Today we are walking in: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WISE VIRGINS — PART 3!
Mishlei (Proverbs) 11:2
When pride comes, then comes shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
LOWLY
When pride comes, then comes shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
LOWLY
Today we look to the word—LOWLY—H6800—tsana—to be modest, humble, or lowly.
The Torah Testifies……….
Shemoth (Exodus) 10:3
And Mosheh and Aharon came in unto Phar’oh, and said unto him, Thus says YAHUAH ELOHIYM of the Ivriym, How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Vayiqra (Leviticus) 26:41
And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity.
Devariym (Deuteronomy) 8:2
And you shall remember all the way which YAHUAH ELOHAYKA led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would guard his commandments, or no.
Shemoth (Exodus) 10:3
And Mosheh and Aharon came in unto Phar’oh, and said unto him, Thus says YAHUAH ELOHIYM of the Ivriym, How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Vayiqra (Leviticus) 26:41
And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity.
Devariym (Deuteronomy) 8:2
And you shall remember all the way which YAHUAH ELOHAYKA led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would guard his commandments, or no.
The Prophets Proclaim………
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 57:15
For thus says the High and Lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble ruach, to revive the ruach of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Miykah (Micah) 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does YAHUAH require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your ELOHIYM?
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 66:2
For all those things has my hand made, and all those things have been, says YAHUAH: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite ruach, and trembles at my word.
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 57:15
For thus says the High and Lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble ruach, to revive the ruach of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Miykah (Micah) 6:8
He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does YAHUAH require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your ELOHIYM?
Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 66:2
For all those things has my hand made, and all those things have been, says YAHUAH: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite ruach, and trembles at my word.
The Writings Witness………
Mishlei (Proverbs) 11:2
When pride comes, then comes shame: but with the lowly H6800 is wisdom.
Mishlei (Proverbs) 22:4
By humility and the fear of YAHUAH are riches, and honour, and life.
Divrei Hayamiym Sheniy (2 Chronicles) 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
For this series, we are focusing on those characteristics of wisdom that set the Wise Virgins apart from the Foolish Virgins. In Part 1, we looked at the following words spoken by YAHUSHA HA’MASHIACH:
“They that were ready went in with Him [the Bridegroom] to the marriage” (Mattithyahu 25:10)
In speaking this parable, YAHUSHA taught His disciples the importance of being ready for a marriage — “the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Chizayon 19:7-9)
In the Mattithyahu 25 parable, we are given the vital key for being ready for marriage to the Bridegroom:
the Wise Virgins had wisdom, but the Foolish Virgins lacked wisdom!
It was the Wise Virgins who were ready to go in with the Bridegroom. And it is the same with us today. If we desire to BE ready, we too must have the same wisdom!
Walking in Wisdom
As a brief summary of Part 2, we looked in depth at the wisdom of hearing and obeying the counsel and instruction of Scripture. We saw the great importance of using discernment for testing what our source of wisdom is! We learned that by the wisdom of our obedience to YAHUAH’S written Word [the Scriptures], YAHUAH enables us to be made ready.
Now, the next wisdom characteristic we will look at is:
The one who is wise is humble!
The wise walk in ‘humility’!
The Wisdom of Humility
This characteristic of the Wise Virgins is found in Mishlei 11:
With the lowly is wisdom (Mishlei 11:2b)
This English word ‘lowly’ is the Hebrew root word ‘tsana‘ (Strong’s #6800), meaning humbly, lowly, with the implication to humiliate.
The one who is truly wise will have a humble, lowly ruach, even choosing to bow down, as if to humiliate yourself before YAHUAH ELOHIYM.
This Hebrew word ‘tsana‘ is used not as often as the other Hebrew words for ‘humble’. But all the Hebrew words for humble or lowly have the general idea of looking down, to bend the knee, humble (self), downcast, meek, poor, and lowly.
This is a very important principle seen throughout the Scriptures: we are to be of a humble ruach, willing to humble ourselves. The Scriptures show repeatedly that having humility is a prerequisite, a necessary requirement for receiving YAHUAH’S blessings, wisdom, and guidance.
Whenever we see the word ‘humble’ in the Scriptures, many times it is YAHUAH speaking to us, urging us by His RUACH, saying: “Humble yourself!” We are to make this first step of humility toward YAHUAH, before we can know His direction or intervention on our behalf. YAHUAH does indeed want us to know His direction, but we must first humble ourselves by choosing to seek Him of our own free will!
Being of a humble ruach therefore, is a choice! Often it is an on-going, day-by-day choice. Over and over, we must make the choice to be tender-hearted, humble, repentant, and at times, of a broken ruach. If we desire the blessings of YAHUAH’S presence, wisdom, and grace, then we will quickly learn that humility before YAHUAH is the only pathway to these treasures.
If we are genuinely humble, then we will be ‘lowly’! We will be empty of self-righteousness! Being lowly means we will be deflated, not puffed up with pride, not hard-hearted, not selfish. The humble, the lowly, will choose to be tender-hearted, respectful, teachable, and open to correction. And, the humble will ask Father YAHUAH often for His help and strength, and admit their needs, their weaknesses and sorrows, and express their joys and thankfulness.
Our natural tendency is to be hard, tough, and self-sufficient. Therefore we must frequently seek YAHUAH’S mercy and grace to help us choose to be of a humble ruach.
Rewards of Humility
Let us recall what King David knew: “YAHUAH will listen to the prayers of the lowly. He will not forget the cry of the humble” (Tehilliym 10:17; 9:12b).
Notice the rich treasures we gain when we are humble:
If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (Divrei Hayamiym Sheniy 7:14)
Because your heart was tender, and you did humble yourself before ELOHIYM, when you heard His words … I have even heard you also, says YAHUAH. (Divrei Hayamiym Sheniy 34:27)
For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I [YAHUAH] dwell in the high and holy place, dwell with him also that is of a contrite [sorrowful] and humble ruach, to revive the ruach of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Yeshayahu 57:15)
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Mattithyahu 18:4)
Humble yourselves in the sight of YAHUAH, and He shall lift you up. (Ya’aqov 4:10)
As the above Scriptures teach, the rewards for humility are numerous! YAHUAH promises to hear and answer the prayers of the humble, the repentant. He promises to restore and lift up the humble. YAHUAH rewards the humble with His care, wisdom, and grace (Tehilliym 138:6 and Ya’aqov 4:6)! The humble seek and receive YAHUAH’S direction and help.
Those who walk with YAHUAH in humility, as innocent as a little child, will inspire YAHUAH’S parental instincts. But without humility, we will not have the heart of a ‘little child,’ as Mashiach urges us to have (Mattithyahu 18:3-4)!
As we saw in Entering the Kingdom of Heaven, the lowly, the bending-the-knee quality of humility is absolutely necessary for YAHUAH’S children to begin to know the Heavenly Father. Humility is necessary for us to apply the characteristic we discussed in Part 2 — “hearkening to counsel.” In Part 2, we saw that Miryam, Martha’s sister, is a perfect example of a Wise Virgin! Miryam exhibited humility by choosing to bend-the-knee – “sitting at YAHUSHA’S feet, listening to His Word.” (Luqas 10:39)
He Humbled Himself
IF we want more wisdom from our Heavenly Father, then we will seek to learn and follow our Savior’s example of humility:
Let this mind be in you, which was also in YAHUSHA HA’MASHIACH: … [Who] emptied Himself,… and being found in human form, He [YAHUSHA] humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (see Philippiym 2:5-8)
YAHUSHA humbled Himself by becoming obedient! He emptied Himself of all His rightful authority, glory, and divine nature. He humbled Himself, and became a servant! Notice: it takes humility to be empty! It takes humility to be obedient to YAHUAH’S written Word.
If we desire to be among the Wise Virgins, then we will give earnest heed to the RUACH HA’QODESH’S persistent exhortation to us throughout the Scriptures: “Be Humble!”
When we make the choices, over and over again, to ‘bow down’ and walk humbly with our ELOHIYM, then we will reap the rewards of knowing the wisdom that is from above: the wisdom that is pure, peaceable, and full of mercy and good fruits (Ya’aqov 3:17).
The Greatest Benefit
As we saw in Part 1, the greatest benefit of being wise is to become ready — ready to go in to the marriage with the Bridegroom! The way we acquire that readiness is to do what YAHUAH exhorts: ‘Get Wisdom!‘
By our earnest efforts to be obedient to YAHUAH’S Word, He enables us to BE ready that we might be among the company of the Wise Virgins. Therefore stay close to the Savior, seeking His grace and mercy, and remember this absolutely necessary characteristic of the Wise Virgins:
choosing to be of a humble and lowly ruach.
Those who do this, are well on their way to walking in The Way of Wisdom, thus making themselves ready for the Bridegroom!
Mishlei (Proverbs) 11:2
When pride comes, then comes shame: but with the lowly H6800 is wisdom.
Mishlei (Proverbs) 22:4
By humility and the fear of YAHUAH are riches, and honour, and life.
Divrei Hayamiym Sheniy (2 Chronicles) 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
For this series, we are focusing on those characteristics of wisdom that set the Wise Virgins apart from the Foolish Virgins. In Part 1, we looked at the following words spoken by YAHUSHA HA’MASHIACH:
“They that were ready went in with Him [the Bridegroom] to the marriage” (Mattithyahu 25:10)
In speaking this parable, YAHUSHA taught His disciples the importance of being ready for a marriage — “the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Chizayon 19:7-9)
In the Mattithyahu 25 parable, we are given the vital key for being ready for marriage to the Bridegroom:
the Wise Virgins had wisdom, but the Foolish Virgins lacked wisdom!
It was the Wise Virgins who were ready to go in with the Bridegroom. And it is the same with us today. If we desire to BE ready, we too must have the same wisdom!
Walking in Wisdom
As a brief summary of Part 2, we looked in depth at the wisdom of hearing and obeying the counsel and instruction of Scripture. We saw the great importance of using discernment for testing what our source of wisdom is! We learned that by the wisdom of our obedience to YAHUAH’S written Word [the Scriptures], YAHUAH enables us to be made ready.
Now, the next wisdom characteristic we will look at is:
The one who is wise is humble!
The wise walk in ‘humility’!
The Wisdom of Humility
This characteristic of the Wise Virgins is found in Mishlei 11:
With the lowly is wisdom (Mishlei 11:2b)
This English word ‘lowly’ is the Hebrew root word ‘tsana‘ (Strong’s #6800), meaning humbly, lowly, with the implication to humiliate.
The one who is truly wise will have a humble, lowly ruach, even choosing to bow down, as if to humiliate yourself before YAHUAH ELOHIYM.
This Hebrew word ‘tsana‘ is used not as often as the other Hebrew words for ‘humble’. But all the Hebrew words for humble or lowly have the general idea of looking down, to bend the knee, humble (self), downcast, meek, poor, and lowly.
This is a very important principle seen throughout the Scriptures: we are to be of a humble ruach, willing to humble ourselves. The Scriptures show repeatedly that having humility is a prerequisite, a necessary requirement for receiving YAHUAH’S blessings, wisdom, and guidance.
Whenever we see the word ‘humble’ in the Scriptures, many times it is YAHUAH speaking to us, urging us by His RUACH, saying: “Humble yourself!” We are to make this first step of humility toward YAHUAH, before we can know His direction or intervention on our behalf. YAHUAH does indeed want us to know His direction, but we must first humble ourselves by choosing to seek Him of our own free will!
Being of a humble ruach therefore, is a choice! Often it is an on-going, day-by-day choice. Over and over, we must make the choice to be tender-hearted, humble, repentant, and at times, of a broken ruach. If we desire the blessings of YAHUAH’S presence, wisdom, and grace, then we will quickly learn that humility before YAHUAH is the only pathway to these treasures.
If we are genuinely humble, then we will be ‘lowly’! We will be empty of self-righteousness! Being lowly means we will be deflated, not puffed up with pride, not hard-hearted, not selfish. The humble, the lowly, will choose to be tender-hearted, respectful, teachable, and open to correction. And, the humble will ask Father YAHUAH often for His help and strength, and admit their needs, their weaknesses and sorrows, and express their joys and thankfulness.
Our natural tendency is to be hard, tough, and self-sufficient. Therefore we must frequently seek YAHUAH’S mercy and grace to help us choose to be of a humble ruach.
Rewards of Humility
Let us recall what King David knew: “YAHUAH will listen to the prayers of the lowly. He will not forget the cry of the humble” (Tehilliym 10:17; 9:12b).
Notice the rich treasures we gain when we are humble:
If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (Divrei Hayamiym Sheniy 7:14)
Because your heart was tender, and you did humble yourself before ELOHIYM, when you heard His words … I have even heard you also, says YAHUAH. (Divrei Hayamiym Sheniy 34:27)
For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I [YAHUAH] dwell in the high and holy place, dwell with him also that is of a contrite [sorrowful] and humble ruach, to revive the ruach of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. (Yeshayahu 57:15)
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. (Mattithyahu 18:4)
Humble yourselves in the sight of YAHUAH, and He shall lift you up. (Ya’aqov 4:10)
As the above Scriptures teach, the rewards for humility are numerous! YAHUAH promises to hear and answer the prayers of the humble, the repentant. He promises to restore and lift up the humble. YAHUAH rewards the humble with His care, wisdom, and grace (Tehilliym 138:6 and Ya’aqov 4:6)! The humble seek and receive YAHUAH’S direction and help.
Those who walk with YAHUAH in humility, as innocent as a little child, will inspire YAHUAH’S parental instincts. But without humility, we will not have the heart of a ‘little child,’ as Mashiach urges us to have (Mattithyahu 18:3-4)!
As we saw in Entering the Kingdom of Heaven, the lowly, the bending-the-knee quality of humility is absolutely necessary for YAHUAH’S children to begin to know the Heavenly Father. Humility is necessary for us to apply the characteristic we discussed in Part 2 — “hearkening to counsel.” In Part 2, we saw that Miryam, Martha’s sister, is a perfect example of a Wise Virgin! Miryam exhibited humility by choosing to bend-the-knee – “sitting at YAHUSHA’S feet, listening to His Word.” (Luqas 10:39)
He Humbled Himself
IF we want more wisdom from our Heavenly Father, then we will seek to learn and follow our Savior’s example of humility:
Let this mind be in you, which was also in YAHUSHA HA’MASHIACH: … [Who] emptied Himself,… and being found in human form, He [YAHUSHA] humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (see Philippiym 2:5-8)
YAHUSHA humbled Himself by becoming obedient! He emptied Himself of all His rightful authority, glory, and divine nature. He humbled Himself, and became a servant! Notice: it takes humility to be empty! It takes humility to be obedient to YAHUAH’S written Word.
If we desire to be among the Wise Virgins, then we will give earnest heed to the RUACH HA’QODESH’S persistent exhortation to us throughout the Scriptures: “Be Humble!”
When we make the choices, over and over again, to ‘bow down’ and walk humbly with our ELOHIYM, then we will reap the rewards of knowing the wisdom that is from above: the wisdom that is pure, peaceable, and full of mercy and good fruits (Ya’aqov 3:17).
The Greatest Benefit
As we saw in Part 1, the greatest benefit of being wise is to become ready — ready to go in to the marriage with the Bridegroom! The way we acquire that readiness is to do what YAHUAH exhorts: ‘Get Wisdom!‘
By our earnest efforts to be obedient to YAHUAH’S Word, He enables us to BE ready that we might be among the company of the Wise Virgins. Therefore stay close to the Savior, seeking His grace and mercy, and remember this absolutely necessary characteristic of the Wise Virgins:
choosing to be of a humble and lowly ruach.
Those who do this, are well on their way to walking in The Way of Wisdom, thus making themselves ready for the Bridegroom!
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