Spiritual Law (Part 1) (Proverbs 18:21; James 3:3-5; Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 20:5; 1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chronicles 7:5; Proverbs 6:2)

Governed by Law

This is the Law!

Years ago, there was a Canadian TV game show where an actor portrayed different actions, in various parts of Canada; seemingly innocuous behavior, and yet, in the comedy game show, the actor was arrested, by another actor, portraying an RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police], because of some obscure and forgotten law, yet still 'on the books', which the actor had violated. The contestants then had to determine which antiquated law the actor had transgressed. Many of these 'laws' had been written when automobiles were over taking the horse and buggy, and so there were laws about not honking your horn when passing horses; where you could and couldn't tie up your horse in town; and even rules regarding spitting on a sidewalk, or in any other public location.

Governing Laws

The comedy TV game show was a humorous portrayal of laws that govern behavior, even though the actor was unaware of their existence. We live our lives, often oblivious to the fact that, not only are there natural laws, but there are very real spiritual laws, that whether we think they have an impact or not, these spiritual laws govern our lives, and the lives of every human person.

Spiritual Law

Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life (are) in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof"

Simply stated, this spiritual law states that your words control the direction of your life. The illuminating passage in James 3:3-5 illustrates the use of the tongue to determine our outcomes in life:

"Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body".

"Behold also the ships, which, though (they are) so great and (are) driven by fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, wherever the pilot wills"

"Even so the tongue is a little member..." (James 3:3-5a)

Proverbs 22:6

Though often misinterpreted, this is another scripture that speaks to the reality of this spiritual law, related to the affects of our words:

"Train up a child in the way he should go and, when he is old, he will not depart from it".

Countless sermons have been preached from this verse stating that if you train your child after a godly manner, he or she will never leave those principles of conduct that you have instilled in them; however, that is not what the scripture says, especially since countless persons have been "trained" in a Christian home, and have still left God.

Train

The word 'train' is the Hebrew word (hanak), 2596, which is only used 5 x's in 4 verses in the OT (Dt.20:5; 1 Kgs. 8:63; 2 Chr. 7:5; and Prov. 22:6). Every verse, except for Proverbs 22:6, seems to speak of 'dedicating' a house, or 'the house of the Lord', for its intended use.

"...and the officers shall speak to the people, saying, 'What man (is there) that has built a new house, and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it' " (Deut. 20:5).

"...and Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD." (1 Kgs. 8:63).

"...and king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God" (2 Chr. 7:5).

Initiate

The actual meaning of the Hebrew word is to 'initiate for its intended use'. In other words, the man, prior to going to war, was to 'initiate', or to begin to use his house for its intended use; to live in, and be a home for him. Similarly, the house of the LORD, was to be 'initiated' into its intended use, which was, and is, to worship our Father God.

It is actually no different in Proverbs 22:6, where the word should not be translated 'train' but rather 'dedicate', or more properly, 'initiate' a child. Further, the word is probably used most literally in this verse, as a play on words, since, originally, the Hebrew word came from the idea of chewing up dates, and smearing, or putting them, on a child's tongue, in their mouth, to help them to transition from milk, to solid food.

Mouth

Secondly, the phrase, "he should go", is all one word, the Hebrew word [פֶּה (peh)], 6310, meaning 'mouth' predominantly, or 'opening', and the phrase, 'the way', is the Hebrew word (derek), 1870, meaning a pattern of behavior, or 'way of life'.

Quite literally, Proverbs 22:6 is saying, "Initiate a child into the right way of speaking, [or the authority, intended use of their words], and when he/she is older, they will not depart from it". When anyone, including children, understands the authority of their words, and that what they say is spiritual law that affects their life ['their way'; behavior ], they will guard their mouth and the words they speak.

"You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth" (Prov.6:2).

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours