PROVERBS 17:19

“Anyone loving transgression is loving a struggle. Anyone making his entryway high is seeking a crash.”

In various parts of Palestine the Jews were obliged to have the doors of their courts and houses very low, not more than three feet high, to prevent men on horseback from riding into the courts and houses and spoiling their goods. One who made a high gate or entryway was inviting disaster. The proverb could also be speaking of the mouth as an entryway that is lifted high by boasting and arrogant speaking. Such talk has a tendency to kindle and maintain strife, which leads to a crash.

PROVERBS 20:14

“‘It is bad, bad!’ says the buyer, and he is going his way. Then it is that he boasts about himself.”

This is a common proverb in Oriental countries. The buyer says the article for sale is “bad.” The price is lowered. He buys it and leaves, bragging about the clever deal he made. It takes no skill or experience to pronounce an article bad, but it does take some knowledge and judgment to put a fair price on an article. If the buyer robs the seller by saying the item is “bad,” he has little to boast of. He has wronged another and himself. He has cheated his neighbor out of some money and he has injured his own conscience and has probably lost the confidence of his fellow man. Therefore, he has little reason for boasting.

PROVERBS 21:1

“A king’s heart is as streams of water in the hand of Jehovah. Everywhere that he delights to, he turns it.”

The proverb alludes to the Eastern method of watering the land. Many canals are dug from one stream, and by opening a particular sluice the cultivator can direct a stream to whatever part he pleases. So Jehovah can direct the thoughts of a king in harmony with his will and order. Here, too, is shown that Jehovah rules the spirit of man in that he has access to his innermost thoughts and feelings—a power that human monarchs cannot claim.

PROVERBS 25:13

“Just like the coolness of snow in the day of harvest is the faithful envoy to those sending him, for he restores the very soul of his masters.”

Some select few in the East have snowhouses, that is, places dug under the ground where they lay up snow for summer use. The snow of Lebanon or Hermon was put into wine or other drink to make it more refreshing in the harvesttime. But the common people cooled their liquors by the simple mode of evaporation. They would dip a cloth in water, wrap it round the bottle, and then hang the bottle in the heat of the sun. The evaporation carried off the heat from the wine, and the process made the wine almost as cold as ice. Good news is as refreshing to the soul as a cool drink at harvesttime.

The Testimony of Creation

Impressed by the wonders of the solar system, Sir Isaac Newton said: “It is not to be conceived that mere mechanical causes could give birth to so many regular motions. . . . This most beautiful system of the sun, planets and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.”