Fear of the Lord (Proverbs 10:27; 14:26; 15:16)

"The fear of the LORD prolongs days but the years of the wicked will be shortened" (Prov. 10:27).

The fear of the Lord is a recurring theme not only in the book of Proverbs but throughout the Bible, Old and New Testaments alike. While no one can deny the repeated commands to fear the Lord in Scripture, people in the church generally do not like to talk about them. Many Christians speak of such passages with embarrassment or apology, if they speak of them at all.

In earlier times, it was not uncommon to hear a Christian described as one who is a God-fearing man or woman. Such a description is rarely heard today. Let it come as a sober warning when a particular word or phrase that has graced humanity for centuries is suddenly erased or twisted by modern culture. The passing or twisting of a word often denotes a passing of the attitude or behavior that goes with it.

What, then, does fearing the Lord mean? Some say it simply means reverence or respect of God. Others say it only means to be afraid or frightened of Him. Actually, the word means both of these things. Let us look at the proverb before us. The word used here is the Hebrew word yir’ah. This is the same word used in Deuteronomy 2 when God made Israel victorious over their enemies—He said, “This very day I will begin to put the terror and fear of you on all the nations under heaven” (v. 25). Yir’ah used here has a sense of both dread and reverence. The same word is used in describing the fear possessed by the Messiah in Isaiah 11:2: “He will delight in the fear of the LORD.” Jesus Christ feared God. If we are to be conformed to His image, we too must fear God.

For those who would leave this in the Old Testament and think that New Testament believers do not need to fear the Lord, turn to 1 Peter 2:17. Here Christians are commanded to “fear God.” The Greek word here is phobeo, which, like yir’ah, denotes dread and reverence, true fear and awesome respect. Our God is a mighty God, He is the “Fear of Isaac” (Gen. 31:42, 53b). We are not to live under a crippling fear that is not accompanied by love, but we are to delight in and fear the Lord. The two are not in contradiction. Proper fear of God is attended by humility before Him, submission to Him, and love for Him.

Read Psalm 103 and the verses below. What promises does God make to those who fear Him? What is the difference between a crippling fear and a proper fear of the Lord? Do you err by not fearing God at all or by fearing Him in a way that paralyzes you? Ask God to give you a proper fear of Him that you may be wise.

The Disgraceful Son (Proverbs 17:2, 21, 25)

"A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him" (Prov. 17:25).

As Solomon instructed his children to be wise, he often reminded them that a foolish son brings grief to his parents. One example of the foolish son so aptly given by our Lord is that of the prodigal. This foolish son soon discovered that doing things his own way only brought shame upon himself and grief to those he loved. When he lost everything he was prepared to take his place among the hired servants of his father. Here we see the truth of the proverb “A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son” (17:2). But the son did not take his place among the servants. His father was merciful and restored him to his position of honor.

The prodigal found the road of folly to be a hard one. By God’s grace, his end was a happy one. This is not always the case. Absalom, who died amid his folly, had previously been “His father’s peace.” (The name Absalom literally means “a father’s peace.”) Yet he was the source of much bitter grief for his father, David. If you want to avoid the fate of Absalom, if you want to live a life of honor, if you want to bring joy to your parents, abide by their ways and obey their commands.

A lesson can also be learned by parents. Folly does not develop overnight. Bridges accurately maintains that the primary root of folly is too much indulgence given to the child. “The vast power of parental influence must be used wisely, at once, at any cost. We must not instruct, or entreat only, but command. We must allow no appeal from our authority, no reversal of our decision. This discipline in the spirit of love, and enforced by example, is God’s honored ordinance.” Parents who want a child to live wisely, must train him according to the wisdom of God. Put him under the church’s teaching. Pray for him. Do not indulge him by allowing him to rule the family; instead, rule him with firm and consistent love.

Lastly, if your child has chosen folly’s path, do not despair. Now are the times to bow reverentially to God’s sovereignty and submit to His plan. God is in control of all things. Trust in Him, and pray confidently that your child might come home again as the prodigal did. Bridges reminds us that the “law of the kingdom is ‘that men should pray always, and not faint’ ” (Luke 18:1).

If you have a child who has taken a foolish path, spend time today praying earnestly that God will bring him or her back. Ask God to replace your despair with trust in Him. If you have grieved your own parents in any way, confess your folly to God and ask your parents for forgiveness. Do it soon or you won’t do it.

The Loyal Friend (Proverbs 17:17; 18:24; 27:10)

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" (Prov. 17:17).

It is probably safe to say that Christian parents are concerned about their children’s friendships. Many of them will regulate with whom their children can be friends, forbidding them to associate with unbelievers in an intimate fashion. They know that bad companions corrupt good morals, and they make sure their children stay away from those who may lead them astray—even those who are in the church.

While we hope Christian parents do at least this much to instruct their children about friends, how many teach their children how to be a friend? The Bible says a lot to about friendship, the love between intimate friends, their bond in Christ, and their commitment to one another. How many parents consciously teach their children from Scripture how to be good friends? They may warn their children about bad friendships, but children need more, we all do. We need to learn how to model Christ in friendship.

Today’s proverb gives us insight into one characteristic of a good friend that all people, young and old, do well to foster. That characteristic is loyalty. A true friend is one who sticks by you through good and bad. Such a friend stands by you when other more popular kids in school ignore you and talk about you. A good friend defends your name when others slander it. Most of us can testify to a time in our lives when we could have defended a good friend, but we didn’t because we were too concerned about what others would think of us. This is disloyalty.

A good friend also remains committed to you even when you’ve made serious mistakes. This friend doesn’t act “holier than thou” and cast you aside when you are struggling with sin. He helps you by carrying your burden with you.

We could give many examples of such faithful friends in Scripture—Ruth, Jonathan, John—but the best, the most perfect example, is Christ. He calls believers His friends. He loved us while we were still sinners. He sticks by us even when we fall, and helps us get up again. He sacrificed His own life that we might have life everlasting. Read the Scriptures, and discover what kind of friend Jesus is. Follow His example and teach your children how to be a good and loyal friend.

Read Ruth 1; 1 Samuel 20; 2 Kings 2:1–12; and John 15:9–17. If you have children, read these passages together. Describe the various characteristics of a true friend that you find in these passages. Discuss or think on your own about what kind of friend you are. Ask God to help you be a more loyal and loving friend.

The Snare of Vanity (Proverbs 11:22; 31:10–31)

"As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a lovely woman who lacks discretion" (Prov. 11:22).

While men can certainly be vain, women are especially prone to this sin. Young girls in particular need to be warned against vanity and protected from their own tendency to concentrate too much on their outward appearance instead of the state of their heart. Too often, Christian parents fall into the world’s trap of wanting their daughters to be popular, beautiful, accepted by their peers, and admired by young men. They allow their daughters to pamper themselves with a new outfit every time their fancy strikes. They allow their little girls to take premature steps to womanhood by allowing them to look like the model on the latest teen magazine. While make-up and nice clothes are certainly not condemned by Scripture, vanity is a sin. Instead of focusing on outward beauty, young women need to learn that greatest attractiveness comes from “wearing” the fruits of the Spirit, discretion, and a gentle and quiet spirit.

Solomon describes a woman more concerned about her looks than about godliness as a “gold ring in a pig’s snout.” This is a most contrary and distasteful comparison, but ever so accurate. An indiscreet and ungodly woman who is unattractive is bad enough, but a beautiful woman, whose heart does not match her appearance, is a tragedy. If you are beautiful, dressed in the latest fashions and painted to perfection, yet you do not wear those ornaments of the heart so loved by God, the ugliness of your inner being will not remain hidden for long. Beware of our culture that holds women of beauty in high esteem who do not reflect the attributes of kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Do not be conformed to this way of thinking, and do not be deceived by the vanity of your own heart. Your looks are fleeting. You could lose them in a minute. You will definitely lose them in time.

But the heart that is renewed by the Spirit of God, the soul that is being conformed to the image of Christ, will never spoil or fade. Those who concern themselves more with their appearance than the state of their soul will find no comfort when the flower of youth has wilted. Therefore, put on the robes of righteousness and be adorned with a beauty that never fades, a beauty from within that will make your face shine (Eccl. 8:1).

Do you have a problem with vanity? How much time and money do you spend on your looks? How does this time compare to the amount of time spent in prayer and the Word? Could you spend less money on things for your looks and put your money to more productive uses? If so, begin by making changes today.

Subtle Deceit (Proverbs 12:17, 19; 19:5)

"He who speaks truth declares righteousness, but a false witness, deceit" (Prov. 12:17).

Any parent can testify to the ease with which children lie. They don’t have to learn to lie—it comes to them naturally. While it may seem obvious that we should instruct our children not to lie, we may not always consider the subtle nuances of deceit developing in our children. Lying is not always a bold contradiction to the truth. It can be merely an inconspicuous embellishment to make even the most mundane situation seem more exciting. These tendencies in children must not go unchecked; and not only in children—adults must walk the straight and narrow as well. So often we add a little exaggeration to our story, distorting the truth just enough to let is slip by our consciences without much alarm. Such subtle disregard for truth is a serious transgression. God does not look lightly upon any kind of deceit. This lesson must be impressed upon all of us, and it’s never too young to start.

If you do not believe children to be sinners, you will not instruct them at a very early age regarding the importance of walking in the way of truth. You will not be as strict with them about lying as you ought. But as Proverbs 12:20 says, “Deceit is in the heart” We’re born with it. Bridges writes, “The principle of deceit is here traced to its fountain—the heart. How early it is found there, the first lispings of infancy too plainly prove. A lie is ready upon the child’s lips, when the temptation is presented to it; though nothing is to be gained by it, but the hateful pleasure of sin.… How frightful also is it to remark the outward expression of deceit in lying lips! Diversified indeed are its forms—falsehood, exaggeration, coloring, willful perversion, wrong impressions produced or encouraged. No part of Christian education is more important than the training of children in the deepest reverence for the simplicity of truth.”

The predilection toward falsehood often arises more from a carelessness about the truth than from intentional lying. If a child is telling you a story about what he saw in the street, do not allow him to say that he saw it out of one window, if he really saw it out of another. Let him know that any known deviation from truth and accuracy bears the stamp of a lie, which is an abomination to the Lord who is the Truth.

What is a common way people embellish things when they talk about issues, events, or even mundane situations in their lives? Are you guilty of this sin? If you have children, do you watch for times when they exaggerate? Do you correct them when they do this? If you are guilty of distorting the truth, confess it to God today.

Developing Discernment (Proverbs 14:15; 14:33; 17:18)

"The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps" (Prov. 14:15).

Next to a reckless disregard for discipline, a lack of sound judgment tends to be a prevailing deficiency in many young people. This can be attributed to a number of factors: inexperience, a natural propensity to folly, lack of knowledge, and pride, which, so ingrained in the young, causes them to be unwilling to listen to the advice of their elders. Young people would much rather take the word of a peer than listen to the counsel of a parent who has years of experience and intimate knowledge of God’s Word.

Parents desperately need to teach their children discernment and sound judgment. To do so at a young age will save their children from many heartaches in the future, possibly sparing them from corrupting companions, unhappy marriages, unstable business ventures, and a number of other pitfalls that snare the undiscerning—not least of which is error in judgment concerning religion.

While lack of judgment in temporal matters can lead to tragic consequences in one’s life, error in judgment concerning the nature of Christianity takes its consequences beyond the grave. Charles Bridges rightly reminds us that an indiscriminate faith can destroy one’s soul, but a faith founded on sound evidence leads to life. “To believe every word of God is faith,” he writes. “To believe every word of man is credulity. Faith is a principle of infinite moment. Eternal life and death hang upon it. But it must be grounded upon evidence, and it can only be exercised according to the character and measure of the evidence. An indiscriminate faith is therefore fraught with mischief. The world was ruined by this weakness. And often since has it been the occasion of sin, and even of downfall.”

Many young people, as well as old, recklessly believe every wind of doctrine that comes along. They do not measure worldly ideas by the Word of God. Because they are not grounded in knowledge of the Scriptures, they are easily led astray by the folly and lies of others. Too often, feelings dictate their beliefs, or the influence of some well known person becomes their ground of faith instead of the Bible. Parents should do all they can to ground their children in knowledge of the Scriptures that they might be able to discern what is best and bear much fruit to the glory of God.

When you hear something today that sparks a question in your mind, write it down on a card or piece of paper. This evening, search the Scriptures for anything dealing with that topic. What does the Bible say? How has your judgment about this topic changed in light of God’s Word?

Heeding Discipline (Proverbs 13:18; 15:5, 10)

"He who hates correction will die" (Prov. 15:10b).

We will structure our study of Solomon’s proverbs by grouping them under various topical headings. Solomon covers a wide range of subjects including marriage, work, self-control, the fear of the Lord, and others. First on our list is an examination of Solomon’s instruction to young people. Solomon compiled these proverbs for his own children, who would one day be leaders in the kingdom of Israel. Their actions would affect not only themselves and their immediate relations, but an entire nation. Solomon knew the particular sins that were most common in young people. He, therefore, sought to expose these sins and give the appropriate remedy so that wisdom might be nurtured even in the very young.

One of the most common traits in young people is a refusal to heed discipline. By nature they are rebellious and prideful, foolishly thinking they know better than their parents. They often consider any discipline and correction to be unjust and demeaning. Even young people who profess Christ as Lord are guilty of this transgression. They buck against parental authority like a wild colt that refuses to be broken (Job 11:12). Yet, as Charles Bridges reminds us in his notes on Proverbs 13:18; 15:5 and 15:10, discipline is ordained by God for the purpose of restraint, formation of character, and instruction in His law. Discipline was not invented by parents for the purpose of frustrating their children. It comes as a divine ordinance from God Himself, who disciplines His own children because He loves them. Subjection, therefore, to parents is not an option but a duty required by God. “Subjection to parents is the law of nature, recognized by the most uncivilized nations,” Bridges wrote. “Much more is it the law of God. The authority of parents is the authority of God.” Not to heed the discipline of your parents is to rebel against God—and if this remains the prevailing principle in your life, you will prove yourself, not to be a child of God, but a child of perdition. Solomon tells us shame, disgrace, poverty, and eventually eternal ruin will fall upon those who persist in despising the discipline of those God has placed in authority over us. Do not be like the fool, who despises his father’s discipline. Humbly submit to it as God’s way of loving and protecting us.

Using the verses for today, write out a short study on the purpose and necessity of discipline. Do this even if you do not have children. Set a family time to go over your study with your children. If you don’t have children, apply the study to yourself as a child of God.

"The Dog's Lunch" by David Chilton

Solomon warns, “As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly” (Prov. 26:11). Why would a dog return to his vomit? It doesn’t seem “natural”—surely we wouldn’t do it. But that is precisely the point: character counts! What comes “naturally” to a dog “naturally” repels cats. And it comes naturally to a fool to be foolish.

Where does character come from? The Bible places strong emphasis on the power of habit: We are warned to shun those who are given to a habit of drunkenness (Prov. 23:35), a hot temper (Prov. 19:19), or flattery (Prov. 20:19)—because “the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Prov. 13:20). Jeremiah underscores the point: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil” (Jer. 13:23).

What kind of company you keep will tend to determine your character—and, in turn, that character will attract the company you keep: “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Prov. 13:20). St. Paul warned, “Do not be deceived: evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Cor. 15:33). To put it another way, he said, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Cor. 5:6).

Centuries later, the Apostle Peter shot Solomon’s arrow home with a blistering attack against evil, deceptive teachers within the church who sought to seduce believers into apostasy: “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.… But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to its own vomit,’ and ‘A sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire’ ” (2 Peter 2:20–22).

Peter sets up a subtle contrast between two words that are similar in form, but radically different in substance—pollution and corruption. In the first chapter of this letter, he had encouraged his readers with the assurance that God has made us “partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4). That word corruption means “rottenness,” an internal, progressive decay, like a cancer—but this deadly disease Christians have escaped. While “the whole world lies under the sway of the evil one” (1 John 5:19), we have been “freed from sin,” no longer under sin’s dominion (Rom. 6:7–14).

But what about the distressing fact that often apparently Christian people, and even famous “Christian leaders,” have turned out to be traitors: Judas was the first, but certainly not the last. Jesus Himself issued the fearful warning: “By their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:20–21).

This is illustrated by the incident in which Jesus washed His disciples’ feet (John 13). Peter protested, saying, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus surprised him: “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Peter misunderstood again, and blurted out: “Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Again, Jesus’ response surprised him: “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” St. John makes the editorial comment: “For He knew who was going to betray Him, and that was why He said not every one was clean.”

There is an ironic, dramatic contrast here: Judas was externally “clean,” since Jesus had washed his feet: but inwardly, he was on the verge of such a vicious betrayal that Christ Himself soon called him the frightening term “the son of perdition” (John 17:12)—a term indicating utter ruin and eternal destruction (see Matt. 7:13; Rom. 9:22). On the other hand, Peter was externally “dirty,” but was a true child of God: “clean” on the inside, because his sins had been forgiven.

Christians are daily walking through a “dirty” world (Rom. 3:23; Eccl. 7:20). Yet we are not under any necessity to sin; we have the divine ability to resist the devil successfully (James 4:7).

Toward the end of this letter, St. Peter gives the punchline: although these false teachers “have escaped the pollutions of the world,” yet nevertheless they “are slaves of corruption” (2 Peter 2:19)—the very same “corruption” that true Christians have escaped (v. 1:4)!

What makes a dog eat her own vomit? Because she’s a dog; she does it in order to regurgitate and feed her pups. What makes a sow wallow in the mire? Because it’s her nature to do so; she doesn’t have sweat glands, and is unable to cool off without doing what most of us would consider distasteful. We can clean her up, put a pretty pink bow on her, and spray her with cologne, but her external cleanliness doesn’t change her fundamental nature one whit. Animals—and people—act according to their natures. By their fruits you shall know them.

A Treasury of Wisdom (Proverbs 10)

"A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother" (Prov. 10:1).

The first nine chapters of Proverbs set forth the need and nature of wisdom, contrasted with the temptations, allurements, and dreadful consequences of folly. We now come to the Proverbs of Solomon. Bridges explains that “they are for the most part unconnected sentences, remarkable for profound thought, and acute observation, expressed in an antithetical or illustrative form; the whole comprising a Divine system of morals of universal application; a treasury of wisdom in all its diversified details, personal, domestic, social, and civil.”

The previous chapters serve as a striking introduction to these proverbs, which Solomon recorded for the instruction of his own children. The glorious description of Christ as the very essence of wisdom (chap. 1, 8) commends to us His gracious instruction as the only basis of true happiness and practical godliness. Solomon describes for us the great love Christ has for His people, the delight He has in those who follow His ways, and the abundant blessings He has in store for those who seek wisdom, not in the world, but in Him.

Solomon probably chose this particular proverb—“A wise son makes a glad father …”—as an introduction to the rest to remind us of the value of a godly education in its personal and social influence. God has made the family the foundation of society. For better or worse, the character is primarily shaped and molded in the home. It is here that the fabric of a nation is strengthened or loosened. When instruction according to biblical wisdom is lost in the family, the consequences inevitably reach a broader scale. The grief begins in the heart of the mother, but if enough families fail to instruct their children according to God’s ways, all society will eventually mourn over the ills of an ungodly generation.

If you are a parent or a grandparent, you are commanded to know God’s ways, live them, and teach them to your children or grandchildren. If you are single or married with no children, make your parents glad by walking according to the instruction God has provided in His Word. If you have no parents, make your heavenly Father’s heart glad by following His ways. Choose the way of wisdom, know the Word of God and live it.

If you have adult children, praise them in a letter for the ways they please you. Also tell them about ways they make you unhappy. If you have young children, write a letter they will read later in life. If you don’t have children, tell God about things you would like to change, that you might be more pleasing to Him.

Wisdom and Folly (Proverbs 9)

“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here” (Prov. 9:4a, 16a).

We return today to our study of Proverbs with Charles Bridges where chapter 9 continues Solomon’s instruction on the pursuit of wisdom. Here Solomon portrays the tension between the call of wisdom and the temptation of sin. In life we often come to a fork in the road. Down one way wisdom beckons, and down the other folly calls loudly for you to follow her. Which will you answer? Can you discern the difference between them? “Both are wooing your heart,” Bridges wrote. “The one for life—the other for death. Both are intensely anxious for success. Wisdom cries. The foolish woman is clamorous. Both take their station in the high places of the city. Both spread out their feast for the simple and ignorant, smiling and happy on the brink of ruin. But how opposite their end? The one makes the simple wise unto eternal life. The other bears away her willing captive into unutterable misery. Which voice arrests your ear, and allures your heart? Whose guest are you?”

At the beginning of chapter 9 we find Wisdom preparing a great feast—which can be likened to the Gospel feast to which Christ invites all to come. The message is to fear God and find life. The only path to peace is along this road established by Wisdom. Without it you will surely enter the gates of hell—the fate of all who ignore wisdom and hearken to the calls of folly.

Inserted between this description of the calls of wisdom and folly is a warning not to reprove a scoffer. Here we receive some advice from Solomon regarding how and when we should deliver Wisdom’s message to others. We must discern those who scorn the truth. Not all sinners are scorners, and we must fulfill our duty to proclaim the Gospel to all. But there are times when to reprove someone with the Gospel message would create disdain and scoffing. It we encounter someone such as this, we should wait until a more opportune time, when the irritations have subsided. “Await the favourable opportunity,” Bridges advises. “Sometimes a sad, serious, intelligible silence is the most effective reproof. Whereas open rebuke might stir up a torrent of hatred and abuse.” We should not flinch from giving the message of Christ, but we must also be wise to know when it is best to speak.

Do you know someone to whom you have tried to present the Gospel, or whom you have needed to rebuke about something but they have only scoffed at you? Have there been times when you have spoken to them when you should have been quiet? Ask God to soften their heart and give you wisdom to know when to speak the truth.

Christ the King (Isaiah 9)

"He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness …" (Isa. 9:7b).

Although the kingdom of God has existed since the Fall, everything prior to Christ’s advent was preparatory. The kingdom of Israel functioned only as a type of that which would come. The eternal king was not David, but the Messiah who would gather subjects from all nations and rule all things. Numbers 24:17 says, “There shall come a Star out of Jacob; and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.” 2 Samuel 7:16 describes the covenant God made with David: “Thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever.” Christ fulfilled this promise as Immanuel, the “Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.”

Christ’s dominion extends over the entire universe—this is known as His kingdom of power. But His kingdom of grace includes only those individuals whom He has brought from the kingdom of darkness into His eternal kingdom. Those who have faith in Him, who accept Him as Lord, are part of the kingdom of heaven, which is so called because it is spiritual (John 18:36) and will consummate in heaven. It is called the kingdom of Christ because He is the Ruler of it. All who believe in Him and who have repented of their sins live in this kingdom (John 3:3, 5). They are subject to the King and are expected to live in righteousness and obey the laws of the kingdom—to love God and one another (Gal. 5:19–21; 2 Cor. 8). All who are part of this kingdom also receive the protection and blessings of the King.

The kingdom of Christ will ultimately be consummated in the future when all the elect have been gathered into the fold. This will be the kingdom of glory. In this kingdom the tares will be separated from the wheat. All the redeemed will possess resurrected bodies and live forever, worshiping and delighting in the King of glory. No one knows when the kingdom of Christ will be consummated. Until that time, we are to obey Him and spread the Gospel, that all God’s people might bring glory and praise to Him.

Read Matthew 5:1–19; 25; Luke 9:62; John 3:1–21 and Acts 14:22. What characterizes one who belongs to the kingdom of Christ? What is necessary to enter this kingdom? Are you living according to the laws of the kingdom? Confess ways you are disobedient, and pray for grace to live as a member of the kingdom.

Christ the Priest (Hebrews 7)

“You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 7:17b).

In the Old Testament God appointed certain men to be mediators, to offer sacrifices, and to intercede for the people. These men were called priests. God established a priesthood through the line of Aaron for the nation of Israel. The Levitical priesthood foreshadowed Christ, who would be the final and perfect High Priest. To understand how Christ fulfilled this office, we must understand the nature and function of the priest.

First, a priest is a man appointed by God to act for other men in things pertaining to God (Heb. 5:1). Man does not have the right in himself to come into the presence of God, so he must be appointed by God to do so. After a priest has obtained this right by the appointment of God, he serves as a mediator between God and the people. Christ is our perfect Mediator because no man, except for the Lord Jesus, has the freedom to come into the presence of God. Christ does not come on His own behalf, but on the behalf of sinners who need someone to approach God on their account.

Second, a priest is appointed to offer sacrifices for sins. The Old Testament priests offered sacrifices continuously not only for the sins of the people but for their own sins. Because the sacrifices were not sufficient to take away sin, they needed to be repeated time and again. Christ did not offer a sacrifice like the Levitical priests did, but He offered Himself as the sacrifice—the only sacrifice that could atone for sin, that could appease the wrath of God and meet what justice demanded. Only He, as the perfect sacrificial Lamb, could bring redemption to sinners, remove their guilt and take away their sin, and satisfy the demands of God’s just law. The sacrifice Christ made does not need to be repeated because His sacrifice is sufficient and complete. He died once and for all.

Lastly, a priest intercedes for the people. This intercession is bound to the sacrifice. Once the priest offered the sacrifice, he interceded for the people on that basis. Christ’s intercessory work cannot be separated from His sacrificial work. Christ prays that His sacrifice be made effectual in the lives of those for whom He died. Because Christ’s prayers are heard by the Father, all those for whom Christ died will be saved.

The priesthood of all believers means Christians have free access to God. If you are a believer you can come into the presence of God through Christ. Think about how you regard this privilege. Do you exercise it through prayer and communion with God or do you rely on others to intercede for you instead of going to God yourself?

Christ the Prophet (Luke 24)

“… Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet, mighty in deed and word …” (Luke 24:19).

In the Old Testament, God appointed men to be prophets, priests, and kings. While one person may have filled one or even perhaps at times two of these offices, no one executed all three. Only in Christ are the three offices of prophet, priest, and king perfectly and completely fulfilled.

According to the Scriptures, a prophet is one who speaks for another. God called Aaron a prophet for Moses (Ex. 7:1) because he would speak on Moses’ behalf. God communicates to the prophet, and the prophet in turn proclaims the message to the people. God said Jeremiah would be His mouth as he spoke to the people (Jer. 15:19). A prophet, therefore, speaks in the name of God and by His authority (Deut. 18:18–19). Unlike a teacher who can expound on the Word of God and proclaim it by His authority, a prophet is inspired by God. Anyone who receives revelation from God is a prophet. That revelation comprises instruction, blessings and curses, and future predictions.

We find a number of prophets in the Old Testament—Moses, Isaiah, Elijah, Jeremiah. The Messiah was predicted to be a prophet who would proclaim the mind of God to man. Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when He proclaimed that the word He spoke was not His own but His Father’s (John 14:24). Luke confirms the prophetic role of Christ: “… Jesus of Nazareth who was a prophet mighty in deed and word …” (Luke 24:19).

How did and does Christ execute His prophetic office? First, He is the eternal Word. He is the embodiment of knowledge and truth. Being the truth, in Him dwell all wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Second, He made known this knowledge to His people in the Old Testament era through prophets who spoke His Word. Third, He executed this office while on earth through the proclamation of woes and blessings, through instruction of the law, discourses, and parables concerning the kingdom. Fourth, since His ascension into heaven He performs the same office through the revelation of the Gospel, by the influence of the Holy Spirit who illuminates the truth of the Scriptures in the hearts of men and who renders it effectual unto salvation.

God created man in His own image, in knowledge, holiness, and righteousness. These attributes correspond with the offices of prophet, priest, and king. How as a new creature in Christ do you reflect the office of prophet? Read Colossians 3:10. How committed are you in growing in knowledge so you can declare the truth?

PreIncarnate Appearances of Christ: OT Appearances and Activities

Excerpt from John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue, eds., Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017), 240–242. 

Old Testament Appearances

One of the primary occasions of the phenomenon referred to as a theophany (“an appearance of God”) involves the presence of God at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19). Other instances of divine manifestation arise with the ministry of “the angel of the LORD [Yahweh]” in passages like the following:

1. Genesis 16:7–13: In this passage the narrator (Moses, not Hagar) identifies the messenger of Yahweh as Yahweh: “So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her” (16:13).

2. Exodus 3:2–4: Later in history, the messenger of Yahweh appears to Moses in a burning bush at Mount Horeb in the Sinai Desert. The narrator (again, Moses) declares that “God called to him out of the bush” (3:4).

3. Judges 6:11–23: The writer of the book of Judges (not Gideon or the messenger of Yahweh) reports that “the LORD turned to him and said …” (6:14).

Such appearances seem to possess one significant feature: all of them, as James Borland puts it, “reveal, at least in a partial manner, something about [God] Himself, or His will, to the recipient.” Should we identify the divine person in such appearances as the preincarnate Son of God (i.e., a christophany)? Borland defines these appearances as “those unsought, intermittent and temporary, visible and audible manifestations of God the Son in human form, by which God communicated something to certain conscious human beings on earth prior to the birth of Jesus Christ.” When the biblical account associates “the angel of the LORD” with a theophany, “messenger” might provide a better translation than “angel,” because this title denotes the function or office of the individual, not his nature. In addition, the Scripture speaks of him as actually being God. He bears the name “LORD,” he speaks as God, and he displays divine attributes and authority. Most significantly, however, he receives worship (Matt. 2:2, 11; 14:33; 28:9, 17). Given what John 1:18 says about the Son—that “no one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known”—the appearances of God in the Old Testament must have been the Son, not the Father. The phrase “made him known” in Greek (exēgeomai) is the word from which we derive the verb exegete and its cognate noun, exegesis. Literally, the Son of God “exegeted” the Father to mankind.

Old Testament Activities

The works of the second person of the Godhead in the Old Testament include creation, providence, revelation, and judgment. These are acts of deity and demonstrate that he is God. Jesus’s works in the New Testament (e.g., resurrection) parallel the works attributed to him in the Old Testament and add significantly to those works.

CREATION

Obviously, this work of the second person of the Godhead takes place in his preincarnate state. Old Testament references to the Creator or Maker do not distinguish the divine person doing the creating from other persons of the Godhead. The New Testament, however, emphatically makes that very distinction:

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3)

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. (John 1:10)

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (Col. 1:16)

But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. (Heb. 1:2)

You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands. (Heb. 1:10)

The Son’s title “the Word” (John 1:1) affirms that God created all things by his spoken word—he spoke all things into existence (see the repetition of “God said” in Gen. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, and the direct declarations in Ps. 33:6 in the Old Testament and Heb. 11:3 in the New Testament). Although all three persons of the Godhead participated in some way in creation, the Scripture identifies the Son of God as speaking everything into existence.

Three-fold Office of Christ (Matthew 28)

"And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18).

During the last four blog posts we focused on the person of Christ; now we will examine the work of Christ. Proverbs 8 and John 1 reveal that Christ’s work began long before the incarnation. By the power of His Word, God created the heavens and the earth. While we could certainly include creation and the many works of Christ in His preincarnate state in our study of His work, we will, instead, focus on His role as the Redeemer, the only Mediator between God and fallen humanity.

As Mediator, Christ has three distinct roles—that of prophet, priest, and king. We see these offices foreshadowed in the nation of Israel. The Old Testament tells of prophets who spoke on God’s behalf to man, of priests who spoke on the people’s behalf to God, and the king who exercised dominion over the nation. While the early church fathers spoke of these different offices as they related to Christ, John Calvin was the first to expound on the importance of these offices as it related to Christ’s mediatorial work. This is a necessary distinction because we must understand Christ as fulfilling all three offices and the importance each office has to us. To exclude one or two of them is to undermine the work of redemption accomplished by Christ.

Many in our day, for example, acknowledge Christ’s work as priest. They admit He sacrificed Himself for sinners and intercedes on their behalf, but they deny that He is King. While they embrace His work as priest, they reject Him as king. In a sense, people who do this are guilty of putting their faith in part of Christ’s work but not in Him as a person. You cannot separate the king from the priest, or the prophet from the other two in the person of Christ. He is prophet, priest, and king.

As prophet, Christ is endowed with perfect knowledge and understanding. While He was on earth, He proclaimed the truth of God to the lost, and now He proclaims the truth through His Word and by the Spirit. As priest, He offered Himself as a sacrifice once and for all. He also intercedes at the right hand of God the Father for all who are His. As king, He exercises dominion, now and forever, over His kingdom and all things.

As prophet, priest, and king, Christ speaks, intercedes, and rules with all authority. Specifically, how should you live, even this weekend, in light of Christ’s authority? In what ways do you rebel against His authority in your own life? Confess these sins to God and, by His power, strive to submit to Him in everything.

The Mystery of Christ (John 1)

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us …" (John 1:14).

When you examine the language of the Chalcedonian Creed, you find that it is highly negative and conceptual. The council declared Christ “to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of the natures being in no wise taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons.” 

The goal of this creed is to set parameters and to guard the truth against heretical views. It in no way tries to delve into the mystery of the hypostatic union between the two natures of Christ or into the unipersonality of Christ. How the divine and the human natures come together is a mystery. Scripture does not enlighten us to the details of what’s involved in this union, and we should not try to go beyond Scripture. Chalcedon simply attempted to describe what Christ is and not try to explain how He came to be that way. Many heretical views assert that the man, Jesus, took on a divine nature, that He became divine sometime during His life, or at His death, or following His death. Whatever the heresy, all run contrary to the Bible, which says that God took on human nature and dwelt among us. We may not be able to explain how this happened, all we can say is that it did.

Even though the church has wrestled with this for centuries and provided abundant statements and creeds, many people still remain confused about who Christ is. 

In summary, let us remember that Christ is one person—one individual, endowed with reason and self-awareness. As one person, He possesses two natures. By nature, we mean the sum total of all the qualities that comprise something—its substance. According to His divine nature, Christ is spirit, omnipresent, omniscient, infinite, immutable, indivisible, eternal. According to His human nature, Christ has a soul, a body; He is finite, divisible, and changeable. You can see by looking at the essential qualities of each of these natures they cannot be mixed or confused. For the human nature to become infinite would be impossible. For the divine nature to become changeable would be equally impossible because to do so would be contrary to the divine nature. Christ is one person with two distinct natures: divine and human.

The law of contradiction says that A cannot be non-A at the same time in the same relationship. How is the union of the divine and human natures in Christ not a contradiction? A mystery is not the same thing as a contradiction. How would you explain to a critic that the incarnation is not a contradiction but a mystery?

One Person, Two Natures (Philippians 2)

"And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself …" (Phil. 2:8).

Even though the Nicaene Creed established the church’s position on the deity of Christ, controversies concerning His personality and nature continued to plague the church. Another landmark council was convened to deal with more heresies that disrupted church unity. In 451, the Eastern Emperor Marcion called the fourth ecumenical council in Chalcedon (Asia Minor). The council’s task was to solve the disputes concerning the person of Christ and His nature. The emperor and the pope wanted unity, and they knew that Christological questions stood in the way.

Two heresies in particular had gained support in the church—Nestorianism and Eutychianism. Nestorianism asserted that there were two persons in Christ. In reaction to Nestorianism, Eutychianism maintained that the incarnate Christ had only one nature. While Nestorianism was defeated at the Council of Ephesus in 431, Eutychianism remained prevalent, and much confusion still abounded on the question of the personality of Christ.

The Council of Chalcedon met in the fall of 451. More than 500 bishops and papal legates attended the meeting. Two main concerns overshadowed the council—it wanted to maintain the unity in the person of Christ and establish that Christ possessed two distinct natures: divine and human. After much debate and examination of the Scriptures and the declarations of previous councils, including Nicaea, the council concluded that Christ, according to His divine nature, was of the same substance with the Father, and according to His human nature was of the same substance with mankind. The deity and humanity of Christ exist in one person (the second person of the Trinity) “without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.” The two natures are hypostatically unified in one person. The council also declared that the second person of the Trinity, the divine Logos, does not replace the human soul. Christ has a human soul but only one personality. The key issue was salvation, for they knew that only the God-man, who is fully human and fully God, can save sinners. The creed drafted by the Council of Chalcedon then became, and continues to this day, the standard for Christological orthodoxy.

Read Hebrews 4:14–16. What does Christ’s humanity mean to you personally? When you pray do you think of Christ only as divine, or as the God-man, the theanthropos? How should this distinction affect your prayer life? Read Romans 5:12–21. Why was it necessary for Christ to be human in order to be our Savior?

The Deity of Christ (John 10)

“I and My Father are one” (John 10:30).

Controversies concerning the person of Christ have been around since the dawn of the Christian church. The first ecumenical council of the church dealt with a problem concerning Christology. In 325 Constantine called a council at Nicaea to try to heal a rift that had opened between two factions in the church. This schism was created by the Arians who denied the deity of Christ. Arius could not logically reconcile the doctrine of the Trinity with the unity of God. Along with orthodox theologians, Arius rejected any system that denied the personal distinctiveness of the Son (Sabellianism), but at the same time he rejected any system that claimed the Father and the Son were of the same essence.

Arius claimed that Christ could not be of the same divine essence with the Father because this would make God divisible. He therefore concluded that Christ was a creature, begotten in the sense that He was made. The Arians maintained that there was a time when Christ did not exist. The Son of God was, not “very God of very God,” but a creature created out of nothing.

The Council of Nicaea rejected the teaching of Arius and proclaimed it heretical. It then drafted a creed to which all in the church had to adhere or be excommunicated. This creed has served as the orthodox statement on the nature of Christ since that time. The Council of Nicaea asserted that the Son and the Father are of the same essence or substance (homoousios). It affirmed the unity of God and stated that the Son is “begotten” but “not made.” The council anathematized a number of Arian doctrinal statements, including “there was a time when he [Jesus] was not.” This statement more than any other summarized the Arian understanding of Christ. They believed Him to be a created being who functioned on God’s behalf. The council opposed this and firmly maintained that the deity of Christ was ontological and not merely functional.

We can benefit from the statements made by the early church in defense of Christ’s deity as we face similar battles. Christ is not merely a great man, nor is His personal distinction lost in the Godhead. Jesus Christ is one person endowed with two natures—any deviation from this distinction is nothing less than gross heresy.

Do you live as if Jesus Christ were merely a man, or do you submit to Him as God? Do you take His Word as authoritative? Do you submit to His divine teaching, or just think of Him as a moral teacher? The world considers Christ a good teacher but not God. How is this inconsistent with Christ’s own teaching?

Knowing Christ (John 17)

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

It is not accidental that God inserted an entire chapter in the book of wisdom on the very essence of Wisdom. If you want to live according to wisdom, you must intimately know Wisdom. Essentially you must know Christ. And you can’t know Christ if you have wrong conceptions of Him.

Our understanding of the person and work of Christ has direct bearing on every aspect of our theology and our lives. If you worship a Christ who is not the risen Savior of Scripture, the way you live will reflect that error. If you do not believe Christ to be God incarnate, you will not trust His Word as infallible and inerrant. If you do not believe Christ’s life and death merited the righteousness necessary for you to have eternal life, you will try to earn your way to heaven through good works.

Many heresies have infiltrated the church because people were not diligent to study the Scriptures and gain a proper, objective understanding of Christ. This week and part of next, we will explore Christology, the study of Christ, and how various heresies have impacted the church. We are taking the time to examine the person and work of Christ because He is central to everything we believe.

How then do we come to a correct understanding of who Christ is? First, we do not gain our understanding of Him through our own subjective ideas and experiences. History can testify that deviations from the objective truth lead men to fashion God in their own image. If the philosophy of the day is stoicism, Christ becomes the ultimate stoic with no emotions. If the philosophy is social empowerment, Christ becomes the ultimate revolutionary and social activist. If the philosophy is feminism, Christ becomes the embodiment of the superiority of femininity. Because we are sinners, we inevitably think of Christ as we want Him to be instead of who He is. The only way we really know Christ is by going to the Scriptures. The Scriptures provide us with everything we need to know about Christ in an objective and truthful context. If you want to know Christ and live in a way that is pleasing to Him, let your ideas about Him be shaped by Scripture, not by the latest philosophy or your own opinions.

What are some of the misconceptions people have about Christ? If you have the opportunity this week, ask a couple of people who Christ is and what He did. See what kind of answers you get. How (and why) do people who believe things contrary to Christian beliefs still assimilate the person of Christ into their system?

The Eternal Christ (Proverbs 8:22-36)

“I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth” (Prov. 8:23).

In Proverbs 8:22–36 we are given a glimpse into the incomprehensible glory of our Lord and Savior. In the personification of Wisdom, Christ speaks of His eternal existence, His relationship with the Father, and His power of creation. The language used here, as in the first chapter of Colossians, has caused much debate. When verse 24 says “When there were no depths I was brought forth …,” the Hebrew word for brought forth accurately captures the meaning of “begotten, not made.” While we do not underestimate the difficulty in understanding what begotten means, it does not mean Christ was created or born into existence as the Arians and other heretical groups have claimed.

Here we find Christ, not as a creature but as the efficient cause of creation. From all eternity, the Father and Son enjoyed a perfect relationship of love and delight. When God created the world, that love entered time resting on men made in God’s image.

“It is a wonder that He who was the Father’s infinite delight, and infinitely delighting in Him, should find His delight from all eternity in the sons of men,” Bridges wrote. “But though He foresaw how they would despise, reject, and put Him to shame; yet they were the objects of His everlasting love, the purchase and satisfaction of the ‘travail of His soul,’ the eternal monuments to His praise. Yet for their sakes did He make humanity a temple of the Deity, for them did He exchange the throne of glory for the accursed cross—the worship of the Seraphim for the scorn and buffeting of men—inexpressible joy for sorrow. Yes—Thou adorable Redeemer, nothing but the strength of Your own love could have brought You out from the bosom of ineffable delight to suffer such things for such sinners! But this was ‘the joy set before You, for’ which—unfathomable love!—You were content ‘to endure the cross, despising the shame.’ For this love do You inherit Thy Father’s justly proportioned reward. On this foundation is Your people’s confidence—rest—security.”

Only in Christ is there life, wisdom, and everlasting joy. Watch for Him daily, wait by His doorway and find life and favor in Him for all time (vv. 34–35).

Read John 1 and Colossians 1. How do these passages relate to Proverbs 8? How would you respond to someone who denies the divinity of Christ? Ask a friend or a spouse to help you become more grounded in this truth by listening to you describe what the Bible says about Christ’s divinity. Memorize helpful verses.

I, Wisdom (Proverbs 8:1-21)

"Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength" (Prov. 8:14).

In Proverbs 8 we find a noble description of the very essence of wisdom. In this exhortation to hearken to the words of wisdom, we are called not merely to hear about wisdom, but to kneel before Wisdom itself in the person of the Son of God. When you seek wisdom, you do not seek a vague, intangible concept but Jesus Christ who is from everlasting to everlasting.

Solomon uses a number of personal attributes to describe Wisdom—attributes that are essential to the very nature of Christ. Wisdom is eternal, creative, humble, prudent, authoritative, loving, and gracious. Bishop Horne commented, “Imagination cannot form to itself a more exquisite and affecting piece of scenery, than that exhibited by Solomon in the book of Proverbs. In his seventh chapter he introduces the world, by its meretricious blandishments alluring the unwary to the chambers of destruction. In the succeeding chapter, by way of perfect contrast, appears in the beauty and majesty of holiness, the Son of the Father, the true and eternal Wisdom of God, with all the tender love and affectionate concern of a parent, inviting men to the substantial joys and enduring pleasures of immortality in the house of salvation.”

This call of the Lord is to all people. Every person has been marred by Adam’s fall, now the call of the second Adam resounds throughout the earth. “It is the proclamation of the Gospel ‘to every creature,’ ” Bridges wrote. “Wherever the word reaches, the offer is made. Wherever a lost sinner be found on this side of the grave, the free welcome of the Gospel meets him. If he be not saved, he is more lost than ever. His ruin lies at his own door.”

If you want to gain understanding, if you want to become more prudent and wise, drink from the fountain that is the very essence of these attributes. Seek counsel, not at the dry wells of the world, but at the feet of Him who is the very essence of sound wisdom. Christ says, “I am understanding, I have strength.” Everything you need is in Him. “Behold Him then, surrounded with the majesty of His mighty perfections. In all your doubts and anxieties—counsel is mine, and sound wisdom. In all your conflicts and weariness—I have strength.… Remember—His fullness is your portion.”

Where do you usually go for counsel? When you have a concern, do you immediately pray about it and search the Scriptures for help in how to deal with it? Do you ask a godly friend to help you know what Christ has to say about it? Read Proverbs 8:1–21. What do you need most to get you through your troubles? Go to Him today.

The Pursuit of Evil (Proverbs 6:12-19)

"A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth" (Prov. 6:12).

It is particularly poignant that on the heels of a passage dealing with the ways of a sluggard, Solomon describes the tireless exploits of the ungodly. Matthew Henry comments that if “the slothful are to be condemned, that do nothing, how much more those that do ill, and contrive to do all the ill they can.” Here we have a glimpse of the all-pervading power of sin and the diligence of the ungodly to pursue evil.

Think of your life before God changed your heart. Remember how you rarely grew tired of doing evil. You could stay out all night. You could spend hours doing one worldly, unproductive thing after another. Most of us can testify to how much easier it is to do evil than it is to pursue good. Sadly, many Christians often find it toilsome to sit for just an hour in church before they feel the itch to leave. They often find it difficult to stay awake long enough to pray just a short prayer to the Lord. How shamed we slothful Christians should be to read of the tireless exploits of the wicked compared to our own laziness in the pursuit of godliness. As children of Christ we all possess so much which should motivate us to pursue godliness, but, as the Scripture says, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Only by God’s grace can any of us escape the ways of the wicked described here and find the motivation to be conformed to His image.

The ways of a wicked person are not only diligent but subtle. Under the cover of darkness and a clever facade, he practices malice, deceit, murder, slander, and dissension—sins against others that flow from a perverse heart. Until the heart is changed by the power of the Spirit, sin will reign. Here we see pride at the root of evil. How deceived are the ungodly who believe they are better than anyone else, including God. Pride of the heart overflows in how we treat others. It loosens the constraints on evil actions and sows discord. Pride leads to lies and murder. Only by the power of Christ can someone be delivered from those sins that are so abominable to the Lord. As Bridges so aptly puts it, “How utterly powerless is any remedy save that involved in the solemn declaration—‘You must be born again!’ ”

Do you know someone who is tireless in pursuing evil, whose heart is filled with perversity, and devises evil? It may be someone at work, a family member, a neighbor. Pray that God will change his or her heart, and pray for an opportunity to tell them the Gospel that they might be saved from the “calamity that will come suddenly.”