The Wife Who Does Good to Her Husband - Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31:12 (NASBStr)

She does him good and not evil

All the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:12 (ESV)

She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

If you want to know if a wife is the women of Proverbs 31 you only have to look at how she treats her husband and how she builds their relationship.  In this chapter we have the description of the Godly Wife.   Solomon had over 700 wives.   That is great research data as to what a good wife looks like.   We see in this proverb that a Godly wife, from beginning to end, brings good to her husband and not evil.   We see character and consistency over time.  That might be a good description of a women of integrity.  Any women can do it before the wedding.  Any women can do it for the first year.   But what about during those tough times? What about during those times when he is unloveable?  When he doesn't take out the garbage or treat you with the respect you deserver or desire?   Remember, the character of a Godly women over time at its highest level is being described here.    She does him "no" evil "all" the days of her life.    The only way this is possible, of course, is to allow the Fruit of the Spirit to reign in your life as you allow the Spirit to lead your life.  Love covers a multiple of sin.  Love allows you to look past mistakes and flaws.   Love flowing through the Spirit, through the life of the believer, allows her to love him and do good all her days.   It allows him to only see good and not the evil that comes from being a human being.   The only way this is possible is if you’re  allowing the Son of God to reign in your life and live through your life through the Spirit of God.

Are You For Peace or War? Psalms 120-121

Psalms 120:6-7

" Too long has my soul had its dwelling

With those who hate peace. 

I am for peace, but when I speak,

They are for war."

Psalms 120:6-7 (ESV)

Too long have I had my dwelling

among those who hate peace.

I am for peace,

but when I speak, they are for war!

In Psalms 120-122 there is much talk about peace.  In fact, the writer is praying for peace in these psalms and recognizes both that man is not for peace and that only God can deliver real peace.   Man, separate from God, is in a real place of conflict.    Christ came that we might have peace.  Note the following:

John 14:27

" Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."

In that passage, John, the writer, was quoting Jesus and Jesus was referring to the ministry of the Holy Spirit as the one who will bring us peace in our hearts.  God promises to be our peace and break down the conflict and wall between us and Him and between us and others.   The above psalm talks about and is referring to a situation where the writer would want peace and has sought peace, but those around them only want conflict ... even war.   The writer is taking his complaint to God to restore peace and end the war.    Perhaps this is referring to a time in King David's life that Saul was in hot pursuit of him, even though David, on two occasions, could have killed Saul but didn't.  David wanted peace but Saul wanted war.   Perhaps we could be thinking of Joseph who only wanted peace with his brothers but they wanted war and sold him as a slave.    Perhaps it was Moses who only  wanted peace with his sister-in-law Merriam, but she wanted war and God struck her as a leper for her rebellion.   There are plenty of examples in God's Word of those who sought peace when the other sought conflict and, even war.   There are those who "hate peace."    If you have a relationship with Christ you are to be like Christ and desire peace.   Christ prayed, in John 17, that the believers would be at peace with one another and, as a result, reflect the character of God and the character of the peace within the Trinity.   We ought to pray for peace and that peace will reign in our hearts and in the hearts of other believers.

God Puts People in Place - 2 Chronicles 21-24

2 Chronicles 22:10-12 (ESV)

Athaliah Reigns in Judah

Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family of the house of Judah. But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were about to be put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah, so that she did not put him to death. And he remained with them six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Sometimes when you read these stories all the names can make the text hard to understand.   The above verses are taken right in the middle of a number of events and we need to know the people that are included in the story or have been part of the story prior.   Here are some characters that will help us better grasp a truth from the above passage:

1. King Ahaziah.  Just prior to the above verses Ahaziah was the king of Judah (the southern tribe).   His father, Jehoram, was not a good king.  Jehoram married a daughter of King Ahab, who was the wicked king of Judah.  King Ahaziah was killed while visiting King Ahab’s son, Joram in the north. 

2. Athalia was King Ahaziah’s mother.  Therefore, she, too, was a descendant of wicked King Ahab.  Her goal in life was to keep the wickedness system that her son, Ahaziah, had started, still in place. 

3.  Joash was King Ahaziah’s son.  He was young and needed someone to protect him.   Athalia, to keep the wicked system in place, had to kill anyone who might want to change her power.    Joash would eventually become king, only because he was protected.  

4. Jehoshabeath was the sister of the deceased King Ahaziah.   But to a different mother than Athalia.   Jehoshabeth hide Joash to protect him from wicked Athalia.  She was also the wife of the Priest Jehoiada, who would eventually keep Joash safe.   And here comes our point of the story.  

Because God put into place Jehoshabeth and Jehoiada, the next king in the line for the throne, Joash, would be protected.    All the names can be confusing.  But the truth that God puts people into place, when He needs the, where He needs them and how He needs them is a lesson that can’t be ignored.  God puts people where He wants them to be.   The Scriptures are full of these examples.   

1. Mordecai in the book of Esther was in the right spot for God to use him later (Esther 2)

2. Paul’s nephew heard a plot against Paul and told the captain of the guard (Acts 23)

God always puts people in the right place to do His work.   No matter how confusing their name might be.   

Wandering Looks Foolish - Deuteronomy 1-3

Deuteronomy 1:1-4 (ESV)

The Command to Leave Horeb

These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab. It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh-barnea. In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the people of Israel according to all that the LORD had given him in commandment to them, after he had defeated Sihon the king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth and in Edrei.

It should be noted that they above passage is a continuation of the end of the book of Numbers.  Note:

Numbers 36:13 (ESV)

These are the commandments and the rules that the LORD commanded through Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

God’s Word is not written in a vacuum.   It always carries context of place and time.   We fail to really appreciate the Word if we don’t understand the time it is speaking about, the people it is speaking too and the place it was written and/or addresses.   The above passage gives us a great example of that thought.   The book of Deuteronomy opens in a way that ties it to the previous book of Numbers.   It will end with way to connect it to the next book, Joshua.   God’s Word is a story unfolding for us to understand His character, His ways and His plan. 

In these opening verses of Deteronomy we read about the place and time this book is written and addressing.  Israel, because of their disobedience was disciplined.  That discipline would be wandering in the wilderness between Egypt and their Promised Land for 40 years.    It was in the Sinai peninsula.   This is the part that is hard to imagine.   Moses, the author of the book, tells us that if they were to walk directly from land of the Jordan River to this Promised Land it would be an eleven day journey.    Remember, this is a huge group of people; over a million.   They had to take down tents, the Tabernacle, and gather all the flocks and children each time they moved from one place to another.  But to say they wandered might be a word we don’t fully understand.  They wandered because God would not let them experience what they could, at times, actually see.  Their disobedience made them stuck in a place that must have become all too familiar.   Young children must have said to their parents at one time or another, “Mom, Dad, didn’t we just go past this pile of rocks last week?”   The amount of land they traveled in would be about the size of West Virginia (about 60,000 square kilometers).  The point of the introduction of this book is to realize where they were, where they are going, and why it has taking so long.  Their wandering was due to their disobedience and looks ridiculous from the outside.  It should look dumbfounding.   Imagine the surrounding nations watch them go back and forth, up and down in the same land for 40 years.   They were right there and could not enter THE LAND.   Disobedience to God looks so foolish from the outside.   People wander in this world and don’t see the blessings God has for them if they only responded by faith to His Son and the salvation He offers by grace.   And 11 day journey took them 40 years because of disobedience.   Wow!! 

Jesus, Once for All, Dealt with Sin - Hebrews 8-10

Hebrews 9:25-28 (ESV)

Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

The above passage is talking about the giving of Jesus for the payment of our sins.   It is found in a section that is comparing Jesus to the Old Testament priest, daily sacrifice for their sins and the sins of the nation of Israel.   In the book of Hebrews the writer is trying to make a case that Jesus, in His life, death and resurrection, is great than all the other aspects of the Old Testament system.   In this section the writer is making the case that Jesus is more superior than the Old Testament priest.   Those priest had to go every day, into the Tabernacle/Temple and offer up sacrifices for themselves and the sins of the people.  On the Day of Atonement, each year, they would go and offer a blood sacrifice of an animal to ask God to forgive them of their sins.    In the above passage we have the contrast to that system with what Jesus did.  He offered a blood sacrifice as well.   But the blood was His own, because the sacrifice was Him.  He does not need to repeat that sacrifice daily, or yearly.   He has offered Himself, once for all, for the sins of those who believe.   He will return again, someday, not to deal with sin (since it was dealt with on the cross by the sacrifice of Himself).   He will return someday to complete the process and take us to be with Him forever (John 14:1-6).   Our sins have been dealt with for all times.   There is no need for Him to come daily like the OT priests.   He covered our sin for all times by His own blood, the sacrifice of Himself for our sins.   Jesus is superior to the OT system.   We can rejoice that our sins are dealt with on the cross by His sacrifice.  

Hebrews 13:11-13 (ESV Strong's)

For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. SO JESUS ALSO SUFFERED OUTSIDE THE GATE IN ORDER TO SANCTIFY the people THROUGH HIS OWN BLOOD🩸 . Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.  

Would You Lie in Front of Church Members? Acts 5-6

Acts 5:7-11 (ESV)

After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

If you are not familiar with this story you might find it not just amazing, but as those who saw it first hand, fearful.  In the first six verses of the chapter we are told about this couple, Ananias and Sapphira.   We don’t know much about them other than they had some property, sold it and gave some of it to the church.  We will get back to the some of it, in a moment.  It should be noted that the two of them were inspired to do all this based upon another man in the church, Barnabas.   Barnabas we know because it would be he who eventually ministers to Paul and goes on the first ever missionary journey with Paul.  Barnabas inspired Ananias and Sapphira because, as recorded in the last chapter, he, too, sold property and gave the proceeds to the church.  But it was not just him, the entire church was caught up on selling property and giving it to the church:

Acts 4:34-37 (ESV)

There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

The difficulty we have with Ananias and Sapphira is that they did sell their property but apparently mis-represented how much they sold it for and how much they reported to the church.    God was not concerned that they give all the proceeds of the sale to the church.   There was no requirement for that.   The challenge we have is that they said they were giving all the proceeds to the church (like the others) but kept some back for personal gain.  Here was Peter’s statement to the husband:

Acts 5:4 (ESV)

While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

The point of the story is not that you have to sell something and give the proceeds to the church.   The lesson we are to learn is that God takes mis-representation of your heart in front of others as a serious lie in front of Him.   The couple lied to the Body of Christ.  Peter tells them they lied to the Holy Spirit.  It is doubtful that most people in the church equate lying to the members of a church as lying to the Holy Spirit.    But the fear we read about, as Sapphira is rolled up in a rug and carried out to be buried next to her husband, is a genuine realization that God does not mess around.   This is Old Testament type judgment.   Imagine anything resembling this being played out in our churches today.   Imagine passing an offering plate and having someone claim one thing about their giving and doing another and then suddenly dropping dead.   This sent shock waves through the church.   And it should.  Perhaps if our churches today understood the seriousness of genuine true worship from the heart vs an appearance worship in front of man, we would have more people coming to Christ and less country club churches.   

Micah - Why Was It Written?

MICAH

(Means: Who  is like Yahweh) - see also - Jeremiah 26:18

Historical Setting

During Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Judah.  

Prophecy Against

Micah prophesies against both Samaria and Jerusalem the capital cities of Israel in the north and Judah in the south.  

Time Period

740-711 B.C. -(Pre-Exile & Exile)

Micah was from Moresheth which was in western Judah and attacked by Assyria in 701 B.C.  

Historical Theme - What did it mean then?

1. This was a time of great upheaval, spiritual, national and moral.  

2.  Israel and Syria tried to form a union and attack Judah.  Assyria conquered Israel (Samaria) in 722 B.C. and then brought the war right to the gates of Jerusalem in 701 B.C. 

3. Micah was speaking to both Samaria and Jerusalem (Samaria had no time to repent but Jerusalem still could ... but didn't) 

Outline of the Book

1. Message to the people - God is justified in His judgement of them but will restore them. (1-2)

2. Message to the leaders - God will punish evil leadership and will reign through eternal leadership (The Messiah) (3-5)

3. Message to the them all - God is appropriate for His judgement (they broke the covenant) but is gracious toward repentance (He will honor His character) (6-7)

Future Theme - What's it mean in future?

1. God will ultimate judge Israel and Judah but will restore them under The Eternal Ruler and establish the people in true righteousness and truth.  

2.  The Messiah is that eternal ruler.  

Reasons to read it:

1. If you struggle with a holy God judging a sinful people.

2. If you want to know what true, righteous leadership looks like and what it can do for "nations" (or any group of people)

3. If you want to know what God really wants from us. 

Practical Theme - What does it mean for me today?

1.God will judge us and has the moral and legal grounds to do so - He doesn't simply judge on a whim (Micah 1-2)

2. God will hold those in leadership responsible for their failures to lead "spiritually" - (Micah 3-5)

3. God has a case against us and that case is based upon a lack of justice; kindness and the showing of mercy (Micah 6)

4. God will keep His covenant (even though Israel didn't) and provide complete and full assurance.