Pro 3:11-12 | KingComments | STEP | counterbalance . Generally speaking, God blesses when we give Him what He asks of us. But that doesn’t mean He doesn’t reproof and discipline or punish us. It’s not opposite each other, but side by side. It shows the balance of God’s Word. We see this with Job. It says of Job three times that he was blameless, upright and fearing God and that he turned away from evil ( ). Yet God takes everything away from him ( ). As incomprehensible as such a thing may be to us, yet it is God’s love for Job that He acts this way with him. We must read the entire book to begin to understand something of this. This four-line poem from can serve well as a motto for the book of Job. describes the problem it addresses, and its solution. Here the father again speaks to “my son”, indicating that he is speaking from the intimate relationship he has with him. He reminds him not to reject the admonition “of the LORD”. It is important to remember that the discipline comes from Him. The same goes for the reproof. It is His reproof. The motive for the discipline and reproof that God gives is that He “loves”. When God reproves, it is because He loves us. He sees what we still lack in dependence on Him or where dangers threaten that we become independent of Him. To make us aware of that, He reproves us. The question is how we respond to God’s reproof. In the father warns his son not to reject the discipline or reproof of the LORD and not to loathe His reproof. The reason is written in . There we read that His discipline and reproof are evidence of His love (cf. ). Such expressions of love take place in the father-son relationship (cf. ). ‘Rejecting the discipline’ means to despise it, that we act as if it means nothing. In that case we do not bow under the reproof, which causes that it misses its purpose. ‘To loathe the reproof’ means that we detest it because it is an unbearable burden and therefore we are unwilling to accept discipline. Then we succumb to discipline and also then it misses its purpose. These are two opposite responses. They both indicate that the purpose of discipline is not understood and therefore not accepted. are quoted in the letter to the Hebrews ( ). This proves that the proverbs have a wider application than just for the son of Solomon. In the letter mentioned, they are held out to the believing Hebrews whose faith was severely tested. The writer of that letter holds out these verses to them to remind them that tribulations are not accidental unpleasant circumstances, but show God’s interference with them. They had forgotten that and they needed to be reminded of that. It is often the same with us. It is also important for us that precisely when we are going through a difficult time, we are reminded that God is concerned with us. The discipline and reproof come from a God Who deals with us “even as a father [corrects] the son in whom he delights”. This indicates the mind God has for us. He “delights” in us. He is not up to do us any evil, but only good. Satan has only evil in mind and seeks our destruction ( ). Wicked persons hate us and cast us out ( ). But God brings suffering upon us because He loves us ( ; ; cf. ). Because God disciplines in love, discipline or reproof will never harm us even though the pain is felt. Discipline is the evidence of sonship. The purpose of God’s discipline is that “we may share His holiness” ( ). Discipline is done in love, by a Father Who is well delights in us. In the son in whom He delights we see above all the love of the Father for His Son. There is a big difference, though, between Christ as the Son and us as sons. We need correction; He never needed it. He was always the good pleasure of the Father. He always did what was pleasing to Him. Therefore, the Father found His full joy in the life the Son lived. It answered His will perfectly. Therefore, with the Lord Jesus there was nothing to be disciplined or reproved ( ; ; ; ).

‏ Proverbs 3:11-12

Discipline of the LORD

Pro 3:11-12 counterbalance Pro 3:9-10. Generally speaking, God blesses when we give Him what He asks of us. But that doesn’t mean He doesn’t reproof and discipline or punish us. It’s not opposite each other, but side by side. It shows the balance of God’s Word.

We see this with Job. It says of Job three times that he was blameless, upright and fearing God and that he turned away from evil (Job 1:1 ; 8 ; Job 2:3). Yet God takes everything away from him (Job 1:13-19 ; Job 2:4-8). As incomprehensible as such a thing may be to us, yet it is God’s love for Job that He acts this way with him. We must read the entire book to begin to understand something of this. This four-line poem from Pro 3:11-12 can serve well as a motto for the book of Job. Pro 3:11 describes the problem it addresses, and Pro 3:12 its solution.

Here the father again speaks to “my son”, indicating that he is speaking from the intimate relationship he has with him. He reminds him not to reject the admonition “of the LORD”. It is important to remember that the discipline comes from Him. The same goes for the reproof. It is His reproof. The motive for the discipline and reproof that God gives is that He “loves”. When God reproves, it is because He loves us. He sees what we still lack in dependence on Him or where dangers threaten that we become independent of Him. To make us aware of that, He reproves us.

The question is how we respond to God’s reproof. In Pro 3:11 the father warns his son not to reject the discipline or reproof of the LORD and not to loathe His reproof. The reason is written in Pro 3:12. There we read that His discipline and reproof are evidence of His love (cf. 2Sam 7:14). Such expressions of love take place in the father-son relationship (cf. Deu 8:5).

‘Rejecting the discipline’ means to despise it, that we act as if it means nothing. In that case we do not bow under the reproof, which causes that it misses its purpose. ‘To loathe the reproof’ means that we detest it because it is an unbearable burden and therefore we are unwilling to accept discipline. Then we succumb to discipline and also then it misses its purpose. These are two opposite responses. They both indicate that the purpose of discipline is not understood and therefore not accepted.

Pro 3:11-12 are quoted in the letter to the Hebrews (Heb 12:5-11). This proves that the proverbs have a wider application than just for the son of Solomon. In the letter mentioned, they are held out to the believing Hebrews whose faith was severely tested. The writer of that letter holds out these verses to them to remind them that tribulations are not accidental unpleasant circumstances, but show God’s interference with them. They had forgotten that and they needed to be reminded of that. It is often the same with us. It is also important for us that precisely when we are going through a difficult time, we are reminded that God is concerned with us.

The discipline and reproof come from a God Who deals with us “even as a father [corrects] the son in whom he delights”. This indicates the mind God has for us. He “delights” in us. He is not up to do us any evil, but only good. Satan has only evil in mind and seeks our destruction (1Pet 5:8). Wicked persons hate us and cast us out (Lk 6:22). But God brings suffering upon us because He loves us (Heb 12:6; Rev 3:19; cf. Pro 13:24). Because God disciplines in love, discipline or reproof will never harm us even though the pain is felt.

Discipline is the evidence of sonship. The purpose of God’s discipline is that “we may share His holiness” (Heb 12:10). Discipline is done in love, by a Father Who is well delights in us. In the son in whom He delights we see above all the love of the Father for His Son. There is a big difference, though, between Christ as the Son and us as sons. We need correction; He never needed it. He was always the good pleasure of the Father. He always did what was pleasing to Him. Therefore, the Father found His full joy in the life the Son lived. It answered His will perfectly. Therefore, with the Lord Jesus there was nothing to be disciplined or reproved (Mt 3:17; 1Pet 2:22; 2Cor 5:21; 1Jn 3:5).