Bible Questions Answered:
“They say were there are no visions
the people perish. In our church no one has visions, though some
churches do. How do we encourage this?...”
Sheila/ Melbourne, Victoria
(Australia)
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
Proverbs 29:18 KJV
Where there is no vision*, the people
perish*: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
(Notice that the context of this verse is about "the law-God's Word!")
*Vision-Hebrew: Chazown (Khaw-zone):
A sight (mentally), i.e. a dream, revelation, or oracle:-vision.
(A prophetic revelation that comes from
The Word Of God.)
*Perish-Hebrew: Para (Paw-rah):
To loosen; to dismiss, go back, perish, refuse (To cast off
restraints.)
What is Solomon saying here?
He is saying where people do not heed
The Word Of God, they become lawless, casting off all restraints to
do the evil they imagine constantly.
Genesis 6:5 KJV
And God saw that the wickedness of
man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
I Timothy 1:3-11 NLT (Apostle
Paul warns against false teachings.)
3 When I left for Macedonia, I urged
you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is
contrary to The Truth.
4 Don’t let them waste their time
in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things
only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live
a life of faith in God.
5 The purpose of my instruction is
that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure
heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.
6 But some people have missed this
whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their
time in meaningless discussions.
7 They want to be known as teachers
of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking
about, even though they speak so confidently.
8 We know that the law is good when
used correctly.
9 For the law was not intended for
people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and
rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred
and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit
other murders.
10 The law is for people who are
sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave
traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that
contradicts the wholesome teaching
11 that comes from the glorious Good
News entrusted to me by our blessed God.
Psalm 119:11 KJV
Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
that I might not sin against thee.
The Apostle Paul, is not here
speaking of individuals visions, but having spiritual insight, and
revelation of God's Word!
Proverbs 29:18
NLT
When people do not accept divine
guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
Proverbs 29:18
ERV (Easy To Read Version)
If a nation is not guided by God,
the people will lose self-control, but the nation that obeys
God’s law will be happy.
Spiritual Darkness, And Loss Of Vision.
Amos 8:11 KJV
Behold, the days come, saith The
Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of
bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of The Lord:
Matthew 6:22,23
NLT
22 “Your eye is a lamp that
provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body
is filled with light.
23 But when your eye is bad, your
whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you
have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
John 3:17-20 KJV
17 For God sent not His Son into the
world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be
saved.
18 He that believeth on Him is not
condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he
hath not believed in the name of The Only Begotten Son Of God.
19 And this is the condemnation,
that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than
Light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil
hateth The Light, neither cometh to The Light, lest his deeds should
be reproved.
John 11:10 KJV
But if a man walk in the night, he
stumbleth, because there is no Light in him.
Romans 13:12 KJV
The night is far spent, the day is
at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us
put on the armor of Light.
II Corinthians
4:3,4 KJV
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is
hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest The Light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto
them.
I Thessalonians
5:4 KJV
But ye, brethren, are not in
darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Spiritual Light:
Deuteronomy 5:29
KJV
O that there were such an heart in
them, that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandments always,
that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
Psalm 19:8 KJV
The statutes of The Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart: the commandment of The Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes.
Psalm 119:105,
130 KJV
105 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a Light unto my path.
130 The entrance of thy words giveth
Light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Proverbs 6:23
KJV
For the commandment is a lamp; and
the law is Light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of Life:
Isaiah 8:20 KJV
To the law and to the testimony: if
they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no
Light in them.
Luke 1:78-79 KJV
78 Through the tender mercy of our
God; whereby The Day Spring from on high hath visited us,
79 To give Light to them that sit in
darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way
of peace.
John 1:1-5 KJV
1 In the beginning was The Word, and
The Word was with God, and The Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with
God.
3 All things were made by Him; and
without Him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In Him was Life; and The Life was
The Light of men.
5 And The Light shineth in darkness;
and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 3:21 KJV
But he that doeth Truth cometh to
The Light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought
in God.
John 5:39 KJV
Search the scriptures; for in them
ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.
John 8:12 KJV
Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, I am The Light Of The World: he that followeth Me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have The Light Of Life.
John 12:35,36,46
KJV
35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a
little while is The Light with you. Walk while ye have The Light,
lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth
not whither he goeth.
36 While ye have Light, believe in
The Light, that ye may be the children of Light. These things spake
Jesus, and departed, and did hide Himself from them.
46 I am come a Light into the world,
that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness.
II Corinthians
4:6,17 KJV
6 For God, who commanded The Light
to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give
The Light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:8
KJV
For ye were sometimes darkness, but
now are ye Light in The Lord: walk as children of Light:
I Thessalonians
5:5 KJV
Ye are all the children of Light,
and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of
darkness.
II Timothy 1:10
KJV
But is now made manifest by the
appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and
hath brought Life and immortality to Light through the gospel:
James 1:25 KJV
But whoso looketh into the perfect
law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his
deed.
I Peter 2:9 KJV
But ye are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should
shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness
into His marvelous Light;
II Peter 1:19
KJV
We have also a more sure word of
prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a Light
that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and The Day Star
arise in your hearts:
I John 1:7 KJV
But if we walk in The Light, as He
is in The Light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood
of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Revelation 22:14
KJV
Blessed are they that do His
commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may
enter in through the gates into the city.
Notice what is promised those who have “vision,”(insight into God's Word).
Proverbs 29:18 KJV
Where there is no vision, the people
perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Nehemiah 8:10
KJV
"...for the joy of The Lord is
your strength.
Psalm 16:11 KJV
Thou wilt shew me the path of Life:
in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are
pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 132:16 KJV
I will also clothe her priests with
salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
Isaiah 12:3 KJV
Therefore with joy shall ye draw
water out of the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 35:10 KJV
And the ransomed of The Lord shall
return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their
heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing
shall flee away.
Isaiah 61:10 KJV
I will greatly rejoice in The Lord,
my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the
garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of
righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh Himself with ornaments, and as
a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Jeremiah 15:16
KJV
Thy words were found, and I did eat
them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart:
for I am called by thy name, O Lord God Of Hosts.
John 15:11 KJV
These things have I spoken unto you,
that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 16:24 KJV
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My
name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
Romans 14:17 KJV
For the kingdom of God is not meat
and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
I Peter 1:8 KJV
Whom having not seen, ye love; in
whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy
unspeakable and full of glory:
Proverbs 29:18
ERV (Easy To Read Version)
If a nation is not guided by God
(Spiritual
Vision), the people will lose self-control,
but the nation that obeys God’s law will be happy.
