Provérbios 15

Provérbios 15

Murray says, “Bow quietly before Him in humble faith and adoration. God is. God is near. God is love, longing to make Himself known.” (4) Lie very low before God. Sink down before Him in the lowest dust of self-abasement, reckoning yourself to be nothing. (5) Present yourself to God that He may fulfil through you his own loving purposes. In the Book of Revelation, we are bidden to behold the Angel of the Covenant mingling much incense with the prayers of all the saints. That incense is the merit of Jesus, which makes our prayers delightful (Revelation 8:3–5). C Ridley Pearson Devotional (Counsels of the Wise King) March 18th “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is His delight.”—Pr 15:8 (Pr 21:27; 28:9). Interpretation.—Sacrifice is more than prayer, for it includes prayer along with a gift to God. But the prayer alone of the upright is infinitely more pleasing to God than the sacrifice of the wicked, because the heart goes along with it. Thus, a word from a poor man who walked uprightly would be more acceptable to Jehovah than holocausts of the rich. Specially displeasing to a pure and holy God must be an offering brought not only without true prayer, the soul of all sacrifice, but “with a wicked mind” (21:27), as though to purchase God’s connivance with evil, to make Him “the minister of sin.” Or, if prayer be offered while sins of wilful ignorance are persisted in, that prayer is “an abomination to the Lord” (28:9), and will vitiate any sacrifice. The verse following our text goes to the root of the matter, for if the personal character of a man be displeasing to the Almighty, how can aught which he offers be acceptable? Illustrations.—The sacrifices of Cain, of Saul, of Balaam, were all an abomination, as “not being mixed with faith,” or being mixed with disobedience. In the cases of Absalom, Jezebel, and too many of the Pharisees in our Lord’s time, there was an actual prostitution of a religious rite to a pretext and cloak for sin. But of Eliezer, Elijah, Simeon, Anna, Cornelius, and a host of other worthies, the prayer, proceeding from an upright heart, was proved by its success to have been God’s delight. Application.—Since God has always been a Spirit, it can be nothing new that He requires to be “worshipped in spirit and in truth.” Though more fully revealed, and more distinctly insisted upon under the Gospel, this primary lesson in religion was taught from the beginning, and learnt by every well-instructed Jew. And ought not I, as a Christian, still more to know and to act upon it? If so, I shall not delude myself with the vain idea that attendance upon ordinances (however sedulous) or performance of ceremonies (however correct) will serve in place of personal holiness. Nay, I shall know that all outward show of religion is simply offensive to God, and increases my guilt, unless there be a sincere effort running parallel with it to make the life consonant therewith. Shall I, then, give up prayer, forsake Church, neglect Holy Communion? By no means, for this would be disobedience, and also an abomination. I am not forbidden to pray, but commanded to pray aright. And so with all other religious duties. Man judges by acts; God by principles. Corrupt principles will spoil any acts, however good in themselves. Dissembled holiness is double iniquity. God stops His ears against their prayers who stop their ears against His law. Proverbs 15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but He loves one who pursues righteousness. The way: Pr 4:19, Pr 21:4,8 Ps 1:6 146:8,9 Mt 7:13 Jer 44:4 Hab 1:13 Loves: Pr 21:21 Isa 26:7 51:1,7 Hos 6:3 1Ti 6:11 2Ti 2:22 Proverbs 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries CONTRASTING THE WICKED & RIGHTEOUS Kitchen - This antithetical proverb complements the preceding verse, clarifying what was intended there. The primary link is the word translated in both verses as ‘an abomination’ (Prov. 6:16–19; 11:20). What was the ‘sacrifice’ of the wicked (Pr 15:8) is here described as their ‘way.’ It is, ultimately, not even just the specifics of their lives that repulse God, but it is the entire direction they are headed. We see NT parallels in Paul's exhortations to Timothy... 1Timothy 6:11 But flee from these things, you man of God; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance [and] gentleness. 2Timothy 2:22 Now flee from youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, love [and] peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Comment: All 4 commands (flee from, pursue) are present imperative, which calls for this to be our lifestyle, our life's general direction (not perfection), which begs the question of how is this even possible? The only way we can obey these commands is by daily surrender to the Holy Spirit, being filled with (controlled by) Him, and walking by His power (Eph 5:18-note, Gal 5:16-note, Php 2:13-note) Prov 21:21 He who pursues righteousness and loyalty Finds life, righteousness and honor. The way of the wicked - Earlier the reader is warned "do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not proceed in the way of evil men." (Pr 4:14) "The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble." (Pr 4:19) "the way of the wicked leads them astray (Lxx = planao)." (Pr 12:26) Bridges - It is not only the sacrifice but the way of the wicked that God detests (Pr 15:8). It is not only his religion but his everyday life that is an abomination. His whole life is lived in rebellion against God. Everything he does flows from a polluted spring. It is a terrible thought that the wicked man’s every step is detestable in God’s sight. An abomination - The Lxx translates toebah with bdelugma which means extremely detested. The root verb bdeo means to stink! Thus the way of the wicked "stinks" to God! See also comments in Pr 15:8 on same word abomination (toebah). In somewhat of a reversal we see that "An unjust man is abominable to the righteous, And he who is upright in the way is abominable to the wicked." Toebah is a key word in Proverbs = Proverbs 3:32; 6:16; 8:7; 11:1, 20; 12:22; 13:19; 15:8-9, 26; 16:5, 12; 17:15; 20:10, 23; 21:27; 24:9; 26:25; 28:9; 29:27 But - This term of contrast introduces yet another striking contrast which is so frequent in the Proverbs. Always take a moment to ponder (meditate on) what is being contrasted, why, what effects, etc. POSB - The Lord delights in obedience. This is why He loves those who truly repent of their sins and seek to please Him. They do not seek favors from God but fellowship with God. They pursue righteousness rather than sin because they love God and treasure their relationship with Him. This means that their sacrificial offerings are true worship offered from hearts that genuinely love the Lord-the total opposite of the offerings given by the wicked. The righteous offer up their prayers because they want to be in God’s presence. Pursue (radaph) is frequent in Proverbs - "He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness and honor" (Pr 21:21, cp Isa 51:1) for God loves those who pursue righteousness (Pr 15:9), but he "who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty" (Pr 28:19), for "he who pursues worthless things lacks sense" (Pr 12:11) and even worse he who "pursues evil will bring about his own death" (Pr 11:19) emphasizing the maxim that "adversity pursues" him (Pr 13:21). Given these truths it is not surprising that "The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are bold as a lion." (Pr 28:1) NOT PERFECTION BUT DIRECTION! Kitchen - It is not the perfection of every detail upon which God’s pleasure hangs, but a consistent, steady, intense, purposeful, set direction toward His righteousness. The verb form of ‘pursues’ signifies the intensity of the search. Longman - the contrast in the verse is between the lifestyles of the wicked and the righteous. Pursues (07291)(radaph) means to pursue, chase, persecute. The first use describes Abram's pursuit of Lot's captors (Ge 14:14-15). In Ex 14 God hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he would chase after the Israelites (Ex 14:4, 8, 9, 23, Josh 24:6). God's promise if Israel obeys is that they will "chase your enemies." (Lev 26:7-8, cp similar promise in Josh 23:10), but if they disobeyed they would even "flee when no one is pursuing" them (Lev 26:17, cp three uses in Lev 26:36-37). Radaph describes Saul pursuing David to kill him (1Sa 23:25, 28, 24:14, 26:18, thus David prayed Ps 7:1). In fact many of the uses of radaph in Psalms speak of pursuit by an enemy. Radaph refers to hunting, chasing after animals (1 Sam. 26:20). Figuratively, radaph describes chasing rewards (Isa 1:23) or strong drink (Isa. 5:11). To pursue one’s enemies into to darkness means to utterly wipe them out (Nah. 1:8). TWOT - In a more theological context, God is said to pursue the wicked. KJV reads “persecute” (Jer 29:18). In other contexts it is the faithful who pursue their enemies (Ps 18:38)....In the intensive and reflexive stems, radaph means being “hounded” or “persecuted” (Ps 71:11–13). Radaph is often translated in the Lxx with the verb dioko, which means to pursue or chase after and even to persecute. Brown-Driver-Briggs' Definition - radaph - to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run afte (a) (1) (Qal) (a) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon (b) to persecute, harass (fig), (c) to follow after, aim to secure (fig), (d) to run after (a bribe) (fig). (2) (Niphal) (a) to be pursued (b) one pursued (participle) Pursue in English - To follow; to go or proceed after or in a like direction. To follow in order to overtake, capture, kill, or defeat. It means to go after or on the track of something or someone and suggests a continuing effort to overtake, reach, or attain. To follow with a view to overtake; to follow with haste; to chase; as, to pursue a hare; to pursue an enemy. NAS Usage: chase(6), chased(5), chases(1), follow(3), follow*(1), follows(1), hunts(1), passed(1), persecute(6), persecuted(5), persecutors(4), press(1), pursue(36), pursued(37), pursuer(1), pursuers(9), pursues(9), pursuing(13), puts to flight(1), took up the pursuit(1), went in pursuit(1). Radaph - 135v - Gen 14:14-15; 31:23; 35:5; 44:4; Ex 14:4, 8f, 23; 15:9; Lev 26:7f, 17, 36f; Deut 1:44; 11:4; 16:20; 19:6; 28:22, 45; 30:7; 32:30; Josh 2:5, 7, 16, 22; 7:5; 8:16f, 20, 24; 10:10, 19; 11:8; 20:5; 23:10; 24:6; Jdg 1:6; 3:28; 4:16, 22; 7:23, 25; 8:4f, 12; 9:40; 20:43; 1 Sam 7:11; 17:52; 23:25, 28; 24:14; 25:29; 26:18, 20; 30:8, 10; 2 Sam 2:19, 24, 28; 17:1; 18:16; 20:6f, 10, 13; 22:38; 24:13; 1 Kgs 20:20; 2 Kgs 5:21; 9:27; 25:5; 2 Chr 13:19; 14:13; Neh 9:11; Job 13:25; 19:22, 28; 30:15; Ps 7:1, 5; 18:37; 23:6; 31:15; 34:14; 35:3, 6; 38:20; 69:26; 71:11; 83:15; 109:16; 119:84, 86, 150, 157, 161; 142:6; 143:3; Prov 11:19; 12:11; 13:21; 15:9; 19:7; 21:21; 28:1, 19; Eccl 3:15; Isa 1:23; 5:11; 17:13; 30:16; 41:3; 51:1; Jer 15:15; 17:18; 20:11; 29:18; 39:5; 52:8; Lam 1:3, 6; 3:43, 66; 4:19; 5:5; Ezek 35:6; Hos 2:7; 6:3; 8:3; 12:1; Amos 1:11; Nah 1:8 Most of the uses of radaph (30) are in the Psalms... Ps 7:1 A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite. O Lord my God, in Thee I have taken refuge; Save me from all those who pursue me, and deliver me, Ps 7:5 Let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake [it;] And let him trample my life down to the ground, And lay my glory in the dust. Selah. Ps 18:37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them, And I did not turn back until they were consumed. Ps 23:6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow (Lxx = katadioko = follow after, follow hard upon, pursue closely) me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Ray Stedman calls goodness and mercy God's two "sheep dogs" which continually pursue us and keep us on the path of righteousness for His Name's sake (Ps 23:3) William White - One of the most blessed aspects of God’s providence is his rescuing his people from pursuit. In the well-known phrase from Psalm 23, God’s blessing itself is said to “follow” (KJV and RSV, v. 6), which is not strong enough for the sense of the root. It should be more active. “Only goodness and mercy shall pursue me” is the preferred reading.