Are You Making Your Thoughts A Slave To The Obedience Of Christ's Righteousness?

*Strategies, *through counsel, *are established, *for with good direction, *you are to prosper *in the battle. (MAST)

Proverbs 20:18 (NKJV)

Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.

*[Strategies] literally, thoughts. But this extends to the imaginations and intentions of men. The definition also expands to the purposes and plans of the heart. It could easily be translated in various ways depending on the context. Inventions and schemes also help us to understand a broadened brush stroke of this Hebrew term for ‘thoughts.’ Springing out of the root verb, to devise, and, to forecast (i.e., to think beforehand), I conclude that as it is used in the plural use, it should be translated as ‘strategies’ under the context of a battle. Therefore the background of a battlefield at wartime colors the picture of Solomon’s proverbial thought. Again, it helps us to remember that this follows various applications and judgments regarding the sin of the spiritually lazy man. The proverb closes in the imperative mood as another application in solution to the problem of this sin, which in the proverbial sense has application to every sin. But the purpose behind Solomon’s thought is particularly directed at this spiritually lazy man’s sin so that his sons will not fall prey to this temptation.

What also could Solomon mean here by the use of the plural in the word strategies? Considering that the word functions in the plural, it cannot mean that we are to create ‘a strategy’ from our own heart. This understanding will develop further for us as we continue tracking the progression of this proverb. Many men believe they have good intentions, but no matter how good the intentions are, they must be examined and scrutinized (Jdg.17:6; 21:25; Pr.21:2; Dt.12:8; Pr.12:15). As we will see, the goal of creating a strategy is to succeed in the thing of which we seek to prosper (Job 9:4; Isa.54:17). However, thoughts spawn out of intents and purposes, and if our thoughts are vain, our strategy will not prosper [in the Spirit] of which God created the world (Isa.55:7-11). Our thoughts, then, remain under the curse and void of sin’s purpose, which is to fail and be destroyed in the display of God’s wrath (Rom.9:21-23). But God’s thoughts cannot be destroyed (Matt.24:35), but if we develop anything outside of His intentions, we will suffer the thoughts of His wrath (Ecc.7:29; Gen.6:5-7; Rom.1:30).

Therefore understanding this starting point as ‘strategies’ under the context and confession of “the battle,” the sinful man has the liberty to come together and examine these ‘strategies,’ which is to say, the collective whole of our intention (Rom.3:10-12), in the presence of the LORD of hosts (Pr.21:2; 1Cor.11:28, 31; 2Cor.13:5). So these ‘strategies’ are like synagogues or churches of sinners seeking the heart of God’s saving counsel (Acts 20:26-28). Understand these strategies as local assemblies seeking to bring ‘the battle against sin’ under the control of the Lord’s will and purpose. While this may have an elementary application to the wisdom of this world’s political governments, Solomon rather intends us to see the spiritual sense of this (Heb.6:1-8). This is not a visible battle; it is an invisible one. Then, this war is not waged by sight but by faith in the established and fixed counsel of God (2Cor.5:1-8; 10:1-6).

*[through counsel] literally, among the decision. Equivalently, among the chosen purpose. The church is God’s plan for the world to reason together with Him (Isa.1:18). The Hebrew noun is feminine absolute. She is ‘the means’ by which the world will hear the power of God unto salvation (Rom.10:14-15). She is the light of the world, having been crucified with Christ. Because of Christ abiding in her, she alone gives the light of understanding to a man held under the void of darkness in his soul (Lk.11:34). She is the chosen of the Almighty to be the bride to His only Son (Rev.21:9-27). She contains the secret to the beauty of the mystery that was hidden behind the veil of Christ’s shadow upon the nation of Israel (Col.2:1-3). She is the decision of the Lord (Rom.16:25; 1Cor.4:1). Therefore, for a man to establish his way, he must conform his “thoughts” (among) those whose crooked ways have been made straight by the standard and rod of the Lord (Heb.12:13; Isa.59:8; Lk.3:5; Ps.119:9).

[are established] literally, to be prepared. This Niphal verb stem is difficult to interpret being conjoined to an imperative stem as it is passive reflexive in the third person. Therefore it is both active and passive in the imperfective mood. Now while ‘the individual’ (singular) is to be active in this battle against sin, the passive is applied here to illustrate that ‘the individual’ is not the one establishing these strategies. So there is a sense in which, as we will see from the imperative verb stem, that the individual is ‘to be prepared’ or established in this proclamation of ‘the decision’ or counsel of the Lord. It is only through “this counsel” that one understands the will of the Lord.

The strategies, therefore, are already fixed or established “by the decision” of the Lord. Also, these strategies are already set up and arranged in their institutional forms (Rom.13:1-2; Eph.3:10; 6:12; Col.1:16; 2:10, 15). But Solomon is not illustrating in political terms but under the spiritual. A pope or papal authority is not setting up these strategies. Rather, the individual filters out the sin within his own ‘thoughts’ through the fixed standard of God’s counsel as it is proclaimed to a group of individuals. These groups of individuals [are] the ‘strategies,’ which are feminine to the head of that body, that hold each other accountable as members to that unchangeable standard of God’s counsel in that man Christ Jesus who is the personal (and only) head of that body (1Cor.11:3; 14:29-37). These strategies are not being created as they go along for the sake of peace and unity (1Thess.5:3). Their peace and unity are born out of this standard upon which they come together (James 3:13-18; Jn.1:12-13; 3:10-15). They come together for mutual edification in the Word of Christ (Heb.1:1-2; Col.1:18-20; 2:8-10). They also assemble for the ‘hearing of the counsel of God’ to establish ears of faith against the itching ears of unbelief (2Tim.4:3-5).

*[for with good direction] conjunctively, together with the tested leadership. Again, this noun is acting conjunctively to the previous noun and verbal construct, which means it's performing like an adjective to describe further the manner of counsel through which these strategies are being established. They are tested and confirmed through proven 'workmen’ that understand the “art” or “skill” of this battle (2Tim.2:15). Literally, the noun is the plural form of ‘the art of leadership.’ Which means this is describing the elders of the elect. Therefore, working with the conjunctions that join the constructs, we see both the elders of this elect assembly working together as one church council to fashion out the plurality of these proposed strategies of warfare (1Thess.2:13-16). So the "assembly" is the place of this counsel that the ‘spiritual’ commonwealth is to apply the imperative which follows. Therefore zooming in on this reveals both the how and where this imperative is to succeed under careful guidance. Not only do we need to know the right strategy, but also the proper sphere or place to carry out a strategy. Solomon is basically saying only “the assembly” is equipped to succeed in this mission. Solomon’s court is not the place where “that” battle is fought. Solomon’s court is where the spiritual lazy man loses this battle (1Cor.6:1-11; Matt.5:17-42). If ‘that’ spiritually lazy man seeks to prosper, he must gather with the spiritual assembly, which is the soul of the commonwealth led by the Spirit of God (2Cor.3:1-18). “That man” will not find food for his soul in Solomon’s court, for 'that' court is a place of judgment, and it never promises to rule in your favor. But among the spiritual commonwealth, there is both mercy and grace.

Now to understand this more fully, the Hebrew noun acting as an adjective observes this counsel or assembly as one that offers ‘good direction.’ She functions under ‘true discipline,’ being instituted by the Word of God (Heb.1:1-2; Rom.3:2; Acts 7:38). Acting as an adjective in the reflexive conjunction to the previous verb, it is the drive train or motive that pushes the following command. As we shall see, this is not an option for this lazy man if he desires to live, for he is holding on to his last rope, and the rope is down to its last string. He is literally dangling over the great abyss. The local assembly is God’s will for 'that man' to prosper spiritually. She is commanded to let her light shine and withhold nothing back from God’s revelation. She is commanded to reveal the whole counsel of God to his subjects. Failure to do so incurs the promise and threat of judgment (Acts 20:17-21, 26-33). So as it is the elders’ responsibility to take care of how they lead, this also implies that it is the assembly’s responsibility to take care of how they follow (Lk.8:18; Mk.4:24; 1Tim.4:16; 2Tim.4:1-5). Again, the Hebrew noun can also be defined as a “consideration of thoughts.” But whose ‘thoughts’ or whose ‘strategies?’

Furthermore, we come into this assembly with our own, but we are to leave with only God’s. That’s what this assembly is responsible for doing. She is to seek the faithful and true direction that God has set forth for her to do (Rev.19:1-2, 7-10, 11-16). She is to take up the full armor of God and fight the battle that is prepared for her generation (Eph.2:8-10; 6:10-20). But returning to the perspective of the elders who possess this “art of leadership,” the noun, in her bare naked form, when isolated from the covers of the Biblical context, is a sailor’s term that is used at sea to describe the steering of a vessel. Therefore it is the elders of this assembly who steer this ship. They are not to run her against the rocks and suffer her shipwreck, leaving her naked and stranded with no one to call on to clothe her (1Tim.1:18-20). They are to keep her under the covers, and in bed with her husband, who is Christ her Lord, of the Biblical narrative of God’s grace (James 3:1-12).

*[you are to prosper] literally, to produce. But the verb has a deeper meaning flowing out of the motivation. The motive is to achieve the desired effect. But the verb’s basic interpretation is, to do, or, to work. Therefore as this verb flows out the ‘good direction,’ in the motive to achieve the victory of grace, that closes out the battle over sin, it is properly translated, to work out, because this is not a working for grace, but a working out of grace, that promises a particular effect, which is the assurance that this spiritual seed of laziness is put to death upon the altar of the assembly leaving him sanctified (Gal.2:20; 5:24; Php.2:12-13). The Hebrew verb also is a second person, masculine, singular, imperative, which pinpoints this command upon the spiritual lazy man. It does the reader injustice to keep the second person, singular silent and untranslated. Proverbial pithiness is not the priority when the reader is seeking the truth. It is ‘that man’ who left Solomon’s court empty because he deserted his responsibilities that this verb calls out and commands to ‘get in the fight.’

Do you want aid? Go into the assembly and hear the Word of the Lord (Ps.122). Turn from your bankruptcy, in the life of your sin, and be filled with the free-grace of the spiritual sacrifice of Israel’s commonwealth (Eph.2:12). If the Spirit says it to someone like this spiritually lazy man, the Spirit says it to you who sin in the same manner. The Spirit says it to you who are without Christ. The Spirit says it to you who are bankrupt of heart and soul (Matt.5:3). The Spirit says it to you who are made void through the vanities of the sin-filled life, who have exchanged your soul for the lie (Mk.8:34-38). It is ‘you’ who God has called to battle. Solomon’s court may have left you defenseless, but there is sufficient grace even in the courtyard of Israel’s Temple (Ps.84:10). But in Christ’s fulfillment of the eternal sacrifice, you have grace upon grace (Jn.1:16; Rom.5:20). Under ‘the good direction,’ you will find the strength to prosper in the battle.

Walking away from the counsel of God, your battle is already lost. But staying in the fight, you will learn how the battle is fought and won. But you must be at the place where the battle is being won (Matt.12:30). If you are on the wrong side of the battlefield, you are standing behind the weapons that cannot prosper (Isa.54:17), but if you stand in full armor behind the weapons of the Lord’s warfare, you are promised to win the war (Lk.11:16-28). You may lose some battles looking away from the object of your faith, but you cannot lose the war when the Lord leads 'that man' into the battle (Heb.12:1-24).

Again, the aim of this command is the spiritual prosperity of the lazy man. He is shot out of this cannon with the motive ‘to produce.’ But what is it that he is to produce? He is to produce the fruit of repentance and good works (Matt.3:7-12; Heb.6:1-3). Out of this knowledge, under the spiritual commonwealth, of the LORD of hosts, this man is to be productive. He is to be rich in good works and faith toward Yahweh (1Tim.6:17-21; James 2:5). He is shot toward the glory of Heaven herself and he cannot miss the mark in Christ's perfect aim (1Jn.3:6; Rev.22:17; 21:2). He is to succeed in the Word which God planted. He is to have the weapons to conquer the battlefield that is in his home. He is to be prepared to answer his children why he has hope in Christ (2Tim.2:21; 1Pet.3:15; Tit.3:1). So he is to know how and where to fight these battles that are promised to arise against those who follow Christ (Jn.15:18-19; Mk.13:13; Lk.6:22). But where there is no battle, the battle has already been surrendered to the enemy (Jn.7:7; 15:19).

*[in the battle] literally, hand-to-hand combat. The verbal form translates, to come to blows. While Solomon only intends to be pointing to one particular ‘battle,’ regarding ‘that’ spiritually lazy man, as this Hebrew noun is the singular, feminine, absolute, we can also apply this universally to our every day struggles with sin, as this stands as a proverb for every generation that seeks spiritual victory. We are ‘to come to blows’ with our sin, that is, ‘come to terms’ with our self-esteem, the false image we created of our self (Ex.20:4). We are to wage the warfare necessary to obtain victory in our walk against sin.

But it is more important to understand the singularity of this battle so that we know what is our proper battlefield, that is, the place where we are to do this hand-to-hand combat, and which battle is ours to fight. Concerning this lazy man, he is to begin in his personal life. Right now, his battle is over his own soul. He is to go face-to-face with himself (Ps.22:6; Lk.18:13-14; Heb.12:12; Lk.14:26). He is to gouge out his eye, which is the lamp of his heart and the gateway to his soul (Lk.11:33-36; Matt.5:29-30). This opens the door for the light of the Spirit to gouge out the will of his heart and soul (Ezk.36:26; Jn.3:6-7). Through despising his own sinful image, the face of the Spirit will give him a new heart and image to face new battles in the armor of light (Gen.1:2; Rom.13:12). The dark void in his soul will be dispelled (Lk.1:79), and he will have new eyes to face the beauty of the cross of Christ (Acts 9:18), and in turn, be filled with new life in the Spirit of the image of Christ (2Cor.3:18). The hand-to-hand combat has its victory in private prayer (Matt.6:6), but the Spirit only leads through the public proclamation, under the spiritual commonwealth (1Cor.11:3, 10), of the sacrifice of the Eternal Word (Jn.1:14; 3:16).

[Strategies, among the election, are prepared, for with true direction, you are to work out the good warfare] (MAST)