Tag Archives: Proverbs 24:11-12

Daily Bible Study

September 30, 2015 Bible Study

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 24:11-12

    Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death. Don’t think you can get away with saying, “I didn’t know.” God knows that you know. The plausible deniability defense will not work before His judgment seat.

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Psalm 72

    If a person who exercises government authority uses that power to defend the poor and rescue the children of the needy, their enemies will fall before them. Such a ruler will govern a prosperous land.

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Philippians 1:27-2:18

    Paul calls on us to seek unity with our fellow believers. In addition, he describes how we can have such unity, and the only way we can have such unity. We will not have unity as long as some among us think that they are more important than others, placing more value on their own wants and interests than on the interests of others. If we are guilty of thinking that what we want is more important than what others want, we are the ones causing division in the Church. Until we have the same attitude which Jesus had, we are going to bring division to the Body of Christ.

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Isaiah 60:1-62:5

    As I read chapter 60, part of me sees this as a prophecy for the Jewish people, but part of me also sees this as a prophecy which applies to those who follow Christ. I look around at the world and see the darkness of evil covering ever more of the world. However, God promises that the light of His righteousness will shine on those who honor and trust Him. That light will shine out from God’s people into the darkness and people will throng to God’s light.
    Then we come to chapter 61, which Jesus declared was fulfilled in Himself. Jesus declared that He had come to proclaim that the captive would be freed and the blind would see. The Spirit of God was upon Him to bring these things about…and Jesus told us that the Spirit of God would be upon us as well to bring these things about. Let us remember as we read such passages that it is God’s intention to work through us to make these things happen.

Daily Bible Study

September 30, 2014 Bible Study — Do Everything Without Grumbling Or Complaining

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 24:11-12

    We cannot stand aside when the innocent are condemned to die by claiming we did not know. God knows the truth of the matter. If we did not know that injustice was being done because we did not want to know, He will hold us accountable. God will repay as our actions deserve.

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Psalm 72:1-20

    We are to pray for our rulers. Let us pray this psalm. If a ruler has God’s love of justice and always treats the poor fairly, all of his people will prosper as will the land he rules. If a land’s rulers defend the poor and rescue the children of the needy that land will be blessed in all that happens there. If the people are faithful and pray for their rulers, God will bless the land.

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Philippians 1:27-2:18

    We have no reason to be frightened or intimidated by those who oppose us because of our faith in Christ. We have been given the privilege not only of believing and trusting in Christ, but also to suffer for Him. We should not be afraid of persecution for our faith in Christ, rather we should see it as an honour, as a reward for faithfully serving Him.
    Paul challenges us to set aside our selfish goals and desire to advance our own interests. Instead we should value other people more than we value ourselves. Rather than seeking our own desires, let us work at doing that which brings happiness and pleasure to others. Let us seek to imitate Christ, who although He was God chose to walk humbly as a man and suffer a criminal’s death. Let us do every task which God sets before us without grumbling or complaining. This last part is one which is a struggle for me. Sometimes it is so easy to grumble and complain while doing what we know we should do.

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Isaiah 60-62:5

    Isaiah prophesied that the people of Israel would return to the land God had promised to Abraham’s descendants. God promised that not only would He gather them once more, but they would bring wealth from the ends of the earth. God promised that merchants from all over the earth would do business with the people of Israel. As I read this passage today, I am reminded of the economic position in the world of the state of Israel in my lifetime. Part of me thinks that such passages are prophesies about the modern state of Israel, other parts of my think that they refer to God’s action through Christ. Ultimately, I think it is a little bit of both.
    When Jesus returned to Nazareth, He read the beginning of chapter 61 in the Synagogue and told the people that the passage was fulfilled through Him on that day. Whenever I read this passage I am reminded that it was fulfilled through Jesus, but I believe that God intends for it to be fulfilled, to a lesser extent, through all of us who seek to follow Christ. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, just as it is upon all who truly love and serve Christ. When I read this passage, I can feel God’s Spirit filling me up. He intends for me to bring good news to the poor. God wants me (and you) to comfort the broken-hearted.
    Let us call for the captives to be released that the prisoners freed. When I read that couplet in the passage, I cannot help but think of William Wilberforce who upon his conversion dedicated his life to ending the slave trade. He died three days after learning that Parliament had abolished slavery throughout the British Empire. Our God loves justice and hates wrongdoing. Let us do likewise.

Daily Bible Study

September 30, 2013 Bible Study — Do Nothing Out of Selfish Ambition

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

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Isaiah 60-62:5

     The part of this passage which struck me today was chapter 61, verses 1 & 2:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.
He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.

As I read that my first thought was that I believe that the Spirit of God is upon me, but has He really anointed me for anything? And the answer is, “Yes.” As a follower of Christ, I have been anointed by God’s Spirit to bring good news to the poor. The time of the Lord’s favor has come. I will proclaim that God will release the captives and free the prisoners. I am called by the Lord to serve Him. Where do you want me to go, Lord? Show me the path you wish me to follow and put your words in my mouth.

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Philippians 1:27-2:18

     Paul tells us that no matter what happens around us, we need to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the good news about Christ. There is no reason to let those who oppose us because of our faith frighten us. If we do not allow them to intimidate us it will be a sign to them that God will save us and bring destruction on those who oppose us.
     What is conduct worthy of the good news about Christ? Paul gives us a good summary in verses 3 & 4 of chapter 2:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

We are to have the same attitude as Christ had. He did not stand on His rights as the Son of God. Instead, He humbled Himself and became obedient to God. Paul then gets to the part that I have the most trouble with, “Do everything without complaining and arguing.” By looking at multiple translations it becomes clear that Paul linked not complaining or arguing with living clean, innocent lives. In order to shine like bright lights among the people of this world we need to live clean, innocent lives. If we spend our time arguing and complaining, we are not living clean, innocent lives.

50 years of life and the last 13 have been the best
50 years of life and the last 13 have been the best

Psalm 72:1-20

     This psalm makes a good model for us to use in praying for political authorities. Let us pray that the authorities judge with righteousness and justice. Pray that they help the poor and crush the oppressors. I will pray that the godly will flourish under those who rule this country and that prosperity will spread to all its citizens.

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Proverbs 24:11-12

     The proverb writer warns us that God will judge us if we choose not to know the evil being done around us. It says that we are to intervene to save people from unjust execution. However, when I read other translations (such as the NIV) the passage seems to suggest that we are to intervene whenever someone is following a course of action that will lead to their death. Further, the writer tells us that choosing not to know that people are on a path leading to death is not an excuse.

Daily Bible Study

September 30, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

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Isaiah 60-62:5

     I cannot decide if this passage is a literal or a figurative prophecy(I am not sure that figurative is the word I am looking for, but its close enough). If it is a literal prophecy, we will see a day in the future where the nation of Israel is the dominant economy in the world. I find it hard to imagine how we would get from where we are today to such a world, but God is powerful and He has worked out things in the past that were hard to imagine before they happened. On the other hand, the prophet refers to God Himself being the light source for this land of Israel rather than the sun, which suggests that this passage may be a figurative account about the impact of Jesus and His Church upon the world.
     The next section I am on firmer ground in understanding because Jesus quoted this in a context where He was applying it to Himself. Jesus came to proclaim good news and bring comfort to those who are suffering. He came to declare the day of the Lord’s favor and bring judgement to those who rob, oppress and carry out injustice. God offers comfort and joy to those who worship Him, but judgement to those who choose to mistreat their fellow man.

Philippians 1:27-2:18

     We should live as citizens of Heaven, conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of being called the children of God. We should not be intimidated by the enemies of the Gospel because we have the privilege of trusting in Christ along with the privilege of suffering for Him. We should strive to be of one mind and one spirit, loving one another and acting out of that love. We should avoid acting selfishly or in order to promote ourselves. Instead we should look out for the interests of others. We should imitate Jesus, who, even though He was God, humbled Himself and became a servant of others. We should serve others without grumbling or arguing. We should strive to be blameless and pure so that we stand out as a light to the gospel in the warped and crooked generation in which we live.

Psalm 72:1-20

     This psalm is written from the perspective of those governing, but it can be seen from the other side as well. If the people fear God and serve Him, God will give them rulers who love justice and rescue the poor. A people who love and fear God will have rulers who help the oppressed and defend the helpless. If we praise God and work to fill the land with His glory, we will prosper.

Fun reads

Proverbs 24:11-12/a>

     This proverb is a condemnation of those who stood by and allowed the Holocaust to happen in Nazi Germany, but it is also a condemnation of those who support legalized abortion. There are other situations where we are called on to speak up against the mistreatment of those who are unjustly condemned to death.