Proverbial Prophecy #5

Friday, June 18, 2021

“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs 1:1-4 KJV).

Friend, did you know the Book of Proverbs is really a book of prophecy?

Circa 970 B.C., the Holy Spirit moved Solomon to write Proverbs: “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men… and his fame was in all nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five…. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom” (1 Kings 4:29-32,34).

Unfortunately, decades later, Solomon abandoned God’s wisdom and followed Satan’s wisdom. This present evil world system led him to apostasy (pagan idolatry): “But king Solomon loved many strange [foreign/Gentile/heathen] women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites: Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love…. Then did Solomon build an high place [shrine] for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods (1 Kings 11:1,2,7,8).

Dying and disappointed, Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes. Like the Antichrist’s followers yet future, Solomon replaced the one true God with idols—philosophy, wealth, romance, entertainment, et cetera. As Christ said in Matthew 7:24-27 and Luke 6:47-49, Israel can be the wise man (Proverbs) or the foolish man (Ecclesiastes). Likewise, in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God, we can be the wise man (Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon) or the foolish man (non-Pauline).

Proverbial Prophecy #4

Thursday, June 17, 2021

“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs 1:1-4 KJV).

Friend, did you know the Book of Proverbs is really a book of prophecy?

The first chapter of Proverbs closes with: “[31] Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. [32] For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. [33] But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Unbelieving Israel will reap what she has sown!

In addition to foretelling the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, John the Baptist notified them of the outpouring of wrath. They could accept his water baptism and the subsequent Holy Ghost baptism, or the fire baptism would consume them: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). As we know, Israel rejected Messiah and demanded His crucifixion. Therefore, the Antichrist will now enter and deceive them: “I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43).

The Antichrist will be under the Devil’s control, endowed with satanic wisdom, a brilliant philosopher like this world has never seen: “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up” (Daniel 8:23). The Antichrist will use the wisdom of this world—condemned in 1 Corinthians chapters 1–3—to mislead Israel. Proverbs is God’s wisdom for Israel’s believing remnant, that they survive the deception resulting from the Antichrist’s whorish religious system (Revelation 17:1-18). Hence, Proverbs repeatedly warns against uniting with the “strange woman” (2:16; 5:3,20; 6:24; 7:5; 20:16; 23:27; 27:13).

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

Proverbial Prophecy #3

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs 1:1-4 KJV).

Friend, did you know the Book of Proverbs is really a book of prophecy?

Resume reading the first chapter of Proverbs: “[20] Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: [21] She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, [22] How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? [23] Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.” Here foretold is John the Baptist’s ministry to Israel: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). For centuries, the Jewish people have not been listening to the LORD’S prophets; thus, a change in mind is necessary. They need to think Divine thoughts to prepare for Messiah’s arrival.

As per Proverbs 1:23, John the Baptist also preached of the impending outpouring of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 3:11; fulfilled in Acts chapter 2; cf. Joel 2:28,29). Alas, King Solomon writing in Proverbs foresaw Israel’s nonstop rejection of Messiah—Matthew through John, and early Acts. Therefore, the LORD wrote through Solomon: “[24] Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; [25] But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: [26] I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; [27] When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. [28] Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: [29] For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: [30] They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.”

Divine wrath and judgment now loom over apostate, unbelieving Israel….

Proverbial Prophecy #2

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs 1:1-4 KJV).

Friend, did you know the Book of Proverbs is really a book of prophecy?

Keep reading: “[10] My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. [11] If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: [12] Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: [13] We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: [14] Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: [15] My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: [16] For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. [17] Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. [18] And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. [19] So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.”

Jesus told this parable (Matthew chapter 21): “[33]…There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: [34] And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. [35] And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. [36] Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. [37] But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. [38] But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. [39] And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.”

Had Israel believed Proverbs, they would not have conspired to kill Messiah Jesus….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What are ‘curious arts?’

Proverbial Prophecy #1

Monday, June 14, 2021

“The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion” (Proverbs 1:1-4 KJV).

Friend, did you know the Book of Proverbs is really a book of prophecy?

Courtesy of shallow religious tradition, Proverbs is usually viewed as nothing more than a collection of assorted, interesting, witty expressions to be haphazardly applied for daily Christian living. Moreover, we are often advised to read through the Book of Proverbs over the course of one month (31 chapters roughly corresponding to 30 days). While non-Pauline Bible Books do frequently contain transdispensational or interdispensational concepts—facts that pertain to more than one or even all dispensations—we should exercise great caution when reaching outside of Romans through Philemon to find God’s will for us, His words to and about us.

The key to understanding the Book of Proverbs is chapter 1, for it establishes the context of all 31 chapters. Contrary to popular belief, Proverbs is actually not about the Dispensation of Grace at all: it has absolutely nothing to do with us the Church the Body of Christ. When we look at its opening chapter, we begin to see how Proverbs is God’s wisdom for the nation Israel as she experiences the end times. Read today’s Scripture again, and then its subsequent verses: “[5] A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: [6] To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. [7] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. [8] My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: [9] For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.”

As mounting deception infiltrates Israel during her program’s last days, God has provided her with profound insight so as to protect herself. Let us continue reading the chapter to see just how specific Proverbs is in guiding Israel into Divine revelation….