Daily Nugget:
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6
Proverbs 30 was written by a man about whom little is known other than what he tells us about himself. Agur (Proverbs 30:1) confesses to being a rude, uncouth fellow (Proverbs 30:2) without many of the normal behaviors, learning, and morals that most have (Proverbs 30:2-4). Nevertheless, this man did learn something very important that the majority of the citizens of this world have not realized.
Agur learned and believed that God’s Word was preserved, available, and could be understood even by people like him. He recognized that God’s words were “pure” (Proverbs 30:5) and not contaminated by man’s influence.
“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” Psalm 12:6 Also: Psalm 19:8.
Not only did this man recognize God’s truths, but even in those days, he saw people changing God’s Word. He saw and heard words that were added to what God had said.
Since the very first people, Adam and Eve, were on this Earth, what God has said has been changed. Satan was the first to misquote God’s Word and even get Eve to question what the Creator said: “… Yea, hath God said…” (Genesis 3:1). Since that time, there have been many people causing doubt, adding, and deleting words from what God had originally said.
There are over 400 different versions of God’s Word in English alone. God does not need help to say what he wants us to know, and He has not changed His truths. Those authors and “translators” are doing what God has forbidden to (Deuteronomy. 4:2, 12:32, Revelation 22:18-19) be done to His Word.
“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 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.” Revelation 22:18-19
One who has looked into some modern perversions of God’s Word will quickly see that they are not “making it easier” to understand” as they would like people to believe. They all are changing the meaning of the Scriptures. God’s truths are altered and most likely by the same influence that confused Eve: Satan.
English-speaking people do not need His Word dumbed down. They must understand their language better and allow the Holy Spirit to show them what the Bible says. It is the Spirit of God that shows anyone what His Word means, anyway.
Read and believe the Word of God that has been preserved for you. Although it is kept pure in the major languages, for English-speaking people, it is the King James Bible they should only be reading. Accept no counterfeited substitute (not even the altered New King James Version).
Be like Agur. Recognize God’s Word is kept for you to read, learn, and obey. It is “pure” and undefiled. Do not allow anyone to add or subtract from what God wants you to know.
Today’s Thought:
“Lawyers squabble over one word of the law of the land. Why do people not have problems when 1000’s of words are changed in the Word of God?” — Author Unknown
Words to Understand:
Brutish: not showing sensibility; behaves like an animal
Conies: rabbits
Horseleach: a large leech
Pure: free of any contaminants. The preserved Word of God IS straight from the mouth of God to those He used to pen what He wants man to know.
Today’s Reading:
Proverbs 30
1 ¶ The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?
5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 ¶ Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die:
8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
9 Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
10 ¶ Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
15 ¶ The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.
17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 ¶ There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
23 For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 ¶ There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks;
27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
29 ¶ There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going:
30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against whom there is no rising up.
32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
