Prov 29:18 (NIV) Where there is no revelation, the people cast
off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.
Prov 29:18 (NCV) Where there is no word from God, people are
uncontrolled, but those who obey what they have been taught are happy.
Prov 29:18 (TEV) A nation without God's guidance is a nation
without order. Happy is the man who keeps God's law!
Prov 29:18 (TLB) Where there is ignorance of God, crime runs
wild; but what a wonderful thing it is for a nation to know and keep
his laws.
The KJV has led many to misinterpret this verse. vision--does not
mean the ability to formulate goals and plans, but "God's revelation"
Vision. i.e., prophetic revelation. Without prophetic revelation
from God, people are unrestrained and fall under judgment.
"Vision" refers to words from God received by prophets. Where
there is ignorance of God, crime and sin run wild. Public morality
depends on the knowledge of God, but it also depends on keeping God's
laws. In order for both nations and individuals to function well,
people must know God's ways and keep his rules.
That gospel is an open vision, which holds forth Christ, which
humbles the sinner and exalts the Savior, which promotes holiness in
the life and conversation: and these are precious truths to keep the
soul alive, and prevent it from perishing. [Matthew Henry
Commentary]
"Where there is no vision . . . ." When once we lose sight of
God, we begin to be reckless, we cast off certain restraints, we cast
off praying, we cast off the vision of God in little things, and
begin to act on our own initiative. If we are eating what we have out
of our own hand, doing things on our own initiative without
expecting God to come in, we are on the downward path, we have lost the
vision. Is our attitude to-day an attitude that springs from our vision
of God? Are we expecting God to do greater things than He has ever
done? Is there a freshness and vigor in our spiritual outlook.
[Chambers, Oswald]
In today's society the Bible has been trampled upon by the feet
of man. No longer do the masses look to the Book of books for
instruction in righteousness but perish with humanist views and new age
propaganda. Each man doing what is right in his own eyes. Nations
throughout history have and always will fall without the guidance of God.
The validity of the scriptures is being attacked on every side.
Have they not read, have they not heard, God will preserve his word
throughout eternity. Many have tried to destroy it and have failed
miserably. I challenge those who deny that the scriptures come from God to
seek out and do a in-depth study, look at the evidence that surround
us...do not take the easy way out, give a reason for what you spew
about. Look to history.
The world operates on vision. God's people live by revelation.
The world seeks grand and noble purposes and goals to achieve.
People dream up the greatest and most satisfying things in which they
can invest their lives. Institutions establish goals and objectives
and then organize themselves to achieve them. God's people function
in a radically different way. Christians arrange their lives based
on the revelation of God, regardless of whether it makes sense to
them. God does not ask for our opinion about what is best for our
future, our family, our church, or our country. He already knows! What
God wants is to get the attention of His people and reveal to us
what is on HIS heart and what is HIS will.
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Whenever people do not base their lives on God's revelation,
they "cast off restraint." That is, they do what is right in their
own eyes. They set their goals, arrange their agendas, and then
pray for God's blessings. Some Christians are living far outside the
will of God, yet they have the audacity to pray and ask God to bless
their efforts!
The only way for you to know God's will is for Him to reveal it
to you. You will never discover it on your own. When you hear
from the Father, you have an immediate agenda for your life:
obedience. As the writer of Proverbs observed: "Happy is he who keeps the
law."
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