Read Proverbs 20:29–21:3
Questions from the Scripture text: What is the glory/adornment of young men (Proverbs 20:29a)? What is the splendor/majesty of old men (verse 29b)? What does God use to cleanse away evil (Proverbs 20:30a)? What does He use to cleanse one’s innards (verse 30b)? Where is the king’s heart (Proverbs 21:1a)? Like what is his heart (verse 1b)? Where does YHWH turn it? Of how many of his ways does a man think what (Proverbs 21:2a)? Who weighs hearts properly (verse 2b)? What should a man do (Proverbs 21:3a)? To Whom is this acceptable (verse 3b)? More than what?
For what are spiritually alive people grateful? Proverbs 20:29–21:3 looks forward to the midweek sermon. In these five verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that spiritually alive people are grateful to be aged, to be chastened by God, to be ruled by God, and to be judged by God.
Grateful to be aged. Young men are adorned by strength (Proverbs 20:29a), but old men should have something better: wisdom (verse 29b). There is an increase in greatness from the word “glory” to the word “splendor.” Wisdom (the grey head) is better than strength (cf. Ecclesiastes 9:16–18), and we should be happy to trade in our youth for our latter years, IF we have been gaining wisdom.
Grateful to be chastened. God’s discipline comes often in “blows that hurt” (Proverbs 20:30a) and stripes (verse 30b). But how necessary are such blows, when our innards (verse 30b) need cleansing from evil (verse 30a)! The flesh hates the pain, but the new man rejoices in God’s Fatherly, sanctifying love (cf. Hebrews 12:5–14; Psalm 119:67, Psalm 119:71). If we are to attain a wisdom for which to be thankful (Proverbs 20:29), then it will require discipline, for which we ought also to be thankful (Proverbs 20:30).
Grateful to be ruled and overruled. The “heart” ties Proverbs 21:1 back to Proverbs 20:30 (and looks forward to Proverbs 21:30–31), teaching us that, though we are unable to cure our hearts, the Lord is more than able (cf. Ephesians 2:1–5). Even the king’s heart is in the Lord’s hand (Proverbs 21:1a) to channel upon whomever/whatever pleases the Lord (verse 1b). This is a comfort to us, when we are under the king. But what a great comfort it would be for the king himself, who needs such grace! When we find the curing of our hearts impossible, this truth turns us back to Him. If we are going to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (cf. Philippians 2:12), we must depend upon Him to work in us (cf. Philippians 2:13).
Grateful to be judged by God. How useless, and dangerous, it is to judge our own actions—every way we take seems right to us in our flesh (Proverbs 21:2a, cf. Jeremiah 17:9). We are experts at self-justifying and self-rationalizing! But, if our flesh is so proud and blind that it can never see its sinfulness, then it is a great help and relief not only to count is judgment as the true one (Proverbs 21:2b), but to be granted the ministry of His Word and Spirit to judge us and reveal the truth to us about ourselves (cf. Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 139:23–24, Psalm 19:11–13). Wonderfully, as He works graciously in us, He also makes us to know that His work in us has been real, and that it has been His work (cf. Psalm 26:1–2; Galatians 5:16–25).
When we yield the place of Judge to the Lord, we make what He desires (Proverbs 21:3b) the aim of all our religion. This means that we do not think of “sacrifice” as something we are giving up in order to do God a favor. We realize that the sacrifices of the Old Testament ceremonies were gracious gifts from God, ways of looking forward to Christ and participating in Him by faith, so that sinners could draw near to the living God. We learn to b pleased by what pleases Him (verse 3b). We do what’s righteous and just (verse 3a), because we are pleased with them.
If you are young, how are you aiming at wisdom? If you are older, do you consider that splendid? How are you showing yourself wise? In what ways has God chastened you? How has your heart responded? What are your feelings about the Lord being sovereign even over your heart? How often does God’s Word overrule your opinion of yourself and your ways?
Sample prayer: Lord, thank You for disciplining us, and ruling over our hearts. Please grant that, by Your Spirit, You would make what pleases You to determine what pleases us. And as we age, please mature us in the true wisdom of the sanctified, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP119I “According to Your Word, O Lord ” or TPH51C “God, Be Merciful to Me”
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