THE THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
No matter what the situation is, a seductive woman or pornography, the immediate gratification is only temporary and will lead to grief, misery, and regret
“9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: 10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; 11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed.”
Proverbs 5:9-11 (KJV)
Genesis 14
After Abram and Lot had split, Lot settled near Sodom
Genesis 13:12 (KJV), “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.”
A large territorial battle ensued and ended up where the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled and where taken over by Chedorlaomer king of Elam, along with Lot, his family and all of his belongings
Genesis 14:11-12 (KJV), “11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way. 12 And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.”
The four kings and their armies overtook the five kings and their armies
Genesis 14:8-9 (KJV), “8 And there went out the (1) king of Sodom, and the (2) king of Gomorrah, and the (3) king of Admah, and the (4)king of Zeboiim, and the (5) king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; 9 With Chedorlaomer the (1) king of Elam, and with Tidal (2) king of nations, and Amraphel (3) king of Shinar, and Arioch (4) king of Ellasar; four kings with five.”
Whenever we do God’s will, with God in control, we can conquer anything as Abram conquered the four kings and their armies with only his servants
Genesis 14:14-16 (KJV), “14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. 15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.”
Who was Melchizedek?
Genesis 14:18 (KJV), “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.”
Hebrews 7:1 (KJV), “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him.”
Theories of who Melchizedek was
Hebrews 7:3 (KJV), “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.”
The rabbin, and most of our rabbinical writers, conclude that Melchizedek was Shem the son of Noah, who was king and priest to those that descended from him, according to the patriarchal model
Many Christian writers have thought that this was an appearance of the Son of God himself, our Lord Jesus, known to Abram, at this time, by this name, as, afterwards, Hagar called him by another name
Genesis 16:13 (KJV), “And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?”
The most commonly received opinion is that Melchizedek was a Canaanitish prince, that reigned in Salem, and kept up the true religion there
Mr. Gregory of Oxford tells us that the Arabic Catena, which he builds much upon the authority of, gives this account of Melchizedek, That he was the son of Heraclim, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, and that his mother’s name was Salathiel, the daughter of Gomer, the son of Japheth, the son of Noah
Isaiah
Isaiah, whose name means “Yahweh is salvation,” is best known for writing the book that bears his name in the Old Testament. His writings are especially significant for the prophecies he made about the coming Messiah, hundreds of years before Jesus was born.
His call to prophecy about 742 BCE coincided with the beginnings of the westward expansion of the Assyrian empire, which threatened Israel and which Isaiah proclaimed to be a warning from God to a godless people.
it is also probable that he was a priest, as his calling from God took place in the temple, an area reserved only for priests
Isaiah 6:4 (KJV), “And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”
Isaiah’s faithfulness to God was rewarded with some amazing miracles. In answer to Isaiah’s prayer, God moved the sun back ten steps as a sign to King Hezekiah that God would add a further 15 years to Hezekiah’s life
2 Kings 20:8-11 (KJV), “8 And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day? 9 And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? 10 And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. 11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz.”
Isaiah 1
Isaiah 1:1 (KJV), “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.”
The world has not changed in well over 2000 years
Isaiah 1:2-4 (KJV), “2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth [world]: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. ”
From a previous devotional study
What does it mean that we (Christians) are all one body in Christ?
Romans 12:5 (KJV), “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
1 Corinthians 12:12 (KJV), “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”
Colossians 3:15 (KJV), “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”
We, Christians, are all one body but we are all different and different parts of that body
Romans 12:4 (KJV), “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office.”
And now Isaiah essentially says the same thing
Isaiah 1:5-6 (KJV), “5 Why should ye be stricken anymore? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.”
Our western civilization has become overwhelmed with sex and pornography
Isaiah 1:9-10 (KJV), “9 Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. 10 Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.”
When bad things happen, God is the first one to be blamed and some say, “How can God do this to us?”
Isaiah 1:15 (KJV), “And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.”
God never ceases to give us another chance, He keeps forgiving us
Isaiah 1:17-19 (KJV), “17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.”
God does give us free will, He gives us a choice; listen to Him or, receive the consequences
Isaiah 1:20 (KJV), “But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”
The choice still exists today; accept Jesus Christ or received the consequences
Isaiah 1:28 (KJV), “And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.”
Psalms
The brief descriptions that introduce the psalms have David listed as author in 73 instances. David’s personality and identity are clearly stamped on many of these psalms. While it is clear that David wrote many of the individual psalms, he is definitely not the author of the entire collection.
The oldest psalm in the collection is probably the prayer of Moses (90), a reflection on the frailty of man as compared to the eternity of God. The latest psalm is probably (137), a song of lament clearly written during the days when the Hebrews were being held captive by the Babylonians, from about 586 to 538 B.C.
Psalms 1
The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly
Psalm 1 (KJV), “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
Psalms 1 is very much like the sermon on the mount; Matthew 5:3-11 which all begin with blessed
Matthew 5:3-4 (KJV), “3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”
Blessed (Psalms)
Strong’s Lexicon (835) – esher: Blessedness, happiness. Brown-Driver-Briggs – noun [masculine] only Plural construct אַשְׁרֵי happiness.
The man (Psalms)
Strong’s Lexicon (376) – ish: Man, husband, person, individual.
Blessed (Matthew)
Strong’s Lexicon (3107) – makarios: Blessed, happy, fortunate. Word Origin – from makar (happy).
In both cases, ‘happy’ is the person, individual who is [Psalms or Matthew] for they will be blessed with [Psalms or Matthew].
In both books, the persons or individuals are happy in their condition or place [Psalms or Matthew] for they will be blessed with whatever [Psalms or Matthew]. For years, this has been interpreted incorrectly
Proverbs 5
The Peril of Adultery
Solomon begins this proverbs with a command
Proverbs 5:1 (KJV), “My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding.”
Strong’s Lexicon (1121) – ben: Son, descendant, child.
God, through Solomon, is specifically referring to a male
The Hebrew word “ben” primarily means “son” and is used extensively throughout the Old Testament to denote a male offspring. It can also refer to descendants more generally, including grandsons and further generations. Additionally, “ben” is used metaphorically to describe members of a group or class, such as “sons of the prophets” or “sons of God,” indicating a relationship or association beyond biological lineage.
Solomon is about to tell you why you need God’s wisdom to comprehend what he’s going to instruct you
Proverbs 5:2 (KJV), “That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.”
Regard
Strong’s Lexicon (8104) – shamar: To keep, guard, observe, give heed.
Discretion
Strong’s Lexicon (4209) – ezimmah: Discretion, plan, purpose, device, wickedness.
Listen carefully so that when a situation presents itself, you will make a sound plan to apply God’s wisdom to steer you down the right path
Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV), “5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Adulterous women will say whatever it takes to entice and woo you
Proverbs 5:3 (KJV), “For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil.”
The ultimate outcome is disastrous
Proverbs 5:4-6 (KJV), “4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. 6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.”
Second warning
Proverbs 5:7-8 (KJV), “7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. 8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house.”
No matter what the situation is, a seductive woman or pornography, the immediate gratification is only temporary and will lead to grief, misery, and regret
Proverbs 5:9-11 (KJV), “9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: 10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; 11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed.”
You don’t want to end up saying the same thing to yourself the last time you put yourself in the same situation or predicament
Proverbs 5:12-14 (KJV), “12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; 13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! 14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.”
Stay far away from any possible temptation that can possibly put you in harm’s way …
A bar or nightclub, or any vulnerable position
Proverbs 5:15-19 (KJV), “15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. 16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. 17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. 18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. 19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.”
Jesus is always willing and just waiting to be there when you need Him to protect and comfort
Ephesians 6:10-13 (KJV), “10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
The truth of this proverb
Proverbs 5:20-23 (KJV), “20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? 21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. 22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. 23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.”
Grow in the Word of the Lord 