The Blessing of Pain - Discussion

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The Blessings of Pain

I want to thank all of you for your prayers and support for Sandi and for me through this trial we have just endured. Your prayers and your e-mails have meant more to us than I can express to you. I have tried to respond to every single e-mail I received, so if I have overlooked your e-mail, please forgive me and accept, at this time, my words of sincere gratitude for every compassionate and supportive e-mail and every sweet smelling prayer that has "ascended up before God" on our behalf.

I am very grateful to Jim and Tanya for coming to the hospital and staying there with Sandi and me through the entire ordeal. What a blessing it was to see them that morning, and the next day Lexy, Garrett and Brody with them. Just being there meant a lot to me! Thank you, Jim and Tanya and all the kids.

Sandi and I had a wonderful visit with my brother Lonnie and his wife Sandy. Lonnie has been a champion of our beliefs from the beginning. I am grateful to them both for coming to the hospital.

It was a great blessing also to see my son Dallas and Susie, his wife, and all four of their children, my grandchildren.

I want to thank John McDowell for coming to the hospital and helping me to make contact with all of you over the internet. Thank you so much, John!

This is how the scriptures portray how the Lord receives your prayers for Sandi and me and for yourselves and for each other:

Rev 8:3  And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
Rev 8:4  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

My severe trial, just like all of your trials, was not a happenstance event, because there is nothing that happens outside the parameters of these verses:

Isa 45:6  That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

The Lord created some severe 'evil' in my life July the 31st and August 1st, and for several days thereafter.

1) Our pain should make us introspective

I tell all of you, and I  have been doing so for many years now, when you are given a trial, any trial, you should ask yourself what the Lord is saying to you. Believe me I was trying to figure what the Lord was telling me in the midst of my misery. I actually prayed, 'Lord, I'll do anything, just give me some relief." That is what any of us should do. We should all be introspective and seek to see what the Lord is telling us through our pain.

2) We should realize that our pain is not just for us alone. Our pain makes the work of God manifested to His body, and in time, to the world

But don't be a "miserable comforter" to your brother who is in pain and wag your finger at a brother enduring a trial or an affliction, because all of our afflictions are given to us to benefit more than just the person being afflicted, as we learned when we went through the book of Job, and as we learn also in the story of the healing of the man who was born blind:

Joh 9:1  And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
Joh 9:2  And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Joh 9:3  Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

"...But that the works of God should be made manifest in him" is just as true for all of our afflictions as it is for the affliction of this blind man, who actually typifies the spiritual condition into which we are all born:

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

So "the works of God [must] be made manifest" in every one of us, just as they had to be "made manifest" in that blind man:

1Jn 1:2  (For the life was manifested [Greek: aorist tense], and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested [Greek: aorist tense] unto us;)

Do you understand what we are being told here? This is just how spiritually blind we all are:

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Joh 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Neither Thomas nor Phillip could see or hear Christ at this time. They both say so. These words are Christ speaking of those things that be not as though they were:

Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

And that is the meaning of:

1Jn 1:2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

If Christ is living His life within us, then we, too, are showing that eternal life which was with the Father and is being manifested unto others. But 'knowing that way [and] seeing the Father' comes only through extremely painful fiery trials which give us spiritual eyesight and spiritual ears and wisdom which are not available to those who do not see either Christ or His Father.

3) Spiritual vision comes only through the pain of seeing just how deceived we have been

Spiritual eyes and spiritual ears are just a couple of the blessings of the fiery pain, which is what the Lord's words are to the spiritual "wood, hay and stubble" substance of the kingdom of our old man:

1Co 3:13  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

Job actually had his own pain-filled fiery trials, and they were written down and recorded for our admonition.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Now look at the very next verse:

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

It is important to notice the purpose for "the way  to escape" is "that you may be able to bear it". The 'unbearable' pain is borne until the Lord provided "a way to escape" by means of pain killers, surgery or whatever the Lord ordains.

This particular trial has subsided, but I have no illusions about having no more fiery trials in this age. We are all told to expect fiery trials as long as we are in these vessels of clay.

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.
Mat 10:17  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
Mat 10:18  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

Mat 10:21  And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Mat 10:24  The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
Mat 10:25  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

4) Pain prepares us for the certainty of being rejected and hated of all men

Our hearts should be prepared by these words and not be shocked or disappointed when the pain of undeserved hatred and rejection is cast upon us. We are warned, "You shall be hated of all men."

Notice what the spirit teaches us we must expect from our families and friends in spiritual Babylon:

Act 14:19  And there came [to Lystra] certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
Act 14:20  Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
Act 14:21  And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

"Much tribulation" means 'much pain'. So if you want to avoid pain, then do not seek to follow Christ. We just read what He promises to all who will follow Him.... "You shall be hated of all men..." He does promise to help bear our yoke, but He nowhere even once promises to take away that yoke.

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

"Easy... light" compared to what?

There is no contradiction between this promise in Matthew 11 and these verses in 1 Peter:

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
1Pe 4:16  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

"Partaking of Christ's suffering... being reproached for the name of Christ, [and] suffering as a Christian", are not just a matter of being hated of all men and being evil spoken of in this age. Suffering as a Christian, can and does include both physical and mental pain, "as a Christian". But the fruit, the blessing, of that pain in a true Christian is always the same:

5) Our pain is part of our judgment, and it always 'teaches us righteousness'

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Christ's 'light burden' and His 'easy yoke' are 'light' and 'easy' only in comparison to the lake of fire of the later judgment which the Lord uses to drive and drag mankind to Himself. "Fiery trials" are fiery judgments, and we are blessed to be judged in this age. Without the pain of judgment in any age we have no hope of being delivered from "the body of this death" (Rom 7:25).

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

"The body of this death" is a proud, lofty, puffed up, dying old man who is not aware of being in that sad position.

Isa 2:11  The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
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 [inflict pain]: be zealous therefore, and repent.

After chastening King David for attempting to hide his adultery with Uriah's wife with his murder of Uriah, this is what the Lord told King David via the prophet Nathan:

6) The pain of His fiery word, is what the Lord uses to keep us humble and ever vigilant

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.

Surely the words, "...because you have despised me... Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house" is not speaking to or of you and me, is it? You and I have been given dominion over sin in our lives and we have had that dominion for many years. Have we at long last come to the point that we no longer need the Lord's painful, fiery judgments, His fiery words, in our lives?

Well, if it is possible to get to that point in this life, then to whom do those words apply? Do they apply only to someone else's old man, but not to you or me? Do the words "the sword shall never depart from your house" apply only to "carnal... babes in Christ"? Is that what you think? Let me warn you, that is what we all tend to think, but that is not the case, my brothers and my sisters. That 'sword' is the Word of God, and that sword, for a time, had left King David's house. This event took place many years after King David had been ruling. He had already reigned 7 and a half years in Hebron before he even took Jerusalem for his capital. This sad story took place years after King David had begun ruling in Jerusalem, as we learned back in chapters 7 and 8:

2Sa 7:8  Now therefore so shalt thou [the prophet, Nathan] say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
2Sa 7:9  And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
2Sa 7:10  Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
2Sa 7:11  And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
2Sa 7:12  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sa 7:13  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
2Sa 7:14  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
2Sa 7:15  But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
2Sa 7:16  And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
2Sa 7:17  According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

We now know that "the tabernacle of David" is to be understood as the New Testament church (Act 15:16), but that certainly was not how King David understood this promise. He took it literally, as many do to this very day, and in the next chapter we are made aware of just how secure David felt in this promise:

2Sa 8:1  And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
2Sa 8:2  And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.
2Sa 8:3  David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.
2Sa 8:4  And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.
2Sa 8:5  And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
2Sa 8:6  Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

King David is a type of each of us as kings and priests in Christ. It was as a conquering king that King David became comfortable and lax because of the many victories he had just been given.

2Sa 7:1  And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2Sa 7:2  That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

What we need to know is that King David's sin in the matter of Bathsheba was many years after he had been made king over all Israel. It was after he had conquered all of his enemies and had been "given... rest" that he had failed this most important trial.

So now we see that another of the blessings of pain is that God's fiery, chastening love keeps us humble and always aware of our need for Him! We bring nothing to His table. He needs nothing from us as we are plainly told:

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

The first 11 chapters of 2 Samuel relate how the Lord had destroyed the house of King Saul and had given it to King David, just as He does for you and for me when He brings us out of Babylon and gives us an "abundance of revelations". When He does that for us, He also provides the means of keeping us humbled "in His presence".

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

When we become "exalted" that is another way of saying the sword of the Lord has left our house, and because that fiery, two-edged sword is no longer there, like King David, we become exalted and forget that God sees everything, all the time, and that He has already determined "that no flesh should glory in His presence". I will repeat what we are told about the requirements of all who are being called to be kings and priests:

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

Now you know why the Lord has chosen me to follow Him, and now I know why He chose you. And this is why these humiliating qualities are the very qualifications of the Lord's elect:

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

I am coming to you today with some very good news for all of us, and that good news is that the sword will never depart from our house. Even after our old man attempts to reassert himself, and after we are granted to see him for just how proud and how self-confident he is, if we are the Lord's elect, then we will be given the means of keeping that old man subdued. It is a tool by which our flesh is constantly disquieted until the day we draw our last breath. That is why it is called "a thorn in the flesh". It can be a physical affliction, but it is still a part of the "words that proceed out of the mouth of God" by which we all must live (Mat 4:4). In that sense, anything the Lord uses to keep us humbled becomes the "sword [of the Lord]" to "never leave [our] house" and to "daily" destroy our corruptible old man. The "sword" which we should all want to have in our spiritual house is His fiery words within us, judging us every day, increasing our new man while simultaneously decreasing our old man, as John the Baptist explained it to us:

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

7) Pain helps us to want to comfort each other and to bear each other's burdens

In Galatians 6 we are instructed:

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

Verse 5 gives us the exact opposite instruction, but when we read the context we see clearly why these verse appear to contradict each other, when in reality they are speaking of a matter of proper timing:

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
Gal 6:4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.

No one can do anything of himself, but:

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

The message of these verses in Galatians 6 is the same as the message given in much greater detail in Romans 14 and 15... receive weaker brothers, but with a view to bringing them to maturity while not permitting "doubtful disputations" about already firmly discerned doctrine:

Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Rom 15:5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Enduring pain makes us realize that we, too, are super weak in our own way, and it vastly increases our love for our less mature brothers and sisters, who are exactly where the Lord would have them to be at this moment.

Christ is who we are as His body, and in that capacity we take each other's pains upon ourselves, and in the same sense Christ also takes the pains of His body upon Himself:

Isa 63:9  In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Paul tells us what compassion our trials produce within any in whom Christ dwells:

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2Co 1:5  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Co 1:6  And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2Co 1:7  And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
2Co 1:8  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
2Co 1:10  Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
2Co 1:11  Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

8) It is through pain that we learn to be patient, as we are being brought to perfection

Pain tries our faith, as all who experience pain know, and this is what our painful trials produce:

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Christ Himself "learned by the things He suffered", and He tells us that He Himself could not be perfected until He had endured His own death and resurrection:

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Christ was acquainted with pain, suffering and grief for the express purpose of being able to identify with His children:

Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Isa 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

9) Our pain brings us to give God all the glory for all things

In the book of Psalms we are told:

Psa 107:21  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

We simply do not cry unto the Lord until our troubles and our pain brings us to "[our] wits' end". Then we cry to the Lord... then we are glad because we are delivered. It is our pain which brings us to "exalt Him... in the congregation of the people".

To review:

1) Our painful trials should make us introspective
2) We should realize that our pain is not just for us. Our pain makes the work of God manifested to His body, and in time, to the world,
3) Spiritual vision comes only through the pain of seeing just how deceived we have been,
4) Pain prepares us for the certainty of being rejected and hated of all men,
5) Our pain is part of our judgment and it always 'teaches us righteousness,
6) The pain of His fiery word is what the Lord uses to keep us vigilant. It disquiets us like "a thorn in the flesh".
7) Pain draws the body of Christ to care for its members, and pain helps us to want to bear each other's burdens,
8) It is through pain that we learn to be patient, as we are being brought to perfection and finally,
9) Our pain brings us to give God all the glory for all things.

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The Virtuous Body of Christ - Part 13 Discussion

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“The virtuous body of Christ” - Part 13

May 29, 2016

with Steven Crook

The virtuous woman we have been studying has steadily had various traits of herself revealed to King Lemuel as King Lemuel’s mother tells him what to look for in a virtuous woman.

In our study today, we are going to cover a few of the benefits and blessings this virtuous woman receives as she lives out her “many roles” life.

Blessed and praised

As we all know, family is very important to us all. Within our own family units, we are naturally drawn to want to be a part of our family. It is only when we have issues within our relationships or families that those relationships potentially become problematic or bitter.

For our virtuous woman, and for the body of Christ who are children of God, that is not the case.

Pro 31:28  Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Pro 31:29  Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

We see these praises paid to our virtuous woman at the end of this chapter signifying that she has done many things that cause such blessings and praises to fall upon her.

I want to read out of a few other translations so that we can get a broader idea of how these verses are translated, and I also will be looking at some key words in these verses so that we can get a clearer idea of just how this virtuous woman is viewed.

Pro 31:28 (CEV)  Her children praise her, and with great pride her husband says,
Pro 31:29  "There are many good women, but you are the best!"

Pro 31:28 (ESV) Her children stand up and encourage her, as does her husband, who praises her:
Pro 31:29  "Many women have done wonderful things," he says, "but you surpass all of them!"

Pro 31:28 (YLT)  Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,
Pro 31:29  `Many are the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.'

Pro 31:28 (LITV)  Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also, for he praises her:
Pro 31:29  Many are the daughters who act with virtue, but you rise above them all!

Pro 31:28  (BBE) Her children get up and give her honour, and her husband gives her praise, saying,
Pro 31:29  Unnumbered women have done well, but you are better than all of them.

There are many ways that these verses are stated, and there is a reason why. A lot of these words of meanings that are hidden within what is being said and this is a place where context is important within these two verses.

When we break a part these verses we will get a clearer understanding of which translation has it more correct and that is why it is always good to look at multiple translations.

Pro 31:28  Her childrenH1121 arise up,H6965 and call her blessed;H833 her husbandH1167 also, and he praisethH1984 her.

The first part of this verse says the children of the virtuous woman “arise up and call her blessed” but what does that mean?

H833
'âshar  /  'âshêr
BDB Definition:
1) to go straight, walk, go on, advance, make progress
1a) (Qal) to go straight on, make progress
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to go straight on, advance
1b2) to lead on (causative)
1b3) to set right, righten
1b4) to pronounce happy, call blessed
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to be advanced, be led on
1c2) to be made happy, be blessed
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root
Same Word by TWOT Number: 183

H833

'âshar    'âshêr
aw-shar', aw-share'
A primitive root; to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy); figuratively to go forward, be honest, prosper: - (call, be) bless (-ed, happy), go, guide, lead, relieve.
Total KJV occurrences: 16

When you look at the translations that I quoted, it is hard to get the definition of “to be straight” from them.

“Praise her, encourage her, pronounce her happy, call her blessed and give her honor” all English phrases that hold slightly different meanings

When you put this all together, this virtuous woman is someone who is honest, happy, counts it all joy and is able to move straight forward towards the goals of becoming a virtuous woman.

How then do we put this together with the second part of this verse?

“…..her husband also, and he praiseth H1984 her.  ……”

H1984
hâlal
BDB Definition:
1) to shine
1a) (Qal) to shine (figuratively of God’s favour)
1b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light
2) to praise, boast, be boastful
2a) (Qal)
2a1) to be boastful
2a2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)
2b) (Piel)
2b1) to praise
2b2) to boast, make a boast
2c) (Pual)
2c1) to be praised, be made praiseworthy, be commended, be worthy of praise
2d) (Hithpael) to boast, glory, make one’s boast
2e) (Poel) to make a fool of, make into a fool
2f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, act like a madman
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root
Same Word by TWOT Number: 499, 500

The majority of the time this word is translated as praise, so the thing I wanted to point out about praise is how it is used to convey our thoughts about those being praised.

H1984

hâlal
haw-lal'
A primitive root; to be clear (originally of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence to make a show; to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively to celebrate; also to stultify: - (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (-ish, -ly), glory, give [light], be (make, feign self) mad (against), give in marriage, [sing, be worthy of] praise, rage, renowned, shine.
Total KJV occurrences: 165

To praise someone is to make them shine, to boast about them, to put the light or spotlight on them.

When we consider who we are as the virtuous body of Christ, do we consider what our Husband thinks and SAYS about us?

Often times, we think humbly about ourselves in the Lord, and we should think this way, but that does NOT discount that there are two sides of this coin.

Here is the proper understanding of this spiritual coin. KNOW WHO YOU ARE TO YOUR HUSBAND.

One side of the coin:

Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

1Pe 5:4  And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
1Pe 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, SUBMIT YOURSELVES unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

If you’ll remember from the last study, wisdom and works were connected together, and I also connected “greater works” to what Jesus Christ said we would do after the comforter came.

So here we are as this virtuous body of Christ being told that our Husband praises us. US!, His chosen wife.

If you read James and 1 Peter, you’ll see WHY He praises His wife. His wife humbles herself IN HIS SIGHT and SUBMITS to HIM. In other words, she makes herself subject to the will of her husband.

Before this sentence is misrepresented by those that desire to be politically correct, I must point out that anyone who has the mind of Christ, will be a leader in the capacity that Christ has given to a husband in a relationship and will always be doing what is best for the family and his wife.

However, anyone also led by the mind of Christ will have extremely different views from the world on what those values and “bests” are for his family exactly the same as Jesus Christ came to do what was best for the children of God.

It would be remiss if I did not read from 1 Corinthians and Ephesians where this very concept comes out.

1Co 11:1  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. (always points to the head)
1Co 11:2  Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
1Co 11:3  But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Eph 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Eph 5:21  Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Eph 5:22  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Eph 5:29  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Eph 5:33  Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

The other side of the coin:

The reason this is important within the context of the Husband being able to praise His wife in Proverbs 31:28 is because one side of this spiritual coin requires that His wife is humbled before Him, always POINT TO HIM, and always ACKNOWLDGE HIM, but the other side of this coin requires us to KNOW WHO WE ARE and PROCLAIM IT!

The word “greater” is also translated as “elder”, and Jesus Christ points out that we will do “GREATER” things than He did. This is what we saw within our last study and is born out in scripture.

The virtuous woman is given her “royal standing” as queen because her husband King Lemuel has chosen her to share this royalty with him. Likewise, the virtuous body of Christ has been given election to the kingdom of God, has been given to be a “king and priest”, and has of NO WORK OF HER OWN, been given to be the “elect lady”.

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

2Jn 1:1  The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
2Jn 1:2  For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
2Jn 1:3  Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

This relationship is a healthy one and Jesus Christ, the Truth, dwells within his elect lady. That is why He praises her. She is an extension of Him and boldly proclaims His ordinances, His commandments.

Grace, mercy and peace come about because the wife is willing to be humble to her Husband. See, peace is the result of having someone lead and another be a follower and HELPER of the one leading.

It’s like the old saying goes, “too many cooks spoil the broth” or “there are too many cooks in the kitchen”.

The wife is created to be a HELPER to Adam but not to lead him. She comes OUT of Him and then He goes INTO her to become her helper (in her heavens).

There is an amazing connection for grace, mercy and peace to happen when a “virtuous wife”, who we are to Jesus Christ, helps her Husband do what He came to do.

He came to do the will of the Father and the work we do is a GREATER work of His will for all of humanity.

Gen 2:18  And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Gen 2:19  And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
Gen 2:20  And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
Gen 2:21  And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Gen 2:22  And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Gen 2:23  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Gen 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Heb 13:6  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Excelling virtuously

This is why verse 28 goes directly with verse 29 and this becomes abundantly clear as you look at the Hebrew in verse 29.

Pro 31:29  Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

Pro 31:29  "Many women have done wonderful things," he says, "but you surpass all of them!"

Pro 31:29  Many daughters have done virtuously, H2428 but thou excellest H5927 H5921 them all.

Here again we find that this woman is mentioned within the context of being “virtuous”. In part 3 of this series, I covered the first time that we see this Hebrew word translated as “virtuous” but it is also mentioned another time in this chapter.

H2428
chayil
khah'-yil
From H2342; probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength: - able, activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great) forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, (+) valiant (-ly), valour, virtuous (-ly), war, worthy (-ily).
Total KJV occurrences: 243

Pro 31:3  Give not thy strength H2428 unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

Pro 31:10  Who can find a virtuous H2428 woman? for her price is far above rubies.

If you’ll remember what the root of virtue is then you’ll realize exactly what this virtuous woman is all about.

The majority of the time this word is translated as “army”, “host” or “forces”. This army has “valour”. What then is the ROOT OF THIS ARMY? Could it have anything to do with who we are to our Husband? Could it have anything to do with what we proclaim?

As a reminder, here is the root of virtuous, from H2342. I am NOT going to list all the listings here since they are in part 3 of this series, but here is the core of them:

H2342
chûl  /  chı̂yl
Total KJV Occurrences: 68
pain, 6
Isa_13:8, Isa_26:17-18 (2), Jer_30:23, Eze_30:16, Mic_4:10
formed, 5
Deu_32:18, Job_26:5, Job_26:13, Psa_90:2, Pro_26:10
forth, 4
Pro_8:24-25 (2), Isa_45:10, Isa_66:8
brought, 3
Pro_8:24-25 (2), Isa_45:10
pained, 3
Joe_2:4-6 (3)

The root of “virtuous” is rooted in pain? Here are a few of these verses listed out so that we can get an idea of what we are being told.

Isa 13:8  And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain H2342 as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

Isa 26:17  Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain H2342, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.
Isa 26:18  We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

Jer 30:23  Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain H2342 upon the head of the wicked.

Eze 30:16  And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain H2342, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily.

So the root of “virtue” or being “virtuous” is pain. What then is the negative connotation of being “virtuous”?

Can there be a NEGATIVE APPLICATION of a WORLDLY VIRTUE and what the world values versus what our Husband who praises us proclaims? This is taken from part 3 of this “virtuous body of Christ” series.

Here is what scripture speaks about this “virtuous” word/concept concerning what the world does with virtue.

Job 20:4  Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
Job 20:5  That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

A couple verses later:

Job 20:15  He hath swallowed down riches H2428, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

Psa 62:9  Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
Psa 62:10  Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches H2428 increase, set not your heart upon them.

Eze 28:1  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
Eze 28:2  Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:
Eze 28:3  Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
Eze 28:4  With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches H2428, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
Eze 28:5  By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches H2428, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches H2428:

How this all comes together is found in how this verse ends.

Pro 31:29  Many daughters have done virtuously, H2428 but thou excellest H5927 H5921 them all.

How does the virtuous body of Christ, how does the CHURCH of the Living God, EXCELLEST more than “many daughters”?

Mat 5:19  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Since we know that “our righteousness” is as filthy rags, what righteousness are we talking about?
It all goes back to verse Proverbs 31:28 and why and how our Husband praises us.

Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Mat 18:1  At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Mat 18:2  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 18:5  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

See, humbling ourselves as the wife and bride of Christ shows that we are converted. When we are converted, the riches of this world are nothing to us because they will die like the rest of this world. However, we can and DO work within this world to bring about the dying process that produces our HUSBAND living IN US as He increases in us.

H5927

‛âlâh
aw-law'
A primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or active (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literally and figuratively: - arise (up). (cause to) ascend up, at once, break [the day] (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, + shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up), grow (over), increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, [make] up, X mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, + perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.
Total KJV occurrences: 890

The way we “ascend up” or excel more than all the other “worldly and corrupt branches”, the other daughters/churches is to take on the MIND of our HUSBAND and ascend to the heavens with Him.

Our Husband praises us along with the blessings of “our children” because our children are those who are produced by feeding these “little children” the mind of Christ, His doctrine, His riches and His Way, Truth and Life.

In our next study, we will conclude this chapter and see how it is all of the concepts contained within Proverbs 31 produce praise for the virtuous body of Christ whose works are praised in the gates with the works of her Husband.

Audio Links

“The virtuous body of Christ” – Part 3

March 19, 2016

with Steven Crook

What does it mean to be virtuous? This is probably among the first questions that most Christians ask themselves when considering what Proverbs chapter 31 is all about. Mankind is able to define what virtue is, but is that how God defines virtue and being virtuous?

In the study today, we are going to take a closer look at what the Lord tells us is virtuous. I believe that those who have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit says unto the churches, will “walk away” from this study with and entirely new idea about what the Lord looks for in His wife, “The Virtuous body of Christ”.

What is virtue?

Pro 31:10  Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

What is virtue? Merriam-Webster defines “virtue” as simply:

Morally good behavior or character

A good and moral quality

The good result that comes from something

Merriam-Webster also gives a “full definition” of virtue as:

1. A) conformity to a standard of right: morality B) a particular moral excellence
2. plural: an order of angels – see celestial hierarchy
3. a beneficial quality or power of a thing
4. manly strength or courage – valor
5. a commendable quality or trait – merit
6. a capacity to act – potency
7. chastity especially in a woman

Merriam-Webster define “virtuous” as:

Morally good: having or showing virtue

Strong’s concordance defines “virtuous” as:

H2428

chayil
khah’-yil
From H2342; probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength: – able, activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great) forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, (+) valiant (-ly), valour, virtuous (-ly), war, worthy (-ily).
Total KJV occurrences: 243

All of these definitions, even with Strong’s concordance, are things that mankind has defined as traits worthy of the concept of virtue. However, the diligent wife of Christ is always concerning herself with what the will of her Husband is.

Why is it important to compare what the world defines as virtue versus what the Lord means virtue to be understood as in the context of defining what a virtuous woman is?

Did you notice how many times “moral” or “morality” was used to define virtue? Who gets to define what being moral or what morality is? If we rely on our own definitions, then we will have to welcome the opinion of all humans which is disastrous for the new man being formed in us.

This series is titled, “The Virtuous body of Christ” so I am obligated to point out the spiritual definition of virtue or being virtuous, but I also cannot negate the fact that virtue in the physical sense and application does matter.

Natural Virtue

Having natural virtue, as defined by whatever our societal norms are, is something that does not come naturally to anyone. We must work on being strong in whatever it is we are trying to be strong in. If I want to have strong muscles, I need to work them out. If I want to have a strong mind, it must be intellectually worked out. So then is this true for virtue.

As Christians, like Christ, we must be like our Husband. When we are in a relationship we naturally take on characteristics of our partner’s mindset. With our Husband Christ, we are to put on His whole mind.

When we do, what happens for us in our natural and physical lives is a reflection of the spiritual truths that live in us. If they are lacking in application in our day to day lives that is because they need to be exercised more and more in our spiritual mindset.

This is something that only the Lord can do in us and that is why it is so important for us to listen to the will and commands of our Husband the Lord.

Applying virtue in our lives

Pro 31:10  Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Pro 31:10  WhoH4310 can findH4672 a virtuousH2428 woman?H802 for her priceH4377 is farH7350 above rubies.H4480 H6443

In our last study, we covered what spiritual drunkenness is and why it is important that we do not become drunk with the doctrines of what so many other harlots become drunk with.

As it pertains to virtue, we can become drunk on what the world defines as virtue without even knowing that is happening and has happened already.

How is that?

What I am about to share is something that I haven’t heard mentioned or preached anywhere. I have no doubt that someone somewhere has taught this and has been led of the Lord to understand it, but after studying this for myself, I am much more informed of the virtue and virtuous wife the Lord inspired Lemuel’s mother to tell Lemuel to seek out.

What is a “virtuous” woman as defined in scripture? Remember that Strong’s concordance lists H2428 in English as “virtuous”.

Here is H2428 being used in scripture. I am not going to read all of these but I am listing them in the notes so that you can see them for yourselves.

H2428
chayil
Total KJV Occurrences: 242
army, 51
Exo_14:9, Deu_11:4, 1Ki_20:19, 1Ki_20:25 (2), 2Ki_25:5 (2), 2Ki_25:10, 2Ch_13:3, 2Ch_14:8, 2Ch_24:24, Neh_2:9, Neh_4:2, Isa_43:17, Jer_32:2, Jer_34:1, Jer_34:7, Jer_34:21, Jer_35:11 (2), Jer_37:5, Jer_37:7, Jer_37:10-11 (3), Jer_38:3, Jer_39:1, Jer_39:5, Jer_46:2, Jer_46:22, Jer_52:4, Jer_52:8 (2), Jer_52:14, Eze_17:17, Eze_27:10-11 (2), Eze_29:18-19 (3), Eze_32:31, Eze_37:10, Eze_38:4, Eze_38:15, Dan_11:7, Dan_11:13, Dan_11:25-26 (3), Joe_2:11, Joe_2:25
valour, 37
Jos_1:14, Jos_8:2-3 (2), Jos_10:7, Jdg_3:29, Jdg_6:12, Jdg_18:1-2 (2), Jdg_20:44, Jdg_20:46, 1Ki_11:28, 2Ki_5:1, 2Ki_24:14, 1Ch_5:24, 1Ch_7:7, 1Ch_7:9, 1Ch_7:11, 1Ch_8:40 (2), 1Ch_12:21, 1Ch_12:25, 1Ch_12:28, 1Ch_12:30, 1Ch_26:6, 1Ch_26:30-32 (3), 2Ch_13:3, 2Ch_14:8, 2Ch_17:13-14 (2), 2Ch_17:16-17 (2), 2Ch_25:6, 2Ch_26:12, 2Ch_32:21, Neh_11:14
host, 28
Exo_14:4, Exo_14:17, Exo_14:28, Exo_15:4, Num_31:14, 1Sa_14:48, 1Sa_17:20, 2Sa_8:9, 2Sa_24:2, 2Sa_24:4 (2), 1Ki_20:1, 2Ki_6:14-15 (2), 2Ki_7:6, 2Ki_9:5, 2Ki_11:15, 2Ki_25:1, 1Ch_18:9, 2Ch_14:9, 2Ch_16:7-8 (2), 2Ch_23:14, 2Ch_24:23-24 (2), 2Ch_26:11, Psa_33:16, Psa_136:15
valiant, 20
1Sa_14:52, 1Sa_16:18, 1Sa_18:17, 1Sa_31:12, 2Sa_2:7, 2Sa_11:16, 2Sa_13:28, 2Sa_17:10 (2), 2Sa_23:20, 2Sa_24:9, 1Ki_1:42, 1Ch_5:18, 1Ch_10:12, 1Ch_11:22, 1Ch_28:1, 2Ch_26:17, 2Ch_28:6, Neh_11:6, Nah_2:3
forces, 14
2Ch_17:2, Isa_60:5, Isa_60:11, Jer_40:7, Jer_40:13, Jer_41:11, Jer_41:13, Jer_41:16, Jer_42:1, Jer_42:8, Jer_43:4-5 (2), Oba_1:10-11 (2)
strength, 12
1Sa_2:4, 2Sa_22:40, Psa_18:32, Psa_18:39, Psa_33:17, Psa_84:7 (2), Pro_31:3, Ecc_10:10, Joe_2:22 (2), Hab_3:19
riches, 11
Job_20:15, Psa_62:10, Psa_73:12, Isa_8:4, Isa_10:14, Isa_61:6 (2), Eze_26:12, Eze_28:4-5 (3)
wealth, 10
Gen_34:29, Deu_8:17-18 (2), Rth_2:1, 2Ki_15:20, Job_31:25, Psa_49:6, Psa_49:10, Pro_13:22, Zec_14:14
power, 9
1Sa_9:1, 2Sa_22:33, 1Ch_20:1, Est_1:3, Est_8:11, Job_21:7, Psa_59:11, Zec_9:3-4 (2)
substance, 7
Job_5:4-5 (2), Job_15:29, Job_20:18, Jer_15:13, Jer_17:3, Mic_4:13 (2)
might, 6
2Ki_24:16, 1Ch_7:2, 1Ch_7:5, 1Ch_12:8, Zec_4:5-6 (2)
strong, 5
2Ki_2:16, 1Ch_26:7, 1Ch_26:9, Ecc_12:3, Jer_48:14
valiantly, 5
Num_24:18, Psa_108:12-13 (2), Psa_118:15-16 (2)
able, 4
Exo_18:21, Exo_18:25, 1Ch_9:13, 1Ch_26:8
armies, 4
2Ki_25:23, 2Ki_25:26, 1Ch_11:26, 2Ch_16:4
virtuous, 3
Rth_3:11, Pro_12:4, Pro_31:10
band, 2
1Sa_10:26, Ezr_8:22
goods, 2
Num_31:9, Zep_1:13
war, 2
Deu_3:18, 2Ch_33:14
activity, 1
Gen_47:6
company, 1
2Ch_9:1
hosts, 1
1Ki_15:20
mighty, 1
2Ch_26:13
soldiers, 1
Ezr_8:22
train, 1
1Ki_10:2
valiantest, 1
Jdg_21:10
virtuously, 1
Pro_31:29
worthily, 1
Rth_4:11
worthy, 1
1Ki_1:52

“Virtuous” is listed 51 times as “army” which is almost 1/5th of all the words used in English. It is listed 28 times as host and 14 as forces. These words alone are 93 times of the 242 that it is mentioned. That is nearly 40% of the time we see a host, army or force being mentioned in connection with “virtuous”.

Why is that and what does it mean? Let’s read a few of the examples.

Exo 14:9  But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army H2428, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

Jer 32:2  For then the king of Babylon’s army H2428 besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house.

Jer 38:3  Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army H2428, which shall take it.

Exo 14:4  And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host H2428; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

Psa 136:15  But overthrew Pharaoh and his host H2428 in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

2Ch 17:2  And he placed forces H2428 in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

So, “virtuous” is partly defined as an army most of the time it is used, but it is also an army with certain attributes. Here are some of those attributes and the ones mostly translated from H2428.

Jos 1:14  Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour H2428, and help them;

Neh 11:14  And their brethren, mighty men of valour H2428, an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men.

1Sa 14:52  And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant H2428 man, he took him unto him.

1Sa 2:4  The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength H2428.

Psa 18:32  It is God that girdeth me with strength H2428, and maketh my way perfect.

All of these words are the same Hebrew word translated as virtuous in Proverbs 31:10, but how can that be and what does it mean for us?

Before we answer that let’s look at the negative application of this word “virtuous”. We all can and have been partakers of worldly virtue, the things the world thinks are virtuous.

Here is what scripture speaks about this “virtuous” word/concept concerning what the world does with virtue.

Job 20:4  Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
Job 20:5  That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

A couple verses later:

Job 20:15  He hath swallowed down riches H2428, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

Psa 62:9  Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
Psa 62:10  Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches H2428 increase, set not your heart upon them.

Eze 28:1  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
Eze 28:2  Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:
Eze 28:3  Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
Eze 28:4  With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches H2428, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
Eze 28:5  By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches H2428, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches H2428:

All of these words are the same word “virtuous” and as can be seen when it is translated as “riches” there is a negative connotation of what we do with what the Lord alone has given us. We value what we think virtue is but then we define it and do with it whatever the idols of our hearts tell us to do with “virtue”.

So what are we to take away for this? There is a lot being covered here. Well, in order to answer this question, we must get to the root of the word virtuous. We also must consider the last part of this verse, “…for her price is far above rubies”.

Firstly, here is the root of “virtuous”, H2428.

H2428

chayil
khah’-yil
From H2342; probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength: – able, activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great) forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, (+) valiant (-ly), valour, virtuous (-ly), war, worthy (-ily).
Total KJV occurrences: 243

The root is “H2342”.

H2342

chûl    chı̂yl
khool, kheel
A primitive root; properly to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), that is, (specifically) to dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear; figuratively to wait, to pervert: – bear, (make to) bring forth, (make to) calve, dance, drive away, fall grievously (with pain), fear, form, great, grieve, (be) grievous, hope, look, make, be in pain, be much (sore) pained, rest, shake, shapen, (be) sorrow (-ful), stay, tarry, travail (with pain), tremble, trust, wait carefully (patiently), be wounded.
Total KJV occurrences: 58

H2342
chûl  /  chı̂yl
Total KJV Occurrences: 68
pain, 6
Isa_13:8, Isa_26:17-18 (2), Jer_30:23, Eze_30:16, Mic_4:10
formed, 5
Deu_32:18, Job_26:5, Job_26:13, Psa_90:2, Pro_26:10
forth, 4
Pro_8:24-25 (2), Isa_45:10, Isa_66:8
brought, 3
Pro_8:24-25 (2), Isa_45:10
pained, 3
Joe_2:4-6 (3)
calve, 2
Job_39:1, Psa_29:9
fall, 2
Jer_23:19, Jer_30:23
fear, 2
1Ch_16:30, Psa_96:9
grieved, 2
Est_4:4, Jer_5:3
grievous, 2
Psa_10:5, Jer_23:19
shaketh, 2
Psa_29:8 (2)
stayed, 2
Gen_8:10, Lam_4:6
travail, 2
Isa_23:4, Isa_54:1
travailed, 2
Isa_66:7-8 (2)
tremble, 2
Psa_114:7, Jer_5:22
trembled, 2
Psa_97:4, Hab_3:10
wounded, 2
1Ch_10:3 (2)
abide, 1
Hos_11:6
afraid, 1
Psa_77:16
anguish, 1
Deu_2:25
bare, 1
Isa_51:2
bring, 1
Isa_66:8
dance, 1
Jdg_21:21
danced, 1
Jdg_21:23
driveth, 1
Pro_25:23 (2)
great, 1
Eze_30:16
grievously, 1
Jer_23:19
hope, 1
Lam_3:26
look, 1
Job_20:21
made, 1
Job_15:7
patiently, 1
Psa_37:7 (2)
rest, 1
2Sa_3:29
shapen, 1
Psa_51:5
sorrow, 1
Jer_51:29
sorrowful, 1
Zec_9:5
tarried, 1
Jdg_3:25
travaileth, 1
Job_15:20
trust, 1
Job_35:14
wait, 1
Psa_37:7
waited, 1
Mic_1:12

Wait, what? The root of “virtuous” is rooted in pain? Here are a few of these verses listed out so that we can get an idea of what we are being told.

Isa 13:8  And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain H2342 as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

Isa 26:17  Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain H2342, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.
Isa 26:18  We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

Jer 30:23  Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain H2342 upon the head of the wicked.

Eze 30:16  And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain H2342, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily.

Mic 4:10  Be in pain H2342, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.

Jer 23:19  Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous H2342 whirlwind: it shall fall grievously H2342 upon the head of the wicked.

Deu 2:25  This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish H2342 because of thee.

How can it be that pain and anguish are the root of being virtuous? It does not make sense to the carnally minded natural man. It is utter foolishness to the old man in us all.

Why does it make sense to the new man and what is the Lord telling us about Jesus Christ being the Head of His church? Why does a husband want a virtuous wife? Maybe it has something to do with her value?

The price of something is set by the value it holds for those who are selling and buying that something.

Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

A brilliantly colored red ruby holds a tremendous value to the natural man. It is rarer than diamonds and red is directly connected to “old man Adam”. Adam = red.

Gen 2:19  And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam H121 to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

H121
‘âdâm
BDB Definition:
Adam = “red”
1) first man
2) city in Jordan valley
Part of Speech: noun proper masculine
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: the same as H120
Same Word by TWOT Number: 25a

If a “red” ruby holds value to the old natural man in us all, of how much more value is this virtuous woman to a man who values such things?

Pro 31:10  Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Who can find a woman who is strong, a force to be reckoned with, has great courage in the face of danger, is determined, is rich in the Spirit, represents power and represents her Husband in all that she does and says? If you find such a woman, then you are a BLESSED Husband indeed.

Yes, Jesus Christ has placed us as this woman to represent Him as His body. We are the church of the living God and we are extremely valuable to our Husband.

Why is our value so significant?

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

As we live each and every day of our lives, the new man in us is being BORN into NEWNESS of LIFE by the DEATH of the old man. It is THROUGH death that life happens, and the new man in us all and the mind of our Husband, is born little by little each and every day. We die daily and little by little He increases in us.

In our next study, we are going to continue to see why it is “the heart” of Jesus safely trusts in His wife, the many membered “army” of His body, and how we can all apply practical skills in our lives which reflect what being a virtuous wife is all about.

We have focused some on the spiritual aspects of the word “virtuous” today, but in the next study we are going to bridge the gap on how the physical reflects the spiritual in the lives of both men and women, single and married, young and old in the body of Christ.