PREPARING PRINCES

Part 4

"Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouth speaks vain words, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood-that our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as pillars, sculptured in the style of a palace." Psalm 144:11-12 Revised Authorised Version

 

Once again, the Bible talks about our children in the context of royalty. Let's look at some other translations of this Scripture regarding our daughters:

Revised Standard Version: "Our daughters like corner pillars, cut for the structure of a palace."

 

New American Standard Bible: "Our daughters as corner pillars, fashioned as for a palace."

There are two purposes for pillars:

1. To support a building

You would think the Bible would refer to our sons as pillars as pillars denote strength, but God chose to liken our daughters to pillars. He wants them to be strong, too. Our daughters will one day bear the responsibility of raising a family, which is a huge task. They must be physically strong, prepared and ready to bear children. They must also be mentally, emotionally and spiritually strong. They must be strong in their commitment to purity, holiness, faith, truth and strong in standing against the deceptions of this age. We notice that our daughters are likened to pillars of a palace, not some insignificant building, but are extra strong pillars to hold up a magnificent building.

The word "virtuous" in Proverbs 31:10 is chayil and means "strength." It is interesting that she is described as a woman of strength and mighty valor! God relates these virtues to a woman!

 

2. To beautify the palace

The pillars of a palace were not only to support the upper storey, but to beautify the building. Let's look at some more translations:

Living Bible: "Daughters of graceful beauty like the pillars of a palace wall."

New American Bible: "Our daughters like carved columns, shapely as those of the temple."

We are not only to raise our daughters to be strong, but to be beautiful. Did you notice the descriptions? "Shapely"-not out of shape! "Graceful beauty"-daughters who walk like royalty with head high and open face; who act with dignity, speak like royalty and dress like royalty (not necessarily with expensive clothes but with clothes that glorify the King of kings).

Fide's Translation says, "Our daughters like upright pillars, fine-wrought for a palace." They do not slouch but sit and walk uprightly-both physically and spiritually.

What about our sons? The New English Bible says, "Happy are we whose sons in their early prime stand like tall towers." There is nothing bowed down about sons and daughters of royalty.

I love how the young men of Asher were described as "choice and mighty men of  valor." (1 Chronicles 7:40) The word "choice" is barar in the Hebrew and means, "singled out, chosen, cleansed, purified, polished and proved." What a powerful career to raise "choice" young men for God's glory.

However, before we can reap the harvest of choice young men and women, we have to do something. Before this promise comes the word of the Psalmist in verse 11, "Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange (alien) children, whose mouth speak vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood." They will not become sons that grow tall in godly stature and daughters who are like the pillars of a palace while we allow them to be educated by the falsehoods of humanism and secularism. We must rid them from these influences.

Our children will not automatically become princes and princesses. Psalm 45:16 says, "Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom you will make princes in all the earth?" They don't suddenly turn out like princes. We have to make them into princes and princesses. This takes committed, full-time  training. May God anoint us for this great task! Read Psalm 112:1-2.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

Above Rubies, www.aboverubies.org

 

PRAYER:

"Oh God and Father, please help me to see that I have the privileged task of training royalty. Help me to get rid of every obstacle that would deter my sons and daughters from the destiny you have determined for them. Amen."

 

AFFIRMATION:

I am training my sons and daughters for royalty.

 

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