ch 6
Overview (NET) The chapter advises release from foolish indebtedness (1–5), admonishes avoiding laziness (6–11), warns of the danger of poverty (9–11) and deviousness (12–15), lists conduct that the LORD hates (16–19), and warns about immorality (20–35).
Ob and In:
v.1-5
If you have made a pledge...if you have become a guarantor...if you have been ensnared and have been caught
Then...do this in order to deliver yourself...Go, humble yourself and appeal firmly....permit no sleep...deliver yourself like a gazelle from a snare...from the trap...
Summary and reflection: Proverbs teaches a situational wisdom (if...then) and we need to know when to do this and when to do that. The difficult parts are (1) humble yourself even you had a good intention, but turn out to be a snare to you; (2) do it at once with no delay. Do it later will not be an alternative.
Will I admit that I have wrong and get things settle right the way if I have good intention to help out?
On the other hand, we can accumulate our wisdom by listening and going through these wisdom even if I do not face that now.
Will I learn even though I do not face the same situation and then apply it later when it comes to me?
v.6-10
The author no longer addressed the reader as "my son" but "you sluggard."
The tone also changed. Instead of asking his son to listen to him, the author gave the reader a command, "Go to the ant...observe...and be wise." And as an anticipation for a delay of response, the author asked, "How long... will be lie there? When will you... A little sleep...a little...a little..."
If the comparison of the self-motivated ant was to encourage the sluggard the cold reality of poverty will come like a robber and armed man was to warning to him.
Summary and reflection: Not everyone is easily being molded. Sluggard are hard to deal with. They might not say "no" to you directly, but they delayed their response. Use encouragement and warning to them.
Am I like a sluggard in God's eye? Hard to mold and needed to be warned?
v.11-19
The worthless wicked person will face disaster and be broken because he did the things that the LORD hates v.15-16. He has the lying tongue v.12,17, the heart that devises wicked plans v.14a,18a, and spreads discord among family members v.14b, 19.
(NET) These seven things the LORD hates. To discover what the LORD desires, one need only list the opposites: humility, truthful speech, preservation of life, pure thoughts, eagerness to do good, honest witnesses, and peaceful harmony. In the NT the Beatitudes present the positive opposites (Matt 5). It has seven blessed things to match these seven hated things; moreover, the first contrasts with the first here (“poor in spirit” of 5:5 with “haughty eyes”), and the seventh (“peacemakers” of 5:7) contrasts with the seventh here (“sows dissension”).
Summary: Be careful if we are hated by God. The disaster will come without any sign (come suddenly).
The top of the list is the haughty eyes. Do I have that?
The last of the list is the person who spreads discord among family members? Do I speak things that unit the church or otherwise?
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