'It is a trap for a man to say rashly, "It is holy!" And after the vows to
make inquiry.'-- Proverbs 20:25
Ever been trapped as such? If you think on this one line passage from
varying perspectives, its simplicity becomes somewhat compound, not complex
but compound. It is important to look at the meaning of the phrase used in
the NASU version above which states "to say rashly". When I first read this
at face value I thought it meant... "Oh, if I seek something in my life and
without consideration declare it is direction of God, and maybe even act on
it, but later question it, I've then trapped myself in my own insecurity or
devices". But looking at the meaning of the saying "to say rashly"
according to Strong's it shows it as a primitive root; to blurt or utter
inconsiderately: -devour. Devour? That kind of openned up the window a
little wider to include things others might feed me in my life as well. I
think this scripture is interpreted by such passages of those who tell us
to test the spirits, as well to not lean on our own understanding. If we
consider a thing in our life, quickly assume something like "Well, it is
good, it makes sense, it seems right to me and so I buy it as being from
God and a holy thing", without really considering it from God's Word or
testing the spirit from which it comes and relying on just our own wisdom
or ideals, we might find ourselves later questioning it and thus being
trapped. The devouring bit gives me an image of prey verses victim in the
echo system of nature. There is a fish in the ocean in which it was gifted
with a fishing pole and bait. "What is this guy talking about"? You are
saying? Well it is true. There is a fish in the ocean that has a short
appendage protruding from its head, a little pole-like deal and at the end
of it; it becomes quite flexible and limp. This fish will dangle this
flexible worm-like bit out in front of itself and when a nearby fish comes
by to investigate a potential dinner, this fish does its thing. What does
it do? Due to the size of this fish, particularly its massive mouth, it
opens its mouth so quickly it creates a water vacuum for a couple few feet
and sucks the investigating fish right into its mouth and "gulp" down it
goes. This happens so fast that even cameras can't get a full motion
picture of it but just one frame with it's yap closed and maybe one or two
frames before it again shows the mouth closed and the little fishing pole
out for business again. That is devouring something to me. Have we ever
done this? Devoured something? Maybe it was a certain ideal, precept,
belief or value. And it came from a source we know and have come to trust
and so we believe it without considering it for ourselves according to
God's Word.
There are a few perspectives in which this could affect us and others.
Imagine if you or I heard of a thing, a ministry, a minister or whatever
and quickly said "Yeah that is from God!" then because what we do in our
lives is seen by others around us, has an affect on them as well. Perhaps
they have come to know you and trust you and therefore think "Well if so
and so believes it is of God, I do to". So we have not only a trapping of
ourselves if we devour a thing and then later question it, but affect
others too. And what does that tell God as well about our discernment? Of
course he knows everything so it isn't news to him where we are at, but it
is a step further when we put action to it. I'm reminded as well where God
tells our yeses to be yeses and our noes to be noes and I believe it is
imperative that this scripture be considered so that we do not double back
on our devouring, or as Proverbs puts it a dog returning to his vomit.
Perhaps not the same inference but you get the meaning to regurgitate what
we've devoured and look at what it was we swallowed. Kind of a gross
analogy now that I think of it but then being trapped isn't a pretty thing
either. How might it trap us? If you for instance were searching for an
answer to something in your life, particularly if you've been searching for
some time and really haven't heard or found any direction and then all of
the sudden something comes along which makes perfect sense and "Wow that
must be a God thing" as the Christian buzz phrase says. So then you
swallow it and then wonder... "Hey. I wonder if that was from God after all
because I'm not so sure about this part right here". What might we think
then? We might find ourselves saying... "I don't think God would take me
where it seems I'm going now, at first it seemed good, but I'm not sure
now". What does that do to our confidence in hearing his voice? What does
that do to perhaps God's intentions if indeed he set you on a course for a
lesson you need to learn but deemed it unholy because the road got a little
bumpy and "God wouldn't send me down that road". We become trapped in our
own doubt. James talks about this too, to not doubt, to be sure, doubters
do not receive from God... well here he says specifically...
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let
endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who
gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is
like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought
not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a
double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:2-8
We become trapped in our own doubt, insecurity. Years ago, naive as I was
to the internet having just gotten on I got a message in my e-mail box as
"Dangerous Virus Pass Along To everyone You Know" or some such message. I
thought "Wow! This is bad; I need to let folks know about this! I then sent
it on to a list I was on and proceeded to get what is known as flamed or
griped at for sending such things of stupidity to the list. I was kind of
ticked off I was treated that way, but in months to come realized where
this person was coming from with the bazillion forwards, virus hoaxes and
cute heart wrenching stories that are fabrications by someone looking for a
milestone on the internet. But the point is I devoured what I heard as
being truth, without consideration and passed it along and then later
questioned it. I soon became doubtful in my ability to discern what is
truth and what is lie in such messages as such. I'm sure those around me or
who saw me pass it on thought... "Oh. Looks like this Brad character is
pretty naive, I best watch or delete what he passes along". My doubt became
my trap and it sort of disabled me and tossed my belief structure a bit.
That is not what God wants for us and so as this passage notes it can be a
trap to devour or quickly and rashly assume something if holy or of God and
then later question it.
How do you avoid it? Do not act rashly or quickly without considering it
according to God's Word, if it isn't matching up to the whole message of
God, not just one particular passage as you know you could presumably prove
just about anything by taking one passage, twisting it and quoting it out
of context or without the flavor of the rest of the Word. Remember
scripture interprets scripture and it is for that reason we ought remain in
it and consider all we hear, feel, think, and feel we hear from God,
according to His Word. If it don't match it? Trash it! And avoid being
trapped from the start by not devouring it sight unseen... as it were.
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