THE TEACHINGS IN PROVERBS
Proverbs is a book that deals with the believers’ daily walk. It teaches much on how they can preserve their lives. Let us take a closer look so that we may know the way to overcome death.
"My son, forget not my law;/but let thine heart keep my commandments:/for length of days, and long life,/and peace, shall they add to thee" (3:1-2).
"It shall be health to thy navel,/and marrow to thy bones" (3:8).
"Let thine heart retain my words:/keep my commandments, and live" (4:4).
"Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings;/and the years of thy life shall be many" (4:10).
"Take fast hold of instruction;/let her not go:/keep her; for she is thy life" (4:13).
"For they [my words] are life unto those that find them, /and health to all their flesh" (4:22).
"Keep thy heart with all diligence;/for out of it are the issues of life" (4:23).
"But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding:/he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul" (6:32).
"For whoso findeth me [wisdom] findeth life,/and shall obtain favor of the Lord" (8:35).
"For by me [wisdom] thy days shall be multiplied,/and the years of thy life shall be increased" (9:11).
"But righteousness delivereth from death" (10:2).
"The fear of the Lord prolongeth days:/but the years of the wicked shall be shortened" (10:27).
"In the way of righteousness is life;/and in the pathway thereof there is no death" (12:28).
"The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,/to depart from the snares of death" (14:27).
"A sound heart is the life of the flesh:/but envy the rottenness of the bones" (14:30).
"The way of life is above to the wise,/that he may depart from hell beneath" (15:24).
"He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul" (15:32).
"In the light of the king’s countenance is life" (16:15).
"He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul" (16:17).
"He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; /but he that despiseth his ways shall die" (19:16).
"The fear of the Lord tendeth to life" (19:23).
"The getting of treasures by a lying tongue/is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death" (21:6).
"The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding /shall remain in the congregation of the dead" (21:16).
"He that followeth after righteousness and mercy/findeth life" (21:21).
When the Holy Spirit of God leads us to overcome death, we will find new meaning to these verses. We are accustomed to thinking that life is merely a term. But after receiving enlightenment, the life of our physical body will definitely be lengthened if we truly fulfill God’s conditions. Therefore, we have to pay close attention to the verses above. If we do not follow their precepts, we will see our life gradually leak away. For instance, God’s promise says, "Honor your father and mother...that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth" (Eph. 6:2-3). If we disobey this, we will see our days shortened by sins. God wants us to obey His words, receive wisdom, pursue righteousness, and preserve our hearts. (The mind of the heart has much to do with life.) In this way, we will not lose life. If we want to gain life, we must obey.
(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 1) Vol. 14: The Spiritual Man (3), Chapter 12, by Watchman Nee)
