Thursday, October 6, 2011

Proverbs 1-7 "My Son"

Proverbs 
Nine admonitions regarding the parent's instructions 
The theme here seems to be hear/heed and holdIt is not the in one ear and out the other routine.  The ideas of listening and not forsaking also are tied to the idea of obeying them.

1:8 My son, hear the instruction of your father,
        And do not forsake the law of your mother;

2:1 My son, if you receive my words,
       And treasure my commands within you,

3:1 My son, do not forget my law,
       But let your heart keep my commands;

3:21 My son, let them not depart from your eyes--
         Keep sound wisdom and discretion;

4:10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings,
          And the years of your life will be many.

4:20 My son, give attention to my words;
            Incline your ear to my sayings.

5:1  My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
        Lend your ear to my understanding,

6:20 My son, keep your father's command,
           And do not forsake the law of your mother.

7:1   My son, keep my words,
         And treasure my commands within you.


Other Admonitions
1:10 My son, if sinners entice you,
          Do not consent.
1:15 My son, do not walk in the way with them,
        Keep your foot from their path;

3:11 My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
         Nor detest His correction;

5:20 For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman,
          And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?

6:1 My son, if you become surety for your friend,
        If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,

6:3 So do this, my son, and deliver yourself;
        For you have come into the hand of your friend:
        Go and humble yourself;
        Plead with your friend.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Num 22

Numbers 
22.18  the LORD my God... In light of 2 Peter 2.25  and Jude 11, this is a very interesting statement.  I am thinking about what Balaam meant by this expression and what I can conclude.
22.27  This verse is a great encouragement to me each time I get up to preach or teach.  There may be hope for me.  :o)
22.41 observe the extent of  the people...  One of the curious things in these chapters is to hear Israel being talked about in third person by "gentiles" instead of being the primary character in the story.  It gives a glimpse into how those around them viewed them.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Numbers 19

Numbers
19.2 red heifer...
19.6  cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet...   "Cedar wood was not as subject to decay as most other woods and so represented the continuance of life. It was also aromatic when burnt and was probably either the common brown-berried cedar or the Phoenician juniper.* Hyssop stood for purification from corruption, and the priests used it to apply blood, as in the Passover ritual. Scarlet wool symbolized the strong vital energy connected with blood (cf. Lev. 14:6). All of these elements combined to signify all that strengthened life. The person in charge added these elements to the heifer ashes as the heifer was burning."  *The New Bible Dictionary, 1962 ed., s.v. “Trees,” by F. N. Hepper.   --Thomas Constable's Expository Notes on Numbers
19.11  he who touches a dead body...
19.14  when a man dies in a tent...
19.22  whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean...  rarely the other way around.