A MOTHER’S INTUITION
Proverbs 31:8
Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
PRE-AMBLE by Robert
Most interpreters are of the opinion that Lemuel is Solomon; the name signifies one that is for God or devoted to God, and so it agrees well enough with that honourable name which, by divine appointment, was given to Solomon (2Sam xii 25), Jedediah–beloved of the Lord.
Lemuel is supposed to be a pretty, fond, endearing name, by which his mother used to call him, and so much did he value himself upon the interest he had in his mother’s affections that he was not ashamed to call himself by it. The rather inclined to think it is Solomon that here tells us what his mother taught him because he tells us (Proverbs 4:4) what his father taught him.
- It is the duty of mothers, as well as fathers, to teach their children what is good, that they may do it, and what is evil, that they may avoid it when they are young and tender, they are most under the mother’s eye, and she has then an opportunity of moulding and fashioning their minds well, which she ought not to let slip.
- Even kings must be catechised; the greatest of men is less than the least of the ordinances of God.
- Those that have grown up to maturity should often call to mind, and make mention of, the good instructions they received when they were children, for their own admonition, the edification of others, and the honour of those who were the guides of their youth.
OPENING COMMENT by Robert
Vainglory tickles men’s minds so that everyone is delighted with his own inventions.
The origin of evil and temptation is in our own hearts. Stop the beginnings of sin, or all the evils that follow must be wholly charged upon us. God has no pleasure in the death of men, as he has no hand in their sin, but both sin and misery are owing to themselves.
As the sun is the same in nature and influences, though the earth and clouds, often coming between, make it seem to us to vary, so God is unchangeable, and our changes and shadows are not from any changes or alterations in him. What the sun is in nature, God is in grace, providence, and glory; and infinitely more.
As every good gift is from God, so particularly our being born again, and all its holy, happy consequences come from him. A true Believer becomes as different a person from what he was before the renewing influences of Divine grace as if he were formed over again. We should devote all our faculties to God’s service, that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
CLOSING COMMENTS by Robert
I must inject the following information as clarification of what the mother is relating as the woman our Father chose to shape and mould her child in the womb. It relates what her responsibilities over the years as a partner in the continued work with the Father of her child’s continued shaping and moulding were.
Those that have grown up to maturity should often call to mind, and make mention of, the good instructions they received when they were children, for their own admonition, the edification of others, and the honour of those who were the guides of their youth.
We must remember that mothers in their hearts see their children as the potential kings and queens of the world. Now, in this mother’s (this queen mother’s) catechism, observe,
- 1. Her expostulation with the young prince, by which she lays hold of him, claims an interest in him, and awakens his attention to what she is about to say (Proverbs 31:2): “What! my son?
What shall I say to thee?” She speaks as one considering what advice to give him and choosing out words to reason with him so full of concern that she is for his welfare! Or what is it that thou do? It seems to be a chiding question.
When he was young, she observed that he was too much inclined to women and wine, and therefore she found it necessary to take him to the task and deal roundly with him. “What! my son? Is this the course of life thou intend to lead? Have I taught thee no better than this?
2 “Thou art devoted to my God thou art the son of my vows, the son I prayed to God to give me and promised to give back to God, and did so” (thus Samuel was the son of Hannah’s vows) “Thou art the son I have often prayed to God to give his grace to (Psalms 72:1), and shall a child of so many prayers miscarry? And shall all my hopes concerning thee be disappointed?”
Our children that by baptism are dedicated to God, for whom and in whose name we covenanted with God, may well be called the children of our vows and, as this may be made a good plea with God in our prayers for them, so it may be made a good plea with them in the instructions we give them we may tell them they are baptized, are the children of our vows. It is at their peril if they break those bonds in sunder which in their infancy they were solemnly brought under.
The caution she gives him against those two destroying sins of uncleanness and drunkenness, which would certainly be his ruin if he allowed himself in them.
Here, as a Watchman, I am bringing forward the comparison of what the Lord is warning those of the flock. His warning to the flock as His children is to heed the desire of the mother for her child to hear her chastisement and echo’s the mother’s plea, “What! my son? Is this the course of life thou intend to lead? Have I taught thee no better than this?
A true Believer becomes as different a person from what he was before the renewing influences of Divine grace as if he were formed over again. We should devote all our faculties to God’s service, that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
“SOUNDING OF THE TRUMPET”
Yeshua brought the following information forward, five years ago, for all to hear, to know and search their position in their walk. “You go on in your annual feasts and rituals year after year, piling the abominations higher and higher. Do you think your external performance of Religious services will serve as an exception from the Judgements of God? You can continue paying lip service to God and not reforming or humbling your hearts, do not think you can pacify an offended God or turn away His wrath.“
Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me I am weary of bearing them 15, And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. (Isaiah 1:14-15) (Isaiah 1:14-15) hateth: they are a trouble unto me I am weary of bearing them 15, And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. (Isaiah 1:14-15) (Isaiah 1:14-15)
Here is the important part we heard from the mother in her plea to the son, accept my chastisement without question recognize what I have taught you in your youth hold fast to that. Our Lord uses her plea as His and, in the following scripture, opens the door for all to come to Him for forgiveness.
Chaldee begins this exhortation), “make conscience of second-table duties, else expect not to be accepted in the acts of your devotion” As justice and charity will never atone for atheism and profaneness, so prayers and sacrifices will never atone for fraud and oppression for righteousness towards men is as much a branch of pure religion as religion towards God is a branch of universal righteousness.
Though God had rejected their services as insufficient to atone for their sins while they persisted in them, yet he does not reject them as in a hopeless condition, but here calls upon them to forsake their sins, which hindered the acceptance of their services, and then all would be well.
Let them not say that God picked quarrels with them; no, he proposes a reconciliation method. Observe here:
- A call to repentance and reformation: “If you would have your sacrifices accepted, and your prayers answered, you must begin your work at the right end: Be converted to my law” (so the Chaldee begins this exhortation), “make conscience of second-table duties, else expect not to be accepted in the acts of your devotion”
As justice and charity will never atone for atheism and profaneness, so prayers and sacrifices will never atone for fraud and oppression for righteousness towards men is as much a branch of pure religion as religion towards God is a branch of universal righteousness.
They must cease to do evil, must do no more wrong, shed no more innocent blood. This is the meaning of washing themselves and making themselves clean, Isaiah 1:16. It is not only sorrowing for the sin they had committed but breaking off the practice of it for the future, and mortifying all those vicious affections and dispositions which inclined them to it.
Sin is defiling to the soul. Our business is to wash from it by repenting of it and turning from it to God.
We must put away not only that evil of our doings which is before the eye of the world, by refraining from the gross acts of sin, but that which is before God’s eyes, the roots and habits of sin, that are in our hearts, these, must be crushed and mortified.
We must find those Luxurious sins we deny exist in our hearts but are justified and rationalized in our minds that God knows exists.
The words of the mother speaking about the son Her expostulation with the young prince, by which she lays hold of him, claims an interest in him, and awakens his attention to what she is about to say (Proverbs 31:2): “What! my son?
What shall I say to thee?” She speaks as one considering what advice to give him and choosing out words to reason with him so full of concern that she is for his welfare! Or what is it that thou do? It seems to be a chiding question.
When he was young, she observed that he was too much inclined to women and wine, and therefore she found it necessary to take him to the task and deal roundly with him. “What! my son? Is this the course of life thou intend to lead? Have I taught thee no better than this?
Are the echoed words of Yeshua to his flocks as the warning is placed before them as a sounding of a Watchman’s Trumpet?
Here is the position of their youthful teachings, which come into play where their mother taught them the basis of right and wrong sin or no sin as the foundation of their future walk. Here is where the following applies:
Honouring God when we are doing good in the world and acts of justice and charity are more pleasing to him than all burnt offerings and sacrifices
(1) We must be doing, not cease to do evil and then stand idle
(2) We must be doing good, the good which the Lord our God requires, and which will turn to a good account
(3) We must do it well, in the right manner and for the right end and,
(4) We must learn to do well; we must take pains to get the knowledge of our duty, be inquisitive concerning it, in care about it, and accustom ourselves to it, that we may readily turn our hands to our work and become masters of this holy art of doing well.
He urges them particularly to those instances of well-doing wherein they had been defective, to second-table duties: “Seek judgment enquire what is right, that you may do it be solicitous to be found in the way of your duty, and do not walk carelessly.
Seek opportunities of doing good: Relieve the oppressed, those whom you yourselves have oppressed ease them of their burdens, Isaiah 58:6.
You that have power in your hands use it to relieve those whom others do oppress, for that is your business. Avenge those who suffer wrong, in a special manner concerning yourself for the fatherless and the widow, whom, because they are weak and helpless, proud men trample upon. Abuse do you appear for them at the bar, on the bench, as there is occasion.
Speak for those that know not how to speak for themselves and that have not wherewithal to gratify you for your kindness” Note, we are truly honouring God when we are doing good in the world and acts of justice and charity are more pleasing to him than all empty prayers of repentance,
A demonstration, at the bar of right reason, of the equity of God’s proceedings with them: “Come now, and let us reason together (Isaiah 1:18) while your hands are full of blood I will have nothing to do with you, though you lift up a multitude of prayers if you wash, and make yourselves clean, you are welcome to draw nigh to me come now, and let us talk the matter over.”
Those who only break off their league with sin shall be welcome into covenant and communion with God he says, come now, who before forbade them his courts. See James 4:8.
Come,” says God, “let us debate the matter fairly, and I doubt not but to make it out that my ways are equal, but yours are unequal,” Ezekiel 18:25.
Note, Religion has reason on its side; there is all the reason in the world why we should do as God would have us do. The God of heaven condescends to reason the case with those that contradict him and find fault with his proceedings, for he will be justified when he speaks, Psalms 51:4.
The case needs only to be stated (as it is here very fairly), and it will determine itself. God shows here upon what terms they stood (as he does, Ezekiel 18:21-24,33:18,19) and then leaves it to them to judge whether these terms are not fair and reasonable.
HERE ENDS THE SOUNDING OF THE WATCHMAN’S TRUMPET.
CLOSING PRAYER by Robert
As we journey forward, Heavenly Father, we look for your guidance and comforting. We thank you, Lord, for each moment you dedicate to our lives, families, and homes. As we hear from the Holy Spirit, we know your voice is being listened to through him and all those infirmities which may plague us will be healed and a hedge of protection built around our lives. We thank you, Father, for all your mercies and abundant dealings you perform on our behalf. Thank you, Lord, for being our Shepherd and bringing us to bountiful pastures and protecting us from ravening wolves. This we pray in your name Yeshua. Amen and Amen.
Remember, these articles are from a humble servant doing God’s work as a Watchman. Blessings to all. May your walks be steady blessed and lead to Yeshua waiting at the door when the time is right.
Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me.”
Robert
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