The
Woman of Proverbs Chapter 31 reveals a number of Bride characteristics.
As we look closely, we will gain much insight and instruction for
our own preparation. We had before noted
some of the Bride characteristics as seen in Ruth. Notice now the
similarity between what is said of Ruth, and of the Woman of
Proverbs 31:
And now, my
daughter, fear not;
I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my
people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
(Ruth 3:11)
Who can
find a virtuous woman? for her price is
far
above rubies. (Proverbs
31:10) The common thread here is
that the
Bride is seen as a virtuous woman. This
phrase is a "loose
thread" link for the Bride-Candidates' benefit, so that she might
easily trace the Bride-clues through the Scriptures. There
are many of these loose threads, which we will try to discuss in
another writing.
The phrase "virtuous woman" appears
3 times in Scripture, giving us an immediate announcement that this is
a "resurrection" phrase, signaling its importance. The
word virtuous is Strong's number
<02428>. It
comes from the Hebrew word <02342>, which means "to be
formed, brought forth, to be pained, trembled, and to
travail." This is one description of what Yahuweh is doing
with the Bride, and in the Bride.
She
Feeds Her HouseholdNotice that every
verse of Prov 31:10-31 gives us revelation as to some quality of the
Bride, but here we will look at only a few highlights:
She
riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat
to her household, and a portion to her maidens. (Proverbs
31:15) Her
rising while it is yet night is not only an ongoing feature in the
natural sense, of her diligence. It is also a prophetic
portrayal
of her
resurrection when the Bridegroom arrives at the midnight hour, after
which she continues to give meat
(Heb. "prey, spoil, and ravenings") to her
household (by virtue of the Elijah-mantle
she has passed on to the Elisha Company). Here the use of the
word "ravenings" in the definition of meat reminds
us of
The Blessing of Benjamin in (Gen 49:27).
It
was prophesied of Benjamin, that he would "ravin"
as a wolf, and "at night shall
divide the spoil." The wolf is well known
to fill up her belly with meat, and then go back to
disgorge the contents for her young offspring. Such is the
behaviour of the Bride, who feeds ravenously on the Word, only to pass
it on to her household, when darkness begins.
We
then see that she gives a "portion" (Heb
"statutes, ordinances, and
commandments") to her maidens - those that will
become the Bride-Candidates.
We
then must ask, "Who
are these of the household? Who are the maidens - that
will be fed by the Bride?"
He
hath given
meat unto them that fear him..." (Psalms
111:5a) So
we see that it is those that choose the Fear of the LORD (the
Fear of Yahuweh) that will receive the meat, and the portion
intended for the maidens.
She Considers a
FieldNext we see another major attribute of the Bride:
She
considereth<02161> a
field, and buyeth<03947>
it... (Proverbs
31:16) We saw in The
3-Fold Harvest
that the Yahuweh's entire Harvest of souls is represented
by one
Harvest Field, and actually consists of 3 separate
resurrection-phases. We then note the word definitions of
Strong's
number <02161> and <03947>.
The Hebrew word zamam
<02161> is used 13 times, flagging this word as an
important Bride-attribute word. Here we see in the above
passage, that the Bride considers
- meaning
"purposes, devises,
and considers" - the Field (the 3 phases of the "Harvest").
This
implies that she is diligently searching, considering the Word of
Yahuweh, with a purpose in mind.
We then see that
she buys
the Harvest-Field. The Hebrew word laqach
<03947> means "to take, get, fetch, lay
hold of,
seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take
away." These attributes all speak of the attitudes
and
actions of the Bride, even suggesting some of the Purposes of
the Bridegroom.
Now let's look at a related passage:
Again,
the
kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a
field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof
goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
(Matt 13:44) In
the above Proverbs 31:16 passage, we saw the Virtuous Woman as one who
is diligently
searching the Word of Yahuweh. Likewise, we are given a hint
as to the
meaning of Matt 13:44 from the chapter and verse numbers: Thirteen is
a Bride number, for it
speaks of love; and 44 speaks of ones walk, or lifestyle (See Prophetic
Numbers In Scripture).
Now
compare the Proverbs passage: "She
considers a field, and buys it." Just as in
the Matt 13:44 passage, we note that as the Bride finds the treasures
hidden in the Scriptures, she
willingly gives up all
she owns, as to her own previous understanding, and all her
earthly
valuables - such as reputation, friendships, and riches. In
exchange, she obtains an inexhaustible treasure.
Such is
the normal way of life for the Bride, as she goes about her kingdom
preparation activities.
Her Candle is Not
ExtinguishedNext we are reminded:
"...her
candle <05216> goeth not out
by night." (Proverbs
31:18b) The Hebrew word for candle <05216>
meaning "lamp,"
continues even at night - during the times
of great darkness. But what
is the prophetic meaning of the lamp?
Thy
word is a lamp <05216> unto
my feet,
and a light <0216> unto my path.
(Psalms
119:105)-NUN
For the commandment is
a lamp <05216>;
and the Torah <08451> is light
<0216>; and reproofs of instruction are the
way of
life. (Proverbs
6:23)
The light
<0216>
of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp
<05216> of the
wicked shall be put out. (Proverbs 13:9) In
the above passages are a
few of many where we see the prophetic meaning of the lamp,
and of the
light given off from the lamp. These basic
Bible definitions will be of
great
significance when we address the issue of the five wise and
five foolish virgins.
So
we see that the
Virtuous Woman of Proverbs 31 is a light
to those around
her, because she is allowing the Bridegroom to "live out" the
Torah
in
her life. Her candle-lamp does not go out during time of
darkness - she now allows "Messiah in Her" to walk in her today, in
the same obedience of keeping Torah, as when He walked in His own body
2,000 years ago.
She Makes herself
Coverings A
highly significant quality of the Bride
is seen in the following passage:
She
maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk
<08336> and purple <0713>.
(Proverbs
31:22) Here we see the prophetic
message by association, as well as
by tracing definitions of individual Hebrew words.
Here we see an
association of
coverings/deckings with silk (Heb.
<08336> meaning "white linen") which speaks of
"righteousness by faith." We see also her clothing includes purple,
which
speaks of "covering," illuminating for us another important facet
of the
Bride - her appointed coverings. (See the Covering
of the Bride)
Three Choices: Grace,
Beauty, or Fear of the LORDAlthough
there are many more pictures within the Proverbs 31 passages, we will
show only one more in this writing.
Favour
<02580> is deceitful <08267>,
and
beauty is vain: but a
woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be
praised. (Proverbs
31:30) The
last two verses of Proverbs 31 serve as a warning to those that would
be among the Bride Company, and also to the "Virgins her companions"
that
follow her, who come afterwards. First we are shown three
possible directions of focus, which the Bride-Candidates may
choose to focus on. The
first is Grace;
the second is Beauty/beautifying
(her own preparation for the Wedding to the King); the third
is
gaining the Fear of the LORD (Yahuweh).
Some
Choose GraceFirst, we
see Grace as a possible focus for the
Bride-Candidate.
The word for Favour is
the Hebrew word chen - Strong's number
<02580> meaning "Grace."
Here we are told that Grace is
deceitful <08267>
meaning "a
lie, falsehood, and deceit." Surely we are saved
by
Grace through Faith. So what does this Proverb reveal to us?
Most
teachings of Grace
today have gone beyond what Scripture actually says.
Today, most
Bible
teachers have abandoned the ancient practice of allowing
Scripture to define Scriptural words. By
simply re-defining Bible words with man's own definitions, men have
poisoned the true Bible Grace teaching. As a result, much of
the Grace teachings today have become men's
paradigms of
grace - "a way of looking" at Grace. Some of these 'Grace' teachings have
become "doctrines of
men." This issue of Biblical Grace
is discussed more fully in a separate teaching.
So,
as the Proverb
says, much of today's 'Grace'
teaching is truly, "a lie, falsehood, and deceit."
This is a warning to
the Bride: Man's false teachings of Grace today (those that replace
the true teachings of Grace as defined by the Bible)
will actually prevent the
believer today from gaining her Bridal garments, and will
also
disqualify one from being among the Bride's companions.
Some Choose BeautyThe
second possible focus for the Bride-Candidate is on
Beauty/beautifying - of the Bride's preparation for the
Wedding to the King. This preparation is a good and
noble
focus. But as we are told in
the Passage above, this focus is "vain" - it is empty, and will result
in lack of fruit. We are told in many ways throughout
Scripture,
that the beauty of the tree may come from its many branches and green
leaves. But the tree will be not be judged by the appearance of the leaves, or the beauty of the tree. The tree will be judged only by the
fruit it
produces - and since the "Seed" is Righteousness,
and the "Tree" is Righteousness, so also must the
"Fruit" be. The
real Fruit comes from choosing the last of the
three - the "Fear of the
LORD."
Some Bride-candidates today are
focusing on beautifying - on "preparation
of the Bride" as their main focus. They have not considered
that the Master will be looking for Fruit when He
comes. They have not considered what kind of Fruit
the Master will be looking for.
Some
Choose the Fear of YahuwehThe reader would do well
to
investigate the qualities
seen in all 28 of the passages containing the phrase, "Fear of
the
LORD"
(The Fear of Yahuweh). Here is where one may find the Bride
issues laid out in
detail.
It is here where the Fruit is described.
It is
in putting
these into Action, where the Fruit will be found:
Give
her of the
fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her
in the gates. (Proverbs
31:31) As we see above in the last
verse of Prov 31, the
Fruit of the "Fear of the LORD" is her works,
which will praise her. It is the Fruit of her works
that will give testimony of the true Biblical Grace
- of the power of the Bridegroom
working within the Bride, to produce the Fruit
of Righteousness. For
those that do not choose the "Fear of the LORD," but instead choose Grace
or Beauty, we are told the following
result:
Then shall they call
upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me
early, but they shall not find me:
For
(because) that they hated knowledge, and did
not choose the fear of the LORD... (Proverbs 1:29) These
Proverbs give grave and serious warnings to those Bride-Candidates who
desire to be among the Bride company.
When the Bridegroom knocks, some will be seriously
lacking in what they need, unless they "choose wisely" in advance.
These
few examples of the Proverbs 31 Woman are given, in order that the
Bride-Candidate might be
spurred to further investigating, on her own, some of the many Bride
preparation issues. Abundant light has been sown, or
planted, and there is much light to be reaped. May
the Bride-Candidate glean much light during the
time of Harvest.
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