L
Lost in Sin!
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We roll on with our look at Proverbs Chapter 30.
Let's look at verses 10-14:
"Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, & you will pay for it. There are those who curse their fathers & do not bless their mothers; those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; those whose teeth are swords, & whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from mankind."
DO NOT SLANDER A SERVANT TO HIS MASTER, OR HE WILL CURSE YOU, & YOU WILL PAY FOR IT. This verse could stand all by itself, but it has a very real tie-in with verses 11-14.
We talked about it before in the previous study, but we see it again here-that being the sin of pride.
Speaking falsehoods against another usually has a way of backfiring. This is definatly true of this verse. We never know how a person is going to react when lies are spread about him. Slander can even ruin a persons life as well! The primary message of the Bible, above all, is love-God's perfect love, as exemplified by the death of His Son on the cross of Calvary. The Jews were guilty of slander against Christ as well. Now we know through Scriptural accounts that Jesus did indeed forgive them, (Luke 23:34).But the damage had already been done. Their attitude towards the Christ would be their undoing. They were cursed by their own words, & the surrender of Jesus to the cruelity of the Romans. What was that curse-the destruction of their most holiest place-the Temple, in 70 AD. Jesus himself, even fortold of it's destruction in Luke 21:6-"But Jesus said to them, 'As for what you see here, (the Temple), the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; everyone of them will be torn down.'", It DID happen, & all because of the Jews disbelief, ( & that included their slander against Christ!), & they did INDEED pay a terrible price! This was their "curse"!
This takes on an even stronger meaning today. All the unsaved who deny Christ! Look at what their "curse" is in Revelation 20:11-13! Particularly the second half of verse 13-".....and each person was judged according to what he had done." The word "done" IS all-inclusive here, not just physically done, but every word that was ever uttered as well! Matthew 12:37 confirms this: "For by your words you will be aquitted, & by your words, you will be condemmed."
Starting in verse 11, is where we see where pride can really take over:
THERE ARE THOSE WHO CURSE THEIR FATHERS, & DO NOT BLESS THEIR MOTHERS. This goes in direct contradiction to how God wants each of us to feel towards our parents. The most basic example of this is the Commandment-"Honor your father & mother." Jesus knew exactly how important this was in His OWN relationship with HIS Father! Does Luke 11:2 sound familiar? "Father, hallowed be Your name." There are probably more references to Jesus' attitude towards His Father in Matthew & John! Here are just a few of them:
Matthew 11:25-"I praise You Father, Lord of heaven & Earth.....".
John 5:17-"Jesus said to him, 'My Father is always at His work to this very day, & I too am working.'"
John 14:28-".......for the Father is greater than I.......".
And of course, John 14:31-".....but the world must learn the I love the Father, THAT I DO EXACTLY WHAT MY FATHER HAS COMMANDED ME.'"
As for mothers, look at what kind of a man is disrespectful to his mother:
Proverbs 10:1 & Proverbs 15:20-he is foolish.
Proverbs 20:20-"If a man curses his father or mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness." (I think that this COULD mean that he will have to live without the benefit of his parents wisdom &/or strength.)
Proverbs 29:15 says: ".....but a child left to himself disgraces his mother." (If this doesn't promote a mother's responsibility to her children, I don't know what does!) Put this verse together with Proverbs 1:8...."and do forsake your mother's teaching." & Proverbs 6:20-"(agin repeated here, to emphasize it again!), and do not forsake your mother's teachings.", & we see just how important a mother really is!
...THOSE WHIO ARE PURE IN THEIR OWN EYES, & YET ARE NOT CLEANSED OF THEIR FILTH; THOSE WHOSE EYES ARE EVER SO HAUGHTY, WHOSE GLANCES ARE SO DISDAINFUL; THOSE WHOSE THEETH ARE LIKE SWORDS & WHOSE JAWS ARE SET WITH KNIVES TO DEVOURTHE POOR FROM THE EARTH, THE NEEDY FROM AMONG MANKIND. These verses show the pitfalls of not just pride, but from what many times can stem from pride-self-righteousness! These kind of people are pictured like ravening wolves, & without any consideration for anyone or anything but themselves! If only they would look at the consequences of their own actions! In OT times, we see what happens to the King of Assyria, a self-righteous & proud man-"Isaiah 10:12-19, with special emphasis on verses 16-19!
In modern times, look at some of the famous people, whose lifes have been crushed-people of high power like the Enron Execs, & Saddam Hussein, & popular people, like Michael Jackson. Might pride, or self-righteousness be involved in their downfalls? (It's not outside of the realm of possibility.)
Let us pray.
"Heavenly Father, we see in this study the dangers & consequences of our actions. We know that for those who don't know You, they will have to answer for everything that they have done during their lives. But we praise You, Lord Jesus, that we are no longer accountable for all the terrible things that we have done in our lives, because they have been washed clean by the Blood of Your Son, Christ Jesus! We praise You, Lord Jesus, that when we who know you stand before you, You will say to us, "Welcome home, my beloved child. Welcome home to that which I have prepared for you." No amount of praise can we even begin to offer for that blessed hope that awaits us, because we chosen to follow You, & have been washed clean by the Blood that you shed for each one of us on that cross! To You be all Glory, Honor, & praise forever & ever, & ever, Lord Jesus! It in is Your Name alone that we all say with a joyful shout...............AMEN!"
Bill
Let's look at verses 10-14:
"Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, & you will pay for it. There are those who curse their fathers & do not bless their mothers; those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth; those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful; those whose teeth are swords, & whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from mankind."
DO NOT SLANDER A SERVANT TO HIS MASTER, OR HE WILL CURSE YOU, & YOU WILL PAY FOR IT. This verse could stand all by itself, but it has a very real tie-in with verses 11-14.
We talked about it before in the previous study, but we see it again here-that being the sin of pride.
Speaking falsehoods against another usually has a way of backfiring. This is definatly true of this verse. We never know how a person is going to react when lies are spread about him. Slander can even ruin a persons life as well! The primary message of the Bible, above all, is love-God's perfect love, as exemplified by the death of His Son on the cross of Calvary. The Jews were guilty of slander against Christ as well. Now we know through Scriptural accounts that Jesus did indeed forgive them, (Luke 23:34).But the damage had already been done. Their attitude towards the Christ would be their undoing. They were cursed by their own words, & the surrender of Jesus to the cruelity of the Romans. What was that curse-the destruction of their most holiest place-the Temple, in 70 AD. Jesus himself, even fortold of it's destruction in Luke 21:6-"But Jesus said to them, 'As for what you see here, (the Temple), the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; everyone of them will be torn down.'", It DID happen, & all because of the Jews disbelief, ( & that included their slander against Christ!), & they did INDEED pay a terrible price! This was their "curse"!
This takes on an even stronger meaning today. All the unsaved who deny Christ! Look at what their "curse" is in Revelation 20:11-13! Particularly the second half of verse 13-".....and each person was judged according to what he had done." The word "done" IS all-inclusive here, not just physically done, but every word that was ever uttered as well! Matthew 12:37 confirms this: "For by your words you will be aquitted, & by your words, you will be condemmed."
Starting in verse 11, is where we see where pride can really take over:
THERE ARE THOSE WHO CURSE THEIR FATHERS, & DO NOT BLESS THEIR MOTHERS. This goes in direct contradiction to how God wants each of us to feel towards our parents. The most basic example of this is the Commandment-"Honor your father & mother." Jesus knew exactly how important this was in His OWN relationship with HIS Father! Does Luke 11:2 sound familiar? "Father, hallowed be Your name." There are probably more references to Jesus' attitude towards His Father in Matthew & John! Here are just a few of them:
Matthew 11:25-"I praise You Father, Lord of heaven & Earth.....".
John 5:17-"Jesus said to him, 'My Father is always at His work to this very day, & I too am working.'"
John 14:28-".......for the Father is greater than I.......".
And of course, John 14:31-".....but the world must learn the I love the Father, THAT I DO EXACTLY WHAT MY FATHER HAS COMMANDED ME.'"
As for mothers, look at what kind of a man is disrespectful to his mother:
Proverbs 10:1 & Proverbs 15:20-he is foolish.
Proverbs 20:20-"If a man curses his father or mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness." (I think that this COULD mean that he will have to live without the benefit of his parents wisdom &/or strength.)
Proverbs 29:15 says: ".....but a child left to himself disgraces his mother." (If this doesn't promote a mother's responsibility to her children, I don't know what does!) Put this verse together with Proverbs 1:8...."and do forsake your mother's teaching." & Proverbs 6:20-"(agin repeated here, to emphasize it again!), and do not forsake your mother's teachings.", & we see just how important a mother really is!
...THOSE WHIO ARE PURE IN THEIR OWN EYES, & YET ARE NOT CLEANSED OF THEIR FILTH; THOSE WHOSE EYES ARE EVER SO HAUGHTY, WHOSE GLANCES ARE SO DISDAINFUL; THOSE WHOSE THEETH ARE LIKE SWORDS & WHOSE JAWS ARE SET WITH KNIVES TO DEVOURTHE POOR FROM THE EARTH, THE NEEDY FROM AMONG MANKIND. These verses show the pitfalls of not just pride, but from what many times can stem from pride-self-righteousness! These kind of people are pictured like ravening wolves, & without any consideration for anyone or anything but themselves! If only they would look at the consequences of their own actions! In OT times, we see what happens to the King of Assyria, a self-righteous & proud man-"Isaiah 10:12-19, with special emphasis on verses 16-19!
In modern times, look at some of the famous people, whose lifes have been crushed-people of high power like the Enron Execs, & Saddam Hussein, & popular people, like Michael Jackson. Might pride, or self-righteousness be involved in their downfalls? (It's not outside of the realm of possibility.)
Let us pray.
"Heavenly Father, we see in this study the dangers & consequences of our actions. We know that for those who don't know You, they will have to answer for everything that they have done during their lives. But we praise You, Lord Jesus, that we are no longer accountable for all the terrible things that we have done in our lives, because they have been washed clean by the Blood of Your Son, Christ Jesus! We praise You, Lord Jesus, that when we who know you stand before you, You will say to us, "Welcome home, my beloved child. Welcome home to that which I have prepared for you." No amount of praise can we even begin to offer for that blessed hope that awaits us, because we chosen to follow You, & have been washed clean by the Blood that you shed for each one of us on that cross! To You be all Glory, Honor, & praise forever & ever, & ever, Lord Jesus! It in is Your Name alone that we all say with a joyful shout...............AMEN!"
Bill