2020 Vision…just a few thoughts.
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
I just want you for now to look at the first part of what Solomon said here. “Where there is no vision, the people perish”. This is from the KJV and interpreted from the Masoretic Hebrew text. Some other translations say that “without vision the people run wild or the people are naked.” The word used here in Hebrew for perish is pawrah. This word comes from a womans hair. The “nakedness” of a woman in Hebrew culture had to do with her hair. It was a euphemism for when her hair was not covered or loosened in public and was down, she was “naked” so to speak. It is like when I don’t wear my wedding ring for whatever reason, I feel “naked”. So the thought here with what Solomon said is this, without vision the people just aren’t themselves. They are spiritually exposed and naked.
Now read this definition and notice this word means to UNCOVER. (P-RAh) – Loose: To uncover, remove or let go. Such as to make naked by removing clothing or uncovering the head. Ironically this word was used as naked in Exodus 32:25 “And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)” This is when Moses came off of the mountain and saw the debauchery of the sin of the Golden calf. You can not only see that they were physically naked but in this case of not having a “vision”, they were spiritually naked. The red heifer came about because of this sin of the golden calf. They waited and waited for Moses and because of their impatients, they took the gold and made an idol of the Apis bull worshipping Osiris once again.
Now the word here for “vision” in Hebrew is châzôn. This is mentally seeing something in a vision, dream or by revelation. This is also used for a prophesy. It is “to see something that is not physically present or the ability to see beyond what is seen in the physical present as a light piercing through the darkness.” People nowadays don’t have a sound teacher or pastor to physically listen to. They have no vision spiritually speaking because they have no leader. And quite honestly the only leader they need is Jesus Christ but they have rejected sound doctrine and have been found naked and wandering this world aimlessly. In the year of seeing spiritually with eyes to see, people are more blinded than ever. 2020 is just another year for most but soon people will “see”, this is more than just any other year.
I do like what John Gill’s Commentary says though. “Now, where there is no preaching, men perish in their sins; the word being the ordinary means of grace, of regeneration, conversion, faith, and salvation; without which, men know nothing of Christ, of peace, pardon, righteousness, and eternal life by him: and where there is preaching, yet it not being of the right kind, there is no spiritual knowledge spread by it, no food for souls under it; they perish with hunger, as the prodigal did, or are in starving and famishing circumstances; no comfort for the people of God, who perish in their comforts under such a ministry, 1Co 8:11; and poison is spread among others; false doctrine eats as a canker, and destroys souls. Again, where there is right vision and prophecy, or true preaching of the word, and that is despised and neglected, men perish notwithstanding;”
“The word translated “perish” has various senses, which agree with the text. It may be rendered, “the people become idle”, or “cease” s; from the performance of good works, grow dissolute in their manners, and licentious in their practices: or “they become refractory” t; fierce, obstinate, and ungovernable, and rebel against their superiors: or they are “made naked” u; stripped of their ornaments; of their privileges, civil as well as religious, which is often the case where no vision is; as well as of all virtue and morality, and of the blessing and protection of God;”
LXX
There shall be no interpreter to a sinful nation: but he that observes the law is blessed.
So what do we do to repair this spiritual debauchery that as a people and nation we have gotten ourselves into? Repent. Then proclaim Jesus is LORD. We cannot keep the law as Paul already tells us. We need Jesus. We need to follow Him and His commandments. Love the LORD GOD. Love your neighbor. And by loving them that means sometimes being brutally honest with them. Jesus is the only way.
Coverdale Bible
Where no prophet is, there the people perishe: but well is him that kepeth the lawe.
Now one last thing…Isn’t it fitting how these scripture all fall into it’s perfect order? Remember what Jesus said to the final church of the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:18? “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” We should all take Proverbs 29:18 to heart in the year of perfect vision.
Let me add this too…
This goes along with the 2020 Proverbs post. Above is the Hebrew on how it would actually be written. “Where there is no revelation cast off restraint”. Wow. That is very telling. Brought this to mind when I read that.
“Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And now you know that which is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will continue until one arises from out of the midst.”
And I want you to look at H2020 and G2020 for Strong’s. Look at what these words mean and where they come from. Deliverance and to grow light. Natsal is the Hebrew word for “catching away”.
Hidden in the Crag 