Vian Baptist Church
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. For this article I am going to do something I do not normally do. I am going to let the older generation of Godly men preach this one for me. “Vision” is actually spiritual understanding. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer to give him understanding of the Word of God. – J. Vernon McGee & John Wesley both said this in their writings.
See here: The misery of the people that want a settled ministry: Where there is no vision, no prophet to expound the law, no priest or Levite to teach the good knowledge of the Lord, no means of grace, the word of the Lord is scarce, there is no open vision (lSamuel_3:l), where it is so the people perish; the word has many significations, any of which will apply here. 1 Samuel 3:1 “ And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.”
1. The people are made naked, stripped of their ornaments and so exposed to shame, stripped of their armour and so exposed to danger. How bare does a place look without Bibles and ministers, and what an easy prey is it to the enemy of souls!
2. The people rebel, not only against God, but against their prince; good preaching would make people good subjects, but, for want of it, they are turbulent and factious, and despise dominions, because they know no better.
3. The people are idle, or they play, as the scholars are apt to do when the master is absent; they do nothing to any good purpose, but stand all the day idle, and sporting in the market-place, for want of instruction what to do and how to do it.
4. They are scattered as sheep having no shepherd, for want of the masters of assemblies to call them and keep them together, Mark_6:34. They are scattered from God and their duty by apostasies, from one another by divisions; God is provoked to scatter them by his judgments, 2Chronicles_15:3, 2Chronicles_15:5.
5. They perish; they are destroyed for lack of knowledge, Hosea_4:6. See what reason we have to be thankful to God for the plenty of open vision, which we enjoy, -written by Matthew Henry
A. Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint: The revelation in mind here is not the spontaneous word from a purported prophet. It is God’s great revelation, His revealed word through the Hebrew prophets and later the apostles and prophets who gave us the New Testament. When God’s word is unavailable or rejected, the people cast off restraint. They no longer have a standard greater than their own feelings or current opinions. i. Other translations (such as the King James Version) express this in these words: where there is no vision, the people perish. This has often been taken to say, “Where there is no visionary leadership, people and enterprises fail.” That is often a true principle, but not what Solomon wrote here. There is little doubt that the Hebrew word hazon means “God’s revelation,” and not “visionary leadership.” “In sum, hazon refers here to the sage’s inspired revelation of wisdom.” (Waltke) ii. “The word hazon refers to divine communication to prophets (as in lSamuel_3:l) and not to individual goals that are formed.” (Ross) iii. Revelation: “…is to be taken in its exact sense of the revelation a prophet receives.” (Kidner) iv. “Where Divine revelation, and the faithful preaching of the sacred testimonies, are neither reverenced nor attended, the ruin of that land is at no great distance.” (Clarke) v. “No greater calamity, therefore, can there be than the removal of the revelation…. Where revelation is withdrawn from a church, the people perish in ignorance and delusion.” (Bridges) B. The people cast off restraint: This principle was lived out in Israel’s history. Judges_17:6; Judges_ 21:25, and lSamuel_3:l all describe such times when God’s word was abandoned, and the people lived with no restraint. i. Cast off restraint: “Or, is made naked; stripped of their best ornaments, God’s favour and protection, as this word is taken, Exodua_32:25.” (Poole) C. Happy is he who keeps the law: In contrast, there is happiness and contentment for the one who keeps the law. In this sense, the Bible is something like a guide given to us by our owner and creator, telling us how to live a wise and blessed life. It is within restraint, but not in an oppressive sense. Only a fool thinks that all restraint is oppressive. i. He who keeps the law: “Although the want of God’s word be sufficient for men’s destruction, yet the having, and hearing, or reading of it is not sufficient for their salvation, except they also keep or obey it.” (Poole) – collected and recorded by E.W. Bullinger I want to end with what Clarke said to those of his day: “Where Divine revelation, and the faithful preaching of the sacred testimonies, are neither reverenced nor attended, the ruin of that land is at no great distance.” (Adam Clarke) Where is our country today? Is this not true of this century, day and age?
