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ministry of
Stephen &
Brooksyne
Weber
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Thursday,
March 7, 2024
"Like
Firmly
Embedded
Nails"
Message
summary: We
need God's
Word driven
into our lives
and have His
truth in our
hearts like
firmly
embedded
nails. Keep
this in mind
as you live
for Jesus
today! "Let
us hold
tightly
without
wavering to
the hope we
affirm, for
God can be
trusted to
keep His
promise"
(Hebrews
10:23).
"The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails--given by one Shepherd" (Ecclesiastes 12:11).
In
the course of
our home
addition
project we
needed to
remove some
decking beside
our present
house along
with the
treated lumber
supports.
Being the son
of depression
era parents I
was taught to
be resourceful
in repurposing
material
whenever
possible.
There were a
number of
nice-sized
boards I plan
to make window
boxes out of.But
first I needed
to remove the
nails from the
2x6 boards and
many were very
hard to remove
being, in the
words of our
text today, "firmly
embedded" or
"nails firmly
fixed".
Even with my
large pry bar
and all my
aging strength
I was still
unable to
remove some of
them.
There are teachings in the Bible that require a bit of historical research to understand even though they were likely more easily understood at the time they were written.
There are teachings in the Bible that require a bit of historical research to understand even though they were likely more easily understood at the time they were written.
Today's
verse is an
example
concerning the
words of the
wise. We
believe
Solomon is
referring to
God's Word as
he writes of
"the words of
the wise" and
"their
collected
sayings"
- "given
by one
Shepherd".
There are two illustrative similes used in this text to describe the words of the wise. We will consider "like firmly embedded nails" in this message. (For additional study on the goad see below)
There are two illustrative similes used in this text to describe the words of the wise. We will consider "like firmly embedded nails" in this message. (For additional study on the goad see below)
The
words of the
wise are "like
firmly
embedded
nails."
What a
powerful word
picture for
those who,
like me, have
tried to
remove nails
firmly
embedded in a
piece of wood.
Just like
embedded
nails, may the
principles of
God's Word be
firmly
embedded in
our minds and
hearts.The photo to the right brings back some memories. Those rusty nails were driven many years ago into some gnarly hardwood, perhaps a fence post, like that on my Uncle Gentry's farm near Harwood Missouri when I was a child.
At some point the nails were bent in probably to keep them from snagging something and now after many years they show the rust as they've weathered moisture and age. At this point these nails are very firmly embedded in the wood. Can you imagine trying to get them out?
Nails
in their
crudest form
date back to
3,000 BC, some
2,000 years
before Solomon
lived. Our
spiritual
application is
in regard to
having the
truths of
God's Word
firmly
embedded in
our hearts.
We
have a role in
allowing God's
Word to be
firmly
embedded in
our hearts. We
read, study,
listen to
godly
teaching,
memorize and
hide God's
Word deep in
our hearts.
The Word in
time becomes
firmly
embedded like
the nails in
the
photograph.
When Satan's
siftings are
experienced we
might be put
through the
grinder of
fear or doubt,
but in Christ
we remain
steadfast,
firm, and
immovable!
The
words of the
wise are "given
by one
Shepherd".
It seems to me
that the
"words of the
wise" and
"collected
sayings"
ultimately
refer to the
Word of God.
Due to the
divine
inspiration of
Scripture
these wise
words and
collected
sayings are
indeed given
by one
Shepherd,
although
various human
agents were
involved.
Ecclesiastes ends with this powerful truth that completes the thought: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14).
The
words of the
wise are "given
by one
Shepherd".
It seems to me
that the
"words of the
wise" and
"collected
sayings"
ultimately
refer to the
Word of God.
Due to the
divine
inspiration of
Scripture
these wise
words and
collected
sayings are
indeed given
by one
Shepherd,
although
various human
agents were
involved.Ecclesiastes ends with this powerful truth that completes the thought: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14).
We need God's Word driven into our lives and His truth hidden deeply in our hearts like firmly embedded nails. Keep this in mind as you live for Jesus today! "Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise" (Hebrews 10:23).
Be
encouraged
today,
Hebrews
3:13
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father, we
recognize the
spiritual,
emotional, and
physical
strength that
comes from
relying on
truths and
principles
established in
Your Word.
Impress them
deep into our
hearts like
embedded nails
so that we
hold firmly to
them.
Otherwise we
will get lax
and be led
astray from
the paths
You've laid
out for us.
Much like the
oxen we need
the goading or
prodding of
Your Holy
Spirit to keep
our hearts in
check and our
will submitted
to Your
leading as our
Shepherd. Keep
us faithful we
pray. In
Jesus' name.
Amen.Additional
study: The
words of the
wise are "like
goads”.
I suppose many
of our readers
would not know
what a goad
is, since the
farming
implement is
likely not a
part of our
daily
vocabulary!
The goad is a
traditional
farming
implement,
used to spur
or guide
livestock,
usually oxen,
which are
pulling a plow
or a cart.
Today farmers
still use a
livestock prod
which has a
similar
function.*
One version renders the verse: "Sayings of wise men are like cattle prods, and those sayings collected by experts are like firmly fixed nails, given by one Shepherd."
I suppose many
of our readers
would not know
what a goad
is, since the
farming
implement is
likely not a
part of our
daily
vocabulary!
The goad is a
traditional
farming
implement,
used to spur
or guide
livestock,
usually oxen,
which are
pulling a plow
or a cart.
Today farmers
still use a
livestock prod
which has a
similar
function.*I
joined my
neighbor once
as he was
preparing to
load finished
hogs into a
truck on the
way to market
and saw the
workers using
a prod to goad
them along
into the
truck.
One version renders the verse: "Sayings of wise men are like cattle prods, and those sayings collected by experts are like firmly fixed nails, given by one Shepherd."
We
do use goad
today as a
verb which
means to
"provoke or
annoy so as to
stimulate some
action or
reaction".
The goad is a long stick with a pointed end. Perhaps its most peculiar use involved Shamgar who killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad (Judges 3:31). I still recall an Old Testament professor explaining this verse and pointing out an ox goad is a "stick with a prick on the end". An obscure verse rarely considered indicates their value in the economy of the day.
By way of a spiritual analogy the goad is similar to the conviction of the Holy Spirit revealing truths that function like "goads" (pointed sticks) convicting us of sin and prodding us on to live in the right way. Consider Acts 2:37 describing the response of the crowd at Pentecost to Peter's message; "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'"
Later the word actually is used at Saul's testimony of his conversion, "I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads'" (Acts 26:14). When God uses His Holy Spirit to convict us of sin, or as a means of directing us, it may initially be a very painful or uncomfortable stirring within our hearts!
The goad is a long stick with a pointed end. Perhaps its most peculiar use involved Shamgar who killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad (Judges 3:31). I still recall an Old Testament professor explaining this verse and pointing out an ox goad is a "stick with a prick on the end". An obscure verse rarely considered indicates their value in the economy of the day.
By way of a spiritual analogy the goad is similar to the conviction of the Holy Spirit revealing truths that function like "goads" (pointed sticks) convicting us of sin and prodding us on to live in the right way. Consider Acts 2:37 describing the response of the crowd at Pentecost to Peter's message; "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'"
Later the word actually is used at Saul's testimony of his conversion, "I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads'" (Acts 26:14). When God uses His Holy Spirit to convict us of sin, or as a means of directing us, it may initially be a very painful or uncomfortable stirring within our hearts!
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
A
consideration
of nails
brings to mind
the nails at
the cross
"He
Took the
Nails"
Watch
on YouTube
The Browders
"He
Chose the
Nails"
Brief teaching
video
by Max Lucado
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Weber
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To
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(This will
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Stephen and
Brooksyne
Weber -
700001-237376
serving in
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Encouragement
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Stephen & Brooksyne
2024
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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