Proverbs 21:31
The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.
– Proverbs 21:31
The word for
safety means deliverance. Referent to the first phrase, that deliverance is a successful defense from attack or victory. The war
horse mentioned is a strong and valuable asset. Man can train and guide a horse (James 3:3), and so prepare it for battle. The proverb does not condemn arms and fortification, but rather the trust in such things (Psalm 20:7; 33:17-18). The prophets often rebuked Israel and Judah for trusting more in the strength of foreign nations than in the word of Yahweh (Isaiah 31:1-3). Wisdom doesn’t teach the futility of arming ourselves, but in trusting in those arms. Wisdom teaches us to trust in Yahweh who can deliver with or without man and his strength (2 Chronicles 14:11).
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Posted by Jeff Short on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 · Leave a Comment
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