READING FOR SEPTEMBER 3, 2025: PROVERBS 25, LUKE 22, PSALM 90:12-17                                PROVERBS 25 These sayings are specifically attributed to Solomon as edited and collected by scholars working for King Hezekiah, one of the more righteous kings of Judah. Thus, not surprisingly, we see several references to kings. 

Verse 2 informs us that God’s glory is evident by what we cannot know. A good example is Jesus saying that we cannot know the exact time He will return. Certain key theological concepts present in the Bible also seem beyond our complete understanding, such as the trinity or the incarnation. Psalm 139:6 affirms this: “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high; I cannot comprehend it.” Or as one wise pastor once said, “If everything about God made complete sense to us, it wouldn’t make sense.”

On the other hand, kings such as Solomon and Hezikiah were right to seek out those truths that have been clearly revealed by God, whether in scripture or in nature (vs. 2). Another limitation to human knowledge, though, is the ability to know what is in the heart of another person, especially the leader/king of a nation (vs.3). Solomon, perhaps speaking from exper- ience, suggests that firing wicked advisors is necessary to establish a righteous reign (vs.5). He also values humility in his royal court (vs.6-7), advice foreshadowing the wisdom of our Savior: “Whenever you are invited, go and take the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are dining at the table with you.  For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:10-11).

Likewise, Verse 8-10 support Jesus’s guidance to settle disputes out of court when possible: “Come to good terms with your accuser quickly, while you are with him on the way to court, so that your accuser will not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will not be thrown into prison” (Matt. 5:25). Verses 11-15 elaborate on Paul’s essential advice about “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). Solomon uses the phrase “clouds without rain” (vs.14) to describe those who falsely boast about their abilities. Jude reuses this very same expression centuries later, just as Paul in Romans 12 quoted verses 21-22 almost verbatim: If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head.”  This writer has heard someone interpret this as being so shocking that it really gets your enemy’s attention. 

There are two proverbs that, while true, have provided readers over the centuries with a chuckle. Perhaps that was intentional on Solomon’s part, so hopefully no one is offended: 

• “Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house or he will become weary of you and hate you” (vs. 17).
• “It is better to live on a corner of the roof, than in a house shared with a contentious woman” (vs.24).

ADING FOR SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 CONTINUED: LUKE 22, PSALM 90:12-17                          

LUKE 22 In verses 1-13, we see three strands of the drama occurring simultaneously:

In verses 14-23, the focus shifts to the upper room where Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper. As opposed to His hesitation to die on the cross, Jesus says He is eager to eat this meal with His disciples. At communion each month, do we ever consider that Jesus, the creator and sustainer of the universe (Col. 1:17-18), eagerly desires to experience this meal with us? He invites us to reenact the cross with Him, to internalize it, and to never forget it. Why? Because, as we learned in Leviticus 21, God is so completely holy that He must be approached on His terms and, as we learned in Leviticus 17, it is only the shedding of unblemished blood that atones or reconciles us to Him. Communion looks back to what all the Levitical sacrifices pointed towards: the cross of Jesus, our only hope of eternal relationship with God.                 Summary thoughts about the rest of the chapter:

• When the Olympics took place in Paris and political campaigns were ongoing. People sought the top prize by defeating others. Jesus says, “That’s not for us.” Our focus should be 100% on serving others. 
• It’s interesting that an angel was dispatched to strengthen Jesus while He prayed. Never was there a prayer upon which so much depended. Yet, more might be dependent on our prayers than we know. 
• One can seem to be showing love toward Jesus, while betraying Him. It’s possible to even deceive oneself (Matt. 7:21-23). How do we love Jesus? “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 15:10).
• Jesus sealed the verdict against Himself when He said He was the Son of Man. Why did this anger the council so much? Because of Daniel 7:13-14: “And behold with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him and to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.” 

PSALM 90:12-17 What does it mean for us to number our days? We rightly assume it means to make each day count because life is not endless. How do we follow this advice? Consider Luke 16 from this past August 28. If we invest in kingdom priorities, we are using our vanishing time to maximum effect. Moses asks for God’s return, seemingly pleading for God’s blessings and presence that apparently had been withheld in some way. Today, as followers of Jesus, we don’t need to worry about losing contact with the Lord: “When you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13). Also consider this powerful promise: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).  Moses concludes by twice asking God to confirm the works of their hands. Jesus, however, confirms His ministry to us: John the Baptist, the Bible, His miracles, and the Father (John 5:33-47).