OF THE MOUTH AND THE SOUL

Proverbs 16:26
He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.

Hunger is the greatest driving force in the world. If men didn’t need to eat, he would just sit and take his ease. Hunger forces him to get up and toil at some field so he can harvest and feed himself and his family. We glorify the laboring man, and it is good, but what glory should he receive from his natural labor? He knows that if he doesn’t somehow work, he will not eat. The pangs of hunger and our insatiable constant need for food are actually the real driving forces of forward motion. Man works, and he feeds himself.

Man also has the choice to feed himself healthy food to his strengthening and edification, or to eat sweet fatty and easily palatable junk food to his weakening and eventual death. He can use his innate notion of labor to strengthen, or to kill himself.

Behold now the great spiritual lesson that should be learned from this natural observation. As it is in the carnal, so it is in the spiritual. Our soul’s craving for spiritual food is not unlike that of our mouth for physical nourishment. The inquisitive soul hungers for the things of God. It wants to return to its original state, in the presence of the Almighty. He who is attuned to his soul feels its constant tugging at the door of the spirit; its searching and laboring in an uncontrollable hunger for more of the spiritual truth that it so depends on. The Master taught us that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled and so, the hungry soul will be rewarded.

In the spiritual realm though, man also has the choice as to what he eats and feeds his soul. He can use the inquisitiveness of his heart to feed himself the healthy direct Words of Life from God Himself, or just tease his soul with the sweet, fatty and easily palatable junk food given by those who pastorize, and process the Word of God into dead doctrines of man. His can direct his spiritual hunger to eternal life, or to spiritual death.

OF THE MOUTH AND THE SOUL

Proverbs 16:26
He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.

Hunger is the greatest driving force in the world. If men didn’t need to eat, he would just sit and take his ease. Hunger forces him to get up and toil at some field so he can harvest and feed himself and his family. We glorify the laboring man, and it is good, but what glory should he receive from his natural labor? He knows that if he doesn’t somehow work, he will not eat. The pangs of hunger and our insatiable constant need for food are actually the real driving forces of forward motion. Man works, and he feeds himself.

Man also has the choice to feed himself healthy food to his strengthening and edification, or to eat sweet fatty and easily palatable junk food to his weakening and eventual death. He can use his innate notion of labor to strengthen, or to kill himself.

Behold now the great spiritual lesson that should be learned from this natural observation. As it is in the carnal, so it is in the spiritual. Our soul’s craving for spiritual food is not unlike that of our mouth for physical nourishment. The inquisitive soul hungers for the things of God. It wants to return to its original state, in the presence of the Almighty. He who is attuned to his soul feels its constant tugging at the door of the spirit; its searching and laboring in an uncontrollable hunger for more of the spiritual truth that it so depends on. The Master taught us that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled and so, the hungry soul will be rewarded.

In the spiritual realm though, man also has the choice as to what he eats and feeds his soul. He can use the inquisitiveness of his heart to feed himself the healthy direct Words of Life from God Himself, or just tease his soul with the sweet, fatty and easily palatable junk food given by those who pastorize, and process the Word of God into dead doctrines of man. His can direct his spiritual hunger to eternal life, or to spiritual death.

THE BENEFITS OF OPPOSITE ADVICE

Proverbs 16:25
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

This same verse in the same wording is found twice in the Book of Proverbs. The sages taught that when God mentions something twice in His Word, it is because the saying is of utmost importance.

This proverb is about the idea that we can be wrong in our judgment or opinion even when in our heart of heart we feel absolutely right about it. This teaches us that we are very vulnerable to error. This verse also outlines the utmost importance that we surround ourselves with honest and sincere people that feel they can tell us their opinion about issues. A sound opinion is one that has been balanced by opposite views. It should work in politics too, but the problem with politics is ‘politics’.

A man is an executive type of being. That could be one of the main reason why the Almighty said that it is not good for man to be alone, I will make him a helpmeet to be ‘against him’, the Hebrew says. A woman will lose her marriage if she constantly opposes her husband, but she should be able to balance him, as we all need sound advice and balance. One might argue and say, ‘Yea, so god gave man a woman and you see what happened?’. Yes I see what happened. The Jewish sages taught (whether the facts are authentique or not I know not but the principle is nevertheless scriptural) that when Adam saw Eve eat of the fruit, he knew she was going to be rejected from Eden. The sages teach that Adam loved her so much that he did not want to be separate from her until the redemptive promised time, so he ate the fruit so he could stay with her. The ‘First couple’ (from the Garden of Eden, not the White House) gives us in this spirit a good lesson on what makes a good marriage.

May we never be so arrogant that we cannot take an opposite advice. Even Moses with His personal ‘face to face’ communication with God, is recorded as being the humblest of all men, and is often seen as taking advice, when of course, it was not motivated by ‘politics’.

TORAH, THE HONEYCOMB

Proverbs 16:24
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

How pleasant are the Words spoken from Mt Sinai: Words of tender espousals; Words of love; Words of passion. Let us indulge in an analogy this morning. If these Words are like honey, let us make the Torah the honeycomb. As a honeycomb is squeezed in order to deliver its sweet life-giving substance, so everyone involved in the giving of the Torah was squeezed, pressed and taken with passion.

The people of Israel were squeezed with a rebuke that changed their life. It taught them to compare the life-giving principles of true faith with the death inflicting fiery darts of a ‘golden-calf’ man-made religion. As an ungrateful bride, Israel learned the value of staying close to her Husband.

Moses was squeezed into the role of mediator. He interceded, even put his life on the block in order to save wayward Israel from its adulterous and idolatrous unrestrained passions.

Finally, God was squeezed, pressed by Moses into repenting from the evil he wanted to do to Israel. The torah truly is Words sweet as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Even messiah; the One Who is called: the Word; the Torah incarnate; the Wisdom of creation (Proverbs 8; John 1); the quintessential representation of the Words of God suffered the same fate as this broken Torah.

As Moses came down from visiting the throne of the Almighty on the mountain, Yeshua came down from His Father’s throne.

As Moses breaks the Torah when he sees Israel in sin, so Messiah’s body is broken by our sinful lives.

As Moses mediates and successfully intercedes for Israel, returns in the cloud on the mountain for God to re-write the former Words on 2 new tables carved by Moses own hands, so Yeshua goes up in a cloud (Acts 1). He returns to His Father in a resurrected body in order to mediate and intercede on our behalf.

As Moses brings down from the mountain two new tables with the former Words written in them, so Messiah will return. He will bring back with Him the sweet Words of the marriage contract God has made with His people.

As the face of Moses shone so with the glory of the Almighty, so Yeshua will come back in power and glory, and for a thousand years teach us how to benefit from the sweetness and health of these Heavenly Words. May He come soon, even in our days.

THE STOCK THAT NEVER FAILS

Proverbs 16:23
The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

James in the Messianic Scripture advises us to be . . .. Swift to hear, slow to speak, . . .. The apostle probably remembers the following wise proverb by our author, A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.

This sounds like good advice for many of us. We have a tendency to thoughtlessly ‘utter’ all our mind assuming that our feelings are our ‘inspiration’. Very often it seems though, that this inspiration comes from us, not from the Almighty. Many arguments, divorces, and even perhaps wars would be avoided if we would at least learn to pause (and listen to each other) before we speak.

We must remember that our heart is fed through our eyes and our ears. The problem is that very often we fill this heart of ours with the things of the world such as come through TV, radio, and worldly reading material. If these are the only, or the majority of deposits that we make into our heart, these also will be the only things we will be able to withdraw when comes time to speak. Godly learning then will not be placed on our lips; only the things that we have put into our heart.

Therefore first, we need to fill our hearts with godly material, with material which emanates from the Word, not the world. Better to turn off the TV, shut off the radio; and allow some ‘air time’ to God in our mind. We must also control our ‘inner talk’; make sure we do like king David and command our soul to praise God instead of brooding in our misery.

If we do so, we will be able to withdraw from Godly deposits. These will teach our mouth and add learning to our lips. It’s a ‘stock’ that never fails; never goes bankrupt, never needs to be bailed out.

LIFE OR FOLLY?

Proverbs 16:22
Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it:
But the instruction of fools is folly.

It is like the Master said, For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. The good that knowledge and understanding can do is dependant on our personal predisposition.

When knowledge and understanding is given to those of a ‘good and honest heart’, it becomes a wellspring to them. The Hebraic idea of the term ‘wellspring’, ‘makor’, is that of a heart from which all vessels, tissues and organs of a body are nurtured and edified. May we all be granted from the Father of all grants the gift of such a disposition.

On the other hand, if the disposition of a man is that of contention, dispute and schism, knowledge and understanding will only fuel his foolish pride to create more falsities in order to promoite himself.

The Torah is the most beautiful legal, social, and spiritual document ever given to man. It is meant for life. An intelligent attempt to live by Its social principles would solve our urban problems. Following its financial advice would solve our economy, our rural issues; benefit ecology and solve animal abuse. It is the saddest thing to me I see this beautiful intricate Treatise of life granted us from the mouth of the Creator on Mt Sinai used in ways to provoke dissensions divisions, and death.

The question we are left to ask ourselves is: Are we like those for whom understanding is a wellspring of life, or are we like the fool to whom knowledge is just another avenue for folly?

BLESS THE OMNISCIENT GOD

Proverbs 16:21
The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

The biblical definition of wisdom is to apply and obey the knowledge of the Word that we have been given. This principle is very well illustrated in Yeshua’s parable of the wise and foolish men building their house. The wise built his house upon the rock, and it withstood the storms. Yeshua tells us that such a man is one who hears the Word of Truth and lives/obeys it. A wise man is called ‘prudent’. Both these words refer to obedience of the Word.

While knowledge of the Word and its application are great virtues, the apostle Paul also tells us that knowledge ‘puffeth up’, or causes us to sin by becoming proud and vain. In this case it is no the acquisition of knowledge which is wrong (and of course I am referring to knowledge of the things of God), but rather our proud human-like reaction to it. In our weak human state, knowledge tends to make us reactionary, self-righteous, unbending, proud and lifted up towards those who don’t seem to know as much. Very often this attitude spills over on those who are closest to us such as our immediate families.

Our proverb today points out to the virtues of knowledge, but in a progressive tone, also tells that the sweet exposition of this knowledge to others causes us to increase in knowledge. In perfect comparative Semitic contrast, this also means that the inability to impart our knowledge in a sweet and humble way may actually decrease it. This shows us that the acquisition of the true knowledge of God carries in itself a spirit of humility because the more we know, the more we should realize that we don’t know.

May we learn like Moses and Yeshua to come down from our lofty positions and impart what has been entrusted unto us in the Spirit of His love and humility. May all of us who are called to expound the Word unto others bless and honor the Omniscient God by representing His Knowledge in a sweet and humble way.

COSTLY ENDEAVORS

Proverbs 16:20
He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

In the Hebrew text, the word for ‘matter’ is the word: ‘Davar’, meaning ‘thing’, ‘subject’ or ‘matter’, but also ‘The Word’.

One wonders about the connection between the two clauses in this Proverb. Let us remember the two preceding Proverbs about pride and humility, rich and poor. Following in the vein of pride and humility connected with rich and poor, the Renaissance Jewish commentator Rashi paraphrases this Proverb in the following words:
‘If one’s analysis of a subject (Davar) shows that performance of a particular commandment may involve danger or financial loss, yet he trusts in God and does it, he is praiseworthy.”

The Master indeed has advised us to be wise in all our dealings, and to ‘count the cost’ of our endeavors. Yet, the grim realistic possible outcome of obedience to God should not deter us from it. Wise realization should only lead us to greater desperation.

As believers, we should never be lured into thinking that our entrance into the covenant of Israel through Yeshua means the end of our problems. Indeed, it could be the beginning of very great distresses, trials and tribulations.

Yet, in this very realization, let us take wholeheartedly endorse every endeavor He has for us for the sake of the world, just as he wholeheartedly endorsed the costly endeavor of our redemption.

GOD’S ECONOMIC SOLUTION

Proverbs 16:19
Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

The Hebrew translates that, “It is better to be of a lowly spirit among the poor than…’

Didn’t the Master say, Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . Blessed are the meek? Didn’t the apostle James honor those of our congregation with lesser means by mentioning their faith wealth?

Success in the eyes of the Master is not always measured in dollars and cents. Wealth is not an indicator of God’s blessing, just as poverty doesn’t prove His faithlessness towards us. The faithful apostle even says that he has learned to be content in whatever state he is, whether he abounds or whether he is in lack. Elijah, the great prophet of Israel honored the poorest of the poor, a starving widow who was not even from Israel, and came to rest his blessing on her household. In a way, that’s were God chose to rest; he came hang out and share what He had with the poor.

Of course, God also promised to supply all of our needs, and we do need to have faith to have enough. The problem is that in the Western industrialized world, the notion of ‘enough’ and of basic living requirements have become out of proportion. A trip to some of our poorer neighbor countries always sets us back into proper perspectives. The Master really only offered us food and clothing. He Himself did not have a place to live, but of course, He also didn’t raise a family of small children, which definitely requires a ‘nest’.

The idea of the proverb today is really not about rich or poor. It is about our spirit’s natural tendency to bigotry. Even as affluent people, we should not feel uncomfortable to ‘hang’ around those of lower means.

The Master exemplified our day’s proverb very well. Just as Moses left the Pharaoh’s palace to go be with his brethren, the slaves, from the Mighty domains of the Father’s Kingdom, Yeshua came to hang with us.

The apostle puts it in the following words, For ye know the grace of our Master, Yeshua haMashiach, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich ( 2 Corinthians 8:9).

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

This proverb is placed at the very center of the book of proverbs and is followed by one on the virtues of humility.

When a man carries his head high, his tendency is to look upward and not to be careful about where he is going. Not noticing what he may stumble against (and the people he walks upon), he falls. As they say, ‘The bigger they are, the harder they fall’. The bigger a person or thing is, the greater they fall.

We see today all those great financial institutions and magnates who in their pride and arrogance thought that they were above the retributive system of God. For it is not man’s policing who caught them, it is God’s retributive system; the system which declares that what a man saws he will also reap; the established principle that our judgment is meted to us in the same way we judge others; that our plate ends up being composed of what we dished to others.

Here is the heart of he who is ripe for the destructive fall of those who walk in pride: like the unrepentant king Saul, he walks head and shoulder above his brethren. He challenges the commandment of God trough the prophet; he is justified in his disobedience; he deserves forgiveness: (1 Samuel 15). God has established life’s retributive systems, and we are judged the way we judge others. We are also forgiven as we forgive others. Others, and even God at times, are with us the way we are with them. Pride challenges and wants to be above these principles.

May we live our lives as open books. May we open ourselves to Him. May we realize the pride of our way when yet small; the fall will be more bearable. It is humility which helps us hear the soft warnings He sends our way.

FOLLOW THE LIGHT

Proverbs 16:17
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil:
He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

Once we have been told the way, like in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim, it is our responsibility to stay in the way. Once we have been shown the Light, it is our part to follow that Light, keep It straight before us; to follow It through whatever It takes us.

Oh, but the way of the Light is not always paved with ease; so we try shortcuts. Somehow though, these shortcuts always seem to take us through ‘evil’: through what is not approved of God. We need to trust that He knows why the Light leads where it leads, and not try to tell the Father that another way would be better or more efficient to His purposes. We see these shortcuts when we don’t keep our eyes focused on the central Light. This Light does not blind us, but it can blind all around us. This helps us walk in ‘ignorance’ of the tempting options around us, keeping us on our main highway.

This is the way to preserve our soul; to depart from evil: to keep that Light in front of us. This is the strongest light we’ll ever see; yet it doesn’t blind. The hottest fire; yet it doesn’t consume. Yeshua haMashiach, the Image of the Almighty Everlasting Father come in the flesh to bring us the Presence of God in a way our mortal flesh can process.

Oh, that we may learn to preserve our souls; that we may learn to forever keep that Light of the World in the central point of our focus.

That we may always stay on His straight and narrow road, avoiding the pitfalls that lead to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and therefore to perdition.

PRIORITIES

Proverbs 16:16
How much better is it to get wisdom than gold!
And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

Herein we are taught a sense of priorities. The gain of worldly wealth may sometimes be the blessing of the Almighty on our lives, but not if it required the neglecting of His priorities.

Wisdom in the Bible is described as a Person, not a virtue. In Proverbs eight, our author introduces us to Wisdom. In fact, in the writing of the book, the person of Wisdom speaks to us in the first person. This Wisdom tells us how He was with the Creator from the beginning of times when He established foundations on the seas and the mountains. He also tells how all things were made through Him. In this person of Wisdom, we recognize John’s ‘Word’, which the Targum (an Aramaic narration of the pre-messianic Scriptures) calls the ‘Mimrah’: Yeshua haMashiach Himself.

How much more is obtaining a close relationship with this ‘Mimrah’ better than all the gold of the world. Our author should know. He was blessed with all the riches of the world because when the Father met him to make him an offer of whatever he wanted, King Solomon simply asked for the wisdom and understanding to do a good job as king of Israel.

May we take sample after King Solomon. May we above all, desire this relationship with the ‘Mimrah’, Yeshua haMashiach Himself. As we do, let us have the assurance that He will bless us with the wisdom and understanding to accomplish our mission in life, which is much better than all the gold and silver in the world. And who knows, we may even get some of that too!

BLESSED RAINS

Proverbs 16:15
In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.

What better pleasure can we desire than a light of approval on the face of our King. To hear His Well done thou good and faithful servant: enter into the joy of thy Lord. These words are life to our spirit and water to our soul.

The clouds of the later rain represent Israel’s spring rains. They are mentioned as opposed to the early rains of fall. The early rains represent the plowing and seeding of the fields while the later rain represent the beginning of the summer harvest until fall. These are also related to the first and second coming of Messiah.

Yeshua was born at or around the Feast of Tabernacles in the fall; at the time of the early rain. He also started His ministry on jubilee year at the time of Yom Kippur, just before the early rains of fall. He did his spiritual plowing of the land for three and half years and started His harvest of resurrected souls at the time of the later rains of Passover. In His rendition of the Gospel, Matthew tells us how at the time Yeshua died, the spirits of departed patriarchs appeared in the city of Jerusalem. According to Scripture, His flesh could not see corruption, so He must have resurrected right away provoking the resurrection of these saints. Peter tells us that until that time when Yeshua was seen again on earth in His resurrected body, He went to preach to the disobedient spirits in hell.

Since then, Yeshua has been gathering his harvest. The final harvest happens in the fall. This is the time Ruth and Boaz committed to each other. Boaz represented Messiah; Ruth, the nations of the world.

Messiah also returns in the fall, at the end of the harvest. There He meets with His Bride made up of all nations who endorse His Torah. He returns on the Day of Trumpets/Yom Kippur when He finally establishes his kingdom on earth, just before the time of the early rain for a new harvest.

May we be in the Favor of His enlightened contenance.

ATONING FOR THE ‘KING’S’ ANGER

Proverbs 16:14
The wrath of a king is as messengers of death:
But a wise man will pacify it.

The Hebrew word used in the place of ‘pacify’ has a much deeper meaning. It is the word ‘kaphahr’, coming from its lexical root: atonement. This word is also used when Jacob, returning from exile at Laban’s house prepares to enter the Promised Land. Jacob knows that Esau his brother waits for him to kill him. Jacob then wisely decides to send his kingly brother caravans of gifts in order to appease or ‘atone’ for his anger. Jacob succeeds.

The idea is also illustrated as David confronts Saul. Saul desires David’s death. Saul pursues David with an army in hopes to catch and kill him. During the night, David sneaks in Saul’s camp, but instead of killing him, he takes a token of his nocturnal presence. The next day, David displays these tokens to Saul on a nearby hill; and Saul sees David a more merciful man than he, he is convicted and goes home.

We need to recognize the ‘kings’ in our lives: those who are in authority over us. Such are government offices, and even people to whom we have to be subjects in business or social ventures. Retailers say, ‘The customer is king’, and this policy, motivated of course by profit, provokes wise retailers to serve all customers well and wisely in spite of their sometimes-capricious anger.

When challenged by authority, to challenge that authority is not wise. In such cases, wisdom dictates to bring resolution by finding a way to atone for that challenge. May we, like Jacob and David of old, be wise. Though we may not agree with the ‘kings’ in our lives, may we at least recognize them as God’s pattern for us, and find the wisdom to address them with kingly respect. May we offer the gifts of atonement that provoke love instead of anger, peace instead of war, life instead of death.

RIGHTEOUS ENDORSEMENTS

Proverbs 16:13
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

A man is his endorsements. It is a sad thing that too many times we endorse what we please to hear. We have forgotten that God’s rule of law is absolute and unchangeable. That it doesn’t adapt to culture, times and situation. That it is the same yesterday, today and forever. We also have forgotten that God’s idea of justice is not relative to our way of thinking nor to how we feel about it, but that it is singular in its dogma. That it is the straight trainer stick to which our seedling is attached so we grow straight.

Those of us in the world who carry some form of responsibility towards others; those of us who are parents, teachers, religious and community leaders, we are types of kings. It is imperative therefore that we learn to endorse righteousness according to God’s Book. We have to delight in those who speak the truth and righteousness of God; we have to love, endorse and encourage those who speak the truth of God in His spirit of wisdom.

Our King Yeshua pleases in those who have righteous lips and who speak right. Let us therefore be found ‘guilty’ of righteous lips speaking right. Let us endorse King Yeshua so He in turn can also endorse us before men and before His Father.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS TO COME

Proverbs 16:12
It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness:
For the throne is established by righteousness.

As the old saying goes, “Others may, but you can’t!” From older sibling to king, any form of leadership demands the same. ‘Others’ may indulge in vengeance, retaliation, selfishness, self-pity, pride, self-vindication, anger and all the likes, but leaders, especially those who are supposed to and even claim to represent God, can’t. Their example must remain steady, sometimes almost cold and unshakable. Such things were required of Biblical kings and priests, and are still required of those who claim to follow Messiah. We are to be a ‘nation of ‘priests’ as was promised us at Mt Sinai.

Each, priest, each king, each lawyer of the Word in the pre-messianic Scriptures of the Bible was to foreshadow Messiah. King David, who exercised the three messianic functions of Priest, King and Lawyer, was the quintessential type of the Savior to come.

Even now, messiah establishes His throne on earth. He establishes it by righteousness; not by man’s righteousness, but by the Righteousness of God. He presently exercises the righteousness of Priest by atoning for our sins in front of the throne of the Creator of heaven and earth. He will in a little time return as a conquering King, snatching the controls of the world from the ‘ungodlies’ and from the ‘ungodly’. Then for 1,000 years, he will exercise, as the greatest Lawyer the world has ever known restoring justice to every man woman, child and ethnic group. This will be a time when He will vindicate the righteous, punish the wicked, and wipe all our tears away.

May He come quickly, even in our time.

RIGHT SCALES AND BALANCES

Proverbs 16:11
A just weight and balance are the LORD'S:
All the weights of the bag are his work.

A literal translation would read: ‘A scale and just balances are Gods’; His deeds are like weights in a pouch’.

Here is Rashi’s reflection on this proverb: ‘Just as each item weighed on a balance sale offsets a different combination of weight, depending on its mass, so God deals with everyone individually, depending on their deeds.’

How beautiful is the Creator’s sense of justice. There one Commandment, one Torah and one rule of law for all men, but yet, He knows how to apply it on a personal basis according to our individual parameters. Only the God who has created and personally knows each one of us could do that. It is so easy to resort to the uniform ‘cookie-maker’ type of justice, and it certainly simplifies things. Actually, our author was known for his extreme wisdom in judging matters between people.

We have a God of love, a God of peace, harmony, truth, as well as of justice mixed with mercy. The end of all matters should rest in these virtues if they are to be found in Him. But only He has the right weights that belong to each person; we as humans are poor judges and need to rely on His determinations.

In our judgments and determinations, may we borrow from God’s scales; may we let His spirit weight on our hearts to influence us so we can judge not by the seeing of the eye, nor by the hearing of the ears, but judge righteous judgments.

KEEP QUIET AND LET GO

Proverbs 16:10
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

Oh for the beauty of God’s Word; for the infallibility of His judgments, truth and justice on earth. Soon, by His grace, they will cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.

This proverb has often been interpreted as describing a King or Pope’s infallibility when in the judgment seat. Religious leaders also borrow from it to claim authority on their pulpit declarations. History though, testifies to the fallibility of humankind, even when in office. This verse therefore can only be testifying of the infallibility in judgment of the great King of kings Agent of creation, who will soon come and restore all things to their original state: Yeshua Hamashiach. Hebrew doesn’t have capital letters, but the English should have probably been written as ‘. . . the lips of the King;’

The Messiah/King of the universe is the only One whose lips are clean because He is the only One whose heart is sinless. Our human state would love to emulate that spiritual cleanliness but we seem to always be bound to the sins of our lips. The apostle James actually states that only the perfectly pure in heart doesn’t sin with his lips. Most of the time on this earth, we are left with reaping the results of our blabbering mouth, getting ourselves deeper and deeper into the sinking sands of verbal offense even as we try to keep control of seemingly runaway situations around us. And the more responsibility we have the worse it gets. Most of the time the best policy for us human beings is to ‘keep quiet and let go’. Sad to say, we often come to that wise realization after the damage is done.

May we learn to speak like and by the King. May we learn to let the only One who doesn’t sin be the mover of our lips through the clean motions of His heart within us. Like the Ark of old, let the space of our hearts be filled with the Table of the Testimony, so it can emanate its quiet verbal powers unto the people.