Posted on 09/18/2022 11:33:31 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is as dew upon the grass” (Proverbs 19:11).
“The discretion of a man deferreth his anger,” to be discreet about things is to have careful judgment. If a man is careful, he doesn’t just become unglued and blow up about things. This is not to say a discreet man can hold off his anger forever, but it means that he won’t fly into a rage at the first instant that something upsets him. It is possible to be “angry and sin not,” according to Paul. There certainly comes a time when there are some things to be angry over, as long as there is a righteous cause for it. Jesus Christ certainly displayed His anger at the Pharisees and the money changers in the Temple.
“The discretion of a man deferreth his anger,” or he is able to put it off for a time, that is, control it. This describes on that will “give place unto wrath.”
“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:17-19).
“. . . and it is his glory to pass over a transgression,” to lose one’s temper is not a “glory” to him but a “shame”. When one passes over a transgression, he is like God: "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18).
It takes both wisdom and self-control to remain calm and collected and Christian under fire and under pressure. It is this ability that enables him to “pass over a transgression of another”, which is said to be a “glory” to him.
“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city” (Proverbs 16:32).
Here is a place where wrath and anger are lined up in the will of God. When someone breaks the law of the land, “the king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion.” In other words, if a man is a lawbreaker, “look out!”
“. . . but his favour is as dew upon the grass,” when the king is pleased with someone in his court, as Ahasuerus was with Esther when she entered his court, even though she was uninvited. According to the law, if the king did not hold out his staff to one that approaches him, that person could be put to death. But he received his queen warmly.
“Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom” (Esther 5:1-3).
In First Kings 2:27-42 we find an example of the wrath of a king in the matters of Joab and Shimei, both of which were put to death by Solomon because of their treacheries against his father David. He also throws Abiathar out of the priesthood.
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Excellent, speaks right to me. Thank you for your Word, Lord.
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