Tag: mocker
Contrasting life-styles!
Scripture reading for July 5: Proverbs 10-13
Contrast is a literary device used in many of the proverbs to help convey truth. One of the contrasts is of the righteous man and the wicked man. The righteous man is wise and fears the Lord and the wicked man is foolish and hates God’s Word and God’s laws. Let’s look at these two types of people and try to evaluate our own lives as we read about them. We can learn from good examples as well as bad! I often say that if a person is not good for anything else, he can always be a bad example! Ouch!
Let’s look first at the foolish or wicked man. Proverbs 10:1 states that the foolish son brings grief to his mother. The foolish man is lazy and sleeps during harvest instead of working. (Proverbs 10:4-5) The wicked man’s mouth is filled with violence and his hatred causes dissension and strife. They speak perverse things. (Proverbs 10:11-12, 31-32) The wicked earn wages of punishment and poverty. (Proverbs 10:15-16) The fool finds pleasure in evil conduct and lives in fear and dread of punishment that is sure to come upon him. (Proverbs 10:23-24) The wicked have no hope! (Proverbs 10:28, 11:23) Their own ways insure judgment and ruin in their lives and in the lives of those around them. (Proverbs 10:27-29) The wicked may gain wealth, but it will not help them in the day of judgment! (Proverbs 11:4, 18) There will be shouts of joy when the wicked perish from the land. (Proverbs 11:10, 20-21)
The righteous man or wise son is a joy to his father! (Proverbs 10:1) His righteousness delivers him from death and hunger and lack. He is a worker and enjoys plenty because he gathers the crops during harvest season. (Proverbs 10:3-5) He is blessed and his memory is a blessing to those he has touched. (Proverbs 10:6-7) He is always open to correction and is teachable. (Proverbs 10:17) His mouth is a fountain of life and wisdom is found on his lips. (Proverbs 10:8-11) He is a man of integrity and rests securely. His love covers over many wrongs. (Proverbs 10:12) He enjoys a long and joyful life because his way is the Lord’s way! (Proverbs 10:27-29) He is rescued from trouble and escapes destruction because of his wisdom and faithfulness to the Lord! His life blesses the city he lives in and he prospers! (Proverbs 11:10-11) God delights in the righteous man because his ways are blameless! He is generous and gives, yet gains even more! (Proverbs 11:20,24-25) He is a tree of life and wins souls! (Proverbs 11:30)
Which of these contrasting life-styles have you chosen to walk in? Do you have the fruit of a righteous life-style or that of the wicked? The choice is yours and today may be your only day to choose!
The blessed man!
Scripture reading for June 3: Psalms 1-6
The Book of Psalms was the hymnbook of the Hebrew people and was used in worship and prayer. The word “psalm” denotes a “song sung to the accompaniment of a plucked instrument.” These psalms had at least seven different authors and were written over nearly a thousand years, from the time of Moses to the return from exile in Babylon. David was one of the primary authors of the psalms, and many reflect his own prayers, worship, fears, and desires as he experienced life in all it’s emotional ups and downs!
The first psalm was about a man who is blessed by God. The blessed person doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked. He also doesn’t stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. How does the blessed man know what wickedness is? Who is a sinner and what is a mocker? This man knows because he delights in the law of the Lord! He meditated on that law day and night. From that law he clearly understood good and evil, righteousness and wickedness.
The blessed man was described as a tree planted by streams of water. This tree was always bearing fruit and leafy and green because it’s roots were well-supplied with moisture and nutrients. Even when it was dry and hot, water from underground brought productivity. God abundantly supplied this man because of the Word he meditated on. What an encouraging picture to begin worship with!
This blessed man was contrasted with the wicked man. The wicked man was pictured as the chaff off of the wheat, that the wind blows away. It was only good for burning. Just like the chaff that was separated from the wheat by the wind, so the sinner and wicked man will not stand in the time of God’s judgment! They will be separated from the assembly of the righteous and blessed! God watches over the righteous to protect and reward them. God will also make sure the wicked perish.
How does this psalm point us to Jesus Christ? In what way or ways does this psalm help you in worship and joyful living? What doctrines are being taught in this first worship psalm? Does worship have a place in teaching doctrine?