THE THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Increase your strength to overcome adversity
“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”
Proverbs 24:10 (KJV)
Genesis 9
God’s commission to Noah and his sons was the same that was given to Adam and Eve, but now, starting over again
Genesis 9:1 (KJV), “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.”
Genesis 9:7 (KJV), “And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.”
Genesis 1:28 (KJV), “And God blessed them [Adam and Eve], and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.”
God was not encouraging us to be vegetarians
Genesis 1:29 (KJV), “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”
Genesis 9:3 (KJV), “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.”
God does not like suicide only He can take our lives
Genesis 9:5 (KJV), “And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.”
To see the strength of God’s command, He even requires a reckoning for the life of man from every beast. God does not condone the unlawful killing of any kind
According to God’s command, when a man’s blood is shed there must be an accounting for it because in the image of God He made man
Genesis 9:6 (KJV), “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.”
By man his blood shall be shed means because life is valuable; when murder is committed the death penalty is in order
God established a new covenant with all mankind and all animals
Genesis 9:8-11 (KJV), “8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth. 11 And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the earth.”
God’s sign of the covenant
Genesis 9:12-13 (KJV), “12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.”
The new earth was now being populated only by Noah’s three sons
Genesis 9:18-19 (KJV), “18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. 19 These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.”
Ham was Noah’s youngest
Genesis 9:24-25 (KJV), “24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.”
Was Japheth the oldest son?
Genesis 10:21 (KJV), “Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.”
God rewarded Shem and Japheth for covering Noah’s nakedness
Genesis 9:26-27 (KJV), “26 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. 27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.”
Nahum 2
Nahum warns Nineveh of his vision
- Nahum 2:1 (KJV), “He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily.”
- Nahum 2:1 (NKJV), “He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.”
As part of Israel’s restoration, God puts damage on their enemies
Nahum 2:2 (KJV), “For the Lord hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches.”
A bloody bath is foretold by Nahum
Nahum 2:3 (KJV), “The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.”
Nahum also saw the outcome of the Babylonians, joined with Median king Cyaxares, conquering and taking Nineveh captive
- Nahum 2:7 (KJV), “And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts.”
- Nahum 2:7 (NKJV), “It is decreed: She shall be led away captive, She shall be brought up; And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves, Beating their breasts.”
Huzzab
This word seems to be somewhat of a controversy. The word ‘Huzzab’ may be corrupt in its text. Some have said that Huzzab was the queen of Nineveh and was destined to fall and be disgraced.
The human-headed, winged lion, called Lamassu, is a national symbol of the Assyrian Empire, and they crushed and plundered other nations like lions destroying prey
Nahum 2:11-12 (KJV), “11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid? 12 The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.”
2 Corinthians 7
As a continuation from the previous chapter, separate yourselves from the unclean by perfecting holiness in the fear of God
2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV), “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Proverbs 24
The hierarchy of God’s knowledge
Proverbs 24:3-4 (KJV), “3 Through wisdom [first, is to get God’s wisdom] is an house builded; and by understanding [second, is to ask God for understanding] it is established: 4 And by knowledge [third, is to ask God for an action plan] shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”
The full knowledge of what God has to offer us increases the strength between God and us
Proverbs 24:5 (KJV), “A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.”
Stay away from other peoples quarrels
Proverbs 24:6 (KJV), “For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.”
Proverbs 24:6 (NASB1995), “For by wise guidance you will wage war, And in abundance of counselors there is victory.”
Stay away from being called a schemer
- Proverbs 24:8 (KJV), “He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.”
- Proverbs 24:8 (NASB1995), “One who plans to do evil, Men will call a schemer.”
1828 Webster’s Dictionary – SCHE’MER, noun One that contrives; a projector; a contriver.
Increase your strength to overcome adversity
Proverbs 24:10 (KJV), “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.”
How to increase your strength?
- Isaiah 40:29-31 (KJV), “29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
- Philippians 4:13 (KJV), “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Every person in the world will be fairly judged come judgement time
Proverbs 24:11-12 (KJV), “11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; 12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?”
Jeremiah 17:10 (KJV), “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”
[1] He will judge us accordingly. As his knowledge cannot be imposed upon, so his justice cannot be biassed, but he will render to every man according to his works, not only the commission of evil works, but the omission of good works.
- The righteous are always forgiven and, in return, we are to forgive
- Proverbs 24:16 (KJV), “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”
- Matthew 18:21-22 (KJV), “21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”
A lazy person always wants things but is too lazy to work for it. They are in everlasting want that thus comes upon it as an armed man
Proverbs 24:31-34 (KJV), “31 And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. 33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 34 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.”
[1] Matthew Henry
Grow in the Word of the Lord 