� Reading 4 - Proverbs 11-13

11 - Chapter 11 - Watch for the “caught in your own sin” theme that is sounded often in Proverbs (here in verses 5-6). Verse 14’s idea is repeated in 18:1. Wisdom comes from the many, not from isolating self. Verse 22 paints a powerful word picture, doesn’t it? Verse 27 asks us what we are searching for – because we will certainly find it.

12 - Chapter 12 - Verse 2 seems to speak to our day. NASB has “a man who devises evil” while the ESV has “a man of evil devices” but either way the point is very sharp. Verse 3 furthers the thought. No one can be established in wickedness because it is an always shifting, ever changing life. Verse 9 points out the folly of pretense. Verse 11 is a needed verse in a day of Internet scams and “network marketing” schemes.

13 - Proverbs 13 works with desires, money and wisdom. Verse 7 reminds us that appearances cannot always be trusted. Verse 18’s bad things happen to people who ignore instruction has been discussed in Proverbs before (see 15:32). Verse 19 mentions “evil” but it is the same term translated “harm” or “disaster” in the next two verses. The idea is to turn away from trouble. Proverbs often recommends turning away from evil and temptation (see chapter 7). The New Testament warns about evil companions (1 Cor 15:33) as does Proverbs (verse 20).

Psalm 8

While many would say this is a psalm about the glory of man, it is not. The repeated re- frain of verses 1 and 9 put God as the centerpiece of Psalm 8. The psalm stresses God’s greatness, while wondering at how He has chosen to exalt part of His creation (humans) to a place of rulership and dominion. The psalmist uses contrasts to make this point, placing the massive and expansive (like the heavens, verses 1, 3 and the night time expanse of stars, verses 3-4) against tiny babies (verse 2) and people (verses 3-4). This drives the message of humility and being humbled that the psalmist wants his readers to take from his observations of God’s creation. It all means that even if man is given a place of rulership over nature (verses 5-8) it shouldn’t cause men to become prideful, but instead to exalt the majesty of the God who made everything and has given humans a special place in His world!

13 - Some might wonder if a lack of revenge and retribution will result in lawlessness. No, because gov- ernment is appointed to take care of these problems. Scripture uniformly urges obedience to civil authority (see 1 Tim 2:1-2; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet 2:13-17) because, as Paul teaches here, civil government provides services to its citizens and is a God-ordained means of maintaining order. Thus we should submit to it. Naturally Paul does not mean we should disobey Christ to obey civil government, nor does Paul mean every govern- ment pleases God (note verse 3b). Verse 8 should not be seen as a prohibition against all borrowing (note Matt 5:42; Luke 6:35) but merely commands that we pay what we owe, and particularly in this context that we pay the taxes owed government (see verse 7). What does Paul mean in verse 11 about salvation being near? It is a difficult verse. Paul may just be referring to the reality that in God’s scheme of things there is only one major event left, final judgement. Every day draws us closer to it.