaded their land they brought violence, and it filled the land with darkness â€“ which is a reference to the grave. So the psalmist asks on behalf of the oppressed, poor, and needy for God to rise up and defend their cause. Godâ€™s people understood that as Godâ€™s people they were to be serving and helping the oppressed, the poor, the needy, the widows and orphans.[3]

Mark 10:45 â€œFor even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.â€ If God would spare and restore the church, then it would be for the reason that it could bring His name glory and be His hands in feet by serving others (widows, orphans, poor, needy).

So you went to church on Sunday? Did you eat some lunch afterwards? This week you plan to take the kids to ball games and swim practice. Youâ€™ll go to work and put in another week. Youâ€™ll probably even go back next week sing some songs and hear another massage. But be prepared to see another flag, and the enemy will claim another. Will it be one of mine? Will it be one of yours? Will we awake from our distractions?

There is a way to change the course of the wayward church â€“ They donâ€™t have to sit by and watch as the enemy plants his flags and destroys their families. Jeremiah 29:10-14 â€œFor thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.â€

They can awake and cry out to God.

__________________

[1] Max Anders (ed.), Homlan Old Testament Commentary, Psalms 1-75 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman & Holman, 2003), 373.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid. 374.

Choosing Between Two Invitations; Proverbs 9

There’s a story about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking for knowledge. He walked up to the muscular philosopher and said, “O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge.” Socrates recognized a pompous numbskull when he saw one. He led the young man through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water. Then he asked, “What do you want?”

“Knowledge, O wise Socrates,” said the young man with a smile. Socrates put his strong hands on the man’s shoulders and pushed him under. Thirty seconds later Socrates let him up. “What do you want?” he asked again. “Wisdom,” the young man sputtered, “O great and wise Socrates.”

Socrates crunched him under again. Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five. Forty. Socrates let him up. The man was gasping. “What do you want, young man?” Between heavy, heaving breaths the fellow wheezed, “Knowledge, O wise and wonderful…” Socrates jammed him under again Forty seconds passed. Fifty. “What do you want?” “Air!” the young man screeched. “I need air!” “When you want knowledge as you have just wanted air, then you will have knowledge.”[1]

The young man was seeking an earthly wisdom from Socrates, but we as believers say we seek godly wisdom. But do we crave it like we would crave air if we were without for a few seconds? In Proverbs 9 Solomonâ€™s son is offered two choices. Like a person in the fork of a road, he is invited to go in two different directions. One takes him to safety the other will bring about his destruction.

Wisdomâ€™s Invitation (vv. 1-6)

â€œWisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. 2 She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, 4 â€œWhoever is simple, let him turn in here!â€ To him who lacks sense she says, 5 â€œCome, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.â€

When it says that wisdomâ€™s house has seven pillars, it is showing the reader that the house is vast, large, open, and ready to receive many guests. The tables in this huge room are filled with food (beasts), and there is wine to drink. The mixed wine is a reference to watering down the wine. Jews considered undiluted wine distasteful. Passover wine was mixed with three parts water to one part wine. It may also reference the mixing of spices into the watered down wine for added flavor (Ps. 75:8).

Now it is time to gather the guests, so wisdom sends out her maids to gather them. They go to the highest points of the city and yell out where all can see them and hear them.

Luke 14:15-24 â€œWhen one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, â€œBlessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!â€ 16 But he said to him, â€œA man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, â€˜Come, for everything is now ready.â€™ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, â€˜I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.â€™ 19 And another said, â€˜I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.â€™ 20 And another said, â€˜I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.â€™ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, â€˜Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.â€™ 22 And the servant said, â€˜Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.â€™ 23 And the master said to the servant, â€˜Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.â€

It is Christâ€™s desire that any who want to have a relationship with Him, can call upon His name and He will answer them. All are invited to come to His house.

This feast that wisdom presents is not for some special elite group of people, she says, â€œWhoever is simple..or lacks senseâ€¦it is for the person who has come to realization that they donâ€™t know everything and that they are not able to provide everything they need (joy, salvation, peace, meaning, purpose, freedom from sin, etc..)

So wisdomâ€™s invitation is for the person to enter into her home where there is plenty of room, and turn from foolish living. Once you are there you are rewarded or are able to enjoy food and drink â€“ or you are satisfied.

In Isaiah God presents himself as something to be eaten or partaken of â€“ Isaiah 55:1-2 â€œCome, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.â€

Then in the New Testament Jesus presents himself in a similar way:

John 6:51-65 â€œI am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.â€ 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, â€œHow can this man give us his flesh to eat?â€ 53 So Jesus said to them, â€œTruly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.â€

So the call of Wisdom, as she calls on high, is to turn from a wayward path, and turn into her home. There the person will find drink, shelter, safety, contentment, food or provision, and ultimately life. We have life through our relationship with God, and apart from Him is the path of death. Jesus said, â€œI am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me.â€ John 14:6

If the traveler as he stand out in the street hears wisdomâ€™s cry, and says, â€œIâ€™ll wait, let me think about it, and goes on his way â€“ then he has made a decision to reject wisdom â€“ you canâ€™t wait to make a decision to follow Jesus, either you accept Him or reject Him.

How Do We Choose? (vv. 7-12)

â€œ7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. 8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. 11 For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it.â€

So in vv. 7-12 we have two types of people described here â€“ (1) one person if you correct them, or try to teach them, will turn on you and you will be abused. This person is described as a foolish person, a scoffer of the things of God, and they will end up hating you. All because you made a comment about their behavior on Facebook, or asked them about something in their life that concerned you.

(2) Then there is a wise person, who when you ask them about something that concerns you, or seek to correct a behavior in their life loves you because of it. The wise man will listen to what you said and learn. He will become wiser.

How teachable are you? Do you get defensive, or say â€œdonâ€™t judge meâ€ and cuss the person out, or are you open to what others say, and seek to learn from them? Wisdomâ€™s teaching is twofold (1) one is correction, and the other (2) is instruction on righteous living. We like the blessing, but not the pain of having others point out sinful behavior in our lives.

Verse 10 looks a lot like Proverbs chapter 1, and the ESV even translates them the same â€œthe fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.â€ But the word here for beginning in Hebrew has been substituted, and it means â€œturning point.â€ So the â€œfear of the Lord is the turning point of wisdom.â€ Itâ€™s when a person begins to fear the Lord that the person makes a turn in their life and begins to go a different way. They stop walking outside of wisdomâ€™s home, and turn to come inside to the banquet hall.

God is shown to us here as a God who desires to be known, and to have a relationship with us. It is through our relationship with Him, we discover that He is holy, and because of this it requires us to change many things about ourselves.

â€œHoly Oneâ€ in v. 10 is plural in the Hebrew â€“ so it becomes â€œknowledge of the Holy Onesâ€ which a way of emphasizing the fullness of Godâ€™s holiness. When we say â€œfear of the Lord is the turning pointâ€ of a personâ€™s life, it means that person fears God because they realize that they are rebellious, sinful, and wicked in the core of who they are and God is holy and completely different than us. If they stay that way, then they will be cast away from God and punished for their wickedness.

But Jesus has provided a way for us to be made right with God â€“ He gave up his life, by dying on a cross so that mankind may have eternal life. He was punished instead of us; He took our place. If we receive Christ â€œas the bread of lifeâ€ and accept the gift of forgiveness of sin that he offers, and repent or turn from our sins, then you will have eternal life â€“ this is the beginning of wisdom, a turning point toward an abundant and meaningful life.

If we receive wisdomâ€™s invitation we are given the reward of multiplied days (or a longer life). An eternal life in fact.

Follyâ€™s Invitation (vv. 13-18)

â€œ13 The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive and knows nothing. 14 She sits at the door of her house; she takes a seat on the highest places of the town, 15 calling to those who pass by, who are going straight on their way, 16 â€œWhoever is simple, let him turn in here!â€ And to him who lacks sense she says, 17 â€œStolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.â€ 18 But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.â€

So here we go again by this bad womanâ€™s house; but this time instead of calling her the adulteress as in Proverbs 6, now she is Folly. She has made no preparation, there is no mixed wine, or beasts prepared, there is no vast banquet hall â€“ only the loud calling of a women who doesnâ€™t know very much.

She presents a proverb â€œWhoever is simple, let him turn in here!â€ And to him who lacks sense she says, 17 â€œStolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.â€ Instead of preparing a meal, she suggests that the traveler and she go and steal it and eat it in the shadows. But the offer is bread and water â€“ instead of meat/beast and mixed wine. Those that lack wisdom donâ€™t know that life can be more than bread and water, and stealing, and immediate gratification.

There is no nourishment in bread and water and in the end it leads to death. If the boy goes into Follyâ€™s home he will discover that her guests are dead.

She is calling out to you when you pass by her house, especially to those who are â€œgoing straight on their way.â€ Proverbs 4:25-27 â€œLet your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. 27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.â€

When I first started driving, I was working on getting my learnerâ€™s permit so it included several hours of being in the car under my dadâ€™s driving instruction. And when I first started driving I would weave back and forth, back and forth, between the yellow and white line. So my dad said, â€œLook straight ahead, or focus way down the road, or where you will end up â€“ not on what is directly in front of the car.â€ When a person looks way down the road, and not at an immediate circumstance, they are able to determine if this action, decision, course, etc. is the going to be best for them in the future.

So we have a father giving instructions to his son, but we donâ€™t know which womanâ€™s home he chose to enter â€“ Wisdom or Follyâ€™s. If you read on through the rest of the book, at each verse you are given these options â€“ listen to wisdom and live a skilled life, or ignore wisdom and go to the grave, life or death.

Also, to follow Wisdom, it requires the person to make a decision, to grow, to change a direction in their lives. Whereas Folly, doesnâ€™t really ask anything of the person. She only wants you to come along for the ride. Wisdom is a harder way of life, but it will lead to life.

“If you want to be free to sail the seven seas, you must make yourself a slave to the compass” or so an ancient sailor once said. All of life involves balancing our freedoms and our bondages. We can be free from the toothbrush and a slave to cavities. We cannot be free from the toothbrush and free from cavities. That kind of absolute freedom does not exist.

If we want the freedom of a good reputation, if we want the freedom of guilt-free living, if we want the freedom of emotional peace, if we want the freedom of moral authority, of a strong and happy family and physical health, we must make ourselves slaves to holiness and obeying Godâ€™s commands.

We can choose the freedom of immorality if we want. But then we become slaves to all the consequences. Decide in advance what you want for the rest of your life. Then ask yourself if you are willing to pay the price. You have the freedom and a corresponding bondage. You can get a bondage and a corresponding freedom. Choose wisely.

Many people donâ€™t choose to follow Christ because they are so focused on what they have to give up. They want to be free to do whatever they want to do. But they donâ€™t realize that there is no true freedom, you are always a slave to something. So our choice is to be a slave to something that will give us eternal life and freedom from our sin.

Romans 6:16 â€œDo you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?â€

Again, Jesus said, â€œI am the way, the truth, and the life, no one can come to the Father except by me.â€ (John 14:6) â€“ would you like to meet Him?

[1] M. Littleton in Moody Monthly, June, 1989, p. 29