Life in the Balance

Introduction

Blank Slide

Proverbs 16:11 “A just balance and scales belong to the Lord; All the weights of the bag are His concern.”

Proverbs 11:1 “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.”

Proverbs 20:10 “Differing weights and differing measures, Both of them are abominable to the Lord.”

Proverbs 20:23 “Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord, And a false scale is not good.”

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”

Several times in the book of Proverbs, the writers reference weights, measures, and scales. (11:1; 16:11; 20:10; 20:23) These verses seem to be rather innocuous at first until we consider the consequences.

The Balance in antiquity

When we hears “scales & balances” we think of bathroom scales or the big scales at the doctor’s office. These scales measure weight, or the effect of gravity on our bodies

Gravity depends upon the size of the object, so the same scales would register something different if we were on the moon (33#), on Jupiter (506#). On the space station (0#)

Weight may change because it’s relative (in relation to something else)

Balances are relative to a preset standard

Centuries earlier civilizations learned that they could use use 2 equal arms, balanced on a fulcrum, to determine if two objects weighed the same

The basis for determining the amount of a product (weight or volume) is a predetermined standard. For example, a cup of water is the same both in North Carolina and Texas, because measuring cups are marked with lines that reveal the standard. Scales work the same way. A pound in New York is a pound in Florida. You get the idea. Trade and market exchange work based upon predetermined standards. Standards help us determine speed (MPH), height and depth, You might be thinking, “Why is this even in the Bible? What does this have to do with anything spiritual?”

Without standards, there is no way to know communicate:

call and text communication works because the standards are the same, same with internet Languages work because they are based upon the same standards in construction and engineering work based upon set standards in math itself (well, once you get into Algebra the rules change, but’s a different story!)

In Proverbs 16:11, Solomon declares that a just balance, scale, and weights all belong to him.

weights - literally stones, as stones were used to as standards in commerce

different stones would give different results

Standards

A standard is a truth

a standard is based upon agreed upon or verifiable evidence

1 mile = 5,280 ft = 63, 360 in

1 km = 1,000 m = 100,000 cm = 1,000,000 mm

Standards are universal

Truth is truth whether we like it or not

“Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth” - Mahatma Ghandi

Preferences

A preference is partiality, taste, desire, wish

A preference is what we want

chocolate or vanilla (or other)

warm or cool weather

“We swallow greedily any lie that flatters us, but we sip only little by little at the truth we find bitter.” - Denis Diderot

Balance and scales, and weights all belong to God

Mankind cannot agree on weights, so we the balance and scale will never be right

Man’s preferences seem to override God’s standards

“Everyone with a cell phone thinks they're a photographer. Everyone with a laptop thinks they're a journalist. But they have no training, and they have no idea of what we keep to in terms of standards, as in what's far out and what's reality. And they have no dedication to truth.” - Helen Thomas

Conclusion

God has established standards in his Word. Society has attempted to alter those “weights”, but ultimately it is God’s standards against which our lives will be weighed

Blank slide