Wisdom and the Fear of the Lord

Structured in a similar way to Psalms and content like Proverbs, the words and expression also look similar but does fell difference somehow. It praises Wisdom but it also points to God as being on the Throne. The next section emphasises the point about Fear of the Lord. It is giving good, general advice yet it is much more than secular - we know that this good advice about the way that God wants us to live. Wisdom or to be wise cannot be separated from living with the Fear of God. 

In Praise of Wisdom

1 All wisdom comes from the Lord

    and is with him for ever.

2 The sand of the sea, the drops of rain,

    and the days of eternity—who can count them?

3 The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth,

    the abyss, and wisdom—who can search them out?

4 Wisdom was created before all things,

    and prudent understanding from eternity.[c]

6 The root of wisdom—to whom has it been revealed?

    Her clever devices—who knows them?[d]

8 There is One who is wise, greatly to be feared,

    sitting upon his throne.

9 The Lord himself created wisdom;[e]

    he saw her and apportioned her,

    he poured her out upon all his works.

10 She dwells with all flesh according to his gift,

    and he supplied her to those who love him.

Fear of the Lord Is True Wisdom

11 The fear of the Lord is glory and exultation,

    and gladness and a crown of rejoicing.

12 The fear of the Lord delights the heart,

    and gives gladness and joy and long life.

13 With him who fears the Lord it will go well at the end;

    on the day of his death he will be blessed.

14 To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

    she is created with the faithful in the womb.

15 She made[f] among men an eternal foundation,

    and among their descendants she will be trusted.

16 To fear the Lord is wisdom’s full measure;

    she satisfies[g] men with her fruits;

17 she fills their whole house with desirable goods,

    and their storehouses with her produce.

18 The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom,

    making peace and perfect health to flourish.

19 He saw her and apportioned her;

    he rained down knowledge and discerning comprehension,

    and he exalted the glory of those who held her fast.

20 To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom,

    and her branches are long life.[h]

22 Unrighteous anger cannot be justified,

    for a man’s anger tips the scale to his ruin.

23 A patient man will endure until the right moment,

    and then joy will burst forth for him.

24 He will hide his words until the right moment,

    and the lips of many will tell of his good sense.

25 In the treasuries of wisdom are wise sayings,

    but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.

26 If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments,

    and the Lord will supply it for you.

27 For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction,

    and he delights in fidelity and meekness.

28 Do not disobey the fear of the Lord;

    do not approach him with a divided mind.

29 Be not a hypocrite in men’s sight,[i]

    and keep watch over your lips.

30 Do not exalt yourself lest you fall,

    and thus bring dishonor upon yourself.

The Lord will reveal your secrets

    and cast you down in the midst of the congregation,

because you did not come in the fear of the Lord,

    and your heart was full of deceit.

Wisdom - The Red Sea Crossing

 The Egyptians who desperately wanted the Israelites out of the land after the tragedy of their firstborn - would soon change their minds to pursue them. This chapter starts off from here and continues to describe the Egyptians pursuit which eventually led to the parting of the Red Sea for the Israelites. It justifies the punishment God put on the Egyptians for their enslavement of the Israelites. The final main paragraph describe a change in nature including sea animals becoming land animals and vice versa. Not certain if this has taken place yet.


Wisdom 19 (RSVCE) 

The Red Sea
19 But the ungodly were assailed to the end by pitiless anger,
for God[a] knew in advance even their future actions,
2 that, though they themselves had permitted[b] thy people to depart
and hastily sent them forth,
they would change their minds and pursue them.
3 For while they were still busy at mourning,
and were lamenting at the graves of their dead,
they reached another foolish decision,
and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged and compelled to depart.
4 For the fate they deserved drew them on to this end,
and made them forget what had happened,
in order that they might fill up the punishment which their torments still lacked,
5 and that thy people might experience[c] an incredible journey,
but they themselves might meet a strange death.
God Guides and Protects His People
6 For the whole creation in its nature was fashioned anew,
complying with thy commands,
that thy children[d] might be kept unharmed.
7 The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp,
and dry land emerging where water had stood before,
an unhindered way out of the Red Sea,
and a grassy plain out of the raging waves,
8 where those protected by thy hand passed through as one nation,
after gazing on marvelous wonders.
9 For they ranged like horses,
and leaped like lambs,
praising thee, O Lord, who didst deliver them.
10 For they still recalled the events of their sojourn,
how instead of producing animals the earth brought forth gnats,
and instead of fish the river spewed out vast numbers of frogs.
11 Afterward they saw also a new kind[e] of birds,
when desire led them to ask for luxurious food;
12 for, to give them relief, quails came up from the sea.
The Punishment of the Egyptians
13 The punishments did not come upon the sinners
without prior signs in the violence of thunder,
for they justly suffered because of their wicked acts;
for they practiced a more bitter hatred of strangers.
14 Others had refused to receive strangers when they came to them,
but these made slaves of guests who were their benefactors.
15 And not only so, but punishment of some sort will come upon the former
for their hostile reception of the aliens;
16 but the latter, after receiving them with festal celebrations,
afflicted with terrible sufferings
those who had already shared the same rights.
17 They were stricken also with loss of sight—
just as were those at the door of the righteous man—
when, surrounded by yawning darkness,
each tried to find the way through his own door.
A New Harmony in Nature
18 For the elements changed[f] places with one another,
as on a harp the notes vary the nature of the rhythm,
while each note remains the same.[g]
This may be clearly inferred from the sight of what took place.
19 For land animals were transformed into water creatures,
and creatures that swim moved over to the land.
20 Fire even in water retained its normal power,
and water forgot its fire-quenching nature.
21 Flames, on the contrary, failed to consume
the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them,
nor did they melt[h] the crystalline, easily melted kind of heavenly food.
Conclusion
22 For in everything, O Lord, thou hast exalted and glorified thy people;
and thou hast not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.

Light Shines on the Israelites

 The chapter starts with a picture of victory for the Israelites as they have just won their freedom from Egypt. Their Egyptian captors should be thankful that the Israelites did not retaliate for the wrongs that have been done to them. Instead the Israelites were called to be the light to the world through the law.

The effects of the death of the firstborn were accounted here. There was no doubt the sufffering of the Egyptians were punishment for the oppression on the Israelites. The punishment however, does not differentiate between slaves and masters, kings and common man. Interesting to note that judgment did not come suddenly for the Egyptians 'for the dreams which disturbed them forewarned them of this, so that they might not perish without knowing why they suffered'

The Israelites too were far from blameless. When they sinned in the desert, they were almost destroyed, if not for the 'prayer and propitiation' from Moses - an interesting word that would be used to describe what Yshua has done for us. 


Wisdom 18 (RSVCE) - Light Shines on the Israelites
18 But for thy holy ones there was very great light.
Their enemies[a] heard their voices but did not see their forms,
and counted them happy for not having suffered,
2 and were thankful that thy holy ones,[b] though previously wronged, were doing them no injury;
and they begged their pardon for having been at variance with them.[c]
3 Therefore thou didst provide a flaming pillar of fire
as a guide for thy people’s[d] unknown journey,
and a harmless sun for their glorious wandering.
4 For their enemies[e] deserved to be deprived of light and imprisoned in darkness,
those who had kept thy sons imprisoned,
through whom the imperishable light of the law was to be given to the world.
The Death of the Egyptian Firstborn
5 When they had resolved to kill the babes of thy holy ones,
and one child had been exposed and rescued,
thou didst in punishment take away a multitude of their children;
and thou didst destroy them all together by a mighty flood.
6 That night was made known beforehand to our fathers,
so that they might rejoice in sure knowledge of the oaths in which they trusted.
7 The deliverance of the righteous and the destruction of their enemies
were expected by thy people.
8 For by the same means by which thou didst punish our enemies
thou didst call us to thyself and glorify us.
9 For in secret the holy children of good men offered sacrifices,
and with one accord agreed to the divine law,
that the saints would share alike the same things,
both blessings and dangers;
and already they were singing the praises of the fathers.[f]
10 But the discordant cry of their enemies echoed back,
and their piteous lament for their children was spread abroad.
11 The slave was punished with the same penalty as the master,
and the common man suffered the same loss as the king;
12 and they all together, by the one form of death,
had corpses too many to count.
For the living were not sufficient even to bury them,
since in one instant their most valued children had been destroyed.
13 For though they had disbelieved everything because of their magic arts,
yet, when their first-born were destroyed, they acknowledged thy people to be God’s son.
14 For while gentle silence enveloped all things,
and night in its swift course was now half gone,
15 thy all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne,
into the midst of the land that was doomed,
a stern warrior 16 carrying the sharp sword of thy authentic command,
and stood and filled all things with death,
and touched heaven while standing on the earth.
17 Then at once apparitions in dreadful dreams greatly troubled them,
and unexpected fears assailed them;
18 and one here and another there, hurled down half dead,
made known why they were dying;
19 for the dreams which disturbed them forewarned them of this,
so that they might not perish without knowing why they suffered.
Threat of Annihilation in the Desert
20 The experience of death touched also the righteous,
and a plague came upon the multitude in the desert,
but the wrath did not long continue.
21 For a blameless man was quick to act as their champion;
he brought forward the shield of his ministry,
prayer and propitiation by incense;
he withstood the anger and put an end to the disaster,
showing that he was thy servant.
22 He conquered the wrath[g] not by strength of body,
and not by force of arms,
but by his word he subdued the punisher,
appealing to the oaths and covenants given to our fathers.
23 For when the dead had already fallen on one another in heaps,
he intervened and held back the wrath,
and cut off its way to the living.
24 For upon his long robe the whole world was depicted,
and the glories of the fathers were engraved on the four rows of stones,
and thy majesty on the diadem upon his head.
25 To these the destroyer yielded, these he[h] feared;
for merely to test the wrath was enough.

Fear Strikes on the First Passover and beyond

 This passage in Wisdom describes the terror on that first Passover night. Before discussing the Wisdom chapter in detail, let us remember the passage from Exodus.

Exodus 11

4 Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, 5 and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well. 6 So there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. 7 But not even a dog will [c]threaten any of the sons of Israel, nor anything from person to animal, so that you may [d]learn how the Lord distinguishes between Egypt and Israel.’

Exodus 12

The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you [o]live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will come upon you [p]to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

It is very easy to assume that the last plague will punish the Egyptians and protect the children of Israel, and even Exodus 11:7 hinted at this. However the exact text about the plague is on the firstborn of the land of Egypt, including the slaves (who were likely non-Egyptian, and likely to be Hebrew) and the animals too. God does not condemn based on race and ethnicity, neither is salvation based on race and ethnicity. For the firstborn of the Israelites were not safe too, unless they had the blood brushed on the houses. It is the faith in God's word that led them to trust in God that they will be spared when there is blood on the house.

With this perspective, both Egyptians and Israelites would have been affected by fear and uncertainty over the announcement of the last plague. The ungodly, including the powerful ones, may continue to sin but they are affected by fear. They are terrified by the darkness, the same darkness in which they sinned. None of their magicians, supernatural crafts, medicine are able to alleviate their fears. Fears turn into terror, even when there is nothing or an animal passing, will cause them to tremble. 

It continues with more intense description of the terror from sleepless nights, to feeling totally powerless, to imaginations of monsters and spectres and becoming paralysed by the fear. Every sound from wind, birds, animals, water will cause them to be paralyzed by fear. Even though that First Passover was for only one night, the description of man's fear in this passage also extend to any general time when man refuses to accept the promise of salvation from God.

Wisdom 17 (RSVCE) - Terror Strikes the Egyptians at Night
17 Great are thy judgments and hard to describe;
therefore uninstructed souls have gone astray.
2 For when lawless men supposed that they held the holy nation in their power,
they themselves lay as captives of darkness and prisoners of long night,
shut in under their roofs, exiles from eternal providence.
3 For thinking that in their secret sins they were unobserved
behind a dark curtain of forgetfulness,
they were scattered, terribly[a] alarmed,
and appalled by specters.
4 For not even the inner chamber that held them protected them from fear,
but terrifying sounds rang out around them,
and dismal phantoms with gloomy faces appeared.
5 And no power of fire was able to give light,
nor did the brilliant flames of the stars
avail to illumine that hateful night.
6 Nothing was shining through to them
except a dreadful, self-kindled fire,
and in terror they deemed the things which they saw
to be worse than that unseen appearance.
7 The delusions of their magic art lay humbled,
and their boasted wisdom was scornfully rebuked.
8 For those who promised to drive off the fears and disorders of a sick soul
were sick themselves with ridiculous fear.
9 For even if nothing disturbing frightened them,
yet, scared by the passing of beasts and the hissing of serpents,
10 they perished in trembling fear,
refusing to look even at the air, though it nowhere could be avoided.
11 For wickedness is a cowardly thing, condemned by its own testimony;[b]
distressed by conscience, it has always exaggerated[c] the difficulties.
12 For fear is nothing but surrender of the helps that come from reason;
13 and the inner expectation of help, being weak,
prefers ignorance of what causes the torment.
14 But throughout the night, which was really powerless,
and which beset them from the recesses of powerless Hades,
they all slept the same sleep,
15 and now were driven by monstrous specters,
and now were paralyzed by their souls’ surrender,
for sudden and unexpected fear overwhelmed them.
16 And whoever was there fell down,
and thus was kept shut up in a prison not made of iron;
17 for whether he was a farmer or a shepherd
or a workman who toiled in the wilderness,
he was seized, and endured the inescapable fate;
for with one chain of darkness they all were bound.
18 Whether there came a whistling wind,
or a melodious sound of birds in wide-spreading branches,
or the rhythm of violently rushing water,
19 or the harsh crash of rocks hurled down,
or the unseen running of leaping animals,
or the sound of the most savage roaring beasts,
or an echo thrown back from a hollow of the mountains,
it paralyzed them with terror.
20 For the whole world was illumined with brilliant light,
and was engaged in unhindered work,
21 while over those men alone heavy night was spread,
an image of the darkness that was destined to receive them;
but still heavier than darkness were they to themselves.

A Summary of Scientific Creationism by Henry M. Morris

This is a summary of notes taken while reading "Scientific Creationism" by Henry M. Morris

---------------

Ch 3 accident or plan
Complexity of living organisms
- mathematical impossibility of even the simplest molecules coming together. To create a combination of 100 particles, given 10e80 electrons in the universe and 30 billion years with 10e9 tries power second, is still almost impossible.
- a dna molecule is 400 linked amino acids which are complex molecules. there is almost no chance it can be formed by random combinations.
- the DNA molecule would require 1500 or 10e450 successive binary choices to create. comparing this to all information in printed books in the world is 10e20 which is only 66 successive binary choices.
- there have been many attempts to create the simple molecules of life in labs with primordial conditions but none are anywhere near conclusive.
- Similarities in evolution are used too postulate a common ancestry. In creation, similarities are a natural consequence that the creator has perogative you create different creatures, but some would obviously have similar characteristics.
- Differences in species is evidence of creation. The Creator specifically created individual species. Evolution is about species evolving into another. Hence there should be evidence of many transitional species, but there are no evidence given over 150 years of paleontology. Various animals thought to be transitional species like the fish with limb like fins, are found to be living today.
Synthetic gaps in fossil records
- the study of geological age and fossil records has gaps in the absence of transitional species.
- many modern species were found in the same ages with no evidence of evolving.
- the fish to amphibian to reptile to birds are not supported by strong fossil evidence.
- Though many animals are extinct which are mistakenly taken as evolving, majority of insects and plants are same today as in prehistory, there are no indication again of the transitioning species.

4. Uniformitarianism or Catastrophism.
- Uniformitarianism explains the geological column takes a long time to create different layers. However this is a tautology since it assumes fossil records takes long time to create and uses fossils in earth strata as evidence of a longtime.
- Catastrophism a.k.a. rapid formation - which is quite evident, suggest that different layers can be created suddenly, hence also suggesting the fossils could be recent.
- Fossilisation occurs suddenly, not over long periods of time. We can see this that when animal dies, it decays and the remains may even be scattered by other animals or the environment. It is difficult and rare to fossils starting from skeletons, then being covered with layers of earth through time. It is much easier to preserve or fossilise when there is a sudden even like volcanic eruption, or even human skeletons which are buried in one instance by their peers.
- Various types of rock formations can be formed by direct precipitation, sudden deposits of large amount of material washed to a location, large scale even continental level flooding.
- Coal and similar resources and other layered of earth are not rare to have include fossilized trees embedded across multiple columns.
- Oil and coal are more likely to be formed by massive sudden deposits of sedimentation than long process. We currently have the technology to convert garbage into oil.
Contemporaneity of the Fossil World
- The geological column composed of various strata or layers of different material does not indicate formation through time because there is no worldwide unconformity. The reason it was first assumed as time separation because of the since groups of fossils are found together in layers, and starting with the wrong assumption that the fossils belong to different time period, hence the strata was wrongly linked to time.
- Each stratum was formed rapidly, and so was the entire column, with hydraulic cataclysm, ie the different layers are formed suddenly by flow of waters.
- There are evidence of fossils from different ages are found together in the same strata.
- Fossils thought to be more ancient are found at the bottom. However this is not due to time but by physical nature. Given the assumption of worldwide hydraulic cataclysm, ocean floor animals are buried first, followed by fish, then amphibians, some reptiles. Humans and birds would be few. Though most humans would die in such a flood, they would be able to run to higher ground then still overtaken by water, but their bodies would be afloat and not buried. The types of animals from first layer to top layer are mistaken to be evolutionary path from fish to reptiles.
- Evidence of humans living with pre-historic animals. Ancient Mayan art show a pre-historic looking reptile-bird, which must be living at the time of the Mayans up to 5000 years ago (discovered by Jose Diaz-Bolio).
- The geological ages from Archaeozoic to Pleistocene to Recent should be recalibrated from fossil based age for evolution, to the different stages of the Great Flood.
-

Lent, Pentecost and the Day of the Lord

Lent has started this year on Wednesday, 26 February 2020 and ends on Thursday, 9 April 2020. We are looking for to Pentecost or the Feast of Weeks. This is the fiftieth day after the Passover in the Jewish tradition. Pentecost is also significant to Christians as it is the 'Outpouring of the Holy Spirit' and is the fiftieth day after the Crucifixion of Yshua the Messiah.

Peter the Apostle made a speech on the first Pentecost after Yshua's crucifixion and Resurrection, in which he quoted Joel. The full passage of Joel is given below. However, Peter's quote was only from last part of chapter 2 in Joel. Peter's emphasis was on 'pour out my spirit upon all flesh' and those who call upon the Lord will be saved; because at that time the Holy Spirit was pourd unto believers and that gift of the Spirit and salvation is available to those who called on the Lord.

It is interesting to see that the context of Joel 2 is the the Day of the Lord, which is about endtimes. It also mentions the remnant who call will be saved. Peter's verses can be used to encourage the Gentiles to come to Christ, which is up to the End Times. During those times, when the Christians would have been taken back to be with the Lord, much more of Joel 2 will be fulfilled on earth.

The situation facing the world today is showing the potential of increased severity. It seems that the current events may be a prelude to what will be coming in the future. Hence while Peter was sharing God's Salvation at that time, for us now is the time to also share God's Salvation plans. We should also take hold of the encouragement Joel 2, such as 'Fear not, .., be glad and rejoice' and that God is also going to restore what is lost, and replace it with plenty.


Joel 2 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
2 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,
and sound an alarm in my holy mountain:
let all the inhabitants of the land tremble:
for the day of the Lord cometh,
for it is nigh at hand;
2 a day of darkness and of gloominess,
a day of clouds and of thick darkness,
as the morning spread upon the mountains:
a great people and a strong;
there hath not been ever the like,
neither shall be any more after it,
even to the years of many generations.
3 A fire devoureth before them;
and behind them a flame burneth:
the land is as the garden of Eden before them,
and behind them a desolate wilderness;
yea, and nothing shall escape them.
4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses;
and as horsemen, so shall they run.
5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap,
like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble,
as a strong people set in battle array.
6 Before their face the people shall be much pained:
all faces shall gather blackness.
7 They shall run like mighty men;
they shall climb the wall like men of war;
and they shall march every one on his ways,
and they shall not break their ranks:
8 neither shall one thrust another;
they shall walk every one in his path:
and when they fall upon the sword,
they shall not be wounded.
9 They shall run to and fro in the city;
they shall run upon the wall,
they shall climb up upon the houses;
they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
10 The earth shall quake before them;
the heavens shall tremble:
the sun and the moon shall be dark,
and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
11 and the Lord shall utter his voice before his army:
for his camp is very great:
for he is strong that executeth his word:
for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible;
and who can abide it?

12 Therefore also now, saith the Lord,
turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting,
and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 and rend your heart, and not your garments,
and turn unto the Lord your God:
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and of great kindness,
and repenteth him of the evil.
14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent,
and leave a blessing behind him;
even a meat offering and a drink offering
unto the Lord your God?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
16 gather the people,
sanctify the congregation,
assemble the elders,
gather the children,
and those that suck the breasts:
let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber,
and the bride out of her closet.
17 Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord,
weep between the porch and the altar,
and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord,
and give not thine heritage to reproach,
that the heathen should rule over them:
wherefore should they say among the people,
Where is their God?

18 Then will the Lord be jealous for his land,
and pity his people.
19 Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto his people,
Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil,
and ye shall be satisfied therewith:
and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:
20 but I will remove far off from you the northern army,
and will drive him into a land barren and desolate,
with his face toward the east sea,
and his hinder part toward the utmost sea,
and his stink shall come up,
and his ill savour shall come up,
because he hath done great things.

21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice:
for the Lord will do great things.
22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field:
for the pastures of the wilderness do spring,
for the tree beareth her fruit,
the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion,
and rejoice in the Lord your God:
for he hath given you the former rain moderately,
and he will cause to come down for you the rain,
the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
24 And the floors shall be full of wheat,
and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.

25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,
the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm,
my great army which I sent among you.
26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
that hath dealt wondrously with you:
and my people shall never be ashamed.
27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the Lord your God, and none else:
and my people shall never be ashamed.

28 And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions:
29 and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids
in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth,
blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood,
before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered:
for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance,
as the Lord hath said,
and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

Disastrous storms an fires

The reference to two groups of people, one in which God provides the food for them, while the other would have undesirable food. It describes God's mercy in saving the people who were bitten by snakes, when these people turned towards God. God also sends flood and fire as judgment to the unrighteous, how similar is that to today. In the desert, God provided the manna at the right quantity, so that the people would have to do physical work of collecting it every morning (except Sabbath), and give thanks and recognize the provision from God.



Wisdom 16 (RSVCE)
16 Therefore those men were deservedly punished through such creatures,
and were tormented by a multitude of animals.
2 Instead of this punishment thou didst show kindness to thy people,
and thou didst prepare quails to eat,
a delicacy to satisfy the desire of appetite;
3 in order that those men, when they desired food,
might lose the least remnant of appetite[a]
because of the odious creatures sent to them,
while thy people,[b] after suffering want a short time,
might partake of delicacies.
4 For it was necessary that upon those oppressors inexorable want should come,
while to these it was merely shown how their enemies were being tormented.

5 For when the terrible rage of wild beasts came upon thy people[c]
and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents,
thy wrath did not continue to the end;
6 they were troubled for a little while as a warning,
and received a token of deliverance to remind them of thy law’s command.
7 For he who turned toward it was saved, not by what he saw,
but by thee, the Savior of all.
8 And by this also thou didst convince our enemies
that it is thou who deliverest from every evil.
9 For they were killed by the bites of locusts and flies,
and no healing was found for them,
because they deserved to be punished by such things;
10 but thy sons were not conquered even by the teeth of venomous serpents,
for thy mercy came to their help and healed them.
11 To remind them of thy oracles they were bitten,
and then were quickly delivered,
lest they should fall into deep forgetfulness
and become unresponsive[d] to thy kindness.
12 For neither herb nor poultice cured them,
but it was thy word, O Lord, which heals all men.
13 For thou hast power over life and death;
thou dost lead men down to the gates of Hades and back again.
14 A man in his wickedness kills another,
but he cannot bring back the departed spirit,
nor set free the imprisoned soul.

Disastrous Storms Strike Egypt
15 To escape from thy hand is impossible;
16 for the ungodly, refusing to know thee,
were scourged by the strength of thy arm,
pursued by unusual rains and hail and relentless storms,
and utterly consumed by fire.
17 For—most incredible of all—in the water, which quenches all things,
the fire had still greater effect,
for the universe defends the righteous.
18 At one time the flame was restrained,
so that it might not consume the creatures sent against the ungodly,
but that seeing this they might know
that they were being pursued by the judgment of God;
19 and at another time even in the midst of water it burned more intensely than fire,
to destroy the crops of the unrighteous land.

The Israelites Receive Manna
20 Instead of these things thou didst give thy people food of angels,
and without their toil thou didst supply them from heaven with bread ready to eat,
providing every pleasure and suited to every taste.
21 For thy sustenance manifested thy sweetness toward thy children;
and the bread, ministering[e] to the desire of the one who took it,
was changed to suit every one’s liking.
22 Snow and ice withstood fire without melting,
so that they might know that the crops of their enemies
were being destroyed by the fire that blazed in the hail
and flashed in the showers of rain;
23 whereas the fire,[f] in order that the righteous might be fed,
even forgot its native power.

24 For creation, serving thee who hast made it,
exerts itself to punish the unrighteous,
and in kindness relaxes on behalf of those who trust in thee.
25 Therefore at that time also, changed into all forms,
it served thy all-nourishing bounty,
according to the desire of those who had need,[g]
26 so that thy sons, whom thou didst love, O Lord, might learn
that it is not the production of crops that feeds man,
but that thy word preserves those who trust in thee.
27 For what was not destroyed by fire
was melted when simply warmed by a fleeting ray of the sun,
28 to make it known that one must rise before the sun to give thee thanks,
and must pray to thee at the dawning of the light;
29 for the hope of an ungrateful man will melt like wintry frost,
and flow away like waste water.