Douglas Jacoby Podcast

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Review

• The first six lessons set the stage for the seventh, Psalm 51, which most epitomizes the theme of our series, Drawing Near to God.
• In the eighth lesson we tackled the thorny issue of the imprecatory psalms, prayers that are sometimes sub-Christian in attitude. This only throws into high relief the topic of the final two lessons in this series.
• We now turn to find Christ in the Psalms. In other words, we draw near to God not only because we hear God's voice and discern his will in the Psalter, but also because the Messianic psalms show us Christ. And by Christ we come to God.

The Christ is prophesied in the Psalms
 

• A large number of passages in the the O.T. point to Christ (e.g. Deut 18; Isa 53; Mic 5), but our study is based in the Psalms only.
  • Luke 24:44-47 - Jesus fulfilled all three sections of the O.T., Torah (Law of Moses), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Kethuvim (Writings). Yet the O.T. passages are much more easily understood looking backward than looking forward (see 1 Peter 1:10-12).
  • Jesus applies the psalms to himself (e.g. 22:1 and 31:5). This naturally leads us to messianic readings of the Psalter.
  • Hebrews especially elaborates the correspondences between specific passages in the Psalms and the life of Christ.
    • Suggested CD: Back from the Edge: A Study of Hebrews (10 lessons, published by IPI)
    • Suggested podcast: Hebrews: Bridge Between the Testaments (at this website)
    • Suggested book: From Shadow to Reality (John Oakes, pub. by IPI)
• Many individual psalms points to Christ:
  • 2:1-3 (Acts 4:23-28); 2:7-8 - begotten Son of God. Many ancient Jews considered the pair of scriptures Psalm 2:7 and 2 Samuel 7:14 to refer to the Messiah.
  • 16:8-10 - resurrection
  • 22:1,7-8,16,18,22 - multiple points of contact with the crucifixion of Christ.
  • 31:5 - committing spirit into God's hands
  • 34:20 - not a bone to be broken (John 19:32-33, 36).
  • 35:11,19 - malicious witnesses hating him without cause (John 15:24-25).
  • 40:6-8 (Heb 10:5-7, quoting the LXX) - the incarnation.
  • 41:9 (55:12-13) - betrayal.
  • 45:6; also 93:2 (Heb 1:8) - he is God.
  • 68:18 - ascension (Eph 4:8)
  • 69:8-9,21 - rejected by own family; consumed by zeal for God's house; given vinegar to drink.
  • 102:25-27 (Heb 1:10-12) - eternal creator
  • 110:1-4 - divine descendant of David acceding to God's throne as priest in the order of Melchizedek.
  • 118:22 (Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:7) - the stone the builders rejected.

Thought questions

• If a Jewish seeker asked me to jot down a list of Messianic prophecies, how many would I know off the top of my head?
• What is it about Psalms -- why do I think this was the most familiar book of the Bible to first-century believing Jews and Christians?
• How do I respond physiologically when I see Christ in the O.T. scriptures? Does my heart glow, my mind race, my pulse quicken?

Prayer points

• As Christ did on the Emmaus road, may he open also my mind.
• Help me to see Christ in every page of scripture.
• Make my vision of faith international -- that Christ may be preached in every nation.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Review

• Our seventh lesson, on Psalm 51, most epitomized the theme of this series, Drawing Near to God. Honest confession makes for vital relationships, including our all-important relationship with God.
• And yet although honesty is commendable, the Psalms actually contain some prayers that are sub-Christian in content and attitude.
• Accordingly, our eighth lesson is entitled “Prayers You Shouldn’t Pray.”

Imprecatory psalms

• Praying against (one's enemies)
• Latin: prex (prayer) + in (against)
• There are many imprecations in the Bible, although this podcast discusses only three.
  • 137:7-9
  • 58:6-11
  • 109:3-13, 21-31
• C. S. Lewis and others noted: when the ancient Jews come to God, they ask for justice; when Christians come, they ask for mercy.

The O.T. and Enemies

• The imprecatory psalms are in tension with the O.T. ideal of treating one’s enemies well.
  • Exodus 23:4-5
  • Leviticus 19:17-18
  • Proverbs 24:17, 25:21
  • 2 Kings 6:20-23
• In a way, praying the imprecatory prayers was a way of obeying God's command not to take revenge. It's all left in God's hands; he is being implored to do what he said he would do and deal with Israel's enemies.
• The O.T. seems to say more about war than about peace, yet peace is always the ultimate goal.
  • Zechariah 14:16
  • Isaiah 11:6-9, 9:6

The higher standard

• Matthew 5:43-48
• It was completely normal to be kind to the insider; the outsider (non-Israelite) was the other, the enemy.
• Did Jesus not teach the brotherhood of man? Brothers not in the sense of salvation, but origin. God is the Father of us all, if not in the salvific sense, at least in the ultimate sense.
• We could utter imprecatory prayers. Do you think we should? Should we seek “sweet revenge”?

Conclusion

• Honest prayers, yes. Get it out. But let the Spirit of Christ guide us.
• Let's read the O.T.—and the entire Bible—with sensitivity. Be aware of "problem passages," esp. any that might cast aspersions on the God we serve.
• When you’ve based your life on the trustworthiness of the scriptures, it takes great courage to admit there are difficulties.
• Jesus called us to a standard far above the one we find in the imprecatory psalms.
• God's holy standard is difficult, but shouldn't we make the attempt? "Be perfect... as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Thought questions

• Are there biblical passages that have troubled me? Have I been honest in my treatment of them, or have I ignored them, trying to forget about them?
• How do I think it would affect outsiders to the faith to see insiders wrestling with problematic scriptures? Am I afraid it would give them an excuse to dismiss Christianity?
• What have I learned from the imprecatory psalms?
• Do I think it is ever appropriate for a Christian to use the weapons of the world (2 Cor 10:3-4)?
• How did Christ view his enemies? disarm them? pray for them?

Prayer points

• Give me the strength of faith and integrity to admit that there are problem passages.
• Strengthen me with your grace to resist every impulse towards hatred, violence, and revenge.
• Enable me to live up to the high calling of holiness enjoined on us by the Lord Jesus.

Other scriptures noted
 

• Psalm 5:5, 11:5
• Colossians 1:21
• Malachi 1:2-3
• Luke 16:13
• Micah 6:8
• Judges 15:11
• Galatians 3:24
• Romans 12:20

A few other potentially scandalous or problematic aspects of the Bible
 

• Slavery in the Bible (please listen to the podcast on this topic)
• The treatment of women
• The Canaanite Genocide
• Hell
• Predestination

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Review

• Our first six studies set the stage, so that we can draw near to God
• Psalm 51 is the psalm that most epitomizes the theme of this series, Drawing Near to God.
   

Theme: restoration to God

• Every psalm has a theme. In most of the lessons in this series, we're reading only excerpts, in order to illustrate broader themes.
• This time we will study a single psalm, and one of the most famous of all, ranking with 23 in general familiarity.

Davidic?

• Associated with David, and fits perfectly the scenario of 2 Samuel 11-12.
• “Build up the walls” (v.18) – the psalm did not evolve to its present form till centuries after the time of David.
• Whether or not David is the author is immaterial. The psalm speaks to us all!

Commentary

• v.1 - Mercy, not justice. Blessed are the merciful. Am I merciful towards others (Matthew 5:7, 18:21-35; Eph 4:32)?
• v.2 - We are unclean – cannot be self-restored. We need God.
• v.3 - Sin doesn’t get cleansed by time. Time may afford a broader perspective, but it doesn’t automatically heal.
• v.4 - See Genesis 39:9. Judgment: Psalm 7:11 (daily judgment, the outworking of sin); 21:9 (final judgment, like 2 Thessalonians 1:8).
• v.5 - Not original sin (see 71:6, 22:9, 58:3). Projection of the present feeling of sinfulness back to the earliest possible point in the psalmist’s life.
• v.6 - We are born to be moral. We may have a proclivity towards selfishness – for biological and psychological reasons, yet God calls us to act beyond the level of mere self-interest .
• v.7 - Hyssop was used for cleansing in levitical ceremonies (Exod 12, Lev 14, Num 19 – a dozen places in all the Bible.) Hyssop contains thymol. Confessions / accepting forgiveness from God – 32, 38, 51 (7 penitential psalms also include 102, 6, 143, 130).
• v.8 - See Proverbs 17:22.
• vv.9 -10 Not just asking to be let off. Asking for transformation. A new spirit – a common longing in the prophetic literature, such as in Isaiah and Ezekiel. And not just a one-time revival, but consistency!
• v.11 - Holy Spirit rare in OT. The phrase appears only here and in Isaiah 63:10-11 and here . God is spirit; thus he is present in Spirit. John 7:39 – no indwelling before Jesus' ascension (Acts 2:30,33).
• v.12 - The joy of our salvation is more than a feeling. Willingness. God will not force us. In a sense, the psalmist is asking God for a holy spirit – to make him holy through and through. We too should pray for this spirit. Jesus says the Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him Luke 11:13. See also Psalm 15 - holiness / integrity required if we are to enter God's presence and dwell there.
• v.13 - We cannot keep the good news to ourselves. It is hard to stay motivated in evangelism when all we seek are results, or recognition. It's easy to keep going when awareness of who we are (God’s children in Christ) and gratitude continually well up from our inmost being! Further, the good news isn’t a message of self-improvement.
• v.14 - Guilt is a reality. Psychologists and psychiatrists lacking a biblical orientation may miss this. But true healing (therapy) requires acknowledgement of guilt, ownership. Proverbs 30:20. "Guilt of bloodshed" is a phrase often occurring in the context of murder. Worship as the natural response to the experience of cleansing, when we have gratitude to God for his mercy and grace.
• vv.15-16 - Religion without heart is worthless. Psalm 51, Psalm 50, Psalm 15 (in the podcast I said "51" -- but meant 15). Also Malachi 1—it's all over the OT. Jesus preached the same Mark 7. This is not to say that we can dispense with formal faith. The last verse of the Psalm doesn’t dismiss the sacrificial system – which would be replaced only after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.
• v.17 - Heart focus. See 34:18.
• vv. 18 -19 - This shows that the Psalm is exilic, or postexilic – at least in its final form.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Review

• In the first three lessons, we studied psalms highlighting God's will, word, and nature.
• The fourth lesson explored a healthy double-focus (directed both inward and outward).
• As we sat in our last lesson, Darkness, the world is a place of self-interest. It can get to us, especially if we aren’t focused. We can find ourselves at the brink of ruin even in the midst of the assembly (Proverbs 5:14).

Drifting

• Hebrews 2:1. When we aren't paying attention to the Word -- when we lose focus -- we drift.
• Why is it important not to drift? We can end up in some scary places. Rejecting counsel, we may be attracted to money, sex, popularity, fashion -- everything the world has to offer.
• And we become good at rationalizing our sin.

Psalm 73

• The psalmist begins to drift when he looks at the lives of those who aren't putting the Lord first. (They aren't necessarily anti-religion; they just don't get why God would care about their behavior.)
• He begins to feel that his faith is futile.
• He has drifted to a dangerous place, and is saved from this perilous trajectory once he enters the sanctuary of God -- perhaps a visit to the Temple?
• Only from the vantage point of holiness, from a spiritual perspective, does he grasp their final destiny. Sooner or later the bubble will burst.
• He realizes that, without such a perspective, he remains on the level of the animals.
• Fortunately, he has regained his perspective -- an eternal one.
• At the end of the psalm, having regained his balance, he feels confidence to stand up for God, "to tell of his deeds."

Psalm 37
 

• Drifting may originate in envy, false comparisons, and fretting (vv.1, 7, 8; see also Proverbs 24:19).
• Fretting is unproductive.
• Don't worry about the next fellow; work on your own life.
• John 21:21-22: "... 'Lord, what about him?'... 'You must follow me.""
• Delight yourself in the Lord -- focus! (vv.3-6)
• Jesus (Matthew 5) cites this Psalm. (In the podcast I claim that Peter cites it, too; but that's wrong -- oops! I was thinking of Psalm 34, another very encouraging psalm which in my heart shares space with Psalm 37.)

What do we learn from these psalms?

• God doesn't discount our feelings.
• He knows when we are drifting.
• The psalmist works through his issues.
• In many of the psalms – up to 40% are sad psalms – the psalmist finds resolution by the end of the prayer.
• The psalms are extremely diverse, and address many of our emotional and spiritual needs.

Benefit from the entire range of psalms

• Psalm 37 helps us not to fret. Psalm 63 is good for those who (like David) are "in the wilderness."
• We need to learn to use the psalms to minister to ourselves.
• Find your psalm(s)! (I especially appreciate 48, 49, 50....)
• Trust in God. If God seems far away, guess who moved?

Thought questions

• When was the last time I was drifting? Was it a time when I’d lost my moorings?
• Which psalms, and other parts of Scripture, keep me tied in to the Lord, and prevent me from drifting?
• Do I have an eternal perspective on this world? Do I see the people of this world in perspective, as mere men?
• Can I locate any more points of contact between Psalms 37 and 73?
• How much might I benefit from working through my feelings/issues in prayer?

Prayer points

• Keep me from drifting.
• When I am drifting, help me to find you again.
• And then prevent me from slipping away again.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Review

• In the first lesson, we offered some general pointers for studying the Psalms, and examined Psalm 1, which serves as the intro to Psalms.
• Then we saw how much Psalms teaches us about God and his word.
• In this fourth lesson, we will consider a key factor in drawing close to God: focusing.

Introduction

• Some slander the Old Testament as requiring robotic conformity. (Some criticize all religion this way.)
• Yet the OT is not obsessed with outward behavior, but with our entire being.
• The Psalms shed considerable light on the heart, and how we need to be doubly focused.
   

Inward focus

• Heart focus – 1:2, 19:14, etc.
• We are often unaware of our own hearts. Consider Psalm 139:19-24: "... Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord...? I have nothing but hatred for them...Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me..."
• 141:3-4: "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil..."
• 145:17-18: "The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." See also John 4:24.

Outward focus

• Many psalms speak of care for others: the poor, foreigners, those who don't know God....
• 40:2-3 and 51:13 illustrate the outward-focus principle well.
• The desire to bless others flows naturally from own experience of salvation.
  • God is saving me not just from hell, but from this world; not just from external harm, but from myself!
  • God rescues me from the emptiness and vice of the world—not just a one-time event in the past, but an ongoing experience. He rescues us every day! When God touches our hearts, we want others to know his mercy, too.

Heart questions

• Do I tend to be excessively inward-focused?
• Do I tend to be excessively outward-focused?
• Am I giving sufficient attention to cultivating my inner spiritual life?

Prayer points

• "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you" (51:13).
• "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him" (40:2-3).

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

• Many things can bring about disorientation in our lives. Just a few examples (try making your own list):
  • The darkness (sinfulness) of the world (12, 14)
  • Betrayal (41, 55)
  • Natural disasters (46)
  • Deep loneliness (25, 88)
  • War, destruction, exile (74, 137)
• There are psalms of disorientation, orientation, and new orientation (Brueggemann). For examples, see this short list.
• We should acknowledge these feelings, not deny or minimize them. We should pray through them, not pray as though everything is fine.

In the darkness, light
 

• God is light, and his light penetrates the darkness of the world (Psalm 27, 105... John 1; 1 John 1).
• God will open the eyes of our heart so that we may see, even though we live in a dark world (Eph 1:18; John 3:19; Eph 6:12).
• And yet the light does more than merely light our path, for eternal light has dawned. In the Psalms are multiple intimations of heaven:
  • Psalm 16:11
  • Psalm 17:15 (see Job 19:25-27).
  • Psalm 49:15
  • Psalm 73:24.

Thought questions

• For me, is the world a dark place? Or am I charmed by the world, enticed by its values?
• If the earth gave way under my feet, am I confident that I would have God to hold on to?
• Am I allowing his light to illuminate my life?
• Do I realize that he offers light through every book in Scripture?
• Do I appreciate the value of honesty about my own fears, doubts, and pain -- how this lends an air of genuineness and hope to my outreach, fellowship, and counseling?
• Does the darkness of this world cause me to yearn for God’s new world? And do I realize that the new creation has already begun (2 Corinthians 5:17)?

Prayer points

• Shine your light into the dark places of my life.
• Help me to be more honest and open about my own fears and disorientation.
• Sensitize me to every intimation of the next world in the scriptures.

Further study

• Walter Brueggemann, Praying the Psalms: Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit (Cascade, 2007).
• Reading, Praying, and Living the Psalms (IPI, 2005)
• What Happens After We Die? (IPI, 2013)
• What About Heaven and Hell? (Harvest House, 2013)
• The Last Things series at this website.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Review

• In the first lesson, we offered some general pointers for studying the Psalms.
• We examined Psalm 1, which serves as the intro to Psalms.
• There are two paths: stay on the right path by ignoring the world’s counsel and listening to God.
• Ps 1 says, in effect, that we will prosper by becoming wise through God’s word.
• We're more likely to grow in this wisdom when we truly rejoice in God’s word.

Psalm 138:2

• "I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word" (ESV).
• Bible and Word
  • The Bible gives us the Word of God.
  • Jesus is the Word. When “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14), God became incarnate. The Bible didn’t become incarnate, and Jesus isn’t the Bible.
  • God’s word here refers to his spoken will—which of course we learn all about in Scripture.
  • We don’t worship the Bible (the idolatry called bibliolatry). We can worship Christ because in nature he is God, so this isn’t a form of idolatry.
  • By immersing ourselves in Scripture, we will be able to learn God’s good and perfect will for our lives: what sorts of people we should be striving to become; how we are to live out our faith; what it means to have Christ living in us by faith.
• Lest there be any confusion, I fully embrace the truth that the Bible shows us God. It is inspired. Although we do not worship it, our worship of God will be significantly accelerated when the word of Christ is dwelling in us richly (Colossians 3:16).

Psalm 12:6

• "The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times."
• What God says is true, trustworthy, and precious.

Psalm 19

• God speaks in two ways, in two books: his book of works (nature) and his book of words (Scripture).
• Notice the key terms in the psalm, different ways of referring to the Word.
• Psalm 19 emphasizes how the Word will change our lives. The end result is that our words will be true and pure—just like our heavenly Father.

Psalm 119

• The entire Psalm is structured around a single theme: God's Word.
• Selected readings: vv. 4-6, 9-12, 16, 18, 29, 32, 34-37, 60, 64, 66-68, 71-72,79-80, 93, 97, 105, 111-112, 120, 131, 133, 162, 175-176.
• The psalmist rejoices in God's law, longs for consistency, and prays that others will come to God through him as the word guides his life on the right path.

Seven prayers (from Psalm 119)

• “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your word” (18).
• “Let me not wander from your commandments” (10).
• “Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain” (36).
• “Turn my eyes from worthless looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways” (37).
• “Incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end” (112).
• “Keep me steady according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me” (133).
• “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments” (176).

Heart questions

• Am I willing to become a careful reader – eyes fully open?
• Am I doing what I need to ensure my heart is captivated in God’s word, and not the world?
• How strong is the connection between God's word, truthfulness, integrity, will, nature... and mine -- between his integrity and my own? Am I putting the Word into my heart?

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Introduction to the Psalter

• The Psalter (the five books of the Psalms) forms a central part of the treasury that is God’s word.
• Central in the thought of first century Jews and Christians (as we know from quotations) in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the New Testament, and the early Christian writings.
• Mastering the Psalms is no easy task. There are so many psalms, and their themes are not always obvious. Sometimes they feel chaotic. (They weren’t written by engineers.)
• Still, Psalms can be relatively easy to recall, since they are poetry. They have lyrics, they are sung, and they're self-contained.
• Recommended: Into the Psalms: Verses for the Heart, Music for the Soul -- Rolan Monje (Manila, Philippines), 2012.

General principles to keep in mind

• Psalms are human words addressed to God, more than the word of God to us.
• They are characterized by thought-rhyme, as opposed to sound-rhyme. Usually the second line in the couplet expands on the first.
• OT history and geography are essential (e.g. Psalms 133, 136, 137).
• Every psalm has a theme.
• Big themes:
  • Temple worship, monarchy, exile, law, God, creation, history, covenant...
  • Each psalm has a context. (Many were written out of the painful experience of the Exile). We need to know what the theme is if we are to profit from the Psalm.
• They don’t offer solutions to all our problems so much as they offer therapy.
• Christians are supposed to use them (Ephesians 5:18-19, Colossians 3:15-16).

Psalm 1

• Two paths.
• Way of Wisdom (Psalm 1 sounds like the introduction to Proverbs).
  • This is a wisdom psalm – like 14 and 37 (where each stanza contains a proverb).
  • By spending time in the Psalms we become wise. 1:2 mentions the Torah, and 1:3 alludes to the prophets (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
• Listen to God's word (v.2), not to the world (1 John 4:5; 1 Corinthians 15:33).
• Consequences:
  • Withering -- because they aren't rooted.
  • Prospering (vitality). The Hebrew idea of prosperity does not involve tons of money, but successful crops; children and grandchildren; the meeting of basic needs; a place in the community.
  • The wicked lack solidity. They cannot stand. They are lightweights! Their punishment (being blown away) is a natural result of their waywardness, not something arbitrary or artificial.
  • Similarly, prosperity is more a result of righteous living than a reward. The olive tree, so common in Palestine (Psalm 128:3), bears fruit for centuries, usually in alternate years. Even if the main trunk dies, it still sends up shoots. And the Tree of life alludes to Genesis 2-3.
• Continuation:
  • Psalm 2 illustrates the rejection of God’s rule in the world (the way of the wicked): everyone is up in arms, rejecting God's rightful sovereignty.
  • Psalm 1 is expounded on in Psalm 25.

Prayer points

• To be captivated by the wisdom of God and the word of God, not impressed by the people the world considers to be cool, or their fashionable ideas.
• To be solid, stable, and productive, and not to wither.
• To accept that there are only two paths – and not to be double-minded or wishy-washy about this.
• To go forth in confidence.

Thought questions

• How rooted am I? Do I flit from one thing to another, or am I anchored in the word and willing to do the work?
• How productive am I? Am I getting things done? Am I helping others to know Christ?
• Have I fully accepted the fact of the two ways, or am I trying too hard not to give offense, to appear neutral?
• Do I meditate on the Word daily? What are my own devotional habits, and how might they need to change?

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Salient points:

• The scriptures recommend intoxicating beverages for those in pain (vs.4-5). This has normally been interpreted as support for painkillers, especially in end-of-life situations. The point is that since alcohol affects judgment, those with decisions to make should do all they can to remain sober and alert. Reaction time has always been important, whether on the modern highway or the ancient throne.
• The king is the one addressed in vs.8 and 9, charged with defending the rights of the poor and needy.
• At long last (31:10-31) we meet the 4th significant woman in Proverbs. She is the Ideal Wife -- usually called the Proverbs 31 Woman.
• The ode to this apparently perfect woman is an acrostic (22 verses -- there are 22 consonants in the Hebrew alphabet).
• The 4 women, 2 virtuous and 2 wicked, are Wisdom (1:20-33; 4:5-9; 7:4; 8:1-30; 9:1-6), the Proverbs 31 Woman, the adulteress (2:16-19; 5:1-14,20; 6:24-32; 7:25-27), and Folly (9:13; 14:1).
• Think of her as Lady Wisdom -- so often mentioned in Proverbs -- in human form. The young, marriageable woman has found a man and settled down (9:1; 14:1)!
• She can hardly be the standard for all Israelite mothers, since she is from the upper classes, has servants, a husband well positioned in the leadership structure of the town (v.23), and is able to run a business from her home (v.24).
• The woman is wise because she fears the Lord (vs.30; see 1:7).
• Notice that in v.26 "faithful instruction is on her tongue" (NIV) -- "the teaching of kindness" (ESV). Instructing others (family, friends, strangers) is a trait of the truly discipline person. She or he wants everyone to benefit from God's wisdom and love, so that they too may "laugh at the days to come" (v.25).
• Parting thought: Consider how the book of Proverbs speaks to the spiritual condition of Israel. Israel didn't follow her wise counsel. She rebelled, led astray by the world's beguiling messages, failing to learn wisdom. Yet in becoming God's "disobedient son," she inadvertently prepared the way for the Gentiles. For all of us, regardless of spiritual heritage or pedigree, Christ is our wisdom (1 Cor 1:30).

Challenge:

• Don't eat the bread of idleness!
• Like the Proverbs 31 Woman, who is really Wisdom in work clothes, the charge is to implement the principles you've learned in the last month.
• To help you see where you've come from, and to refresh your memory, it might be good to review all the podcast notes. Make a list of the 31 challenges.
• Maybe you will even want to listen to the series again, to cement it in your thoughts.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Salient points:

• Vs.3-4 -- to a Christian, at least -- sound highly messianic. Yet the LXX translated "children" in place of son (v.4), so we cannot have the degree of confidence we might like. Integrity means we don't ignore the majority of translations in favor of the special reading of a single version. This isn't honest. (I still feel Jesus in this text.)
• Vs.5-6 are a great passage on the word of God!
• Vs.7-9 are a great passage on a modest lifestyle. Modesty isn't just about dress or speech; it's about how we live and the messages conveyed through our decisions concerning wealth and possessions. The book mentioned is Craig Blomberg's Neither Poverty Nor Riches.
• It is possible to feel in the right, or saved, or clean, but to still be in one's sins (v.12).
• The leech (v.15) has two suckers, which draw blood until the critter is bloated. In Gen 49:22, branches of a tree are called "daughters" of the tree. Perhaps the leech's "daughters" are the suckers.
• Notice the numerical mnemonic devices in vs.15-31.
• The adulteress feels no guilt (v.20). Whether this is pathological, or she truly disbelieves there are absolute morals, the attitude increasingly characterizes our society.

Challenge:

• Live a moderate lifestyle!
• There are two dangers, two extremes. Lack of wealth can sometimes be as dangerous as abundance of wealth, though to be fair in scripture there are far more warnings addressed to the rich.
• Note: Moderation is culturally determined, not absolute. Be flexible in your thinking, and don't look down on others who draw different conclusions.
• Modest living means we will lower unnecessary spending; be less tempted to cheat the system or view God as just an accessory to affluent living; be less distracted by the advertisers (designer items, expensive jewelry, lavish status markers, conspicuous consumption); be setting a better example for others; and have a greater appetite for the things of the Spirit.
• Then, instead of being controlled (enslaved) by our habits, our habits will serve us.
• Further study: various articles and podcasts HERE. For helpful books to help us curb materialism, see many of the titles HERE.

Versions: The initial reading was the NIV, the final reading the KJ3.

Next Up: Our final lesson in this series -- Proverbs 31.