Shalom,
Proverbs 10:1:
1 THE PROVERBS of Solomon: A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish and self-confident son is the grief of his mother.
The first group of Proverbs had a more flowing style to them. These are more short and to the point! They are usually comparing two opposites and the results of each. Verse 1, above, sometimes makes me laugh! I have often heard parents making comments to each other concerning their children. If they are doing something good, they both want to claim ownership! BUT, if they have done something questionable, embarrassing or wrong, they all of a sudden become, "YOUR son, or YOUR daughter"! It is human nature to want to take credit for the good and to place blame on someone else for the not so good! The Truth here, though, is that when our children are "wise", the Hebrew word "chakam", which means: wise, skillful, shrewd, learned, prudent, practical, intelligent, artful, we are all pleased and proud! When they are "foolish", the Hebrew word "keciyl", which means: stupid, silly, a dullard, a simpleton, an arrogant one, then no one wants to take credit for it! We have to realize that children will grow up and come to a point when they have to make their own decisions and choices. They will inevitably fail at some point. WE did! What parents need to focus on is found in Proverbs 22:6:
6 Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.
WE do OUR part and then trust God to do HIS! HE WILL! AMEN! And I have to again share verse 17, because it is so powerful!
17 He who heeds instruction and correction is [not only himself] in the way of life [but also] is a way of life for others. And he who neglects or refuses reproof [not only himself] goes astray [but also] causes to err and is a path toward ruin for others.
Walking in wisdom is one of the most unselfish things you can do, because it will affect every person you come in contact with!
Revelation 16 shows the results of the "bowl" judgments upon the earth. Everything that was done with some moderation in the first half of this 7 year period, is now done completely! I saw this in the Bible Exposition Commentary:
Heaven gives justification for this terrible judgment: the earth-dwellers have shed the blood of God's people, so it is only right that they should drink blood. In God's government, the punishment fits the crime. Pharaoh tried to drown the Jewish boy babies, but it was his own army that eventually drowned in the Red Sea. Haman planned to hang Mordecai on the gallows and to exterminate the Jews; but he himself was hanged on the gallows, and his family was exterminated (Est 7:10; 9:10). King Saul refused to obey God and slay the Amalekites, so he was slain by an Amalekite (2 Sam 1:1-16).
God's Word is TRUTH! If He says something is going to happen, it most definitely WILL happen, and it will happen just as He said it would! AMEN! WE are SO blessed to NOT be a part of the people living on the earth at this time! GLORY TO GOD!
Haggai 1-2 begins with the Israelites, who had been bullied into stopping the rebuilding of the Temple, building their own homes while the House of God was left undone. When asked about it, the people would say it wasn't yet time to rebuild! This was AFTER they were sent by Cyrus with instructions to rebuild and with all that was necessary to get it done! They were afraid, so they were making excuses! I recently saw two good quotes on excuses! Billy Sunday once called and excuse "the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie"; and Benjamin Franklin said, "I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else." Do YOU make excuses for NOT doing the will of God for your life? When God tells us to do something, it is because He trusts us to do it, AND because He WANTS to bless us for our obedience!
After Haggai delivered the message to the people that they were not being blessed in any area BECAUSE of their disobedience, they repented and began, again, to rebuild the Temple!
Haggai 2:7-9:
7 And I will shake all nations and the desire and the precious things of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts. 8 The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine, says the LORD of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts, and in this place will i give peace and prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.
The first glory of this house is when Jesus of Nazareth came to earth! The latter glory will come when He reigns as King in Jerusalem for a thousand years! THAT is the first time there will be real peace on earth! AMEN! Come quickly, LORD JESUS!
Shalom in Him!
