Today, on our next to last chapter of Proverbs, we have a new human penmen - Agur. Not much is not for sure about him, but the Treasure of Scripture Knowledge says this: Agur was probably a public teacher, and Ithiel and Ucal, his pupils; and this was the massa, or oracle, which he delivered, not by his own wisdom, but by the Holy Spirit, for the benefit of man.
One of the great truths he touches on is found in Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. You get the sense from the start of the chapter that Agur is letting us know that these are not his words, because his words are brutish and lack wisdom and understanding. BUT, the words of God, and the Word of God, is pure. Pure from any doctrinal error, pure from any sinful corruption, and pure in It's preservation for us today in the King James Version for the English speaking people.
It is my prayer that you can sing with the Psalmist in Psalm 119:140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
While approximately 3000 years later, we do not know who these people are that are mentioned in verse 1, we can take a look at the meanings of their names:
ReplyDeleteAgur - gathered (i.e. received among the sages), from a root meaning harvested.
Jakeh - meaning to obey; obedient, some others give the definition of pious.
Ithiel - God with me, God has arrived.
Ucal - devoured, from a root meaning to eat or consume.
Sometimes in the Bible, we will find that the names of people or places indicate something, something God is emphasizing or pointing out.
Proverbs 30:1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
While we do not know these people, their names basically state this:
The words of one who has harvested among the sages, the son of obedience (or the obedient)... God is with me and I have devoured/consumed [His words].
Hm... While I wouldn't make much of this possible interpretation, we do know that there are other places in the Bible where this is done - where an individual is referred to, but can also apply to others in general, such as:
Luke 1:1-4 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Theophilus - lover of God (any true child of God)
Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
David - beloved.
Jerusalem - city of peace.
The son of the Beloved, king in the city of peace - picturing the greater Son, the greater King.
On another note:
Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
I love how this warning is in the middle of the Bible, right in the midst of the wisdom/poetical writings. We also have warnings in the Law - the beginning of the Old Testament/Bible (Deuteronomy 4:2 and 12:32); and the prophets - the end section of the OT (Jeremiah 26:2). We also have two warnings in the New Testament. In 2 Peter 3:16 (in reference to the writings of the apostles) and Revelation 22:18-19 (as a capstone to the last book of the Bible, as well as a warning not to mess with any part of the whole Bible).
Well, yesterday I jumped ahead a chapter! Amazing how the days of a retiree flow together.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bro. Jerry, for the information on the names. And the close mentioning my selection from yesterday -- Do not add to God's word.