Next, instruction is given on how to travel and where not to go. It is a road sign of sorts. As we drive in our communities, we see various signs that tell us what or what not to do. "Do Not Enter", "Merge Left", "Stop". This is possible one of the most important set of road signs that the Lord has given to us yet.
"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men." Proverbs 4:14, Amplified
The first road sign is warning us to not enter the the path of the wicked. It is something that may not we may not have to be reminded of on a day to day basis, however, it is nice to have this sign pop up every once and a while. Signs like these also make us check the path that we are currently one to see if it is indeed a righteous or wicked path; a litmus test of sorts.
"Avoid it, do not do on it; turn from it and pass on." Proverbs 4:15, Amplified
The next four signs are very interesting because they are coupled with the "Do Not Enter" sign at the beginning. It is like watching an episode of Looney Toons where Elmer Fudd is looking for a duck to hunt and Daffy Duck Puts up a bunch of signs showing Elmer where to find that rascally rabbit. I imagine the road to wickedness to be marked the same way by our Lord. There are a bunch of signs that warn us to not enter into that path or that lifestyle or to not make that choice.
Avoid it. This is an interesting sign in that the word can be defined in so many different ways. It literally means "to loosen" but it can also mean "to expose" or "uncover". So what we are seeing here is that the path of the wicked is something that we do not want to allow to have hold of us. We need to expose it for what it truly is; in essence to make it naked. To make something naked is to see it at its core self.
Do not go on it. In the original King James we see that we are to not pass by it. In other words do not entertain the thoughts of sin. As we think less of how much greener the grass may be we will begin the grass that has been given to us. Literally translated, the word means "to cross over". At the school where I work, some of the kids play ball next to a fence so they have a better chance at kicking it over the fence so they can get outside the gate even for just a moment. Sometimes this is just how we are with the sinful lifestyles that surround us.
Turn from it. This means "to decline". Though we may expose the sin and not cross over it, there may be times that it is offered. Banks do it all the time. Swipe the card, and the words come on the screen "Declined" usually coupled with a code or a reason. The codes have various meanings like insufficient funds or there is a hold on the card. Our declaration should be, "Declined!" We should couple that with the reason, "I'm a Christian!"
Pass on. I prefer the original King James when reading this verse. It states that we should "pass away". Not only should we expose the sin, nor should we cross over it and also decline it, but we should die to it. Death is a funny thing, it ends conversation. One day I was talking with my father about various thing, the day that he died I could no longer have any type of conversation with him. Death breaks any ties or bonds.
"For they cannot sleep unless they have caused trouble or vexation; their sleep is taken away unless they have caused someone to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence." Proverbs 4:16-17, Amplified
When we think of sleep, peace should come to mind. The reason for all the signs is for this very reason. The Lord wants us to experience peace in our lives. People loose sleep because they are up late doing things in the darker hours of the evening. Drug addicts are seeking out the next score, alcoholics just need one more drink, whoremongers are looking for next woman to sleep with. These are all things that are destructive to the human body, therefore we must avoid them, do not go on them, turn from them and pass away to them.
Also whenever food is seen in the Scripture we are automatically drawn to communion. In Eastern cultures when eating with someone, you become one with them. The wicked eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. Do we really want all this to become one with us, take over our bodies from the inside out? Thus this is the second reason for all the road signs. Our communion should be with those who are like minded with us. Our communion should be with the Lord: in His Word, in prayer, in fellowship.
No comments:
Post a Comment