Shalom Family,
Thanks for accepting the call to corporately study and share. We will be doing one chapter a day. I encourage as many as can, to read, study, meditate and share a thought/s from your devotion.
May the Lord bless our devotions.
Key Verse: Proverbs 1:7
The [reverent] fear of the LORD [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.
Proverbs 6
Day 6 .
Wed May 06 2020 23:59:59 GMT+0300 (East Africa Time)
Overview
✳️ Verses: 35
✳️ Theme: Various Wise Sayings Covering Financial Prudence, Vows, The Folly of Laziness, Wickedness and the 7 Things that God Hates (Abominations) and More Warning on Adultery
✅ Verses 1-5 Wise Financial Dealings and the Folly of Vows and Striking Surety
✅ Verses 6-11 The Folly of Laziness
✅ Verses 12-15 The Nature of a Wicked Man
✅ Verses 16-19 The 7 Things that God hates (Abominations)
✅ Verses 20-25 Further Warning on Adultery and the Fury of a Wronged Husband!
Commentaries
Ciruu Kiniti
: Proverbs 6
This is one of my all time favourite Proverbs especially because of the story of the ant. There are many lessons to learn from the ant but chief for me it concerns working hard and smart.
And this adds up to very simple arithmetic: I get out of life what I put in. Sometimes as a child of God I have realized that God has given to me most of the things I'll need to be a success in life (and no money is not a sole measure of success). But even with everything given I am still at His throne crying for a miracle, yet the miracle has already been given!
My attention is drawn to the 7 things God hates. My attention is drawn to lies...you know it's easy sometimes to get entangled in the web of "but it is a small white lie" 😂😂...it won't hurt. But guess what I've been reminded in defining what a lie is there's absolutely no distinction between a small and big lie.
The teachings of my parents are crucial in life. And I find this to be very practical. Many of my life has been lived on lessons taught by my folks.
Playing around with sin...and can I just pose here and say that I once had an encounter with a married man (I've written about it) and I know how such sin can subtly crawl into your life! I thank God because He snatched me and I was "snatchable
Pastor Obed -> Proverbs 6
Lying! . ..
You are in a mat. Say you are at Yaya heading to town. Someone calls and asks where are you? You say ndio naingia valley road! 🤭🤷♂️. .
How many times do we like this and we don't even sense that we are lying???
Don Mwas -> Proverbs 6
Proverbs Chapter 6
- We should not make promises we don't intend to keep as our words can trap us..
-our bad ways(one who plots evil and has deceit in his heart) can destroy us without remedy
In vs 16-19, we see the things that God hates, so we should try to avoid them.
Joyce Obed -> Proverbs 6
Proverbs 6
Warning against laziness comes out strongly. We must be diligent spiritually, and physically. Every spiritual instruction is accompanied by an action.. As believers, we are sometimes caught up in the spiritual diligence and forget the practical part.
Warning against doing the things that God hates - vs 16 - 19
Warning against fornication. - vs 20-35. Specifically vs 25
Do not desire (lust after) her beauty in your heart, Nor let her capture you with her eyelashes. For on account of a prostitute one is reduced to a piece of bread [to be eaten up], And the immoral woman hunts [with a hook] the precious life [of a man].
This challenges us to avoid fornication all the way from our thoughts.
-> Proverbs 6
Lets Proverbs 3:28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
God really hates lies...
Of the six abomination an 7 hates lying has been repeated twice.
I think the opposite of wisdom is ultimately death by hand of folly.
Wisdom bears fruit of righteousness. Whereas fooly bears fruit of unrifhteousness/wickedness leading to death.
Proverbs 6 shows means by which the folly led to death by hand of the (subtil)sly woman.
ignorance is not an excuse.
Btw solomon borrowed the ideology from the book of Enoch
Proverbs 1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets...
Pro 7:11 (She [is] loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
Proverbs 8:1
Pro 8:1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
Compare
Enoch [Chapter 42]
1 Wisdom found no place where she might dwell;
Then a dwelling-place was assigned her in the heavens.
2 Wisdom went forth to make her dwelling among the children of men,
And found no dwelling-place:
Wisdom returned to her place,
And took her seat among the angels.
3 And unrighteousness went forth from her chambers:
Whom she sought not she found,
And dwelt with them,
As rain in a desert
And dew on a thirsty land.
Wisdom is shown as a person with certain attributes:
1.doesnt force her way
2.is only found by those that seek diligently.
3.is still small voice...
4.leads to life.
Unrighteousness (the strange woman)on the other hand is a persona born from folly. She Has opposite attribures to wisdom:
1.forces her way with flattering words.
2.whom she sought not she found,meaning even if youre not looking youll find her simply by not finding wisdom.
3.she is loud and stubborn.
4.she leads to sheol
I know it's a chapter a day but i had to get that out there. .
Nduta -> Proverbs 6
Vs 6 - vs 11
- Laziness. The bible teaches about the ant who has no boss, no ruler, no manager. It stores in the summer and gathers it's food in harvest.
- Pracrastination leads to poverty and scarcity. Poverty comes like a bandit. And scarcity like an armed robber. Meaning poverty and scarcity will come with their cousins and move in as your roommate for life!
- A wise man arises early in the morning, storing provision. He doesn't spend it all. He saves for a rainy day.
- Vs 16- vs 19
The things that the Lord hates are:
Putting others down while considering yourself superior.
Spreading lies and rumors.
pilling the blood of the innocent,
Plotting evil in your heart toward another.
Gloating over doing what’s plainly wrong.
Spouting lies in false testimony.
stirring up strife between friends . These are entirely despicable to God!
I'm reminded again to walk in wisdom and to listen to wise counsel i.e the word of God. It's a lamp to my feet and light to my path.
It will keep me from immorality. Vs 27 says that, can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned. This is compared with sexual immorality. I shouldnt entertain it. No one who touches fire won't get burned.
No boss, no ruler, no manager yet manages seasons. This is a very serious indictment on any of us if we are lazy. .. 😢
Pasi I would like you to kindly expound vs 1 to vs 5 in regard to financial dealings. Do we take what is written literally?
Obed Pastor: Good question.
Let us expose verse by verse.
Proverbs 6:1-5
_1 My son, if you have become surety (guaranteed a debt or obligation) for your neighbor, If you have given your pledge for [the debt of] a stranger or another [outside your family],_
_2 If you have been snared with the words of your lips, If you have been trapped by the speech of your mouth,_
_3 Do this now, my son, and release yourself [from the obligation]; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, Go humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor [to pay his debt and release you]._
_4 Give no [unnecessary] sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;_
_5 Tear yourself away like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter And like a bird from the hand of the fowler._
✳️ Striking surety - Guaranteeing loans or financial obligations for others (other than family member). . . This is very tricky. . Curiously, all Saccos operate on this principle! What to do?
✳️ Guaranteeing others is equated to a snare and a trap! It is the word of God .
✳️ Always seek to stay out of debt either from personal borrowing or guaranteeing others!
✳️ Take it so seriously mpaka denying yourself sleep!
The wisdom being not becoming surety is simply that you are binding yourself to someone you have no dealings with. . Ideally, you need only be bound financially someone you have direct dealings with.
The danger: You are guaranteeing the actions and character of someone else! Can you really trust the future conduct of another person?
Their circumstances may change. . .
Moureen: Proverbs 6
Gods voice is in His creation. Looking at the creation should teach us kingdom principles.
From the things that the Lord hates i have learnt that it matters to God how we treat others, consider them and how we run our business around people. We may do things to people who are helpless but it doesn't escape God's eyes.
In all things our judgement should be right for our actions have consequences.
It is interesting to note that there was bribery in the days of Solomon
