For God and Our Instruction

Proverbs 31:1-9

1 The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:

2 What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, son of my vows?

3 Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.

4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
5 Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.

6 Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
7 Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.

8 Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

Written by Lemuel, meaning "for God," this last chapter of prudent or wise maxims to live by as given by his mother (but ultimately from God) may have been written by Solomon (as verses 8-9 indicate) and addressed by this name, but it is uncertain and really is not crucial because it is God’s word given to us here by their hand.  It is a reminder of heeding what we have been as Paul later reminds his spiritual son in 2 Timothy 1:5 as to where the instruction came from.  The first instruction then is not to allow passion to take away the strength to rule and wage war as kings do; of course we are not all rulers, but the principles for spiritual warfare and personal holiness in keeping the purity of these temples still applies.  If we dole out our strength meant to be used in God’s service elsewhere, we are ineffective and it could literally wipe us out in many ways.  If this Lemuel was Solomon, then the warning of Deuteronomy 17:17 was given by God through his mother as a warning against all the pagan wives which ultimately destroyed his reign (1 Kings 11:4).  It is also the basis of the warning not to be unequally yoked in relationships or marriage with unbelievers as we are commanded in 2 Corinthians 6:14.  There is also an applicable warning of drunkenness as unfitting for rulers (and servants) because it causes us to forget what God’s word instructs and commands us to do in following and honoring Him.  How can we glorify our Sovereign if the temporal sovereigns and citizens of the heavenly country forget His word and act unjustly with others whom we are called to love as ourselves?  No, strong drink is meant to be given to those perishing who are bitter against God and man.  They drink to forget the poor situation of their souls in their misery apart from the Lord, a situation we are not in if we are in Christ, so it makes no sense to join in with the hopeless in such drunken stupors.  We are instead to serve as kings and priests (Revelation 5:10) by speaking up for those unable to defend themselves and are on their way to an eternal death (Proverbs 24:11).  We are to be honest and fair to judge rightly righteously and to plead for the poor who cannot afford it and the needy who need support and help in mercy and grace.  These things are for our instruction and for God as the name Lemuel implies, dear Theophilus, lover of God (Luke 1:3, Acts 1:1).