Now Why Is This In The Bible?
Good Morning Friends,
Agur, the writer of the Proverbs Chapter 30,
was the compiler of a collection of proverbs. In fact his name means collector. Sometimes this outlying book is known as the Book of Agur or Sayings of Agur. It like Chapter 31 is really a postscript to the book of Proverbs. The initial text of Chapter 30 sets up a little drama between the skeptic and the believer in each of us and may be more honest than we think should be in a holy book. The writer’s style is similar to parts of Isaiah and Job and Amos. I am told it was written by an Arab. And this is interesting because it makes me wonder and question. Now Why Is This In The Bible?
Scripture: The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle. Thus says the man: I am weary, O God, I am weary, O God. How can I prevail? Surely I am too stupid to be human; I do not have human understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the holy ones. Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of the hand? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is the person’s name? And what is the name of the person’s child? Surely you know! Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or else he will rebuke you, and you will be found a liar. Two things I ask of you; do not deny them to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need, or I shall be full, and deny you, and say, “Who is the Lord?” or I shall be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God. Do not slander a servant to a master, or the servant will curse you, and you will be held guilty. There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers. There are those who are pure in their own eyes yet are not cleansed of their filthiness. There are those—how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift!—there are those whose teeth are swords, whose teeth are knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among mortals. The leech has two daughters; “Give, give,” they cry. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”: Sheol, the barren womb, the earth ever thirsty for water, and the fire that never says, “Enough.” The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures. Three things are too wonderful for me; four I do not understand: the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship on the high seas, and the way of a man with a girl. This is the way of an adulteress: she eats, and wipes her mouth, and says, “I have done no wrong.” Under three things the earth trembles; under four it cannot bear up: a slave when he becomes king, and a fool when glutted with food; an unloved woman when she gets a husband, and a maid when she succeeds her mistress. Four things on earth are small, yet they are exceedingly wise: the ants are a people without strength, yet they provide their food in the summer; the badgers are a people without power, yet they make their homes in the rocks; the locusts have no king, yet all of them march in rank; the lizard can be grasped in the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces. Three things are stately in their stride; four are stately in their gait: the lion, which is mightiest among wild animals and does not turn back before any; the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king striding before his people. If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth. For as pressing milk produces curds, and pressing the nose produces blood, so pressing anger produces strife.
Proverbs 30 (NRSV)
Message: Proverbs is a book filled with wisdom. It’s theme you find in chapter 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This book shows a real contrast between the righteous and unrighteous or foolish. Often in this book wisdom speaks as a person. And in the case of today’s scripture of the child, the shield that will established himself in all the ends of the earth and will ascend and descend from heaven. The wisdom of which it speaks is to help us find a relationship in Jesus Christ. No one measures up to the standards of this book. Consequently, it sends us, points us to the knowledge and wisdom of God. It starts out with one question that opens a floodgate of questions building in intensity to excite us. What I think makes them seem so foreign to us is that the book was written by an Arab. But more importantly for us today an Arab that recognized the God of Israel and perhaps the hope of Jesus. The author shares in the opening words that he does not know much. He is not the Creator. He in effect says, I may not know much but God does. He asks God to keep him from falsehood and to have him be neither rich nor poor. He then states the four types of evil people. After that he gets into individual Proverbs using a lower number first and then increasing it as the suspense mounts. The stage is set with an image that is painful and almost humorous. Before going into the three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough”, there is this message, about a leech having two daughters, Give! Give more! they cry.” The leech is a bloodsucking worm. Agur now applies this rule of the never satisfied blood-sucking worm to three even four life situations. The author looks at that bloodsucker and says that in the bloodsucker, he sees a picture of life. Agur expresses to God a request that the Lord remove lying from him and give him neither riches nor poverty. Agur’s teachings include a warning not to slander servants and an observation that many people see themselves as better than they really are. Agur then begins a numbered list of sayings that includes three things never satisfied (the barren womb, the land’s need for water, and the end of a fire). Then he adds that the person who mocks his parents will experience judgment. The list of four things beyond Agur’s understanding is engaging: an eagle in the sky, a serpent on a rock, a ship on the seas, and a man with a woman. The list of four things that cause the earth to tremble profound: a slave who becomes king, a well-fed fool, an unloved married woman, and a servant who replaces the wife in the household. I especially like the section on the four small things that are very wise: ants, rock badgers, locusts, and lizards. And the four proud things: a lion, a rooster, a goat, and a king with his army create real images that help us as they advise of the foolishness in exalting oneself. These simple yet profound observations on life reveal many aspects of this otherwise unknown man. The beauty is that Agur realized God’s wisdom was greater than his own. He understood the temptation of life. He knew many aspects of life and of God’s creation would remain a mystery beyond his understanding. And Agur knew the importance of controlling anger, avoiding foolishness, and living for God. Ultimately I think he knew two of the most important things in life are to keep as far as possible away from sin and second, to rely completely on God. Maybe that is why this proverb is in the Bible.
Pray we have a proper fear of God and a real concern for other people. Pray we join in Agur’s prayer that we not succumb to lies and liars. Pray we neither have too much riches or poverty. Pray that we not become too self-centered. Pray we not think we are better than others. Pray we not be greedy. Pray we be God centered. Pray we recognize the wisdom in the life of ants, badgers, locust and lizards. Pray we seek an honest approach to the experience of being a creature of earth. Pray we be balanced. Pray we be safe. Pray we seek to be a creature of heaven. Pray we leave a legacy that honors God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 