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Posts Tagged ‘reverence’

The Excellence of Wisdom

July 21st, 2009 No comments

Proverbs 8:11-23; 9:10-12

Verse 13 says that if we are going to properly show our reverence to the Lord we must hate evil. In order that there is no mistake concerning what evil is, God tells us what He hates. Four designations are listed: pride, arrogancy the evil way, and the froward mouth. To understand more clearly how we may best reverence the Lord we need to look at the meaning of these words.

Pride (gay-aw) and arrogancy (gaown) both come from the same root word. The root word means “to rise.” It occurs seven times in the Old Testament. It is translated as “triumphed gloriously,” “column”, and “raging.”

Pride (gay-aw) is used only in this verse. It and its synonyms, however, can have either in a positive or a negative sense. Positively it is used to speak of the land of Israel in terms of excellency. This is always the case when the relationship with God is satisfactory. At times it takes on the meaning of majesty or majestic. Pride often describes Gods character. In a negative sense, it is used by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, David, Solomon and Job. Fifty-three times these six writers use it to describe the Moabites, Egyptians, Philistines, Assyrians, and backslidden Israel. The harshest words are directed toward Israel when it is charged for being arrogant, cynical, presumptious, and insensitive to the needs of others. It is both a disposition and a conduct. Used negatively, pride is always striking out in rebellion against God.

Arrogancy (gaown) is always used in a negative sense and means pomp, pride, proud and swelling. The arrogant person is the self-sufficient one who does not need God and in manner if not in speech makes that fact evident.

The Evil (rah) Way (deh-rek) is the third thing that God hates. Evil (rah) is translated adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, displeasure, distress, harm, hurtful, mischievous, misery, naughty, noisome, sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked, wretchedness, and wrong. The Way (deh-rek) that it modifies means a way, road, journey, manner, or work. It is related to the verb (dorak) which means “to tread or trample.” Therefore it refers to a way or manner of life that is used constantly. Sometimes it refers to a major highway. At other times it speaks of duration. More often, however, it centers on the actions and behavior of people who either follow the way of God or the way of wickedness. From these we can see that he is speaking of a life that is continually given over to sinfulness.

Lastly, God hates the Froward (tah-poo-kaw) Mouth (peh). Froward (tah-poo-kaw) means that which is perverse or a fraud. Mouth (peh) on the other hand means “speech.” The meaning then is rather obvious. This is not surprising since we know that God has underscored the fact that all liars will go to hell. He is the essence of Truth and the Froward Mouth is His anti-thesis. (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament)

Dr. Gayle Woods

Categories: News

Bless the Name of the Lord

July 21st, 2009 No comments

Psalm 72:17-19 (17)

The knight kneeling before his lord is a picture that brings feelings of nobleness to our mind. The person of Asian decent bowing the head and stooping to those to whom he wishes to show respect causes us to have feelings of admiration and appreciation. The European man kneeling on one knee and taking the hand of the one he loves brings feelings of romance to mind.

In other cultures to kneel before a superior, someone you love, or someone you respect is expected protocol. It is something that is demanded be all. It is something that is ingrained into the training of the person.

In the American individualistic culture, kneeling has not taken on the significance that it has carried in other parts of the world. No American citizen would ever think to kneel before the President of the United States let alone before their landlord. Could this be why some do not like to kneel in prayer to God?

The Psalmist spoke of blessing the Lord. The Hebrew word he used indicates the act of kneeling in an act of reverence. This is the attitude of heart that is expressed in the life of all who love Him. We bless God. We worship Him in our humble submission. It is a time when we express that we recognize who He is and who we are.

Dr. Gayle Woods

Categories: News