Monday, June 2, 2014

SIH’s Think On These Things: Proverbs 30:18-20


He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov 2:7)

The Proverbs Of Agur: The Secretive Nature Of Sinful Acts: Proverbs 30:18-20
18) There be three [things which] are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19) The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
20) Such [is] the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.


In this chapter we may have a new author, a man by the name of Agur.  Very little is known about this man but, from the context of our text, it seems as if he is a teacher who is instructing his two students Ithiel and Ucal.  

EXPOSITION:
Agur now gives to us several pictures of things that are conspicuous in God’s creation …

18) There be three [things which] are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
Agur begins this section by listing for us several acts of nature that cause wonder on the part of man…
1.  There are three things that are mysterious and undetectable in God’s creation
2.  Four things that leave no evidence for man to examine  

Agur will now share with us things of God’s creation that cause man to wander and be amazed.  Why are these such wondrous acts?  It is because they leave behind no evidence for man to examine, they produce no proof of their existence.

Please note:  Normally, the term “wonderful” is used to describe things that are so great that they produce and attitude of awe and amazement.  However, in this verse, “wonderful” is used to describe “that which cannot be known” as in Job 42:3…

Who [is] he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.   (Job 42:3)


19) The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
1.  The eagle as it soars above the earth
2.  The reptile as it warms itself on the warm rocks
3.  The ship that floats in the middle of the ocean
4.  The man that has intimate relations with a woman

All of these things have one thing in common, secrecy….
1.  The eagle – an eagle leaves no lasting trail in the sky as it soars
2.  The reptile – a reptile leaves no lasting impression on the rocks after it departs
3.  The ship – a ship leaves no lasting trail as the water closes in burying its wake
4.  The man and maid - Their intimacy is performed in secret leaving no lasting public evidence of the encounter.

Please keep in mind, although we cannot prove these things take place due to lack of evidence, the Lord does not need evidence to have knowledge of these things, nor does He forget they have taken place.


O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.  [So is] this great and wide sea, wherein [are] things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.  There go the ships: [there is] that leviathan, [whom] thou hast made to play therein.  These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give [them] their meat in due season.  [That] thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.  Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.  Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.  (Psalms 104:24-30)

The theme of secrecy is then carried through using a sinful example of secrecy…

20) Such [is] the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
1.  This same principle applies to the road taken by the sinful who serve their fleshly lusts…
2.  They consume acts of sin to fulfill the hunger of their flesh
3.  They then attempt to wipe away any evidence of their wrongdoing
4.  They verbally deny any wrongdoing in the hopes it will never be detected.
Just like the eagle, lizard, ship and man, the sinful individual, many times, leaves no perceptible trail of wickedness.  Often they receive no earthly punishment for breaking the laws of God. 

However, just like the above four examples from nature, although the wicked may hide their sins from man and  never face human judgment, the Lord knows these sins have taken place and will render His judgment in the last days.

For his eyes [are] upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.  [There is] no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.  For he will not lay upon man more [than right]; that he should enter into judgment with God.   (Job 34:21-23)

  
SUMMARY:

Many times our human perspective and understanding will fail us and the deceptive nature of the sinful will seem to prevail.  However, the Lord’s perception will always overcome the deceit of lost mankind.  Sinful mankind will never escape the sight nor justice of the Almighty. 

By God’s grace, let us all study these proverbs diligently, giving them the value that they deserve.

May the Lord bless us as we receive this sound wisdom and then “Think On These Things”.


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