Day 65 Wednesday 11/19/14 Matthew 7:6 Dogs & pigs.
As an introduction to our Text for today, I thought it would be wise to look at Proverbs 9:7-9.- 9:7 "Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. 9:8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning."
In O.T. times, dogs lived in the streets and scavenged those streets for food and therefore according to Jewish Law was unclean. Pigs are scavenging animals that trample their food under foot and therefore are considered unclean as well....Pearls, on the other hand are of great value and many times in Scripture refer to the Kingdom of Heaven or the Gospel in N.T. times. Those who continually reject the plans of God resemble dogs and pigs.
Matthew 7:6 "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."
This verse is rather very basic to the lives of the Jewish folk, and for ours today. Some of the older writers warned of speaking about holy things in front of unholy people. I have noticed the scowls of the unsaved when this is done. Back a few years ago, I along with about twelve other "bikers" were headed for "Rolling Thunder" on our motorcycles. Before we left Greenfield, MA. we started out from Dunkin Donuts. There were about seven unsaved bikers among us. I said, "Lets hold hands and pray for traveling mercies. Those unbelievers look at each other in disgust but did as I said. In New York, on our way, a young girl in a car cut in front of my bike and struck my front wheel sending my bike into a bucking bronco, violent up & down motion. I sensed an invisibly hand touch my front wheel stopping the bucking motion. I did not go down which these unsaved bikers were astounded over. Later when we stopped, two of those bikers said, "now we know why you had us pray. That incident at about 70mph made a huge impression on them. So what started out as a crude feeling against the things of God, He reversed them, Praise His Name.
Generally speaking, it is unwise to have holy talk amongst unholy people. This Scripture is warning against it because some unbelievers so hate God and Jesus that they will strongly reject and will abuse the folk who are speaking about the wonders of God....This is when these people are referred to as dogs. Dogs will attack anyone that they dislike. Then there are the pigs. In the same scenario, pigs will just trample under their feet holy talk because that's their nature to do so. What can we learn from this? We have to have wisdom from God to know the difference from folk who will receive the "Good News" as something that will benefit them or people who are disgusted with holy talk and just trample and attack those who present the Gospel.
