The Devotional -10

The Devotional

Comment:

Have you ever place your hand in the hand of another? It is common to do so, yet in the days ahead we may see less and less of the simple hand shake. Why is that? There are at least two “basic” reasons: (1) the covenant between two people today is increasingly tarnished in “sin” of corruption; (2) the diseases of our world are looming large and people are afraid. I will use a quote from Satan as he speaks to God about the man “Job” to illustrate the fear of disease. Job 2:4-5 – So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” The use of these verses in Job actually open the door of being a bit out of context with a verse in Proverbs that we will take a look at, but I wanted to illustrate two more thoughts.

Challenge:

The thoughts are this: (1) we sometimes think, or believe that God is responsible for all of the covenant corruption (business and policy failure) between mankind and that all of the disease of our personal and worldwide interface with mankind is God’s fault when it is Satan and humans who are at fault. Are we not all descendants of Adam and have his duel image of corruption? Genesis 5:3; and (2) do we not fail to understand the powerful enemy that has the audacity (insolence or bold courage) to stand before the LORD and seek to cause GOD to sin against His own image and likeness, Genesis 1:26-27.

Okay, now we can look to Solomon’s words Proverbs.

Proverbs 17:18 NKJV – A man devoid of understanding (literally “heart”) shakes hands in a pledge (literally “strikes”) in a pledge (covenant) and becomes surety (a guaranty or collateral) for his friend.

Proverbs 17:18 NIV – A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.

There is corruption in the world? Now if there is a person out there who does not know this, please do not ask me to shake your hand! Every handshake is a pledge, a covenant to be “like-minded” in fellowship (friendship) or bound in oneness for business or policy (legal contract). If you lack the understanding of “good and evil” you will fall into the sin and reap the circumstance of living in mankind’s corruption.

In Solomon’s day there was not such a strong fear of falling ill because of a handshake, so his focus is on business and policy dealings with, friends, relatives and neighbors. Thus we will focus on Solomon’s intent and not on disease; although present; we can save that for another day. A handshake, is as embracing and powerful as a signature of intent, once you have struck hands in a pledge, it is a legal contract, such as a marriage between “one man and one woman”. Yet in the case of two men or two women, this union, while being as binding, it is simply evidence of humanities false guarantees as corruption in the world advances.