February 27 ▪ Day 58

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 12:4
Isaiah 65–66
I Corinthians 6–7
Psalms 58

Verse Focus (Proverbs 12:4)

A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown,
     but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

Meditation

Greetings, everyone! For those of you who are reading these meditations in 2021, happy weekend!

Our verse focus today makes me a little bit uncomfortable. Not because it doesn’t express truth, but because I find myself resisting that ancient, patriarchal society. Where are the proverbs about the good husband, I wonder? Why doesn’t Solomon ever look at a deceitful and wicked husband and talk about how he murders his wife? Why is it always about a wife who makes her husband ill? (Sigh.) Usually, I can accept the foibles of Biblical authors and characters with more compassion and understanding. Occasionally, I’ll get a little antsy about the male chauvinism that is sometimes seen in Scripture. (And I know that I’m inconsistent since I’ve already told you several times that I don’t care about translations using inclusive language.)

Anyway, Proverbs 12:4 says, “A good wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.” Despite the setting of a marital relationship for this proverb, I believe we are being given truth that affects most relationships. Nobility is a crowning grace to others in your family. And disgraceful behavior will feel like “rottenness” to the other parties in a relationship, whether those parties be parents, spouses, or children. Perhaps you can recall a time when you either brought shame or experienced shame because of something someone else in your family did. There’s a kind of helpless fury about experiencing that shame because you can’t do anything to change how others now perceive you — after all, it wasn’t your own disgrace that brought the condemnation.

But the Scripture says that it’s more serious than just how the other parties feel about the disgrace. It actually harms their health. It’s like a cancer.

Truthfully, I’m not sure if there’s a reason why women might need this warning more than men. Or even if there are reasons why marital relationships might be more susceptible to these kinds of problems than other types of relationships. All I can say is that this gives truth for me, personally. And that’s enough. I need to take this to heart. I need to understand that my behavior could negatively affect another person’s health, or, on the other hand, my behavior might actually increase another person’s stature in the eyes of the world. They are wildly different outcomes, but I know which one I’d pick in a heartbeat. I want to make things better, not worse. Always.

Father God, I know it’s not really my place to criticize Solomon. Your Word is perfect. I’m so grateful for the truths in Scripture and there is so much wisdom in the proverbs that Solomon wrote and collected. My frustration isn’t at what Solomon wrote so much as what he didn’t write. Thank you for today’s verse. Forgive me my flaws, and please help me to behave in a manner that brings credit to you and to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sadly, we finish up the book of Isaiah today. Didn’t I tell you that you would love this book? Poetry and prophecy — wow! This book holds such a special place in my heart; I’m kind of sad to only read it once this year. Fortunately, we do have some pretty great books still ahead of us!

Isaiah 65 opens with a poignant remark as God says that people who were not looking for Him, found Him, all the while God desperately tried to make Himself available to a nation that would not call upon Him. God’s people continue to provoke Him with their infidelity, iniquity, and self-righteousness. He declares that He will save a remnant, but those who do evil will be destined for the sword.

The chapter continues with a look at future redemption for God’s servants. “For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth,” God says in verse 17. And what a paradise it will be! No infant deaths. No lives cut short. No weeping and no crying. Best of all, verse 24 says, “Before they call I will answer.”

Isaiah 66 continues the vision of the future heavens and the earth, but now it focuses on what “religion” will look like in this paradise. God created the heavens and the earth, so what kind of temple will He need? He declares that He will show favor to “the humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at my word (v. 2).”

Verse 3 is especially shocking. God says:

Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who kills a human being; whoever sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck; whoever presents a grain offering, like one who offers swine’s blood; whoever makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.

Even those these types of sacrifices were part of God’s law for the Israelites, they have been superseded in this new heavens and earth. Such sacrifices are detestable in the new universe that God is creating.

Those that choose their own ways will receive harsh treatment from God. But the prophet calls us to rejoice at both the coming judgment and redemption. And there will be judgment of fire. Many will be slain. But then God will gather the nations. Survivors will go out to all the nations so that the whole world might know God’s glory. God’s people will come from all nations to the holy mountain in Jerusalem. God will even make priests and Levites out of some of the people from these other nations.

As Isaiah 66 nears the end, the prophet promises an everlasting heritage. As the new heavens and earth will remain before God, so too will the renown and the descendants of the people remain. Verse 23 proclaims, “All flesh shall come to worship before me, says the LORD.”

If the chapter ended at verse 23, I would have been very content. But it actually concludes with verse 24, which is a little more disturbing. We have a warning about an everlasting torment that is reserved for the rebellious: “for their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” Although I’m much happier to forget about the prospect of judgment, this is typical of Isaiah to give us a glimpse of a glorious future, but then to also remind us that God will punish evildoers.

1 Corinthians 6 continues with Paul’s views on judgment as he discusses the problem of lawsuits among believers. In verse 2, Paul startles us by asking, “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?” He amazes us further by telling us that the saints will also judge the angels (v. 3). Fortunately for the saints, it is not yet the time for such judgment!

Part of the reason Paul tells us this is to shame the believers for taking their conflicts to be settled by those who do not believe. Surely there are people wise enough in the church to be able to help resolve conflicts and disputes! Paul’s comment in verse 7 is most convicting: the very fact that the Corinthian church is having lawsuits at all is evidence that they have already been defeated by Satan. “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?” he asks. We hear the echoes of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Paul’s questions.

Paul continues to speak about glorifying God with our actions and our physical bodies. He urges us to weigh what is beneficial against the freedom we have in Christ. He goes on to speak about how we are literally joined to Christ in our bodies, and for this reason we should avoid sexual sin. All other types of sin happen “outside” the body, but sexual immorality is a sin against the body itself. By saying “the body” I think Paul means both our individual bodies, but also the the church, Christ’s body. He ends the chapter by teaching believers that our bodies are the temple for the Holy Spirit, reminding us that we were purchased “with a price” — the costly death of Jesus. “Therefore, glorify God in your body,” Paul concludes.

Speaking about sexual purity in chapter 6 naturally leads to the discussion of marriage in 1 Corinthians 7. Because married people will face “many troubles in this life,” Paul counsels believers to remain single if they are able to do so. He tells us that “time is short” (v. 29), and urges a kind of dispassionate living in light of the world to come. Regardless of marital state, Paul’s warning to avoid becoming engrossed in the things of the world and his advice to regard possessions as if they are not ours to keep is relevant for all of us.

As I read chapter 7 today, I was struck by the Paul’s remarks in verse 17: “Let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you.” He goes on to speak about various circumstances that the Corinthians might find themselves in — some might be circumcised, some might not be. Some might be slaves, some not. Some might be single, some married. He gives practical advice about each of these situations, capping it all with the remark that “obeying the commandments of God is everything (v. 19).”

However, it’s the whole idea of being called by God through your circumstances that I want to explore. Paul has a deeper view of God’s sovereignty than I have. Perhaps I’m too infected by our culture, but I often view my placement in society as random. The luck of the draw, so to speak. Such a fatalistic view of my life and circumstances betrays my faith in God. And I do believe that God designed my family and my gifts and all the details of my life. That is, I believe that when I think about it consciously.

Unconsciously, I don’t always realize the ramifications of that design. So “lead the life that the Lord has assigned” is a call to action for me. To see that there is real purpose in my being where I am. Not just purpose in my gifts, but in all things about my circumstances.

Psalm 58 is a cry against injustice and a prayer for vengeance. The inscription above the psalm is curious, however: “Do Not Destroy.” Most scholars assume that this refers to the name of a tune. NIV even adds the words “to the tune of” in front of the words that are translated as “Do Not Destroy.” This particular phrase or tune is connected with four different psalms: yesterday’s glorious Psalm 57, today’s psalm, tomorrow’s psalm, and Psalm 75.

While most believe the theory that these words refer to a tune, some think that the inscription may be a reference to one of the Scripture verses that say, “Do not destroy.” This apparently happens three times in Scripture. In Deuteronomy 9:26, Moses reveals how he prayed to God not to destroy the Israelites after they had made the idol of the Golden Calf. In 1 Samuel 26:9, David instructs one of his lieutenants not to destroy King Saul, even though he had serendipitously fallen into their hands. Finally, in Isaiah 65:8, which we read today, the LORD talks about a proverb that epitomizes how He will save a remnant of the people:

This is what the LORD says: “As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and people say, ‘Don’t destroy it, there is still a blessing in it,’ so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all.”

This last possibility is intriguing, especially when you consider today’s psalm is a psalm about destruction and vengeance. Although I don’t know if a reference to saving a remnant from destruction fits quite so well with Psalm 57!

Psalm 58:1 can be a little confusing since some translations address the question to “you gods.” However, it can also be translated as “mighty lords,” so the NIV simply says “rulers.”

Verse 3 says, “The wicked go astray from the womb; they err from their birth, speaking lies.” Although in this particular psalm, the “wicked” are the enemies of the psalmist, this verse speaks truth about all people. We have heard of humankind’s depravity before. Original sin, anyone?

The images in this psalm are particularly vivid. Verse 8 speaks of the “snail that dissolves into slime” and I suddenly remember what happens when you put salt on a slug. Verse 10 exults, “The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance done; they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.” When I read this psalm, I had to laugh. I thought, “Men!” It’s true that I’m not a soldier… but I can’t imagine women thinking it would be great to bathe your feet in the blood of your enemies!

Still, despite all the calls for vengeance, it’s worth noting that David does not seek to bring about this vengeance himself. No, vengeance is God’s province. And when God does bring about victory for the righteous, the people will rejoice in the justice that He dispenses.

Father God, today’s psalm is one that is more alien to me. Rarely do I see enemies that cause me such distress. But I’m grateful that you are a just and righteous God. I’m also grateful that you do preserve a remnant. Thank you for your promise of the new heavens and the new earth. Thank you that you save us through Christ Jesus.

Father, to think that we might someday judge the wicked and judge angels is a pretty sobering thought. May we gain wisdom as we deal with conflicts in this world, and may we choose Jesus’ path of self-denial. Paul asks, Why not rather be wronged? We don’t want to be wronged at all. But when we are, help us to be able to forgive that wrong and respond in love.

Help me to lead the life you have assigned to me. May I bring glory to you. May I honor you with my body, soul, and spirit, through the power of the Holy Spirit and Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.