April 20 ▪ Day 110

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 15:32
Jeremiah 49–50
Acts 7
Psalms 110

Verse Focus (Proverbs 15:32)

Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,
     but the one who heeds correction gains understanding.

Meditation

Our verse focus today, Proverbs 15:32, says, in the NRSV, “Those who ignore instruction despise themselves, but those who heed admonition gain understanding.” We have studied proverbs similar to this one before, so we are familiar with the principle that those who pay attention to rebuke or correction or discipline will gain wisdom, be honored, and show the way to life (Proverbs 6:23; Proverbs 10:17; Proverbs 13:18). What’s fascinating about this particular proverb is what it tells us about those who ignore instruction. Other proverbs have said that these people are stupid (12:1), they will lead others astray (10:17), they will come to poverty and shame (13:18), and they will die (15:10). But this proverb tells us that those who disregard discipline “despise themselves.”

Let’s think about that for a moment. They despise themselves. This can be interpreted either that their actions show contempt for themselves, or that, because they feel that contempt, they don’t think themselves worth the effort of undergoing discipline. Or both. If you think of this proverb within the context of physical fitness, you can easily understand the dynamics of someone who overeats or who fails to exercise because they’re ashamed of their body and they hate the way they look. Those who have a healthier body image are better able to control their diet and ensure that they stay active.

But, of course, this proverb refers to so much more than just physical exercise.

The insight that those who disregard instruction despise themselves is useful. It can give you more patience with someone who ignores correction. When I encounter someone who disregards discipline, I’m apt to think of them as simply pigheaded. I don’t look deeper to see if there is an underlying hurt that is triggering this behavior.

Today’s proverb can also help you know how to pray for someone who struggles in this way. Or even to pray for yourself. If self-hatred is the cause of this behavior, then praying for the root causes will surely be more effective than praying for the symptoms.

Father God, thank you for this new look at what may be the cause of obstinate behavior. Help us to have understanding and patience with ourselves and with others who ignore instruction and discipline; may we all come to a deep appreciation of how much you love us. May your Holy Spirit root out any lurking self-hatred by the power of Christ Jesus. Amen.

Jeremiah 49 records a number of prophecies against other kingdoms and city states. We do not know when Jeremiah received most of these prophecies, although the prophecy for Elam dates to the beginning of Zedekiah’s reign in 597 BC. All of these prophecies have a major fulfillment in the various invasions of the Babylonian Empire. The Ammonites were conquered about five years after the fall of Jerusalem according to the ancient historian Josephus. Oddly, the prophecy for Kedar and Hazor seems like it may have been received after the fact since verse 28 refers to the kingdoms “that King Nebuchadnezar of Babylon defeated.” The verb tense here is translated as past tense in many English translations, but as future tense in some of the others — so it is somewhat ambiguous.

One thing that I found interesting is that in many instances, God promises that He will restore the fortunes of a particular country. But not always. He promised this in earlier chapters for Egypt and Moab; today we have the promise for Ammon and Elam (but not for Edom, Damascus, or Kedar and Hazar). Moab and Ammon are both nations descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot. Elam was located in what is now Iran; its capital was Susa — the city where Queen Esther lived (just a little over a hundred years after the fall of Jerusalem).

Another verse that struck me was in the prophecy against Edom. The LORD says that He has “stripped Esau bare (v. 10),” saying that he “is no more.” Yet the very next verse says, “Leave your orphans, I will keep them alive; and let your widows trust in me.” Despite terrible calamity being visited on all the nations, God will continue to protect the most vulnerable.

In Jeremiah 50, the prophecy now concerns judgment that will be coming upon Babylon. Just like the Babylonians came “out of the north” for Judah, Moab, Ammon, Egypt and other kingdoms, so Babylon’s enemies will also come “out of the north (v. 3).” The prophecy could have been given at any point in Jeremiah’s career, but many scholars date it to about the same time that Jerusalem fell — 586 BC. Babylon would fall to the Persian empire in 539 BC.

Verse 4 tells us, “In those days and in that time, says the LORD, the people of Israel shall come, they and the people of Judah together; they shall come weeping as they seek the LORD their God.” Indeed, it was 537 BC — two years after the Persians won the battle against Babylon — when the first exiles were allowed to return to Judah.

For those of you who are doing math (as I just was), you’ll know that it is only about 50 years between the fall of Jerusalem and the return of the first exiles. Since Jeremiah had prophesied that the Babylonian captivity would last for 70 years, you may wonder what exactly is going on. There are a couple of different explanations for this. First, there were a number of captives taken to Babylon 11 years before the fall of Jerusalem — this was when Jehoiakim was deposed, and then, eventually, Zedekiah was set up. However, according to the book of Daniel, there were captives taken earlier than that — in 605 BC, when Judah first came under submission to Babylon. So, if you count from 605 BC to 537 BC, you get 68 years — however, based on various different calendar systems (and how a partial year could be counted as a full year), this can be interpreted to be a 70-year interval.

An alternate theory counts the captivity as lasting from the destruction of the temple in 586 BC to its reconstruction, completed in 516 BC — 70 years.

Regardless, the prophecy in Jeremiah 50 is a significant prophecy of the return of the exiles to their homeland — at the time that Babylon itself comes under judgment from the LORD.

I was struck by verse 7, in which the enemies of God’s people claim that they are not culpable for the destruction of the Jews, saying, “We are not guilty, because they have sinned against the LORD, the true pasture, the LORD, the hope of their ancestors.” While the Babylonians may justify their actions in this way, the LORD will hold anyone who injures Israel accountable for their deeds — even if the LORD used their aggression to punish His people.

Indeed, in verse 14, the prophet talks about how Babylon has sinned against the LORD. The prophet speaks of their arrogance and how they defied the LORD. God used the Babylonians to punish the Assyrians who took Israel captive; now He will send the Medes and the Persians to punish Babylonia (v. 18).

Acts 7 records Stephen’s speech before the ruling council. He tells the history of the Israelites, beginning from the time that Abraham was called out of Mesopotamia. Abraham was given the promise that his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan “even though he had no child (v. 5).” After the more specific prophecy that his descendants would serve another country for 400 years before they would worship the LORD in the Promised Land, Abraham was given the covenant of circumcision.

Stephen’s retelling of their history is interesting since he includes some details that are not in the Biblical record — things that must have come from oral tradition (either that, or Stephen received special revelation from the Holy Spirit). He tells us in verse 19 that the Pharaoh who did not know Joseph forced the Hebrews to “abandon their infants so that they would die.” When the infant Moses was put in a basket in the river, Stephen describes this as an act of abandonment — but then, of course, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him. Stephen describes Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, saying in verse 32, “Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look.”

As Stephen comes to the culmination of his speech, he says in verse 51, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do.” With the accusation that they have killed the prophesied Messiah and failed to keep the law, the members of the Sanhedrin become enraged. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazes into heaven and cries out that he sees “the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (v. 56)!”

This is the final straw for the Sanhedrin, and they rush against Stephen. Dragging him outside, they stone him. Verse 57 struck me, because it tells us that the council members “covered their ears.” Their inability to hear truth in Stephen’s words was due to a deliberate choice not to listen.

The young man named Saul who stands near the cloaks of those who stone Stephen in verse 58 is, of course, our first introduction to Paul, the missionary who would later become so influential in bringing the gospel to the Gentiles.

I was also struck — for perhaps the first time — in seeing the parallels between Stephen’s death and Christ’s death on the cross. Both pray for God to receive their spirits. And both also make a special point to pray that God will forgive those who are killing them.

Psalm 110 is an important Messianic psalm. David says in verse 1, “The LORD says to my lord, ‛Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.’ ” This was the Psalm that Jesus quoted in Luke 20 when he asked how the Messiah could be David’s son. If the Messiah is a descendant, Jesus asked, then why is David calling him “lord”?

This psalm also has the important prophecy that the Messiah will be “a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (v. 4).”

As I read the psalm this morning, I consider that Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of God, waiting for all his enemies to become his footstool. Verse 2 tells us that Jesus rules even in the midst of his enemies — he is ruling over us now, though some may not perceive it. Yet we look forward to the day when he will shatter kings and execute judgment upon the nations.

In the final verse, “therefore he will lift up his head,” some see a reference to the crucifixion, while others see that time in glory when every knee will bow to Christ and every tongue will confess that he is Lord.

Father God, we are grateful that Jesus is our Messiah and our Priest, Lord over the nations. Thank you that he rules over us even now. May we bring honor to his name in all that we do. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and keep us close to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.