Advent: Looking forward to peace

Focus. Advent is about looking forward, calling us to focus on God's promises. So many things compete for our attention that it takes an effort to clear out the clamor and focus on what God has said. Life can have too much noise, too much distraction, for us to hear the words of God clearly unless we mute our worries for a time and listen. 

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
   and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between the nations,
   and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
   and their spears into pruning hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
   neither shall they learn war any more.

(From Isaiah 2)

I consider what these words would mean today: "They shall not learn war anymore." No more boot camps. No more recruiting and training soldiers. No more seething hostility and debate about who stole whose homeland. No more shockingly large military budgets. No more disturbing loss of life. The nations' disputes shall be settled by an arbiter who knows how to deliver justice: "He shall judge between the nations, arbitrate for many peoples." 

And all the resources that had been dedicated to destruction and hostility will become resources of growth and prosperity: even the weapons will be scrapped and turned to other uses. "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks." In our days, the money channeled to war could bring food to the hungry and warmth to the cold. We are told that the threat of nuclear war is closer than it has been in many years -- yet even those weapons could be repurposed or dismantled one day. 

Before we lay down our weapons, the hearts of the world would have to change. I expect that nothing short of God's presence will do that. 

And so here at the beginning of advent, we look forward to God's presence. 

Wisdom and Righteousness

One focus of the book of Proverbs is on righteousness. Righteousness is a word that is not currently in common use outside the church. It involves walking with God in the justice, mercy, and humility that are attributes of God himself. 

Here are twelve proverbs that speak of wisdom and righteousness: 

• (Pro 2:9)  Then you shall understand righteousness, and judgment, and fairness; even every good path.
• (Pro 8:18)  Riches and honor are with me; even durable riches and righteousness.
• (Pro 11:4)  Riches profit nothing in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivers from death.
• (Pro 11:10)  When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
• (Pro 11:23)  The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
• (Pro 14:34)  Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
• (Pro 15:9)  The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loves the one who follows after righteousness.
• (Pro 16:12)  It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
• (Pro 18:10)  The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe.
• (Pro 23:24)  The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begets a wise child shall have joy of him.
• (Pro 29:2)  When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.
• (Pro 29:7)  The righteous considers the case of the poor: but the wicked does not to know it.

Ten Proverbs on Heart's Wisdom

So much Western discussion of knowledge and wisdom is guided (misguided?) by an assumption of hostility between heart and mind. As with the Shema, so with the Proverbs: the heart and mind are best when they work together with integrity. One without the other is easily led astray. 

Here are my ten favorite proverbs that speak of the role of heart in wisdom: 

• (Pro 2:10)  When wisdom enters into your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul;
• (Pro 3:1)  My son, forget not my law; but let your heart keep my commandments
• (Pro 3:3)  Let not mercy and truth forsake you: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
• (Pro 4:21)  Let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.
• (Pro 14:30)  A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
• (Pro 14:33)  Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding ... 
• (Pro 15:28)  The heart of the righteous studies to answer: but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
• (Pro 16:23)  The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.
• (Pro 22:11)  He who loves pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
• (Pro 27:9)  Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so does the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.

In the book of Proverbs, wisdom is seen as beautiful, desirable -- and drawing on more than mind alone. Truth and mercy -- the first casualties of so many disputes -- are singled out to be valued and remembered. Wisdom's domain includes pureness of heart, rejoicing, friendship, and graceful speech. I could benefit from more wisdom!

Ten Proverbs on Wisdom as a beautiful treasure

The book of Proverbs seeks to frame our view of wisdom not as a joyless duty, instead showing wisdom as something desirable. Time and again it speaks of wisdom as a treasure: a lost treasure, or gold, or silver, or jewels. They are prizes worth seeking, worth the effort, worth the search. These things are not merely valuable but beautiful in a way that lends beauty to their whole environment. 

Here are my ten favorite that portray wisdom as desirable, beautiful, and enriching in a way that matters: 

• (Pro 2:4)  If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures ...
• (Pro 3:14)  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
• (Pro 8:10)  Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
• (Pro 8:19)  My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
• (Pro 10:20)  The tongue of the just is as choice silver ...
• (Pro 16:16)  How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to gain understanding is preferable to silver!
• (Pro 20:15)  There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
• (Pro 22:1)  A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.
• (Pro 25:11)  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
• (Pro 25:12)  As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

The proverbs aim both to challenge our priorities and to inspire a better quest. The book of Proverbs portrays wisdom as one of the chief treasures of life. 

Ten Verses on the the Tree of Life

The tree of life is mentioned ten times in Scripture*: 7 times in the Old Testament (3 in Genesis, 4 in Proverbs), and 3 in the New Testament.  

Gen 2:9  And out of the ground the LORD God made grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Gen 3:22  And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

Gen 3:24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Pro 3:18  She [wisdom] is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retains her.

Pro 11:30  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that wins souls is wise.

Pro 13:12  Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.

Pro 15:4  A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Rev 2:7  He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches: To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Rev 22:2  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, there was the tree of life, which bore twelve crops of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Rev 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

The references in Genesis and Revelation discuss a tree, and are taken to mean something that God provides his people to preserve their life and health, along with their strength and vitality through the years. From the standpoint of these texts, it is another way of being like God. 

The references in Proverbs take a different turn, and these things are also called a tree of life: 

• wisdom
• the fruit of the righteous
• desire fulfilled
• wholesome speech

Based on the first of these where wisdom is called a tree of life, there is an ancient Jewish teaching that the tree of life in Genesis was wisdom, in contrast to the other tree with its knowledge. The book of Proverbs explores how wisdom does what the tree of life does, preserving life and health. 

---

* As far as I have been able to determine. If there are other references I'd be glad to hear of them. 

Book of Proverbs: Word Cloud as an objective check of its emphasis

I often use a word cloud to get an objective overview of a document. I may have my preconceptions about it, but the word cloud software does not share them. Here is an overview of the Book of Proverbs generated by my go-to WordCloud software: 

abomination (21) away (23) better (20) counsel (16) death (18) evil (50) eyes (37) father (26) favour (16) fear (23) fool (61) foolish (21) friend (20) froward (17) give (20) hand (40) heart (85) honour (19) house (30) instruction (27) judgment (19) keep (38) king (32) knowledge (42) lest (18) life (38) lips (43) LORD (87) love (19) man (171) mouth (52) neighbour (20) paths (18) poor (38) riches (33) righteous (54) righteousness (22) son (47) soul (40) things (23) tongue (19) understanding (64) upright (19) ways (29) wicked (89) wisdom (54) wise (69) woman (25) words (40) wrath (17)

created at TagCrowd.com

This overview can guide my insights: there is a contrast of opposites: foolish or wise, death or life, wicked or righteous. It is grounded in humanity and relations: father and friend and neighbor. The top focus is on a man and the Lord. The book is about the value of being upright, heeding instruction, seeking  knowledge and understanding. These things bring righteousness and honor into life. 

An overview -- much less a word cloud -- is not meant provide a full picture a book, but it can ground our approach. 

The Point of the Sabbath (Since God never gets tired, why did he rest?)

It is easy for me to think that the Sabbath is about the kind of rest that I am so aware that I need: physical rest after a long week, a break in a busy schedule. For me, the rest is welcome because I am tired. I need the time and space for my mind to lie fallow, the time to refresh. 

Yet God does not tire, as if his strength would be taxed, as if his energy would fade or be consumed. And the text makes no suggestion of that: 

So the heavens and earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made, and rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because in it he rested from all his work which he had created and made. (Genesis 2:1-3)

For God, it is more about completion. Just previously to that, we read: 

God saw all that he had made and found it very good. And there was evening and morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31)

For us to enjoy the gift of the Sabbath, of course we rest to enjoy that blessing. Unlike the Lord, we have limits to our power and strength, and we know our human frailty on a daily basis. These passages suggest enjoying the completeness of our work, and the goodness of our work. They also call us to enjoy the completeness of God's work, the sufficiency of the world he has made, and its goodness. From its goodness, we are also reminded of his goodness. 

That is a Sabbath that can refresh me today.