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10 December 2011
Messianic Salvation is promised to all the Poor in Spirit—Extracted from Zephaniah 3: 1-2, 9-13
Trouble is coming to the rebellious, the defied, the tyrannical city!
She would never listen to the call, would never learn the lesson; she has never trusted in the Lord, never drawn near to her God.
Yes, I will then give the peoples lips that are clean, so that all may invoke the name of the Lord and serve Him under the same yoke.
From beyond the banks of the rivers of Ethiopia My suppliants will bring Me offerings.
When that day comes you need feel no shame for all the misdeeds you have committed against Me, for I will remove your proud boasters from your midst; and you will cease to strut on My holy mountain.
In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people, and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.
They will do no wrong, will tell no lies; and the perjured mouth will no longer be found in their mouths.
But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them.
When Moses led the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, the king of Moab was panic & threatened by their immense number and paid Balaam to curse the Israelites. But Balaam was forced by Yahweh to pronounce blessings on the Israelites ... - Extracted from the Book of Numbers 24: 2-7, 15-17
Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel, encamped by the tribes; the spirit of God came on him and he declaimed the poem. He said:
‘The oracle of Balaam, son of Beor, the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes, the oracle of one who hears the word of God.
He sees what Shaddai (hereinafter referred to “God”) makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
How fair are your tents, O Jacob! (hereinafter referred to the “Israelites”)
How fair your dwellings, Israel!
Like valleys that stretch afar, like gardens by the bank of a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters!
A hero arises from their stock (hereinafter referred to “Jesus Christ”), He reigns over countless peoples.
His king is greater than Agag, His majesty is exalted.’
Then Balaam declaimed his poems again. He said:
‘The oracle of Balaam son of Boar, the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes, the oracle of one who hears the word of God, of one who knows the knowledge of the Most High.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
I see Him (hereinafter referred to “Jesus Christ”) - but not in the present, I behold Him - but not close at hand: a Star from Jacob (hereinafter referred to “Jesus Christ”) takes the leadership, a sceptre arises from Israel.’ (Interpretation: “a Star from Jacob”-> please also make reference to “the Star” that led the 3 wise men from the east, to worship the baby Jesus when He was born. |
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The Proverbs of Solomon – Extracted from the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 15:
1 A mild answer turns away wrath, sharp words stir up anger.
2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge welcome, the mouth of a fool spews folly.
3 The eyes of Yahweh are everywhere: observing the wicked and the good.
4 The tongue that soothes is a tree of life; the perverse tongue, a breaker of hearts.
5 Only a fool spurns a father's discipline, whoever accepts correction is discreet.
6 In the house of the upright there is no lack of treasure, the earnings of the wicked are fraught with anxiety.
7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge, not so the hearts of fools.
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is abhorrent to Yahweh, dear to him is the prayer of the honest.
9 The conduct of the wicked is abhorrent to Yahweh, but he loves the person whose goal is uprightness.
10 Correction is severe for one who leaves the way; whoever hates being reprimanded will die.
11 Sheol and Perdition lie open to Yahweh; how much more the human heart!
12 The mocker does not care to be reprimanded, and will not choose the wise as companions.
13 Glad heart means happy face, where the heart is sad the spirit is broken.
14 The heart of the wise seeks knowledge, a fool's mouth feeds on folly.
15 For the poor every day is evil, for the joyous heart it is always festival time.
16 Better to have little and with it fear of Yahweh than immense wealth and with it anxiety.
17 Better a dish of herbs when love is there than a fattened ox and hatred to go with it.
18 The hot-headed man provokes disputes, the equable man allays dissension.
19 The way of the lazy is like a thorny hedge, the path of the honest is a broad highway.
20 A wise child is a father's joy; only a brute despises his mother.
21 Folly appeals to someone without sense, a person of discernment goes straight forward.
22 Without deliberation plans come to nothing. Plans succeed where counselors are many.
23 Anyone who has a ready answer has joy too: how satisfying is the apt reply!
24 For the prudent, the path of life leads upwards thus avoiding Sheol below.
25 Yahweh pulls down the house of the proud, but he keeps the widow's boundaries intact.
26 Wicked scheming is abhorrent to Yahweh, but words that are kind are pure.
27 Craving for dishonest gain brings trouble on a house, hatred of bribery earns life.
28 The heart of the upright reflects before answering, the mouth of the wicked spews out wickedness.
29 Yahweh keeps his distance from the wicked, but he listens to the prayers of the upright.
30 A kindly glance gives joy to the heart, good news lends strength to the bones.
31 The ear attentive to wholesome correction finds itself at home in the company of the wise.
32 Whoever rejects correction lacks self-respect, whoever accepts reproof grows in understanding.
33 The fear of Yahweh is a school of wisdom, before there can be glory, there must be humility.
The Proverbs of Solomon – Extracted from the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 16:
1 A human heart makes the plans, Yahweh gives the answer.
2 A person's own acts seem right to the doer, but Yahweh weighs the motive.
3 Commend what you do to Yahweh, and your plans will find achievement.
4 Yahweh made everything for its own purpose, yes, even the wicked for the day of disaster.
5 Every arrogant heart is abhorrent to Yahweh: be sure this will not go unpunished.
6 By faithful love and constancy sin is expiated; by fear of Yahweh evil is avoided.
7 Let Yahweh be pleased with someone's way of life and He makes his very enemies into friends.
8 Better have little and with it uprightness, than great revenues with injustice.
9 The human heart may plan a course, but it is Yahweh who makes the steps secure.
10 The lips of the king utter prophecies, he keeps faith when he speaks in judgement.
11 The balances and scales belong to Yahweh, all the weights in the bag are of his making.
12 Evil-doing is abhorrent to kings, since uprightness is a throne's foundation.
13 Upright lips are welcome to a king, he loves someone of honest words.
14 The king's wrath is the herald of death, but the wise will appease it.
15 When the king's face brightens it spells life, his favour is like the rain in spring.
16 Better gain wisdom than gold, choose understanding in preference to silver.
17 To turn from evil is the way of the honest; whoever watches the path keeps life safe.
18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better be humble with the poor than share the booty with the proud.
20 Whoever listens closely to the word finds happiness; whoever trusts Yahweh is blessed.
21 The wise of heart is acclaimed as intelligent, sweetness of speech increases knowledge.
22 Shrewdness is a fountain of life for its possessor, the folly of fools is their own punishment.
23 The heart of the wise lends shrewdness to speech and makes words more persuasive.
24 Kindly words are a honeycomb, sweet to the taste, wholesome to the body.
25 There is a way that some think straight, but it leads in the end to death.
26 A worker's appetite works on his behalf, for his hunger urges him on.
27 A worthless person concocts evil, such a one's talk is like a scorching fire.
28 A troublemaker sows strife, a slanderer divides friend from friend.
29 The violent lures his neighbour astray and leads him by a way that is not good.
30 Whoever narrows the eyes meditates mischief; he who purses his lips has already done wrong.
31 White hairs are a crown of honour, they are found in the ways of uprightness.
32 Better an equable person than a hero, someone with self-mastery than one who takes a city.
33 In the fold of the garment the lot is thrown, but from Yahweh comes the decision.
10 December 2011
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