“Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man (Proverbs 30:2).” To get understanding from Agur’s prophecy, it is best to start by understanding God’s parable use of the word, brutish. In scripture, the word "brute" refers to a person that considers himself to be wise in his knowledge of the Lord, and yet he is failing to demonstrate godliness. “Every man is brutish by his knowledge (Jeremiah 51:17).” In other words, a brutish person is conceited, and no one can persuade him to rethink his interpretations and understandings of scripture. “He that hates reproof is brutish (Proverbs 12:1).” So, if a priest is behaving brutishly, then no one will be able show him the newly revealed truths of prophecy. “They are altogether brutish and foolish (Jeremiah 10:8).” Eventually God will send evil and brutish messengers to come against brutish priests, as a judgment, and for punishment, and to correct them. “Pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord: therefore they shall not prosper, and their flocks shall be scattered. Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons (Jeremiah 10:21-22).”
God delivers new instructions and guidance unto priests through his messengers, for their good, as well as for the good of the congregation (2Timothy 2:24). Therefore regardless of what a brutish priest thinks or believes, if he refuses correction, or if he mistreats God's messengers, then he will not escape God's judgments. “If a man strive for masteries, yet he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully (2Timothy 2:5).” Eventually brutish priests will be delivered into the kingdom of God, but not before they repent of their mistakes and they understand God's message, and not until they have bore the punishment of their err. When they stand corrected, then God will judge their persecutors. “I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee (Jeremiah 51:36).” “I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness (Micah 7:9).”
God's word never returns void. "My word that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it (Isaiah 55:11)." This means that the newly truths of prophecy will even have an impact on brutish priests. When a brutish priest hears the newly revealed truths of prophecy, he will begin to passionately work at strengthening his congregation in the philosophy of their own religious beliefs. Scripture likens this occurrence, to fire. “I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them (Jeremiah 5:14).” Fire is a form of purification, and this increase in their passion will be used to help purify, and cleanse God's people. “The day cometh that shall burn as an oven (Malachi 4:1).” The day of the fiery oven is here and now, because brutish priests have heard the covenant message, and they are now working harder than ever before to promote their own understandings of scripture. Their fiery passions have already cleansed God’s people. “In that day will the branch of the Lord be beautiful… when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion… by the spirit of judgment, and the spirit of burning (Isaiah 4:2; 4:4).”
Brutishness is relevant to Agur's prophecy, because Agur is the epitome of a brute. His words convey the very thoughts of a brute. The prophecy begins with Agur making a confession concerning who he is. He testified, “I have not the understanding of a man.” These words confess that Agur is not a priest. Agur also testified that he has never devoted much time to studying the scriptures. “I neither learned wisdom, nor have knowledge of the holy (Proverbs 30:3).” The confession also reveals that Agur loves the Lord, and that he has considerable respect for God's word. “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him (Proverbs 30:5).”
After identifying who Agur is, then the prophecy lists some of the questions that will be bothering every brute on Salvation Day. These questions are not just any questions, but they are a compiled list of concerns which will bring brutes back to the house of the Lord. What is this talk about God making a new covenant? And, Why are priests changing their teachings after centuries of maintaining their long standing religious beliefs? The initial thought of brutes will be to rise up in defense of traditional religion, and its teachings. Evidence of this is heard in the sting of Agur's rebuke. “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar (Proverbs 30:6).”
Consider some of the questions which will be provoking brutes, and causing them to come back to the house of the Lord. “Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended?” Brutes will want to know, Whom did God quicken and bring up from the grave of spiritual death? And whom did God cast down into hell? This question will be plaguing brutes, because on Salvation day God will pour is Holy Spirit upon congregations whose priest's affirmed and taught them the newly revealed truths of prophecy, and they will be blessed: and many of them will be brought up from the grave of spiritual death (Psalm 119:40). “Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth (Psalms 71:20).” On that same day, God will withdraw his Holy Spirit from priests and prophets which received the covenant message, but failed to believe, or promote it. This group of leaders had doubts, as well as fears and concerns, so they did not confess the message before their congregation. On Salvation Day they will lose the Holy Spirit, because not only were they unprepared, but they failed to bless and affirm their congregation (Ezekiel 26:20; 31:16).
Another question that is troubling Agur: “Who hath gathered the wind in his fists?” The word "wind" is a parable in prophecy, and it represents a movement which is occurring within God’s house. It is a movement wherein the speeches of believing priests and prophets are working to gather the religious denominations into one understanding. There are four winds of heaven: the Islamic, Jewish, and Christian winds, with a separate wind for the priesthood. “He stayeth his rough wind in the day of his east wind (Isaiah 27:8).” These four winds have been working to gather God's people by breaking through the strongholds of every religious denomination, and reproving their errs. Their efforts have been very fruitful. “The ungodly are… like the chaff which the wind driveth away (Psalm 1:4).” “He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow (Psalm 147:18).” Nevertheless, the wind's teachings are riddled with falsehoods. “Our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah 64:6).” “The prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them (Jeremiah 5:13).” Despite their mistakes, God will accomplish his will through the four winds. “The wind passeth, and cleanseth them (Job 37:21).” Was the wind really anything at all? “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind (Proverbs 11:29).” Agur is seeking to understand how every religious denomination is coming together in agreement? The truth is, it was God, and his word that gathered the winds into his fists, for his own purposes, and for his own glory (Isaiah 10:5-15).
Agur's third question is, “Who hath bound the waters with a garment?” In other words, Who is responsible for keeping the covenant message a secret? According to God’s word, the covenant message was to be debated and kept secret for seven years (Isaiah 27:8; Daniel 9:27). Nevertheless, its counsel was to be used to prepare believers for change. There are scripture verses which reveal that the covenant message was to have been be bound up by the swearing of a few of God’s own people (Ezekiel 5:3). “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples (Isaiah 8:16).” These men swore oaths of secrecy, but they did it in unbelief. “It shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths (Ezekiel 21:23).” But whether there is unbelief, or even an oath, there is nothing that can stop God from fulfilling his word. “Your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it (Isaiah 28:18).” So the correct response to Agur’s accusing question, ("Who hath bound the waters with a garment?"), is that God did it, because it was in accordance with his word.
Another question that is troubling Agur, “Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name, it thou canst tell (Proverbs 30:4)?” During end times God is going to establish the righteous, and at the same time he is going to establish all of the ancient prophets, including Jesus, and at the same time he is going to establish the earth’s true and long anticipated new covenant. The word “establish” means that God will confirm the matter. “If thou return to the Almighty… Then thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee (Job 22:23; 22:28).” When God confirms the matter, then brutes like Agur will have doubts within themselves as to whether or not they have ever truly known the Lord.
Before continuing on with Agur’s prophecy, consider the subtle ways in which God used the words, poverty and riches. In prophecy, the word "riches" was used as a parable to elude to a religious leader’s preoccupation with the size of his congregation. “He that trusts in his riches shall fall (Proverbs 11:28).” “They that trust in wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother (Psalm 49:6-7).” The opposite is true for the word "poverty." God caused the parable word "poverty" to elude to religious leaders that are big on religious law, however they have small and dwindling sized congregations: “He that follows after vain persons shall have poverty (Proverbs 28:19).” “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction (Proverbs 13:18).”
After Agur presented the questions which undoubtedly will be arousing brutes on Salvation Day, he stood up and demanded a couple things of God. By studying this part of Agur's message believers can discern that there the two requirements which are necessary to satisfy a brute: “Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty or riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain (Proverbs 30:7-9).” A paraphrasing of his two requirements could read: brutes will desire to have good strong teachers that are able show them the truth of God's prophetic message with simplicity and accuracy, so they can understand it; and secondly, they will desire to come among godly assemblies. Brutes will despise places of worship wherein priests are watering down the truth because they wish to appease the congregation. If leaders are teaching half truths, and promoting false or mistaken doctrines, then they are denying the authority of God’s word; and if they are teaching messages which they learned from one another, then they are practicing vanity.
“Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty (Proverbs 30:10).” Through the voice of Agur, believers are reminded, as well as informed, that there are unchurched brutish believers which belong to the Lord. "Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut off (Psalm 101:5)." Defend these unchurched believers, giving them grace, and keep in mind, that they, as in the case of all God’s people, will need to be patiently taught the newly revealed truths of prophecy. “For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others (Ecclesiastes 7:22).” Coping with the provocations of brutes will only be for a limited time. On Judgment Day, God will take vengeance upon brutes that continued to reject the warnings of others, and refused to give grace to their fellow believers. “They that be cursed of him shall be cut off (Psalm 37:22).” “I will curse him that curseth thee (Genesis 12:3).”
“There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men (Proverbs 30:11-14).” A reference to the “eyelids" that are "lifted up” is a discrete way of implying that it is morning. So this verse is prophesying truths about brutes which have been informed of the covenant message: it is confessing that today's brutes have forgotten godliness. Scripture confirms that these backslidden believers will be devouring the poor and the needy, which means that they will be viciously condemning and assaulting every lying teacher, and every mistaken philosophy of God’s people. They have forgotten godliness, as well as God. The truth is, they cannot curse those whom God hath blessed. “Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice (Psalm 109:28).”
“The horse leech hath two daughters, crying, Give, give (Proverbs 30:15).” The dictionary's definition of the word, leech, is a worm that sucks blood, or eats flesh. It is said that one particular species has been used in medical treatments to bleed patients, and to eat away putrid flesh from a wound. Some bibles translate this Hebrew word into the word, horseleach, and even the word, leach, pertains to "a draining away." This prophecy is likening our leaders that are silencing the covenant message, to a leech on a horse. These leaders are draining away the sins of their weary helpers, and they are causing God's people to cry unto the Lord asking him to give them understanding, and to give them help (Isaiah 10:5). The result is that the leech's weary helpers are being purified. “Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 41:14).”
From the prophet Ezekiel we learn why the horseleach is credited with having two daughters: “Take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand (Ezekiel 37:16-17).” The first stick which is marked "for Judah and the house of Israel his companions" pertains to the priesthood, and all of the believers that are in agreement with them: This vague description loosely defines the first daughter. Then the second sick is marked, For Joseph: his name in prophecy pertains to believers that are journeying and going ahead of God’s people, to study the newly revealed truths of prophecy, so they can help prepare the way for God's people (Psalms 105:17). The second stick is also referred to as, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel his companions. The word "Ephraim" more concisely defines the difference between the two daughters. The name of Ephraim applies to believers that trust and believe in Jesus’ teachings. Making this distinction automatically implies that the opposite is true for the first group. In other words, the first group of believers are those who do not know Jesus' doctrine. Collectively, these two groups are the daughters of the horseleach. “Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord… They shall be one in mine hand (Ezekiel 37:19).”
Keeping the covenant message secret is like a hip that is out of joint: the whole body is in pain, and the whole body is waiting for deliverance. “My heart within me is broken because of the prophets… for because of swearing the land mourneth (Jeremiah 23:9-10).” According to God’s word, no man would believe him when he called; and no religion would be counted righteous in his eyes (Isaiah 50:2; Ezekiel 22:30; Romans 3:10). The evidence of scripture also testifies that no man will show, no man will declare, and no man will believe the newly revealed truths of prophecy (Isaiah 41:26). “I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you (Habakkuk 1:5).” But ultimately God's testified that he will send forth his prophets to set his people in his ways, before the great and terrible day of his coming (Malachi 4:5-6). “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).” All of these truths were realized through the covenant message. Think about this: which of these prophecies have not been fulfilled? Eventually the people that are silencing the newly revealed truths of prophecy will do according to God’s will, but until that day these authorities are referred to as: The Lion of the tribe of Judah. “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof (Revelation 5:5).” God's people are called to walk before him, by faith, and prepare the way of the Lord. So fear not, for God is with us.
The remainder of Agur’s prophecy is a series of riddles. The solution for each riddle is a question. To solve the riddles, use the clues which scripture provides to come up with questions that men are asking God; then interpret the four answers which are written, and behold, you have God’s answers to the questions. In the riddles, the words, three,… and four, are repeatedly used, causing believers to consider that each of four winds of Abraham’s seed are accounted for in the riddles. Be apprised that in order to keep this part of Agur's work brief, only a minimal amount of proof concerning these interpretations, was supplied. Find additional proof for these interpretations by studying the scriptures, along with the covenant message.
The first riddle pertains to things which are never satisfied. “There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough (Proverbs 30:15).” A second clue which is necessary for solving this riddle is supplied after God’s answers: “The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it (Proverbs 30:17).” This clue is suggesting that all of God's answers pertain to brutes and mockers. So the two clues which define the first riddle, are: This riddle pertains to things that are never satisfied, and its all of its answers pertain to brutes which have mocked God's messengers. These clues insinuate that man’s question is: Who will suffer God’s wrath on Judgment Day? God’s four answers are: Believers that are spiritually dead, (The grave); Believers that have not done any fruitful works for the kingdom, (the barren womb); Places of worship wherein believers are not cooperating with God's word, (the earth that is not filled with water); And brutes that were warned, but they failed to stop persecuting their fellow believers, (the fire that saith not, It is enough).
The first riddle contains an added bonus: It helps to clarify God’s judgment against brutes and mockers: “The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it (Proverbs 30:17).” These words imply that God will be sending forth wicked and ungodly messengers to come against mocking and brutish leaders, to convert them, then if they still refuse to hear God's message, they will be punished by God Almighty himself on Judgment Day, for God will pour affliction upon them, and they will become evidence, (meat), for the fowls of heaven (Revelation 19:17; 19:21). The unsightly affliction itself, as well as the confessions and testimonies that come from the mockers who suffered the affliction, will be the evidence (the meat) which convinces the wavering and undecided naysayers, that God has established a new covenant.
The second riddle pertains to the wonders of God’s word: “There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not (Proverbs 30:18).” A second clue for the second riddle, is: “Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth he mouth; and saith, I have done no wickedness (Proverbs 30:20).” This clue is suggesting that all of God's answers pertain to undeterred believers which have already eaten from the words of the covenant message. Man’s question is: In that day, who will be ready to lead God’s people in the way that they should go? God’s answers: Those priests and prophets which have already heard portions of the covenant message, and which have taken steps to move away from the deceitfulnesses of religion (eagle in the air); And then there are the priests and prophets which have already heard some of the covenant message, but they elected to trust in their rock, and remain thereon (serpent upon a rock). Others are leaders which have been ignorantly merchandising and profiting from counsel that was derived from the covenant message (ships in the midst of the sea), “O Tyrus… They have made all thy ship boards of fir trees… Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters… Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, …and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin (Ezekiel 27:3; 27:5; 27:26-27).” And God’s final answer to the question: Who will be ready to lead God’s people in the way that they should go: Those priests and prophets which have already spent time studying the covenant message (the way of a man with a maid).
Agur's third riddle pertains to disquieting the earth. “For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear (Proverbs 30:21).” There is a discreet second clue prophesied in the words, It cannot bear. This riddle pertains to things that are too overwhelmingly hard for God’s people to bear alone, or in other words, stubbornness that needs God’s intervention. Man’s question is: Upon whom shall God send evil messengers and the noisome pestilence? God’s answers: Upon priests which have forgotten that God reigns, and which have defiantly ignored his messengers, as well as his word (a servant when he reigneth); And upon prophets that are confusing themselves by believing their own teachings, (a fool when he is filled with meat), “The prophet is a fool (Hosea 9-7);” Also, upon brutish believers that cannot remember godliness, (for an odious woman when she is married). And God’s final answer to the question, Upon whom will God send evil messengers and the noisome pestilence? Upon believers that have not listened to repeated requests to stop serving religion (handmaid that is heir to her mistress). “As with the maid, so with her mistress (Isaiah 24:2).”
Agur's fourth riddle is designed differently, “There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise (Proverbs 30:24).” Proving this question is done by studying the answers themselves. Man’s question is: Who among God’s people will escape God’s wrath? God’s answers: Those that have prepared themselves ahead of time by studying the truths of prophecy before the day of his coming, (Ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer); And some will be believers that trust in God as their rock, even though their perception of Jesus was misconstrued by their teachers, (Cronies are but a feeble folk, yet they make their houses in the rocks); Some will be believers that were ill-advised, and they brutishly and mistakenly went out forcibly to correct their deceived brethren, (Locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands). And the final answer to the question, Who among God’s people will escape God’s wrath? Those believers who quickly take the matter of understanding prophecy into their own hands, and who lawfully work to correct their fellow believers, (The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in the kings’ palaces).
Agur's fifth riddle pertains to believers that are coming out of religion. “There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in going (Proverbs 30:29).” A second clue for this riddle is found in the verse: “If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth (Proverbs 30:32).” This clue is insinuating that all of God’s answers pertain to men which initially thought to rise up against the covenant message. Therefore, the question which is being asked, is, Who are, and where are, those workers of iniquity which sought to do evil against the covenant message when they first heard about it? God’s answers: They were the righteous, and they were bold as a lion, (A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any); and then there were the grey headed old men, such as the elders (a greyhound); and there were also some stubborn and rebellious priests (an he goat); and then there were those brutish priests (a king, against whom there is no rising up). This riddle is insinuating that God's sword has already devoured many of the leaders which initially thought to rise up against the truth of his word.
There was one final riddle written in the last verse of Agur’s prophecy. “Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife (Proverbs 31:33).” This clever little verse actually contains three little lessons. There are two clues provided which help interpret each one of the three individual lessons: The words churning, wringing and forcing, are all the same Hebrew word. This occurrence implies that the first clue which is necessary for solving each of these three little lessons, is that something is being done repeatedly, over, and over again. Also, the words "bringeth forth" apply to each of the three little lessons, because, as with the first clue, all three of the lessons contain these very same words. Together these two clues suggest that all three of the little lessons concern a repeated occurrence which are having a result.
As the covenant message was being prepared, it needed to be built percept upon precept, which meant that the scriptures, as well as the written works, had to be gone through, repeatedly, over, and over again. As this process was occurring, the message was becoming more and more clear, which in itself is evidence that prophecy was being fulfilled. “The path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18).” When priests and prophets and other leaders added their time and energies to the repeated process of reading and searching out the scriptures, the truths which were learned and taught in their messages, were as milk. Milk is the preliminary teachings which were necessary to nourish up new converts, to bring them to spiritual maturity. "For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe (Hebrew 5:13).” “Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line; line upon line; here a little, and there a little (Isaiah 28:9-10).”
“It shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall everyone eat that is left in the land (Isaiah 7:22).” The word "butter" was used as a parable in prophecy to represent the process of churning up truth and perceiving that we have made mistakes in religion, and as a result we are indeed, changing from our previously held religious beliefs. Therefore, the first little lesson is teaching believers that as they went repeatedly round and round through the scriptures, they were bringing forth changes to their doctrines and beliefs. “Surely, the churning of milk bringeth forth butter.”
The next little lesson has to do with the covenant message causing the stench of our sins to come up into our nostrils. “I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils (Amos 4:10).” The actual words of the lesson are: “The wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood.” Blood-guiltiness happens when believers are caused to understand the word of God, but they elect to hide themselves behind lies. Such lies only add to the deteriorated condition of the deceived, which is why the priests that tell lies are made to assume partial responsibility for the congregation’s spiritual condition. “Your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean (Isaiah 1:15-16).” So the second little lesson is impling that if teachers repeatedly smell the stink of their own mistakes, and they fail to make the necessary changes, the result is that they are bringeth forth transgression, and sin, and blood-guiltiness.
The final little lesson of this riddle has to do with men that are forcing God to wrath. “The forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.” God is slow to wrath, however he has instructed everyone that is studying these messages to execute his word. “O house of David, thus saith the Lord; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings (Jeremiah 21:12).” So believers that are keeping the covenant message a secret, are disregarding God’s repeated commandment to execute judgment, and therefore they are transgressing, and their transgression is causing God’s wrath to be kindled. According to God's word, men can avoid trespassing against God by warning the authorities which are responsible for silencing the covenant message, that they are provoking God to wrath. “Warn them that they trespass not against the Lord, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do and you shall not trespass (2Chronicles 19:10).” These warnings are instrumental in causing God's word to go out. Nevertheless, when you warn them, do it with humility. “The beginning of strife is as one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with (Proverbs 17:14).”
