In the book of Proverbs Solomon said, “Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause; and deceive not with your lips”, and in chapter twenty-four and verse twenty-nine of Proverbs Solomon said, “say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me” where we read,
Say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me:
I will render to the man according to his work.
The verse begins, “Say not, I will do so to him as he has done to me:” Solomon began with the words, “say not” or “do not utter, declare or proclaim”, “I will do so to him” which means “I, the reader and listener to Solomon's words, shall in no way or manner fashion, make, accomplish or produce” “as he has done to me” or “similar and in likeness to that which he, the intimate companion, friend or fellow-citizen, has fashioned, made, accomplished and produced toward me, Solomon's reader and listener”. Solomon instructed his readers and listeners not to vow to repay their fellow-citizen in the same manner as they did to them.
The verse continues, “I will render to the man according to his work.” Solomon added the words, “I will render to the man” or “I, Solomon's readers and listeners, shall toward the person whether male or female” “according to his work” which means “in keeping with the fellow-citizen's acts and deeds”. Solomon told his readers and listeners not to pledge that they would repay their fellow-citizen with the same act and deed that was done unto them.
When we think through Solomon's words in this verse, we discover how we are not to declare that we will repay people for their acts done against us, and we are not to resolve to “get them back” in the same manner as they have “gotten” us. God reserves vengeance for Himself (See Romans 12:19 and Isaiah 63:4), and He will certainly repay those who have treated Him and us in accordance with their acts and deeds. (See Galatians 6:7) However, we must consider that God is gracious, kind, merciful and loving, and whoever comes to Him through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for every sin and wrong shall be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and cleansed of all unrighteousness. (See 1 John 1:9) God wants us to be like Him, and if we are, we will love everybody, forgive everybody and help everybody even when they have committed wicked acts against us.
Next time Solomon says, “I went by the field of the slothful”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
No comments:
Post a Comment