THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
We have a great friend in Gary Godard. He has set up an archive page. To view ALL the prior devotions by Scripture, just clik
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the books of Genesis through 2Kings are
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PROVERBS
CHAPTER 23
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: 2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. 3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
This whole chapter deals with appetites: Appetites of the body which tempt the soul.
The appetite is easily tempted. Those who are "rulers" have more at their table than most folk are used to. Because of their position, they probably have many guests for dinner, and the supply of food is greater than normal. The "ruler" has no intent to harm his guests, but his affluence influences their desire.
Different foods and abundant food is something that ordinarily tempts. However, the "ruler" would be offended at an overeater. Therefore, we should be even more careful about eating. And particularly the "dainties," or special meats. Those tend to do abnormal things to our system when eaten. Our body is not used to them.(
Be on guard, "put a knife to thy throat," for the food is deceiptful TWICE. It is deceiptful first, because it will cause bodily suffering later. It is deceiptful second, because it may offend the "ruler" if we partake more than we should.
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
As appetite is to the body, desire for riches is to the soul. Man's ordinary desire is to be "rich." That is not "wisdom."
It is not the riches that are corrupt, it is the desire to attain that is corrupt. That is why these verses are sandwiched between two thoughts which deal with appetite.
Paul says of this same thing:
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1Timothy 6:10)
6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. 8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
Quite different from the "ruler" is the man with an "evil eye." The ruler has no intent to harm his guests, but the man with the "evil eye" only invites someone to dinner in order to influence them. He takes great pleasure in tempting someone to partake of his "dainty meats," in order that he might have them beholden to him for the pleasure.
The lesson in all three of these instances is: don't allow the normal temptations to compromise living in character and integrity.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
It is our command from our Lord to witness to all men of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
However, when a "fool" (person who refuses God) continues to scoff and scorn, there is no need to press the witnessing. If the witnessing is pressed, the scorner of God will despise the witness, thereby reducing the possibility of any futher witnessing opportunity. It is better to wait until that person is more open to receiving the gospel.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: 11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
The "fatherless" are unprotected in the world. God looks upon them with special divine favor. HE Himself is their "redeemer."
To steal from, "remove the landmark," or to harm an unprotected child is to incur the WRATH OF GOD!
12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. 13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
Verse 12 can be linked with all of these common instructions. Particularly it can be linked with the former verse. It is not wise to do things which will incur the wrath of God!
Verse 12 can also be linked with the following discussion concerning the rearing of children.
To withhold correction from a child is to NOT LOVE the child. The child NEEDS instruction which will remove foolish notions and educate him to living rightly in the world. He also needs corrective measures to keep his soul for eternity.
Take into consideration what God says. To apply the rod of correction at times will not HARM the child. But it WILL educate and correct him so as to "deliver his soul from hell."!!!
15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. 16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things. 17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. 18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
Nothing brings more joy to a parent than to have children who mature and live in integrity. That same joy is GOD'S JOY when His children live lives of integrity and character.
The WAY to live such a life is to keep God at the CENTER of all we do (verse 17). We are accountable to GOD more than to parents and friends for the way we live.
To live for self alone is to expect that there is nothing but this physical life. That "expectation" will be "cut off." For God will cause every human being that ever lived to be resurrected from the dead and face HIM for judgment of their eternal souls.
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. 20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
Verse 19 is also a transitional statement which tells us to LISTEN TO GOD. It can be applied to the former discussion and to the following.
Alcohol is an addictive drug. It makes fools of otherwise good men. Even in this life, alcoholism brings a person to "poverty." And certainly to seek the drink more than the Lord is to bring the eternal soul to poverty.
The wise person will "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright." (Proverbs 23:31).
The reason the wise person will not desire the alcohol is because "At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder." (Proverbs 23:32)
22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. 23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. 24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. 25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice.
Parents of children who exercise integrity "greatly rejoice" (verses 24-25).
A young person will live in integrity when he realizes that "truth" is to be "bought" and never "sold!"
We should do all we possibly can to seek out and obtain truth. Once we have received it, we should never exchange it or compromise it.
26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. 27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. 28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
Verse 27 is another transitional phrase which can apply to the former discussion or the following.
The "whore" is a person who has found that sex is a bartering tool. She can use it to obtain favors and even money. By her use of sex she opposes God and brings corruption to men.
The young person is cautioned greatly by God to STAY AWAY from such people. Participation in sex outside of marriage is not only a sin, it is a "deep ditch," and a "narrow pit." It entraps a person and ruins a life.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. 34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. 35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Now here, God brings two appetites together.
The appetite for pleasure, and the appetite for alcohol.
The person who has an appetite for alcohol loses his sense of morality and integrity. He will pursue "stange women" in the process of his drinking.
Sin is most often found by association. The person who frequents places of alcoholic beverages, often falls prey to sensual desires.
Alcoholism dulls bodily senses. One can be so drunk as to not have common sense, and may lie "down in the midst of the sea" to drown.
Alcoholism can become so bad, that even if a person is BEATEN, he will arise after his drunken stupor and seek the booze AGAIN!
The appetite for alcohol usually stems from an appetite for pleasure.
That pleasure does not always have to be sensual.
Sometimes it can begin with a mental desire.
For instance:
the desire to distance oneself from reality,
the desire to mask insecurities with brazenness,
the desire to hide from sensitivity, et cetera.
Let me close the discussion of this chapter with the caution which God gave at the beginning:
"...consider diligently what is before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite."
PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.