Now, we are going to looking at some text of Scripture which reveals the following: in order to place our trust in God, and depend on him for our competence, we must depend on what is not visible.
This is a foundational principle for Ambassadors, because this is a foundational principle in the Bible. More and more you will see this principle expounded upon as we learn just what it is to be an Ambassador for our God and King. Also, as the concept of the importance of the unseen is introduced, it will further identify what it is to turn our trust from the strength of flesh toward the LORD Almighty.
One of the most popular verses in the Bible, next to John 3:16, is our text here.
It is what I call the faith verse of the Tanak (Old Testament). Here it is:
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Now once again the second half of the verse is rarely known, but it should be known by you.
It contains a wonderful promise:
“Do not consider yourself to be wise in your own eyes; but fear the LORD, and turn from evil. This will be health for your body and strengthening for your bones.” (Proverbs 3:7-8)
Literally, for you Bible scholars, the word for ‘health’ in the last line of the verse is the Hebrew word ‘רפאות ‘ (rifut). You probably have heard one of the names of God to be the LORD our healer,
as many have put it—Jehovah Rafa. That word ‘rafa’ is used in modern Hebrew for ‘Doctor’, and the word ‘rifut’ is a derivative of that meaning essentially ‘the stuff the doctor gives’, or in one word ‘medicine’.
So, the promise? It has a condition, but it’s a wonderful promise without any real work on our part. Remember that trusting the strength of flesh is to turn away from the LORD. If we will simply turn; turn from the evil of trusting in the strength of flesh; stop asserting our own personal wisdom, and depending on our understanding; we’ll then be fearing, that is, trusting the LORD. This will not only provide the spiritual benefits of having the paths of life directed by the one who can see all things, but our physical bodies will receive real medicine sent straight from heaven’s Doctor. Our physical bodies will be restored. God never separates the spiritual and the physical.
When you turn from God spiritually, it is evident in your physical life. When he blesses you spiritually, he blesses you physically. Receive this promise for yourself today.
However, in order to receive this promise, you will need to have your understanding adjusted. You must lean on the wisdom of God. You will be relying on something you cannot see. This is exactly how faith is defined in the New Testament.
The context of this verse comes to us as the writer of the letter to the Hebrew followers of Yeshua was speaking of the persecution, and difficulty they had endured. They endured this persecution because they were confident in the promise of God, though it had not yet been fulfilled.
The writer encourages them, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, ‘He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.’ But we are not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe (have faith) and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:35-39)
With this as the background the writer continues, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And from here he continues to describe faith and those who operated in it. Those who operate in faith are those whose understanding is not based on what they can see. It’s entirely based on what they cannot see. Nevertheless, there is no doubt of its truth.
This is how people of faith are described. Of Abraham it is said, “he was looking forward to the
city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”(Hebrews 11:10)
Each person in the list of Hebrews 11 are described this way, “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a county of their own…they were longing for a better country- a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”(Hebrews 11:13-16)
Let us be those who are depending what our eyes see, and our ears hear. Let us be those who trust in the LORD with the entirety of our being. After all, as it is written,
“Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
We have a good God, that loves to bless. Trust in him. Turn to him. Don’t be your own strength. He will be your strength. Don’t use your own wisdom he will be your guide. Without him we are blind in this world. Trust in the LORD.
Comments