May 9 ▪ Day 129

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 17:5
Ezekiel 7–8
Acts 26
Psalms 129

Verse Focus (Proverbs 17:5)

Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker;
     whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

Meditation

Today’s proverb, Proverbs 17:5, tackles a new subject for us, especially in the second half of the proverb. As the NIV translates the proverb, “Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.”

About a month ago, on April 6th (Day 96), we looked at Proverbs 14:31, which says, “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” The first half of today’s proverb is similar to Proverbs 14:31, but instead of oppressing the poor, the proverb speaks about mocking the poor. Ridiculing the poor. Deriding the poor. Have you ever done that? We have heard wicked people speak contemptuously of someone who is poor and we would never countenance that. But sometimes, we mock the poor the poor in subtler ways.

Hopefully, if we were taught manners, we wouldn’t ridicule someone to their faces — but I can remember a time in school where I might have made fun of someone’s clothes or appearance. Without consciously realizing what I was doing, I was actually mocking their poverty. And sometimes — without intending malice — we’ll laugh at someone who is “too poor” to be able to join in a particular activity. My point is simply that we may think we do not mock the poor, but there may be unkindness in some of the ways we speak about or relate to those who have less material resources.

But it’s really the second half of the proverb that I want to focus on. This shows up occasionally in the book of Proverbs, but it’s not as universal a theme as warnings about pride or about controlling your tongue. “Whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.” Gloats is a good word in English. It conveys that sense of relishing the misfortune that another person experiences. The word in Hebrew actually means he who rejoices. He who is merry or glad. He who takes joy in another’s disaster.

It’s interesting that this behavior is condemned by Scripture, especially when — in the Psalms, particularly — we’ll see people praying for misfortune to befall their enemies. Usually — although not always — the prayer is for wicked people to get what they deserve. But even when the wicked do receive just punishment, we should not be happy about that. We can rejoice in a God who is just, but we should grieve over anyone who experiences calamity.

Proverbs 17:5 tells us that those who rejoice at calamity “will not go unpunished.” Rejoicing at another’s misfortune is a sin. Indeed, some of the prophets speak about nations being punished for this very crime. Even though it can be satisfying to see pride humbled, we should pray that God would keep us from delighting in another’s fall.

Father God, please help us not to ridicule the poor. Make us aware of some of the subtle ways we might mock someone for their level of income, and help us to change. But especially please help us to grieve over calamity and not to rejoice at the pain others experience — even when it’s our own enemies who fall. Please give us Jesus’ heart and compassion. Amen.

Ezekiel 7 speaks of a day of tumult when God will pour out His wrath on the land of Israel. Just as in yesterday’s chapter, we have three repetitions of the phrase, then you (or they) “will know that I am the LORD” — in verse 4, verse 9, and verse 27. Verse 9 adds a little, saying “Then you will know that I am the LORD, who strikes.”

Disaster after disaster — unheard of disaster, says verse 5. Disaster comes upon disaster, says verse 26. Some of Ezekiel’s language and imagery is very poetic. “The rod has blossomed; pride has budded,” says verse 10. “All hands are feeble, and all knees turn to water,” says verse 17. Verse 19 speaks of how wealth will be discarded because “silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD.”

I was struck by how verse 24 tells us that “the worst of the nations” will come to take possession of the Israelites’ houses. The insult is so much worse — not just that enemies will take their belongings, but enemies like these. People seemingly without any redeeming qualities.

Verses 25 and 26 grieve me. The people look for peace, but none is to be found. Verse 26 says, “They seek a vision from the prophet, while the law perishes from the priest and counsel from the elders.” The very people they should have been able to trust are bankrupt.

Ezekiel 8 contains another prophecy, but this time the vision is of the temple in Jerusalem and all the different idolatries of the people. Verse 1 tells us that this prophecy came in the sixth year, the sixth month, on the fifth day — 14 months exactly after Ezekiel’s initial vision of the glory of the LORD. I realize that, like the book of Jeremiah, the prophecies in Ezekiel are not necessarily in chronological order. The prophecy where Jeremiah was to lie on his side for 430 days would have taken 4 or 5 days longer than 14 months (plus he didn’t get started on giving prophecies until at least a week after his first vision). So the prophecy in Ezekiel 4 either took place later on, or — for some reason — Ezekiel was unable to complete all the days of lying on his side.

In his vision of Jerusalem, Ezekiel sees an idol set up at the entrance of the north gate of the temple. The LORD also shows him that the elders are each worshiping idols in secret, while the women are “weeping for Tammuz” (a Mesopotamian fertility god — one of the annual celebrations focused on his death at the hands of demons). A smaller group of men worship the sun. Although the chapter ends at this point, Ezekiel’s vision of Jerusalem and the temple are just getting started.

In Acts 26, Paul again gives his testimony before government leaders. This time it is King Agrippa, his sister Bernice, and Festus who hear the story. When Paul talks about his early years, he mentions that he imprisoned followers of Jesus while under the authority of the chief priests (v. 10). And I realize that this is likely why the Jews were so vicious in their pursuit of Paul. It wasn’t just that he is now a follower of Jesus, but that he used to be one of them. He was the council’s favored pet, their rising star.

In this third account of Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the Road to Damascus (told originally in Acts 9, retold in Acts 22, and also told here in Acts 26), we learn a few new details. The bright light we heard about before — now we hear that it was “brighter than the sun (v. 13).” Paul says, “We had all fallen to the ground (v. 14).” This is a bit different than what the other accounts say — but, on the other hand, Paul was blinded. So perhaps he just assumed that everyone fell to the ground. 🙂

But we do learn one more thing that Jesus said to Paul in this encounter. “It is hard for you to kick against the goads (v. 14).” In most Bible translations, this Greek proverb only occurs in Acts 26:14, although in the KJV and NKJV it also appears in Acts 9:5. Even though we find it a bit puzzling, to “kick against the goads” was a well-known phrase from that time period, used in both Greek and Latin literature. A goad was a stick with a sharpened end, often with a metal tip, used by a farmer to prod an oxen while plowing. It is much akin to a spur for a horse. It was used to get a stubborn ox moving, as well as to encourage them to go in the right direction. Occasionally, the oxen would kick back against the goad, which, of course, would just cause more pain since then the point of the goad would embed itself more deeply in the flesh of the animal’s leg. The word goad comes from a Middle English word (gode); another name for it would be a cattle prod.

Metaphorically, to kick against the goads is to rebel against your purpose. A minor irritant meant to help you go the right way turns into pain through your resistance. By extension, you can see kicking against the goads is not only self-destructive, but futile. When Jesus says this to Paul, not only is Jesus likening Paul to a brute beast, but the implication is that Jesus has been working in Paul’s life for a long time.

Festus interrupts Paul’s defense, saying that Paul is out of his mind. It is likely the first time Festus has ever heard the gospel message; as a Roman, he was likely not familiar with Jewish concepts of the Messiah. Paul’s response is moderate and challenging at the same time. He counters that King Agrippa is very familiar with these things. Then he asks the king directly in verse 27, “Do you believe in the prophets?”

In another irony, the chapter closes with King Agrippa commenting that Paul could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.

Psalm 129 is an interesting addition to the Psalms of Ascent. In this short psalm, the speaker talks about affliction and perseverance. Verse 2 says, “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth yet they have not prevailed against me.” Verse 3 recalls the Suffering Servant songs of Isaiah, particularly Isaiah 50:6 and Isaiah 51:23.

The psalmist trusts in the LORD’s righteousness, but prays curses upon those who hate Zion. May they be “put to shame and turned backward (v. 5);” may no one bless them in the name of the LORD.

Father God, we are so grateful that Jesus Christ did persevere. He suffered so that we might have access to you. He died to procure our peace. Thank you for making a way for us to be adopted into your family. Please help us to not fight against your Holy Spirit. May we not be like oxen kicking against the goads. May we see you at work in our lives and may we pliable in your hands. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.