February 21 ▪ Day 52

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 11:22
Isaiah 53–54
Mark 13
Psalms 52

Verse Focus (Proverbs 11:22)

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout
     is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.

Meditation

I was first introduced to Proverbs 11:22 when I was in high school. It was one of four proverbs that the young women of our youth group were given to study and discuss. I don’t remember what the other three proverbs were, but this one definitely stuck in my mind and heart. “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.” The image this conjures up is horrifying. I can just picture that fat, ugly, stinky, smelly hog with a pierced nose sporting a polished gold ring. Absurdity! Then I see a beautiful woman with that hog image superimposed over on top of it. (Almost like a secret decoder ring!)

If nothing else, this proverb tells us that beauty is merely an ornament. It can embellish one who has a wise character, but cannot cover up what lies inside. And if that character is one lacking in sense, the beauty only serves to accent how wasted the gift of physical beauty is for that particular person.

The woman lacking discretion is compared to a pig. No one wants to be thought of as an animal, least of all a pig that eats anything and rolls in muck. This would have been worse for the Jews, of course, because a pig was an unclean animal. So you can add moral repugnance to the whole image of a filthy beast.

The key here is that it’s the woman’s behavior that makes her like a pig. So even if we might start out like a pig, we have it within our power to change. By seeking wisdom — seeking righteousness — we develop the kind of character that makes us truly human, made in the image of God.

Father God, may our true character not look like that pig with a gold ring in its snout. We want to be people of good sense, having wise judgment, and true discretion. Help us to seek you and to develop in godly character. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Isaiah 53 continues the Suffering Servant song started yesterday at the tail end of Isaiah 52. The complete “song” is from Isaiah 52:13 through the end of chapter 53. Remember that this is a Messianic prophecy, so everything we read in this chapter applies to Jesus Christ. Many of the verses will be familiar to you since they are quoted in the New Testament and are often read in church.

In verse 2, the Scripture says that there was “nothing in his appearance” that we should desire him. Combined with yesterday’s description of the servant as “marred,” it makes me wonder if Jesus was considered ugly or homely by the standards of the society he grew up in. There is nothing in the New Testament that tells us specifically what Jesus looked like — and this is, of course, a good thing as it allows all people of every nation and ethnicity to identify with Christ. But I think of the young children and young adults who have been told that they are unattractive and I think that Jesus probably identifies with that social rejection. He understands pain.

Verse 4 tells us that “we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.” And this is certainly what the world thinks of Jesus’ story. They see him as a wise and kind teacher, a revolutionary leader, who was persecuted by the authorities and then crucified — cut down as his life was barely beginning. To die such a terrible death makes us believe that he was cursed by God. And so he was, in a manner of speaking. But not cursed because he deserved such a life and death, but cursed so that we could be cured through his suffering: “by his bruises we are healed (v. 5).”

Verse 7 tells us twice that “he did not open his mouth.” As you know, when something is repeated, it is something that we should pay attention to. In other words, it matters. In one respect, we understand that Jesus was silent during his arrest and trial. He did not try to defend himself against the various accusations. But I also see this as more than just refraining from justifying himself. I also understand this to mean that Jesus did not complain. Ever. This is pretty remarkable!

One of my character flaws is that I’m a complainer. I whine and complain all the time. I remember a friend laughing at me once because I was “such a complainer!” Whether it was the cold, or that I was tired, or if the food wasn’t as well prepared as the last time I ate that dish — in other words, I complained pretty much constantly. Without even being aware of it, too! (I hope that I’m a bit better now than I was 30 years ago, but I still have to guard against this behavior. 🙂 ) This is why I find it so amazing that Jesus did not complain. Not only did he never sin in this way, but Jesus must have had such a sense of gratitude. He was the kind of person that’s a joy to be around. It would have been wonderful to be near him when he walked on this earth. (I’m very grateful that one day we will be able to see Christ in the flesh.)

Verse 8 tells us “by a perversion of justice he was taken away” and to me this is such a perfect description of the events that caused Jesus’ arrest and execution. But the Scripture is very clear that despite being “cut off from the land of the living,” the Suffering Servant will “make many righteous.” Verse 12 is the perfect conclusion to the song: “Yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Isaiah 54 directs the barren one to sing, “For the children of the desolate woman will be more than the children of her that is married, says the LORD.” As a single woman, this chapter is always a bit bittersweet. I’m sure there have been many barren women through the ages that God comforted through this passage; however, we also know that the women described here are symbolic. In Galatians 4, Paul interprets the children of the barren woman to be the church of Christ.

As I was reading this chapter today, I started thinking about one phrase in verse 7. “For a brief moment I abandoned you,” says God, “but with great compassion I will gather you.” I started wondering what a “brief moment” is to God. To us, God’s brief moments seem anything but brief! Verse 8 also talks about a “moment.” God plans things on a scale vaster than I can comprehend. But more important than the moment is the promise of everlasting love and compassion.

Verse 9 really stood out to me today. “This is like the days of Noah to me: Just as I swore that the waters of Noah would never again go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you and will not rebuke you.” God promises no more “moments” of anger and wrath! Here is the new covenant in a nutshell. Just as the LORD swore to Noah that He would never again wipe out the earth by water, so He now swears to us the covenant of peace.

After this declaration of the new covenant, I suppose it’s fitting that we should happen to be reading Mark chapter 13 today. Here the gospel gives us Jesus’ teaching on the end times. First, Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple. He describes some of the persecution believers will undergo. In the end times, there will be false prophets, but we are to stay alert. And then the Son of Man will return in great power and glory.

Verse 18 stood out to me today. “Pray that it may not be in winter.” There are so few things that Jesus instructs us to pray about! Pray that God will raise up workers for the harvest, pray that it may not be in winter.

End-time prophecy is a difficult subject. There are different interpretations about how the things written about in Scripture will play out. There are also, as I believe, many smaller fulfillments of prophecy — part of how God’s Word is alive and active. So I don’t know exactly what Jesus is talking about in this passage where he tells us to pray that it won’t happen in winter. One Bible teacher I studied with believes that most of this entire passage refers specifically to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple that happened in 70 A.D. That was the incident that believers were to pray for so that it would not happen in winter.

The instructions not to go back for your coat make a lot of sense if you think of it as the fall of Jerusalem — fleeing immediately was the appropriate response. But I am convinced that there will also be a future time when these instructions are relevant for the threat believers will face in the time before Jesus returns. So I think we are still to pray that “it” will not happen in winter. (Having just experienced a recent winter blast in Seattle, the bitter winds remind me of why this is so important!)

At least we have the confidence that, even in catastrophe, the LORD will “cut short” those days (v. 20).

In verse 28, Jesus tells us to learn a lesson from the fig tree. “As its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.” This reminded me of the fig tree that Jesus cursed and was withered — we read about it only two days ago. And it occurs to me now that maybe it wasn’t that Jesus was ignorant about the cycle for when figs would be ripe. He may have known that it was not the right season for figs. But even if he did know, he still went to see if any figs were there. Perhaps Jesus was an optimist — he expected little miracles everywhere he went. For all we know, God the Father could have placed many tiny miracles along his path to encourage Jesus during his years of ministry. And maybe that’s why Jesus went to find figs.

As the leaves of the fig tree teach us that summer is near, so the signs that Jesus has described teach us that end times are near. “Only the Father” knows when Jesus will return (v. 32). This is a good reminder to me that the persons of the Trinity are quite distinct — they have different roles and, to some degree, different powers. However, Jesus is like his Father in that his words are also eternal: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (v. 31).”

As the chapter closes, Jesus’ final words are specifically for us today as believers: “And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

Psalm 52 is another one that was written by David based on specific events that happened in his life. The inscription tells us that this psalm refers to “when Doeg the Edomite came to Saul and said to him, ‛David has come to the house of Ahimelech.’ ” The incident referred to is written about in 1 Samuel, chapters 21 and 22.

David is on the run from King Saul, who has become paranoid and distrustful of David even though David was always loyal to him. So David goes to a priest named Ahimelech in the town of Nob, and he gets a little help and some supplies from him. (Don’t confuse “Ahimelech” the priest with “Abimelek” or “Abimelech,” the Philistine king). While he is there, he sees Doeg the Edomite, who is a servant of King Saul — his chief herdsman. Right after he leaves the priest Ahimelech is when David goes to the Philistine king of Gath, King Achish, and when he has to pretend to be insane (that’s when David wrote Psalm 34).

In 1 Samuel 22, we learn about what happens when Doeg tells King Saul that he saw David with Ahimelech. Saul becomes enraged, accusing Ahimelech of wrongdoing. Saul commands his guards to kill the priest Ahimelech, but they refuse. So then Saul orders Doeg the Edomite to kill the priest, and he does so. Not only does Doeg kill Ahimelech, but he goes to Nob and kills 84 other priests, and also massacres an uncounted number of men, women, children, infants, and animals.

Although the psalm’s inscription does not refer to the massacre, this was clearly how David learned that Doeg had told Saul that he had seen David in Nob. This then, is the background for the psalm. Although David has Doeg in mind, this psalm could describe any wicked person and the divine judgment that will come for him. David describes Doeg as a “worker of treachery” and says that he loves “evil more than good.”

Verse 4 is particularly poignant. “You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.” This is condemnation of not just Doeg, but of all sinful people who cause harm by their words. Sadly, our society often celebrates people for words that cut down and diminish other people.

We learn again in this psalm that the wicked seek refuge in wealth; however, this will not save them. Verse 5 promises that God will “uproot” the wicked “from the land of the living.”

The gardening metaphor is continued in verse 8 as David says, “But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.” I always thought of the “green” as referring to the vital nature of the olive tree, but I learned today that olives trees and plants are actually evergreens. So they never lose their leaves, they don’t go through a miniature “death” and “resurrection” with each season — they are always green and healthy. This is the picture of all who trust in God: they are firmly planted, well-watered, and constantly green, avoiding the cycle of ups and downs that other plants go through.

Father God, thank you that when we trust in you we become firmly established. Thank you that you are able to make us always “green.”

Father, there are many terrible people in the world and many terrible things that happen. The story of Doeg the Edomite echoes the kind of devastation that will happen in end times. We pray to be alert to the signs of the times, that calamity will not come in winter, and that you may make us steadfast and faithful in Christ Jesus. We pray for you to raise up workers for the harvest, and we pray for the time when all the wicked will be no more. In Jesus’ name, Amen.