ECCLESIASTES 10
Actions of a foolish man verse 1- 3
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary
to send forth a stinking savor
SO does a little folly him that is in reputation
for wisdom and honor
A WISE man’s heart is at his right hand
BUT a FOOL’S heart at his left
YEA also – when he that is a FOOL walks by the way
his wisdom fails him
and he says to every one that he is a FOOL
Quiet spirit necessary at work verse 4
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you
leave not your place
for yielding pacifies great offenses
Authority given to unqualified people verse 5- 7
There is an EVIL which I have seen under the sun
as an error which proceeds from the ruler
Folly is set in great dignity
AND the rich sit in low place
I have seen servants upon horses
AND princes walking as servants upon the earth
Life is dangerous verse 8- 11
He that digs a pit shall fall into it
AND whoso breaks an hedge
a serpent shall bite him
Whoso removes stones shall be hurt therewith
AND he that cleaves wood shall
be endangered thereby
If the iron be blunt – and he do not whet the edge
then must he put to more strength
BUT wisdom is profitable to direct
Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment
AND a babbler is not better
Fools don’t think before speaking verse 12- 14
The words of a WISE man’s mouth are gracious
BUT the lips of a FOOL will swallow up himself
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness
AND the end of his talk is mischievous madness
A FOOL also is full of words
a man cannot tell what shall be
AND what shall be after him
who can tell him?
Fools don’t like to work hard verse 15
The labor of the FOOLISH wearies every one of them
BECAUSE he knows not how to go to the city
Rulers need to be noble verse 16- 17
Woe to you- O land – when thy king is a child
AND your princes eat in the morning
Blessed are you – O land
when your king is the son of nobles
AND your princes eat in due season – for strength
and not for drunkenness
Houses fall apart through laziness verse 18
By much SLOTHFULNESS the building decays
AND through IDLENESS of the hands
the house drops through
Money is an important part of life verse 19
A feast is made for laughter – AND wine makes merry
BUT money answers all things
Watch what you say always verse 20
Curse not the king – no not in thy thought
and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber
for a bird of the air shall carry the voice
AND that which hath wings shall tell the matter
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. (3368 “reputation” [yaqar] means valuable, brightness, clear, costly, excellent, precious, or influential.)
DEVOTION: Each individual has a sphere of influence. Our influence can be either good or bad.
Here we find that a fly has a bad influence on precious perfume. If a fly dies in a perfume, it doesn’t smell good. Also, if a man has a good influence normally but one time seems to be off track, his influence is lessened.
Thus Solomon is warning us that if someone who is known for his wisdom and has a place of honor does something foolish – he stinks. We sometimes do things that don’t manifest the good character the LORD has given us. Solomon thinks we should.
We need to manifest our precious gifts that God has given us. God wants us to continually learn more of HIS word so that we can have that heavenly wisdom to share with others.
The rest of the chapter deals with people of influence and their friends. If our friends are foolish, then their actions can affect us. Solomon wants us to have wise people around us, so that, our influence can be good all of the time. People watch how we act and thereby judge us. One bad experience can change some ones opinion of us.
Some people will never be happy with our actions while others will give us some slack. What type of person are we? What type of friends do we have? Are they Biblical Christians or just nominal Christians? What type of wisdom are we sharing with those around us today?
Ask the LORD to help you act well at all times. HE will give us the power to be a good influence to those around us. People will then come to us for counsel concerning decisions that have to make.
CHALLENGE: God wants all HIS mature children to be wise counselors to those who are immature and seeking wisdom.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 “Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: When truth is viewed as a lie and foolishness is dignified the time is appropriate for this verse. I was speaking to a man on Saturday who made the statement “that the things he had been taught as a child to be truth was now looked upon as false and the false was now truth.” The reversal of accepted truth has become the norm where police are the criminals, the military is without arms, the church is passive and silent, and politicians shift their stands according to polls rather than convictions. The mob and the anarchist with the loudest voice or biggest platform is viewed as speaking truth instead of the historical, time tested values.
These factors are not new to the world even if they are new to this culture. Historically circumstances like this have occurred (Roman Empire, Europe, Russia, China) where the forces of change used folly and unrest to create social changes. God is not mocked and while this occurs the rich become lowly, the truths of God continue to remain true. They may be covered with the sludge of immorality, the garbage of popular opinion and the sewage of vain philosophy but the diamond of truth and the pearl of wisdom eventually shines forth. What do you believe the folly that is being presented as truths today or the truth of God’s word? The loudest voice may hold public sway but the truth will always shine forth in the end!
CHALLENGE: The darkness of the time is not the signal of defeat for truth but rather the testing of it to reveal the true character and strength with which it survives! Make sure you are standing on the truth of God’s word and not the folly of the changing society. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
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: 12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. (2580 “gracious” [chen] means favor, acceptance, a feeling of favorable regard, agreeableness, elegance, charm, or kindheartedness.)
DEVOTION: The LORD wants our words to be seasoned with salt. We are to watch what we say and how we say it to others. Too often we find that there are people who are not very good at making what they say easy to take when they are trying to help people
There are people who like to be rude in their way they handle other people. They say and do things that are not gracious and cause others to not want to talk to them again.
Here we see that sometimes there are people who think too highly of themselves and talk to others as if they are not important enough for them to spend time with in conversation.
Our goal in any conversation is to instruct others in the ways of the LORD. It is to be done with grace and mercy, so that, people will listen and want to change.
Our goal as believers should be to present Jesus Christ to others, so that, they are willing to ask HIM into their life. We should want to see those we meet that are willing to listen to us understand that there is only one way to heaven and that is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
If we sound like we know it all and don’t care about their eternal life or their growth n the LORD then the conversation is not one that is pleasing to the LORD.
All of us have met people who are swallowed up with themselves. It is usually a short conversation because they think what they have to say is more important than what we have to say.
CHALLENGE: Watch your conversations to make sure they are honoring to the LORD and HIS goal for the other person’s life. HIS message is more important than our message regarding how smart we are in our conversation.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry: but money answers all things. (6030 “answers” [anah] means respond, declare, reply, testify, give account, speak or shout.)
DEVOTION: Solomon deals with wise and foolish leaders. He wants leaders to be those who can be full of wisdom. He has taught that wisdom comes for the LORD.
He is concerned with everyday life for those who are in his kingdom. He is especially concerned for his children. He wants them to give a good example to the people.
He deals with lazy children. He believes that if people are lazy their homes will fall apart. Everyone who owns a home knows that they need repair. If the repairs on a house are not kept up, the house will decrease in value.
Also wise use of money is important. The Bible teaches that the love of money is evil. Having money is not evil. Wise use includes giving an account for the ways we spend it.
Money use can testify to our priorities. We can have parties where there is laughter. We can drink grape juice with a smile on our face. All of that takes money. If a leader wastes money the nation suffers. If a father wastes money the family can suffer. If a church wastes money the neighborhood could not be reached for the LORD. Money makes a difference in all area of our world. Right now there is homes, neighborhoods, churches and nations that are suffering because their leadership was not using money wisely.
Our checkbook should show our priorities. Hopefully, the LORD is the first priority each payday. Hopefully, every family can say that they are using their money wisely. It would be good if our nation could say that they are using money wisely.
We answer to the LORD for our attitude toward money. We are not to love it but use it as a tool to provide for our necessities and the necessities of those we love. A wasteful leader in any area of our world hurts people. We are to be among those who use their money wisely.
CHALLENGE: If most of our time and money is spent on personal pleasure we are not honoring the LORD. Honor the LORD first and foremost with all that HE gives us.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Ruler verse 4, 6
Rich verse 6
Servants verse 7
Princes verse 7, 16
King verse 16, 17, 20
Child verse 16
Nobles verse 17
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Folly verse 1, 6
Fool verse 2, 3, 12, 14, 15
Offences verse 4
Error verse 5
Evil verse 5
Babbler verse 11
Lips of a fool verse 12
Foolishness verse 13, 15
Mischievous madness verse 13
Full of words verse 14
Drunkenness verse 17
Slothfulness verse 18
Idleness verse 18
Curse verse 20
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Wisdom verse 1, 3, 10
Honor verse 1
Wise verse 2, 12
Yield to others verse 4
Grace verse 12
Eat for strength verse 17
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Solomon verse 1- 20
Feast is made for laughter
Wine makes merry
Money answers all things
Bird of the air shall carry the voice
And that which has wings shall
tell the matter
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
The four references to it in Ecclesiastes reveal one who knew what it was to be wealthy (2:8), that money did not entirely satisfy (5:10), yet found it to be a protection (7:12) and (if we take the passage this way) a practical necessity. (Eaton, M. A. (1983). Vol. 18: Ecclesiastes: An introduction and commentary. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (156). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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Because there are few verbal links between the two parts (vv. 12–15 and vv. 16–20) in this section, it is crucial to see the link between Solomon’s warning in verse 20 with the proverbial material in verses 12–15 and the link between his warning in verse 20 with the material in verses 16–19. Noting that multiplying words is foolish and self-destructive in view of one’s ignorance of the future (vv. 12–15), Solomon warned against criticizing governmental officials (v. 20) even if their profligate leadership deserves such criticism (vv. 16–19). In this way Solomon counseled submission to governmental authority, a theme he had already broached in 8:2–3 and 10:4, which is well documented in other wisdom literature (e.g., Prov. 14:35; 24:21–22).
10:12–15. Solomon began this passage by contrasting the words of a wise man with those of a fool; a wise man’s words are gracious (or, better, “win him favor”; Prov. 13:15 [“favor”]; 22:1 [“esteemed”] make similar use of this Heb. word ḥēn), but a fool’s words are self-destructive (i.e., they consume him).
Using a merism, a figure of speech in which polar opposites are chosen to indicate totality (cf. examples in Ecc. 3:2–8), Solomon characterized a fool’s speech as foolish and wicked madness both at the beginning and at the end (i.e., from start to finish). Though such is true of a fool’s speech, he continues to multiply words (cf. 5:3; 6:11), oblivious to the fact that no one knows the future, what is coming in days ahead and what will happen after death. Besides being ignorant of the future, a fool is also ignorant of the most obvious; he does not know the way to town (cf. 10:3). This is a proverbial expression for extreme ignorance like the modern proverb, “He doesn’t know enough to come in out of the rain.” This is why a fool finds his work such a chore (it wearies him). (Glenn, D. R. (1985). Ecclesiastes. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 1001–1002). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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First, they are destructive words (v. 12). The wise person will speak gracious words that are suited to the listeners and the occasion (Prov. 10:32; 25:11). Whether in personal conversation or public ministry, our Lord always knew the right thing to say at the right time (Isa. 50:4). We should try to emulate Him. But the fool blurts out whatever is on his mind and doesn’t stop to consider who might be hurt by it. In the end, it is the fool himself who is hurt the most: “a fool is consumed by his own lips” (Ecc. 10:12, NIV).
In Scripture, destructive words are compared to weapons of war (Prov. 25:18), a fire (James 3:5–6), and a poisonous beast (James 3:7–8). We may try to hurt others with our lies, slander, and angry words, but we are really hurting ourselves the most. “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction” (Prov. 13:3, NKJV). “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (Prov. 21:23, NKJV). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Satisfied (p. 119). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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10:12–14 Words. Man demonstrates wisdom in words as well as works. Foolish words yield unfavorable outcomes. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ec 10:12–14). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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Ver. 12. The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, &c.] Or grace. He speaks kind and good things in favour of the characters of men, and not as the babbling detractor: he speaks well of civil magistrates and rulers in the state; of the ministers of the word in the church; and of all his fellow-creatures, as far as can with truth be said: and a truly good and gracious man, who is Solomon’s wise man, in opposition to a fool and wicked man; his discourse will run upon the grace of God, upon the doctrines of grace, and upon the experience of the truth of grace on his heart: upon the grace of God the Father, in loving and choosing men; in contriving their salvation; in making a covenant of grace with them in Christ; in sending him to die for them, and in accepting his satisfaction and righteousness for them: and on the grace of the Son, in becoming their surety; assuming their nature, dying in their room and stead, interceding for them, taking care of them, and supplying them with grace out of his fulness: and on the grace of the Spirit, in regeneration and sanctification; working in them faith, hope, and love; applying precious promises to them, and sealing them up to the day of redemption: of these things they speak often one to another, and cannot but talk of the things they have felt and seen: and such words and discourses are gracious, graceful, and grateful to truly pious souls, and minister grace unto them; and are also well-pleasing and acceptable to God and Christ, as well as gain them favour among men; see Prov. 22:11; Ephes. 4:29. But the lips of a fool will swallow up himself; his words are not only disagreeable and displeasing to others, but bring ruin upon himself; by talking too freely of rulers and others, he brings himself into trouble, and plunges himself into difficulties, out of which he cannot easily get; yea, is swallowed up in them, and destroyed. Or, his lips swallow up him; the wise man, whose words are gracious; and, by his calumny and detraction, his deceit and lies, brings him into disgrace and danger: or, swallows it up, or that; the grace of the wise man, or his gracious words; and hinders the edification of others by them, and the good effects of them. Though the first sense seems best. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 4, pp. 615–616). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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12. The words of a wise man’s mouth] The mention of the babbling eloquence of “the master of tongue” in the previous verse is naturally followed by precepts fashioned after the type of those in Prov. 10:8, 14, 32, 12:13, 15:2, 17:7 as to that which is of the essence of true eloquence. In “are gracious” (literally are grace itself) we find a parallel to the “gracious words” (literally words of grace) of Luke 4:22. They describe the quality in speech which wins favour, what the Greeks called the ἠθικὴ πίστις (moral suasion), which conciliates the good will of the hearers (Aristot. Rhet. i. 2, § 3).
the lips of a fool will swallow up himself] The English version rightly preserves the vivid force of the original, instead of weakly paraphrasing it by “destroy” or “consume.” Who has not heard orators who, while they thought they were demolishing their opponents, were simply demolishing themselves, swallowing up their own reputation for honesty or consistency, greeted by the ironical cheers of their opponents, while those of their own party listen in speechless dismay? Our own familiar phrase, when we speak of an imprudent orator having “to eat his own words,” expresses another aspect of the same idea. (Plumptre, E. H. (1888). Ecclesiastes; or, The Preacher, with Notes and Introduction (p. 198). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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God Is Easy to Live With
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:13–14
From a failure to properly understand God comes a world of unhappiness among good Christians even today. The Christian life is thought to be a glum, unrelieved cross-carrying under the eye of a stern Father who expects much and excuses nothing. He is austere, peevish, highly temperamental and extremely hard to please. The kind of life which springs out of such libelous notions must of necessity be but a parody on the true life in Christ.
It is most important to our spiritual welfare that we hold in our minds always a right conception of God. If we think of him as cold and exacting, we shall find it impossible to love him, and our lives will be ridden with servile fear. If, again, we hold him to be kind and understanding, our whole inner life will mirror that idea.
The truth is that God is the most winsome of all beings and his service one of unspeakable pleasure. He is all love, and those who trust him need never know anything but that love. He is just indeed and he will not condone sin; but through the blood of the everlasting covenant he is able to act toward us exactly as if we had never sinned. Toward the trusting sons of men his mercy will always triumph over justice.
The fellowship of God is delightful beyond all telling. He communes with his redeemed ones in an easy, uninhibited fellowship that is restful and healing to the soul. He is not sensitive or selfish nor temperamental. What he is today we shall find him tomorrow and the next day and the next year. He is not hard to please, though he may be hard to satisfy. He expects of us only what he has himself first supplied. (A.W. Tozer: God is easy to live with)
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“Whose heart the Lord opened.”
—Acts 16:14
In Lydia’s conversion there are many points of interest. It was brought about by providential circumstances. She was a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, but just at the right time for hearing Paul we find her at Philippi; providence, which is the handmaid of grace, led her to the right spot. Again, grace was preparing her soul for the blessing—grace preparing for grace. She did not know the Saviour, but as a Jewess, she knew many truths which were excellent stepping-stones to a knowledge of Jesus. Her conversion took place in the use of the means. On the Sabbath she went when prayer was wont to be made, and there prayer was heard. Never neglect the means of grace; God may bless us when we are not in his house, but we have the greater reason to hope that he will when we are in communion with his saints. Observe the words, “Whose heart the Lord opened.” She did not open her own heart. Her prayers did not do it; Paul did not do it. The Lord himself must open the heart, to receive the things which make for our peace. He alone can put the key into the hole of the door and open it, and get admittance for himself. He is the heart’s master as he is the heart’s maker. The first outward evidence of the opened heart was obedience. As soon as Lydia had believed in Jesus, she was baptized. It is a sweet sign of a humble and broken heart, when the child of God is willing to obey a command which is not essential to his salvation, which is not forced upon him by a selfish fear of condemnation, but is a simple act of obedience and of communion with his Master. The next evidence was love, manifesting itself in acts of grateful kindness to the apostles. Love to the saints has ever been a mark of the true convert. Those who do nothing for Christ or his church, give but sorry evidence of an “opened” heart. Lord, evermore give me an opened heart. (Spurgeon, C. H. (1896). Morning and evening: Daily readings. London: Passmore & Alabaster.)
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The Man of God
“But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)
There are just two places in the New Testament where a person is called a “man of God” (both of which are in Paul’s letters to Timothy), and they reveal the attributes which warrant us to call someone a man (or woman) of God.
The first occurrence, found in our text, tells us that such a person should, first of all, not be one who loves money and the material things money can buy, for “the love of money is the root of all evil” (see previous verse, 1 Timothy 6:10). Instead, his pursuit should be after personal righteousness and godliness, as well as stronger faith, more genuine love for others, more patience, and true meekness.
Speaking of meekness (not weakness), Moses was called “the man of God” in the very first use of this phrase in the whole Bible, and we are told that “the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Yet, he was able to lead two million Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and then through 40 years in the Sinai desert.
The second New Testament reference to the “man of God” is in reference to his use of the Scriptures. He will recognize that “all scripture is given by inspiration of God. . . . That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Thus, the essential characteristics of a true man of God will be a great desire for personal righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and strong meekness, accompanied by the avoidance of any taint of greed or covetousness. In terms of his Christian beliefs, he will have an unshakable confidence in the verbal inerrant truth and authority of the Holy Scriptures. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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RESTING ON CHRIST
The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe.
Proverbs 18:10
To continue yesterday’s story, the Christian told the man that if only he looked to Christ and relied upon Him, he would be enabled to overcome his being captive to drinking. The man was a simple, illiterate man, and all he was anxious to do was to find the name of this person about whom this Christian was speaking, and he was told the name was Jesus.
The story went on to say how that poor man went away and, having worked again, came back to this same place to sell his grain. There again the tempters came, but he did not go with them, and his own wife and children were amazed. This Christian visitor came back in a year or so to find the man entirely changed. He began talking to him and asked him how it had happened. And the man’s simple testimony was this: “I went back the first time, and my friends came and tempted me, and I felt weak. But suddenly I remembered the name Jesus. I could do nothing but keep on saying to myself, ‘Jesus.’ I cried to Jesus to do what you told me He would do.” His faith was as simple as that, but it was enough, and he overcame. He did not go back; he was emancipated.
That is what I mean when I talk about this direct faith; it is simply resting upon Christ, and we have to do that. That is becoming as a little child, realizing our utter weakness and helplessness and hopelessness. When the fight is yet strong and the enemy is there and we feel we are on the point of falling, we must simply cry, “Jesus” and believe and know that He is looking upon us and that He is there and is ready to deliver us and protect us. “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).
A Thought to Ponder: Direct faith is simply resting upon Christ. (From Life in God, p. 58, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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God gives a child to Hannah and Elkanah after Hannah’s years of praying for a son.
INSIGHT
The grief of being childless drives Hannah to God. In Him, she finds her only resource for consolation.
Even though children may cry when they are taken to a doctor by their parents, they still trust their parents in spite of fear and pain. Similarly, we must still trust and cling to the Lord even though we do not understand why He does not deliver us from our pain. Just as children will someday understand about the doctor, we will someday understand about the pain.
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UNRECOGNIZED
For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1 Corinthians 2:8
Why is it that people fail to recognize Christ? For the fact is that those who were around Him, His own contemporaries, did not recognize Him. They did not believe the claim, for had they done so, they would have submitted themselves to Him at once. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, the princes of this world did not know Him, “for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” They did not know Him. They heard the claim but said, “He is an impostor. Away with Him; crucify Him!”
Now I can understand someone saying, “If what you state is true, if this person is the Son of God, well, why is it that the whole world does not believe on Him and go after Him and submit to Him?” Our Lord answers that question. “No man,” He says, “knoweth the Son.” What does He mean? Let me explain. We are concerned with the mystery of the Incarnation, and it is that which causes men to stumble. Let no one imagine that this is something simple. There is a mystery in the Incarnation; there is a sense in which we can say quite honestly that had we been standing with the crowd when He was making this claim, we would have felt immediately and instinctively that there was something exaggerated. We would have felt that the claim that He was the one to whom all things had been committed, that He was the controller of the destinies of the universe, was impossible. There is this apparent contradiction. He was arrested in apparent weakness, and yet He said that all things were in His hands. That is why people found it difficult to believe His claim.
A Thought to Ponder
He was arrested in apparent weakness, and yet He said that all things were in His hands.
(From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 136-137, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Right Thinking
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,…honest,…just,…pure,…lovely,…of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
Our lives are surrounded with ungodliness and demands that often bleed away our thoughts until we are worn and weakened. Reflect for a few moments on this inventory of empowering thinking.
Truth—Literally “that which is not hidden”; Jesus Himself (John 14:6); the Word of God (John 17:17; Psalm 119:11).
Honesty—Not just accuracy, but “sober” and “venerable”; sometimes “magnificent” or “great”; used of church officers (1 Timothy 2:2; 3:8).
Justice—Righteous, just, right, suitable; “The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom….The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable” (Proverbs 10:31-32).
Purity—Morally and sexually chaste; closely connected with “holiness”; the emphasis is on physical and mental purity (1 John 3:2).
Loveliness—Beauty, friendship, delight, and wonder are all suggested by the “good love” of this word (Luke 12:27).
Good News—This takes discipline, because there is far more bad news than good in this world; we are admonished to take “inventory” (dwell on, recall) the “good reports” (Proverbs 25:25).
These excellent and praiseworthy matters should dominate our thinking in a conscious “inventory” of the attributes on this final list. If we do so, God promises His peace in our lives. (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research
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