262: Colin Badger - For Kings by Kings

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:13

   Welcome to good Chris Elfian talks. I’m Levi. And I’m Chris, and I’m Brian. Thank you for joining us this week on this podcast. We select one talk a week to help us get the Bible in our Daily News feed. We post a new episode at the start of each week. With a short intro beforehand to kind of set the stage for the talk you’re about to listen to.

2. 0:33

   And now let’s talk more about this week’s talk. This week’s class was the 3rd class in a series by brother Colin Badger. It was a study on proverbs at the Western Bible School in Oregon in the year 2006. The title for this one is For Kings and by Kings. And it was an interesting indepth study on kind of how much the idea of kings is a theme through Proverbs, including that it was written kind of by David for Solomon and then for from, you know, by Solomon for his children after him. And then how often this was something I’ve never paid attention to before but how often a king is a character in the proverb.

3. 1:27

   So all throughout he Colin goes through the how many times it’s used that a king is part of the, you know, part of the, you know, part of the scene, part of the characters used and explain the different proverbs and how they apply to us who are hoping to be kings and priests in the Kingdom.

4. 1:45

   So I really enjoyed this study. I enjoyed this whole series by Brother Colin. He’s someone I enjoyed as a young person. I always look forward to going back and listening to his to his lectures as he’s as he’s no longer with us. So the great class excited to share it. Also wanted to give a plug today for the new worship book. So the worship books, this is the third one or the blue book as is being called have come out over the last couple years. They’re entirely praised music written by Chris Adelphians. And you can get more information at the worshipbook.com. And we’re really excited that a new one is coming in April. So For more information you should head to that website theworshipbook.com.

5. 2:29

   So here is Colin Badger for Kings by Kings. As our third study in this coming series that we’re doing with exhortations for wisdom from the Book of Proverbs this morning we’re going to turn our attention, brothers and sisters, to the theme entitled For Kings by Kings. In terms of a thematic thread that runs through the book of Proverbs itself, now we’ve touched on some of the elements of this in our first two classes, which we did of course together back-to-back yesterday. Would you just turn, please, in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs if you haven’t already got it open? We won’t need to go outside of the Book of Proverbs too much in this session.

6. 3:22

   It’ll be quite easy just to stay primarily within the cover itself of the book for Kings by Kings. Let’s explore that as a possible theme together this morning in the book of Proverbs and see what application it has to us to hope and pray to be kings on earth. And to reign with the Lord Jesus Christ, God willing by His grace and goodness in the future. Well, if you have your note there in Proverbs just at the outset, you might want to go to this passage and keep your marker there in in Proverbs.

7. 4:07

   We’re only going to look at 2 passages at the start that are outside of Proverbs, and then the rest will all be within the pages. Or you may just want to consider this as it is on the screen itself. Yesterday we were talking about potential structures of proverbs, how proverbs might be seen to have an arrangement or a pattern. And you remember yesterday we looked at that from different vantage points, how the book of Proverbs might be seen to have a structure or an arrangement, and we looked at it from the point of view of how it could be broken down into about 12 or 13 sections.

8. 4:46

   Taking some of the indicators from within Proverbs itself. And then we were looking at the possibilities of emphasized words or terms that are clustered or found in certain sections of the book of Proverbs, and that that too may signal a way of looking at the internal structure of Proverbs. In the course of that yesterday, you might remember that at the beginning of Proverbs in the first section we suggested.

9. 5:16

   That section #1 in Proverbs is dealing with proverbs for Solomon, and then from chapter 10 and beyond there’s a bit of a transition where the emphasis seems to be more as being Proverbs of Solomon. That meaning that the first cluster of Proverbs, as we suggested it yesterday, from about chapters 1 to the end of Chapter 9.

10. 5:44

    Are Proverbs for Solomon, that he had bequeathed to him or instructed to him from his father David. And we put that yesterday in the framework, if you remember of the emphasis in the first part of Proverbs, that is given to father and son, father and son, and that that would be appropriate that in the first cluster of Proverbs.

11. 6:10

    The first group are Proverbs especially selected, that were given to Solomon, the main author, himself as the son of Father David, and therefore the giving of those proverbs from his father to himself, are then passed on to the readers of Proverbs before we get into the section of the Proverbs of Solomon to us and to others. And therefore the emphasis in the beginning of Proverbs on father and son had a personal reality for Solomon himself as a son who was given Proverbs from his father David principles and concepts of wisdom and guidance.

12. 6:55

    Now if we in taking a look at this theme for Kings by Kings go back into the book of Proverbs, chapter 22 of First Chronicles. And verse 19, Just notice what is said there now, says David. Set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord. Sorry to seek the Lord. Look at that.

13. 7:23

    I think we’ve somehow managed to skip that unintentionally. There we go. Got to get the right button and the right finger. Now let’s start again. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord, says David. The Lord you’re a God. Arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God. Now just watch that language.

14. 7:48

    It’s very reminiscent or predictive of what’s going to find its way into the book of Proverbs as some key phrases and key concepts, David saying to Solomon. Set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord. That is an important refrain, either in part or holy, in the book of Proverbs more than once, especially especially in the first section of Proverbs, the Proverbs for Solomon, the Proverbs in the first nine plus chapters that stress the Father and Son perspective, David had said previously.

15. 8:30

    Set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord. Now in that context of First of Chronicles 22, verse 19 and its surrounding context, we come down here to the point the bottom of the slide. You’ll notice that in verse 7 and 11 in that very context of first of Chronicles 22. David addresses him specifically as my son, Verse seven, first of Chronicles 22, and again in verse 11, my son.

16. 9:09

    So the point is, before you come into the book of Proverbs and look at that first section, that begins with Solomon connecting himself with his father, David in the section that’s going to stress, my father, my son, my son, my father. And that section that seems especially to be Proverbs for Solomon. Previous to that, this kind of dialogue or instruction had taken place between David and Solomon. Set your heart, in other words, my son. Set your heart, my son, and set your soul to seek my son, we might say.

17. 9:55

    To seek the Lord your God, arise, build the sanctuary of the Lord with that perspective. So those two verses 7:00 and 11:00 that stress my son in the relationship of David and Solomon have the context and the exertation that is very dominant in the early chapters of Proverbs. Set your heart, set your soul, my son, to seek.

18. 10:21

    Now look at this one that is parallel also. In First to Kings chapter 3 and let’s look at verse 9. Here give therefore pleads Solomon, and that’s at the time of the dedication, or rather at the time when the authority of David is being passed on, rather to Solomon before the dedication of the Temple. Give therefore thy servant, he pleads an understanding heart. There’s Solomon pleading for that understanding. Remember, David has said that’s what she we should be doing. David has said just previously, we back up again. Set your heart and your soul to seek. And here is Solomon praying.

19. 11:09

    Give there for thy servant an understanding heart. For what purpose? To judge thy people? And then secondly, besides an understanding heart, Solomon prays that he might discern between good and bad for who’s able to judge this guy so great at people? Now here’s another point. The concept of discerning. Does that ring a bell? Yesterday in our second class, we noticed as we took a closer look at proverbs after our introduction. That one of the blessings of wisdom, one of the purposes of giving the wise Proverbs according to chapter one, was to help us, and certainly those in the days of Solomon, to have understanding and to be able to discern. Now, if you do have Proverbs, open chapter one, let’s just take a look at the square brackets indicator there. And there in Proverbs chapter one, as we have it right here in square brackets, let’s remind ourselves what we read yesterday in verse 6 to understand a proverb and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings. We also read yesterday verse 4.

20. 12:43

    To give subtlety number to the simple, to the young man, knowledge and discretion and that word discretion especially, we said yesterday in the original, had the idea of being able to make a decision. It was praying that the proverbs would help. According to chapter one of Proverbs would help the simple, the unlearned.

21. 13:12

    Or even those who are already somewhat experienced, to have increasing knowledge, instruction, understanding for sure, but especially to have what is recorded right here in First to Kings 3 verse nine that Solomon himself had prayed for as an endowment for himself. He Solomon had prayed in First to Kings 3 verse nine, quite consistent with what David was praying for him. And admonishing him to search for discernment. And it’s spelled out here in first to King’s 3, verse 9 and Solomon’s request, a discernment between good and bad. Now how appropriate is that prayer in terms of what eventually Solomon at some point in his life, likely towards the end of his life.

22. 14:06

    Some would say it comes even after Ecclesiastes. Somewhere towards the end of Solomon’s life, there is an inspired, gleaming compilation of words from his Proverbs, a selection from his Proverbs divinely given that Solomon wishes to pass on in order, according to verse 4 to give us subtlety. And to give us knowledge and to give us discretion, the word discretion, meaning be able to decide Solomon had prayed for that for himself.

23. 14:44

    What he therefore is telling us in Proverbs One is one of the benefits of the proverbs of wisdom is just exactly what he prayed for himself. Bottom line, So what? We’re reading. As the intro in Proverbs chapter one is something that at the introduction of his life, he had prayed for and putting together the former passage in Chronicles, it’s something that David, his dad had wished for, prayed for, no doubt, and encouraged Solomon to seek.

24. 15:20

    So David wishes that to happen, prays for it, exhorts Solomon to. Pray and to seek for that kind of wisdom and its discernment. Solomon deliberately prays for that later on and then in Proverbs many years later, we have Solomon’s inspired, distilled wisdom in the Proverbs given that are admonishing us to do the exactly the same thing, to have discernment between good and bad.

25. 15:52

    And you know, if you back up brothers and sisters and think about that for a minute. That takes us really back to the Law of Moses, because in the Law of Moses in the Viticus, more than once they were told that the laws of cleanness and the laws of uncleanness were to help them distinguish or discern or decide or judge between what was clean and what was unclean.

26. 16:17

    And we know that wasn’t just a dietary perspective. It wasn’t just animals later on in the Acts of the Apostles. That kind of Levitical language of clean and unclean is applied by Peter at the time of the sheep being let down from heaven as relating to people, Gentile versus Jew. Even Peter, though he still needed enlightenment, understood that those Levitical principles had an application to people and their way of life. So this decision making, this discerning between good and bad. Is embedded, in fact, as key principles in the health laws of Leviticus.

27. 16:57

    You will choose between clean and unclean. You will choose between good and bad. These are the good things to eat. These are the bad things by debt, by God’s own judgment, and these are the things you will do, and these are the things you won’t do to retain holiness be holy, for I am holy.

28. 17:16

    That principle then embedded in in Viticus. Is drawn forward here in a practical, moral way, showing clearly that what Leviticus was teaching was a parable about a way of life, not just whether you could eat a grasshopper, as opposed to a dead crow That was teaching profound daily life lessons and principles. And here it is being forwarded from Leviticus in principle to Proverbs in practice.

29. 17:47

    And it has a moral application, primarily. Now you think of the two ladies that we met yesterday, Miss Folly and Miss Wisdom. One calls in a certain way, with certain sets of appeal. Another calls in another way can be deceptive. It can have some similarities to Miss Wisdom, but it has some profound differences.

30. 18:09

    And in the end, the voice of Miss Wisdom and the voice of Miss Folly have different ends. And they do have some distinctively different means of appeal. So here in Kings we have the setting for what we have in Proverbs one and verse 6 to understand a proverb and the interpretation of the words of the wise and their dark sayings.

31. 18:36

    Now, with Proverbs open, let’s slip over to chapter 2. We’re building towards this emphasis in Proverbs that it is especially, though not exclusively, especially a book written by Kings for Kings in training. Watch now if you come to Proverbs chapter 2 and hear the echoes back to the Chronicles and Kings passage as well.

32. 19:06

    The echo is not just in chapter one of Proverbs. The echo of chapter 2IN Proverbs and verses two to three take us again back to the words of David and to the start of Solomon’s kingly career. So Proverbs 2 verses 2:00 to 3:00, so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom. And here’s the words of David to Solomon that we read of in Chronicles in our first passage this morning.

33. 19:37

    That thou incline thine ear unto wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding exactly what David said in Chronicles as it’s recorded to Solomon at the outset of Solomon’s rule. Yea, says Proverbs, chapter 2, verses two to three. Yea, if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding. That’s David’s instruction as the father to his son Solomon, and it finds itself therefore embedded in the prologue to Proverbs, partly in chapter one, and now we see it partly in chapter 2.

34. 20:20

    And in the end, of course, that’s exactly what Solomon himself personally prayed for and now passes it on at the end of his life. It would probably be to us, the readers Now look at how this son Father perspective sets the stage for kings who are in training. Just turn the page to Proverbs Chapter 4, Proverbs chapter 4.

35. 20:52

    Just see how this language again is somewhat reminiscent of that background of Father David to son Solomon. Verse three of Proverbs chapter 4 says the writer for I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. Certainly true of Solomon as we know it from the record. Now verse four of Proverbs 4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words, and keep my commandments, and live now let thine heart retain my words. It speaks for the fact that although the process is dominantly controlled by God, working in the life of a disciple, working in the life of a king to be there is calling here an exertation to let our hearts cooperate, A willingness to open ourselves, a willingness to be influenced, A willingness to put ourselves in a position where we can be changed and we can be worked with.

36. 22:11

    Let thine heart retain my words, said Jesus more than once in the gospel ministry. Let these words, Christ’s words, sink down into thine heart. Let these words set sink down into your heart. So when Jesus says, let these words sink into your heart or let these words come into your ears, especially in the context of his parables.

37. 22:42

    Jesus himself is clearly indicating what’s here in the proverb. It is primarily of God, but there is an onus of responsibility on our part to cooperate. And to what? To let thine heart retain my words. The dynamic is in God’s word. It is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword.

38. 23:09

    But that word can be blocked, and that wisdom, whether it’s just from the proverbs or beyond the proverbs, can be impeded. We need to open our ears and we need to let our hearts retain the words. So that kind of expectation, according to Solomon has been an admonition from his father to his to the son. Exactly what we read in those opening chapters from Chronicles and Kings.

39. 23:39

    Now Proverbs 4 and verse 5. Get wisdom, get understanding, forget it. Not all of that seems in Proverbs 4 verses 3:00 to 5:00. Again, to be a kind of echo back to what originally transpired by way of guidance from his father, David himself. Now that sets the stage for taking a look at Indications and Proverbs that especially it’s a book written by kings for kings. How so?

40. 24:16

    Well, just to start with, let’s remember now Proverbs begins as having a cluster of Proverbs for Solomon, moving into a section of Proverbs around chapter 10 and beyond of Proverbs by Solomon to others. But Solomon has made it clear now by these links and by especially chapter 4 in the opening words of chapter one, he a king to be, or now a king, in fact received his exertation to listen to the words of wisdom, instruction, and to get discretion from his father who was a king. So in Proverbs as you trace that trail, what Proverbs is showing us is King Solomon was exhorted by King David. And King Solomon is not the only one who is related to the kingship theme beyond himself and his father David in the book of Proverbs.

41. 25:16

    Just want to turn in your bibles to Proverbs chapter 25. Now notice now how this opens up, provides, I think, a master thematic key in the book of Proverbs. It’s quite practical and certainly finally turns itself to us, the readers. Proverbs 25 then versus one to two. These are also Proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah, King of Judah copied out. Now, we touched on that just yesterday for another purpose, showing that there were different authors, but now let’s look at it for a second purpose, and that is that Hezekiah. Yes, Selector Compiler under inspiration for another chunk of the proverbs.

42. 26:13

    True enough, but who is it? It’s King has a Kaya, another author, another contributor or better set, another compiler who is a king himself, and he’s drawing on proverbs pertinent from Solomon, a previous king. Now look at verse two in that light. Proverbs 25 and verse two. It is the glory of God to conceal a thing.

43. 26:44

    But the honor of anybody? Well, that would be true. The honor of brothers and sisters and believers in general. That would be absolutely true. The honor of anyone who reads the Bible or reads the proverbs? That would be true. But look at how it’s emphasized. Instead, it’s put this way, it’s the glory of God to conceal a thing. But the honor of kings is to search out a matter. Why kings?

44. 27:14

    Well, with that background that’s now beginning to build, can we not see that Proverbs has a has a a general application, a general exhortation, of course, for all who may turn its pages and reflectively meditate on its message from God through Solomon. But especially what’s being stressed here more than once. Subtly by highlighting David’s link as the father to the Son, Solomon himself being the king has a Kaia being a compiler but also a king.

45. 27:48

    And in that very context, now telling us that those that are now going to be put before us, compiled by king has a Kaia, we might say are a collection that should help others, and knowing it’s the honor of kings to search out a matter. Now, you know, when you think carefully back in the book of Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy specifically said that the king of Israel, the leader of God’s people, was to make it his habit to write out the words of God’s law.

46. 28:32

    That’s in Deuteronomy. So there actually was in the Talmud, in the main books, excuse me, in the Torah, rather in the main books of the laws of Moses, an injunction to those who would become kings. Especially to take God’s law so seriously that according to Deuteronomy, the king was to make it his habit to write out the words of God’s law, and then of course to do them. It was a kingly thing to do, to honor God’s law by taking the time not only to read it, but the time and energy to write it out.

47. 29:18

    And here it is the honor and the privilege of kings to search out a matter. What’s the matter? It’s obviously God’s teaching to to discern the deeper things of God, but also to discern and understand, to be instructed by all that God’s wisdom has taught. Because a king is in a position of leadership, a king is helping to steer the boat. Other people in the flock, other members of the nation, will be influenced by you.

48. 29:53

    It’s a leadership role, like a shepherd to sheep. So this is a special admonition to those who wish to provide direction. Leadership, or we might say more generally those who should be and are examples to others. Of course, really that applies to all of us. So now that clearly ties in with this kingly theme and perspective in the book of Proverbs.

49. 30:25

    Would you turn over or turn back to Proverbs chapter 8? Let’s pick it up there, Proverbs chapter 8. It’s not just in one or two little places this is couched. And it’s not just in a section more obviously dealing with Hezekiah’s Proverbs. Because here in Proverbs chapter 8 and verse 16 we have this admonition, this revelation, speaking metaphorically. Wisdom is a woman by me, says wisdom by me. King’s reign and Prince’s decree justice. Why are we going to that perspective? Why not make it more generic?

50. 31:19

    Isn’t Proverbs written for everybody? Of course it is. Or of course they are. There must be running through this exertation some special purpose for those in Israel, first of all, who are kings to be, or those in Israel who already were kings, in fact, or those who were in Rule or in positions of leadership by me King’s reign and prince’s decree justice.

51. 31:52

    Well, wouldn’t it be true for brothers and sisters today who have been promised that we shall be kings and priests and we shall rule on the earth? Are we not hoping by God’s grace to participate and share and work with and shoulder the responsibilities as kings and priests in the future age? Isn’t that part of the joy or the vision that is set before us? Therefore, are we not all brothers and sisters? In a sense, kings and training princes in training. Isn’t that, of course, the words of Isaiah? Let’s just take a peek, hold a hold a marker here in the place where you are in Proverbs.

52. 32:41

    Just remind ourselves, apart from that apocalyptic passage we’ve alluded to, just remember Isaiah, chapter 32. Hopefully this includes us and it’s very pertinent to what we have right in front of us here. Isaiah chapter 32.

53. 33:01

    Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness. Verse one, a king shall reign in righteousness and Princess shall rule in judgment. True that must apply especially to to the apostles. You will be said, Jesus and Matthew’s Gospel sitting on 12 Thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Now that would be very pertinent to them, but we know clearly that kind of language when matched with revelation, you will be kings and priests and reign on the earth. Has an application to the Saints as well. Wisdom is necessary for the king himself to rule, meaning the Lord Jesus Christ.

54. 33:49

    And we focused on that passage yesterday in Corinthians. It said, Christ is the wisdom of God, and he is the power of God. So he is the supreme repository of divine wisdom. But for those who wish to join him in the future, as in smaller letters, kings and priests with the great king, we need now to cultivate God’s wisdom, and we’ll certainly need it supplemented in the future. Interesting, then, to consider our hope as it relates to this theme of the Proverbs.

55. 34:25

    The Proverbs, therefore, are not just little ditties, little Nuggets of gold that you pick up right out and put on a piece of paper once in a while and think about. Obviously, Proverbs is distilled wisdom, and it’s the kind of wisdom by which kings and princes reign, and by which men and women, kings and priests and prospect, have guiding principles to help them now and likewise for the future in their demeanor, their thinking, their way of life, and how they make decisions among themselves. Well, let’s go to Proverbs 31.

56. 35:04

    What we’re trying to do is just notice how many times in Proverbs this perhaps unexpected thread runs through all of the book. The setting of seeing the links with King David and King Solomon sets that stage for all of these passages, A kingly message for kings who are in training. So we come to Proverbs chapter 31 and notice the return to this kingly theme again, this time towards the very end of the book of Proverbs. Here we read verse one, the words of King Lemuel. Again we went to this yesterday, didn’t we? But for a different purpose, like it has akaya passage. Just to notice yesterday that the structure of proverbs can be seen as being divided by the various contributors or compilers.

57. 36:09

    And we went to this one yesterday because he’s won along with Aguirre and has Akaya. But now today a second purpose, and that is, it’s not just the section of proverbs words of Lemuel, we’re told. It’s the words of King Lemuel. What seems to be perhaps then a passing title and not very helpful because we don’t know who this Lemuel is like we do has Akaya or David or Solomon. We don’t know who he is, but one thing we do know, he’s a king. And when put in the context of this developing theme, it’s pertinent.

58. 36:49

    Proverbs is stressing this the words of King Lemuel the prophecy that his mother taught him. Watch that, because that’s an echo as well to the introductory part of Proverbs, where father instruction to son David to Solomon, and then Solomon in his own Proverbs Later on. Stressing my son, my son, my son. And then references to his father and references to the teaching of your mother. References to the fact that the fool and the silly son can make a shame of his father and of his mother. All of those proverbs that have those kind of references are relevant to the fact that this King Lemuel, whoever he was, had a prophecy that Mum taught him.

59. 37:46

    You see the parental influence, You see the importance that for those who are to be think of the wee ones, the little sheep, the children in our responsibility in our home, at the Bible class, here at Bible school, at the CYC, in the Sunday School. Those little ones are potential kings and priests too.

60. 38:08

    And he says that these are the words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him parental influence. Now look at verse 2, Proverbs, chapter 31. What my son? And what the son of my womb? And what the son of my vows? Parental picture Whoever this King Lemuel was brothers and sisters, he claims that prophetically his mother taught him something and the prophecy that his mother taught him. Who was this mother?

61. 38:52

    And she was a prophetess. Whoever she was, she didn’t just do the readings with him. Whoever this mother of King Lemuel was, she was endowed with Holy Spirit inspiration. She was a prophetess in that sense. So the sonship of verse 2 that’s being stressed goes again back to that parental relationship that starts the book of Proverbs. Now look at verse three like that has a Kaya passage that mentions him.

62. 39:24

    Obviously the king has a Kaya. Then goes on to say that it’s the honor of kings to search out a matter. Proverbs 31 is similar to that previous passage about Hezekiah, because now verse three we’re not noticing something that shouldn’t be noticed, because in verse three give not thy strength unto women, think of Miss Folly.

63. 39:48

    And of course Miss wisdom developed in the earlier part of Proverbs. Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that. Which destroyeth kings? Why not just destroyeth disciples? Or destroyeth his Saints? Or destroyeth his people? No, the stress here very clearly is it can destroy in fact, kings. Again, there’s this emphasis on the kingly potential of those who are trying to glean the wisdom of the book of Proverbs. By the way, can we not miss the point here? Solomon of all people, his Proverbs, his wisdom, miss folly, miss wisdom.

64. 40:42

    The seductive prowess, the seductive influence of a false woman who can lead the sons of men into the gutter and into the pits of hell, as we saw yesterday. Look at this in terms of the author. Give not thy strength unto women exactly the trap that the author himself fell into his Proverbs written after he had gone that way is this kind of more like a swan song under inspiration.

65. 41:14

    Maybe some would put Proverbs towards the very end of Solomon’s life as the distillation of wisdom given by God from a man who has finally repented and learned the error of his ways. Possibly Ecclesiastes suggest something similar. 1st 3 Then give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

66. 41:39

    You know, brothers and sisters. I think it elevates the exertation of Proverbs and the need to apply ourselves to the book of Proverbs when we think of Proverbs as being especially a compilation of wisdom for kings and compiled by kings for brothers and sisters for Saints of all ages that aspire to be with the one in Isaiah and the one in the apocalypse.

67. 42:09

    Who says we are promised to reign as kings and priests in the earth? Look at this four. This four sustains the same kind of point like the Hezekiah passage. Having mentioned the fact that this is King Lemuel, as the other passage mentioned, it was by Hezekiah who we know was a king. Verse 4 now sustains the punch. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, King Lemuel, It is not for kings, O Lemuel.

68. 42:42

    It is not for kings to drink wine, nor for prince’s strong drink. That’s clearly, as we know in scripture, in balance, not saying that a king had to be a teetotaler. But we do know quite often luxury and the blessings and the ease of court and the power that was given to men. As today in positions of authority, where temptations to often overindulge to be in moderate, it provided a human ruler the temptation to be given to debauchery. So what is this?

69. 43:27

    Remember the words of Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. What we’re now reading in verse four is Mom’s prophecy. His mother was a prophetess at one point and part of what his mother said to him as a king and training. She said to young Lemuel. Listen, Lemuel, it is not for kings.

70. 43:53

    It is not for kings to drink wine, nor for Princess strong drink. Don’t give yourself to intemperance. Don’t become a slave to your own indulgences and desires. Don’t let yourself become trapped by bad habits, by carnal desires. It’s again like the choice between two women. Miss Folly as opposed to miss Wisdom? How about Proverbs chapter 30 and verse 22?

71. 44:24

    The king theme is there as well. Why three, I don’t know. Proverbs 30 and verse 22. Four things which the earth cannot bear. Watch this. A servant when he reigneth. A servant who has become a ruler, A servant when he reigneth and a fool when he’s still with meat. And by the way, you might want to write this down. We’ve got an example of someone who became a king, who previously was a servant and he was given to debauchery first to king, 16 verses 8 to 11.

72. 45:07

    Let you pursue that as a little bit of homework. He is a perfect example that man in first to king 16 or Proverbs 28 and verse 16. The Prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor, but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days. What about Jarabom? The Prince that was lacking in understanding, Consulted these peers, consulted the elders went the way of his peers, Jarabom, and it caused the rift that was permanent in Israel. But for our purposes this morning as we finish, here’s this stress on reigning Princess rulership, 4 kings and by kings finally.

73. 45:57

    Have you noticed this all through proverbs? If you watch carefully, and we’re not giving an exhaustive list, watch carefully the references to throne king Princess ruling reigneth. Watch for those terms in Proverbs and you’ll see how much this is a dominant theme. So we’ll finish with this one. Proverbs 20 and verse 28.

74. 46:21

    Mercy and Truth preserve the king. Why is he focusing on the king? Again and again? Proverbs has a wide readership. Why just the King? Mercy and truth preserve the king and his throne is upholden by mercy. Because, brothers and sisters, as Jane says, we need to learn that mercy rejoices against judgment as much as truth and judgment must be in the balance in respect to a God who is just and truthful.

75. 46:55

    But kings need to know. Kings need to know. Brothers and sisters need to understand as kings and training, dealing with human beings and human problems now and in the future age. Kings in training need to know that mercy and truth both preserve the king. And we need to know, as is true with Christ supremely, that his throne is held up by mercy. Thank you for listening to the Good Cause Adelphian Talks Podcast.

76. 47:46

    We hope this talk helped you in your walk and brightened your day. If you would like to hear more, please subscribe for new episodes. We are on all major podcast platforms and also on YouTube. If you enjoyed this particular talk, please share it with someone else who you think might enjoy it too, for show notes on the talk you just listened to. Visit [email protected] or check out the Show Notes section of your podcast player. Please share your thoughts on the talk from this week on our Facebook or Instagram pages where we are at good Chris Adelphian talks, or leave a comment on our YouTube channel where these talks are posted as well. If you enjoy listening to the talks that we post and hear one that you think we should share, please tell us about it. You can send a suggestion using the Contact Us tab on our website or message us on any of our social media accounts. Thank you for listening.

77. 48:36

    God bless and talk to you next week.