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PROVERBS 21

1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he

turns it wherever he will.

The king’s heart — As we look at these words of Solomon we need

to understand how radical this was for the Solomon’s

contemporaries. We are far removed from the days of monarchy!

The rule of the monarch was absolute. He possessed absolute

authority. The king literally possessed the power of life and death.

There was no court of appeals. Your life was in in his hands.

Heart — When our culture uses the word “heart” it is usually

associated with emotion. But we’ve learned in our study of Proverbsthat the heart is “the causal core” of our life. So the phrase The

king’s heart refers to thoughts and decisions of the king. Whatever

was going on the heart of the king affected your life, your wellbeing,

and even your very existence.

The king’s heart is a stream of water — The picture here is that of

little channels, or streams, used for irrigation. 1 Solomon’s readers

saw this on a daily basis. Flower-beds and gardens of herbs were

always made at a level that was a little lower than the surroundingground. They were small squares of open ground that were divided

by banks of raised earth. Water was let in until it flooded and

thoroughly saturated the soil in that “square.” At that point the flow

of water was diverted to another bed by simply closing the opening

in the bank of that first “square” and making an opening in another

“square.” The “stream of water” was under the control of the

gardener.

With that picture in mind let’s read the proverb.

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he

turns it wherever he will.

1 Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Proverbs (p. 404). London;

New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

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God is informing us that the thoughts and decisions of those in

human authority — even those in what appears to be absolute

authority — are directed by God, just like those irrigation channels

were directed by the gardener. Suddenly, the apparent absoluteauthority of the king is given perspective. The king is not the

absolute monarch. God is!

God does what He wants. He directs the decisions of human

authority like a watercourse wherever he pleases (NIV). It’s that

simple. The quintessential Biblical example of this is the way God

directed the thoughts and decisions of the most powerful ruler in the

world in order to fulfill the prophecy of Micah concerning the

birthplace of the promised Messiah.

 Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to

 be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me

one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from

 ancient days.

When it was nearly time for Jesus to be born, Mary and Joseph lived

in Nazareth. As far as the human eye could see, it appeared that

God had a problem. He promised that Jesus would be born in

Bethlehem. By every human metric it appeared that Jesus was going

to be born in Nazareth. Luke tells us that Mary was “great with child”

(Luke 2:5 KJV). How was God going get a woman in the last days of

her pregnancy to make a journey of 70 miles over rough terrain on a

donkey? We’ve got a lot of young moms here at Metro who are

either expecting or have recently given birth. I can’t imagine even

one of you dads even daring to “suggest” that your wife pack the car

for an off-road road trip; let alone suggesting that she take a 70 mile,

4-5 day, road trip on a donkey.”

But this was not a problem for God because the heart of the king —

 in this case, the heart of Augustus Caesar — was a stream in the

hand of God.

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QUOTE: The Pulpit Commentary — By hidden influences and

 providential arrangements God disposes the monarch to order his

 government so as to carry out his designs 2 

The Lord directed and diverted the decisions of Augustus Caesar todeclare a tax on the Roman Empire — as easily as a gardener

directed and diverted the flow of water in a garden to get it where he

wanted it to go!

Caesar speaks and the world must act! Mary and Joseph can't

appeal on the grounds of late term pregnancy. Mary has to get on a

donkey so that Joseph can go to his home town to be registered for

the tax. His hometown? Bethlehem! Augustus Caesar thinks he’s the

authority in all of this — but in reality his geopolitical decision thatliterally moved this couple — was directed by the Lord like a

gardener directing the flow of water in his garden!

Proverbs 21:1 fits perfectly with what we learned about Jesus

yesterday morning in our series of studies in the first three chapters

of the book of Revelation titled, “JESUS AND THE SEVEN.” Let’s

turn some pages of the Bible — Revelation 1:5. Write “Proverbs

21:1” in the margins of your Bible next to Revelation 1:5. There in

Revelation 1:5 John tells the seven churches in Asia Minor that he is

delivering a message to them from Jesus Christ the faithful witness,

the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

In two consecutive studies we have been exposed to the same

theological concept. This isn't contrived. We didn’t sit down months

ago and plan in advance for our studies in Revelation and Proverbs

to converge on this great theological truth. Why we hadn't even

decided to study the first three chapters of Revelation until 4 or 5

weeks ago. We surely hadn't planed to take this long to arrive at

Proverbs 21:1. This is truly the Holy Spirit emphasizing a specific

point in a specific moment in the life of Metro and in the lives of

individuals.

2 Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Proverbs (p. 404). London;

New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

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DON'T MISS THIS — This is theology! It tells us who God is! But

good theology doesn't merely tell us who God is, it defines us and

directs us.

Good theology is not anthropocentric. It is not egocentric. It is

Christo-centric. Good theology is intended to redefine our identity

and redirect our living in the light of who Jesus is.

I read this quote this morning and I thought it was so great in light of

yesterdays study!

QUOTE: Paul Tripp — Abstract, impersonal theology helps no

one.

The title of yesterday’s sermon: Who Jesus Is Changes Everything!

 At the close of our study I said, “the goal of Bible study, which is the

basis for good theology, is not merely information. The goal is

transformation.” 

 Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be

transformed by the renewal of your mind,

So how does this theology address our every day lives? How does

this truth about who God is redefine me and redirect the way I live?

When it comes to those who exercise authority and influence in the

world we can be very myopic. We see only the great authority they

possess and how the decisions that issue from their authority affects

our lives. We must always look beyond human authority to Jesus

who is THE ruler of kings on the earth!

QUOTE: H.A. Ironside — There is no monarch so great that he

can act in independence of God. 3 

3 Ironside, H. A. (1908). Notes on the Book of Proverbs (p. 280).

Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Bros.

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We need to think, make decisions and live as though there is no

authority higher than Jesus! (By the way — That is what faith looks

like! That is what it means to live by faith in the Son of God. ) We

need to think, make decisions and live as though all human authority

is in His hands and He turns it wherever he will . We need to think,make decisions and live as though Jesus is bigger than our boss,

parents, teachers, and politicians. We should be able to sleep at

night because we really believe God is sovereign in local, state,

national and global political affairs. God does what He wants. It’s

that simple.

QUOTE: The Midrash (an ancient commentary on part of the

Hebrew scriptures, attached to the biblical text) — God gives to

the world good or bad kings, according as He seeks to bless it orto visit it with punishment; all decisions that go forth from the

 king’s mouth come !"#$%" , i.e., in their first commencement and

their last reason they come from the Holy One. 4 

The opening of that comment is so heavy — and I believe is so not

embraced by the average Christian. There is a large scale failure in

Western Christianity to even ask the question, “God what are You

doing in our political affairs?” Is there something you’re judging? Is

this a rebuke because Your people have failed to be salt and light,failed to defend the fatherless and the widow; failed to advocate for

the unborn? Are You provoking us to change or to action by way of

the decisions of those in authority?

2  Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord

weighs the heart.

We examined this same concept in great depth in our study of

Proverbs 16:2 — All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but

the Lord weighs the spirit.

4 Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary on the Old

Testament  (Vol. 6, p. 308). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.

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3 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord

than sacrifice.

Righteousness has the sense of what is right or required in the sight

of God; justice — refers to the proper way of behaving towardsothers. 5 

The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) — “To do

 justly and to speak the truth are more pleasing to God than the

blood of sacrifices.”6 

Sacrifice — Solomon’s original readers understood this to mean the

offering of sacrifices that God prescribed through Moses. For the

Christian this would be reference to corporate worship services, the

giving of time, talent and treasure.

God is informing us about the critical difference between a right

heart and religious hypocrisy. Here’s what J.C. Ryle had to say about

a “right heart.”

QUOTE: J.C. Ryle — It is not the heart with which a person is

 born—but another heart put in them by the Holy Spirit. A right

 heart is honest, undivided, and true (Luke 8:15; 1 Chron.12:33;

Hebrews 10:22). There is nothing about it of falsehood, hypocrisy,or image-acting. It is not double or divided. It really is what it

 professes to be, feels what it professes to feel, and believes what

 it professes to believe. Its faith may be feeble. Its obedience may

 be very imperfect. But one thing will always distinguish the right

 heart. Its religion will be real, genuine, thorough, and sincere.

God wants us to know that ritual doesn't trump righteousness; ritual

doesn't trump right living that springs from a right heart — a heart

that’s right with God.

5 Reyburn, W. D., & Fry, E. M. (2000). A handbook on Proverbs (p.

439). New York: United Bible Societies.6 Spence-Jones, H. D. M. (Ed.). (1909). Proverbs (p. 404). London;

New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

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Why would God have to inform us of that? Two reasons: 1. Because

sin blinds us. It blinds us to the point where we can confuse what we

do with who we are! I must be right with God because I do and I give.2. Because sin has left us so broken that we will actually use ritual;

religious behavior — as a cover for wrong living! People can come tochurch week in and week out — lift their hands and voices in

worship, commit time to serve and even give — but in reality have

hearts that are far from God.

 Isaiah 29:13 13 And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near

with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts

 are far from me,

The heart that is far from God is capable of performing emptyreligious actions. But the person whose heart is far from God will

have no heart — no desire — for right living. They will fail to do what

is right and just; and even worse, intentionally do what is unrighteous

and unjust and use religious actions to cover it.

Sin might blind us — but God isn't blind to our sin. He sees religious

hypocrisy and it makes Him sick!

 Isaiah 1:11-17  “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?

 says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and

the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or

of lambs, or of goats. 12  “When you come to appear before me,

who has required of you this trampling of my courts? 13Bring no

 more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon

 and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure

 iniquity and solemn assembly. 14 Your new moons and your

 appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to

 me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your

 hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many

 prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. 16Wash

 yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds

from before my eyes; cease to do evil, 17  learn to do good; seek

 justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead

the widow’s cause.

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 Amos 5:21-24 “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight

 in your solemn assemblies.  22 Even though you offer me your burnt

offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace

offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs to the melody of

 your harps I will not listen.  24 But let justice roll down like waters,

 and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

It’s not a matter of either/or — do what’s right and just or offer

sacrifices to God. It’s a matter of both/and.

 Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected theweightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.

These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Righteousness is a big thing to God because HE is righteous. Justice

is a big thing to God because HE is just! In fact in Micah 6:8 we read

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord

 require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk

 humbly with your God?

4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are

sin.

Haughty eyes — Back in Proverbs 6:17 we were told that God

hates haughty eyes. Our eyes were made to look upon His glory

and see in Him alone infinite worth — resulting in our humility.

QUOTE: H.A. Ironsides —Haughty eyes belong not to the onewho has been a learner at His feet who is “meek and lowly in

 heart.” 7  

7 Ironside, H. A. (1908). Notes on the Book of Proverbs (67). Neptune,

NJ: Loizeaux Bros.

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Proud heart — Literally, a swollen heart. A heart filled with self. This

is at the core of man’s predicament. The proud heart, the heart

swollen with self-concern is an aberration! It is totally contrary to all

that God made us for. Our hearts were made to be filled with love

for God; to bow before Him in adoration and devise ways to adoreHim; devise ways to see others come to know and adore Him. But

the proud heart lifts itself up above God and against God.

the lamp of the wicked — there are several views on the translation

of this phrase. Some translate it as “light,” or “lamp” while others

translate it as “plowing.” Keil and Delitzsch translate the last line as

— The husbandry of the godless is sin.  Reyburn and Fry read it as —

 “their whole arrogant style of life” is labeled as sin. 8 

HERE'S THE POINT — Pride is not merely conceit! It is man

choosing to stand in the place of God. It is man refusing to be

informed, defined and directed by God. Pride has only one outcome:

Sin!

What is the remedy for a haughty look and a heart that’s swollen

with self?

The remedy for the haughty look — for seeing my self in the place of

God — is to see Jesus standing in my place, brutally beaten and

murdered for my pride!

QOUTE: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Isaac Watts) —

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory

died; my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all

 my pride.

The remedy for the heart swollen with self-love and self-concern is

Jesus crucified for us! His majesty and His humility — can deflate a

heart swollen with pride and filled with self.

8 Reyburn, W. D., & Fry, E. M. (2000). A handbook on Proverbs (p.

440). New York: United Bible Societies

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QUOTE: Spurgeon (Morning and Evening 10.13)

For every drop of crimson bloodThus shed to make me live,

O wherefore, wherefore have not I

 A thousand lives to give?

QOUTE: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Isaac Watts) —

See, from his head, his hands, his feet,

 sorrow and love flow mingled down.

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,or thorns compose so rich a crown.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

that were an offering far too small;

 love so amazing, so divine,

demands my soul, my life, my all.

The remedy for the proud heart is a new heart 

QUOTE: J.C. Ryle — It is not the heart with which a person is

 born—but another heart put in them by the Holy Spirit.

QUOTE: Spurgeon (Morning and Evening 10.13) — Jesus, lover of

 my soul, shed abroad such love, even thy love in my heart, this

evening.