Proverbs 31:8 Sanctified Stages of Life December 1, 2024

Proverbs 31:8 Sanctified Stages of Life December 1, 2024 Lesson 11

Sacred Life Series Class Presentation Notes AAAAA

Background Scriptures:

Matthew 22:36–40 (NASB95)

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

37 And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’

38 “This is the great and foremost commandment.

39 “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’

40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 25:31–45 (NASB95)

The Judgment

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.

32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;

33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35 ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;

36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?

38 ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?

39 ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’

40 “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;

43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’

45 “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

Main Idea:

• Sanctity of life extends to all life stages and places.

Study Aim:

• To understand that God calls us to care for all life in every stage and place.

Create Interest:

• The book of Proverbs was written primarily by a king (Solomon) to impart wisdom to future rulers. Chapter 31 begins with words of wisdom taught to King Lemuel by his mother. Most interpreters are of opinion that Lemuel is Solomon, but there is no proof to verify; the name signifies one that is for God, or devoted to God; and so, it agrees well enough with that honorable name which, by divine appointment, was given to Solomon (2 Sa. 12:25), Jedediah—beloved of the Lord. The books of Kings and Chronicles show how the principles of Proverbs are worked out for good and ill in the lives of the kings of Israel and Judah.

o Proverbs 31 contains words King Lemuel learned from his mother, presumably as he grew up. While most of Proverbs has been the voice of a father speaking to his son, here we have his mother making her urgent appeal for him to act wisely in one of the most important choices in life (1:8b). “do not forsake your mother’s teaching;”

o With remarkable conciseness the mother of Lemuel describes the moral requirements of good government. These lessons are, simply put: do not use your authority as a means to debauchery (v. 3), keep your head clear from the stupefying effects of alcohol (vv. 4–7), and use your power to help the powerless (vv. 8–9).

o The most important ministry mothers and fathers have is the spiritual training of their children. See 2 Tim. 1:5 and 3:15. The mother boldly warns Lemuel of some of the dangers he will face in life: sinful companions, strong drink, and a temptation to disobey the Word of God. Happy is that person who had a God-fearing mother who warned about sin, and happier is the person who heeded her warnings.

Lesson in Historical Context:

• The advice offered by Lemuel’s royal mother is precious, not only for its example of motherly concern about the right use of life’s pleasures and their impact on essential duties, but also because of the balance her instruction provides to the father’s voice and all the negative proverbs found throughout the book. In Prov. 31:1–9, we finally hear a female voice, one endowed with worldly experience, knowledge of legal proceedings, and compassion for the destitute and condemned. The words of this woman offer sound advice, insightful conclusions, and a finely tuned sense of how situational ambiguity moderates individual precepts. Her advice ranges from her most intimate relationship (“son of my womb”) to the greatest possible extent—the huge mass of the poor and needy who require the voice of another to give words to their distress. One of the voices that performs this noble task is that of the mother. As usual, the Old Testament assumes that a leader’s first obligation is to protect the ordinary, lowly, weak people. Drink will take a ruler’s attention away from his primary vocation. The lines about leaving drink to people who need something to numb their pain and don’t have to worry about important tasks they must remember are ironic, another way of trying to get through to the leader. His mother then restates his task in the last two lines. His job is to be a voice for people who cannot speak for themselves, people who are passing away, the lowly, the needy. A king such as Ahab in 1 Kings 21 collaborated with voices speaking against someone belonging to that group. The king’s job is to stand up to them and use his authority in relation to the community’s leadership to make sure its priority lies here.

Bible Study:

Proverbs 31:8–9 (NASB95)

8 Open your mouth for the mute,

For the rights of all the unfortunate.

9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,

And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.

• There is a sense in which this woman is an interpreter and revealer of God to the human race. She has religious intuitions and spiritual vulnerabilities in which the other sex is usually deficient. Most religious systems in the world’s history have overlooked her and have suffered accordingly. The religion of Jesus Christ recognized her, claimed her rightful place, and to this day does much of its best work in the world through her gracious ministrations, through her unquestioning faith, through her unquenchable love.

o It is as a foreshadowing of this religious significance which Christ was to give to womanhood that the Proverbs recognize the beautiful direct relation between God and the possession of a good wife.

• This second reference to justice (cf. rights in v. 5) in such a short discourse speaks strongly for its importance. A king who defended those who could not defend themselves and who were of little threat and made little contribution to him would be noted as a just and gracious man. He was to judge fairly, regardless of a person’s social status. The word for destitute (used only here in the OT) means people who are passing away; they are “on their last legs.” The poor (‘ānî, “afflicted, humbled”) and needy (’eḇyôn, “people needing help”; cf. 30:14; 31:20), who were easily oppressed, were also to be defended by the king.

• The concluding counsel of the king’s mother is beamed at motivating her son to reign in righteousness, giving special attention to the poor and underprivileged. She urged, Open thy mouth (8; “speak up,” Berk.) for those who cannot speak for themselves. Such as are appointed to destruction is better “all who are left desolate” (RSV).

• Reflected in such counsel is the concern for social justice so frequently voiced by Israel’s prophets (cf. Isa. 10:1–2; Amos 2:6–7; 4:1; 5:15).

• The description of the fading poor and needy as mute (leʾilem, lit., “to have the lips tightly closed”)55 in 8a is a metaphor for their lack of a voice to defend themselves in the court unless the king speaks up for them (cf. 16:10; 20:18; 25:5; 29:4a, 14; Ps 72:12–14; Jer 22:15–19).

• They are socially and economically too weak to defend themselves against the rich and powerful. Possibilities include…………………

o The poor may be defenseless against them because they are too ignorant to counteract obstructionist tactics of the legally savvy, too inarticulate to state their case convincingly, too poor to produce proper evidence, and/or too lowly to command respect.

o Furthermore, the rich and powerful can bribe witnesses to accuse them falsely. In sum, the king must be accessible to the people (e.g. 2 Sam 15:3; 1 Kgs 3:16ff; 2 Kgs 6:26ff.) and champion the cause of one who cannot otherwise get a fair hearing.

o What is said here of the king, says Meinhold, “is valid for each person in his sphere of activity.”

 Perhaps by now you wonder how this applies to you since there have been several references to the “king”. Consider the fact that we all come in contact with those who cannot help or defend themselves as we perhaps can.

• Kings ( and, after the previous statement that includes you) must be advocates for those who cannot help themselves. While the main message of Proverbs regarding speech is to keep the mouth shut, Lemuel’s mother charges him to open his mouth and to speak up for the needy under his rule.

o Having said that, now consider yourself as in a position to help the needy.

• The use of dumb in verse 8 does not refer to people who are uneducated or senseless; nor does it refer to people who cannot physically speak.

o Rather, it is referring to those who do not have a voice in society.

o The king must speak up on their behalf and exercise his power and voice to assist their horrible condition.

o He must stand against those who oppress the helpless and always render righteous judgments.

o He must not be bought nor influenced by those who will attempt to bribe him against the poor.

 Without his support and intercession, the helpless are doomed.

Thoughts to soak on:

• Leaders have a tremendous responsibility and obligation to a great number of people: their supporters, their sponsors, and those who cannot speak for themselves. To whom much is given, much is required (Lu. 12:48).

• Leaders must not indulge or become slaves to the passions of the flesh. If they do, they set a poor example for those they lead, and they render themselves unqualified for their duties.

• God’s warning is unmistakable: immorality and intoxication ruin leaders and render them ineffective. How tragic that both are prevalent in the leadership of societies around our world today.

• Whether in government, business, or the church, leaders are trusted with the responsibility of the life and future of the organization. Their decisions affect all who are under them.

o Therefore, they must devote the full measure of their strength and attention to their duties. They must do everything possible to stay strong, both physically and mentally.

• As a unit, Proverbs 31:1–9 raises an important question. Being a leader means some level of position and power. Will you use it indulge yourself (here the indulgence is women and wine, Proverbs 31:3–7), or will you use your position and power to protect and benefit those you lead? (as in Proverbs 31:8–9)

Note: One of the challenges I face in writing my Bible studies is combing through a vast amount of written knowledge and weaving it into the presentation for the readers’ maximum benefit. I came across this document on Leaders below that I chose to present to give you the maximum “bang for your bucks.

• I pray you will find application in your lives as you advocate for the less fortunate. Remember, each of us in some way is a Leader.

• For the teachers who read this, I am confident you will compress it for your discussion.

Wisdom for leaders

A manual for leadership

• Now that there is no longer a theocracy under the New Covenant, how do these principles of leadership apply to us today? The essential teachings of Proverbs about the duties of rulers apply to all nations. Earthly rulers are still to reflect the righteous character of God and are accountable to him. Furthermore, in democratic societies we have the privilege of participating in choosing our leaders and making laws.

o The principles of Proverbs should be applied by us as we exercise our political rights, seeking to choose leaders who will act wisely and make good laws. Also, the principles about leadership in Proverbs apply to others who are in authority—in the church, in a business, and in the family.

A wise leader reflects God’s holy character

• Politicians of every political stripe often invoke the name of God in their speeches. On whose side is God? Or better still: Which rulers are on God’s side.

He is righteous

• Some people claim that it doesn’t matter how a ruler lives so long as he or she governs well. But wisdom proclaims that character counts when it comes to leadership: ‘It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, for a throne is established on righteousness’ (16:12). If a politician wants to have a positive impact on the nation, he or she must live well. If a father wants his children to be righteous, he must set a godly example.

o Most of the qualifications for leadership in the church deal with moral character, which is more important than charisma or giftedness (1 Tim. 3:1–7).

He is not greedy

• ‘The king gives stability to the land by justice, but a man who takes bribes overthrows it’ (29:4). Those in power are often able to enrich themselves. There are extensive warnings in the Old Testament against this vice (Deut. 17:16–17; 1 Sam. 8:10–18). One of the qualifications for a leader in the church is that he be ‘free from the love of money’ (1 Tim. 3:3b). The early church was polluted by some leaders who tried to use their positions for financial gain (1 Tim. 6:5; 2 Cor. 2:17).

He is not enslaved to substance abuse

• ‘It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink, for they will drink and forget what is decreed, and pervert the rights of all the afflicted’ (31:4–5). Substance abuse impairs judgement and makes a leader unfit to carry on his or her responsibilities. The wise man is sober, alert, and self-controlled. Inebriation often leads to other sins, such as fighting, sexual immorality, and blasphemy (20:1). Those who abuse substances suffer physically and financially.

• King Belshazzar lost his throne on the night he held a drunken party (Dan. 5). It is required that church leaders are not addicted to wine (1 Tim. 3:3) or other intoxicating substances.

He does not give his strength to strange women

• ‘Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which destroys kings’ (31:3). The law warned that the king must not ‘multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away’ (Deut. 17:17a). Solomon’s heart was led astray by his foreign wives (1 Kings 11). Sexual sin undermines a ruler’s moral authority (2 Sam. 12). In the same way, a church leader must be faithful to his wife (1 Tim. 3:2b).

He has personal integrity

• ‘Excellent speech is not fitting for a fool; much less are lying lips to a prince’ (17:7). A kingdom is founded upon truth and faithfulness to God’s moral law. ‘Loyalty and truth preserve the king, and he upholds his throne by righteousness’ (20:28). When we vote for our leaders, we should ask ourselves, ‘Do these people keep their promises?’ One way to test this commitment to truth is to see how faithfully such men or women have kept the vows of marriage. Leaders in the church, likewise, must be above reproach (1 Tim. 3:2a).

He fears God

• ‘The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge’ (1:7). A wise ruler recognizes that God sovereignly appoints and brings down rulers (Dan. 2:21). Such rulers acknowledge that they are under God’s authority. They do not become proud or set themselves up as saviors but look to God for security (21:31). When the nation enjoys victory in war or economic prosperity, the wise king does not take credit but realizes he is but a channel of God’s blessings to his people (21:1). Because he fears God, he doesn’t fear men (29:25) and isn’t afraid to alienate the powerful in the cause of righteousness. Pilate is an example of a weak ruler who compromised justice because of the fear of men. Likewise, leaders in the church are to recall that the Lord owns the flock (Acts 20:28b). They are not to lord it over those allotted to their charge but are to prove to be godly examples (1 Peter 5:3).

He earnestly seeks wisdom

• Wisdom declares, ‘By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice’ (8:15). The kings of Israel were required to write out a copy of God’s law (Deut. 17:18). While our nations are not under the Mosaic Law, God’s Word still provides the basis for righteous human government. Without revealed moral absolutes, nations plunge into anarchy. ‘Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law’ (29:18). The ‘vision’ spoken of here is not that from the politician’s platform but rather revelation from God. The Bible teaches the rule of God through the law of God. Even the king is subject to the law (see 1 Kings 21). A wise ruler doesn’t ‘shoot from the hip’ but takes the time to fully understand the issues of the day: ‘the glory of kings is to search out a matter’ (Prov. 25:2b; see also 18:17). Such rulers surround themselves with wise and righteous advisors (11:14; 16:13) and purge their cabinets of the wicked and self-serving (29:12). Rehoboam lost most of his kingdom when he listened to wicked counsellors (1 Kings 12). We as citizens advise our rulers when we vote or contact our elected officials. The church also is dependent upon dependle/unfailing and authoritative revelation from God. Many churches and denominations are ignoring God’s revelation and governing themselves according to the arbitrary whims of men. Without the authoritative revelation of Scripture, the people of God perish (Prov. 29:18). Within the church, the leaders are to be experts in God’s Word and able to teach and counsel others and to refute those who are in error (Titus 1:9). Wise church leaders thoroughly investigate major decisions and seek wise counsel.

He governs justly

• ‘The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous but is terror to the workers of iniquity’ (21:15). While private individuals are not allowed to take revenge on those who wrong them, leaders act on God’s behalf when they punish the guilty (Rom. 13:4; 1 Peter 2:14) and are accountable to him for faithfully carrying out this task. ‘He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD’ (Prov. 17:15). Good rulers are passionately committed to righteousness and do not let the guilty go free. ‘A king who sits on the throne of justice disperses all evil with his eyes … A wise king winnows the wicked and drives the threshing wheel over them’ (20:8, 26). Such a king is concerned for the rights of the victims of crime. He does not give preference to the rich and powerful: ‘If a king judges the poor with truth, his throne will be established forever’ (29:14). Nor does such a king rob the rich to gain the votes of the poor: ‘Nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute’ (Exod. 23:3). He opposes moral evils, which in our day would include the killing of unborn babies and the promotion of homosexuality. ‘He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,” peoples will curse him, nations will abhor him’ (Prov. 24:24). In the same way, church leaders are responsible for maintaining righteousness in the church. They are to exercise discipline among the members of the church (1 Cor. 5). They may be called upon to serve as impartial mediators in disputes among believers (as in 1 Cor. 6).

He protects the rights of the righteous and shows compassion to the helpless

• Wise rulers respect the property rights of their people: ‘Do not move the ancient boundary or go into the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you’ (23:10–11). They honor productive citizens (22:29; see also 1 Peter 2:14). They guard the rights of the poor and exploited: ‘Do not rob the poor because he is poor or crush the afflicted at the gate; for the LORD will plead their case’ (22:22–23); ‘the righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor, the wicked does not understand such concern’ (29:7). They protect those who cannot protect themselves: ‘Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy’ (31:8–9). These verses have often been quoted in the pro-life (anti-abortion) movement because the unborn are the most helpless among us. In the context, we see that leaders have a particular responsibility to defend the afflicted and oppressed. In the past, leaders such as William Wilberforce spoke out for the afflicted by fighting to abolish the slave trade. Church leaders also have a significant responsibility to care for those in want. A major part of their ministry in the early church was benevolence towards widows and those suffering from famine (Acts 6; 2 Cor. 8–9; Gal. 2:10; James 1:27).

Leaders have an impact on the people

• In 1 and 2 Kings, the fortunes of Israel and Judah rise and fall according to the quality of their rulers. ‘Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people’ (14:34). A good ruler is a channel of blessing from God: the people enjoy prosperity (29:2a) and the nation enjoys security. ‘The king gives stability to the land by justice’ (29:4a). Corrupt leaders are a curse: ‘When a wicked man rules, people groan’ (29:2b). We see many examples in the current day of corrupt rulers who exploit and oppress their own people who often become refugees in neighbouring nations. ‘Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people’ (28:15). The lack of justice at the top causes evil to spread: ‘When the wicked increase, transgression increases’ (29:16a). God often gives us the rulers we deserve (28:2a). Spiritual leaders also have an impact on God’s people when they set a godly example, people follow (1 Peter 5:3b). When they are immoral, the leaven of corruption spreads (1 Cor. 5:6). The New Testament makes provision for the removal of unqualified leaders for the sake of the purity of the church (1 Tim. 5:19–20; Acts 20:28–31).

Act wisely towards those in authority over you

• We are to respect and obey those in authority over us: ‘My son, fear the LORD and the king’ (24:21a). ‘The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; he who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life’ (20:2).

o The New Testament reminds us that we are to obey those in governmental authority because God has put them in authority over us (Rom. 13:1–7), with the only exception being when we must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29).

o Proverbs encourages us to deal wisely, gently, and discreetly with those in power, as Daniel and Abigail did (Prov. 16:14; 23:1–3; 25:15).

o Elsewhere, the Bible reminds us to pray for our rulers (1 Tim. 2:1–4; see also Ps. 72).

o We are also to honor those who are over us in the church so that they will find joy in their labors on our behalf (Heb. 13:17).

Jesus Christ is the ideal king

• Everything which Proverbs teaches about the ideal ruler can be said of Jesus Christ. His character is perfect in righteousness and wisdom.

o His administration is just.

o He successfully implements his agenda because he is in complete control of all things.

o He will judge with complete righteousness and will establish a perfect and everlasting kingdom (Isa. 9:7; 11:1–5; Dan. 2:44; Rev. 21:1–5).

o He shows great compassion on all who humbly turn to him. ‘Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen’ (1 Tim. 1:17).

New Testament Example worthy of reading and discussing:

• Read John 8:1-11

o When the last scribe and Pharisee had gone, Jesus stood up again and asked, “Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?” (8:10)

o “No man, Lord,” she said, enthroning Him (8:11).

o Now Jesus opened His mouth and judged righteously: “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

 Thus, Jesus is the ultimate illustration of the advocate that Bathsheba tried to describe to Solomon, who in turn recorded the “prophecy” in Proverbs 31:8–9.

 1 Kings 2:19 (NASB95) So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king arose to meet her, bowed before her, and sat on his throne; then he had a throne set for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right.

 on his right The seat at the king’s right hand is the highest seat of honor (e.g., Psa 110:1).

 The resurrected Jesus is often described as seated at the right hand of God (e.g., Matt 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 22:69; Acts 2:33; Rom 8:34; Heb 8:1; 1 Pet 3:22).

Questions to soak on:

Do you pray for your political leaders? How should we pray for them? (See 1 Tim. 2:1–4.)

What role should the church have in selecting and influencing political leaders?

Are there things individual Christians can and should do that the church should not do?

Why does God sometimes allow wicked and incompetent people to rule? (See Jer. 27.)

Do you pray for the leaders of your church? How do you pray? (See Eph. 6:18–20.)

Think of two things you can do to encourage and support your church leaders. How does Jesus fulfil all of the requirements in Proverbs for an ideal king?