PROVERBS 16


1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from Yahweh.



2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Yahweh weigheth the spirits. 

People in Christ's day were the same as they are now-there were genuine men and women, and there were some decided frauds. Christ could do what we cannot do-he could discriminate between the one class and the other. He did so by divine intuition. His varied treatment of these classes was solemnly instructive.

To the sincere and upright he was kind, sympathetic, communicative. To the make-believes he was cold, angry, and oftentimes strangely silent. When he did speak his utterances were terrible:


"Ye hypocrites, ye generation of vipers."


What is the lesson? Christ lives; his character, authority, and power are unaltered. Ere long, his friends and his foes are again to confront him. Loving words and crushing words will once more be heard from his lips. Pause! We have to appear before Christ. He is to speak to us. Are we his friends or his foes?

For the answer, let us search our hearts. If hypocrisy is lurking there, let us root it out. We all have the power to do this. Let us be open-minded with Christ, seeking to hide nothing. Christ will show no mercy to shams. A penitent publican is more endurable in his eyes than a self-righteous scribe or Pharisee.

The men and women who please Christ-who need not fear the outcome of an interview with him-are those who look upon God as a reality, and commune with Him as such, who recognise and confess their much unworthiness, and whose constant aim it is to grow better.

Bro AT Jannaway

The Christadelphian, June 1902



3 Commit thy works unto Yahweh, and thy thoughts shall be established.

4 Yahweh hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to Yahweh: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.



6 By mercy [chesed] and truth [emes] iniquity [avon] is purged: and by the fear [Yirat] of Yahweh men depart from evil [rah].

7 When a man's [ish] ways [drakhei] please Yahweh, he maketh even his enemies [oyevim] to be at peace [in shalom] with him.

Man's purpose and destiny is to give pleasure to God. When we are pleasing Him, we are in harmony with the universe and eternity. Any human being whose life's desire is not pleasing God is an abortion and a failure and must be eliminated from God's universe.

A life whose central, basic, guiding principle is not the desire, intention and effort to constantly give God pleasure, is an empty, sterile, dead life -- a tragedy of blind folly and lost opportunity. Pleasing God and being in harmony and communion with His love is man's highest possible joy and happiness.

A "successful" life is one in which every moment is consciously devoted to giving God pleasure. He has plainly said what He desires, and it consists mainly of a certain character, attitude and frame of mind. Certainly there are specific things to be done and to be not done, but though the acts themselves are important, the motive and purpose that lie behind them are more important.

The motive of everything we do must be thanksgiving and love and joy in the marvelous beauty of holiness that God's glory has revealed to poor, weak, mortal, perishing man. There is no joy and peace remotely comparable to the assurance that we are striving to the very best of our tiny little ability to please God every moment.

Bro Growcott


8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. 


9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but Yahweh directeth his steps.

He may think he is directing his own steps at the very moment that God has His hand on the helm, influencing the thoughts on which his steps depend, and of this influence he would not of course be aware. He would only feel that the thoughts were his own.

My days and my ways Ch 23



9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but Yahweh directeth his steps.

10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment.

11 A just weight and balance are Yahweh's: all the weights of the bag are his work.

12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.

13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.

14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.

15 In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.

16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in Yahweh, happy is he.

21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.

22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.


19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

God's children are unquestionably poor-poor in means, in position, and especially in what the world calls education and culture, but this need not distress them. It is more their good fortune than their misfortune to be thus circumstanced. Let them remember the words of Paul,

"Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called."

Also the words of Christ,

"Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes."

Truly has God richly comforted his children in their poverty. What they lack now, His word tells them, they will have in abundance by and bye. Just a little while and then that day of indescribable perfection. Solomon excelled in wisdom, wealth, and lustre, but the saints will far outshine him. They are to be made like Jesus! What unfathomable glory!

But until he appear it is their duty to "quietly wait"-not to envy the rich, nor to strive to attain to their wealth, their position, their influence, nor their scholarly acquirements.

Yes, the poor, "rich in faith," are those whom God has an interest in and a love for. This interest and love will be openly and palpably visible when Mary's prophecy is fulfilled-

"He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exhalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away."

Bro AT Jannaway

The Christadelphian, June 1888



23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

It is that which proceedeth out of the mouth by which the character of the inward man is in a great degree determined. A man whose mouth speaks the wisdom of the Deity, gracious words, and blessing, and whose conduct is in conformity with what he speaks, is one whose heart is right with the Deity, and from which no blasphemy can find utterance:

"the mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment"

(Psa. 37:30).

Eureka 13.12.


24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. 


25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Reject the flesh as a way of life. It isn't. It is a way of death. Reject it over the whole spectrum of your thinking and activity. It is cheating, deceptive and misleading. It has nothing to offer by way of satisfaction and happiness, in spite of all its false promises and glittering attraction. It's the world's biggest fake and fraud.

Bro Growcott



26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.

27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.

28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.

30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.




32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

People of violent temper sometimes console themselves with the thought that it is soon over, and then they are all right. That may be as regards how they feel themselves. But what about others? Wounds are made that do not easily heal, and love is checked that does not easily revive. Stand over temper as your worst enemy. When you feel it stirring, run away or at least be silent. Solomon well says,

"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down and without walls."

The Christadelphian, March 1898


33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of Yahweh.