“Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.”

- Proverbs 13:15 

“ This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. [[ Matthew 12:40 : For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ]]

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 

The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

[[ Matthew 12:43–45 : When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.]]

No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. 

The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. 

If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”

Luke 11:29–36 ( with inline references to Matthew 12’s recording of the same discourse ) 

WISDOM , PROSPERITY, ADVERSITY

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“Tob ( good ) sakal ( insight, understanding, intellect ) nathan ( gives, yields ) chanan ( gracious favor ), derek ( the road, way of life ) [ of the ] bagad ( treacherous ) [ is ] eythan [ rough , strong, tough ]. 

Those are the words of our text from Proverbs this week. 

And we have paired it, with the words of our Lord, who, after breaking the Sabbath by healing on it, was prompted by the Pharisees for a sign —- AFTER —- multitudes of people were healed, and evil spirits cast out, including a particular blind, dumb, and possessed individual IN THEIR PRESENCE!  ( Read the accounts in Luke 11, Matthew 12 from which we have taken our second text )

What can you say to people like that?

By referring to the generation as evil, it is clear that our Lord is more than irritated, but not only does He answer their question, but He then shows us the way to spiritual Light !…. Let’s take a look at His intellect and insight …..

The sign question is answered and recorded by Matthew. Christ will spend , 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth, just as Jonah was in the whales belly… go process that for a sign….people that refuse to believe your own eyes…..

Yashua refers to the Queen of the South ( we talked about her last week ), who came from far to hear Solomons wisdom ( it’s why we are studying the book of Proverbs ), and the Ninevites, that repented at Jonah’s preaching. HE is greater than Solomon or Jonah ! Let’s listen to what He has to say….

First : Adversity

The fate pronounced on this evil generation is compared to the state of a man, once possessed by a single spirit, freed, but possessed later by seven spirits WORSE than the original one!  ( Please bear in mind that He has just exorcised a spirit making a person blind and dumb in front of their eyes ). 

Christ came, as the prophet Malachi predicted, to refine and purge the sons of Levi ( the priesthood, and by extension, the people ). His work of emptying, sweeping, and garnishing, was not going to survive His death. The Romans would come to destroy the city so completely, there would only be farms where the temple once stood, the priesthood would survive in name alone, and be worse off than it was in His day. True?

The Spiritual life: Prosperity

What WOULD survive the coming catastrophe would be the candles He was lighting.

He is not lighting these spiritual candles to put them under a basket. No, He is lighting them so that they give light to ALL in the house! We are the candles! How can we be full of light? 

The key is your world-view, your eye — both physical, and spiritual! Your “eye” ( what has your attention, what perspective you have on life ) actually DEFINES ( for you ) the world you live in! 

If your outlook is positive, this is the best of all planets for at least multiple million light years in any direction! If your outlook is negative, guess what’s going to pop out all the time …all the things that are wrong ! Yes, there are a great many things that are wrong, we do not recommend looking at life through rose-colored glasses at all …. but if that’s ALL we see, we are missing out!!! WE ( as mankind ) —can— control and fix a great many things…. but we have to start INSIDE….

If your “eye” is clear, logical, rational, loving, kind, and gracious, seeing all humans as valuable persons…. Your whole body will be full of spiritual LIGHT! That is the light that shines to show you, and other people the way out of darkness, misery, pain, wickedness, evil…. We are to have NO FELLOWSHIP with the workers and works of evil, but rather …

We must REPROVE them. Remind them of the One they are accountable to, and the One they are to fear, for we do not fear them! 

“For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. 

And I say unto you ———my friends———, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will —-forewarn you—- whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, —Fear him—. “

( Luke 12:2:5)

Let that Holy fear, and the power of His Grace, fill our body with spiritual light !!

Hallelujah!!