*DO NOT BE
*Our mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ absolutely free. We do not want donation. We only want you to know the truth.
BY WILLIE WONG
“Do not be” is stronger than “do not do”. For being is of a permanent nature, doing is just activity occasionally. For example, it is the nature of being a bird with the ability of flight. But not all things who can fly are birds.
It is one thing to say You are a liar. It is another thing to say, You lie occasionally.
1.) Gen 46:3, “Then He said, “I AM God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.”
Verse 3. – And he said, I am God, the God of thy father – literally, I am the El (the Mighty One), the Elohim of thy father. Though in consequence of this phrase the section (vers. 1-7), indeed the entire chapter, is usually assigned to the Elohist (Tuch, Bleek, Vaihinger), yet the contents of this theophany are felt to be so substantially Jehovistic in their import (Hengstenberg), that certain critics have been constrained to give verses 1-5 to the Jehovist (Colenso), or, omitting the last clause of ver. 5, to the redactor (Davidson). In Genesis 28:13 the designation used is “I am Jehovah, the God of Abraham thy father.” As on that former occasion when setting out for Padanaram, so now, when departing for Egypt, he receives a comforting assurance. Fear not to go down into Egypt. Them was reason for Jacob’s apprehensions, since Abraham had been in peril in the land of the Pharaohs (Genesis 12:14-20), Isaac had been forbidden to go thither (Genesis 26:2), and Egypt had been foreshadowed as a place of servitude for his descendants (Genesis 15:13). מֵרְדָה is an irregular infinitive רֵדָה for רֶדֶת (cf. דֵּעַה for דַּעַת, Exodus 2:4), with מִן. prefixed after a verb of fearing (vide Ewald’s ‘Hebrews Synt.,’ § 336). For I will there make of thee a great nation – literally, for to a great nation will I put thee there (cf. Genesis 21:13). Jacob had previously received the injunction, accompanied by the Divine benediction, to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 28:3). Twice over had it previously been predicted that he should develop into a multitudinous people (Genesis 28:14; Genesis 35:11). The present promise was an indication that the fulfillment of the prophecy was at band. Genesis 46:3.”
2.) Exo 23:21, “Be attentive to him and obey his voice; do not be rebellious toward him, for he will not pardon your rebellion, since My name is in him.”
He will not pardon your transgressions, i.e. he will severely punish you for them, by a common meiosis, as Exodus 20:7. Understand, if you continue obstinate in your sins.
My name is in him, Heb. is in his inward parts, i.e. is intimately united to him, according to John 14:11,
I am in the Father, and the Father in me. It not only signifies that he acts in his name, and by his power and authority, which even the apostles did, and other ministers of the gospel do, and therefore it is unreasonable to think no more is ascribed to this Angel; but that his Divine nature or essence is in him, whence he is called the Lord our Righteousness, Jeremiah 23:6; and God, who will not give his glory to another, Isaiah 42:8, hath given it to Christ, that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father, John 5:23, which never was nor can be said of any angel without blasphemy. Add to this, that the word name is oft put for the thing or being, whether it be human or Divine, as is manifest from Deu 28:58 Psalm 20:1 115:1 Isaiah 30:27 Acts 1:15 Revelation 3:4 11:13. And so it must be here, because this name is not said to be given to him, as it would be, if it were properly taken; but to be in him; or in his inwards, which agrees well to the Divine nature or essence, but not to the mere name.”
Jesus is in God’s name. Mat 1:23, “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN WILL CONCEIVE AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND THEY SHALL NAME HIM IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”
Matthew 1:23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth, &c. — Some have unhappily supposed that this famous prophecy immediately related to the birth of a child of Isaiah’s in a natural way, and that it only referred to Christ in a secondary sense. But surely a son’s being born of one then a virgin, when she was married, was no such extraordinary event as to answer such a pompous introduction as we meet with in the viith of Isaiah. Had this been all, what need was there of these words, The Lord himself shall give you a sign? What need of that solemn notice, Behold! there being nothing new or strange in all this. Besides, the promise, A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, is made as a sign or miracle, to confirm the house of David in God’s promise made to him, respecting the perpetuity of his kingdom. But what sign or miracle could it be, that a woman should be with child after the ordinary manner? what wonder was there in this? As to Isaiah 7:16, Before the child (or, as it is in the Hebrew, this child,) shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings, it seems most reasonable to interpret it as referring to Shear-jashub, whom Isaiah was ordered to take in his hand for no other imaginable reason but that something remarkable was to be said of him. So that their deliverance from the two kings of Syria and Israel, before Isaiah’s son, (whom he had taken in his hand,) should be able to distinguish between good and evil, was to be considered by them as typical of a much greater deliverance by the Messiah, in due time to be born of a future virgin. See notes on Isaiah 7:11-16. Thus, according to the usual manner of the prophets, the people of God, in their present distress, are comforted with the promise of the Messiah hereafter to appear. They shall call his name — That is, his name shall be called; a personal verb being put for an impersonal, as is frequently the case; or, as some copies read it, Thou shalt call, or, he shall be owned and accounted; Emmanuel, God with us — God in our nature, by whose incarnation, God is united to our nature; and by whose mediation, God is reconciled to us and is present with us. The names of Christ, it must be observed, are of two kinds: 1st, proper and distinguishing, pointing out his person; 2dly, descriptive, either of his person or offices, such as there are many in Scripture, as David, the Branch, Wonderful, Counsellor. It is to be observed, that in the Scripture language, to be called, and to be, are the same thing. It is, therefore, no objection against the application of these words to Christ, that he did not bear the name Emmanuel, if he really was God with us, which is the import of it. And that he was, is sufficiently proved from his being entitled the mighty God by Isaiah, ch. Matthew 9:6. Now, he who is properly called El, God, and is also emmanu, with us, must infallibly be that Emmanuel, who is God with us.”
- ) Deu 20:3, “He shall say to them, ‘Hear, Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies
today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid,
or panic, or be terrified by them.”
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And shall say unto them, hear, O Israel,…. Exciting their attention to what he was about to say, and which, as Jarchi observes, was spoken in the holy tongue, or in the Hebrew language:you approach this day unto battle against your enemies; were marching or ready to march, preparing to engage with them, and a battle seemed near at hand:
let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; many words are made use of to animate them against those fears which the strength, number, and appearance of their enemies, would be apt to cause in them. Jarchi observes, that here are four exhortations, answerable to four things which the kings of the nations do (in order to inject terror into their enemies); they shake their shields, to clash them one against another, that hearing their noise they may be afraid of them and flee; they prance their horses, and make them neigh, to cause the noise of the hoofs of their horses to be heard; they shout with their voices, and blow with their trumpets: and accordingly these several clauses are so interpreted in the Misnah (e)””and let not your hearts faint”; at the neighing of the horses, and the brightness of swords: “fear not”; at the clashing of shields: “and do not tremble”; at the sound of trumpets: “neither be ye terrified” at the voice of shouting;”and no doubt but it takes in everything that has a tendency to cause fear, faintness, and dismay, which they are cautioned against.”
4.) Deu 31:6, “Be strong and courageous, do not be
afraid or in dread of them, for the LORD your God is the One who is going with you. He will not desert you or abandon you.”
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Be strong and of a good courage,…. The Septuagint version is,”play the men, and be strong;”be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, trusting and relying on him that goes before you; and so take heart, and be of good courage, and act the manly part; the apostle seems to refer to this passage, 1 Corinthians 16:13,
fear not, nor be afraid of them; their enemies, though so numerous, so mighty, and some of them of a gigantic stature, and their cities strong and well fenced:
for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee: in comparison of whom, numbers of men, their strength of body, and fortified places, signify nothing:
he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee; not fail to fulfil his promises to them, not leave them till he had given them complete victory over their enemies, put them into the possession of their land, and settled them in it. This promise, though made to literal Israel, belongs to the spiritual Israel of God, and is made good to every true believer in the Lord; see Hebrews 13:5.”
- ) Rom 12:16, “Be of the same mind toward
one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.”
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Be of the same mind one towards another,…. Which is not to be understood of the sameness of their judgment, or of their agreement in sentiments, espousing the same doctrines, observing the same ordinances, and in the same manner, and attending to the same form of discipline; but of their having the same love, and being of the same accord and affection to one another, entertaining the same good opinion, or a better, of others than of themselves; and so the Syriac version renders the passage, “what ye think of yourselves, think also of your brethren”: think of one another, as equally interested in the love of God, redeemed by the blood of Christ, blessed with the same spiritual blessings in him, and called in the same hope of your calling; and do not think of one another, as being one richer or wiser than another, do not value yourselves upon that:
mind not high things; be not highminded, do not think too highly of yourselves, and despise others; meddle not with, nor grasp at things too high for you, that are out of your reach, and beyond your capacity; nor seek great things for yourselves, as riches, honours, &c. nor covet great company:
but condescend to men of low estate; or “to low things”; be content with mean and low things in life, and disdain not to take notice of and converse with, men in a low condition, whether in things temporal or spiritual; who may be poor in this world, be very ignorant and illiterate, as to general knowledge and learning; be men of mean parts and abilities, of very small gifts, and be weak in faith and experience; condescend to their weaknesses, bear their infirmities, and become all things to them for their good, and God’s glory: consider the apostle is writing to citizens of Rome, who might be tempted to look upon themselves above others, and to look disdainfully upon others, as citizens too often do on country people, as if they were below them, as persons of low life to them:
be not wise in your own conceits; see Proverbs 3:7. This is attended with bad consequences, spoils a man’s usefulness, prevents his improvement in knowledge, tempts him to reject all counsel and advice given him, and to treat his fellow creatures and Christians with haughtiness and insolence, and exposes him to the scorn and contempt of men: or “be not wise by or with yourselves”; imagining you have all the wisdom, and others have none; or keeping it to yourselves, what wisdom you have communicate it to others; the Ethiopic version reads, “say not, we are wise”; see Job 12:2.”
This is the most problem for most of the people: to be wise in their own estimation. People are self-conceited.
6.) Jos 11:6, “Yet the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I am going to turn all of them over to Israel as good as dead; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.”
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And the Lord said unto Joshua, be not afraid because of them,…. Of their number, of their horsemen, and of their scythed chariots; which might at first hearing occasion some fear and dread. And according to Josephus (f), the multitude of them terrified both Joshua and the Israelites; and therefore the Lord appeared and spoke to him for his encouragement: though what was said was for the sake of the Israelites, and to animate them who might be disheartened, rather than for the sake of Joshua, who was of a bold and courageous spirit. Whether this was said to him at Gilgal, and out of the tabernacle there, quickly after the tidings of the combination of the kings were brought to him, or whether when upon his march towards them, is uncertain:
for tomorrow about this time will I deliver them up slain before Israel; as many were, and others wounded and put to flight, as the word signifies, so as to be as good as dead. If Gilgal was twenty two miles from the waters of Merom, as Bunting says (g), and supposing this to be said to him before he set out, he must travel all night to reach thither the next day; and if it was sixty miles, as some say, this must be said to him when on his march, and within a day’s march of the enemy; for Josephus says (h) it was on the fifth day that he came up with them, and fell upon them:
thou shalt hough their horses; cut their nerves under their hams, or hamstring them, so that they might be useless hereafter; for the kings of Israel were not to multiply horses; and Joshua, as their chief ruler, was to have no advantage of them by their falling into his hands:
and burn their chariots with fire; that so they might not be used by the Israelites afterwards, who might be tempted to put their trust and confidence in them, as many did.”
7.) Jos 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Have not I commanded thee?…. The above things, to go over Jordan with the people into the land of Canaan, and to observe the law of Moses in all things, and to be of good courage, which is again repeated; consider who it is that has given these orders and instructions, the great Jehovah, the everlasting I AM, who is faithful to his promises, and able to perform. The consideration of which would serve to animate him to the work he was called unto, to encourage his faith in God, to engage in his service cheerfully and readily:
be strong, and of a good courage; See Gill on Joshua 1:6; See Gill on Joshua 1:7.
be not afraid, nor be thou dismayed; at his enemies, numerous and powerful, nor discouraged at anything in himself, any unfitness for such service, as he might think, or at any difficulties he might fear from the people he had the government of, and was to lead on; it was enough that the divine Presence was promised him, and which is repeated:
for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest: or, as the Targum of Jonathan,”for thy help is the Word of the Lord thy God;”See Gill on Joshua 1:5.”
8.) Jdg 6:23, “But the LORD said to him, “Peace to you, do not be afraid; you shall not die.”
The Lord said to Gideon that he will not die.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
6:11-24 Gideon was a man of a brave, active spirit, yet in obscurity through the times: he is here stirred up to undertake something great. It was very sure that the Lord was with him, when his Angel was with him. Gideon was weak in faith, which made it hard to reconcile the assurances of the presence of God with the distress to which Israel was brought. The Angel answered his objections. He told him to appear and act as Israel’s deliverer, there needed no more. Bishop Hall says, While God calls Gideon valiant, he makes him so. God delights to advance the humble. Gideon desires to have his faith confirmed. Now, under the influences of the Spirit, we are not to expect signs before our eyes such as Gideon here desired, but must earnestly pray to God, that if we have found grace in his sight, he would show us a sign in our heart, by the powerful working of his Spirit there, The Angel turned the meat into an offering made by fire; showing that he was not a man who needed meat, but the Son of God, who was to be served and honoured by sacrifice, and who in the fulness of time was to make himself a sacrifice. Hereby a sign was given to Gideon, that he had found grace in God’s sight. Ever since man has by sin exposed himself to God’s wrath and curse, a message from heaven has been a terror to him, as he scarcely dares to expect good tidings thence. In this world, it is very awful to have any converse with that world of spirits to which we are so much strangers. Gideon’s courage failed him. But God spoke peace to him.”
9.) 1Sa 9:20, “And as for your donkeys that wandered off three days ago, do not be concerned
about them, for they have been found. And for whom is everything that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father’s household?”
Often we are concerned about wrong things in life.
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago,…. Which, according to Kimchi, is to be understood not of the time from whence they were lost, but to be reckoned from the time that Saul had been seeking of them; so the Targum,”as to the business of the asses, which are lost to thee, and thou art come to seek them today, these three days:”though it is probable enough that the same day they were lost Saul set out to seek them, Now Samuel telling him of the asses that were lost, and of the time of their being lost, or of his seeking them, so exactly, before ever he said a word to him about them, must at once convince him that he was a true prophet, and which must prepare him to give credit to all that he should hereafter say to him:
set not thy mind on them, for they are found; of the truth of which he could not doubt, after he had said the above words; and which he said to make his mind easy, that he might the more cheerfully attend the feast, and be the more willing to stay all night:
and on whom is all the desire of Israel? which was to have a king; in this they were unanimous, and who so fit and proper as Saul, it is intimated, whom Samuel knew God had chosen and appointed to be king over them?
is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house? not that the Israelites had their eye on Saul, and their desire after him to be their king, though he was such an one as they wished for; but that as this desire of theirs was granted, it would issue and terminate in him and his family; he should be advanced to the throne, which would be attended with the promotion of his father’s house, as Abner particularly, who was his uncle’s son, and was made the general of the army.”
This is another flaw of human nature: to be concerned with unimportant things. It seems mankind does not understand priority.
10.) 1Sa 23:17, “He said to him, “Do not be afraid, because the hand of Saul my father will not find you, and you will be king over Israel, and I will be second
in command to you; and Saul my father knows that as well.”
Jonathan, Saul’s son, was such a good man in history; when he died, I cried just reading the Scriptures.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
16, 17. Jonathan went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God—by the recollection of their mutual covenant. What a victory over natural feelings and lower considerations must the faith of Jonathan have won, before he could seek such an interview and give utterance to such sentiments! To talk with calm and assured confidence of himself and family being superseded by the man who was his friend by the bonds of a holy and solemn covenant, could only have been done by one who, superior to all views of worldly policy, looked at the course of things in the spirit and through the principles of that theocracy which acknowledged God as the only and supreme Sovereign of Israel. Neither history nor fiction depicts the movements of a friendship purer, nobler, and more self-denying than Jonathan’s!”
11.) 2Ki 1:15, “And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he got up and went down with him to the king.”
Elijah went down with the captain of a third fifty with his fifty men to the king.
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, The same as in 2 Kings 1:3 or “had said” (g), as some render it, before this captain came:
go down with him; the captain and his men:
and be not afraid of him; of King Ahaziah, whom he might fear, because of the message he had sent him, that he should die of that sickness, and for turning back his messengers to the god of Ekron, and for destroying his two captains and their fifties; nor of his mother Jezebel, who had threatened his life for killing her prophets:
and he arose, and went down with him unto the king; boldly and courageously, not fearing his wrath; so that the captain not only had his life and the life of his men spared, but answered the end of his message also.”
12.) 2Ki 6:16, “And he said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are greater than those who are with them.”
2 Kings 6:16. He answered, Fear not — He was concerned to remove the fears of his servant, and impart to him the same satisfaction and peace of mind he possessed himself in this time of extraordinary danger; for good men desire not only to be easy themselves, but to make those about them easy. And all those whose faith is strong, ought tenderly to consider and compassionate those who are weak, and of a timorous spirit, and do what they can to strengthen their hands. For they that be with us — To protect us, Are more than they that be against us — To destroy us: the angels are unspeakably more numerous, and God infinitely more powerful.”
With God, one is a majority.
13.) 2Ch 29:11, “My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.”
Verse 11. – Be not now negligent; Hebrew, אַל־תִּשָּׂלוּ. This verb in kal (supposing it the same verb) occurs but five times (Job 3:26; Job 12:6; Psalm 122:6; Jeremiah 12:1; Lamentations 1:5), the radical idea of it being the safety of ease or security rather than any absolute safety. In niph. it is found only in this place and in 2 Kings 4:28, where the rendering of the Authorized Version, “Do not deceive me,” will easily yield the same essential idea. The derivative adjective (שֶׁלֵו) occurs eight times, and always has the same flavour about it (1 Chronicles 4:40; Job 16:12; Job 20:20; Job 21:23; Psalm 73:12; Jeremiah 49:31; Ezekiel 23:42; Zechariah 7:7). And the derivative nouns (שֶׁלֶו and שַׁלְוָה) occur nine times, and, at any rate, in almost every instance evidently carrying the same fundamental idea (Psalm 30:6; Psalm 122:7; Proverbs 1:32; Proverbs 17:1; Jeremiah 22:21; Ezekiel 16:49; Daniel 8:25; Daniel 11:21, 24). Our Authorized Version, therefore, sufficiently reproduces the thought of Hezekiah, though perhaps this would more exactly come out of the rendering, “Be not now at ease,” i.e. sacrifice ease and self-indulgence, etc. To serve him… that ye should minister. The same verb is used in both these places; so Revised Version, To minister unto him, and that ye should be his ministers. 2 Chronicles 29:11.”
Negligence means one is not doing his duty faithfully.
14.) 2Ch 30:7, “Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were untrue to the LORD God of their fathers, so that He made them an object of horror, just as you see.”
If your father and brother are no good, do not be like them.
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers,…. By worshipping the calves, and neglecting the service of God in the temple at Jerusalem; the Targum is,”which acted deceitfully with the Word of the Lord their God:”
who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see; some part of the land of Israel being already made desolate by the kings of Assyria, which was very visible.”
It is a terrible thing when your father and brother are not the models– not true to God.
15.) Neh 4:14, “When I saw their fear, I stood and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
- And I looked, and rose up] Nehemiah’s ‘look’ seems to denote his inspection of the guards which he had stationed.
unto the nobles, and to the rulers] R.V. marg. ‘Or, deputies’. Upon the difference of these two classes see note on Nehemiah 2:16.
the Lord] R.V. the Lord. The sacred name here used is ‘Adonai,’ not ‘Jahveh;’ see on Nehemiah 1:11, (Nehemiah 3:5).
which is great and terrible] For these epithets, see note on Nehemiah 1:5, and compare Nehemiah 9:22. The attributes of power and awe belong to the God of Israel and ensure the victory of those that trust him, cf. Deuteronomy 3:22, Deut. 20:31, 32.
fight for your brethren … houses] Nehemiah exhorts his men to fight courageously. To the Jews the contest must be for their very existence as a people. Their foes are banded together to compass the extermination of their race and name. The brotherhood of the race (brethren), the blessings of family and home (sons and daughters), the ties of personal affection (wives) or cherished ancestral inheritance (house) were at stake. The enemy against whom they fought knew no pity.”
Why would you be afraid when the Lord fights for you.
16.) Neh 8:10, “Then he said to them, “Go, eat the festival foods, drink the sweet drinks, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your refuge.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
- Then he said] Who issued the command, we are not told. Clearly either Nehemiah or Ezra. Some think Nehemiah because as governor he would be the person to issue authoritative directions. But more probably Ezra is intended; for (1) Ezra’s name is most conspicuous throughout this whole episode; cf. Nehemiah 8:5-6; (2) the language used is that of the teacher of the Law rather than that of the practical governor.
eat the fat, and drink the sweet] A proverbial expression, meaning that the occasion was not one of fasting and grief. LXX. φάγετε λιπάσματα καὶ πίετε γλυκάσματα. Vulg. ‘comedite pinguia et bibite mulsum.’
send portions &c.] Doubtless with the thought of remembering the poor and needy more especially, as according to the law of Deuteronomy 16:14, where the Feast of Tabernacles is described, ‘And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the fatherless and the widow that are within thy gates.’ But the allusion seems primarily to be to the custom of interchanging ‘portions’ on festal occasions, e.g. Esther 9:19, ‘a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions to one another,’ Esther 9:22, ‘days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another and gifts to the poor.’ Nabal’s churlishness was the violation of an almost sacred rule, 1 Samuel 25, cf. R. Smith, Relig. of Semites. For this custom of open-handed distribution on the occasion of great sacrificial feasts, cf. 1 Samuel 9:13; 2 Samuel 6:19; Ezekiel 39:17-20.
neither be ye sorry] R.V. grieved. LXX. μὴ διαπέσητε. Vulg. ‘no-lite contristari’. The R.V. gives the same rendering as in Nehemiah 8:11.
for the joy of the Lord is your strength] R.V. marg. ‘Or, stronghold’. This joy of the Lord is not the joy of the Lord over Israel; but Israel’s joy in her Lord. Israel’s joy at her great festivals is based on her confidence that the Lord ever protects her. Gladness in Him is in proportion to the faith in the protection which He gives. The English version is that of the Vulgate, ‘gaudium etenim Domini est fortitudo nostra.’ The LXX. ὅτι ἐστὶ κύριος ἰσχὺς ἡμῶν omitted to render the somewhat unusual word for ‘joy,’ which elsewhere occurs in 1 Chronicles 16:27, Ezra 6:16. The rendering ‘stronghold’ in the R.V. marg. gives the more common meaning, cf. Psalm 37:39, ‘He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.’ He that rejoices in Jehovah has a strong fortress from which he can repel all adversaries.”
Many Christians have a tendency to grieve, not knowing the joy of the Lord is our refuge.
17.) Neh 8:11, “So the Levites silenced all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”
Many Christians do not know not to be grieved on a holy day.
18.) Psa 32:9, “Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, whose trappings
include bit and bridle to hold them in check, otherwise they will not come near to you.”
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
9, 10. A warning addressed to all not to resist God’s will, and neglect instruction.
Be not like horse like mule with no understanding,
With trappings of bit and bridle must they be curbed:
Else will they not come near unto thee.
The Heb. is obscure and possibly corrupt in some points; but the general sense is clear. Brute animals without reason must be controlled and compelled by force to learn to submit to man’s will. If man will not draw near to God and obey Him of his own free will, he lowers himself to the level of a brute, and must expect to be treated accordingly and disciplined by judgment (Isaiah 26:9-11).
For the thought that man who will not listen to God’s teaching ‘becomes brutish’ see Jeremiah 10:14; Jeremiah 10:21; Psalm 49:10; Psalm 49:12; Psalm 49:20; Psalm 73:22. The word rendered mouth in A.V., trappings in R.V., is of doubtful meaning. Some explain, whose wild spirit must be curbed &c.; but this is less probable. The A.V. of the last line, lest they come near unto thee, to hurt thee, gives no suitable point of comparison, and must certainly be rejected.”
The fact that mankind can become brutish in not listening to God’s Word is most humiliating.
19.) Psa 37:1, “A Psalm of David. Do not get upset
because of evildoers, do not be envious of
wrongdoers.”
It is abnormal to be envious of wrongdoers.
Fret not thyself – The Hebrew word here means properly to burn, to be kindled, to be inflamed, and is often applied to anger, as if under its influence we become “heated:” Genesis 31:36; Genesis 34:7; 1 Samuel 15:11; 2 Samuel 19:43. Hence, it means to fret oneself, to be angry, or indignant. Compare Proverbs 24:19. We should perhaps express the same idea by the word “worrying” or “chafing.” The state of mind is that where we are worried, or envious, because others are prosperous and successful, and we are not. The idea is, therefore, closely allied with that in the other part of the verse, “neither be thou “envious.””
Because of evil-doers – Wicked men:
- at the fact that there are wicked men, or that God suffers them to live;
- at their numbers;
- at their success and prosperity.
Neither be thou envious – Envy is pain, mortification, discontent, at the superior excellence or prosperity of others, accompanied often with some degree of malignant feeling, and with a disposition to detract from their merit. It is the result of a comparison of ourselves with others who are more highly gifted or favored, or who are more successful than we are ourselves. The feeling referred to here is that which springs up in the mind when we see persons of corrupt or wicked character prospered, while we, endeavoring to do right, are left to poverty, to disappointment, and to tears.”
20.) Psa 49:16, “Do not be afraid when a person
becomes rich, when the splendor of his house
is increased.”
Be not thou afraid when one is made rich – Do not dread the power derived from wealth; do not fear anything which a man can do merely because he is rich. The original is, “when a “man” becomes rich.” The allusion is not necessarily to a bad man, though that is implied in the whole passage, since there is no reason for fearing a “good” man, whether he is rich or poor. The only thing that seems to have been apprehended in the mind of the psalmist was that power of doing injury to others, or of employing means to injure others, which wealth confers on a bad man. The psalmist here changes the form of the expression, no longer referring to himself, and to his own feelings, as in the former part of the psalm, but making an application of the whole course of thought to others, showing them, as the result of his own reflection and observation, that no man had any real cause for dread and alarm when riches increased in the hands of the wicked. The reasons why this power should not be feared are stated in the following verses.
When the glory of his house is increased – Rich people often lavish much of their wealth on their dwellings; on the dwelling itself; on the furniture; on the grounds and appendages of their habitation. This is evidently referred to here as “the “glory” of their house;” as that which would be adapted to make an impression of the power and rank of its possessor.”
This is the reason why the rich have mansions.
You see many mansions in Europe because the colonialists robbed the resources and riches of their colonies. Have you seen the scepter of the British empire, according to https://www.naturaldiamonds.com/historic-diamonds/british-crown-jewels-royal-diamonds/#:~:text=The%20Cullinan%20I%2C%20which%20became%20known%20as%20the,the%20head%20of%20the%20Sovereign%E2%80%99s%20Scepter%20and%20Cross.
“The Cullinan I, which became known as the Great Star of Africa, weighs 530 carats and is a pear-shaped diamond that now sits at the head of the Sovereign’s Scepter and Cross.”
21.) Pro 3:7, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.”
Verse 7. – Be not wise in thine own eyes. This admonition carries on the thought from the preceding verses (5, 6), approaching it from a different direction. It is a protest against self-sufficiency, self-conceit, and self-reliance. It says, in effect, “Trust in the Lord, do not trust in yourself.” Wisdom, as Michaelis remarks, is to trust in God; to trust in yourself and in your own wisdom is unwisdom. God denounces this spirit: “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:21), because such a spirit leads to the prohibited self-dependence, and is inconsistent with “the tear of the Lord.” The precept of the text is reiterated by St. Paul, especially in Romans 12:16, “Be not wise in your own conceits” (cf. 1 Corinthians 8:8; Galatians 6:3). It commends humility. The diligent search for Wisdom is commanded. The great hindrance to all true wisdom is the thought that we have already attained it (Plumptre). In thine own eyes; i.e. in thine own estimation; arbitrio tuo (Trem. et Jun.). Fear the Lord, and depart from evil. The connection of this with the first part of the verse becomes clear upon reflection. “The fear of the Lord” is true wisdom (Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:7). Fear the Lord, therefore, because it is the best corrective of one’s own wisdom, which engenders arrogance, pride, presumption of mind, which, moreover, is deceptive and apt to lead to sin. The fear of the Lord has this other advantage – that it leads to the departure from evil (Proverbs 16:6) It is the mark of the wise man that he fears the Lord, and departs from evil (Proverbs 14:16). These precepts form the two elements of practical piety (Delitzsch), an eminent example of which as Job (Job 1:1). Proverbs 3:7.”
The rich and powerful are usually guilty of being wise in their own eyes.
22.) Pro 3:25, “Do not be afraid of sudden danger,
nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes.”
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Be not afraid of sudden fear,…. Of anything terrible that comes unawares, unthought of, by any of the above things mentioned in the preceding note; or by any rumours and reports of danger being near at hand; always think thyself safe in the arms of Wisdom, and under the care of Israel’s keeper, who neither slumbers nor sleeps;
neither of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh; either of the desolation which wicked men threaten to bring, and are suffered to bring, upon the godly for the sake of religion; either on their persons or goods, since suffering at their hands in such a cause is to the honour of saints, and for the glory of God; or of the desolation which comes upon the godly, for God is able to deliver him from it, as Noah and his family from the universal deluge, and Lot and his family from Sodom and Gomorrah; or if they promiscuously fall in it, nevertheless it will be well with them to all eternity.”
I was grateful to recall an incident which reminded me of this Scripture. One Sunday I was appointed to preach in another town, and I took my younger brother along. Unexpectedly in the midst of preaching, my brother fell ill. The Holy Spirit brought me remembrance of this Scripture. That made me not to be afraid and continued my preaching. Thank God I was able to bring my brother home that afternoon.
23.) Pro 23:20, “Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine,
or with gluttonous eaters of meat.”
On one Sunday school, we took an oath never to smoke or drink. I have kept the oath to an advanced old age.
Verse 20. – Wine bibbers; persons who meet together for the express purpose of drinking intoxicating liquors. Among riotous eaters of flesh. The Hebrew is “of flesh for themselves,” whence some take the meaning to be “of their own flesh,” i.e. who by their gluttony and luxury ruin their own bodies. But the parallelism with the wine drinker shows plainly that the flesh which they eat is meant, and the idea is that they eat for the gratification of their own appetites, caring nothing for anything else. The combination of glutton and wine bibber was used as a reproach against our blessed Lord (Matthew 11:19). The versions of Jerome and the LXX. point to the contributed entertainments, where each guest brought some article to the meal, like our picnics. Thus Vulgate, “Be not among parties of drinkers, nor at the banquets of those who contribute flesh to eat;” Septuagint. “Be not a wine bibber, and strain not after contributed feasts (συμβολαῖς) and purchases of meats.” Proverbs 23:20
24.) Pro 24:1, “Do not be envious of evil people,
nor desire to be with them.”
Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Be not thou envious against evil men,…. Or, “men of evil” (b). Such who are addicted to evil, and given up to it, whose principles and practices are bad; such as are before described in the preceding chapter; gluttons and drunkards, men given to women and wine: envy not their present prosperity, or seeming pleasure they have in the gratification of their sensual appetites; since woe and sorrow, wounds and strife, now attend them, and poverty and want will follow them; as well as everlasting ruin and destruction will be their portion hereafter; See Gill on Proverbs 23:17; and compare with this Proverbs 24:21;
neither desire to be with them; to be in their company; to have any conversation and fellowship with them, which is very infectious, dangerous, and pernicious; nor even to be in the same state, condition, and circumstances they are in; much less to do as they do, and imitate them in their sinful courses; as you would not choose to be with them in hell hereafter, do not desire to be with them here.”
25.) Ecc 5:8, “If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them.”
Here is an account of another vanity, and a sovereign antidote against it.
Marvel not, as if it were inconsistent with God’s wisdom, and justice, and truth to suffer such disorders, or a just cause for any man to throw off that fear and service of God which I have now commended to thee.
He that is higher than the highest, the most high God, who is infinitely above the greatest of men, and therefore, if he saw meet, could crush them in an instant,
regardeth, not like an idle spectator, but like a judge, who diligently observes and records all these miscarriages, and will so effectually punish them, that neither they shall have any cause of triumph in their former successes, nor good men to be grieved at the remembrance of them.
There be higher than they; either,
1. The high and holy angels, who are employed by God in the government of kings and kingdoms, as we read in the Book of Daniel, and elsewhere, and for the defence of God’s people, Psalm 34:7 91:11 Hebrews 1:14. Or,
2. God; and so it is an emphatical repetition of the same thing, which is frequent in Scripture; there is a higher than they. Or, as the words are by others fitly rendered, the Most High (for plural words are oft understood of God singularly) is above them, and therefore can control them, and will certainly call them to an account.”
I am not shocked at the sight of oppression and injustice, I am disgusted. There are now some world leaders I wish God to execute them.
26.) Ecc 5:2, “Do not be quick with your mouth or
impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in Heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”
Ecclesiastes 5:2. Be not rash with thy mouth — Speak not without due consideration; and let not thy heart be hasty — Do not give way to every sudden motion of thy heart, nor suffer it to break out of thy lips till thou hast well weighed it. We must think, and think twice, before we speak, when we are to speak, either from God in preaching, or to God in prayer, or in solemn vows and promises made in his presence; which were very much in use in those times, and of which he speaks in the following verses. For God is in heaven — Is a God of infinite majesty, holiness, and knowledge, and therefore not even to be thought of, and much more not to be worshipped, without profound veneration, great solemnity, and much serious consideration; and thou upon earth — Thou art a poor worm of the earth, infinitely below him, and therefore oughtest to stand in awe of him, and fear to offend him; therefore let thy words be few — 1st, In prayer: use not vain repetitions, nor a multitude of words, as if they were necessary to inform God of thy wants, or to prevail with him to grant thy requests; or as if thou shouldest certainly be heard upon that very account: see Matthew 6:7. 2d, In vowing: be not too prodigal in making more vows and promises than thou art either able or willing and resolved to perform. Remember that God looks down from heaven, hears all thy vows, and expects a punctual accomplishment of them.”
There are some stupid pastors who are habitual in making long Sunday service prayers and not considering old folks cannot stand too long. These ignorant pastors even preach or report to God in their long prayers.
27.) Ecc 7:9, “Do not be eager in your spirit to be angry, for anger resides in the heart of fools.”
Verse 9. – Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry. A further warning against the arrogance which murmurs at Providence and revolts against the checks of the Divine arrangement. The injunction in Ecclesiastes 5:2 might be taken in this sense. It is not a general admonition against unrighteous anger, but is leveled at the haughty indignation which a proud man feels when things do not go as he wishes, and he deems that he could have managed matters more satisfactorily. For anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Such unreasonable displeasure is the mark of a foolish or skeptical mind, and if it rests (Proverbs 14:33), is fostered and cherished there, may develop into misanthropy and atheism. If we adopt the rendering” word” in ver. 8, we may see in this injunction a warning against being quick to take offence at a rebuke, as it is only the fool who will not look to the object of the censure and see that it ought to be patiently submitted to. On the subject of anger St. Gregory writes, “As often as we restrain the turbulent motions of the mind under the virtue of mildness, we are essaying to return to the likeness of our Creator. For when the peace of mind is lashed with anger, torn and rent, as it were, it is thrown into confusion, so that it is not in harmony with itself, and loses the force of the inward likeness. By anger wisdom is parted with, so that we are left wholly in ignorance what to do; as it is written, ‘Anger resteth in the bosom of a fool,’ in this way, that it withdraws the light of understanding, while by agitating it troubles the mind” (‘Moral.,’ 5:78). Ecclesiastes 7:9.
I hold: If you are right, you do not need to be angry. If you are wrong, all the more reasons you should not be angry.
28.) Mat 6:8, “So do not be like them; for your Father
knows what you need before you ask Him.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) Your Father knoweth.—This truth is rightly made the ground of prayer in one of the noblest collects of the Prayer Book of the English Church—“Almighty God, the Fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance in asking.” Comp. St. Paul’s “We know not what we should pray for as we ought” (Romans 8:26). But why then, it may be asked, pray at all? Why “make our requests known unto God” (Philippians 4:6)? Logically, it may be, the question never has been, and never can be, answered. As in the parallel question of foreknowledge and free will, we are brought into a region in which convictions that seem, each of them, axiomatic, appear to contradict each other. All that can be done is to suggest partial solutions of the problem. We bring our wants and desires to God (1) that we may see them as He sees them, judge how far they are selfish or capricious, how far they are in harmony with His will; (2) that we may, in the thought of that Presence and its infinite holiness, feel that all other prayers—those which are but the expression of wishes for earthly good, or deliverance from earthly evil—are of infinitely little moment as compared with deliverance from the penalty and the power of the sin which we have made our own; (3) that, conscious of our weakness, we may gain strength for the work and the conflict of life in communion with the Eternal, who is in very deed a “Power that makes for righteousness.” These are, if we may so speak, the lines upon which the Lord’s Prayer has been constructed, and all other prayers are excellent in proportion as they approach that pattern. Partial deviations from it, as in prayers for fine weather, for plenty, and for victory, are yet legitimate (though they drift in a wrong direction), as the natural utterance of natural wants, which, if repressed, would find expression in superstition or despair. It is better that even these petitions, though not the highest form of prayer, should be purified by their association with the highest, than that they should remain unuttered as passionate cravings or, it may be, murmuring regrets.”
29.) Mat 10:28, “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.”
Many do not know that Hell is the most horrible place in the universe. Many do not know the suffering in Hell is eternal. Many do not know once you are thrown into Hell, you will never get out.
30.) 1Co 6:9, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals.” Homosexuals will go to Hell, but president Obama advocates homosexuality and promotes legal marriage of homosexuals.
Verse 28. – And. Restating ver. 26a from a different point of view. Fear not; be not afraid of (Revised Version); μὴ φοβηθῆτε ἀπό. So Westcott and Herr, with B (sic) and two or three other authorities. The Revised Version (cf. Authorized Version parallel passage, Luke 12:4) expresses the greater difference from vers. 26 and 28b (φοβηθῆτε ἀπό with genitive, a Hebraism expressing avoidance, shrinking, cowardly dreas; φοβηθῆτε with accusative, concert-tration of regard) at the expense of the lesser (φοβηθῆτε, general command, or perhaps “never once fear;” φοβεῖσθε, “ever fear,” habit). Them which kill the body. So R. Akiba refused to give up studying and teaching the Law when it was forbidden on pain of death (Talm. Bab., ‘Berach.,’ 61b). But are not able to kill the soul (Matthew 6:25, note). But rather fear. Always (φοβεῖσθε). Fear; yes, but the right object (φοβεῖσθε δὲ μᾶλλον, not μᾶλλον δὲ φοβεῖσθε), and that intensely (-vide supra). Him which is able (τὸν δυνάμενον). Mere power; but in the parallel passage in Luke, authority. The reference is, of course, to God (cf. James 4:12). To destroy (ἀπολέσαι). The class of words to which this belongs denotes “utter and hopeless ruin; but they convey no idea whether the ruined object ceases to exist or continues a worthless existence” (Professor Agar Beet, in Expositor, IV. 1:28). Professor Marshall, in Expositor, IV. 3:283, thinks Luke’s variant, “to cast,” indicates that our Lord originally used an Aramaic word that properly meant “to set on fire.” Both soul and body in hell (Matthew 5:22, note). Matthew 10:28.”
I have some idea how a sinner suffers in Hell bodily forever, I do not know how God kills the soul eternally. All the more, you should fear God and avoid Hell seriously.
31.) Rom 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
- Be not conformed . . . but be ye transformed.—Here the English is somewhat misleading. It would naturally lead us to expect a similar play upon words in the Greek. But it is not so; indeed, there is a clear distinction between the two different words employed. It is the difference between an outward conformity or disguise and a thorough inward assimilation. The Christian is not to copy the fleeting fashions of the present time, but to be wholly transfigured in view of that higher mode of existence, in strict accordance with God’s will, that he has chosen.
This world.—Not here the same word as that which is used, e.g., in 1John 2:15-17, but another, which signifies rather the state of the world as it existed at the Coming of Christ, as opposed to the newly-inaugurated Messianic reign. “To be conformed to this world” is to act as other men do, heathen who know not God; in opposition to this the Apostle exhorts his readers to undergo that total change which will bring them more into accordance with the will of God.
By the renewing of your mind.—“The mind” (i.e., the mental faculties, reason, or understanding) is in itself neutral. When informed by an evil principle, it becomes an instrument of evil; when informed by the Spirit, it is an instrument of good. It performs the process of discrimination between good and evil, and so supplies the data to conscience. “The mind” here is not strictly identical with what we now mean by “conscience;” it is, as it were, the rational part of conscience, to which the moral quality needs to be superadded. The “renewed mind,” or the mind acting under the influence of the Spirit, comes very near to “conscience” in the sense in which the word is used by Bishop Butler.”
Prove.—As elsewhere, “discriminate, and so approve.” The double process is included: first, of deciding what the will of God is; and, secondly, of choosing and acting upon it.
What is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.—The “will of God” is here, not the divine attribute of will, but the thing willed by God, the right course of action. Are we to take the adjectives “good, and acceptable, and perfect” (with the Authorised version), as in agreement with this phrase, or are they rather in apposition to it, “that we may prove the will of God, that which is good, and acceptable, and perfect”? Most of the commentators prefer this latter way of taking the passage, but it is not quite clear that the former is impossible, “that good, and acceptable, and perfect thing, or course of action which God wills.” “Acceptable,” that is to say, to God Himself.”
If you ask what should the Christians do while waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ. The answer is: Do the will of God.
You have learned a lot from the Holy Scriptures. So you must not neglect so great a salvation. Repent of your sins and believe in the Lord Jesus as your God and Savior. You can do it now.
WILLLIE WONG THOUGHT
WILLIE WONG
DECEMBER 11, 2025
Copyright © 2018 – 2025 by Willie Wong
All African nations, South America, Asia and the world, where can you find a country which does not have large national debts and deficits? Africa is different because for 500 years, not one country has become self-sufficient and solvent, they glorify with their primitive cultures and brag about their scientists and experts, joy to kill each other. International aid actually fuel their official corruption. Any nation that shares destinies with Africa will be doomed! No resources can fill the Black holes! The international community should leave Africa alone, let them do or die.
China modernization must focus that every village will have:
- Electricity.
- Running water to drink and wash.
- Gas to cook and heat.
- Internet.
- Livelihood.