VI.
The Topic of Emotions What does sheloshah (3) and sheloshahim (30) mean from ? (3 and 30) You learned those Hebrew words last week. You will learn several more Hebrew words today.
B.
Godly Emotions (Continued)
1.
Love (Hebrew Áhavah [AH-hah-vah]) is “self-sacrificial action.”
b.
() “Love covers all transgressions.” This means that love promotes forgiveness. When you demonstrate love, you don’t hold anything against the object of your love.
c.
() Atonement Kípper [KIP-per]) means “appeasement.” “By [Hebrew] mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for.” When His people repent of sin, sacrificing self, and bring their lives into accord with His will (because of following the truth of God’s Word), God forgives and withdraws His judgment (atones for sin). This is a picture of Christ’s atonement. Mercy (treated as we do not deserve) is shown by God to sinners saved by grace.
d.
() Hebrew: “He who pursues righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor.” He who seeks to be right with God finds eternal life, and he who expresses love to objects of God’s love finds temporal blessings.
2.
Kindness (Mercy is Hésedh (HEH-sedth), which means “enduring strength” and is translated in English as “kindness” and “mercy.” It also occurs as “love” (God’s covenantal love for Israel in the Old Testament).
a.
() “The merciful man does himself good.” In , Jesus expressed this as “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
b.
() Hebrew: “Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by mercy.” Mercy and truthfulness endear a king to his people and encourage them to be loyal subjects. These traits also help a Christian live his faith.
c.
() “A good [kind] word makes it [an anxious heart] glad.” Kind words are in great demand. I know of no requests for unkind words.
d.
() “Happy is he who is gracious [kind] to the poor.” The poor need kind Christians to help them. How can you help a poor person? (Offer to buy a meal.)
e.
() “One who is gracious [kind] to a poor man lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his good deed.” The Lord regards [kindness] to a poor man as lending to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed to a needy person as a gift to Him (cf. ). Here is service for the glory of the Lord — not for what the giver can get out of it.
3.
Gentleness Lánah [LA-nah]) means “to bend low”[an adult to a child’s level] and is translated in English as “gentle” or “soft.”
a.
() “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” When an angry word hits you, return a gentle word to the batter. It is unexpected (not natural but supernatural) and may turn away plans to hit another one at you.
b.
() “A soft tongue breaks the bone.” This Hebrew idiom means that softly spoken words accomplish very difficult things. Eg: enemy’s hate can be blunted when you produce unexpected pleasant words.
4.
Humility anahwáh [ah-nah-WAH]), which means “leveled” (translated in English “humble, humility”), from Anáh [ah-NAH], which means “afflicted”, because humility often results from affliction.
a.
() Hebrew: “Surely he scorns at the scorners, but he gives grace to the lowly.” This is Antithetic Parallelism. See also and . “Gives grace” means that God shows undeserved favor to the humble.
b.
() “With the humble is wisdom.” With the proper perspective before God comes the wisdom of God. When we are leveled before God, then we can only focus on and glorify Him.
c.
(; ) “Before honor comes humility” (). When we are leveled of self-importance, we lift others and are honored by those we lift plus those who witness it. Being leveled before God brings honor before men.
d.
() Hebrew: “The reward of humility is the fear of the LORD, riches, honor, and life.” Humility is linked to reverential fear of the Lord and brings honor before men, eternal life, and spiritual riches.
5.
Joy (frequently in the Old Testament, joy is a group expression. 2 of our 3 examples are that.) Joy is (Simchá [seem-eh-KAH]), which means “exultant gladness within.”
a.
() “The hope of the righteous is gladness (brings joy).” These hopes are confident eternal hopes and very unlike worldly hopes.
b.
() “A man has joy in an apt answer. And how delightful is a timely word!” Timely words bring joy to both the deliverer and receiver.
c.
() “The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share its joy.” Joy in your heart is a unique experience. This means that your inner joy warms your heart in a way nothing else can. Inner joy isn’t outer happiness.
6.
Integrity Hebrew (tóm [TOME]) means “integrity, completeness.” Integrity is “the state or quality of being ethically sound and morally well-adjusted.” It comes from the Hebrew words tóm and thúmma. Thúmmin is the plural of thúmma (Thúmmin, along with Urim [“light”] were on the High Priest’s breastplate, enabling him to know God’s will in matters affecting Israel. Suppose a president’s statement is given that he does not have a double standard as an evidence of his integrity, if the man he chose to oversee the IRS as Secretary of the Treasury, failed to pay tens of thousands of $ in taxes? Such a president has a double standard and poor ethics.
a.
(; ) “He is a shield to those who walk in integrity.” “He who walks in integrity walks securely.” His life is blameless in the view of all people, so he cannot be truthfully accused of saying one thing and doing something contrary to what he said. Can you say this about most politicians?
b.
() “The integrity of the upright will guide them.” His life is guided by God, and his integrity enables him to follow God’s path.
c.
() “Righteousness guards the one whose way is blameless.” His life is guarded because he is right with God.
d.
() “It is also not good to fine the righteous, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.” He may be unjustly punished as a leader by corrupt people (the only ones who would fine the righteous and strike righteous leaders).
e.
() “A good name is to be more desired than great wealth; favor is better than silver or gold.” This quality is more desirable than to amass a great fortune. A good name (character) of a Christian is conducive to him or her sharing the gospel.
f.
() “Men of bloodshed hate the blameless.” Wicked people hate him and seek to kill him.
Proverbs of God’s Attributes
I.
We See a Number of the Attributes of God Displayed in Proverbs.
A.
Positive Attributes In Psalms, we see God as a Person; in Proverbs, we see His attributes.
1.
() HIS LOVE (Áhavah [AH-havah]): “I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me.” ( says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” The divine attribute of God’s love is demonstrated by treating people like He does (self-sacrificially).
2.
() HIS WATCH-CARE: God is all-seeing. Note also “For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, and He watches all his paths.” (God sees everything, even what people try to hide from Him) and “The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, but He overthrows the words of the treacherous man.” (God protects those who have true knowledge and frustrates the plans and desires of the unfaithful).
3.
() HIS COMMUNICATION (tfiláh [teh-fee-LAH]) means “any kind of petition, intercession, or thanksgiving”: “The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” This is Antithetic Parallelism. God’s ears are ever hearing prayers of believers. However, note for a condition when God hears our prayers but does not respond to us: “If I regard wickedness (have unconfessed sin) in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” He hears because He is omnipresent but doesn’t respond to what He hears (doesn’t answer us).
4.
() HIS DIRECTION: “Man’s steps are ordained [established] by the LORD.” See also and “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight“ and “The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” God leads His followers in the direction He wants them to go. However, note (“I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate”). Our old nature leads us in a selfish direction (), so our two natures struggle for control of our lives.
5.
() HIS DISCIPLINE IN LOVE (discipline is musár [moo-SAR]) and means “education, correction, guidance, and corrective punishment”: “My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD or loathe his reproof, for whom the LORD loves he reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” quotes both of these verses to encourage believers to endure hardship (vs. 7). Is this quote of word for word in ? The difference in the Hebrews’ quote was that all NT Old Testament quotes are LXX.
6.
() HIS WISDOM: “The LORD by wisdom founded the earth.” Also note —“For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Skill with knowledge and understanding of God is wisdom from God.
7.
() HIS WEIGHING OF MOTIVES: “All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives.” God knows why we do things, not just what we do. (This is Antithetic Parallelism.) notes this (how He does this): “The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions (motives) of the heart.”
8.
() HIS REWARDS: “One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his good deed.” See also . “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. For you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” God rewards the faithful service of His followers. The expression reflects an Egyptian ritual, in which a guilty person, as a sign of his repentance, carried a basin of glowing coals on his head.
9.
() HIS TRUSTWORTHINESS: Hebrew: “The LORD will be at your side and will keep your foot from being caught.” See also and . “So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you” (). People may let us down, but God can always be trusted.
10.
() HIS JUSTICE: “Many seek the ruler’s favor, but justice for man comes from the LORD.” God deals with people, offering justice or grace. Those who refuse grace accept His justice for their sins. This is Antithetic Parallelism.
1.
() HIS REBUKE:. Hebrew: “Turn back at my warning; behold, I will pour out my spirit [on] you; I will make my words known to you.” Here the wisdom of God is personified. Repentance after being rebuked would bring forgiveness and restoration. Wisdom’s words would be a feast of spiritual strength and so refreshing.
2.
() Remember God’s Hate Parade? HIS HATE (sanéh [saun-EH]) means “intense dislike, anger, hostility, or animosity.” For God, it expresses His antipathy expressed in judgment of sin. “There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.” “Six” and “Seven (six plus one)” are a Hebrew poetry pattern called Climactic Parallelism.. All these sins are of interrelationships of people. God hates anyone harming those whom He dearly loves. See (God hates “the perverse [willfully sinful] in heart are an abomination to the LORD.”)