7.24.23
Hey, Calvary Fremont –
You can predict the future. That’s what Solomon says. You can be a prophet of sorts – think of it this way. If a man takes a hammer and smashes his thumb – what do you predict will happen? That’s right – pain. See, you’re a prophet! If I eat some chocolate chip cookie dough – what do you predict will happen? That’s right – a burst of flavor and a bigger belly! You’re batting 1000%. Solomon exercised prophetic moral wisdom in the book of Proverbs –
FOR AT THE WINDOW OF MY HOUSE I LOOKED OUT THROUGH MY LATTICE, AND I SAW AMONG THE NAIVE, AND DISCERNED AMONG THE YOUTHS A YOUNG MAN LACKING SENSE, PASSING THROUGH THE STREET NEAR HER CORNER; AND HE TAKES THE WAY TO HER HOUSE, IN THE TWILIGHT, IN THE EVENING, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND IN THE DARKNESS. Proverbs 7:6-9
Here, Solomon describes a young man who does not exercise the wisdom of moral prediction making his way to the house of a prostitute under cover of darkness. He goes into further detail about the setup of their hookup and then predicts what will happen –
SUDDENLY HE FOLLOWS HER AS AN OX GOES TO THE SLAUGHTER, OR AS ONE IN FETTERS TO THE DISCIPLINE OF A FOOL, UNTIL AN ARROW PIERCES THROUGH HIS LIVER; AS A BIRD HASTENS TO THE SNARE, SO HE DOES NOT KNOW THAT IT WILL COST HIM HIS LIFE…HER HOUSE IS THE WAY TO SHEOL, DESCENDING TO THE CHAMBERS OF DEATH. Proverbs 7:22-23, 27
Solomon looks at this and by means of moral wisdom predicts the psychological & spiritual damage. Solomon looks at another situation and predicts the future based upon moral wisdom.
I PASSED BY THE FIELD OF THE SLUGGARD AND BY THE VINEYARD OF THE MAN LACKING SENSE, AND BEHOLD, IT WAS COMPLETELY OVERGROWN WITH THISTLES; ITS SURFACE WAS COVERED WITH NETTLES, AND ITS STONE WALL WAS BROKEN DOWN. WHEN I SAW, I REFLECTED UPON IT; I LOOKED, AND RECEIVED INSTRUCTION. “A LITTLE SLEEP, A LITTLE SLUMBER, A LITTLE FOLDING OF THE HANDS TO REST,” THEN YOUR POVERTY WILL COME AS A ROBBER AND YOUR WANT LIKE AN ARMED MAN. Proverbs 24:30-34
If you’re lazy, you’re going to be poor. If you’re irresponsible, life will swallow you whole. By wisdom, you can know the future! Through the wisdom of God, Solomon makes moral predictions about money, sex, power, sloth, relationships, and pride, etc. Proverbs is chock full of moral causes and effects. Solomon’s wisdom is that there are inescapable moral consequences – one thing leads to another. Yet our culture seeks to escape the inescapable.
Cultural amoral logic says that one thing doesn’t have to lead to another. Culture has severed what God has joined together. Moral logic says: if you do A, you’ll get B. Amoral logic says: if you do A, you won’t get B. And if you do get B, we have ways of dealing with it. Bible moral logic says that if you have sex outside of marriage there may be an unwanted pregnancy to deal with, disease to treat, unintended emotional attachments, marital pain, and other negative consequences. Cultural amoral logic says to not worry about pregnancy or disease or unintended emotional attachments or stigma or shame. “Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. You’re good.”
Solomon says that there is moral cause and effect – you can predict the future. This is wisdom. Cultural amoral wisdom seeks to decouple cause and effect. You can make irresponsible decisions and not have to deal with the destructive consequences. This is how fools think. When enough fools think this way, the result is readily seen – divorce, disease, depression, debt, abortion, gender confusion, rejection of truth, corruption, moral rationalization, sexual perversion, sexual insanity, objectified women, a fatherless generation, and eternal adolescence.
What does prophetic moral wisdom foresee? That if America does not turn from the wisdom of fools, she will join the ash heap of fallen civilizations. God will come and sweep us away. America has a spiritual problem, and a spiritual problem does not have a political solution. America is sick and Jesus is the Great Physician. America is lost and Jesus is the Savior. America is blind and Jesus is the Sight-Giver. America is dead in sins and trespasses and Jesus is the Life-Giver. Come, Lord Jesus. Here’s what I predict when Jesus comes in power – spiritual transformation, moral reformation, and national renewal. Come, Lord Jesus.
Be blessed and stay healthy and follow Jesus – Pastor Tim
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