When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Proverbs 10 begins a collection of Solomon’s proverbs. The chapter includes many dichotomy verses, comparing first the righteous then the wicked. The righteous shall flourish, the wicked shall perish, and so on. One of the “famous” verses is 19, which is one of several in the Bible cautioning against speaking too much. The Lord repeatedly tells us to be careful with both our money and our words.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Happy New Year! It is fitting to end 2009 and start 2010 with Proverbs 9:10. This chapter offers opposing views of the personification and teachings of Wisdom and Folly. Wisdom’s ways are good, leading to long life and prosperity. Folly’s ways are bad leading to misery and death. At the core of Wisdom is knowing God. We can know God best through knowing Jesus, who is God incarnate.

Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,

for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 8 is the Wisdom chapter, devoted to a personification of Wisdom. It is a fantastic read, and well worth taking in the whole chapter at one time.

I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who lacked judgment.

He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house

at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.

Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.

With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.

All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer stepping into a noose

till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.

Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.

Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.

Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.

Her house is a highway to the grave,
leading down to the chambers of death.

This chapter devoted against adultery provides one of the more memorable images in Proverbs … “like an ox going to the slaughter.” In rich detail it describes the work of an adulteress and how she brings men to ruin and ultimately damnation. Thank the Lord that through Jesus no sin is too great to be forgiven, and both adulterers and adulteresses can gain entry to Heaven.

Can a man scoop fire into his lap
without his clothes being burned?

Can a man walk on hot coals
without his feet being scorched?

So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;
no one who touches her will go unpunished.

Much of the first part of Proverbs is devoted to warnings against adultery. This snippet is taken out of the second half of Proverbs 6, which is devoted to the topic, as is the entire chapter of Proverbs 7.

A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest-

and poverty will come on you like a bandit
and scarcity like an armed man.

This couplet is in Proverbs 6, which focuses on debt, money management, honest dealings, and adultry. It is placed after several verses warning strongly against co-signing notes and suggesting saving, such as the ant does for winter, is a good idea. Proverbs 6:10-11 is one of many sets of verses in the Bible promoting a very strong work ethic.

Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress?
Why embrace the bosom of another man’s wife?

For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD,
and he examines all his paths.

We’ll end the year and start the new one by looking again in the book of Proverbs this week.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Merry Christmas!

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” —which means, “God with us.”