The Generation Gap

Proverbs 30:1-17

“The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.  I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.“ (Proverbs 30:1-3)

Here Solomon refers to when he was first anointed as king and God told him to ask for what ever he wanted describing his sense of inadequacy.   Agur means the one who has been received by wise people, speaking of himself.  He is the son of Jakeh, the obedient one(David).  He speaks to Ithiel, the one who has arrived or is there(God), and Ucal, who devoured his enemies(God).   

I Kings 3:7-9 describes the event in detail.  “And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.  And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?”  Solomon recognized he could not successfully lead Israel without God’s wisdom and direction.

“Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.  Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” (Proverbs 30:4-6)

No one else has the power God has to go into heaven or come back to earth, or to control the winds or dam up the waters and keep them in place.  No one else could make every detail in the most remote part of the earth, nor can they call God by name as a personal friend.  Everything God says can be trusted, and he will protect his people.  He will not ignore people adding to his words and claiming it came from him.

“Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” (Proverbs 30:7-9)

There were two things Solomon wanted God do for him.  First, he wanted to be able to tell what was important and true and what was not.  Secondly, he asked to be kept from being very rich, or very poor because he saw a very real danger in either one.   Having too much makes a person feel tht he doesn’t need God, while too little results in frustration and a tendency to blame God.  God answered the prayer, giving Solomon the wisdom to know what was important and recognize the lies.  Unfortunately, Solomon got greedy, gathering all the wealth he could get, 

“Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.” (Proverbs 30:10)

Don’t accuse somebody else’s employee of not doing their job.  They may get mad and file a complaint against you or tell others.  If it turns out you were wrong, it will damage your reputation.   Romans 14:4 asks, “Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”

“There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.  There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.  There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.  There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.  ” (Proverbs 30:11-14)

The word translated generation here refers to what we usually mean when we say generation, a particular group of similar ages.  There is a tendency for young people to lose their respect for their parents and ancestors and to accept moral standards that are unacceptable to God or their parents.  There is a tendency for the younger generation to think they are better and smarter than those who have gone before. And they tend to think they have the right and power to get rid of poverty and need, whether by taking from those who have more, or by killing off those they see as inferior.  Neither approach works.

 

“The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough. “(Proverbs 30:15-16)

Leaches live off other animals and constantly siphon off the nutrients the animal worked for.  The same thing happens when people begin to depend on others to support them.   Once they develop that attitude, they will never be content with what they have, but will constantly be craving or demanding more.   

“The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.” (Proverbs 30:17)

Though they don’t understand it, the generation that thinks they are so much better than their parents will ultimately be worse off.   There was a reason why the old generation had the standards they kept.  They prevented a lot of problems.