PROVERBS LESSON 47
We will begin this lesson in Proverbs 30:1 "The words of Agur the
son of Jakeh, [even] the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even
unto Ithiel and Ucal,"
No one knows for sure who these names are. Some believe they are
a description of Solomon and David. "agur" means gathered (many
believe this is fanciful name for Solomon). "Jakeh" means obey or
obedient. Here, again, many believe this to be a symbolic name of
Solomon. "Ithiel" means God has arrived. This, too, is believed not
to be a person, but a symbolic name. "Ucal" means devoured. Here,
again, this name has no history before or after this mention.
Proverbs 30:2 "Surely I [am] more brutish than [any] man, and
have not the understanding of a man." Proverbs 30:3 "I neither learned
wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy."
This could be Solomon speaking, because it appears from this that
the more he learned of God, the more aware he became of how little he
knew. You do not learn wisdom. Wisdom is a gift from God. I think
verse 2 and 3 above, is a sudden realization that no man truly knows
God. In verse 2, he is saying that he is no more than a brutish beast
in understanding. Only the very wise realize how little they know.
This makes me think even more that this is Solomon speaking. No one
except God. Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have knowledge of the holy.
Proverbs 30:4 "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended?
who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in
a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what [is]
his name, and what [is] his son's name, if thou canst tell?"
The answer, of course, is Almighty God, but I believe this is
saying what mere man can know Him. For sure, someone bigger than you
and I. Someone that mere man can only speculate about. If we were to
think of all the names in the Bible for God and could accumulate them
into one name. that would be the name of the personality that created
all of this. This would be the unspeakable name of God. We know that
power will be given in it, over it, and under it; and that at the name
of Jesus all will bow.
Proverbs 30:5 "Every word of God [is] pure: he [is] a shield unto
them that put their trust in him."
In John 1:1 we read. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:2 "The same was in the
beginning with God." John 1:3 "All things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made that was made." In Ephesians 6:16
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Our shield is our faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 30:6 "Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee,
and thou be found a liar."
We are warned in the last book of Revelation not to add or take
away from the Bible. Every man is a liar, but the Word of God is
Truth.
Proverbs 30:7 "Two [things] have I required of thee; deny me
[them] not before I die:" Proverbs 30:8 "Remove far from me vanity and
lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient
for me:"
This seems to be a prayer to God asking only 2 things for the
rest of his life. Vanity and lies are one. He ask to not lie and be
vain, and that he not be overcome by wealth and poverty. That he might
be satisfied with whatever food the Lord provides. This should
certainly be our prayer, as well. Most sin comes because of vanity and
lies and because of greed. God help us to walk in your ways and not
our own.
Proverbs 30:9 "Lest I be full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is]
the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God
[in vain]."
This is why he prayed to not be poor or rich. People find it
easier to seek the Lord when they have needs in their life. Sometimes
the wealthy feel so self-sufficient that they do not seek God. The
very poor sometime turn their back on God, because they feel He
doesn't love them; and they steal and curse to drag themselves out of
poverty.
Proverbs 30:10 "Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he
curse thee, and thou be found guilty."
We see, here, that slandering a man's servant can backfire on you
and bring a curse on you.
Proverbs 30:11 "[There is] a generation [that] curseth their
father, and doth not bless their mother."
The generation they are talking about is in the end times. In 2nd
Timothy 3, it speaks of being disobedient to parents. This is our
time. Children have no respect for parents. The commandment of God
says honor your mother and father, but our generation does not.
Proverbs 30:12 "[There is] a generation [that are] pure in their
own eyes, and [yet] is not washed from their filthiness."
In this same third chapter of II Timothy describing the last
days, it speaks of lovers of their own selves. Our generation is a
rebellious generation which has a form of godliness, but denies the
power thereof. Lust of the flesh is the sin of our day. In our
generation, the churches are forgetting that to be truly clean and
pure, we must be washed in the blood of the Lamb. they are trying to
take the blood out of our church services. Only the blood of Jesus can
wash us and make us white as snow.
Proverbs 30:13 "[There is] a generation, O how lofty are their
eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up."
This, too, is our generation. In II Timothy 3:2 we read. "For men
shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy," Some of our
churches are even telling their people that they can become God. We
are an evil generation. Lucifer was tossed out of heaven for these
same thoughts. Prideful and arrogant people are not humble. We must be
humble to have God in our lives.
Proverbs 30:14 "[There is] a generation, whose teeth [are as]
swords, and their jaw teeth [as] knives, to devour the poor from off
the earth, and the needy from [among] men."
In II Timothy, again, our generation is lacking in natural
affection. We are so caught up in ourselves, that we do not bother
with the needs of the less fortunate. The church has turned the poor
over to the state. To truly be able to sympathize with the poor, we
need to have walked in their shoes.
Proverbs 30:15 "The horseleach hath two daughters, [crying],
Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yea],
four [things] say not, [It is] enough:" Proverbs 30:16 "The grave;
and the barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and
the fire [that] saith not, [It is] enough."
A leach or a blood sucker hangs on until torn from the flesh. The
greed for these things are over-emphasized in this "horseleach". The
grave always has room for more. As long as one person is alive, there
is room for that one more. All women who have not been able to have a
child are never satisfied. Many of them adopt because the desire for
children is so great. the Hebrews thought it to be a curse. Most
women feel cheated that they have not had children. The earth drinks
in all the water that is rained upon it. The more wood that is put on
the fire just makes it burn hotter. It will take all the wood you feed
it.
Proverbs 47 Questions
1. What does "agur" mean?
2. What does "Jakeh" mean?
3. What does "Ithiel" mean?
4. What does "Ucal" mean?
5. Who do most believe these are symbolic of?
6. What is meant by "being more brutish than any man"?
7. Why did he say "I neither learned wisdom"?
8. What is suddenly realized in verse 2 and 3?
9. Who has the only true knowledge of the holy?
10. In verse 4. what questions are asked?
11. What name could we give in answer?
12. Every word of God is ________.
13. What is our shield?
14. Who created everything?
15. Why are we not to add to His words?
16. What did he pray for?
17. What does most sin come from?
18. What was he afraid of doing if he were poor?
19. Who should you not accuse to his mother?
20. In verse 11. the generation curses whom?
21. When will this generation be?
22. What is meant by being pure in your own eyes?
23. What is the only way to be really white as snow?
24. What 2 types of people are not humble?
25. What are the teeth of those who devour the poor like?
26. What is said to have two daughters crying, "Give, give"?
27. What 4 things are never satisfied?
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