“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches” Part 3

 “So make us know how to assign our days, That we may come to a heart of wisdom.”

(Pro 22:17-29)

[Study Aired December 18, 2025]

Pro 22:17  Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Pro 22:18  For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
Pro 22:19  That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
Pro 22:20  Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
Pro 22:21  That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
Pro 22:22  Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
Pro 22:23  For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
Pro 22:24  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Pro 22:25  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Pro 22:26  Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
Pro 22:27  If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
Pro 22:28  Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Pro 22:29  Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

If we’re not humbled in this age, we will not “bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise”. However if God is working with us He will “make us know how to assign our days, That we may come to a heart of wisdom” (Psa 90:12 CLV). The symbolism of ‘bowing down our ears’ reminds us that it is through the church, or ‘the earth’ that we will hear the manifest knowledge of God, “the words of the wise” that are heard when we are granted to be humbled under His mighty hand (Jer 22:29, Eph 3:10, 1Co 1:30-31, 1Pe 5:6).

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

In this last section of Proverbs chapter 22, we will look at how the Lord is humbling His people so that we learn to listen carefully (Rev 1:3, Rev 22:19) to the wisdom that comes from the power of God and not by man’s wisdom (1Co 2:3-12).

1Co 2:3 And I came to be with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling,
1Co 2:4 and my word and my heralding were not with the persuasive words of human wisdom, but with demonstration of spirit and of power,
1Co 2:5 that your faith may not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Notice how Paul came to the Corinthians, “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling”. Those conditions are what God is working in the lives of His people through the much tribulation of this life (Act 14:22) that makes it possible for us to inherit the Kingdom of God day by day within us (Luk 17:21), as we die daily and see His strength being perfected in that weakness (2Co 12:9).

Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

God’s wisdom is given to His people, “graciously given to us by God”, that we may know what is right as we speak the truth with confidence (Act 4:31-32) and live justly in  our relationships with all men, following peace and holiness with all men “without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb 12:13-14).

Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

With the mind of Christ we are able to see how His word is written for us in this age, and discern the spiritual lessons that apply to the body of Christ as opposed to just seeing the practical knowledge at hand that has benefited many, including the unconverted who can be blessed by the natural lessons of God’s word, which precede the always-hidden and deeper spiritual meaning that has been given to those few who have eyes that see and ears that hear the truth, by God’s grace (Mat 13:11-13).

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Pro 22:17  Bow down^H5186 thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

The word “bow down”^H5186 is the same as the word “incline”^H5186 found in (Pro 2:1-5), revealing that there is an active ongoing hunger and thirst that God gives to those who are called to “hear the words of the wise”, and then once we hear those words we are to keep them or “apply thine heart unto my knowledge” (Rev 1:3).

Pro 2:1  My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2  So that thou incline^H5186 thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3  Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4  If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

H5186 nâṭâh naw-taw’
A primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of applications: –    + afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away), wrest, cause to yield.
Total KJV occurrences: 214

Pro 22:18  For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
Pro 22:19  That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

Pro 22:18 For it will be pleasant when you keep them in your inner being, When they are established together on your lips.”
Pro 22:19 That your trust may come to be in Yahweh, I make them known to you today, indeed you.”[CLV]

God’s words need to be established on our lips, and this can only happen by continuing in the truth (Joh 8:32-36). If we are blessed to keep the words of God within us in this age, it will result in a very “pleasant” experience of knowing God and His Son Jesus Christ, whom God has sent, which is the definition of eternal life (Joh 17:3).

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Those words of God become “fitted in thy lips” or “established together on your lips” via the fiery trials that purify His words in our heavens (Isa 6:7). It takes not just knowing the word, or believing in God and Christ, but also experiencing the fiery trials of this life via God’s judgements upon our Adamic nature so that (Php 1:29, 1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 4:17) “thy trust may be in the LORD”. That is the miracle of the elect’s calling in this age and it is all made possible by the grace of God and the faith of Christ by which He has “made known to thee this day, even to thee”(Eph 2:8-10).

Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Pro 22:20  Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
Pro 22:21  That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

God has written excellent things in counsels and knowledge that we may become persuaded of the certainty of the words of truth (Rom 8:37-39).

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (1Co 3:21-22)

Once we are persuaded of what God is doing in our lives, He sends us as He did Christ (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:17), to be the light of this world, to be saviours unto our God, and to bring salvation unto those that He sends to us (1Ti 4:16).

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

In this age it will be very few who are chosen and remain faithful to the end (Mat 22:14), and yet we are instructed to pray for labourers and be hopeful in this day of small beginnings (Mat 9:37-38, Zec 4:10) that God has ordained so that in time all the world will be saved when saviours come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau (Oba 1:21).

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

Mat 9:37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Mat 9:38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.(Joh 20:21, Joh 3:17)

Zec 4:10  For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

Pro 22:22  Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
Pro 22:23  For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

Pro 22:22  Do not take away the property of the poor man because he is poor, or be cruel to the crushed ones when they come before the judge:
Pro 22:23 For the Lord will give support to their cause, and take the life of those who take their goods. [BBE]

Spiritually, we rob the poor when we try to take away what they think they have, spiritually, in this age, “Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate”. This proverb is a physical representation of that unlawful judgement of the oppressed at the gate which is where judgement was conducted in ancient times.

There will be a time when that will happen (Mat 13:11-12), and God’s mercy will be extended to the world through that judgement in the lake of fire (Rom 11:30-32).

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

The same point is being made regarding oppressing the “afflicted in the gate”. All of this is to remind us that Christ has another fold that He takes care of (Joh 10:16), so we must walk very circumspectly in this evil world, and be wise as serpents and gentle as doves, being mindful of the spirit realm we are up against (Mat 10:16), and trusting that “the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them”.

Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:17)

Pro 22:24  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Pro 22:25  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

These two verses are a continuation of thought from the previous verses, telling us that friendship with this world (Jas 4:4,  Mar 7:6-8), the church world of Babylon that we are called out of, is something we are to avoid, “Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul” (Jer 10:2-4, Gal 4:8-11).

Jas 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses [spiritual adultery], know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Mar 7:6  He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mar 7:8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Jer 10:2  Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
Jer 10:3  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
Jer 10:4  They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

Gal 4:8  Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Gal 4:11  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

Pro 22:26  Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
Pro 22:27  If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

If we start with the physical explanation, the natural, we can then more easily see what the spiritual lesson is for God’s elect. Physically, these proverbs are talking about financial responsibility and risk. “Striking hands”  refers to the ancient practice of clasping hands to seal an agreement, much like the signing of a contract today.

“Sureties for debts” means guaranteeing or co-signing someone else’s loan  promising to pay if they cannot. The point being we should not carelessly put ourselves on the hook for someone else’s debt, and avoid financial commitments that depend on another person’s ability or willingness to repay. Verse 27 highlights the severity of putting yourself in a situation like this where the creditors can come and take away your physical possessions as a result of your forfeiting on the signed agreement to pay.

This proverb is not saying that we don’t bear each other’s burdens, but rather that everyman must bear his own burden, and we need to be circumspect in knowing how and when we do use the resources that God has given us, seeing they all belong to Him and he has called us to be good stewards of those resources (Gal 6:2,  Gal 6:5).

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.

Another example of this point is how we can’t spiritually give our oil away to another, meaning we can’t give faith to another person. We preach the word in season and out, and we can ask the Lord to inspire us, but ultimately He is the one who gives the increase (1Co 3:6-7 ), so those words that we speak take effect in the lives of those who are indebted to God because of sin (1Pe 5:7-9). Only Christ can set us free from sin, and God’s word will not return void, so the labour and preaching is not in vain (Isa 55:11).

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

With that in mind, we know that increase comes through fiery trials and so we read this sound advice that is continually needed for the body of Christ (1Co 3:6-7, Rev 3:18-19).

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

This proverb is just another way of telling our brothers and sisters in Christ to pick up their own bed and work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, knowing it is Christ in us who is doing that work (Joh 5:8-9, Php 2:12-13).

Joh 5:8  Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Joh 5:9  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.[“Rise, take up thy bed, and walk”]
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Taking on the physical debt of another is synonymous with our taking away their cross and burden, negatively. Conversely there is a right way and time to bear the cross of another, even at great sacrifice and in doing so fulfilling the law of Christ, as we fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His body’s sake, the church (Jas 1:27, Joh 15:13, Col 1:24).

Jas 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Pro 22:28  Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Pro 22:29  Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

The physical point in this proverb is that we are not to tamper with established boundaries handed down from previous generations. In ancient Israel, landmarks were physical boundary stones that marked family property. Moving them was a form of theft and injustice.

The spiritual boundaries of God’s work have been handed down from the prophets and the apostles, Christ being the chief corner stone (1Pe 2:4-8, Eph 2:20-22), who marks the landmarks in our hearts and minds. The land is our bodies in spiritual terms, and to change the position of God’s word, thinking above what is written (1Co 4:6), adding or taking away from God’s work is what “removing the ancient landmark” is symbolic of.(Rev 22:19)

1Pe 2:4  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
1Pe 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city , and from the things which are written in this book

In order to preserve God’s word we must be “diligent in his business” (Joh 4:32), and then we will stand before kings, meaning we will stand before Christ in each other as stones of the field, and “the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee” and “he shall not stand before mean^{H2823 = obscure, insignificant, low} men”(Job 5:23). By God’s grace we have come to learn that “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold”. We are not worthy of ourselves to stand in the company of the King, but Christ in us is, God willing.

Joh 4:32  But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

Job 5:23  For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

Pro 22:29  Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings. (GNB)

Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Rev 3:4  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

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Last week we had started looking into the different translations of the Hebrew word ‘charuts,’ which is translated as ‘gold,’ but it is also translated in several other ways. This week we will see what those other translations have to do with the metal gold, and in the process we will “strike gold” by coming to know and understand the mind of God just a little better.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

How ‘charuts’ is translated:

Now look at what we find when we look at the other translations for this Hebrew word charuts.

H2742
cha ru ts
Total KJV Occurrences: 19
gold, 6
Pro_3:13-14 (2), Pro_8:10, Pro_8:19, Pro_16:16, Zec_9:3
diligent, 5
Pro_10:3-4 (2), Pro_12:24, Pro_12:27, Pro_21:4-5 (2)
decision, 2
Joe_3:14 (2)
sharp, 2
Job_41:30, Isa_41:15
threshing, 2
Isa_28:27, Amo_1:3
pointed, 1
Job_41:30
wall, 1
Dan_9:25

Gold’s relation to diligence

This word is tranlated as ‘diligent’ in five of its 19 entries. That is only one less than ‘gold’. Let’s look at how this word for gold is also translated ‘diligent’:

Pro 10:3  The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
Pro 10:4  He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

“The hand of the diligent makes rich.” Can you make a connection between ‘gold’ and ‘diligent’?

Let’s look at the other entries where this word is translated ‘diligent’.

Pro 12:24  The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Pro 13:4  The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Pro 12:27  The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

Pro 21:4  An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
Pro 21:5  The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

Our God apparently sees similarities between the beautiful, untarnished, malleable, precious metal gold and “being made rich… bearing rule… being made fat… precious substance… and plenteousness.” Those are all listed as fruits of the life of a diligent man.

Gold’s relation to the day of decision in our lives

Let’s look at the other ways God uses this word:

Joe 3:12  Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
Joe 3:13  Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness [is] great.
Joe 3:14  Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: [Hebrew: charuts – Also translated as ‘gold] for the day of the LORD [is] near in the valley of decision [charuts].
Joe 3:15  The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

This is what is called “the great and terrible day of the Lord.”

Joe 2:11  And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp [is] very great: for [he is] strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

Joe 2:31  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

Peter tells us that this is what we all experience when the holy spirit comes into our lives:

Act 2:15  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
Act 2:16  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
Act 2:17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Act 2:18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
Act 2:19  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
Act 2:20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
Act 2:21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The holy spirit sees a connection between the fiery day of God’s wrath against the sin in our lives, the day of judgment we are living, and God’s gold – ‘charuts.’

Gold’s relationship to our trials against our flesh as ‘sharp pointed things.’

Job 41:30  Sharp stones are under him [Leviathan]: he spreadeth sharp pointed things [charuts] upon the mire.
Job 41:31  He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
Job 41:32  He maketh a path to shine after him; [one] would think the deep [to be] hoary.
Job 41:33  Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.
Job 41:34  He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

Isa 41:13  For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isa 41:14  Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 41:15  Behold, I will make thee a new sharp [charuts] threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

The holy spirit sees a connection between gold and the word ‘sharp’, judgment and threshing.

Gold’s relation to threshing instruments

Isa 28:27  For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument [charuts], neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

Amo 1:3  Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away [the punishment] thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments [charuts] of iron:

There is a definite relationship between the hammering out of gold and the threshing out of the wheat and the barley to be gathered into God’s barn. The relationship is so close that God uses the same word for both.

Here are a few verses to that effect:

Exo 25:18  And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

Exo 25:31  And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

Exo 37:7  And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;

Mic 4:13  Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

Gold’s relationship to God’s wall

Dan 9:25  Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall [charuts], even in troublous times.

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11  Having the glory of God: and her light [was] like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:12  And had a wall great and high, [and] had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are [the names] of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13  On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Rev 21:14  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Rev 21:15  And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

The holy spirit sees a connection between the malleable, ductile, beautiful, untarnished, usable, precious metal gold and the wall of Jerusalem.

We are coming to see just how malleable gold is in the hands of an Almighty God.

Thus far we have covered three of the seven Old Testament Hebrew and one Aramaic words which are all translated as ‘gold.’ We have covered 1) ‘zahab,’ the most common Hebrew word translated ‘gold.’ We have covered the Aramaic word 2) ‘zehab,’ the equivalent of ‘zahab,’ and found only in Ezra and Daniel. With this study we have covered all the entries of the word 3) ‘charuts’ with its five very revealing different translations, which reveal to us the mind of God as relates to the word ‘gold.’

We have four more words to look into to understand more of the mind of God concerning His use of the most precious of all metals in scripture, gold. The four words we still must examine are :
Fourth: ketem– gold tried in the fire? The very purest of gold  (“gold of Ophir”) – ex. Job 28:16
Fifth: pazb – means pure but also translated as fine (pure) gold – ex. Psa 21.3
Sixth: betser– only found in Job 22:24 and 22:25 same word translated defense
Seventh: segor– only once Job 28:15 – probably impure gold – see contrast in Job 28:16
Also translated ‘caul’ in Hos 13:8

Lord willing, we will cover these remaining four words next week.

Audio Links

Introduction

Pro 14:4  Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

“Much increase is by the strength of the ox.” An ox is another very powerful animal. In early ancient Israel, the ox was the single most valuable animal one could own. As we learned in studying the horse, God had forbidden Israel to go to Egypt to buy horses, so the ox was the animal used to plow and to turn a mill or to do much of the heavy work that had to be done. To steal a man’s ox was just like stealing his livelihood. It was his most valuable possession, next to his servants and his wife.
The Hebrew word for ‘ox’ is ‘shore,’ Strong’s number H7794. It is translated into the English words ‘bullock, bull, cow, ox, and oxen.’
While the horse is a great powerful, muscular animal associated with warfare, the ox is a great powerful, muscular animal associated with service and production, and increase of wealth. All of these are, of course to be understood in spiritual terms. If there are no horses within, then there are no spiritual battles taking place, and if there is no ox within, then there is no spiritual increase. Both of these mighty beasts represent spiritual zeal to serve our Lord, one in the capacity of spiritual warfare, and the other in the capacity of service, to both God and our fellow man.
We are all given different forms of horses and oxen, but we all have both within, if indeed we are zealous to serve with our Lord, and to do battle for our Lord.
What is the value of an ox

Exo 22:1  If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
Exo 22:9  For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.

Note the difference in the penalty for stealing to increase one’s own wealth and for simply finding and keeping that which was lost. Remember this typical story?

A Biblical Example of stealing our brother’s livestock.

King David is God’s Old Testament type of our theft of His lamb, our rebellion and our self righteousness.

2Sa 12:1  And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
2Sa 12:2  The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
2Sa 12:3  But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
2Sa 12:4  And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
2Sa 12:5  And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
2Sa 12:6  And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
2Sa 12:7  And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
2Sa 12:8  And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if [ that had been] too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
2Sa 12:9  Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife [ to be] thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
2Sa 12:10  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
2Sa 12:11  Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
2Sa 12:12  For thou didst [ it] secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
2Sa 12:13  And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
2Sa 12:14  Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

As with our Savior, the innocent died for the guilty, and the life of the guilty is spared. We have been made master over sin in our lives, we are blessed beyond measure and we still are not satisfied. We are the man who takes from Christ in order to please the people. If you read this story and all you see is Nathan pointing his finger at David, then “Thou art the man”  mean nothing to you and has no significance for you.
How do we kill our neighbor’s ox? How do we steal our neighbor’s ox or his “little ewe lamb?” We are all guilty of doing so when we subscribe to the doctrine of  ‘agreement in the essentials and tolerance in the nonessentials.’ We are thieves and murderers as long as we serve our own flesh, “fear the people,” and remain in Babylon retaining her doctrines. We are less so in direct proportion to our desire to be clean of all spiritual filthiness with no regard for the outward price we may have to pay.

Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Exo 23:4  If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.

“Thine enemy’s” means your own flesh, enemy. This is not to be taken as a Gentile enemy. If you came across the livestock of your Gentile enemy, not only were you to take possession his livestock, but you were to destroy your Gentile enemy. Under certain circumstances you were to destroy him and “everything that breathes.”  We are not here, being encouraged to “agree on the essentials and tolerate the nonessentials.” Christ did not come to bring peace. He did come to bring a sword, and if we are not willing to use that sword, we are doing nothing less then stealing, killing and destroying our own fellow man to whom we think we are showing love by our tolerance of the filth of this world.
“Ox or sheep or…” The ox is almost always mentioned first. That is because it was the first and most important animal on the farm in ancient Israel. It was what sustained the family.

How we are to view our brother’s ox

Considering how much we depend on our own ox for our own welfare, how are we to treat our brother’s ox? We saw this earlier in Exo 23, regarding our enemies ox.

Deu 22:1  Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother.
Deu 22:2  And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again.
Deu 22:3  In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother’s, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself.
Deu 22:4  Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.

Here is the spiritual application of restoring your brother’s ox or his sheep:

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

Our oxen, like our horses, and all of our livestock, are actually God’s.

Exo 34:19  All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.
Psa 50:10  For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

When we offer our ox or any offering, it must be offered upon the cross

The altar is the cross of Christ. ‘The cross’ is the death of pride and vanity. Any offering which is not on the cross of Christ, amounts to an offering offered to another god, the god of pride and rebellion.

Lev 17:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 17:2  Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying,
Lev 17:3  What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,
Lev 17:4  And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:
Lev 17:5  To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD.
Lev 17:6  And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Lev 17:7  And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.

“Devils” are spirits. And when a spirit is tried and found to be a false spirit, it is found to be a lie. It may be “in the camp” or it may be “out of the camp,” both are still in rebellion to the commandment of the Lord. Believing a lie is spiritually “offering a sacrifice to a devil.”

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1Jn 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

We have seen that where no spiritul oxen are, the spiritual crib is clean: but much spiritual increase is by the strength of the spiritual ox.
We have seen that this makes the ox the most valuable animal on the farm, and critical for the welfare of all on the farm.
We have seen that the strength of the ox is demonstrated by the strong zeal we have to place obedience to our heavenly Father above the concerns of the things of this temporal world.

Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
Joh 2:17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

We have seen  the scriptures reveal that we all steal our brother’s ox, along with his other livestock when we place our desire to please men above our fear of God and our desire to please Him. Nathan tells us that serving our guests at the expense of our poor neighbor’s livestock instead of our own, is “despising the commandment of the Lord.”
This is especially egregious when we stop to realize that all our livestock is really the Lord’s and not ours at all.
Finally we also saw that we cannot come to our Lord with any pretense of bringing something to the table. We come only with a full realization that our righteousnesses are but filthy rags.

Isa 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

We saw that if we come before the Lord with our concerns for what others might think, and with the accompanying self righteousness which always comes with a people pleasing spirit, that we are guilty of killing and offering our ox anywhere but upon the cross of Christ. The cross is God’s altar, upon which the beast of ‘self’ must be sacrificed.

Lev 17:7  And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.

Next week we will see a Biblical example of both stealing our brother’s ox and an example of offering our offering anywhere besides “on the altar, the door of the tabernacle.” We will see how doing so amounts to “offering to devils.”

[The next installment of this study can be found here.]