(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see why)
Focus Question:
How should you act before a “king?”
Intro:
How should you act in the presence a “king?” In my country we don’t have a king, but in a manner that’s timely given our upcoming election, today’s time in Proverbs will share some wisdom around that. And one note, I will not be talking politics because, even though ideas — and particularly God’s truth — do have implications for how we order society together, it’s not my style.
But it does follow nicely from a line we’ll hear about in today’s NT reading:
This calls for a mind that has wisdom. (Re 17:9, CSB)
And we’ll catch that in today’s Bottom Line segment.
New Testament segment:
In Revelation today we move into a section of the story about the reign of the antichrist and the ruin of his city. It
…expands the vision of the judgment of the seventh cup, briefly described in (what we read yesterday). It is important to observe that it does not describe what takes place after that judgment, for in it the end comes (16:17). Rather, the passage tells how ‘Babylon’ is made to drain the cup appointed for her (16:19).(1)
Passage: Revelation 17
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 18
Words: ~410
Sounds like a time to be wise, right?
Old Testament segment:
We’re at a time of transition in the OT, too. The remainder of the book, broadly speaking, speaks of prophecies of restoration. Up to now has consisted
primarily of warnings of disaster that would befall the people of Israel or their neighbours, the emphasis in 34–48 is on restoration and hope. Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed. The people had been driven into exile. But yet there is hope.(2)
Passage: Ezekiel 34
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 31
Words: ~906
This won’t be the only time the imagery in Ezekiel is weird and hard to understand, but it’s not like we don’t have our own images of big changes on a national scale and war or violence of various forms. I’ll leave you with this…even though the leaders get called out (and rightly so), the rest of the sheep aren’t off the hook. The good news, however, is the Good News…God’s plan is what He’s going to do not because we’re awesome, but despite the fact that we’re not.
Wisdom segment:
Yesterday wrapped up the section of Proverbs called ‘thirty sayings of the wise,’ and today will cover two sections… more sayings of the wise, an then a section where Hezekiah is credited with assembling them including, as mentioned at the top of the program, a section on the appropriate etiquette to have when in the presence of royalty.
Passage: Proverbs 24:23-25:15
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 26
Words: ~413
The bottom line:
Hmmm…wise words about living with gentleness and respect. Prudence, discretion, respect. My broader point today, of course, is that that’s not just about a visit to the royal court, but wisdom for living in general.
You might remember that a couple days ago we went over John Piper’s definition of wise living, and I’m going to take 2 minutes to take that a bit deeper.
Wisdom is three things working together:
general knowledge of the facts about reality,
the more specific and the immediate discernment, or insight, or intuition into the less perceptible, but crucial, dynamics of the situation, and
the necessary resolve to act on that knowledge and that insight.
In light of our reading in Revelation, and given the tensions of this election season, it’s useful to reminder ourselves what “relevant reality” even is. God has given us ethical direction to be discerning, meaning we rightly judge or evaluate the times, and to act according to His direction. We are witnesses — ambassadors, if you will — and as Peter reminds us, people will wonder why you’re different.
We can trust in what God will do because He’s been faithful and good and just in what He has already done. And that, my friends, is a message of hope.
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) George R. Beasley-Murray, “Revelation,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 1446.
(2) L. John McGregor, “Ezekiel,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 738.