Category: Devotions

1. Their Desire: The desire of the righteous is only good. That which the righteous desire is good, and therefore their desire, when accomplished, brings good with it. In the previous chapter, we learned that God granted the desire of the righteous (10:24). Here we have the added fact that their desire is good because it is God’s work. More, it is only good because centred in God Himself. If God is his portion, what can compare with that? If God is the passion of his desires, what greater or worthier object of desire? All my springs are in thee! Paul could say, For to me to live is Christ (Ph. 1:21). What can be more worth living for? If you and I can submit all our desires to Him, then we can be contented and happy whatever is granted to us, or withheld.

This is a verse that requires some sensitivity. The OT regards the pig as an unclean animal. Jews have a saying that the nose of a pig was walking dirt! Yet there are tribes that worshipped the pig, and then later feasted on it! The Egyptians, when they wanted to draw a picture of a fool, represented him as a pig!

The right mixture makes good mortar, and strong buildings! The same is true in forming godly partnerships that will secure lasting unity. He who stands for the right wrongs no man. He who gains by right makes no man a loser, for no man can lose what is not rightfully his own! The Apostle put it: “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion hath light with darkness? What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God. Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, … and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:14-17).

d. Their Confusion: The most common ground broadcast for the coming together of theological liberals and conservative evangelicals is their love of God and love of neighbour. Is it not wickedness that seeks to bring together error and truth on the basis of love? The dangers inherent in this ecumenism are cleverly concealed under the slogan, “Let’s just love one another.” This is proof of the old saying, “Love is blind,” until, like puppies, its eyes are opened to the truth. “Infidelity,” said John Calvin, “is always blind.” “According to Christianity, the acid test of truth and goodness is scripturalness” (R.B. Kuiper). Love covers all, we are assured, but without truth there is no goodness to love! Would you trust your young lambs to the care of the Wolf unless you really wanted them destroyed? Yet this is the confusion that is in full swing today.

1. Tragedy for the Wicked: Not unpunished! This, to many, is not only a severe message, but also one to be rejected as the raving of a troubler of Israel (1Kg. 18:17-18). Guilty persons are always suspicious, and defensive! They measure others by themselves, and expect others to treat them accordingly. Vs.21 continues the familiar theme contrasting the righteous and the wicked, but sinners are ever slow to learn and even slower to obey.

“Righteous men believe themselves to be sinners, and sinners believe themselves to be righteous” (Pascal). The late Dr. (?) did not satisfy, by his preaching, the Calvinistic portion of his flock. “Why, sir,” said they, “we think you dinna tell us enough about renouncing our ain righteousness.” “Renouncing your ain righteousness!” vociferated the doctor. “I never saw any ye had to renounce.”

God is a God of Mercy! This word (chesed) is almost beyond man to fully express. In Young’s Concordance you see something of its scope. It soa well nigh unreachable, as it describes God’s dealings with mankind.

The Greek Bible (LXX) has a very different translation here. Why? Did these translators have a corrupt Hebrew text, or did they misread what they had, or not like the original text, and so changed it to suit their guesses? This is the all too common practice of our present-day Bible paraphrasers who seem to delight in every conceivable word-play, while they lay “unholy hands” on the precious received Words of God. Some of the preferred readings in modern versions come from the Greek Bible (LXX) as well as other doubtful sources. Read the Introductions and footnotes in any new version to see that this is so.

An Apocryphal book has restrictions on suretyship, but allows “an honest man” can be surety for his neighbour. Solomon warns against this completely.

This word counsel (always plural) comes from a root meaning to bind with ropes, then, rope-pulling, then guidance. It is a nautical term and refers to the rope-pulling that steers or guides a ship. It also gave rise to the word shipmaster, steersman, pilot in Jonah (1:6, cf. Rev. 18:17). Now, since counsel is double-edged, being either good or bad, how careful we must be in the counsel we seek and accept. So also this word has a double-edged meaning, namely, to wound, to sabotage, to ruin, leading to pain and suffering (shall be destroyed, Pr. 13:13; destroys, a destruction painful, i.e., sickening, Mic. 2:10)!