A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
A prudent person sees evil coming and takes shelter and precautions beforehand, while the thoughtless keep going without caution and suffer for it. To be forewarned is to be forearmed, so the wise heed God's warnings through Scripture, the Holy Spirit, faithful teachers and prophecy, and recognize the approaching judgment and great crisis in order to prepare to meet God now and warn others before mercy closes. Christian prudence sees temptation ahead and wisely withdraws before sin is committed, from love of what is pure and right and love for Jesus rather than mere fear of punishment, knowing that preventing a fall is far wiser than trying to recover afterward. Nature teaches a person to hide when evil is foreseen, but grace teaches where to hide, in God and in the Lord's name as a strong tower, under the shadow of Christ's wings, where the righteous find comfort, counsel, help and lasting peace. That shelter must be sought now by working, watching, praying, and seeking righteousness and meekness, viewing alarming evils in the social, political and religious world in the light of God's Word and fleeing to the refuge while there is still a short time to escape.
Prudent Foresight Explained
A prudent person looks ahead, recognizes approaching evil and danger, and takes shelter and precautions before it arrives, while the simple or foolish go on without caution, neglect the danger until it arrives, and suffer punishment and its consequences. Wisdom anticipates trouble and prepares for it, including danger that returns again, and takes steps against it rather than continuing on to endure it. To be forewarned is to be forearmed by heeding God's warnings given through events, the Holy Spirit, Scripture, faithful teachers, prophecy, and visions of coming events, including eternal matters. Those who laugh at or disregard such warnings will grieve when destruction comes, remain exposed to harm, and act foolishly, and this holds true even of rulers who disregard what God has shown of the future.
In the setting of the final warning to the world, the call is to heed God's last call and prepare for coming judgment rather than ignore the danger. Destruction and judgment are near, so sinners must recognize approaching danger and seek safety now before it is too late. The prudent look beyond present concerns toward the great crisis ahead and prepare to meet God now, before temptation overwhelms them or the door of mercy closes. Those who see danger coming through fulfilled prophecy warn others to prepare for the Lord's second coming.
Christian prudence sees the danger of temptation ahead and wisely withdraws before sin is committed. Remembering the horror of having been overcome by evil, a person resists by principle, for God's sake and out of love for Jesus, rather than afterward from mere fear of punishment or shame. Such discretion is not cowardice or foolhardiness. The fear of the Lord includes a careful fear of doing evil, growing from love of what is pure and right, with concern that wrongdoing may harm others and hinder the work of purifying the universe. Preventing a fall is wiser than trying to recover afterward, since recovery from sin is difficult. People should therefore foresee danger and pray to avoid it rather than rush into danger and pray only afterward to be rescued. This practical wisdom that foresees the factors leading to calamity and avoids it requires self-abnegation, is imparted by God, and is received through prayer that seeks wisdom.
Refuge and Present Dangers
Nature teaches the prudent to hide when evil is foreseen, but grace and faith teach where to hide. The hiding place is in God, in the Lord's name as a strong tower where the righteous are safe, in the bosom of a loving Father and under the shadow of Christ's wings, in the Ark of safety. There the righteous run for comfort, counsel and help whatever besets them, whether plague or any coming evil, while fools care not where they hide. There they receive Christ's peace, not the world's peace but the peace that passes understanding, bringing all happiness and lasting forever.
Shelter must be sought now before it is too late and before calamity breaks upon them. Sinners warned that destruction and judgment are near must seek safety at once rather than continue on and suffer the consequences. In the face of gathering world troubles and impending destruction, preparation means seeking righteousness and meekness, and working, watching and praying so as to be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. There is only a short time to escape, as when the disciples fled Jerusalem before its fall.
Alarming evils abounding in the social, political and religious world are to be viewed in the light of God's Word. Foreseeing means recognizing from those present conditions the coming danger instead of passing on heedlessly. Hiding means finding a place of refuge for oneself and bringing in as many others as will enter.
Widespread crime and calamities are danger signals, especially when the public conscience is dulled to them, and heed must be given to God's warnings rather than passing on heedlessly. Dangers visible in present social conditions point to a gathering crisis, and those who fail to recognize the warning may be overtaken when calamity comes. In times of apparent prosperity unwise ventures can lead to certain collapse, so prudence recognizes the danger rather than assuming present success guarantees a bright future.
The coming union of church and state is such a danger, from which to hide in God means preparing for it rather than proceeding unaware. The prudent likewise foresee the evil of laws forcing obedience to religious dogma, of religious qualifications for office, and of a return of old statutes, inquisition and scenes of the Dark Ages. Hiding means preventing that evil before it takes root rather than closing the eyes to the facts of the past or counting such demands of little moment. The simple who pass on will be punished with great and dire results, with loss of civil and religious rights and of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, in a day when all are compelled to stand for truth or for error.
The prudent foresee the evil in secret societies and hide by staying out of them, while the foolish pass into them and are punished. The evil to be foreseen is hostility to heavenly-mindedness and spirituality, which ordinarily, not exceptionally, sucks the spirituality out of church members who join. It blights young promising Christians and destroys fervor, piety, interest in the church and its work, interest in Christ and His people, and interest in God's Word and Spirit, with all the elements of an earnest life of faith. In the same way, choosing marriage with an unbeliever as an affection opposed to God brings trouble and may lead to eternal ruin, so prudence anticipates the danger and avoids it.
Trusting God does not mean presuming on protection while neglecting what prudence can foresee, so sensible precautions are to be taken against severe storms. The same principle supports insuring property when believed necessary, including against loss through carelessness by oneself, family members or neighbors, or when a mortgage requires insurance. Violation of the laws of health brings delayed punishment, so people can feel safe while harming their bodies until disease and an untimely end follow transgression. Delicate or dust-sensitive people should therefore guard against dust and avoid tasks that may injure health, since prevention is wiser than waiting for illness, and such precautions need not lead to worry.
A prudent person sees evil coming and takes shelter and precautions beforehand, while the thoughtless keep going without caution and suffer for it. To be forewarned is to be forearmed, so the wise heed God's warnings through Scripture, the Holy Spirit, faithful teachers and prophecy, and recognize the approaching judgment and great crisis in order to prepare to meet God now and warn others before mercy closes. Christian prudence sees temptation ahead and wisely withdraws before sin is committed, from love of what is pure and right and love for Jesus rather than mere fear of punishment, knowing that preventing a fall is far wiser than trying to recover afterward. Nature teaches a person to hide when evil is foreseen, but grace teaches where to hide, in God and in the Lord's name as a strong tower, under the shadow of Christ's wings, where the righteous find comfort, counsel, help and lasting peace. That shelter must be sought now by working, watching, praying, and seeking righteousness and meekness, viewing alarming evils in the social, political and religious world in the light of God's Word and fleeing to the refuge while there is still a short time to escape.
Prudent Foresight Explained
A prudent person looks ahead, recognizes approaching evil and danger, and takes shelter and precautions before it arrives, while the simple or foolish go on without caution, neglect the danger until it arrives, and suffer punishment and its consequences. Wisdom anticipates trouble and prepares for it, including danger that returns again, and takes steps against it rather than continuing on to endure it. To be forewarned is to be forearmed by heeding God's warnings given through events, the Holy Spirit, Scripture, faithful teachers, prophecy, and visions of coming events, including eternal matters. Those who laugh at or disregard such warnings will grieve when destruction comes, remain exposed to harm, and act foolishly, and this holds true even of rulers who disregard what God has shown of the future.
In the setting of the final warning to the world, the call is to heed God's last call and prepare for coming judgment rather than ignore the danger. Destruction and judgment are near, so sinners must recognize approaching danger and seek safety now before it is too late. The prudent look beyond present concerns toward the great crisis ahead and prepare to meet God now, before temptation overwhelms them or the door of mercy closes. Those who see danger coming through fulfilled prophecy warn others to prepare for the Lord's second coming.
Christian prudence sees the danger of temptation ahead and wisely withdraws before sin is committed. Remembering the horror of having been overcome by evil, a person resists by principle, for God's sake and out of love for Jesus, rather than afterward from mere fear of punishment or shame. Such discretion is not cowardice or foolhardiness. The fear of the Lord includes a careful fear of doing evil, growing from love of what is pure and right, with concern that wrongdoing may harm others and hinder the work of purifying the universe. Preventing a fall is wiser than trying to recover afterward, since recovery from sin is difficult. People should therefore foresee danger and pray to avoid it rather than rush into danger and pray only afterward to be rescued. This practical wisdom that foresees the factors leading to calamity and avoids it requires self-abnegation, is imparted by God, and is received through prayer that seeks wisdom.
Refuge and Present Dangers
Nature teaches the prudent to hide when evil is foreseen, but grace and faith teach where to hide. The hiding place is in God, in the Lord's name as a strong tower where the righteous are safe, in the bosom of a loving Father and under the shadow of Christ's wings, in the Ark of safety. There the righteous run for comfort, counsel and help whatever besets them, whether plague or any coming evil, while fools care not where they hide. There they receive Christ's peace, not the world's peace but the peace that passes understanding, bringing all happiness and lasting forever.
Shelter must be sought now before it is too late and before calamity breaks upon them. Sinners warned that destruction and judgment are near must seek safety at once rather than continue on and suffer the consequences. In the face of gathering world troubles and impending destruction, preparation means seeking righteousness and meekness, and working, watching and praying so as to be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. There is only a short time to escape, as when the disciples fled Jerusalem before its fall.
Alarming evils abounding in the social, political and religious world are to be viewed in the light of God's Word. Foreseeing means recognizing from those present conditions the coming danger instead of passing on heedlessly. Hiding means finding a place of refuge for oneself and bringing in as many others as will enter.
Widespread crime and calamities are danger signals, especially when the public conscience is dulled to them, and heed must be given to God's warnings rather than passing on heedlessly. Dangers visible in present social conditions point to a gathering crisis, and those who fail to recognize the warning may be overtaken when calamity comes. In times of apparent prosperity unwise ventures can lead to certain collapse, so prudence recognizes the danger rather than assuming present success guarantees a bright future.
The coming union of church and state is such a danger, from which to hide in God means preparing for it rather than proceeding unaware. The prudent likewise foresee the evil of laws forcing obedience to religious dogma, of religious qualifications for office, and of a return of old statutes, inquisition and scenes of the Dark Ages. Hiding means preventing that evil before it takes root rather than closing the eyes to the facts of the past or counting such demands of little moment. The simple who pass on will be punished with great and dire results, with loss of civil and religious rights and of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, in a day when all are compelled to stand for truth or for error.
The prudent foresee the evil in secret societies and hide by staying out of them, while the foolish pass into them and are punished. The evil to be foreseen is hostility to heavenly-mindedness and spirituality, which ordinarily, not exceptionally, sucks the spirituality out of church members who join. It blights young promising Christians and destroys fervor, piety, interest in the church and its work, interest in Christ and His people, and interest in God's Word and Spirit, with all the elements of an earnest life of faith. In the same way, choosing marriage with an unbeliever as an affection opposed to God brings trouble and may lead to eternal ruin, so prudence anticipates the danger and avoids it.
Trusting God does not mean presuming on protection while neglecting what prudence can foresee, so sensible precautions are to be taken against severe storms. The same principle supports insuring property when believed necessary, including against loss through carelessness by oneself, family members or neighbors, or when a mortgage requires insurance. Violation of the laws of health brings delayed punishment, so people can feel safe while harming their bodies until disease and an untimely end follow transgression. Delicate or dust-sensitive people should therefore guard against dust and avoid tasks that may injure health, since prevention is wiser than waiting for illness, and such precautions need not lead to worry.