Solomon, On Spanking

Proverbs of Solomon:

He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.

Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell.

Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him.

The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother.

Whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

Solomon's Wisdom:

God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. Thus Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men-than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. (Kings I 4:29-32)

When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her. Then she said to the king: "It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. "However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. "Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! (Kings I 10:1-8)

King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. Now all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. (Kings I 10:23-24)

Conclusion:

There are many people who teach and enforce that disciplining your child with pain is evil. They say that they’ve brought up children using “alternatives” to physical punishment, and that physical discipline teaches children violence. They say that proper child discipline involves “love”. They pervert the true love of the rod to which Solomon so adequately addresses. Their love is false love, for Solomon said, “He who withholds his rod hates his son”. They hate their children, because they do nothing for the soul of the child as Solomon so plainly states, “You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell.”

Who are these people? Are they experts? Do they measure up to Solomon’s wisdom, the wisdom “which God had put in his heart”? These people are false prophets, come to mislead many; and they have done their foretold job quite well.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (John I 4:1)

Many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. (Matthew 24:10)

Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matthew 7:15)

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

- Seth Simonson

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