Proverbs 29:18 and the Testimony of Jesus

Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law. - Pro 29:18 NASB

To be unrestrained is essentially to have no boundaries. We all have self defined boundaries, but in this case we must view this boundary line as the will of God, or the God defined boundary. God’s boundary lines can be best understood in the context of the law of God. When the people are unaware of the fixed law of God then we exercise our own will over and against the will of God and set ourselves as enemies of the prophetic revelation, the Divine utterance. It is said on many occasions in the writings of Moses that the people of Israel are to obey the Voice of God, or that which has been spoken. What makes the Scripture so very powerful is it is the voice of God written down, meaning that it cannot be broken, changed or altered on any point because God is unchanging. It is the equivalent of actually hearing His voice. The only thing that can happen is a deeper or clearer understanding of what is written can be revealed as we receive the testimony and the Spirit into our being and become born again. For it is written that God would put His law into our heart through the filling of the Spirit or implanted Word.

What shall we say then? We must hold fast to God’s will. The power of Divine revelation is a holy life, while the power of the law was only the knowledge of sin that needs cleansing. The more revelation the greater the holiness (or cleansing), for as we see God as He is we become like Him. And He has chosen to perfectly reveal Himself in the person of Jesus. In other words, as we look at Jesus we are transformed by the Spirit that testifies of Jesus, as He alone is the atoning sacrifice that makes us clean. We become new in every way. The written testimony of the law and prophets declare the coming Messiah and it is Jesus who fulfills that testimony. We must receive Him or be cut off. We find that there has been a cutting off of many already, and a grafting in as well. The good news is that which has been cut off can also be grafted in again, and the fearful thing is that which has been grafted in can be cut off. This is why we need desperately to stay very near to the prophetic vision of God found in Jesus, and receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.

The Greatest Command

Then one of the scribes ... asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments [is]: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This [is] the first commandment. "And the second, like [it, is] this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." - Mar 12:28-31 NKJV

One of the “scribes” asked this question after hearing Jesus reason with the Sadducees about the resurrection of the dead. A scribe is morre than just a person who wrote things down but iin Jesus’ day they were the lawyers, who dtermined the meaning of Scripture (Law) and set the acceptable course of life for an observant Jew. In other words this person was no novice.

In Jesus answer we find the first, or greatest) command includes two parts; the first is to hear and the second is to love. From other Scripture we can ascertain that to obey God is the expression of love (Jhn 14:15,21,23; 15:10; 1 Jhn 2:3,5:3; 2 Jhn 1:6). We also cannot gain a faith in Him if we haven’t heard Him (Rom 10:17). So then it is reasonable to expect that hearing unto faith leads to obedience or it is not faith (Jam 1:22).

So then what are we to hear? That the Lord our God is one. This is the first step of hearing correctly. Now I ask you this; why would we need to hear that God is one? I believe this is a set-up for the understanding that Jesus is God (Jhn 5:17-18,23, 8:24,58, 10:30-33; 14:9-11). Think about the word the Jesus gave to the rich young ruler (Mat 19:16-22; Luk 18:18-23). After confessing adherance to many of the commands from youth, he still feels he is lacking something. Jesus answers by telling him to sell his possessions, give to the poor (in order to have treasure in heaven) and then follow Him. What right did Jesus have to demand this of anyone asking about eternal life?

The commands Jesus first asked the youn ruler about would be the final 6 of the 10 commandments given to Moses. He left out the first four which are, have no other god’s before Me, do not make any graven images to bow down to, keep the sabbath, and do not use the Lord’s name in vain. What all of these commands have in common is that they pertain to loving God (while the final 6 pertain to loving your neighbor). Jesus equates forsaking all and following Him with these first four. In other words forsaking all and following Jesus equal having no other gods, making no idols, keeping the sabbath and not using the Lord’s name in vain. The only way that could be true is if Jesus is both Lord and God. This agrees with Thomas’ testimony upon seeing the resurrected Jesus (Jhn 20:28).

The writer of the book of Hebrews testifies at the very beginning that previously God spoke to the fathers through the prophets (including Moses) now speaks to us all through His Son. (Heb 1:1-4). Scripture also tells us that Jesus is greater than the angels (Heb 1:4), greater than Moses (Heb 3:3-6),greater than the sabbath (Luk 6:50), greater than Solomon (Mat 12:42), greater than the temple (Mat 12:6), greater than the Levitical priesthood (Heb 7) and Jesus received worship (Mat 2:11,8:2,9:18,14:33,15:25,28:9,17;Jhn 9:38).

In all of this we can begin to hear that the Lord and God are one as the testimony of Isaiah agrees with in chapter 9 verse 6 when he prophesies the coming of Jesus “...And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” This is how the Father wants to be worshiped; through His Son.

The lesson from the rich young ruler is that it is not enough to love our neighbor, we must forsake everything and follow Jesus. The Father is drawing you right now into the revelation of His Son Jesus through the Spirit. If you could only turn and receive it you would be saved. In this you will fulfill all the law and the prophets.