Providence Community Church

Placing life on the scale of wisdom, we discern what decisions, motivations, strategies, philosophies, assets, attributes, goals, character traits, cultures, habits, priorities, attitudes, identities, vows, governments, experiences, etc. are actually worth. Verses 10 & 23 of this chapter reprise a key metaphor of Biblical wisdom literature illustrating the necessity and effect of a transcendent standard by which to measure the true value of things.  In this chapter it’s as if Solomon takes up an aspect of life in each verse, placing it on the measuring scale to assess its worth in the kingdom of God. 
     Recall how the results of one such divine audit in Belshazzar’s day were written on the wall of his palace one day… The message written by the very finger of God Himself was illustrated by way of a metaphor.  Daniel 5:27 “…you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting;”.  Solomon equips the student of wisdom to weigh himself according to the standards revealed in the Word of God and repent where he falls short.  This is infinitely preferable than the fool’s day of reckoning when he is caught flat footed like Belshazzar on the Day of the Lord!

The final request in Jesus’ model prayer for us reads: (Matthew 6:13) “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Proverbs 19 teaches us that the fear of the Lord ultimately ensures that we will not be visited by harm.  Indeed, according to Solomon, through the fear of God applied we are delivered from evil.  The truths contained in this chapter have the power to order the economy of human relationships promoting goodness in this life, even as they assure us of the absolute promises of eternal life secure in our Messiah Jesus Christ.

Our title today is drawn from the second of three promises/benefits connected to the fear of the Lord, listed in verse 23. Here Solomon proclaims that the fear of the Lord leads to life and those who have it rest satisfied. He goes on to assure us that the believer who fears the Lord will not be visited by harm. Our verses today give practical applications of godly fear that yield the satisfaction of resting in the assurance of God’s power, grace, and wisdom.   When we take the Lord as seriously as His glory demands in these areas, the peace that we gain will surpass understanding.

The record of significant events orchestrated in the providence of God to advance His purposes in history provide occasion to introduce characters of consequence in the book of Esther.  Among them, Mordecai, Esther’s cousin & adoptive father, and Esther (Hadassah) herself.  Last message we asked: “Where is God in Esther?” (Our heading question introducing the book). The answer continues to unfold with the record of divinely directed circumstances which arrange the causes in such a way that the effects advance the will of God to ransom a people despite the odds which only serve to compound the testimony of His glory.  Themes introduced as the story opens serve to reinforce the message of the book showcasing the glory of God on the theater of history.

Paul’s letter reads like a lone voice crying in the wilderness of a pagan empire. Paul reveals in our text that he had pushback on other missionary fronts in addition to opposition he faces in Corinth as the truth of Christianity clashed with the sinful philosophy of the day.   Yet here we are over 2000 years later, and his voice has decisively won the battle of history. It is difficult these days to find the published works of Christ’s enemies the apostle confronted at the time, yet more copies of Paul’s writings remain in print than any other book in human history.   This is the kind of victorious triumph we would expect to follow the resurrected and reigning Messiah.   What Paul proclaimed in faith at the time has only been confirmed with every generation since, calling us yet today to wake up from our stupor to proclaim and serve our risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 19:23 serves well as a theme verse to outline this chapter of Solomon’s collection of wise sayings.   This verse reprises the meta-theme of wisdom literature: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’, attaching it to practical blessings.   According to Solomon : “the fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied, he will not be visited by harm.”   As with other statements of this nature in the book, the qualifying context of these promises is assumed.   First, the ordinary application:   Generally speaking, taking the exhortation of Proverbs as your day to day operating system, it will tend to result in positive outcomes   as you realize its life enhancing potential. 2nd: we are mindful in Christ of the ultimate application: Fear of the Lord, as fruit of regeneration in the heart of the believer, will secure our quality of life eternally.   Solomon instructs us how we who submit to Christ should live in the meantime for our own good and His glory.

Proverbs 18:10 describes the name of the Lord as a strong tower. The renown and character of our great God is where the righteous man finds his identity, meaning, standards, safety, authority. provision, and assurance. Proverbs 18, indeed with much of the entire book, can be understood as revealing pathways to the tower of God's presence and power in the life of a believer. Today we learn to take refuge in our God by way of our speech and relationships. Let us consider these two pathways to the tower of the Lord

Historical background: the kingdom and events unfolding in the book of Esther pick up roughly where the contemporary events of the book of Daniel had left off. The timeline of Kings and consequences coinciding with Israel's exile and return are relevant to the context of Esther. Nebuchadnezzar had conquered Jerusalem in 605 BC leading Daniel and others captive to the city of Babylon. The next king, Belshazzar, lost his throne immediately upon the prophecy of Daniel to the Persians who expanded the empire. Kings to follow included Cyrus, who allowed the Jews to return & rebuild Jerusalem after 70 years of exile, Darius another king under whom Daniel served, and the son of Darius, Xerxes or Ahasuerus as he is identified in the book of Esther. The Persian empire would continue for several kings following Ahasuerus until it fell to Alexander the Great around 330 BC.

In the providence of God, the recurring challenge of heretical ideas infecting the understanding of the early church set the stage for outlining nonnegotiable Christian teaching.  When Paul addresses the doctrine of resurrection in this chapter, he is providing another example of gospel teaching essential to salvation provided the Corinthians, along with the church of all ages, would hold fast to this truth (1-2).  Paul’s own call to ministry hinged on this very reality.  It was the resurrected Christ Jesus Himself who confronted him personally & powerfully in (Acts 9:1-5). Paul was persecuting the first generation of Christians commissioned by Jesus. Now he speaks as one of them having encountered the glory and authority of Jesus Christ exalted & enthroned, Not only did Paul know the resurrection of Jesus Christ to be absolutely true, but he also understood and proclaimed it to be absolutely essential.

How can we run to the name of the Lord as our strong tower? While the first 8 verses of Proverbs 18 primarily identify and refute enemies of wisdom inspiring towers of Babel, verses 9-18 direct us toward the true source of refuge established according to the character and renown of the Lord.  When counsel gleaned from the written Word of God is consistently applied, we ground our lives on the foundation and framework of the only name sufficient for all of life now and forever.  So let us run to the Lord’s tower following the path of wisdom.