Bible Study Log

Wisdom and the Fear of the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (C Andy) — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 14:22:00 +0000

Structured in a similar way to Psalms and content like Proverbs, the words and expression also look similar but does fell difference somehow. It praises Wisdom but it also points to God as being on the Throne. The next section emphasises the point about Fear of the Lord. It is giving good, general advice yet it is much more than secular - we know that this good advice about the way that God wants us to live. Wisdom or to be wise cannot be separated from living with the Fear of God.

In Praise of Wisdom

1 All wisdom comes from the Lord

and is with him for ever.

2 The sand of the sea, the drops of rain,

and the days of eternity—who can count them?

3 The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth,

the abyss, and wisdom—who can search them out?

4 Wisdom was created before all things,

and prudent understanding from eternity.[c]

6 The root of wisdom—to whom has it been revealed?

Her clever devices—who knows them?[d]

8 There is One who is wise, greatly to be feared,

sitting upon his throne.

9 The Lord himself created wisdom;[e]

he saw her and apportioned her,

he poured her out upon all his works.

10 She dwells with all flesh according to his gift,

and he supplied her to those who love him.

Fear of the Lord Is True Wisdom

11 The fear of the Lord is glory and exultation,

and gladness and a crown of rejoicing.

12 The fear of the Lord delights the heart,

and gives gladness and joy and long life.

13 With him who fears the Lord it will go well at the end;

on the day of his death he will be blessed.

14 To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

she is created with the faithful in the womb.

15 She made[f] among men an eternal foundation,

and among their descendants she will be trusted.

16 To fear the Lord is wisdom’s full measure;

she satisfies[g] men with her fruits;

17 she fills their whole house with desirable goods,

and their storehouses with her produce.

18 The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom,

making peace and perfect health to flourish.

19 He saw her and apportioned her;

he rained down knowledge and discerning comprehension,

and he exalted the glory of those who held her fast.

20 To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom,

and her branches are long life.[h]

22 Unrighteous anger cannot be justified,

for a man’s anger tips the scale to his ruin.

23 A patient man will endure until the right moment,

and then joy will burst forth for him.

24 He will hide his words until the right moment,

and the lips of many will tell of his good sense.

25 In the treasuries of wisdom are wise sayings,

but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.

26 If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments,

and the Lord will supply it for you.

27 For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction,

and he delights in fidelity and meekness.

28 Do not disobey the fear of the Lord;

do not approach him with a divided mind.

29 Be not a hypocrite in men’s sight,[i]

and keep watch over your lips.

30 Do not exalt yourself lest you fall,

and thus bring dishonor upon yourself.

The Lord will reveal your secrets

and cast you down in the midst of the congregation,

because you did not come in the fear of the Lord,

and your heart was full of deceit.

Wisdom - The Red Sea Crossing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 14:52:00 +0000

The Egyptians who desperately wanted the Israelites out of the land after the tragedy of their firstborn - would soon change their minds to pursue them. This chapter starts off from here and continues to describe the Egyptians pursuit which eventually led to the parting of the Red Sea for the Israelites. It justifies the punishment God put on the Egyptians for their enslavement of the Israelites. The final main paragraph describe a change in nature including sea animals becoming land animals and vice versa. Not certain if this has taken place yet.

Wisdom 19 (RSVCE)

The Red Sea
19 But the ungodly were assailed to the end by pitiless anger,
for God[a] knew in advance even their future actions,
2 that, though they themselves had permitted[b] thy people to depart
and hastily sent them forth,
they would change their minds and pursue them.
3 For while they were still busy at mourning,
and were lamenting at the graves of their dead,
they reached another foolish decision,
and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged and compelled to depart.
4 For the fate they deserved drew them on to this end,
and made them forget what had happened,
in order that they might fill up the punishment which their torments still lacked,
5 and that thy people might experience[c] an incredible journey,
but they themselves might meet a strange death.
God Guides and Protects His People
6 For the whole creation in its nature was fashioned anew,
complying with thy commands,
that thy children[d] might be kept unharmed.
7 The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp,
and dry land emerging where water had stood before,
an unhindered way out of the Red Sea,
and a grassy plain out of the raging waves,
8 where those protected by thy hand passed through as one nation,
after gazing on marvelous wonders.
9 For they ranged like horses,
and leaped like lambs,
praising thee, O Lord, who didst deliver them.
10 For they still recalled the events of their sojourn,
how instead of producing animals the earth brought forth gnats,
and instead of fish the river spewed out vast numbers of frogs.
11 Afterward they saw also a new kind[e] of birds,
when desire led them to ask for luxurious food;
12 for, to give them relief, quails came up from the sea.
The Punishment of the Egyptians
13 The punishments did not come upon the sinners
without prior signs in the violence of thunder,
for they justly suffered because of their wicked acts;
for they practiced a more bitter hatred of strangers.
14 Others had refused to receive strangers when they came to them,
but these made slaves of guests who were their benefactors.
15 And not only so, but punishment of some sort will come upon the former
for their hostile reception of the aliens;
16 but the latter, after receiving them with festal celebrations,
afflicted with terrible sufferings
those who had already shared the same rights.
17 They were stricken also with loss of sight—
just as were those at the door of the righteous man—
when, surrounded by yawning darkness,
each tried to find the way through his own door.
A New Harmony in Nature
18 For the elements changed[f] places with one another,
as on a harp the notes vary the nature of the rhythm,
while each note remains the same.[g]
This may be clearly inferred from the sight of what took place.
19 For land animals were transformed into water creatures,
and creatures that swim moved over to the land.
20 Fire even in water retained its normal power,
and water forgot its fire-quenching nature.
21 Flames, on the contrary, failed to consume
the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them,
nor did they melt[h] the crystalline, easily melted kind of heavenly food.
Conclusion
22 For in everything, O Lord, thou hast exalted and glorified thy people;
and thou hast not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.

Light Shines on the Israelites

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 13:57:00 +0000

The chapter starts with a picture of victory for the Israelites as they have just won their freedom from Egypt. Their Egyptian captors should be thankful that the Israelites did not retaliate for the wrongs that have been done to them. Instead the Israelites were called to be the light to the world through the law.

The effects of the death of the firstborn were accounted here. There was no doubt the sufffering of the Egyptians were punishment for the oppression on the Israelites. The punishment however, does not differentiate between slaves and masters, kings and common man. Interesting to note that judgment did not come suddenly for the Egyptians 'for the dreams which disturbed them forewarned them of this, so that they might not perish without knowing why they suffered'

The Israelites too were far from blameless. When they sinned in the desert, they were almost destroyed, if not for the 'prayer and propitiation' from Moses - an interesting word that would be used to describe what Yshua has done for us.

Wisdom 18 (RSVCE) - Light Shines on the Israelites
18 But for thy holy ones there was very great light.
Their enemies[a] heard their voices but did not see their forms,
and counted them happy for not having suffered,
2 and were thankful that thy holy ones,[b] though previously wronged, were doing them no injury;
and they begged their pardon for having been at variance with them.[c]
3 Therefore thou didst provide a flaming pillar of fire
as a guide for thy people’s[d] unknown journey,
and a harmless sun for their glorious wandering.
4 For their enemies[e] deserved to be deprived of light and imprisoned in darkness,
those who had kept thy sons imprisoned,
through whom the imperishable light of the law was to be given to the world.
The Death of the Egyptian Firstborn
5 When they had resolved to kill the babes of thy holy ones,
and one child had been exposed and rescued,
thou didst in punishment take away a multitude of their children;
and thou didst destroy them all together by a mighty flood.
6 That night was made known beforehand to our fathers,
so that they might rejoice in sure knowledge of the oaths in which they trusted.
7 The deliverance of the righteous and the destruction of their enemies
were expected by thy people.
8 For by the same means by which thou didst punish our enemies
thou didst call us to thyself and glorify us.
9 For in secret the holy children of good men offered sacrifices,
and with one accord agreed to the divine law,
that the saints would share alike the same things,
both blessings and dangers;
and already they were singing the praises of the fathers.[f]
10 But the discordant cry of their enemies echoed back,
and their piteous lament for their children was spread abroad.
11 The slave was punished with the same penalty as the master,
and the common man suffered the same loss as the king;
12 and they all together, by the one form of death,
had corpses too many to count.
For the living were not sufficient even to bury them,
since in one instant their most valued children had been destroyed.
13 For though they had disbelieved everything because of their magic arts,
yet, when their first-born were destroyed, they acknowledged thy people to be God’s son.
14 For while gentle silence enveloped all things,
and night in its swift course was now half gone,
15 thy all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne,
into the midst of the land that was doomed,
a stern warrior 16 carrying the sharp sword of thy authentic command,
and stood and filled all things with death,
and touched heaven while standing on the earth.
17 Then at once apparitions in dreadful dreams greatly troubled them,
and unexpected fears assailed them;
18 and one here and another there, hurled down half dead,
made known why they were dying;
19 for the dreams which disturbed them forewarned them of this,
so that they might not perish without knowing why they suffered.
Threat of Annihilation in the Desert
20 The experience of death touched also the righteous,
and a plague came upon the multitude in the desert,
but the wrath did not long continue.
21 For a blameless man was quick to act as their champion;
he brought forward the shield of his ministry,
prayer and propitiation by incense;
he withstood the anger and put an end to the disaster,
showing that he was thy servant.
22 He conquered the wrath[g] not by strength of body,
and not by force of arms,
but by his word he subdued the punisher,
appealing to the oaths and covenants given to our fathers.
23 For when the dead had already fallen on one another in heaps,
he intervened and held back the wrath,
and cut off its way to the living.
24 For upon his long robe the whole world was depicted,
and the glories of the fathers were engraved on the four rows of stones,
and thy majesty on the diadem upon his head.
25 To these the destroyer yielded, these he[h] feared;
for merely to test the wrath was enough.

Fear Strikes on the First Passover and beyond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 14:13:00 +0000

This passage in Wisdom describes the terror on that first Passover night. Before discussing the Wisdom chapter in detail, let us remember the passage from Exodus.

Exodus 11

4 Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, 5 and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well. 6 So there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. 7 But not even a dog will [c]threaten any of the sons of Israel, nor anything from person to animal, so that you may [d]learn how the Lord distinguishes between Egypt and Israel.’

Exodus 12

The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you [o]live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will come upon you [p]to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

It is very easy to assume that the last plague will punish the Egyptians and protect the children of Israel, and even Exodus 11:7 hinted at this. However the exact text about the plague is on the firstborn of the land of Egypt, including the slaves (who were likely non-Egyptian, and likely to be Hebrew) and the animals too. God does not condemn based on race and ethnicity, neither is salvation based on race and ethnicity. For the firstborn of the Israelites were not safe too, unless they had the blood brushed on the houses. It is the faith in God's word that led them to trust in God that they will be spared when there is blood on the house.

With this perspective, both Egyptians and Israelites would have been affected by fear and uncertainty over the announcement of the last plague. The ungodly, including the powerful ones, may continue to sin but they are affected by fear. They are terrified by the darkness, the same darkness in which they sinned. None of their magicians, supernatural crafts, medicine are able to alleviate their fears. Fears turn into terror, even when there is nothing or an animal passing, will cause them to tremble.

It continues with more intense description of the terror from sleepless nights, to feeling totally powerless, to imaginations of monsters and spectres and becoming paralysed by the fear. Every sound from wind, birds, animals, water will cause them to be paralyzed by fear. Even though that First Passover was for only one night, the description of man's fear in this passage also extend to any general time when man refuses to accept the promise of salvation from God.

Wisdom 17 (RSVCE) - Terror Strikes the Egyptians at Night
17 Great are thy judgments and hard to describe;
therefore uninstructed souls have gone astray.
2 For when lawless men supposed that they held the holy nation in their power,
they themselves lay as captives of darkness and prisoners of long night,
shut in under their roofs, exiles from eternal providence.
3 For thinking that in their secret sins they were unobserved
behind a dark curtain of forgetfulness,
they were scattered, terribly[a] alarmed,
and appalled by specters.
4 For not even the inner chamber that held them protected them from fear,
but terrifying sounds rang out around them,
and dismal phantoms with gloomy faces appeared.
5 And no power of fire was able to give light,
nor did the brilliant flames of the stars
avail to illumine that hateful night.
6 Nothing was shining through to them
except a dreadful, self-kindled fire,
and in terror they deemed the things which they saw
to be worse than that unseen appearance.
7 The delusions of their magic art lay humbled,
and their boasted wisdom was scornfully rebuked.
8 For those who promised to drive off the fears and disorders of a sick soul
were sick themselves with ridiculous fear.
9 For even if nothing disturbing frightened them,
yet, scared by the passing of beasts and the hissing of serpents,
10 they perished in trembling fear,
refusing to look even at the air, though it nowhere could be avoided.
11 For wickedness is a cowardly thing, condemned by its own testimony;[b]
distressed by conscience, it has always exaggerated[c] the difficulties.
12 For fear is nothing but surrender of the helps that come from reason;
13 and the inner expectation of help, being weak,
prefers ignorance of what causes the torment.
14 But throughout the night, which was really powerless,
and which beset them from the recesses of powerless Hades,
they all slept the same sleep,
15 and now were driven by monstrous specters,
and now were paralyzed by their souls’ surrender,
for sudden and unexpected fear overwhelmed them.
16 And whoever was there fell down,
and thus was kept shut up in a prison not made of iron;
17 for whether he was a farmer or a shepherd
or a workman who toiled in the wilderness,
he was seized, and endured the inescapable fate;
for with one chain of darkness they all were bound.
18 Whether there came a whistling wind,
or a melodious sound of birds in wide-spreading branches,
or the rhythm of violently rushing water,
19 or the harsh crash of rocks hurled down,
or the unseen running of leaping animals,
or the sound of the most savage roaring beasts,
or an echo thrown back from a hollow of the mountains,
it paralyzed them with terror.
20 For the whole world was illumined with brilliant light,
and was engaged in unhindered work,
21 while over those men alone heavy night was spread,
an image of the darkness that was destined to receive them;
but still heavier than darkness were they to themselves.

A Summary of Scientific Creationism by Henry M. Morris

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Jul 2020 15:07:00 +0000

This is a summary of notes taken while reading "Scientific Creationism" by Henry M. Morris

---------------

Ch 3 accident or plan
Complexity of living organisms
- mathematical impossibility of even the simplest molecules coming together. To create a combination of 100 particles, given 10e80 electrons in the universe and 30 billion years with 10e9 tries power second, is still almost impossible.
- a dna molecule is 400 linked amino acids which are complex molecules. there is almost no chance it can be formed by random combinations.
- the DNA molecule would require 1500 or 10e450 successive binary choices to create. comparing this to all information in printed books in the world is 10e20 which is only 66 successive binary choices.
- there have been many attempts to create the simple molecules of life in labs with primordial conditions but none are anywhere near conclusive.
- Similarities in evolution are used too postulate a common ancestry. In creation, similarities are a natural consequence that the creator has perogative you create different creatures, but some would obviously have similar characteristics.
- Differences in species is evidence of creation. The Creator specifically created individual species. Evolution is about species evolving into another. Hence there should be evidence of many transitional species, but there are no evidence given over 150 years of paleontology. Various animals thought to be transitional species like the fish with limb like fins, are found to be living today.
Synthetic gaps in fossil records
- the study of geological age and fossil records has gaps in the absence of transitional species.
- many modern species were found in the same ages with no evidence of evolving.
- the fish to amphibian to reptile to birds are not supported by strong fossil evidence.
- Though many animals are extinct which are mistakenly taken as evolving, majority of insects and plants are same today as in prehistory, there are no indication again of the transitioning species.

4. Uniformitarianism or Catastrophism.
- Uniformitarianism explains the geological column takes a long time to create different layers. However this is a tautology since it assumes fossil records takes long time to create and uses fossils in earth strata as evidence of a longtime.
- Catastrophism a.k.a. rapid formation - which is quite evident, suggest that different layers can be created suddenly, hence also suggesting the fossils could be recent.
- Fossilisation occurs suddenly, not over long periods of time. We can see this that when animal dies, it decays and the remains may even be scattered by other animals or the environment. It is difficult and rare to fossils starting from skeletons, then being covered with layers of earth through time. It is much easier to preserve or fossilise when there is a sudden even like volcanic eruption, or even human skeletons which are buried in one instance by their peers.
- Various types of rock formations can be formed by direct precipitation, sudden deposits of large amount of material washed to a location, large scale even continental level flooding.
- Coal and similar resources and other layered of earth are not rare to have include fossilized trees embedded across multiple columns.
- Oil and coal are more likely to be formed by massive sudden deposits of sedimentation than long process. We currently have the technology to convert garbage into oil.
Contemporaneity of the Fossil World
- The geological column composed of various strata or layers of different material does not indicate formation through time because there is no worldwide unconformity. The reason it was first assumed as time separation because of the since groups of fossils are found together in layers, and starting with the wrong assumption that the fossils belong to different time period, hence the strata was wrongly linked to time.
- Each stratum was formed rapidly, and so was the entire column, with hydraulic cataclysm, ie the different layers are formed suddenly by flow of waters.
- There are evidence of fossils from different ages are found together in the same strata.
- Fossils thought to be more ancient are found at the bottom. However this is not due to time but by physical nature. Given the assumption of worldwide hydraulic cataclysm, ocean floor animals are buried first, followed by fish, then amphibians, some reptiles. Humans and birds would be few. Though most humans would die in such a flood, they would be able to run to higher ground then still overtaken by water, but their bodies would be afloat and not buried. The types of animals from first layer to top layer are mistaken to be evolutionary path from fish to reptiles.
- Evidence of humans living with pre-historic animals. Ancient Mayan art show a pre-historic looking reptile-bird, which must be living at the time of the Mayans up to 5000 years ago (discovered by Jose Diaz-Bolio).
- The geological ages from Archaeozoic to Pleistocene to Recent should be recalibrated from fossil based age for evolution, to the different stages of the Great Flood.
-

Lent, Pentecost and the Day of the Lord

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Mar 2020 11:56:00 +0000

Lent has started this year on Wednesday, 26 February 2020 and ends on Thursday, 9 April 2020. We are looking for to Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks. This is the fiftieth day after the Passover in the Jewish tradition. Pentecost is also significant to Christians as it is the 'Outpouring of the Holy Spirit' and is the fiftieth day after the Crucifixion of Yshua the Messiah.

Peter the Apostle made a speech on the first Pentecost after Yshua's crucifixion and Resurrection, in which he quoted Joel. The full passage of Joel is given below. However, Peter's quote was only from last part of chapter 2 in Joel. Peter's emphasis was on 'pour out my spirit upon all flesh' and those who call upon the Lord will be saved; because at that time the Holy Spirit was pourd unto believers and that gift of the Spirit and salvation is available to those who called on the Lord.

It is interesting to see that the context of Joel 2 is the the Day of the Lord, which is about endtimes. It also mentions the remnant who call will be saved. Peter's verses can be used to encourage the Gentiles to come to Christ, which is up to the End Times. During those times, when the Christians would have been taken back to be with the Lord, much more of Joel 2 will be fulfilled on earth.

The situation facing the world today is showing the potential of increased severity. It seems that the current events may be a prelude to what will be coming in the future. Hence while Peter was sharing God's Salvation at that time, for us now is the time to also share God's Salvation plans. We should also take hold of the encouragement Joel 2, such as 'Fear not, .., be glad and rejoice' and that God is also going to restore what is lost, and replace it with plenty.

Joel 2 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
2 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,
and sound an alarm in my holy mountain:
let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:
for the day of the Lord cometh,
for it is nigh at hand;
2 a day of darkness and of gloominess,
a day of clouds and of thick darkness,
as the morning spread upon the mountains:
a great people and a strong;
there hath not been ever the like,
neither shall be any more after it,
even to the years of many generations.
3 A fire devoureth before them;
and behind them a flame burneth:
the land is as the garden of Eden before them,
and behind them a desolate wilderness;
yea, and nothing shall escape them.
4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses;
and as horsemen, so shall they run.
5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap,
like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble,
as a strong people set in battle array.
6 Before their face the people shall be much pained:
all faces shall gather blackness.
7 They shall run like mighty men;
they shall climb the wall like men of war;
and they shall march every one on his ways,
and they shall not break their ranks:
8 neither shall one thrust another;
they shall walk every one in his path:
and when they fall upon the sword,
they shall not be wounded.
9 They shall run to and fro in the city;
they shall run upon the wall,
they shall climb up upon the houses;
they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
10 The earth shall quake before them;
the heavens shall tremble:
the sun and the moon shall be dark,
and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
11 and the Lord shall utter his voice before his army:
for his camp is very great:
for he is strong that executeth his word:
for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;
and who can abide it?

12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord,
turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting,
and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 and rend your heart, and not your garments,
and turn unto the Lord your God:
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great kindness,
and repenteth him of the evil.
14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent,
and leave a blessing behind him;
even a meat offering and a drink offering
unto the Lord your God?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
16 gather the people,
sanctify the congregation,
assemble the elders,
gather the children,
and those that suck the breasts:
let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber,
and the bride out of her closet.
17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord,
weep between the porch and the altar,
and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord,
and give not thine heritage to reproach,
that the heathen should rule over them:
wherefore should they say among the people,
Where is their God?

18 Then will the Lord be jealous for his land,
and pity his people.
19 Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people,
Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil,
and ye shall be satisfied therewith:
and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
20 but I will remove far off from you the northern army,
and will drive him into a land barren and desolate,
with his face toward the east sea,
and his hinder part toward the utmost sea,
and his stink shall come up,
and his ill savour shall come up,
because he hath done great things.

21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice:
for the Lord will do great things.
22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field:
for the pastures of the wilderness do spring,
for the tree beareth her fruit,
the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion,
and rejoice in the Lord your God:
for he hath given you the former rain moderately,
and he will cause to come down for you the rain,
the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
24 And the floors shall be full of wheat,
and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,
the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm,
my great army which I sent among you.
26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
that hath dealt wondrously with you:
and my people shall never be ashamed.
27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the Lord your God, and none else:
and my people shall never be ashamed.

28 And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions:
29 and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids
in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth,
blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood,
before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered:
for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance,
as the Lord hath said,
and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

Disastrous storms an fires

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 14:31:00 +0000

The reference to two groups of people, one in which God provides the food for them, while the other would have undesirable food. It describes God's mercy in saving the people who were bitten by snakes, when these people turned towards God. God also sends flood and fire as judgment to the unrighteous, how similar is that to today. In the desert, God provided the manna at the right quantity, so that the people would have to do physical work of collecting it every morning (except Sabbath), and give thanks and recognize the provision from God.

Wisdom 16 (RSVCE)
16 Therefore those men were deservedly punished through such creatures,
and were tormented by a multitude of animals.
2 Instead of this punishment thou didst show kindness to thy people,
and thou didst prepare quails to eat,
a delicacy to satisfy the desire of appetite;
3 in order that those men, when they desired food,
might lose the least remnant of appetite[a]
because of the odious creatures sent to them,
while thy people,[b] after suffering want a short time,
might partake of delicacies.
4 For it was necessary that upon those oppressors inexorable want should come,
while to these it was merely shown how their enemies were being tormented.

5 For when the terrible rage of wild beasts came upon thy people[c]
and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents,
thy wrath did not continue to the end;
6 they were troubled for a little while as a warning,
and received a token of deliverance to remind them of thy law’s command.
7 For he who turned toward it was saved, not by what he saw,
but by thee, the Savior of all.
8 And by this also thou didst convince our enemies
that it is thou who deliverest from every evil.
9 For they were killed by the bites of locusts and flies,
and no healing was found for them,
because they deserved to be punished by such things;
10 but thy sons were not conquered even by the teeth of venomous serpents,
for thy mercy came to their help and healed them.
11 To remind them of thy oracles they were bitten,
and then were quickly delivered,
lest they should fall into deep forgetfulness
and become unresponsive[d] to thy kindness.
12 For neither herb nor poultice cured them,
but it was thy word, O Lord, which heals all men.
13 For thou hast power over life and death;
thou dost lead men down to the gates of Hades and back again.
14 A man in his wickedness kills another,
but he cannot bring back the departed spirit,
nor set free the imprisoned soul.

Disastrous Storms Strike Egypt
15 To escape from thy hand is impossible;
16 for the ungodly, refusing to know thee,
were scourged by the strength of thy arm,
pursued by unusual rains and hail and relentless storms,
and utterly consumed by fire.
17 For—most incredible of all—in the water, which quenches all things,
the fire had still greater effect,
for the universe defends the righteous.
18 At one time the flame was restrained,
so that it might not consume the creatures sent against the ungodly,
but that seeing this they might know
that they were being pursued by the judgment of God;
19 and at another time even in the midst of water it burned more intensely than fire,
to destroy the crops of the unrighteous land.

The Israelites Receive Manna
20 Instead of these things thou didst give thy people food of angels,
and without their toil thou didst supply them from heaven with bread ready to eat,
providing every pleasure and suited to every taste.
21 For thy sustenance manifested thy sweetness toward thy children;
and the bread, ministering[e] to the desire of the one who took it,
was changed to suit every one’s liking.
22 Snow and ice withstood fire without melting,
so that they might know that the crops of their enemies
were being destroyed by the fire that blazed in the hail
and flashed in the showers of rain;
23 whereas the fire,[f] in order that the righteous might be fed,
even forgot its native power.

24 For creation, serving thee who hast made it,
exerts itself to punish the unrighteous,
and in kindness relaxes on behalf of those who trust in thee.
25 Therefore at that time also, changed into all forms,
it served thy all-nourishing bounty,
according to the desire of those who had need,[g]
26 so that thy sons, whom thou didst love, O Lord, might learn
that it is not the production of crops that feeds man,
but that thy word preserves those who trust in thee.
27 For what was not destroyed by fire
was melted when simply warmed by a fleeting ray of the sun,
28 to make it known that one must rise before the sun to give thee thanks,
and must pray to thee at the dawning of the light;
29 for the hope of an ungrateful man will melt like wintry frost,
and flow away like waste water.

Benefits of Worshiping the True God

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 10:17:00 +0000

We are reminded that to worship the One True Lord is to our benefit. In contrast, it is pointless to worship idols made from our hands. It is futile to worship the idols and they only take our attention away from the True God. Besides idols, it is also pointless to worship animals and beast which are also creation of God.

Wisdom 15 (RSVCE)
Benefits of Worshiping the True God
15 But thou, our God, art kind and true,
patient, and ruling all things[a] in mercy.
2 For even if we sin we are thine, knowing thy power;
but we will not sin, because we know that we are accounted thine.
3 For to know thee is complete righteousness,
and to know thy power is the root of immortality.
4 For neither has the evil intent of human art misled us,
nor the fruitless toil of painters,
a figure stained with varied colors,
5 whose appearance arouses yearning in fools,
so that they desire[b] the lifeless form of a dead image.
6 Lovers of evil things and fit for such objects of hope[c]
are those who either make or desire or worship them.

The Foolishness of Worshiping Clay Idols
7 For when a potter kneads the soft earth
and laboriously molds each vessel for our service,
he fashions out of the same clay
both the vessels that serve clean uses
and those for contrary uses, making all in like manner;
but which shall be the use of each of these
the worker in clay decides.
8 With misspent toil, he forms a futile god from the same clay—
this man who was made of earth a short time before
and after a little while goes to the earth from which he was taken,
when he is required to return the soul that was lent him.
9 But he is not concerned that he is destined to die
or that his life is brief,
but he competes with workers in gold and silver,
and imitates workers in copper;
and he counts it his glory that he molds counterfeit gods.
10 His heart is ashes, his hope is cheaper than dirt,
and his life is of less worth than clay,
11 because he failed to know the one who formed him
and inspired him with an active soul
and breathed into him a living spirit.
12 But he[d] considered our existence an idle game,
and life a festival held for profit,
for he says one must get money however one can, even by base means.
13 For this man, more than all others, knows that he sins
when he makes from earthy matter fragile vessels and graven images.

14 But most foolish, and more miserable than an infant,
are all the enemies who oppressed thy people.
15 For they thought that all their heathen idols were gods,
though these have neither the use of their eyes to see with,
nor nostrils with which to draw breath,
nor ears with which to hear,
nor fingers to feel with,
and their feet are of no use for walking.
16 For a man made them,
and one whose spirit is borrowed formed them;
for no man can form a god which is like himself.
17 He is mortal, and what he makes with lawless hands is dead,
for he is better than the objects he worships,
since[e] he has life, but they never have.

Serpents in the Desert
18 The enemies of thy people[f] worship even the most hateful animals,
which are worse than all others, when judged by their lack of intelligence;
19 and even as animals they are not so beautiful in appearance that one would desire them,
but they have escaped both the praise of God and his blessing.

The Origin and Evils of Idolatry

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Dec 2019 13:10:00 +0000

This chapter makes clear God's hatred for idolatry because of its ability to trap 'the souls of men' and a snare to the foolish. It brings an interesting illustration that sailors would turn towards an idol for help during a storm, rather than the One True God who created everything and commands the seas.

On a side note, verse 6 "For even in the beginning, when arrogant giants were perishing, the hope of the world took refuge on a raft, and guided by thy hand left to the world the seed of a new generation." was a clear reference to Noah's Ark. What is interesting to point out is the fact that in the evil generation in Noah's time, it is not only because of the evil acts of men that prompted God to eliminate the whole earth. The evil is the existence of the giants themselves which is an abominable hybrid between fallen angels and humans. These giants also existed after the Great Flood. To eliminate these giants may be a reason that God seemed to acted so harshly and cruelly, not only regarding the Flood but also ordering Israel to eliminate the Canaanites women and children.

Genesis 6:4
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.

This chapter then gives seemingly quite a good account of the origins of all kinds of evil being traced back to idolatry. It describes the origin of worshipping and idolizing the dead and the rulers or kings. Once in idolatry, they lose their knowledge and relationship with God. From there the wickedness increase and eventually leads to all kinds of perversion.

Wisdom 14 (RSVCE)
Folly of a Navigator Praying to an Idol
14 Again, one preparing to sail and about to voyage over raging waves
calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the ship which carries him.
2 For it was desire for gain that planned that vessel,
and wisdom was the craftsman who built it;
3 but it is thy providence, O Father, that steers its course,
because thou hast given it a path in the sea,
and a safe way through the waves,
4 showing that thou canst save from every danger,
so that even if a man lacks skill, he may put to sea.
5 It is thy will that works of thy wisdom should not be without effect;
therefore men trust their lives even to the smallest piece of wood,
and passing through the billows on a raft they come safely to land.
6 For even in the beginning, when arrogant giants were perishing,
the hope of the world took refuge on a raft,
and guided by thy hand left to the world the seed of a new generation.
7 For blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes.

8 But the idol made with hands is accursed, and so is he who made it;
because he did the work, and the perishable thing was named a god.
9 For equally hateful to God are the ungodly man and his ungodliness,
10 for what was done will be punished together with him who did it.
11 Therefore there will be a visitation also upon the heathen idols,
because, though part of what God created, they became an abomination,
and became traps for the souls of men
and a snare to the feet of the foolish.

The Origin and Evils of Idolatry
12 For the idea of making idols was the beginning of fornication,
and the invention of them was the corruption of life,
13 for neither have they existed from the beginning
nor will they exist for ever.
14 For through the vanity of men they entered the world,
and therefore their speedy end has been planned.
15 For a father, consumed with grief at an untimely bereavement,
made an image of his child, who had been suddenly taken from him;
and he now honored as a god what was once a dead human being,
and handed on to his dependents secret rites and initiations.
16 Then the ungodly custom, grown strong with time, was kept as a law,
and at the command of monarchs graven images were worshiped.
17 When men could not honor monarchs[a] in their presence, since they lived at a distance,
they imagined their appearance far away,
and made a visible image of the king whom they honored,
so that by their zeal they might flatter the absent one as though present.
18 Then the ambition of the craftsman impelled
even those who did not know the king to intensify their worship.
19 For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler,
skilfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form,
20 and the multitude, attracted by the charm of his work,
now regarded as an object of worship the one whom shortly before they had honored as a man.
21 And this became a hidden trap for mankind,
because men, in bondage to misfortune or to royal authority,
bestowed on objects of stone or wood the name that ought not to be shared.

22 Afterward it was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God,
but they live in great strife due to ignorance,
and they call such great evils peace.
23 For whether they kill children in their initiations, or celebrate secret mysteries,
or hold frenzied revels with strange customs,
24 they no longer keep either their lives or their marriages pure,
but they either treacherously kill one another, or grieve one another by adultery,
25 and all is a raging riot of blood and murder, theft and deceit, corruption, faithlessness, tumult, perjury,
26 confusion over what is good, forgetfulness of favors,
pollution of souls, sex perversion,
disorder in marriage, adultery, and debauchery.
27 For the worship of idols not to be named
is the beginning and cause and end of every evil.
28 For their worshipers[b] either rave in exultation, or prophesy lies,
or live unrighteously, or readily commit perjury;
29 for because they trust in lifeless idols
they swear wicked oaths and expect to suffer no harm.
30 But just penalties will overtake them on two counts:
because they thought wickedly of God in devoting themselves to idols,
and because in deceit they swore unrighteously through contempt for holiness.
31 For it is not the power of the things by which men swear,[c]
but the just penalty for those who sin,
that always pursues the transgression of the unrighteous.

The Foolishness of Nature Worship and Idolatry

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 13:11:00 +0000

In debates about the existence of God, one of the Christian arguments is to look at the beauty of nature on earth and in space. The beauty of creation surely points to the existence of a Creator. This reasoning is also taught to many Christians. It is in this chapter that we also find this argument so plainly stated. In addition it also points to the foolishness of those who worship these objects of creatioin rather than the Creator. A sound mind is given to humans and there is no reason for failing to deduce the existence of the Lord the Creator from the evidence of found in nature. Furthermore, humans started crafted idols with images of man or beast to represent their gods. They pray to these idols in all matters of their life including their work, their family, their fortune, their health and so on. In fact these idols have no life, no experience, no strength.

Wisdom 13 (RSVCE)
The Foolishness of Nature Worship
13 For all men who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature;
and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know him who exists,
nor did they recognize the craftsman while paying heed to his works;
2 but they supposed that either fire or wind or swift air,
or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water,
or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world.
3 If through delight in the beauty of these things men[a] assumed them to be gods,
let them know how much better than these is their Lord,
for the author of beauty created them.
4 And if men[b] were amazed at their power and working,
let them perceive from them
how much more powerful is he who formed them.
5 For from the greatness and beauty of created things
comes a corresponding perception of their Creator.
6 Yet these men are little to be blamed,
for perhaps they go astray
while seeking God and desiring to find him.
7 For as they live among his works they keep searching,
and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen are beautiful.
8 Yet again, not even they are to be excused;
9 for if they had the power to know so much
that they could investigate the world,
how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?

The Foolishness of Idolatry
10 But miserable, with their hopes set on dead things, are the men
who give the name “gods” to the works of men’s hands,
gold and silver fashioned with skill,
and likenesses of animals,
or a useless stone, the work of an ancient hand.
11 A skilled woodcutter may saw down a tree easy to handle
and skilfully strip off all its bark,
and then with pleasing workmanship
make a useful vessel that serves life’s needs,
12 and burn the castoff pieces of his work
to prepare his food, and eat his fill.
13 But a castoff piece from among them, useful for nothing,
a stick crooked and full of knots,
he takes and carves with care in his leisure,
and shapes it with skill gained in idleness;[c]
he forms it like the image of a man,
14 or makes it like some worthless animal,
giving it a coat of red paint and coloring its surface red
and covering every blemish in it with paint;
15 then he makes for it a niche that befits it,
and sets it in the wall, and fastens it there with iron.
16 So he takes thought for it, that it may not fall,
because he knows that it cannot help itself,
for it is only an image and has need of help.
17 When he prays about possessions and his marriage and children,
he is not ashamed to address a lifeless thing.
18 For health he appeals to a thing that is weak;
for life he prays to a thing that is dead;
for aid he entreats a thing that is utterly inexperienced;
for a prosperous journey, a thing that cannot take a step;
19 for money-making and work and success with his hands
he asks strength of a thing whose hands have no strength.

Reason God wanted to wipe out the Canaanties completely

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Dec 2019 14:27:00 +0000

This chapter in the second section gives the answer to the Christian paradox that if God is Love and God is Good, then how can God use the Israel to try and destroy the inhabitants of the Holy Land, not sparing women and children. This book may not be considered by the Protestants to be the Word of God - however, it is nonetheless a non-fictional historical account of the situation in the Holy Land that was inhabited by the Canaanites. They detestable practices of "sorcery and unholy rites,
their merciless slaughter of children, ..." are again being practised today.
It argues that God is completely sovereign and righteous and thus His judgment is right. However God also delivers the judgment and punishment very slowly and in small portions because of His Love and His desire for sinners to repent, even those who sinned in the above practices. An explanation was also given about God's punishment of the Egyptians. Since the Eqyptians worshipped animals as their gods, the True Lord God brought punishments through the animals whom they idolized as gods, thus making a mockery of their idols.

Wisdom 12 (RSVCE)
12 For thy immortal spirit is in all things.
2 Therefore thou dost correct little by little those who trespass,
and dost remind and warn them of the things wherein they sin,
that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in thee, O Lord.

The Sins of the Canaanites
3 Those who dwelt of old in thy holy land
4 thou didst hate for their detestable practices,
their works of sorcery and unholy rites,
5 their merciless slaughter[a] of children,
and their sacrificial feasting on human flesh and blood.
These initiates from the midst of a heathen cult,[b]
6 these parents who murder helpless lives,
thou didst will to destroy by the hands of our fathers,
7 that the land most precious of all to thee
might receive a worthy colony of the servants[c] of God.
8 But even these thou didst spare, since they were but men,
and didst send wasps[d] as forerunners of thy army,
to destroy them little by little,
9 though thou wast not unable to give the ungodly into the hands of the righteous in battle,
or to destroy them at one blow by dread wild beasts or thy stern word.
10 But judging them little by little thou gavest them a chance to repent,
though thou wast not unaware that their origin[e] was evil
and their wickedness inborn,
and that their way of thinking would never change.
11 For they were an accursed race from the beginning,
and it was not through fear of any one that thou didst leave them unpunished for their sins.

God Is Sovereign
12 For who will say, “What hast thou done?”
Or will resist thy judgment?
Who will accuse thee for the destruction of nations which thou didst make?
Or who will come before thee to plead as an advocate for unrighteous men?
13 For neither is there any god besides thee, whose care is for all men,[f]
to whom thou shouldst prove that thou hast not judged unjustly;
14 nor can any king or monarch confront thee about those whom thou hast punished.
15 Thou art righteous and rulest all things righteously,
deeming it alien to thy power
to condemn him who does not deserve to be punished.
16 For thy strength is the source of righteousness,
and thy sovereignty over all causes thee to spare all.
17 For thou dost show thy strength when men doubt the completeness of thy power,
and dost rebuke any insolence among those who know it.[g]
18 Thou who art sovereign in strength dost judge with mildness,
and with great forbearance thou dost govern us;
for thou hast power to act whenever thou dost choose.

God’s Lessons for Israel
19 Through such works thou has taught thy people
that the righteous man must be kind,
and thou hast filled thy sons with good hope,
because thou givest repentance for sins.
20 For if thou didst punish with such great care and indulgence[h]
the enemies of thy servants[i] and those deserving of death,
granting them time and opportunity to give up their wickedness,
21 with what strictness thou hast judged thy sons,
to whose fathers thou gavest oaths and covenants full of good promises!
22 So while chastening us thou scourgest our enemies ten thousand times more,
so that we may meditate upon thy goodness when we judge,
and when we are judged we may expect mercy.

The Punishment of the Egyptians
23 Therefore those who in folly of life lived unrighteously
thou didst torment through their own abominations.
24 For they went far astray on the paths of error,
accepting as gods those animals which even their enemies[j] despised;
they were deceived like foolish babes.
25 Therefore, as to thoughtless children,
thou didst send thy judgment to mock them.
26 But those who have not heeded the warning of light rebukes
will experience the deserved judgment of God.
27 For when in their suffering they became incensed
at those creatures which they had thought to be gods, being punished by means of them,
they saw and recognized as the true God him whom they had before refused to know.
Therefore the utmost condemnation came upon them.

Wisdom Led the Israelites through the Desert

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Dec 2019 13:20:00 +0000

Wisdom is portrayed here as being with the Israelites during the Exodus saga. The equivalence of Wisdom with God is therefore implied here. As the wicked constructed idols and worshipped them, the Lord punished them, including creating beasts which seemed like the description of dragons. The last section acknowledges God's limitless power alongside His character to see men repent and to show mercy. As the chapter progresses, the reference to the person of Wisdom became the reference to the person of the Lord

Wisdom 11 (RSVCE)
Wisdom Led the Israelites through the Desert
11 Wisdom[a] prospered their works by the hand of a holy prophet.
2 They journeyed through an uninhabited wilderness,
and pitched their tents in untrodden places.
3 They withstood their enemies and fought off their foes.
4 When they thirsted they called upon thee,
and water was given them out of flinty rock,
and slaking of thirst from hard stone.
5 For through the very things by which their enemies were punished,
they themselves received benefit in their need.
6 Instead of the fountain of an ever-flowing river,
stirred up and defiled with blood
7 in rebuke for the decree to slay the infants,
thou gavest them abundant water unexpectedly,
8 showing by their thirst at that time
how thou didst punish their enemies.
9 For when they were tried, though they were being disciplined in mercy,
they learned how the ungodly were tormented when judged in wrath.
10 For thou didst test them as a father does in warning,
but thou didst examine the ungodly[b] as a stern king does in condemnation.
11 Whether absent or present, they were equally distressed,
12 for a twofold grief possessed them,
and a groaning at the memory of what had occurred.
13 For when they heard that through their own punishments
the righteous[c] had received benefit, they perceived it was the Lord’s doing.
14 For though they had mockingly rejected him who long before had been cast out and exposed,
at the end of the events they marveled at him,
for their thirst was not like that of the righteous.

Punishment of the Wicked
15 In return for their foolish and wicked thoughts,
which led them astray to worship irrational serpents and worthless animals,
thou didst send upon them a multitude of irrational creatures to punish them,
16 that they might learn that one is punished by the very things by which he sins.
17 For thy all-powerful hand,
which created the world out of formless matter,
did not lack the means to send upon them a multitude of bears, or bold lions,
18 or newly created unknown beasts full of rage,
or such as breathe out fiery breath,
or belch forth a thick pall of smoke,
or flash terrible sparks from their eyes;
19 not only could their damage exterminate men,[d]
but the mere sight of them could kill by fright.
20 Even apart from these, men[e] could fall at a single breath
when pursued by justice
and scattered by the breath of thy power.
But thou hast arranged all things by measure and number and weight.

God Is Powerful and Merciful
21 For it is always in thy power to show great strength,
and who can withstand the might of thy arm?
22 Because the whole world before thee is like a speck that tips the scales,
and like a drop of morning dew that falls upon the ground.
23 But thou art merciful to all, for thou canst do all things,
and thou dost overlook men’s sins, that they may repent.
24 For thou lovest all things that exist,
and hast loathing for none of the things which thou hast made,
for thou wouldst not have made anything if thou hadst hated it.
25 How would anything have endured if thou hadst not willed it?
Or how would anything not called forth by thee have been preserved?
26 Thou sparest all things, for they are thine, O Lord who lovest the living.[f]

The Work of Wisdom from Adam to Moses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 11:45:00 +0000

Wisdom is described here to have been with man since the beginning. Various important figures in Genesis are mentioned here. The wisdom described here guides people who will listen to turn from wickedness to righteousness. The question is whether the wisdom described here is pointing to the person of the Holy Spirit.
One prominent example is that of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah together with 3 other cities. Vivid description including the pillar of salt is mentioned, and that the 'evidence of their wickedness still remains' since the ruins can be still be seen.
Wisdom was also described in detail in the context of having been with Jacob, Joseph and the Exodus of Israel from Egypt. Our definition of wisdom is the application of knowledge. The wisdom portrayed here is that of an entity, perhaps as a reference to the Holy Spirit as God is with Israel and the patriarchs.

Wisdom 10 (NRSV) - The Work of Wisdom from Adam to Moses
10 Wisdom[a] protected the first-formed father of the world, when he alone had been created;
she delivered him from his transgression,
2 and gave him strength to rule all things.
3 But when an unrighteous man departed from her in his anger,
he perished because in rage he killed his brother.
4 When the earth was flooded because of him, wisdom again saved it,
steering the righteous man by a paltry piece of wood.

5 Wisdom[b] also, when the nations in wicked agreement had been put to confusion,
recognized the righteous man and preserved him blameless before God,
and kept him strong in the face of his compassion for his child.

6 Wisdom[c] rescued a righteous man when the ungodly were perishing;
he escaped the fire that descended on the Five Cities.[d]
7 Evidence of their wickedness still remains:
a continually smoking wasteland,
plants bearing fruit that does not ripen,
and a pillar of salt standing as a monument to an unbelieving soul.
8 For because they passed wisdom by,
they not only were hindered from recognizing the good,
but also left for humankind a reminder of their folly,
so that their failures could never go unnoticed.

9 Wisdom rescued from troubles those who served her.
10 When a righteous man fled from his brother’s wrath,
she guided him on straight paths;
she showed him the kingdom of God,
and gave him knowledge of holy things;
she prospered him in his labors,
and increased the fruit of his toil.
11 When his oppressors were covetous,
she stood by him and made him rich.
12 She protected him from his enemies,
and kept him safe from those who lay in wait for him;
in his arduous contest she gave him the victory,
so that he might learn that godliness is more powerful than anything else.

13 When a righteous man was sold, wisdom[e] did not desert him,
but delivered him from sin.
She descended with him into the dungeon,
14 and when he was in prison she did not leave him,
until she brought him the scepter of a kingdom
and authority over his masters.
Those who accused him she showed to be false,
and she gave him everlasting honor.

Wisdom Led the Israelites out of Egypt
15 A holy people and blameless race
wisdom delivered from a nation of oppressors.
16 She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord,
and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs.
17 She gave to holy people the reward of their labors;
she guided them along a marvelous way,
and became a shelter to them by day,
and a starry flame through the night.
18 She brought them over the Red Sea,
and led them through deep waters;
19 but she drowned their enemies,
and cast them up from the depth of the sea.
20 Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly;
they sang hymns, O Lord, to your holy name,
and praised with one accord your defending hand;
21 for wisdom opened the mouths of those who were mute,
and made the tongues of infants speak clearly.

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 12:16:00 +0000

This seems to be a prayer of Solomon in his younger years, probably when he first became king of Israel. Solomon recognises God is the creator and the references to creation are very consistent with that in Genesis. He prays to God for wisdom to rule the nation and people because he knows that is what he needs. It also seems that Solomon is asking not just mere mortal wisdom "For the reasoning of mortals is worthless", but for a supernatural kind of wisdom that surpasses conventional wisdom. The reference made about the holy spirit may suggest perhaps Solomon knew about Him.

Wisdom 9 (NRSV)
Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom
9 "O God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy,
who have made all things by your word,
2 and by your wisdom have formed humankind
to have dominion over the creatures you have made,
3 and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,
and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul,
4 give me the wisdom that sits by your throne,
and do not reject me from among your servants.
5 For I am your servant[a] the son of your serving girl,
a man who is weak and short-lived,
with little understanding of judgment and laws;
6 for even one who is perfect among human beings
will be regarded as nothing without the wisdom that comes from you.
7 You have chosen me to be king of your people
and to be judge over your sons and daughters.
8 You have given command to build a temple on your holy mountain,
and an altar in the city of your habitation,
a copy of the holy tent that you prepared from the beginning.
9 With you is wisdom, she who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
she understands what is pleasing in your sight
and what is right according to your commandments.
10 Send her forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of your glory send her,
that she may labor at my side,
and that I may learn what is pleasing to you.
11 For she knows and understands all things,
and she will guide me wisely in my actions
and guard me with her glory.
12 Then my works will be acceptable,
and I shall judge your people justly,
and shall be worthy of the throne[b] of my father.
13 For who can learn the counsel of God?
Or who can discern what the Lord wills?
14 For the reasoning of mortals is worthless,
and our designs are likely to fail;
15 for a perishable body weighs down the soul,
and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtful[c] mind.
16 We can hardly guess at what is on earth,
and what is at hand we find with labor;
but who has traced out what is in the heavens?
17 Who has learned your counsel,
unless you have given wisdom
and sent your holy spirit from on high?
18 And thus the paths of those on earth were set right,
and people were taught what pleases you,
and were saved by wisdom.”

Solomon understands the things that come with wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 13:42:00 +0000

Solomon describes his love for wisdom. He describes wisdom as 'she'. From this chapter it is clear that Solomon loved wisdom more than gold or the precious jewels. He sees the beauty and the power of wisdom in able to teach and to apply knowledge. More importantly, he understood that wisdom is a gift from God.

Not only can wisdom be so beneficial for the person, it is indispensible for kings and rulers. Solomon understood that if only he can have wisdom, then all the other things will follow. The other things include: glory, honour, admiration, fame, feared by enemies, does not have a price such as arguments with others,

Wisdom 8 (NRSVCE)
8 She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,
and she orders all things well.

Solomon’s Love for Wisdom
2 I loved her and sought her from my youth;
I desired to take her for my bride,
and became enamored of her beauty.
3 She glorifies her noble birth by living with God,
and the Lord of all loves her.
4 For she is an initiate in the knowledge of God,
and an associate in his works.
5 If riches are a desirable possession in life,
what is richer than wisdom, the active cause of all things?
6 And if understanding is effective,
who more than she is fashioner of what exists?
7 And if anyone loves righteousness,
her labors are virtues;
for she teaches self-control and prudence,
justice and courage;
nothing in life is more profitable for mortals than these.
8 And if anyone longs for wide experience,
she knows the things of old, and infers the things to come;
she understands turns of speech and the solutions of riddles;
she has foreknowledge of signs and wonders
and of the outcome of seasons and times.

Wisdom Indispensible to Rulers
9 Therefore I determined to take her to live with me,
knowing that she would give me good counsel
and encouragement in cares and grief.
10 Because of her I shall have glory among the multitudes
and honor in the presence of the elders, though I am young.
11 I shall be found keen in judgment,
and in the sight of rulers I shall be admired.
12 When I am silent they will wait for me,
and when I speak they will give heed;
if I speak at greater length,
they will put their hands on their mouths.
13 Because of her I shall have immortality,
and leave an everlasting remembrance to those who come after me.
14 I shall govern peoples,
and nations will be subject to me;
15 dread monarchs will be afraid of me when they hear of me;
among the people I shall show myself capable, and courageous in war.
16 When I enter my house, I shall find rest with her;
for companionship with her has no bitterness,
and life with her has no pain, but gladness and joy.
17 When I considered these things inwardly,
and pondered in my heart
that in kinship with wisdom there is immortality,
18 and in friendship with her, pure delight,
and in the labors of her hands, unfailing wealth,
and in the experience of her company, understanding,
and renown in sharing her words,
I went about seeking how to get her for myself.
19 As a child I was naturally gifted,
and a good soul fell to my lot;
20 or rather, being good, I entered an undefiled body.
21 But I perceived that I would not possess wisdom unless God gave her to me—
and it was a mark of insight to know whose gift she was—
so I appealed to the Lord and implored him,
and with my whole heart I said:

Solomon respects Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 14:13:00 +0000

The actions of Solomon in this poem are consistent with that which is described in the other parts of the Bible. He humbly describes that even kings like himself are born the same way and they also leave the world in the same way.
Solomon next describes wisdom and how he asked God for it. He values wisdom more than gold and silver. He understood that all the other things may come following wisdom. He humbly exalts God that God is the source of all wisdom. From wisdom, he also gained much understanding of nature including the seasons and the animals.

Wisdom 7 (NRSVCE)
Solomon Like Other Mortals
7 I also am mortal, like everyone else,
a descendant of the first-formed child of earth;
and in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh,
2 within the period of ten months, compacted with blood,
from the seed of a man and the pleasure of marriage.
3 And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air,
and fell upon the kindred earth;
my first sound was a cry, as is true of all.
4 I was nursed with care in swaddling cloths.
5 For no king has had a different beginning of existence;
6 there is for all one entrance into life, and one way out.

Solomon’s Respect for Wisdom
7 Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
8 I preferred her to scepters and thrones,
and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her.
9 Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem,
because all gold is but a little sand in her sight,
and silver will be accounted as clay before her.
10 I loved her more than health and beauty,
and I chose to have her rather than light,
because her radiance never ceases.
11 All good things came to me along with her,
and in her hands uncounted wealth.
12 I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom leads them;
but I did not know that she was their mother.
13 I learned without guile and I impart without grudging;
I do not hide her wealth,
14 for it is an unfailing treasure for mortals;
those who get it obtain friendship with God,
commended for the gifts that come from instruction.

Solomon Prays for Wisdom
15 May God grant me to speak with judgment,
and to have thoughts worthy of what I have received;
for he is the guide even of wisdom
and the corrector of the wise.
16 For both we and our words are in his hand,
as are all understanding and skill in crafts.
17 For it is he who gave me unerring knowledge of what exists,
to know the structure of the world and the activity of the elements;
18 the beginning and end and middle of times,
the alternations of the solstices and the changes of the seasons,
19 the cycles of the year and the constellations of the stars,
20 the natures of animals and the tempers of wild animals,
the powers of spirits[a] and the thoughts of human beings,
the varieties of plants and the virtues of roots;
21 I learned both what is secret and what is manifest,
22 for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me.

The Nature of Wisdom
There is in her a spirit that is intelligent, holy,
unique, manifold, subtle,
mobile, clear, unpolluted,
distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen,
irresistible, 23 beneficent, humane,
steadfast, sure, free from anxiety,
all-powerful, overseeing all,
and penetrating through all spirits
that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle.
24 For wisdom is more mobile than any motion;
because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.
25 For she is a breath of the power of God,
and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.
26 For she is a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of his goodness.
27 Although she is but one, she can do all things,
and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;
in every generation she passes into holy souls
and makes them friends of God, and prophets;
28 for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.
29 She is more beautiful than the sun,
and excels every constellation of the stars.
Compared with the light she is found to be superior,
30 for it is succeeded by the night,
but against wisdom evil does not prevail.

Kings Should Seek Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 12:44:00 +0000

This serves as an exhortation and warning written to kings. It can equally apply to today's situation where most nations are governed by democratically elected representatives. It reminds that earthly authority and leadership is ordained by God. No leader should boast or think to highly of themselves. Furthermore, because God has given the privilege of authority, more will be expected of the leaders. Those who do not rule rightly will be judged by God. Keeping God's instructions and words is the way to go.

One way to achieve the above is to go after wisdom. Wisdom will lead to righteous ruling and a better kingdom, or one that would last. A wise king would bring stability to the kingdom.

Wisdom 6 (NRSVCE)
Kings Should Seek Wisdom
6 Listen therefore, O kings, and understand;
learn, O judges of the ends of the earth.
2 Give ear, you that rule over multitudes,
and boast of many nations.
3 For your dominion was given you from the Lord,
and your sovereignty from the Most High;
he will search out your works and inquire into your plans.
4 Because as servants of his kingdom you did not rule rightly,
or keep the law,
or walk according to the purpose of God,
5 he will come upon you terribly and swiftly,
because severe judgment falls on those in high places.
6 For the lowliest may be pardoned in mercy,
but the mighty will be mightily tested.
7 For the Lord of all will not stand in awe of anyone,
or show deference to greatness;
because he himself made both small and great,
and he takes thought for all alike.
8 But a strict inquiry is in store for the mighty.
9 To you then, O monarchs, my words are directed,
so that you may learn wisdom and not transgress.
10 For they will be made holy who observe holy things in holiness,
and those who have been taught them will find a defense.
11 Therefore set your desire on my words;
long for them, and you will be instructed.

Description of Wisdom
12 Wisdom is radiant and unfading,
and she is easily discerned by those who love her,
and is found by those who seek her.
13 She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.
14 One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,
for she will be found sitting at the gate.
15 To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,
and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,
16 because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,
and she graciously appears to them in their paths,
and meets them in every thought.

17 The beginning of wisdom[a] is the most sincere desire for instruction,
and concern for instruction is love of her,
18 and love of her is the keeping of her laws,
and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality,
19 and immortality brings one near to God;
20 so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom.

21 Therefore if you delight in thrones and scepters, O monarchs over the peoples,
honor wisdom, so that you may reign forever.
22 I will tell you what wisdom is and how she came to be,
and I will hide no secrets from you,
but I will trace her course from the beginning of creation,
and make knowledge of her clear,
and I will not pass by the truth;
23 nor will I travel in the company of sickly envy,
for envy[b] does not associate with wisdom.
24 The multitude of the wise is the salvation of the world,
and a sensible king is the stability of any people.
25 Therefore be instructed by my words, and you will profit.

The righteous, unrighteous and the perfect One.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 14:12:00 +0000

The description in the first section is sounds very much like Jesus. That is put in contrast to us who carry on with our sins. The selfish things that we acquire will have no benefit in the long term. The ungodly man's hope is like a chaff, something that can be blown away easily. In contrast, it describes the righteous man, ie those whose faith in God is counted as righteousness. Such a righteous man would have the protection on the Lord. The description of the armor is similar to the section on the Armor of God.

Wisdom 5 (RSVCE)
5 Then the righteous man will stand with great confidence
in the presence of those who have afflicted him,
and those who make light of his labors.
2 When they see him, they will be shaken with dreadful fear,
and they will be amazed at his unexpected salvation.
3 They will speak to one another in repentance,
and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say,
4 “This is the man whom we once held in derision
and made a byword of reproach—we fools!
We thought that his life was madness
and that his end was without honor.
5 Why has he been numbered among the sons of God?
And why is his lot among the saints?
6 So it was we who strayed from the way of truth,
and the light of righteousness did not shine on us,
and the sun did not rise upon us.
7 We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness and destruction,
and we journeyed through trackless deserts,
but the way of the Lord we have not known.
8 What has our arrogance profited us?
And what good has our boasted wealth brought us?

9 “All those things have vanished like a shadow,
and like a rumor that passes by;
10 like a ship that sails through the billowy water,
and when it has passed no trace can be found,
nor track of its keel in the waves;
11 or as, when a bird flies through the air,
no evidence of its passage is found;
the light air, lashed by the beat of its pinions
and pierced by the force of its rushing flight,
is traversed by the movement of its wings,
and afterward no sign of its coming is found there;
12 or as, when an arrow is shot at a target,
the air, thus divided, comes together at once,
so that no one knows its pathway.
13 So we also, as soon as we were born, ceased to be,
and we had no sign of virtue to show,
but were consumed in our wickedness.”[a]
14 Because the hope of the ungodly man is like chaff[b] carried by the wind,
and like a light hoarfrost[c] driven away by a storm;
it is dispersed like smoke before the wind,
and it passes like the remembrance of a guest who stays but a day.

The Reward of the Righteous
15 But the righteous live for ever,
and their reward is with the Lord;
the Most High takes care of them.
16 Therefore they will receive a glorious crown
and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord,
because with his right hand he will cover them,
and with his arm he will shield them.
17 The Lord[d] will take his zeal as his whole armor,
and will arm all creation to repel[e] his enemies;
18 he will put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and wear impartial justice as a helmet;
19 he will take holiness as an invincible shield,
20 and sharpen stern wrath for a sword,
and creation will join with him to fight against the madmen.
21 Shafts of lightning will fly with true aim,
and will leap to the target as from a well-drawn bow of clouds,
22 and hailstones full of wrath will be hurled as from a catapult;
the water of the sea will rage against them,
and rivers will relentlessly overwhelm them;
23 a mighty wind will rise against them,
and like a tempest it will winnow them away.
Lawlessness will lay waste the whole earth,
and evil-doing will overturn the thrones of rulers.

Better than this is childlessness with virtue

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 11:45:00 +0000

The chapter warns against producing illegitimate offspring and that such a union is not approved by God. It attaches such actions to evil and declares that it is better to be childless.
It followed with the description of the case where a righteous man was taken directly by God, meaning he did not face death. God took him to save him from corruption and the people do not understand this. The unrighteous, probably meaning unbelievers will not understand God's purpose of the righteous who have been taken early in life.

Wisdom 4 (RSVCE)
4 Better than this is childlessness with virtue,
for in the memory of virtue[a] is immortality,
because it is known both by God and by men.
2 When it is present, men imitate[b] it,
and they long for it when it has gone;
and throughout all time it marches crowned in triumph,
victor in the contest for prizes that are undefiled.
3 But the prolific brood of the ungodly will be of no use,
and none of their illegitimate seedlings will strike a deep root
or take a firm hold.
4 For even if they put forth boughs for a while,
standing insecurely they will be shaken by the wind,
and by the violence of the winds they will be uprooted.
5 The branches will be broken off before they come to maturity,
and their fruit will be useless,
not ripe enough to eat, and good for nothing.
6 For children born of unlawful unions
are witnesses of evil against their parents when God examines them.[c]

7 But the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest.
8 For old age is not honored for length of time,
nor measured by number of years;
9 but understanding is gray hair for men,
and a blameless life is ripe old age.

10 There was one who pleased God and was loved by him,
and while living among sinners he was taken up.
11 He was caught up lest evil change his understanding
or guile deceive his soul.
12 For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good,
and roving desire perverts the innocent mind.
13 Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years;
14 for his soul was pleasing to the Lord,
therefore he took him quickly from the midst of wickedness.
15 Yet the peoples saw and did not understand,
nor take such a thing to heart,
that God’s grace and mercy are with his elect,
and he watches over his holy ones.

The Triumph of the Righteous
16 The righteous man who has died will condemn the ungodly who are living,
and youth that is quickly perfected[d] will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous man.
17 For they will see the end of the wise man,
and will not understand what the Lord purposed for him,
and for what he kept him safe.
18 They will see, and will have contempt for him,
but the Lord will laugh them to scorn.
After this they will become dishonored corpses,
and an outrage among the dead for ever;
19 because he will dash them speechless to the ground,
and shake them from the foundations;
they will be left utterly dry and barren,
and they will suffer anguish,
and the memory of them will perish.

The Final Judgment
20 They will come with dread when their sins are reckoned up,
and their lawless deeds will convict them to their face.

Psalms Help Topics

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 08 Jun 2019 14:31:00 +0000

Finding Comfort and Counsel in the Psalms

When You Wonder: Know God Is: Praise and Pray to Him with Psalm:

Why you are here Creator 8, 19, 89, 97, 104, 147

What is important Glory 66, 67, 96, 98, 99, 148

Whom you can trust Faithful 12, 85, 98, 149

How to confess sin Peace 32, 51

Where you are safe Refuge 18, 31, 46, 91, 146

Which way to go Guard & Guide 23, 48, 73

How to go on Strength & Joy 30, 63, 126

When to be thankful Praiseworthy 24, 29, 30, 46, 62, 65, 84, 96, 100

Who can help you Relief & Remedy 40-43, 125, 126

How to escape danger Rescue 3, 4, 43, 54-57, 121

What is truth Wisdom 1, 37, 49, 52, 73, 83, 94

How to cope with sorrows Comforter 31, 42

What happens at death Life Everlasting 16, 103, 116, 139

The Righteous, Ungodly and the Barren

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Jun 2019 23:03:00 +0000

The righteous, though may sometimes seem to be defeated in this world, are actually victorious in the Lord. They have found favour in God and will reign with over others.
On the otherhand, the ungodly will be facing many unfavourable circumstances in their lives. The last section mentions the disadvantaged including barren women and eunuchs. Though society saw these two groups unfavourably, if they obey God, God will also honour them.

Wisdom 3
The Destiny of the Righteous
3 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be an affliction,
3 and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
4 For though in the sight of men they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
6 like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.
7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
8 They will govern nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord will reign over them for ever.
9 Those who trust in him will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his elect,
and he watches over his holy ones.[a]

The Destiny of the Ungodly
10 But the ungodly will be punished as their reasoning deserves,
who disregarded the righteous man[b] and rebelled against the Lord;
11 for whoever despises wisdom and instruction is miserable.
Their hope is vain, their labors are unprofitable,
and their works are useless.
12 Their wives are foolish, and their children evil;
13 their offspring are accursed.

On Childlessness
For blessed is the barren woman who is undefiled,
who has not entered into a sinful union;
she will have fruit when God examines souls.
14 Blessed also is the eunuch whose hands have done no lawless deed,
and who has not devised wicked things against the Lord;
for special favor will be shown him for his faithfulness,
and a place of great delight in the temple of the Lord.
15 For the fruit of good labors is renowned,
and the root of understanding does not fail.
16 But children of adulterers will not come to maturity,
and the offspring of an unlawful union will perish.
17 Even if they live long they will be held of no account,
and finally their old age will be without honor.
18 If they die young, they will have no hope
and no consolation in the day of decision.
19 For the end of an unrighteous generation is grievous.

Why the World hates God's believers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 22:14:00 +0000

Atheism is not new, as shown in this passage. Following the thinking of atheism, it cannot escape from the conclusion that life is meaningless. Interesting phrases below like "born by mere chance", "as though we had never been", "body return to ashes", "breath ... is smoke", "life will pass away like the traces of a cloud". These are the same sayings that can be found in the modern world.

After accepting this meaningless life, the logical conclusion in the world with no God, is to enjoy ourselves, look after self, and thus self-centred, self-focused. Again, this is a remarkable reflection of the modern world, mirroring the world throughout time, in societies without God.

The third paragraph reflects the thinking of the unbeliever towards the believers of God - and the thoughts are timeless. So, since life is meaningless, might as well live for ourselves and take advantage of others. However, the slight annoyance of this lifestyle are the existence believers, ie Christians. They put others in check, they live according to a moral code that is beyond human understanding, and they instill a sense of guilt to those who live selfishly for themselves - "inconvenient to us and opposes our actions", "reproaches us for sins", "very sight of him is a burden to us", "his ways are strange". As a result, the unbelievers consider it a joy to make Christians stumble, to test their patience, to test their endurance, and sometimes to take their lives - "Let us test him with insult and torture", "let us test what will happen at the end of his life", "Let us condemn him to a shameful death,... he says, he will be protected."

The passage describes unbelievers, their actions and the motivation for their hate towards believers. Without God, life is meaningless, so live as much by focusing on self, and condemn the believers of God since they prevent us from our selfish lifestyle. This passage concludes by identifying such a way as wickedness, and finally associates this kind of reasoning to the Enemy.

Wisdom 2 (NRSVCE)
2 For they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves,
“Short and sorrowful is our life,
and there is no remedy when a life comes to its end,
and no one has been known to return from Hades.
2 For we were born by mere chance,
and hereafter we shall be as though we had never been,
for the breath in our nostrils is smoke,
and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our hearts;
3 when it is extinguished, the body will turn to ashes,
and the spirit will dissolve like empty air.
4 Our name will be forgotten in time,
and no one will remember our works;
our life will pass away like the traces of a cloud,
and be scattered like mist
that is chased by the rays of the sun
and overcome by its heat.
5 For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow,
and there is no return from our death,
because it is sealed up and no one turns back.

6 “Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist,
and make use of the creation to the full as in youth.
7 Let us take our fill of costly wine and perfumes,
and let no flower of spring pass us by.
8 Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither.
9 Let none of us fail to share in our revelry;
everywhere let us leave signs of enjoyment,
because this is our portion, and this our lot.
10 Let us oppress the righteous poor man;
let us not spare the widow
or regard the gray hairs of the aged.
11 But let our might be our law of right,
for what is weak proves itself to be useless.

12 “Let us lie in wait for the righteous man,
because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions;
he reproaches us for sins against the law,
and accuses us of sins against our training.
13 He professes to have knowledge of God,
and calls himself a child[a] of the Lord.
14 He became to us a reproof of our thoughts;
15 the very sight of him is a burden to us,
because his manner of life is unlike that of others,
and his ways are strange.
16 We are considered by him as something base,
and he avoids our ways as unclean;
he calls the last end of the righteous happy,
and boasts that God is his father.
17 Let us see if his words are true,
and let us test what will happen at the end of his life;
18 for if the righteous man is God’s child, he will help him,
and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries.
19 Let us test him with insult and torture,
so that we may find out how gentle he is,
and make trial of his forbearance.
20 Let us condemn him to a shameful death,
for, according to what he says, he will be protected.”

Error of the Wicked
21 Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray,
for their wickedness blinded them,
22 and they did not know the secret purposes of God,
nor hoped for the wages of holiness,
nor discerned the prize for blameless souls;
23 for God created us for incorruption,
and made us in the image of his own eternity,[b]
24 but through the devil’s envy death entered the world,
and those who belong to his company experience it.

Exhortation to Uprightness

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Feb 2019 13:01:00 +0000

In many ways this chapter in Wisdom sounds similar to the Book of Proverbs. However there are slight language variance even for the untrained linguist which may point to a different author for these two books. This chapter looks at righteousness and our relationship with God. It describes the consequences of unrighteousness and contrast it with the rewards from righteous actions.

Wisdom 1 (NRSVCE)
Exhortation to Uprightness
1 Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth,
think of the Lord in goodness
and seek him with sincerity of heart;
2 because he is found by those who do not put him to the test,
and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him.
3 For perverse thoughts separate people from God,
and when his power is tested, it exposes the foolish;
4 because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul,
or dwell in a body enslaved to sin.
5 For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit,
and will leave foolish thoughts behind,
and will be ashamed at the approach of unrighteousness.

6 For wisdom is a kindly spirit,
but will not free blasphemers from the guilt of their words;
because God is witness of their inmost feelings,
and a true observer of their hearts, and a hearer of their tongues.
7 Because the spirit of the Lord has filled the world,
and that which holds all things together knows what is said,
8 therefore those who utter unrighteous things will not escape notice,
and justice, when it punishes, will not pass them by.
9 For inquiry will be made into the counsels of the ungodly,
and a report of their words will come to the Lord,
to convict them of their lawless deeds;
10 because a jealous ear hears all things,
and the sound of grumbling does not go unheard.
11 Beware then of useless grumbling,
and keep your tongue from slander;
because no secret word is without result,[a]
and a lying mouth destroys the soul.

12 Do not invite death by the error of your life,
or bring on destruction by the works of your hands;
13 because God did not make death,
and he does not delight in the death of the living.
14 For he created all things so that they might exist;
the generative forces[b] of the world are wholesome,
and there is no destructive poison in them,
and the dominion[c] of Hades is not on earth.
15 For righteousness is immortal.

Life as the Ungodly See It
16 But the ungodly by their words and deeds summoned death;[d]
considering him a friend, they pined away
and made a covenant with him,
because they are fit to belong to his company.

Judas battle prayer and Nicanor's defeat

noreply@blogger.com (C Andy) — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 13:54:00 +0000

Nicanor had now set his sights to destroy Judas Maccabeus. He planned to do so on the Sabbath, knowing that he also had Jews in his company. Arrogantly Nicanor believed in his own sovereign right to command as he wished. Contrast to this, Judas encouraged his people by helping them focus on the Lord and depend on the Lord for victory.

On the battlefield, when Nicanor had trumpets and battle songs, Judas and his men prayed. Like many accounts of God's miracles before, Judas raised his hands to ask God for a miraculous victory. It was a convincing victory for Judas and Nicanor himself fell in battle.

2 Maccabees 15 (NRSVCE)
Nicanor’s Arrogance
15 When Nicanor heard that Judas and his troops were in the region of Samaria, he made plans to attack them with complete safety on the day of rest. 2 When the Jews who were compelled to follow him said, “Do not destroy so savagely and barbarously, but show respect for the day that he who sees all things has honored and hallowed above other days,” 3 the thrice-accursed wretch asked if there were a sovereign in heaven who had commanded the keeping of the sabbath day. 4 When they declared, “It is the living Lord himself, the Sovereign in heaven, who ordered us to observe the seventh day,” 5 he replied, “But I am a sovereign also, on earth, and I command you to take up arms and finish the king’s business.” Nevertheless, he did not succeed in carrying out his abominable design.

Judas Prepares the Jews for Battle
6 This Nicanor in his utter boastfulness and arrogance had determined to erect a public monument of victory over Judas and his forces. 7 But Maccabeus did not cease to trust with all confidence that he would get help from the Lord. 8 He exhorted his troops not to fear the attack of the Gentiles, but to keep in mind the former times when help had come to them from heaven, and so to look for the victory that the Almighty would give them. 9 Encouraging them from the law and the prophets, and reminding them also of the struggles they had won, he made them the more eager. 10 When he had aroused their courage, he issued his orders, at the same time pointing out the perfidy of the Gentiles and their violation of oaths. 11 He armed each of them not so much with confidence in shields and spears as with the inspiration of brave words, and he cheered them all by relating a dream, a sort of vision,[a] which was worthy of belief.

12 What he saw was this: Onias, who had been high priest, a noble and good man, of modest bearing and gentle manner, one who spoke fittingly and had been trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence, was praying with outstretched hands for the whole body of the Jews. 13 Then in the same fashion another appeared, distinguished by his gray hair and dignity, and of marvelous majesty and authority. 14 And Onias spoke, saying, “This is a man who loves the family of Israel and prays much for the people and the holy city—Jeremiah, the prophet of God.” 15 Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he gave it he addressed him thus: 16 “Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries.”

17 Encouraged by the words of Judas, so noble and so effective in arousing valor and awaking courage in the souls of the young, they determined not to carry on a campaign[b] but to attack bravely, and to decide the matter by fighting hand to hand with all courage, because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger. 18 Their concern for wives and children, and also for brothers and sisters[c] and relatives, lay upon them less heavily; their greatest and first fear was for the consecrated sanctuary. 19 And those who had to remain in the city were in no little distress, being anxious over the encounter in the open country.

The Defeat and Death of Nicanor
20 When all were now looking forward to the coming issue, and the enemy was already close at hand with their army drawn up for battle, the elephants[d] strategically stationed and the cavalry deployed on the flanks, 21 Maccabeus, observing the masses that were in front of him and the varied supply of arms and the savagery of the elephants, stretched out his hands toward heaven and called upon the Lord who works wonders; for he knew that it is not by arms, but as the Lord[e] decides, that he gains the victory for those who deserve it. 22 He called upon him in these words: “O Lord, you sent your angel in the time of King Hezekiah of Judea, and he killed fully one hundred eighty-five thousand in the camp of Sennacherib. 23 So now, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel to spread terror and trembling before us. 24 By the might of your arm may these blasphemers who come against your holy people be struck down.” With these words he ended his prayer.

25 Nicanor and his troops advanced with trumpets and battle songs, 26 but Judas and his troops met the enemy in battle with invocations to God and prayers. 27 So, fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts, they laid low at least thirty-five thousand, and were greatly gladdened by God’s manifestation.

28 When the action was over and they were returning with joy, they recognized Nicanor, lying dead, in full armor. 29 Then there was shouting and tumult, and they blessed the Sovereign Lord in the language of their ancestors. 30 Then the man who was ever in body and soul the defender of his people, the man who maintained his youthful goodwill toward his compatriots, ordered them to cut off Nicanor’s head and arm and carry them to Jerusalem. 31 When he arrived there and had called his compatriots together and stationed the priests before the altar, he sent for those who were in the citadel. 32 He showed them the vile Nicanor’s head and that profane man’s arm, which had been boastfully stretched out against the holy house of the Almighty. 33 He cut out the tongue of the ungodly Nicanor and said that he would feed it piecemeal to the birds and would hang up these rewards of his folly opposite the sanctuary. 34 And they all, looking to heaven, blessed the Lord who had manifested himself, saying, “Blessed is he who has kept his own place undefiled!” 35 Judas[f] hung Nicanor’s head from the citadel, a clear and conspicuous sign to everyone of the help of the Lord. 36 And they all decreed by public vote never to let this day go unobserved, but to celebrate the thirteenth day of the twelfth month—which is called Adar in the Aramaic language—the day before Mordecai’s day.

37 This, then, is how matters turned out with Nicanor, and from that time the city has been in the possession of the Hebrews. So I will here end my story.

The Compiler’s Epilogue
38 If it is well told and to the point, that is what I myself desired; if it is poorly done and mediocre, that was the best I could do. 39 For just as it is harmful to drink wine alone, or, again, to drink water alone, while wine mixed with water is sweet and delicious and enhances one’s enjoyment, so also the style of the story delights the ears of those who read the work. And here will be the end.

Nicanor reluctantly tries to arrest Judas

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 22:39:00 +0000

The kingdoms of the region were struggling against each other. Here we see that King Demetrius was trying to exert more influence in the Holy Land over Antiochus and Lysias. At this point, the Israelites had autonomy as a result of the victories of Judas Maccabeus. Alcimus the ex-high priest who was against Judas, stirred up Demetrius who then prepared to exert authority over Judas.

Niconor was made governor of Judea by Demetrius, as part of the plan to regain influence and authority. Nicanor at first respected Judas and his courage. Consequently they developed a good relationship and Nicanor did not oppress Judea. However the news of the peace between Nicanor and Judas reached Demetrius. When Demetrius ordered Nicanor to arrest Judas, Nicanor had no choice but to obey. He threatened to destroy the Temple if Judas did not surrender. The priests turned toward God for help in this situation.

Failing to get Judas, Nicanor ordered the arrest of a very prominent and respected Jew, Razis. Rather than being captured by the Gentiles and sinners, Razis defied them and gave up his life in the most graphic way.

2 Maccabees 14 (NRSVCE)
Alcimus Speaks against Judas
14 Three years later, word came to Judas and his men that Demetrius son of Seleucus had sailed into the harbor of Tripolis with a strong army and a fleet, 2 and had taken possession of the country, having made away with Antiochus and his guardian Lysias.

3 Now a certain Alcimus, who had formerly been high priest but had willfully defiled himself in the times of separation,[a] realized that there was no way for him to be safe or to have access again to the holy altar, 4 and went to King Demetrius in about the one hundred fifty-first year,[b] presenting to him a crown of gold and a palm, and besides these some of the customary olive branches from the temple. During that day he kept quiet. 5 But he found an opportunity that furthered his mad purpose when he was invited by Demetrius to a meeting of the council and was asked about the attitude and intentions of the Jews. He answered:

6 “Those of the Jews who are called Hasideans, whose leader is Judas Maccabeus, are keeping up war and stirring up sedition, and will not let the kingdom attain tranquility. 7 Therefore I have laid aside my ancestral glory—I mean the high priesthood—and have now come here, 8 first because I am genuinely concerned for the interests of the king, and second because I have regard also for my compatriots. For through the folly of those whom I have mentioned our whole nation is now in no small misfortune. 9 Since you are acquainted, O king, with the details of this matter, may it please you to take thought for our country and our hard-pressed nation with the gracious kindness that you show to all. 10 For as long as Judas lives, it is impossible for the government to find peace.” 11 When he had said this, the rest of the king’s Friends,[c] who were hostile to Judas, quickly inflamed Demetrius still more. 12 He immediately chose Nicanor, who had been in command of the elephants, appointed him governor of Judea, and sent him off 13 with orders to kill Judas and scatter his troops, and to install Alcimus as high priest of the great[d] temple. 14 And the Gentiles throughout Judea, who had fled before[e] Judas, flocked to join Nicanor, thinking that the misfortunes and calamities of the Jews would mean prosperity for themselves.

Nicanor Makes Friends with Judas
15 When the Jews[f] heard of Nicanor’s coming and the gathering of the Gentiles, they sprinkled dust on their heads and prayed to him who established his own people forever and always upholds his own heritage by manifesting himself. 16 At the command of the leader, they[g] set out from there immediately and engaged them in battle at a village called Dessau.[h] 17 Simon, the brother of Judas, had encountered Nicanor, but had been temporarily[i] checked because of the sudden consternation created by the enemy.

18 Nevertheless Nicanor, hearing of the valor of Judas and his troops and their courage in battle for their country, shrank from deciding the issue by bloodshed. 19 Therefore he sent Posidonius, Theodotus, and Mattathias to give and receive pledges of friendship. 20 When the terms had been fully considered, and the leader had informed the people, and it had appeared that they were of one mind, they agreed to the covenant. 21 The leaders[j] set a day on which to meet by themselves. A chariot came forward from each army; seats of honor were set in place; 22 Judas posted armed men in readiness at key places to prevent sudden treachery on the part of the enemy; so they duly held the consultation.

23 Nicanor stayed on in Jerusalem and did nothing out of the way, but dismissed the flocks of people that had gathered. 24 And he kept Judas always in his presence; he was warmly attached to the man. 25 He urged him to marry and have children; so Judas[k] married, settled down, and shared the common life.

Nicanor Turns against Judas
26 But when Alcimus noticed their goodwill for one another, he took the covenant that had been made and went to Demetrius. He told him that Nicanor was disloyal to the government, since he had appointed that conspirator against the kingdom, Judas, to be his successor. 27 The king became excited and, provoked by the false accusations of that depraved man, wrote to Nicanor, stating that he was displeased with the covenant and commanding him to send Maccabeus to Antioch as a prisoner without delay.

28 When this message came to Nicanor, he was troubled and grieved that he had to annul their agreement when the man had done no wrong. 29 Since it was not possible to oppose the king, he watched for an opportunity to accomplish this by a stratagem. 30 But Maccabeus, noticing that Nicanor was more austere in his dealings with him and was meeting him more rudely than had been his custom, concluded that this austerity did not spring from the best motives. So he gathered not a few of his men, and went into hiding from Nicanor. 31 When the latter became aware that he had been cleverly outwitted by the man, he went to the great[l] and holy temple while the priests were offering the customary sacrifices, and commanded them to hand the man over. 32 When they declared on oath that they did not know where the man was whom he wanted, 33 he stretched out his right hand toward the sanctuary, and swore this oath: “If you do not hand Judas over to me as a prisoner, I will level this shrine of God to the ground and tear down the altar, and build here a splendid temple to Dionysus.”

34 Having said this, he went away. Then the priests stretched out their hands toward heaven and called upon the constant Defender of our nation, in these words: 35 “O Lord of all, though you have need of nothing, you were pleased that there should be a temple for your habitation among us; 36 so now, O holy One, Lord of all holiness, keep undefiled forever this house that has been so recently purified.”

Razis Dies for His Country
37 A certain Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, was denounced to Nicanor as a man who loved his compatriots and was very well thought of and for his goodwill was called father of the Jews. 38 In former times, when there was no mingling with the Gentiles, he had been accused of Judaism, and he had most zealously risked body and life for Judaism. 39 Nicanor, wishing to exhibit the enmity that he had for the Jews, sent more than five hundred soldiers to arrest him; 40 for he thought that by arresting[m] him he would do them an injury. 41 When the troops were about to capture the tower and were forcing the door of the courtyard, they ordered that fire be brought and the doors burned. Being surrounded, Razis[n] fell upon his own sword, 42 preferring to die nobly rather than to fall into the hands of sinners and suffer outrages unworthy of his noble birth. 43 But in the heat of the struggle he did not hit exactly, and the crowd was now rushing in through the doors. He courageously ran up on the wall, and bravely threw himself down into the crowd. 44 But as they quickly drew back, a space opened and he fell in the middle of the empty space. 45 Still alive and aflame with anger, he rose, and though his blood gushed forth and his wounds were severe he ran through the crowd; and standing upon a steep rock, 46 with his blood now completely drained from him, he tore out his entrails, took them in both hands and hurled them at the crowd, calling upon the Lord of life and spirit to give them back to him again. This was the manner of his death.