Word
of God
But he replied and
said, "It is written, 'It is not by bread alone that a man
lives, except by every word that issues from the mouth of God
The Gospel According
to Matthew 4:4
The
Book of Psalm 1:6
All commentary
and study notes are prefaced/edited by Dr. Riktor Von Zhades
For the Lord knoweth
the way of the righteous, and the way of the wicked shall perish.
Brethren:
In continuing the
the line of reasoning from the previous two verses we see the end
results of the divergent paths of both types of men. In the former we
see how God acknowledges those that walk in His ways and tread upon
the paths of righteousness. In the latter example, we find that the
ungodly are not so fortunate. It has been put forth, in these
studies, the proposition that there are two paths that lead to the
seat of judgment before the Living God. One is His way, and the other
the ways of mankind. One wherein we are guided and instructed by the
wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and the other guided by the carnal
knowledge of men. The path one chooses will come before God on the
final day; so it is asked, which road will you take in this life? -
Dr. RVZ
“God must have all
the glory of the prosperity and happiness of the righteous. They are
blessed because the Lord knows their way; he chose them into it,
inclined them to choose it, leads and guides them in it, and orders
all their steps. Sinners must bear all the blame of their own
destruction. Therefore the ungodly perish, because the very way in
which they have chosen and resolved to walk leads directly to
destruction; it naturally tends towards ruin and therefore must
necessarily end in it. Or we may take it thus, The Lord approves and
is well pleased with the way of the righteous, and therefore, under
the influence of his gracious smiles, it shall prosper and end well;
but he is angry at the way of the wicked, all they do is offensive to
him, and therefore it shall perish, and they in it. It is certain
that every man’s judgment proceeds from the Lord, and it is well or
ill with us, and is likely to be so to all eternity, accordingly as
we are or are not accepted of God. Let this support the drooping
spirits of the righteous, that the Lord knows their way, knows their
hearts (Read Jeremiah 12:3), knows their secret devotions (Read
Matthew 6:6), knows their character, how much soever it is blackened
and blemished by the reproaches of men, and will shortly make them
and their way manifest before the world, to their immortal joy and
honour. Let this cast a damp upon the security and jollity of
sinners, that their way, though pleasant now, will perish at last.
[Henceforth], let us
possess ourselves with a holy dread of the wicked man’s portion,
and deprecate it with a firm and lively expectation of the judgment
to come, and stir up ourselves to prepare for it, and with a holy
care to approve ourselves to God in every thing, entreating his
favour with our whole hearts.” Matthew Henry 17th
Century Theologian
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