Verse after verse, the Bible isn't always easy to understand. One woman in a Sunday school class said we need to read whole books of the Bible sometimes, in order to put verses in the right context.
In fact, sometimes, we need to be in a Bible study group whose leader knows how one book of the Bible goes together with another. And, of course, we need to be prayerful, expecting Heaven to answer our heartfelt questions.
When some Bible verses haven't made sense to me right away, I've written question marks in the margins. And I've always gotten answers.
Sometimes, puzzling verses have begun to make sense sooner than later. At other times, it's a long while before answers happen.
For example, in Proverbs 30:29-33, it's puzzling that Agur talks about a strutting rooster and a goat, saying three or four things are "stately in their walk."
But Agur is only being sarcastic, saying people may consider a king stately in his walk but that, sometimes, his way is like a rooster or a goat.
Agur was a little like Solomon or whatever person wrote down instructions from Lemuel's mother, in Proverbs 31. The Proverbs 31 writer says a king should give beer to people and let them drink away misery (Proverbs 31:6-7); but the writer was being sarcastic, like Agur was.
The Proverbs 31 writer was talking about how kings used to treat people who are embittered. But the writer goes on to contrast the sarcasm about giving people beer, by describing how a king truly should treat people. The writer says, "Speak up for those who have no voice ... ." (31:8)
Sarcasm sometimes comes from bitterness.
Being embittered, Job complained that the unrighteous heap up riches for nothing (Job 27:16-17). And Job said terrors overtake such people. Job bitterly said people always behave unjustly: The unrighteous heaps it up, "but the righteous will wear it, and the innocent will divide up his silver." (27:17) Job was asking why he should suffer, when other people were so unjust.
It's unsettling, knowing that, even when justice happens, there always seems to be some injustice still in the balance.
When Jesus was crucified, the unrighteous took His clothing, and the unrighteous Judas took the purse of money that people had given the disciples. Judas also took a bribe to betray Jesus.
... One life application, for me, is the observation that, sometimes, when Christians or Jews have been betrayed, Satan also has tried to reverse some promises that appear in scriptures.
It seems Satan thinks he can undo whatsoever is just.
Job, in 26:6, says hell is naked in God's eyes. So, Satan has tried to do a reversal of that justice, through making some Christians and Jews naked, though we shouldn't be (Matthew 25:36).
There are plenty of ungodly reversals of justice in these "last days" we're living through.
But thank Heaven that, in Jesus, "strength and honor" (Proverbs 31) can continue to clothe us, no matter our hardships.
In Jesus, there can be moments of childlike laughter, without fear of the future, a knowing chuckle even when we're not sure of tomorrow. Although we do care and can even be anxious for the fact that some souls may be lost, we try not to despair and completely lose heart.
That's one reason I'm thankful in being able to do the simplest of things. Clothed in my right mind, I'm able to forgive, and to offer my heart.
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