Proverbs
Notes on Proverbs – Chapter 13
Proverbs 13:1
Hearing Instruction
Introduction:
1. The first three verses of this chapter all deal with the subject of speaking.
2. A wise son pays attention and takes heed when his father speaks. A foolish son is a scorner… he does not hear rebuke.
3. This is a theme that occurs several times in Proverbs… one that God felt was worth repeating.
1. Earlier in this book, Solomon gave wise instruction to his son. (4:1-12)
a. vs. 1 – “hear”—one of the greatest desires on the heart of any parent.
b. vs. 2 – the parent has instruction that which is “good” for the child. The parent knows how good it is. The child is often skeptical.
• That’s how it was in the Garden of Eden…
• God’s instruction was good for Adam and Eve…
• But they thought He was holding back something good from them… they would be like gods…
• By restricting them from the tree of knowledge, God was not preventing them from enjoyment… He was keeping them from evil—and from the awful consequences of evil!
• Somehow, man became convinced that they would be better off—have more fun—if they could ignore the instruction of the heavenly Father.
• So has it ever been since with the sons and daughters of Adam.
c. vs. 3 – Solomon knew what he was talking about. He was once the son. He knows what his son is going through.
• So too with every parent today.
• We have all been on the other side… we were all once kids listening to our parents.
• We all remember thinking we knew more than they did.
• We all remember how foolish and restrictive our parents’ rules seemed at the time.
• And we have all grown up—and realize NOW how necessary they were… and that they were for our good.
d. Consider the GOOD this parent wants for his child: (Prov. 4)
• vs. 6 – she shall preserve thee… and keep thee
• vs. 7 – get wisdom—it is the most important thing in life
• vs. 8 – she will promote you… bring you honor…
• vs. 9 – she will be an ornament of grace; deliver you.
• vs. 10 – she will add years to your life.
• Vs. 12 – she will keep you from stumbling…
• When parental instruction is so GOOD for you, it’s hard to grasp WHY young people seem to fight and kick against it so… except for the fact that we have all been there…
e. The parent KNOWS from experience how important God’s wisdom is. The child has not yet learned that from experience.
• Hence, the child has to take it by faith…
• The child has to TRUST his/her parents… and BELIEVE that the instruction dad or mom gives is for my good—even if I don’t see how right now… “trust me—it’s for your good.”
• They have to believe that their parents love them and are giving such advice or counsel out of love and for my best interest.
• That is how we walk with God too. We don’t always see how or why God does what He does, but He encourages us to TRUST Him.
• And when we don’t trust Him… and do things our own way… it grieves God. It grieves parents too…
• Because both God and parents KNOW that there are some awful consequences of not following the way of wisdom.
2. Wisdom listens to instruction.
a. The book of Proverbs was written for this purpose—of passing on vital instruction to young men and women.
• Prov. 1:2-3
• Prov. 1:5 – a wise man will HEAR
• Prov. 1:7-8
3. Receiving instruction is GOOD for you!
a. 8:10 – receive my instruction and not silver (better than money)
b. 8:32-34 – hear; hearken; don’t refuse; blessed is the one who hears
c. 9:9 – give instruction to him and he becomes wiser
d. 10:17 – it keeps you in the way of life
e. 13:18 – but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured
f. 15:5 – but he that regardeth reproof is prudent
g. 15:32 – he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.
h. 19:20 – ?Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.?
i. 20:11 – when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.
4. It HURTS to be rebuked, but it is good for us in the long run.
a. It is often humiliating, hard to take, ego crushing, and embarrassing, but that is how we learn!
b. Prov. 27:6 – “A friend means well, even when he hurts you.”
• A friend is willing to wound you or me… not because they like to wound, but because they don’t want their friends headed down the wrong road.
• Count your critics as friends. (That’s hard to do… but true!)
• A friend is willing to wound a friend because they want us on the way of life… not death.
• The same is true of a parent and child…
• When a parent gives instruction… and reproves… or corrects, it is for the good of the child.
• The same is true of elders and members of the Body…
• The same is true in the workplace as well…
1. How can a person ever correct a fault if we don’t admit we have one, and we refuse to be told of it, and who make enemies out of those who point it out?
a. That person is doomed to a life of failure and faults that NEVER get corrected.
b. If the person refuses correction and instruction, then he will never correct those faults… they are his for life.
c. This is WORSE than the man in James who looks in the mirror and walks away, forgetting what manner of man he was. This man refuses to look! He will walk around with dirt on his face…
d. This of course, is the result of PRIDE. Pride refuses to acknowledge its faults… refuses to admit that it needs to change… and hence, pride keeps a man from changing.
e. It takes a healthy dose of humility to accept instruction and reproof.
f. But the proud man who refuses to hear a rebuke is doomed to live with his faults forever.
2. Some people even HATE or despise being corrected.
a. Prov. 5:12 – “how I hated it!”
b. Prov. 15:10 – correction is grievous to the one who has broken the rules!
c. Prov. 15:12 – a scorner loveth not one that reproveth him; neither will go unto the wise
d. Prov. 3:11 – despise not the chastening of the Lord (same word)
e. Young people sometimes HATE being rebuked by their parents.
f. Older folks sometimes despise the chastening of the Lord.
g. This is the same heart problem… despising authority… self rule… stubbornness… pride… all rolled up into one big, bad attitude.
h. But no matter how uncomfortable it FEELS… no matter how embarrassing… humbling… the right response is to submit!
3. There are serious consequences:
a. Prov. 5:11-13 – the pain and regret of not listening…
» These are the words of the man given to lust at the end of his life. He’s looking back over his life of sin.
» He has already experienced all of the consequences of his sin.
» Now he knows what people had warned him earlier.
» Now he has lost his honor, his wealth, his health, his respect…
» At the end of his days he has nothing… and he laments his life of poverty, disease, and disgrace.
» People warned him of the dangers and the consequences, but he hated the instruction… he despised the reproofs… back then he didn’t want to listen to anyone. He just did his own thing.
» Now he realizes how he has wasted his life… he should have listened, but it is too late now. “If only I had listened…” seems to be the intent of this verse.
» This seems to be the most painful of the consequences… living the rest of his days knowing that the shame, disgrace, poverty, and poor health is all his fault! Living with the guilt… the stinging conscience… the regret… the irretrievable loss… hurts!
b. Prov. 10:17 – but he that refuseth reproof erreth?
• He not only errs by not listening… but he is on a road of continually erring!
• Erreth = to wander about; stagger about; as a drunkard
c. Prov. 12:1 – but he that hateth reproof is brutish
• Brutish: like a brute beast; stupid.
• The one who hates reproof is behaving like a beast… an animal… mindless… no conscience… no heart…
• It is behavior based solely on the gut feeling… like a beast.
• Brutish is not a compliment!
d. Prov. 13:18 – ?Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction…
e. There are serious consequences of not listening to instruction: regret, a life of wandering, poverty, shame… need we go on?
f. Prov. 15:10 – it gets worse. It can lead to death!
• Johnny, don’t you dare try drugs!
• Johnny, don’t take a ride with those kids who drink!
g. The point is well made: LISTEN to instruction!
Proverbs 1:1-4
Reasons for the Proverbs
To Know Wisdom and Instruction
1. It is quite amazing to think that the God who created the universe, would even care enough about us to stoop and cause a book to be written for us, to tell us how to live… what to pursue and what not to pursue…
2. First of all note that this book was written that we might KNOW something.
a. It was not written so that we might FEEL good… or feel warm… or feel anything.
b. It was written that we might PERCEIVE the words of understanding.
c. Solomon wrote that knowledge excelleth folly and ignorance as light excelleth darkness. Ignorance causes men to wander in darkness.
3. God wants us to KNOW wisdom
a. The term for wisdom in vs. 2 is used 37 times in this book!
b. It means skillfulness; the ability to use knowledge properly.
c. It is possible to have lots of instruction and information in our head, and yet not have the wisdom to put it into practice in our daily lives.
d. We have many brilliant men and women throughout our country who have mastered their field… specialists in computer science… specialized fields of medicine… masters of literature… and yet have not the wisdom to get along with their neighbor or maintain a healthy family life!
e. Knowledge isn’t enough. If it were, our generation would be doing just fine! Knowledge has doubled every year since 1955. We have more information and data than we know what to do with. But we do NOT have the wisdom to use it properly.
f. The world has plenty of knowledge and information—but by anyone’s standards: the world today is a mess!
g. Unfortunately, the man who wrote this book failed on this very point! Read the account of the end of Solomon’s life. What a warning to us!
4. God wants us to KNOW instruction
a. Instruction – this term is used 26 times in proverbs.
b. It is sometimes translated “chasten”. (Cf. 13:24 – chastening a son.)
c. It means to instruct by discipline.
d. Instruction or training is a form of discipline… discipline of the mind… and ultimately, when the truth sinks deeper, into the heart.
e. Like a father who loves his son, and therefore chastens him, so God wrote this book as part of our “instruction”… discipline… chastening…
5. God wants us to KNOW the words of understanding
a. This term has virtually the same meaning as our English term.
b. It might be translated “discernment.”
c. This kind of spiritual discernment is what WE need today more than anything!—the ability to approve things that are excellent—
d. God wants His people to be able to discern between right and wrong… holy and unholy… clean and unclean. The devil is doing his best to blur those lines of distinction today.
e. Let’s make this our prayer: that we would all be better able to perceive the words of understanding… grasp a discerning mind…
f. The decisions many believers make today reveals a dearth of discernment.
g. It is far better to be poor and discerning, than rich and lack discernment; It is far better to be sick and discerning, than healthy and lack discernment; It is far better to be lowly and discerning, than important and famous and lack discernment; It is far better to be a failure in the eyes of the world and discerning, than to be a worldly and lack spiritual discernment.
h. The book of Proverbs has been written to help us put things in order… to give us discernment in ordering our lives… arranging our priorities…
To Receive the Instruction of Wisdom, Justice, Judgment, and Equity
1. Receive: God wants the readers of this book to KNOW wisdom… to learn in their heads all these wise principles… but also to TAKE IT IN!
It is possible to memorize the words of wisdom—but never “receive” it inwardly.
Ex: You can give your son a lecture. Once lectured, he has your words of wisdom in his head. He heard you. But that is not a guarantee that he “received” them! He could be just politely nodding to all you say… and not taking any of it in!
2. The purpose of the book is not accomplished in our life—even if we have memorized the whole book! God’s purpose is that we would RECEIVE these truths… take them to heart… make them “yours”… make them your words to live by… not just a dry lecture from an ancient king!
3. This term for wisdom in verse 3 is a different Hebrew word than was used in verse 2.
a. Harry Ironside wrote that this term for wisdom comes from a root meaning “bereavement”…
b. He concluded that this term differed in that this term described learning from unhappy experiences… the hard way… either on your own, or through the unhappy experiences of others. (the school of hard knocks)
c. Proverbs records many unhappy experiences and the results of folly… the young man and the harlot; the drunkard; the sloth; etc…
4. How much better to learn “by means of God’s Word”!!!
a. Ps. 17:4 – “By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.”
b. That is the best way to learn—by God’s word rather than by experiencing all that Proverbs warns about—sloth; greed; lust; etc.
c. We can gain wisdom about the dangers of drugs by trying them out and paying the price—or by listening to words of wisdom!
d. We can gain wisdom about the consequences of laziness by experience OR by taking heed to the words of wisdom in God’s Word!
e. Proverbs was written that we might RECEIVE this wisdom the easy way—by learning through God’s Word rather than having to learn the hard way all the time!
5. Unfortunately, Solomon learned many of these lessons the hard way—by experiencing the emptiness of following his own understanding…
a. He pursued many of the foolish things he warns us about in Proverbs!
b. He sought happiness through fun and parties and having a good time! (Ecc. 2:1-3)
c. He sought happiness through collecting great possessions. (Ecc.2:4,7-11) But it was all vanity!
d. Solomon pursued wisdom through experience… the hard way.
e. Proverbs is written that we might obtain wisdom the easy way—by taking heed to the inspired word of God!
f. RECEIVE this wisdom… take it in — just as if we had experienced all these things ourselves!
6. God wants the readers of Proverbs to “receive” the instruction of justice
a. Justice = righteousness; right kind of behavior; fair; just behavior
b. One learns in proverbs not to be a respecter of persons. The rich are not always right or kind. The powerful are not always wise. Treat people justly and fairly…
c. God wants us to TAKE IN these truths that deal with justice… into our heart, not just our head.
d. Make these truths that deal with justice OUR truth… words that WE live by…
e. Proverbs has a lot to say about being fair and just in our daily lives.
• Prov. 14:20 – Justice will keep us from being a respecter of persons… as such we will not treat the poor harshly…
• Prov.22.2 – the poor and rich are the same in God’s sight!
• Proverbs will keep us from all the ungodly biases and prejudices of the world. It will make us fair and just—if applied!
• 29:27 – Being “just” is a way of life = and one that will often be opposed. But that is the path God wants US to pursue!
7. Next, God wants the readers to “receive” the instruction of judgment
a. Judgment = the quality or ability to hear and decide a matter or a case fairly. This is the work of a judge. Every one of us needs to have this quality of good judgment.
b. Proverbs was written that we might learn to have good judgment. Far too many have poor judgment!
c. Proverbs has a lot to say about exercising good judgment…
• Prov. 18:17 – One with good judgment does not make up his mind on a matter after hearing “him that is first in his own cause.”
• Solomon demonstrated that when the two mothers came with their own version of who was the real mother of the child.
• Solomon showed good judgment. Proverbs can give US that kind of good judgment too… if applied.
• Jesus said, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
• We all make decisions every day. Decisions on all sorts of issues and matters. How we need good judgment in making all those little decisions… because when you string all those little decisions together—that IS our life… that IS the course of our life.
8. Next, God wants the readers to receive the instruction of equity
a. Equity = even; upright; level; honest.
b. The author talks about a “just weight”—honesty and equity in business dealings! (Prov.11:1)
c. Honesty with our tongues… honesty with God…
Note what the author is doing here:
He is mingling together moral qualities with intellectual ones.
• Wisdom and instruction for the head;
• But they must be accompanied by justice; judgment; and equity for the heart.
• A truly wise man is a godly man.
• Wicked men can use their intellect and craftiness for evil purposes.
• But a truly wise man uses his intellect for that which is righteous; and equitable… Proverbs was written that we might KNOW wisdom and RECEIVE it… and allow it to produce its fruit in our lives: justice; good judgment; and honesty—integrity!
• Time spent in Proverbs is time well spent!
• One man likened Proverbs to medicine or vitamins. You shouldn’t make it your complete diet—but we need a little every day!
Proverbs 1:1-4
Reasons for the Proverbs
To Know Wisdom and Instruction
1. It is quite amazing to think that the God who created the universe, would even care enough about us to stoop and cause a book to be written for us, to tell us how to live… what to pursue and what not to pursue…
2. First of all note that this book was written that we might KNOW something.
a. It was not written so that we might FEEL good… or feel warm… or feel anything.
b. It was written that we might PERCEIVE the words of understanding.
c. Solomon wrote that knowledge excelleth folly and ignorance as light excelleth darkness. Ignorance causes men to wander in darkness.
3. God wants us to KNOW wisdom
a. The term for wisdom in vs. 2 is used 37 times in this book!
b. It means skillfulness; the ability to use knowledge properly.
c. It is possible to have lots of instruction and information in our head, and yet not have the wisdom to put it into practice in our daily lives.
d. We have many brilliant men and women throughout our country who have mastered their field… specialists in computer science… specialized fields of medicine… masters of literature… and yet have not the wisdom to get along with their neighbor or maintain a healthy family life!
e. Knowledge isn’t enough. If it were, our generation would be doing just fine! Knowledge has doubled every year since 1955. We have more information and data than we know what to do with. But we do NOT have the wisdom to use it properly.
f. The world has plenty of knowledge and information—but by anyone’s standards: the world today is a mess!
g. Unfortunately, the man who wrote this book failed on this very point! Read the account of the end of Solomon’s life. What a warning to us!
4. God wants us to KNOW instruction
a. Instruction – this term is used 26 times in proverbs.
b. It is sometimes translated “chasten”. (Cf. 13:24 – chastening a son.)
c. It means to instruct by discipline.
d. Instruction or training is a form of discipline… discipline of the mind… and ultimately, when the truth sinks deeper, into the heart.
e. Like a father who loves his son, and therefore chastens him, so God wrote this book as part of our “instruction”… discipline… chastening…
5. God wants us to KNOW the words of understanding
a. This term has virtually the same meaning as our English term.
b. It might be translated “discernment.”
c. This kind of spiritual discernment is what WE need today more than anything!—the ability to approve things that are excellent—
d. God wants His people to be able to discern between right and wrong… holy and unholy… clean and unclean. The devil is doing his best to blur those lines of distinction today.
e. Let’s make this our prayer: that we would all be better able to perceive the words of understanding… grasp a discerning mind…
f. The decisions many believers make today reveals a dearth of discernment.
g. It is far better to be poor and discerning, than rich and lack discernment; It is far better to be sick and discerning, than healthy and lack discernment; It is far better to be lowly and discerning, than important and famous and lack discernment; It is far better to be a failure in the eyes of the world and discerning, than to be a worldly and lack spiritual discernment.
h. The book of Proverbs has been written to help us put things in order… to give us discernment in ordering our lives… arranging our priorities…
To Receive the Instruction of Wisdom, Justice, Judgment, and Equity
1. Receive: God wants the readers of this book to KNOW wisdom… to learn in their heads all these wise principles… but also to TAKE IT IN!
It is possible to memorize the words of wisdom—but never “receive” it inwardly.
Ex: You can give your son a lecture. Once lectured, he has your words of wisdom in his head. He heard you. But that is not a guarantee that he “received” them! He could be just politely nodding to all you say… and not taking any of it in!
2. The purpose of the book is not accomplished in our life—even if we have memorized the whole book! God’s purpose is that we would RECEIVE these truths… take them to heart… make them “yours”… make them your words to live by… not just a dry lecture from an ancient king!
3. This term for wisdom in verse 3 is a different Hebrew word than was used in verse 2.
a. Harry Ironside wrote that this term for wisdom comes from a root meaning “bereavement”…
b. He concluded that this term differed in that this term described learning from unhappy experiences… the hard way… either on your own, or through the unhappy experiences of others. (the school of hard knocks)
c. Proverbs records many unhappy experiences and the results of folly… the young man and the harlot; the drunkard; the sloth; etc…
4. How much better to learn “by means of God’s Word”!!!
a. Ps. 17:4 – “By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.”
b. That is the best way to learn—by God’s word rather than by experiencing all that Proverbs warns about—sloth; greed; lust; etc.
c. We can gain wisdom about the dangers of drugs by trying them out and paying the price—or by listening to words of wisdom!
d. We can gain wisdom about the consequences of laziness by experience OR by taking heed to the words of wisdom in God’s Word!
e. Proverbs was written that we might RECEIVE this wisdom the easy way—by learning through God’s Word rather than having to learn the hard way all the time!
5. Unfortunately, Solomon learned many of these lessons the hard way—by experiencing the emptiness of following his own understanding…
a. He pursued many of the foolish things he warns us about in Proverbs!
b. He sought happiness through fun and parties and having a good time! (Ecc. 2:1-3)
c. He sought happiness through collecting great possessions. (Ecc.2:4,7-11) But it was all vanity!
d. Solomon pursued wisdom through experience… the hard way.
e. Proverbs is written that we might obtain wisdom the easy way—by taking heed to the inspired word of God!
f. RECEIVE this wisdom… take it in — just as if we had experienced all these things ourselves!
6. God wants the readers of Proverbs to “receive” the instruction of justice
a. Justice = righteousness; right kind of behavior; fair; just behavior
b. One learns in proverbs not to be a respecter of persons. The rich are not always right or kind. The powerful are not always wise. Treat people justly and fairly…
c. God wants us to TAKE IN these truths that deal with justice… into our heart, not just our head.
d. Make these truths that deal with justice OUR truth… words that WE live by…
e. Proverbs has a lot to say about being fair and just in our daily lives.
• Prov. 14:20 – Justice will keep us from being a respecter of persons… as such we will not treat the poor harshly…
• Prov.22.2 – the poor and rich are the same in God’s sight!
• Proverbs will keep us from all the ungodly biases and prejudices of the world. It will make us fair and just—if applied!
• 29:27 – Being “just” is a way of life = and one that will often be opposed. But that is the path God wants US to pursue!
7. Next, God wants the readers to “receive” the instruction of judgment
a. Judgment = the quality or ability to hear and decide a matter or a case fairly. This is the work of a judge. Every one of us needs to have this quality of good judgment.
b. Proverbs was written that we might learn to have good judgment. Far too many have poor judgment!
c. Proverbs has a lot to say about exercising good judgment…
• Prov. 18:17 – One with good judgment does not make up his mind on a matter after hearing “him that is first in his own cause.”
• Solomon demonstrated that when the two mothers came with their own version of who was the real mother of the child.
• Solomon showed good judgment. Proverbs can give US that kind of good judgment too… if applied.
• Jesus said, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
• We all make decisions every day. Decisions on all sorts of issues and matters. How we need good judgment in making all those little decisions… because when you string all those little decisions together—that IS our life… that IS the course of our life.
8. Next, God wants the readers to receive the instruction of equity
a. Equity = even; upright; level; honest.
b. The author talks about a “just weight”—honesty and equity in business dealings! (Prov.11:1)
c. Honesty with our tongues… honesty with God…
Note what the author is doing here:
He is mingling together moral qualities with intellectual ones.
• Wisdom and instruction for the head;
• But they must be accompanied by justice; judgment; and equity for the heart.
• A truly wise man is a godly man.
• Wicked men can use their intellect and craftiness for evil purposes.
• But a truly wise man uses his intellect for that which is righteous; and equitable… Proverbs was written that we might KNOW wisdom and RECEIVE it… and allow it to produce its fruit in our lives: justice; good judgment; and honesty—integrity!
• Time spent in Proverbs is time well spent!
• One man likened Proverbs to medicine or vitamins. You shouldn’t make it your complete diet—but we need a little every day!
Proverbs 1:1-4
Reasons for the Proverbs
To Know Wisdom and Instruction
1. It is quite amazing to think that the God who created the universe, would even care enough about us to stoop and cause a book to be written for us, to tell us how to live… what to pursue and what not to pursue…
2. First of all note that this book was written that we might KNOW something.
a. It was not written so that we might FEEL good… or feel warm… or feel anything.
b. It was written that we might PERCEIVE the words of understanding.
c. Solomon wrote that knowledge excelleth folly and ignorance as light excelleth darkness. Ignorance causes men to wander in darkness.
3. God wants us to KNOW wisdom
a. The term for wisdom in vs. 2 is used 37 times in this book!
b. It means skillfulness; the ability to use knowledge properly.
c. It is possible to have lots of instruction and information in our head, and yet not have the wisdom to put it into practice in our daily lives.
d. We have many brilliant men and women throughout our country who have mastered their field… specialists in computer science… specialized fields of medicine… masters of literature… and yet have not the wisdom to get along with their neighbor or maintain a healthy family life!
e. Knowledge isn’t enough. If it were, our generation would be doing just fine! Knowledge has doubled every year since 1955. We have more information and data than we know what to do with. But we do NOT have the wisdom to use it properly.
f. The world has plenty of knowledge and information—but by anyone’s standards: the world today is a mess!
g. Unfortunately, the man who wrote this book failed on this very point! Read the account of the end of Solomon’s life. What a warning to us!
4. God wants us to KNOW instruction
a. Instruction – this term is used 26 times in proverbs.
b. It is sometimes translated “chasten”. (Cf. 13:24 – chastening a son.)
c. It means to instruct by discipline.
d. Instruction or training is a form of discipline… discipline of the mind… and ultimately, when the truth sinks deeper, into the heart.
e. Like a father who loves his son, and therefore chastens him, so God wrote this book as part of our “instruction”… discipline… chastening…
5. God wants us to KNOW the words of understanding
a. This term has virtually the same meaning as our English term.
b. It might be translated “discernment.”
c. This kind of spiritual discernment is what WE need today more than anything!—the ability to approve things that are excellent—
d. God wants His people to be able to discern between right and wrong… holy and unholy… clean and unclean. The devil is doing his best to blur those lines of distinction today.
e. Let’s make this our prayer: that we would all be better able to perceive the words of understanding… grasp a discerning mind…
f. The decisions many believers make today reveals a dearth of discernment.
g. It is far better to be poor and discerning, than rich and lack discernment; It is far better to be sick and discerning, than healthy and lack discernment; It is far better to be lowly and discerning, than important and famous and lack discernment; It is far better to be a failure in the eyes of the world and discerning, than to be a worldly and lack spiritual discernment.
h. The book of Proverbs has been written to help us put things in order… to give us discernment in ordering our lives… arranging our priorities…
To Receive the Instruction of Wisdom, Justice, Judgment, and Equity
1. Receive: God wants the readers of this book to KNOW wisdom… to learn in their heads all these wise principles… but also to TAKE IT IN!
It is possible to memorize the words of wisdom—but never “receive” it inwardly.
Ex: You can give your son a lecture. Once lectured, he has your words of wisdom in his head. He heard you. But that is not a guarantee that he “received” them! He could be just politely nodding to all you say… and not taking any of it in!
2. The purpose of the book is not accomplished in our life—even if we have memorized the whole book! God’s purpose is that we would RECEIVE these truths… take them to heart… make them “yours”… make them your words to live by… not just a dry lecture from an ancient king!
3. This term for wisdom in verse 3 is a different Hebrew word than was used in verse 2.
a. Harry Ironside wrote that this term for wisdom comes from a root meaning “bereavement”…
b. He concluded that this term differed in that this term described learning from unhappy experiences… the hard way… either on your own, or through the unhappy experiences of others. (the school of hard knocks)
c. Proverbs records many unhappy experiences and the results of folly… the young man and the harlot; the drunkard; the sloth; etc…
4. How much better to learn “by means of God’s Word”!!!
a. Ps. 17:4 – “By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.”
b. That is the best way to learn—by God’s word rather than by experiencing all that Proverbs warns about—sloth; greed; lust; etc.
c. We can gain wisdom about the dangers of drugs by trying them out and paying the price—or by listening to words of wisdom!
d. We can gain wisdom about the consequences of laziness by experience OR by taking heed to the words of wisdom in God’s Word!
e. Proverbs was written that we might RECEIVE this wisdom the easy way—by learning through God’s Word rather than having to learn the hard way all the time!
5. Unfortunately, Solomon learned many of these lessons the hard way—by experiencing the emptiness of following his own understanding…
a. He pursued many of the foolish things he warns us about in Proverbs!
b. He sought happiness through fun and parties and having a good time! (Ecc. 2:1-3)
c. He sought happiness through collecting great possessions. (Ecc.2:4,7-11) But it was all vanity!
d. Solomon pursued wisdom through experience… the hard way.
e. Proverbs is written that we might obtain wisdom the easy way—by taking heed to the inspired word of God!
f. RECEIVE this wisdom… take it in — just as if we had experienced all these things ourselves!
6. God wants the readers of Proverbs to “receive” the instruction of justice
a. Justice = righteousness; right kind of behavior; fair; just behavior
b. One learns in proverbs not to be a respecter of persons. The rich are not always right or kind. The powerful are not always wise. Treat people justly and fairly…
c. God wants us to TAKE IN these truths that deal with justice… into our heart, not just our head.
d. Make these truths that deal with justice OUR truth… words that WE live by…
e. Proverbs has a lot to say about being fair and just in our daily lives.
• Prov. 14:20 – Justice will keep us from being a respecter of persons… as such we will not treat the poor harshly…
• Prov.22.2 – the poor and rich are the same in God’s sight!
• Proverbs will keep us from all the ungodly biases and prejudices of the world. It will make us fair and just—if applied!
• 29:27 – Being “just” is a way of life = and one that will often be opposed. But that is the path God wants US to pursue!
7. Next, God wants the readers to “receive” the instruction of judgment
a. Judgment = the quality or ability to hear and decide a matter or a case fairly. This is the work of a judge. Every one of us needs to have this quality of good judgment.
b. Proverbs was written that we might learn to have good judgment. Far too many have poor judgment!
c. Proverbs has a lot to say about exercising good judgment…
• Prov. 18:17 – One with good judgment does not make up his mind on a matter after hearing “him that is first in his own cause.”
• Solomon demonstrated that when the two mothers came with their own version of who was the real mother of the child.
• Solomon showed good judgment. Proverbs can give US that kind of good judgment too… if applied.
• Jesus said, “Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
• We all make decisions every day. Decisions on all sorts of issues and matters. How we need good judgment in making all those little decisions… because when you string all those little decisions together—that IS our life… that IS the course of our life.
8. Next, God wants the readers to receive the instruction of equity
a. Equity = even; upright; level; honest.
b. The author talks about a “just weight”—honesty and equity in business dealings! (Prov.11:1)
c. Honesty with our tongues… honesty with God…
Note what the author is doing here:
He is mingling together moral qualities with intellectual ones.
• Wisdom and instruction for the head;
• But they must be accompanied by justice; judgment; and equity for the heart.
• A truly wise man is a godly man.
• Wicked men can use their intellect and craftiness for evil purposes.
• But a truly wise man uses his intellect for that which is righteous; and equitable… Proverbs was written that we might KNOW wisdom and RECEIVE it… and allow it to produce its fruit in our lives: justice; good judgment; and honesty—integrity!
• Time spent in Proverbs is time well spent!
• One man likened Proverbs to medicine or vitamins. You shouldn’t make it your complete diet—but we need a little every day!
Proverbs 13:6
Safety in Righteousness
Introduction:
1. Here Solomon contrasts two kinds of men:
• The upright in the way
• The sinner… the man who practices sin.
2. Solomon also contrasts their ends:
• The upright is preserved
• The sinner is overthrown
3. He also contrasts the reasons for their ends:
• Righteousness
• Wickedness
A.) The Upright in the Way
1. Upright: integrity; innocence; simplicity; a state or condition of moral goodness in a life, with a focus of not having guilt or sin; blameless.
a. This isn’t a sinlessly perfect man… but a man of integrity.
b. I Kings 32:24 – an interesting use of the term: translated “at a venture.” (He wasn’t intending to hit the king; he shot the bow innocently… with respect to killing the king.)
c. The upright man is one who is free of ulterior motives… no sinister intent… nothing up his sleeve… pure… innocent…
2. Way: road; way; journey; manner; course of life; of moral character.
3. The man being described here is one whose WAY—his whole manner of life… his habits… his character… the road he is on is one of purity… innocence… a goodness that isn’t phony… nothing sinister… blameless.
B.) This Man is “Kept”
1. Kept: guard, watch, watch over, keep; protect from dangers.
a. Ps. 32:7 – Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble.
• Preserve = same word as “kept”
• God guards over His people—and we are safe.
• The Bible uses the images of a mighty fortress; a strong tower; a hiding place; a place of safety and refuge.
• In Gods’ care we are kept… safe… secure… guarded… protected.
• This is the idea behind this term.
b. The Lord does the preserving—but He uses various means…
c. HOW does God keep His people safe? What does He use to protect us? The Bible tells us how…
C.) Righteousness Keeps the Upright Man
1. The practice of righteous living serves as a wall of protection around the believer.
a. The man who practices righteousness will do things the right way.
b. The man who doesn’t practice righteousness will not be protected…
2. Think of some of the things that righteousness will keep us safe FROM:
a. Jail. If you rob banks or steal you should fear this… but if you practice righteousness—there is no fear. (Rom. 13:3-4)
b. Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases… If you practice righteousness and remain happily and faithfully monogamous, there is no need to fear such diseases in the slightest.
c. Becoming an alcoholic. I have alcoholics in my family. I may even be genetically predisposed to alcoholism. But practicing righteousness keeps me safe. I am not in the least bit worried.
d. Expelled from school—no need to fear that if you practice righteousness. Doing the right thing at school will protect you. It will keep you safe… safe from all the trouble that others might find themselves in because they did NOT practice righteousness.
e. Fiery darts of the wicked one. (Eph. 6:16) Believers who do not practice righteousness may find themselves wounded by the devil… but if we practice righteousness… we are safe. There is nothing he can do to us… other than bring us into a trial that God has allowed to purify us and remove dross. If we practice righteousness—the worse thing Satan can do to us is to make us stronger and purer.
f. Eph. 6:14 – Righteousness is a breastplate—that keeps us safe from attacks.
3. The way we live and the choices we make will serve to PROTECT us and PRESERVE us from many of the pitfalls and troubles others experience.
a. Ps. 25:20-21 – Let integrity and uprightness preserve me…
• Here the psalmist PRAYS for the Lord to keep and preserve his soul… his life…
• And he prays for God to use the means He has revealed: integrity and uprightness…
• Think of HOW this prayer request might have come about…
» You face a situation where you are forced to choose—the way of deceit or the way of integrity.
i. Perhaps quite a few of the kids are cheating on their exams…
ii. Perhaps the office workers are all in a conspiracy to lie…
iii. Perhaps an opportunity to do a little stretching of the truth would be very profitable for your business…
» You choose the way of integrity—and then PRAY that God would use that choice to preserve and protect you!
» It is a request for God to bless the right choice you made…
» Choosing integrity will always preserve our soul. It may not be the best choice economically, socially, or politically… but it is always best spiritually.
b. Prov. 2:11 – Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
• Discretion and discernment will deliver us from evil men and all the trouble they will eventually find themselves in.
• Discretion – the ability to make wise decisions.
• If our minds and hearts are FULL of God’s Word, we will always have a biblical principle that will come to mind for this or that situation.
• Spiritual understanding preserves us too.
• Spiritual understanding comes over time… time spent in the Word… reading… in Sunday school… hearing messages…
• In all those times you read the word and didn’t think you got anything out of it… and in those times when you heard a message that you thought wasn’t so great… God is giving spiritual understanding… drilling truth in deeper and deeper… whether we are aware of it or not.
• The more discretion we have… the more light… the better… and the safer we are.
• Discretion preserves us… indiscretion gets us in all kinds of trouble.
c. Prov. 4:5-6 – wisdom shall preserve thee
• The same principle applies here.
• The more wisdom we have… the more we know of God’s wisdom found in His word—the safer we will be spiritually.
• Ignorance is NOT bliss in the Christian life.
• Ignorance and darkness are extremely dangerous to our Christian walk. The devil loves ignorant believers. He preys upon them… and often devours them.
d. Prov.13:3 – He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life
• Righteousness keeps him that is upright in the way.
• This verse says that a righteous use of one’s tongue will protect us.
• Oh, what trouble we can get ourselves into because of indiscriminate use of our tongues…
• Righteousness protects us. An unrighteous use of our tongue will do the opposite.
• If you want to be safe and protected from evil—guard your mouth.
4. God does protect us… but He chose to do so THROUGH the means He has recorded in His Word.
a. If we ignore the means He has provided, we will miss out on the protection they afford.
b. But if we utilize the means of safety God has given us, we will be protected.
c. God’s means: a closed mouth; wisdom; integrity; uprightness; doing things the right way; purity;
d. If we reject the means of safety, we are at the same time reject the safety itself!
e. If you work with radioactive materials, and your company provides a means of protecting you against it, USING the MEANS PROVIDED will keep you safe. You’d be a fool not to use the means provided.
f. If a machine comes with a bright yellow warning label that says, “Don’t use near water”, that label is there for your safety and protection. If you reject the means of protection provided, you could get seriously hurt!
1. The upright in the way is protected by righteousness… by doing things right… by availing himself of the means God has provided for his spiritual safety.
2. The opposite is true as well. The sinner is not protected, but is overthrown because of his sin and wickedness.
3. Overthrown: twist; pervert; distort; overturn; to turn upside down; ruin.
4. Prov. 5:22 – his own sin shall take hold of him. (alcohol; sexual sins; drugs; lying; stealing)
a. Certain sins can become life dominating… they take hold of you and won’t let go.
b. The sinner’s sin becomes his destruction.
5. II Chron. 28:23 – the gods that seemed too enticing and helpful became the ruin of King Ahaz.
• Do we have any idols hidden away in our hearts?
• They will be the ruin of our spiritual life.
• Get rid of them before they DO bring ruin to our lives.
6. Prov. 21:12 – Solomon tells us to take a good look at this principle in action and LEARN from it… so it doesn’t happen to you!
a. The same ruin and destruction that happened to the sinner because of his sin could happen to you or to me.
b. Sin and wickedness ruins lives.
c. Sin is deceptive… because it is marketed as that which is fun, appealing, has no bad side effects, no consequences, etc… but it is all a lie.
d. It is like that attractive LURE that has a hook attached. The fish goes for the attractive lure without a thought of the hook. That’s the way the devil packages sin too.
e. Beware. We have been warned.
7. Righteousness keeps and protects. Wickedness overthrows and ruins.
a. Here Solomon contrasts two kinds of men:
• The upright in the way
• The sinner… the man who practices sin.
b. Solomon also contrasts their ends:
• The upright is preserved
• The sinner is overthrown
c. He also contrasts the reasons for their ends:
• Righteousness
• Wickedness
Proverbs 13:7
Rich, yet Poor
Introduction:
1. This proverb might be listed as an oxymoron.
a. Sharp/dull—
b. It is a saying that sounds foolish at first, yet upon reconsideration, its wisdom becomes apparent.
2. There is also a bit of ambiguity in this proverb—one that may well have been intended by the author—in order to give the proverb a second level of meaning… or at least a second level of application.
a. The ambiguity lies in the word behind our English word “maketh rich.”
b. This term has two meanings:
• Become rich (make yourself rich)
• Pretend to be rich (make off like you’re rich)
c. Most of the commentators and the translations understand it in the sense of “pretend” to be rich.
• However, if that is the case, this is the only place in the Bible where it has that meaning.
• In the 16 occurrences, it obviously means to “become rich.”
d. If Solomon had only ONE meaning in mind for this term, then we have no way of knowing for sure WHICH meaning he did have in mind!
• Both make perfect sense—and both are in harmony with other Scripture passages and principles.
• Thus, we are going to look at the proverb from both levels… simply because it is virtually impossible to tell WHICH meaning he had in mind—if he had only one in mind.
e. If Solomon purposely chose an ambiguous term in order to give meaning at each level… then looking at both levels is what he intended.
3. There is also a possible way to harmonize the two thoughts: Either way, Solomon describes a man whose heart is set on riches.
a. A man who pretends to be rich does so because he LONGS to be rich… he wishes he were. He loves the lifestyle and pretends to live it.
b. A man who makes himself rich does so because he too LONGS to be rich.
MAKETH RICH = PRETEND TO BE RICH
1. Solomon thus describes a man who pretends to be rich.
2. He is NOT rich, but pretends to be. He is not a Rockefeller or a Bill Gates, but is a wannabe.
3. His reasons?
a. The lust of the flesh (I John 2:16)
• He loves the things of the world.
• He loves that which makes his flesh comfortable.
• He loves to be able to buy luxurious items for the satisfaction of his flesh.
• No man ever yet hateth his own flesh. This man has an inordinate love for his flesh… for himself.
b. The lust of the eyes (I John 2:16)
• He loves the worldly things that attract his eye.
• If he sees something shiny and new, he thinks he needs one.
• His eyes are never satisfied. He is always looking to see what others have… so he can keep up with the Joneses. (Ecc. 4:8)
• He is not content with his lot in life… and thus seeks to pretend to have a better lot in life.
c. The pride of life (I John 2:16)
• He wants men to look up to him.
• He wants men to respect him.
• He wants men to think highly of him.
• He wants men to think that he is smart and successful. (If you’re so smart, why ain’t you rich?)
• He wants to hob nob with the rich and famous
• He is not satisfied with his lot in life, but out of pride, seeks to pretend to be someone he is not.
• He is out to impress people: Hey! Look at me! Aren’t I something?
4. His methodology?
a. He buys fancy, expensive clothes for himself…
b. He drives a car he cannot afford.
c. He buys a house that is out of his price range.
d. Or if he is unable to do both, he might live in a tiny house, never tell anyone his address, and drive around in a shiny, new Cadillac.
e. He is a name dropper—to make himself sound important… as if he knows all the rich and important people.
f. He’s the guy who has a meagerly job with a low income, but rents a Lexus and buys a new suit and gold jewelry to go to his class reunion—so that his old friends will THINK that he is rich and successful.
g. When he is out with his friends he throws money around like it were nothing but paper… to impress his friends with his wealth… so they will think he is well off… even if he has to go without eating the rest of the week!
h. He’s the big tipper… to impress others.
i. When out to a restaurant, he volunteers to pay for the meal… not out of love or generosity, but to impress.
j. He is constantly wearing a new suit to the office to show off his expensive clothes… to impress coworkers.
k. He takes expensive vacations in order to brag about them.
l. Very often his pretense of great wealth compels him to lie about what he owns, what he makes, where he lives, where he goes, etc.
m. He even tries to talk with that upper crust accent that seems to exist only among the mansion owners in Newport, RI.
n. He goes to expensive places, just to be seen of men.
o. He’s not crazy about skiing, but he loves being seen at Vail. He’s not much of a golfer either, but he loves being seen at the country club.
p. He PRETENDS to be rich.
1. This man pretends to have everything, but has nothing.
2. Because he spends all his money on expensive items he cannot afford, he ends up with nothing.
3. He has saved NOTHING for his future—he lives for today… to show off today.
4. He sometimes forces his family to go without—because he has spent way more than he can afford on luxury items.
5. He pretends that all the rich and famous people are his friends, but they are not. He has nothing.
6. Before too long, living beyond his means will catch up to him…
a. He may have his shiny new Cadillac repossessed.
b. He may lose his big home to the bank.
c. He may lose the hearts of his family members—after years of living with his royal selfishness.
d. He ends up with an empty heart… earthly riches cannot satisfy even if you really did own them. But pretending to own them leaves a man not only empty but ashamed.
7. His love of money which he never possessed became a root of all kinds of evil for him.
8. This is a sad man (or woman!) indeed. What a miserable, phony, shallow, self-absorbed life he leads!
9. There is a man who pretends to be rich—and yet has nothing. Don’t try to be a phony rich man. Be CONTENT with whatever state God has called you to.
1. Here, the term is used in the same sense as the man who makes himself rich.
2. This would thus refer to a man who is actually rich, yet PRETENDS to be poor.
a. He is not a welfare case, but he makes himself out to be one.
b. He has a fortune in the bank, but pretends to be poor.
c. Rehoboam was such a man.
• He inherited the throne of Israel from Solomon, his father.
• Solomon had elevated Israel to its height of glory, fame, and wealth.
• Solomon had depleted the population of their wealth in order to complete his building projects.
• But Solomon finished the work… and left the fruit of his labors in the hands of Rehoboam.
• Young Rehoboam was warned to lighten up on the taxes… but he rejected the wisdom of the older men.
• Instead, he cried poverty… and in spite of his incredible wealth, demanded more taxes from the people than Solomon demanded—even DURING the building projects.
• My father made your yoke heavy; I will add to your yoke.
• My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.
• This was pure greed—a man who did not HAVE to drain the people—but out of greed pleaded poverty… when he in fact had great riches.
3. His methodology?
a. This is the millionaire who shops in the second hand store… not because he has to, but because he can’t spend his money. He wants to keep it in the bank… and watch it grow… and covet it… and drool over his increasing savings.
b. This is the man who COULD afford to drive a shiny new Cadillac, but instead drives a beat up old Volkswagen.
c. This is the man who could afford to put $1000.00 in the offering plate every Sunday, but instead puts in $2.00.
d. This is the millionaire lady who buys cheap, fake jewelry because she can’t stand to take money out of her pocketbook.
e. This is the wealthy guy who charges top dollar for goods at the stores he owns, but complains about the price everyone else charges when he has to buy something.
f. This is the wealthy guy who, when on a trip to Mexico, barters with a poor little half starving kid on the side of the road to talk him down from 2 dollars to 50-cents for the basket he wove.
g. This is the man who pretends to be poor in order to muster up sympathy so that he can get a better price.
h. Just like the poor man who ends up lying in order to pretend to be rich—this man ends up lying in order to pretend to be poor.
• He lies on the college application for his son—so that he can qualify for a grant that he doesn’t need.
• He cheats on his taxes, hiding his wealth in order to pay less tax…
• He lies in order to get food stamps or welfare from the government (you’d be surprised how many people are on welfare that don’t need to be!)
• I think we would be shocked to hear some of the unscrupulous things wealthy people have done… feigning to be poor… in order to keep more of their wealth.
• Shame on them! That’s what Solomon is saying here!
4. His reasons?
a. His reason for doing so is not due so much to the pride of life (to be seen of men), but it IS due to his love for the things of the world. (I John 2:15)
b. He loves his money, so he doesn’t spend it. He would rather spend YOUR money and keep his.
c. He is stingy and cheap.
d. What is being described here is not a frugal poor man who uses wisdom to stretch what little resources he has. Rather, Solomon is describing an unscrupulous wealthy man who PRETENDS to be poor in order to prosper even more.
e. His love of money causes him to be dishonest and pretend to be poor in order to keep more of his money.
1. The fact that this man HAS great riches makes his behavior all the more despicable!
2. If someone who really NEEDS welfare or a government loan and gets it, then that’s one thing. But when a wealthy man PRETENDS… and lies to get it—what a disgrace!
3. It is never acceptable, but it IS understandable when a poor man lies or steals in order to feed his family.
• Prov. 6:30 – Men do not despise a thief, if he steals to satisfy his soul when he is hungry…
• But it is despicable when a wealthy man does so. Men DO hate that kind of a thief!
4. Some weeks ago there was some famous Hollywood actress who was arrested for shoplifting.
a. She was probably wealthy enough to buy the store.
b. She didn’t NEED the clothes.
c. But she stole and got caught.
d. This is far worse than the poor man who steals a loaf of bread… yet she will probably get off with a slap on her wrist.
e. What made her crime so loathsome was the fact that she “had great riches.”
Proverbs 13:8
The Rich and the Poor
Introduction:
1. Verse 8 is akin to vs. 7. They both speak of a contrast between the rich and poor.
2. Vs. 7 – the rich may have nothing; the poor may have great wealth.
3. Vs. 8 – again, a contrast between the rich and the poor.
4. They both indicate that wealth isn’t all its cracked up to be.
a. Vs. 7 stated that a man might have many earthly riches, and yet have nothing… no happiness… no peace… no security… no health… no friends… and especially, he may have no salvation! He may not have God or spiritual blessings.
b. He may be a spiritual pauper… though rich in the goods of this world.
c. Ecc. 5:11 – a poor man may have only one meal in his cupboard at a time.
d. A wealthy man may have 30 years worth of wheat and grains stored up in his barns…
e. But what good is it, other than to look at? You can only eat one meal at a time!
5. We have all known people with lots of money, yet they are miserable…
a. Money can buy a lot of things, but it cannot buy happiness. If you are a miserable poor man, putting money in your wallet isn’t going to change your disposition.
b. Money cannot buy friends. It can buy leeches, but not true friends.
c. Money does NOT make all your problems go away. In fact, it simply introduces you to a whole new array of problems that poor people never have to worry about.
d. That is exactly the point of vs. 8.
1. Here again is a contrast between the rich and the poor.
2. At first glance, it appears that the rich man’s riches are quite valuable.
a. If a poor man is kidnapped, he has no riches to pay off a ransom.
b. If a rich man is kidnapped (or his wife or child), he has many riches. He is able to pay the ransom.
c. So at that level, his riches are a good thing. They may save his life… or the life of his family member.
d. Many lives have been saved by paying the ransom price.
e. Without being able to pay the ransom, their loved ones would perish.
f. The ransom of a man’s life are his riches. This has been proven to be true over and over again throughout history.
g. If someone kidnapped your son or daughter, and demanded a million dollars… you would wish you had a million dollars, and would probably do what you could to borrow it!
h. If a kidnapper called you and left a threatening message of murder to a loved one unless X amount of dollars is given them, you would wish you had X amount of dollars.
i. Thus, money has its advantages. It could save your life… or the life of a loved one.
3. Thus, Solomon makes this point in the first half of the proverb.
a. However, the point of the proverb is actually just the opposite as it begins.
b. In the second half, Solomon makes a dramatic shift in emphasis…
c. In the first half, he states: money talks; money has its advantages and privileges; it could even save your life.
d. And there is certainly an element of truth in that.
• Julio Iglesias’s father – kidnapped in 1985
• John Paul Getty III – 1973
• Patty Hearst (daughter of Wm. Randolph Hearst, publishing magnate) early 70’s
• Charles Lindbergh Jr. – 1932
1. Now Solomon makes his real point. The first part was a sub-point to accentuate what he really wanted to say.
a. He started off by implying that money has its advantages.
b. Now he states that money also carries a curse with it.
c. This thought was similar to vs. 7 – money isn’t all its cracked up to be. You can be rich… and yet have nothing!
d. Let’s look at HOW Solomon makes his second point… or his main point.
2. There are some obvious disadvantages to being poor.
a. They have to worry about little things that the wealthy never have to worry about… rent money… food… paying the bills…
b. But just as Solomon’s earlier point (being rich isn’t all it’s cracked up to be)… so too, being poor isn’t as bad as it might sound at first!
c. Poverty has its advantages too.
3. Rebuke: rough contrary words.
a. In context, this refers to the threatening words of the kidnappers.
b. Only the rich man is likely to hear such threatening speech from those who kidnap their family members. (Kidnapping is nothing new…)
c. Consider various translations of this passage:
• The rich may have to pay a ransom for their lives, but the poor will face no such danger.
• A man’s riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.
• The rich can pay a ransom, but the poor won’t even get threatened.
• The rich have to use their money to save their lives, but no one threatens the poor.
d. The poor man may APPEAR to be at a disadvantage because he has no riches to pay off the kidnappers.
e. However, in reality, nobody ever kidnaps a poor man! Or a poor man’s family. They go after the rich and famous!
• Jorge Campos – famous Mexican soccer player—kidnapped…
• Julio Iglesias’s father – world-renown celebrity 1985
• John Paul Getty II – 1973
• Patty Hearst – daughter of publishing magnate, WM. Randolph Hearst – who paid 6 million for her ransom
• Charles Lindbergh – 1932—selected by the kidnappers because of his celebrity status.
• Notice that John Doe doesn’t appear on this list.
f. Only the rich and famous have to worry about kidnappers seeking a ransom.
• Who would be the easiest people in the world to kidnap?
• Street people… but it never happens.
• Why? Obviously, because they have nothing. They could not pay a ransom.
• If a kidnapper is going to kidnap for money, he is naturally going to choose a target where he can get a LOT of money.
• Not only do kidnappers not go after street people, they don’t even go after average middle class folks like us…
• They target the wealthy… this has been the case since the days of Solomon—and is true today too.
4. The poor man may sit around and feel sorry for himself because he has no money to pay off a ransom if his family was kidnapped… but his lack of money in this case is NOT a curse, it is a blessing in disguise!
a. This is really the main point of the proverb.
b. The apparent advantage of money is not necessarily an advantage.
c. And Solomon intends for us to apply this principle in all kinds of areas… not just kidnapping and ransom paying.
d. The principle is that wealth and money aren’t all they’re cracked up to be… they have some advantages, but they also carry with them a great risk and burden, that the poor don’t have to worry about!
e. Solomon writes this proverb to encourage the poor… and to let them know that while there are some disadvantages to not having a lot of money… there are also some not so obvious advantages!
5. Problems with great wealth…
a. They have to build large walls and iron gates around their property… they have to hire security guards to protect their property… body guards to protect themselves… their kids are targets for kidnappers. That thought has got to be on their minds constantly.
b. Young athletes who suddenly become multi-millionaires find that with the wealth comes many problems…
• People seek them for their money…
• People are constantly thinking of ways to sue them…
c. The person who wins the lottery and is suddenly a multi- millionaire, discovers that money does two things:
• It instantly solves some problems: bills are paid; debt is gone; putting food on the table is no longer a concern.
• However, they soon learn money also creates a whole new realm of problems…
• Their friends are gone… people turn against them… and try to use them…
• Money does awful things to relationships between people…
d. There is a burden that wealthy people have to bear every moment of every day…that the poor never have to be concerned about. (Ecc. 5:12)
• The poor woman can go out at night and she doesn’t have to worry about her expensive diamonds being stolen. She doesn’t have any diamonds! They’re all fakes… if they get stolen—no big loss.
• The poor man who works at the factory doesn’t stay up at night worrying about law suits… but the owner of the factory might…
• The weekend warrior who plays baseball on Saturdays for fun doesn’t have to worry about some woman accusing him of rape so she can sue him for millions. The 10 million baseball star does have to worry about that. But the weekend dubber? He gets to play baseball worry free… and just for the fun of it.
• Ecc. 5:13 – sometimes wealth is kept for the HURT of its owners!
1. The wealthy are hurt through kidnappings… thefts… murders… law suits… isolation…
2. The ultimate hurt associated with great wealth is exemplified in the rich young ruler. He was hurt for eternity.
3. This is Solomon’s point both in Ecc. and in Proverbs. Money has advantages, but it has many disadvantages too.
Prov. 30:8-9 – Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient? for me: ? 9 ?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.
1. This should be our prayer… neither riches nor poverty.
2. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
3. In whatever state we find ourselves—be content… and rejoice in the advantages God has given… and be careful of the dangers.
Proverbs 13:9
The Light of the Righteous
Introduction:
Consider the contrasts in this proverb:
1. Righteous and the wicked
2. Light and lamp
3. One demonstrates joy… the other demonstrates sorrow.
4. One continues (to rejoice) the other cease… its light is extinguished.
LIGHT AND LAMP
1. The light and lamp are used as synonyms.
a. However, there DOES seem to be a distinction.
b. The righteous has light… the wicked has a lamp.
c. If a righteous man has light, it is implied that he also has a lamp. If he has light, then he has a lamp.
d. However, it is possible to have a lamp… but with no light. This is how the wicked is pictured here.
2. These are common illustrations in the Bible.
a. In different contexts light is sometimes used to illustrate different entities…
b. It is used as a symbol of life… the blessings of life… or one’s testimony… illumination… understanding, guidance, vision, discernment.
3. In this context, Solomon uses lamp/light as an illustration of the continuance of life… or the blessings that flow from a life that continues to shine.
a. Prov. 20:20 – his lamp shall be put out is a figure of speech to denote that his life shall be extinguished.
b. Prov. 24:20 – there is no reward for the wicked. When it comes time for rewards to be distributed, his candle shall be put out. (Candle here = same word as lamp; not a wax candle, but an oil lamp)
c. Job 18:5-6 – the light and spark of the wicked shall be extinguished.
d. Jude 1:13 – to the false teachers: to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
e. This is the sense in which Solomon uses the illustration in Prov. 13:9.
f. The life of the righteous shall continue to shine…radiantly… brilliantly… gloriously.
g. The life of the wicked shall be snuffed out early… and ignominiously… without honor… in shame… in darkness…
Rejoicing or the Sorrow of Being Put Out
1. The righteous lead a life of joy.
a. It seems like an odd term to use in contrast to extinguish: rejoiceth.
• Lights don’t rejoice… they shine.
• This is obviously figurative language—but isn’t it telling… descriptive…
b. Can’t you picture a light rejoicing? There is something happy about light… and sad about darkness.
• There is a sense of joy that comes in watching the sun rise…light therapy… try going on top of a snow covered Mt. on a sunny day… don’t you feel that joy on a sunny day that is somewhat missing on a dull, dreary, gray, cloudy day?
• Everybody knows that you can set a mood with light… restaurants use light to set a mood… so do theatres… and other establishments.
• When a person is depressed they might seem to have a dark cloud hanging over their heads… and when they break out of the depression—it is as if the light finally begins to shine!
• Bright shining light is happy.
c. Understanding that the proverbs are written in a poetic style makes it perfectly understandable how Solomon could speak of a shining lamp as rejoicing.
2. In fact, this and other proverbs imply that it is his righteous life that is the BASIS of his rejoicing.
a. A righteous man rejoices because of his righteous life.
b. The wicked cannot experience the JOY of a righteous life. He doesn’t shine happily.
• The wicked is constantly looking over his shoulder to see if he is going to get caught for his wickedness.
• If he is cheating on his wife—he lives with that dark burden… of being found out…
• If he is cheating on his taxes—he lives under the dark cloud of being arrested… and fined… and shamed publicly.
• If he is lying, he lives under the dark cloud of being caught with that too…
• Sin does NOT produce happiness and joy. It produces death… and all the sorrow and suffering that goes along with it.
• Joy and sin don’t go together.
c. But a righteous life DOES lead to joy… promotes joy… yields joy
• The believer who walks in sin is hindering the ministry of the Holy Spirit… whose ministry it is to produce the fruit of love and joy in our hearts.
3. An “unrighteous life” produces guilt and misery.
a. Ps. 51:7-12 – Sin hinders that ministry… it restricts true joy.
b. David prayed for a restoration of the JOY of his salvation—a joy that was forfeited because of his sin… and his ongoing refusal to repent for upwards of a year after his sin with Bathsheba.
c. David recognized here that sin and guilt need to be cleansed away before that joy can be restored.
d. There needs to be a confession of our sin… and a genuine repentance… before we can once again experience that JOY.
e. David learned that the light of the righteous rejoices… but when that righteousness ceases, so does the JOY of one’s salvation.
f. David learned that sin could extinguish his happily shining light.
g. We need to learn that lesson too… hopefully not through experience, but from God’s word…
h. But unfortunately, we are prone to learn it from experience.
4. But a righteous life… one lived in the power of the Holy Spirit will always be full of the JOY of the Lord.
a. Joy is the FRUIT of a Spirit filled life.
b. It may be filled with trials—but there will always be divine joy in our hearts… even if it is a joy that seeketh me through pain…
c. The light of the righteous rejoiceth.
d. A righteous life is one with a purged conscience… cleansed and free from sin and guilt…
e. Free to feast on Christ and His Word unhindered… free to partake of the joy fellowship… free to experience the joy of being used of the Lord… joyous!
f. The light of the righteous rejoiceth!
• This is the kind of freedom, and unhindered joy that only those who walk closely to Christ can experience.
Continuing or Being Extinguished
1. The final contrast in this proverb is between a light that happily rejoices… and (by implication) CONTINUES to go on happily rejoicing… vs. a lamp that is suddenly snuffed out… extinguished.
a. Solomon doesn’t actually SAY that the light of the righteous continues to shine… but the contrast with the second part of the verse makes it obvious that that is what he had in mind.
b. The life of a righteous man continues to shine brightly and happily… while the life of a wicked man is suddenly snuffed out.
2. The continuation of a lamp is used to distinguish between the righteous and the ungodly.
a. Matt. 25:1-13 – the lamps of the wise virgins continued to shine… while the lamps of the foolish went out.
• Why? Because the wise brought oil for their lamp. They not only had a lamp… but they also had a SOURCE of light… oil!
• Oil sometimes represents the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures.
• The wise virgins were prepared to meet the Lord and did so… their lamps continued to shine.
• The foolish virgins were not prepared. Their lamps had no ongoing source of light… and went out.
• The continuation of the light was used to describe the difference between the righteous and the unrighteous here.
• The godly in Israel would enter the Kingdom when Christ returns at His Second Coming, the others will not.
3. However, this illustration also creates some problems at times.
a. It doesn’t always seem TRUE!
b. Saints throughout the ages have always EXPECTED this to be true, but have not always OBSERVED it to be true.
c. Many saints have been discouraged because at times, it appears that just the opposite is true.
d. Too often it appears that the wicked seem to shine brightly in the world… they seem to prosper and do so well… and the righteous are the ones who seem to suffer… and have their light diminished.
e. This is what caused Asaph such bewilderment… (Ps. 73:2-12)
• It appeared to Asaph that HIS candle was going out (vs. 2,13-16)
• It also appeared to Asaph that the candle of the wicked seemed to shine brightly… their lives continued and seem to prosper and be happy (vs.5,12)
f. Asaph went into the sanctuary and learned to see life from God’s perspective. (vs.17)
• What did he learn?
• He learned that the ungodly seem to shine for a while.
• Consider the illustration of a lamp (not a candle as we know it today—an oil lamp)
• A lamp has a wick in it—and the wick is flammable. It will burn for a while… but only for a little while. If there is no oil—the wick will go up in a bright flash—and then die out.
• Asaph was discouraged because he was looking at the wicked—who seemed to SHINE.
• And they DO shine… but only for a short time… their lives are also like a vapor.
• They go out in a big bright flash… and disappear into everlasting darkness.
» Or to use a different illustration from James, which teaches the very same point: the ungodly are like the glory of a flower that blooms for a short time—and then the grace of the fashion of it perisheth…
• While the righteous shine (as Daniel puts it) as the brightness of the firmament… or as stars forever and ever! (Dan. 12:3)
• Or as Jesus put it, “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matt. 13:43)
• Prov. 4:18-19 – the way of the righteous shines in increasing glory and brightness as time goes on. The way of the wicked grows increasingly dark… until their lamp is put out in the lake of fire forever.
• Don’t ever be jealous of the momentary flash the ungodly enjoy in the world.
• We will shine for ever with the Lord. Far better.
• There is an initial pleasure of sin…that the ungodly will enjoy… but it is short lived.
• That is the point of the proverb.
• The wicked are like a lamp with no oil—it has a wick that makes a big flash for a while—and is extinguished.
» The wicked lack the oil of salvation… the Holy Spirit. Their lamp must go out.
» To them is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
» The righteous go on shining as stars—forever and ever.
• Our light may be obscured by clouds for a time—but it continues to shine… and will for ever.
• When we look at this principle as Asaph did when his focus was earthbound—this principle does not always seem true.
• But from God’s eternal perspective—it is always so!
Proverbs 13:10
Only by Pride
Introduction:
1. Here is yet another contrast of opposites… although exactly WHAT is being contrasted is not clear at first glance.
2. There is no obvious contrast as in many other proverbs, such as between the wise and the foolish; the wicked and righteous; or the lazy and the diligent.
• Those contrasts are clearly opposite one another.
• The contrasts made in this verse are not so clear at first… until one begins to think…
3. Here Solomon makes the following contrasts:
• Between pride and good advice… (they are opposites)
• Between contention and wisdom…(they too are opposites)
1. Contention:
a. This term is used only 3 times in the Bible, and is translated by 3 different English words: contention; strife; debate;
b. Unfortunately, the concept is only too familiar to all of us. We have all had our share of contentions and arguments in life.
c. We have experienced contention in various settings too:
• in our homes… with our spouses… with our parents… with our children…
• in our school… with other students… with teachers… on the bus… in the cafeteria… during recess… gym…
• in our workplaces: with our co-workers; with our boss; with our employees;
• in the local church: with other believers; with a Sunday school teacher; with the leaders; Awana worker; youth leader; in the choir; at a board meeting; perhaps with me. 🙁
d. Contention is a problem we all have to deal with because we live in a world full of sinners; there is no escaping contention…
e. Paul said, “As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.” His very statement implies that there are times when it is NOT possible to live peaceably. It takes two.
f. The most peace loving people on earth are going to be confronted with contention at one time or another. Try as you may, it’s inescapable.
2. Contention is like a plague or a disease that is constantly spreading from one place to another… like a cancer.
a. Scientists know that the best way to prevent a disease is to discover how it starts… what causes it to arise…
b. Sometimes when the cause is discovered, prevention becomes relatively easy.
c. For example, when it was discovered that many diseases were spread by contact of hands… washing hands resulted in far fewer incidents of the spread of deadly diseases!
d. A simple, very doable preventative measure can result in avoiding something potentially dangerous and deadly.
e. In this proverb, Solomon tells us HOW contentions arise… through pride!
f. The obvious REASON for telling us this is so that we might PREVENT the disease from arising… so that we might either prevent altogether… or at least greatly reduce the amount of contention in our lives.
g. With just a simple washing of our hands, we can prevent a near fatal disease.
h. With just a simple washing of our attitudes, we can prevent a near fatal contention in our homes… or local church… or workplace… or school…
3. The Bible commands us to AVOID contention and strife. They are unhealthy…
a. As much as lieth in you… live peaceably with all men. (And quite a bit lieth in us as Christians… Christ is in you… the Holy Spirit is in you!)
b. Prov. 25:8 – “Go not hastily to strive.”
• Some folks seem gravitated towards strife and contention… always looking for a good fight.
• Solomon warns us NOT to be hasty in getting involved in strife.
• You could end up in a situation where you don’t know what to do… how to get out of it… how to END the strife…
• Prov. 17:14 – it is like the letting out of water.
1. Imagine a dam with a little crack.
2. Imagine taking your finger and poking that little crack… so that water begins a tiny trickle out
3. Imagine that tiny crack expanding and expanding as the water washes away weak cement
4. Imagine this going on for some time… until that tiny crack widens and the dam begins to break…
5. There comes a point of no return… when the flow of water becomes uncontrollable.
6. That is the illustration Solomon uses of contention. It begins like flowing water… easily controlled at first… but, if meddled with, can quickly develop into that which is unable to be controlled.
b. Prov. 20:3 – It is an honor to avoid contention. But fools will love to meddle… to play in the dirt… to find things to fight about.
c. The kind of strife and contention Solomon describes in this passage is like a disease… to be avoided… rejected… not to meddle with it…
d. Fools love to meddle in strife and stir things up; wise men avoid it.
4. Pride results in contention…
a. Pride: pride; presumptuousness; arrogance.
b. In a sense, pride is at the root of all sin. It was pride in Lucifer that resulted in his fall… and proud arrogance on the part of Adam in the Garden that resulted in their fall… to exalt self… to be like God…
c. Solomon warns us that pride results in contention…
• The KJV seems to indicate that at the root of all contention is pride in one form or another.
• However, the word “only” can be attached to either the word pride OR the word contention.
• KJV connects it with pride and it has one meaning.
• If it is connected with the word contention, then Solomon is saying that pride results in nothing but contention. It never results in peace… only contention.
d. There is more than one cause for contention according to the following passages:
• I Cor. 3:3 – For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions??, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
• Prov. 10:12 – Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
• Prov. 15:18 – A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
• Prov. 16:28 – ?A froward man soweth? strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. (An evil spirit)
• Prov. 26:21 – As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.? (a contentious spirit)
• These verses- might cause us to lean in the direction of placing the ONLY with the word contention… or understanding that pride is really at the root of the following list of sinful roots of strife.
5. Hence, we are told by Solomon exactly what it is that leads to fighting… arguing… contention… and strife.
a. Since we are told to avoid contention, we should also avoid that which LEADS to it…
b. In Prov. 13:10, it is pride or arrogance that leads to contention.
c. Therefore, wash your hands of pride… take it to the cross and leave it… pride, arrogance, self exaltation… take it all to the cross… and the strife will cease…
d. Phil.2:3 – Christlikeness demands this: let NOTHING be done through strife or vainglory.
1. The contrast: contention is listed as the opposite of wisdom.
a. In other words, it is WISE to avoid contention…
b. It is folly to pursue contention.
c. The wise man will follow the advice in this proverb and avoid contention.
d. Fighting is stupid… foolish… not helpful… it destroys homes, churches, relationships, etc.
2. The second contrast: between a proud man and one who is well advised.
a. At first it’s hard to see the relationship…
b. However, think of this pride as a proud arrogance…
• Here is a man who thinks he knows it all…
• He thinks his way is always right…
• He thinks his opinions are always right… and everyone else’s opinions are worthless…
• He’s the man who will not listen to anyone. He won’t take advice. He is close-minded. There is no talking to him.
• This kind of pride always results in contention.
c. The OPPOSITE of this kind of proud, arrogant man is the man who is well advised.
d. Well advised: to advise; consult; give counsel.
• This man is one who takes advice; listens to counsel; consults with others…
• He is not a proud arrogant know it all.
• He is a humble man who knows he needs advice and counsel… and he takes it in… weighs it… and responds in a right way to it.
• Prov. 15:22 – Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
• Prov. 24:6 – For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.
• An arrogant man would not seek counsel… he wants to do it his way.
• A proud man would not consult with others to try to understand their view. He thinks his view is always right.
• Hence, the proud man sets himself up for contention… (with those who know better)
• But with the humble man, who SEEKS COUNSEL and is thus well advised … with this humble man is WISDOM.
• Arrogant pride leads to contention. Humble seeking after counsel results in wisdom.
• Prov. 12:15 – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
• This is the man who will prevent contentions… by his humble spirit that is willing to recognize that he is not always right… and by a spirit of being willing to hear good advice and heed it…
• Wouldn’t that kind of a spirit transform your home? This church? Your office? Your ministry? Be willing to listen to people… listen to their side… listen to their views… their opinions… weigh them thoughtfully… take advice and be well advised.
• Who knows? It might bring peace… and prevent contention. That good result is worth the little extra involved… a simple thing like washing one’s hands can prevent deadly disease. A simple thing like humbling self and listening to others can prevent deadly contentions… and bring real peace!
Proverbs 13:11
Wealth: Gotten by Vanity or Labor
Introduction:
1. This is a proverb that gives some sound financial advice… and a warning.
2. It is simply an observation that Solomon made as he observed how people obtained wealth and what they did with it.
3. Here the contrast is between two ways in which wealth is obtained, and two results…
11a Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished…
A. Wealth Gotten By Vanity
1. Wealth: wealth; riches; substance; that which is of high value.
a. Wealth is the topic of this proverb.
b. Wealth comes in all degrees.
c. Even the poor have some wealth… some substance… some material goods.
d. Hence, the passage is not just for the upper crust of society. This principle applies to the rest of us too!
2. Gotten: actually this verb is not in the original… but it is certainly implied.
a. In the proverb, the “vanity” is contrasted with “labor” and “gotten” is contrasted to “gathering”…
b. Solomon is speaking not about the AMOUNT of wealth obtained, but rather the MEANS of obtaining it.
c. Wealth can be obtained in lots of different ways… through various means.
d. When you see wealthy people—don’t automatically assume that they are wealthy because they are hard workers… or because they were smart or wise in their business deals… or because they are insightful visionaries. That is not necessarily the case!
e. Solomon addresses that issue in this verse.
f. And Solomon should know! He was king. He was BORN into great wealth, prestige, and power.
• Solomon grew up with the aristocrats in the kingdom.
• Solomon rubbed elbows with the rich and famous his whole life.
• He was involved in huge construction projects in Israel—and would have had much contact with wealthy land owners… with stone quarry owners… with those who traded in gold, silver, and precious stones…
• Solomon knew all the important business men… all the Bill Gates and John Rockefellers of his day…
• Solomon also knew many foreign kings and their royal families. He married into about 900 of them!
• Solomon observed these men his whole life… and he jotted down his observations on papyrus for us…
• What he records for us are valuable and insightful words of warning from an insider… from one who lived among the wealthy his whole life—and is letting us paupers in on his findings…
g. Solomon observed that many men obtained their wealth by what he called VANITY.
3. Vanity: vapor; breath; empty; brief; meaningless; uselessness.
a. This is a rather vague term—vague enough to include MANY different applications.
b. This would include wealth obtained QUICKLY… like a vapor that appears for a moment… and is gone.
• Some people obtain wealth by betting on the horses…
• Some obtain wealth quickly by winning the lottery…
• Some obtain wealth quickly by a rich uncle leaving them a fortune in an inheritance.
• Some struck oil… others invested a few dollars in a new company called Microsoft 20 years ago…
• Some young men become wealthy overnight and sign multimillion dollar contracts because they can run fast or throw a ball well…
• Some came into great wealth by selling pet rocks—inventing a hula hoop
• Some obtain money quickly in some “get rich quick” scheme –Some obtain wealth quickly by illegal means—robbing a bank… embezzling money… by fraud… selling drugs…
• Prov. 21:6 – obtaining money by lying is a “vanity”
• Prov. 28:20 – getting rich quick is often associated with illegal or questionable behavior
c. Solomon’s point is not whether the money was obtained legally or illegally. His point is that some men obtain money by VANITY… in a breath… rapidly… quickly…
• No doubt Solomon saw a lot of this. In fact he himself came into great wealth this way… he was BORN into money! Born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
• Solomon knew many young men in royal families, who, when their father died, suddenly became exceptionally wealthy and powerful!
• He comments on what happened next…
B. That Wealth “Shall be Diminished”
1. Diminished: make small; make few; diminish; become few in number.
a. His point here is that money that is obtained quickly, is often diminished quickly too.
b. We have a similar proverb: easy come, easy go!
c. Prov. 23:5 – money has a way of disappearing fast… especially money that was obtained fast!
2. Wealth obtained illegally will disappear! (Prov. 28:22)
a. If he is caught and thrown in jail, he is quite poor!
b. Even if he is not caught, easily gained money is usually not spent wisely… but foolishly… and before you know it—it’s gone.
c. This is a warning against trying to get rich quick by illegal means. That money won’t last you… and you will be forced to rob again and again… don’t start!
3. Wealth gained suddenly or quickly will soon disappear.
a. Solomon doesn’t actually tell us WHY this is so.
b. However, the second part of the proverb gives the answer.
11b But he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
A. He That Gathereth By Labor
1. The contrast is between one who obtains wealth quickly… and this man who gathers wealth the old fashioned way—he works for it!
2. Gathering wealth by labor is anything but sudden or quickly.
a. This is the man who works hard every day—and slowly but steadily salts away a nest egg for the future.
b. This principle is true regardless of what economic level one lives at either…
c. The first part of the proverb is like our modern proverb: easy come; easy go.
d. The second part of the proverb is like another modern proverb: slow and steady wins the race… like the tortoise and the hare.
3. Something else is implied in the expression “gathereth by labor.”
a. The man who receives a bundle of money all at once—just laid on his lap… without any labor, is not going to appreciate the VALUE of that money. He has no sense of its real worth. He has nothing to gauge it by.
b. It is a good idea to teach children the VALUE of money…
c. Young people today might grow up thinking that you can get all the money you want by driving up to an ATM machine… that’s all there is to it!
d. When money is obtained easily or quickly—it might be assumed that it can ALWAYS be obtained easily or quickly. They will probably have to learn that lesson the hard way.
e. But those who gather their wealth the old fashioned way—by labor—they have something with which to gauge the VALUE of their money… the hours and sweat it took to earn it!
f. When a working man brings home his weekly check—he knows exactly what it took to get that amount of money.
g. If he has any brains, he is not about to squander it away foolishly—because he knows how hard he has to work to replace it!
h. Nobody is going to value this church building more than the men and women who devoted two full years of their lives to building it… working in the hot sun… and in the cold winter… carrying boards… nailing down shingles… putting on siding… painting… washing… etc.
i. Those folks will appreciate the value of this building… they can gauge what it took to put it up… and they will probably have more interest in its upkeep too. They wouldn’t want to see their hard labor go down the tubes.
j. If you spent two years painting a canvas, you are going to take good care of that painting. It won’t sit in the musty cellar growing mildew!
k. The man who works all summer long in his garden is going to appreciate the value of the fruits. The neighborhood kids who come in and steal his tomatoes for a tomato fight don’t appreciate their value.
l. There is something about WORK… labor… that causes a man to appreciate the fruit of one’s labor.
m. When a man appreciates the fruit of his labor—he is not going to sit by and watch it waste away.
n. That’s the point of the proverb.
B. Wealth Gathered by Labor “Shall Increase”
1. Slow and steady wins the race.
2. The man who slowly, but gradually—and through hard labor salts his money away—is going to keep an eye on that money. He has a vested interest in that money. He is not going to let his hard labor be wasted foolishly.
3. He knows the value of it, so he won’t spend it foolishly—like the man who got his money overnight and doesn’t realize its value.
4. Because of his labor, he understands its value… and thus he uses it wisely and with discretion… and gradually, his wealth increases.
5. While the hot shot who won the lottery is out foolishly blowing all his money on frivolous pursuits, the hard worker is wisely and gradually increasing his wealth.
Spiritual Application:
1. Spiritual wealth is obtained in two different ways too: quickly and easily… or through labor.
2. Some believers come to church and are fed meat from God’s Word.
a. It is easily obtained—just sit comfortably in a pew and listen.
b. It doesn’t take any digging… any studying… any preparation… any research… any toil…
c. Just sit and soak. What could be easier?
d. If that is all our spiritual life consists of—then expect the spiritual riches you are hearing about to diminish…
e. You won’t appreciate them as you ought… you won’t experience them in your life…
f. You will become dull of hearing after a while…
g. It will go in one ear and out the other.
h. Easy come, easy go. That’s the principle—and it holds for earthly riches as well as spiritual or heavenly riches.
3. II Tim. 2:15 – STUDY to show yourself approved unto God!
a. It is the WORKMAN that needeth not to be ashamed.
b. It is the man who LABORS in the word himself … reading for himself… looking up terms himself… comparing Scripture with Scripture himself—that will be truly blessed.
c. That man is going to do more than just HEAR about those truths… they will become REAL to him.
d. He will value them… treasure them… his spiritual riches will increase.
e. Let’s be that kind of man—or woman—or young person.
f. He that gathereth spiritual riches by labor—he that labors to enter into God’s rest—WILL enter—and will be blessed.
Proverbs 13:12
Hope Deferred
Introduction:
1. In this proverb, Solomon makes an observation from an occurrence in life that we have all experienced… perhaps many times over: deferred hope.
2. This proverb comes to us not in the form of an exhortation, a command, or a warning… but a simple observation.
a. It doesn’t draw any conclusions from the observation either.
b. It doesn’t even give us any advice or counsel. It is simply an observation about life on earth.
3. No doubt Solomon had observed this truth in his own life—and also in the lives of many others.
4. He saw it occur so often, that he decided to write it down in a proverb… for us all to understand what he observed.
5. Like many of the Proverbs, the truth he declares here is self evident…one of those things that are “common to man”… and so much so that one might argue it to be unnecessary to record it as a proverb…
6. However, it is good for us to know that this is an ORDINARY experience of life… and that when it occurs in our lives, we are not the only one… we are not alone… it is not some strange thing that happened unto you and you alone.
7. Perhaps that is the real reason behind writing this proverb.
A. Hope
1. Defined: always translated “hope”… from a word that means “to wait for; hope for; expectation of a positive future prospect”
a. The term is generic enough to include ALL the hopes and dreams and wishes that enter our hearts.
b. It speaks of all the inner longing and hungering of our soul for something better… an expectation of good for the future…
2. Hope is a wonderful thing…
a. Hope is encouraging… uplifting…
b. It is GOOD to have a “bright hope for tomorrow”.
c. In fact, spiritually, we have a BLESSED hope—the coming of Christ!
d. When focused on a good hope for tomorrow, we are encouraged and motivated to endure through today’s trials. Hope springs eternal! Life is good!
e. When we give up on hope… we sink into discouragement… and all is dark and dreary… life is miserable.
3. We all have hopes… hopes that keep us going… hopes of a better tomorrow…
a. hopes for our kids… to have wisdom; to walk with the Lord; to make sensible decisions; to turn out right; to find a godly spouse; to do well in their careers…
b. hopes for this assembly… for unity; growth; spiritual strength;
c. hopes for the salvation of souls… friends; family; neighbors; spouse; co workers;
d. hopes for doing well at school…
e. for promotion at work…
f. hopes of finding a mate…
g. for others, their hope is having a baby…
h. for buying a house… to fix up a house; to pay off a house…
i. for losing weight…for getting physically fit… for a disease to remain in remission…
j. for finishing college… for landing a good job
k. for restoring a broken relationship…
l. Hope for a backslidden believer to return to the Lord…
m. hopes for getting victory over a besetting sin…
n. Hopes for getting out of debt…
4. The proverb is not speaking about any one particular KIND of hope… but rather is general enough to include ALL kinds of hopes that reside in the human breast… hopes that are common to man.
5. Heb. 6:18-20 – in the spiritual realm, CHRIST is our hope…
a. He is the hope of glory…
b. As our hope He is the anchor of our soul… which gives stability in the rough seas of earthly life… until we reach our eternal home in glory.
c. He is our BLESSED hope… a truly bright hope for tomorrow.
d. It is HE who keeps us going today… otherwise, we might grow weary and quit!
e. We all NEED hope… an expectation of good to come… light at the end of the tunnel…
B. Hope Deferred
1. Deferred: the basic meaning relates to linear motion… something being dragged along… born along…
a. It is translated in many different ways in the Old Testament… according to the context.
b. Here it speaks of that which has been drawn out, dragged out; goes on an on… to be postponed, be deferred; put off…
2. Hope deferred…
a. Bright hope for tomorrow is a wonderful thing… but when tomorrow comes… and the next day, and the next day—and our hopes never seem any closer to fruition… there comes a point when we no longer HAVE good expectations for tomorrow…
b. We have all been there—we have our heart set on something… that looks like it might come to pass… but it doesn’t… time goes on and opportunity is lost…
c. Our hopes are dashed…
d. There sometimes comes a point where we stop hoping… when it seems fruitless… pointless to continue to hope for that which seems to elude us…
3. Examples of hope deferred…
a. We had our heart set on getting that big promotion at work… and Fred got the job instead of you…
b. We had hoped and dreamed that this certain relationship would develop into marriage… and our hopes are dashed… she goes off with someone else…
c. We had hoped for our son to do well at college, and after his first year he quits…
d. We had hoped that this new medication would put our disease into remission—only to discover that it didn’t work and the disease has returned…
e. We had hoped that our wayward son would return to the Lord, but instead he moves in with his girlfriend and becomes a Unitarian…
f. Perhaps a woman had longed to have a child and is told that she will not be able to…
g. We had hoped to pay off our loans and get out of debt, but another huge, unexpected expense comes along…
h. All too often in life we discover that the things we had such bright and vibrant hope for… after time, seem so elusive.
C. Maketh the Heart Sick
1. Sick:
2. When the heart becomes “sick” in this sense, it means that the man becomes discouraged… disappointed… despairing that his hopes may NEVER be realized.
3. That bright, encouraging, uplifting hope can soon turn to bitterness… the bubble of anticipation is popped… our hopes dashed… our hearts become “sick.”
4. We all know that feeling… all too well. Heart sick…
5. And to compound it—we have prayed and prayed for our hope to be realized… but nothing happens… the heart becomes sick over it.
1. But when that desired hope DOES come to fruition… when their hopes are realized… it is like a tree of life.
2. Tree of life:
a. Implies life with all its fullness and richness… an abundant life… a fruitful life…
b. It speaks of LIFE… abundant life… a fruitful life… vibrant, encouraging life… health, strength, vitality,
c. The sun begins to shine in your life again… after an extended period of gray, dreary, darkness and gloom… LIFE begins to spring up once again…
3. There are lots of examples of the desires fulfilled in the Bible too:
a. Gen. 21:5-7 – Sarah had hoped for a child for so long… decades… and finally, the desire came!
b. Gen. 46:29-30 – Jacob’s hope was to see his beloved son Joseph again… and when he saw him—he was ready to die. His life was now fulfilled…
c. Psalm 40:1-3 – David waited patiently and hoped in the Lord—and finally his hope was realized. He then had a new song in his heart!
d. Consider the hopes of the Jews during the period of captivity:
• Ps. 137:1-4 – they wept and longed for their hopes of returning to their beloved homeland to be realized…
• Ps. 126:1-3 – when the Lord finally DID turn around their captivity—it was like a dream come true! The hearts that had been sick… were now filled with laughter!
• This became to them a “tree of life.”
4. There are various seasons in life… seasons of waiting for hopes to be fulfilled… and seasons of fulfillment.
Applications:
• Solomon doesn’t draw any conclusions from this fact. Nor does he give advice or make any commands.
• He expects US to draw our own conclusions and make our own applications… to all kinds of situations.
1. Be careful what you set your hopes on…
a. If we KNOW that dashed hopes make the heart sick—be careful about what we hope for…
b. Don’t set yourself up for a big fall… don’t set your hopes on that which is unattainable… unrealistic…
c. If GOD sets our hopes on something big—then go for it.
d. But be careful—often our hopes get confused with selfish desires of the heart…
e. Sometimes we pray for these hopes to be realized—and we ask amiss that we may consume it on our own lusts…
f. Sometimes we bring heart sickness on ourselves.
g. Our real hopes ought to be on spiritual things… things God has promised… hope thou in GOD… my hope is in THEE.
h. When our hope is in the Lord, we will NOT be disappointed. Those hopes will NOT be dashed. He is faithful.
2. With our kids…
a. Be careful with what you promise your kids. They set their hopes on what dad or mom say to them.
b. If you tell them they are going for an ice cream—don’t dash their hopes. Keep your word! God keeps His word to us!
c. If you tell them you are going to take them to Canobie Lake—don’t frustrate them. They aren’t going to forget that promise. They will set their hopes on it.
d. Don’t promise them things you can’t come through on…
3. In marriage…
a. It’s no secret that marriages are breaking up all around us today.
b. While the reasons are various and sundry, one reason has to do with the truth described in this proverb: raised expectations that are never fulfilled… and bring sickness to the heart!
c. Young people today have some silly notion of married life…
• They expect to be instantly adjusted…
• They have expectations of going right into purchasing a home… fully furnished… with two cars in the garage… and a pool would be nice too…
• They go out and spend like crazy only to discover that they are spending beyond their means…
• That leads to cutting back… expectations dashed… heart sickness setting in…
• And suddenly, the marriage isn’t what you thought it would be…
• The bliss has turned bust…
• Why? Too many young people set unrealistic expectations…
• They expect to change their spouse as soon as the honeymoon is over…
• Expectation after expectation gets dashed against the wall… and two people end up with sick hearts and are sick of each other!
5. In the local church…
a. Sometimes we expect marital bliss forever in our homes… only to discover that not every day is bliss… the honeymoon doesn’t last forever.
b. The same is true in the local church. Some folks come expecting a perfect church—only to discover that the church has as many flaws as it has people…
c. And the expectations they had are sometimes dashed… when they begin to see the feet of clay displayed by its members.
d. A healthy, realistic, balanced set of expectations will go a long way to preventing such heart sickness.
e. Solomon didn’t draw these conclusions in the proverb—but he hoped we would be able to…
f. And there are scores of other applications as well.
g. This is a good proverb to revisit from time to time—at various stages of life.
Proverbs 13:13
Despising the Word
A. Despising Instruction
1. Despise: (Hebrew: booz) – to despise; hold in contempt; hold as insignificant; to despise; show despite toward; scorn; deride.
2. Word: instruction; speech; word; utterance; communication; counsel; commandment… (it is a broad term used in lots of different contexts.)
a. This term could include all kinds of words of instruction…
• From one’s parents…
• From the church leaders…
• From your boss…
• From a friend…
• From your teacher…
• From a brother in the Lord…
• From experts in a particular field (medicine; law; tax preparers; your industry; etc.)…
• From God Himself—refusing to listen to HIS WORD
3. Despising the word is utter folly.
a. Those who despise the word are CALLED fools…
b. Prov. 1:7 – fools despise wisdom and instruction…
• The book begins with this warning and repeats it OFTEN
• 1:4 – consider the purpose of the book.
• In light of its purpose WHY did Solomon repeat this thought so often—the fact that fools despise instruction?
• Because it is human nature… especially in the young to think they know it all… and to refuse to be instructed.
• Solomon gives repeated warnings of not only the FOLLY of that kind of behavior, but also of the CONSEQUENCES of it!
• Note also that a refusal to listen to instruction is the OPPOSITE of the fear of the Lord.
• This kind of refusal to hear stems from a lack of fearing God. If you feared God—you’d listen!
• If you don’t fear God—but think you are a little god unto yourself… if you think you have all the answers… then you won’t listen.
• FOOLS behave that way. Godly, God-fearing men, women, and children will listen.
c. Prov. 23:9 – fools despise the wisdom of thy words…
• Here Solomon gives the same kind of warning—only not to the listener, but to the one giving advice.
• Here Solomon warns: Don’t bother to give advice to a know it all fool.
• Not only will they not listen—they will despise it… and probably hate you too!
• Matt. 7:6 – This is like casting pearls before swine. The pig has no concept of the value of pearls… he will think you are throwing rocks at him to harm him and might attack you!
B. Shall Be Destroyed
1. Destroyed: to take a pledge; to bind; to spoil, corrupt, offend; to be ruined; ruin; be broken; to writhe, twist, travail.
a. Its normal meaning is that of taking a pledge…
b. The pledge BINDS a man… (sort of like taking out a loan binds the borrower…)
c. This speaks of a man who made a pledge, and if he doesn’t come through on his part of the pledge, he will lose his shirt.
d. That is not exactly the meaning here—but it does throw some light on the meaning.
e. In context the term here has the idea of being brought to ruin… corrupted… or destroyed… because of foolish behavior.
f. The man who binds himself under a pledge he is not able to pay brings himself to ruin. His foolish behavior (taking on more than he could handle) resulted in his financial ruin…
2. Solomon states that the man who refuses to listen to instruction is in a similar condition.
a. Because of his foolish behavior (not listening to instruction), he too will have a price to pay… a penalty…
b. This penalty may bring him to ruin…
c. It could destroy him in several different ways:
• Financially…
1. I have seen men brought to financial ruin because they refused to listen to advice…
2. They lost their homes… businesses…
3. Because of self will and folly…
• Flunk out of school…
» How many times have students flunked courses because they didn’t think they had to do the homework… or study hard…
» How many college kids drop out or are kicked out because they refused to go by the rules…
» They thought they were smarter than everyone else and the rules didn’t apply to them…
• Lose his job…
» How many folks (yes even believers!) have been fired… not because of their testimony but because they didn’t listen to instruction.
» They didn’t follow the rules… they didn’t do their job well… they didn’t get along with people…
» They were warned and warned about being late and leaving early—but didn’t listen.
» Now, they are unemployed.
• Ruin a marriage…
» Not listening to a word can ruin a marriage too.
» This word might come from your spouse… but you are not listening.
» They might be trying to communicate to you—but you refuse to hear.
» Something could be really eating away at them, but you despise any attempt at communication—and as a result, your marriage could be destroyed.
• Lose friends…
» People lose friends because they won’t take advice.
» They have been warned about gossiping… or backbiting… talking too much…
» Perhaps they have been warned about dishonesty… or not being reliable…
» And when they continue to refuse to listen to their friend’s exhortations—they could find themselves WITHOUT any friends… at least without any good friends.
• Spiritually…
» Every believer who falls away has been warned…
» He has been warned from God’s Spirit; God’s Word;
» And quite likely he has been warned from God’s people… many times over…
» Men are brought to spiritual ruin because they despise the word or instruction they were given.
» It CAN ruin you spiritually.
• The principle is broad enough to be applied to various contexts…
• The one who despising such instruction (sees it as insignificant) shall be destroyed… ruined…
4. Destruction to the fools who refuse to listen to instruction.
a. Prov. 1:25-31 He will be MOCKED when calamity strikes.
• vs. 25 – He rejects all counsel and reproof…
• vs. 26 – Lady Wisdom will mock at your folly!
• vs. 27 – destruction will come like a whirlwind…
• vs. 28 – you will wish you had not made such a foolish decision… you will wish you had listened… but it will be too late. You will live with your sorrow and regret…
• vs. 31 – therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way… they shall have to deal with all the fallout… and all the consequences of their folly.
• vs. 32 – it shall destroy them…
• vs. 33 – but the one who listens… the one who does things right… the one who takes heed to the advice and counsel given… shall be quiet.
• He will not have all the turmoil and mess to deal with.
• He can rest—while the fool is running around trying to put out all the fires he caused by his folly.
b. II Chron. 36:15-16 – the children of Israel refused to listen to God and His instruction… until there was no remedy!
• Israel rebelled and refused to listen for so long, that God saw that generation as without remedy.
• Nothing God could do would turn them around.
• Even chastening would not soften their hearts. It would only harden them.
c. Some folks can travel down this path so far that there is no return!
d. The book of Hebrews warns us of this spiritually… of those who refuse to listen and became so dull of hearing that they couldn’t hear any more… and found no place of repentance!
e. This is a fearful warning.
A. Fearing the Commandment
1. Here Solomon describes the opposite of despising the word: fearing the commandment.
a. Proverbs began (1:7) with this contrast: between fearing God or despising wisdom.
b. If you fear, you will listen… and respond!
c. Fearing implies showing respect for the person and what he has to say.
d. Fearing God implies showing respect for God and His Word.
2. Fearing the commandment:
a. This concept is applied to all the above situations.
b. The child who fears the commandment of his parents will show respect for his parents AND what they say.
c. The worker who fears the word of his boss will show respect to the boss AND he will respect what he says.
d. The church member will show respect to the church leaders and respect what they say…
e. Fearing the commandment implies listening AND obeying.
f. It also implies being AFRAID of the consequences!
• The fool doesn’t think about the consequences. He just plows ahead doing his own thing.
• But the wise man—who fears the commandment and obeys—DOES think about the consequences of his actions.
• That fear of consequences keeps him from making foolish decisions.
B. Reward
1. Reward: recompense; receiving compensation; paying back.
2. Those who refuse to listen to instruction will be destroyed—brought to ruin.
3. Those who chose to listen to instruction… those who fear the commandment and demonstrate that fear by obedience will be rewarded! They will be paid back for their obedience. Their wisdom will be rewarded…
4. Psalm 19:10-11 – the one who takes heed to the warnings in God’s Word will be rewarded… in this life and in the life to come!
5. Proverbs 1:5 – a wise man will hear… and will increase in learning. He is rewarded for applying that increased learning and wisdom.
Proverbs 13:14
The Law of the Wise
Introduction:
1. In this proverb, Solomon sets before our mind’s eye two images in stark contrast.
a. One is a fountain of life—with all the beautiful thoughts that it conjures up in the imagination.
b. The other is a snare or trap of death—with all the ugly thoughts that it conjures up.
c. The contrasts are obvious in the proverb:
• Terms: Death and life
• Images: Fountain (unending source) and snare (once will do!)
• Plural and Singular: One fountain—many snares (singular and plural)
• Actions involved: drinking and departing
1. Again we see in this proverb the keen sense of discernment that was exerted by Solomon as he observed life…
a. Solomon was obviously a people watcher.
b. He watched how people lived; the kinds of choices they made; the directions their lives were headed; their words; their deeds; their decisions; their goals; their pursuits in life.
c. And as he watched, he took notes, and recorded his findings for us—under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
d. Solomon observed how wise men lived; and how fools lived… and recorded the differences.
2. A law is an observable principle that can be tested and proven.
a. Solomon observed wise men repeatedly, and perhaps even tested their behavior and choices.
b. He observed an aspect of human behavior that was repeated so often by wise men that it could be referred to as a LAW.
c. One of the laws of the wise is recorded here.
d. “Wise men avoid death traps… and are attracted to the fountain of life.”
e. The opposite is implied here as well—that FOOLS are attracted to the death traps… and avoid the fountain of life!
1. The action of drinking is not mentioned in the proverb, but is implied. That’s what a fountain is for!
2. The one who drinks from the fountain of life receives the benefits of that fountain.
a. This is an especially graphic picture for one who wrote in the Middle East—an exceptionally dry and arid region.
b. A fountain takes on even more significance to those who live near a desert.
c. A source of water in the desert is not simply a convenience; it is a matter of life and death.
3. The benefits include promotion of health; nourishment of one’s life; refreshing; the extension of life; the quality of life; the sustenance of life; the preservation of life…
4. Wise laws which govern our lives are like this fountain of life.
a. Wise men observe life and discern the way of wisdom.
b. Wise men incorporate those lessons into their own personal lives and prove their beneficial effects.
c. Wise men then try to pass on these lessons to the younger generation—so that the younger generation can learn from the years of testing, failing, and proving what is best.
d. Titus 2:3-5 – For this reason, the NT tells young men to seek wisdom from older men; and younger women are to learn from the older women… in areas not specifically covered in the Bible—like how to love your husband and how to care for your children… to be good housekeepers… etc.
e. The younger generation is to learn from the older generation… the law of the wise is a fountain of life! Take advantage of it!
f. Why re-invent the wheel? Why should each generation have to test and retest, learn and relearn… the same old laws and principles? Why not learn from the older generation and put those principles into practice?
g. Wise men also record those laws for others… as Solomon did.
h. The laws of human behavior discovered by men who have gone on before us are often like a fountain of life…
5. Younger men, who have good sense… and have a bit of wisdom, will drink at that fountain. (Prov. 1:5)
a. The young man with even a little bit of wisdom will want to seek out MORE wisdom…
b. This is the young man or woman with a TEACHABLE spirit… a thirsty heart. To the one with a teachable heart, he will find these laws to be a foundation of life… and he will seek to drink from that fountain. That’s the WISE young man.
c. The wise GUY will find them a pain in the neck… old fashioned… your opinion… too restrictive…
d. But the wise young person will see the benefits of such a fountain… an unending source of life, help, nourishment, and benefit.
e. They will want to learn from the lives and experiences of other wise men…
f. They will want to avoid the pitfalls in life that others have already tested and found to be dangerous and not worth pursuing…
g. They will perceive the laws of the wise as a fountain of life… and will be attracted to it.
h. They will see the value of those laws… and will seek them… seek to learn them… practice them… drink at that fountain.
6. This is true at your job… whatever your job is!
a. Whatever your profession… whether you are a lawyer, doctor, craftsman, artist, a homemaker, teacher, a musician, a pastor…there are others who have gone on before you in that profession and have recorded helpful hints… laws that they have observed… for YOUR benefit.
b. Their observations may have been gleaned from a long life in that career… years and years of experience condensed into a little manual… or a book…
c. A master sculptor may have tried and failed on hundreds of projects before he discovered the right way to do something… and perhaps he has recorded his findings for others…
d. Electricians have formulated rules and regulations for their trade—and the more a young electrician learns those rules the better will be his work.
e. Many good books on homemaking have been written by godly, experienced women which could be a fountain of life for a young woman just starting a family. The older woman learned the hard way what works and what doesn’t… the younger woman might find her writings to be a fountain of life!
7. But this is especially true in the spiritual realm…
a. In one sense the whole BIBLE is the law of the wise…
b. I Cor. 10:11 – It was written for our learning and admonition!
c. The history of Israel is recorded for us… it is not dry ancient history. It is a fountain of life!
THE SNARES OF DEATH
1. Wise men will drink from the fountain of life—they will be attracted to it.
2. Wise men will also DEPART from the snares of death.
3. Note that this ONE law has two sides:
a. This law is a fountain that provides nourishment and refreshment to those who drink at it…
b. This law also causes men to depart from the snares of death.
4. It is the SAME law… the same principle of wisdom… the same sword, but with a double edge… two sides of the same coin…
a. The same wisdom that attracts men to the good fountain… also scares men away from the snares of death.
b. Cf. Prov. 14:27 – note that this verse is nearly identical to 13:14, except that the “law of the wise” is replaced with the “fear of the Lord.”
c. The law of the wise attracts men to the good fountain.
d. The fear of the Lord (part of that wise law) scares men away from the snares of death.
e. There is a positive and a negative side to wisdom… encouraging the good and discouraging the evil… promoting spiritual health, and warning against that which is spiritually unhealthy…
5. Unfortunately, not all men take heed to the law of the wise.
a. Wise men are attracted to the fountain of life and its benefits and depart from the snares of death.
b. But FOOLS seem attracted to these “snares” or traps of death.
c. Young fools love to speed in their cars… not listening to the law of the wise (which says, don’t go over the speed limit!)
d. Young fools are attracted to smoking… it might seem “cool” to them… not thinking about emphysema or lung cancer!
e. Young fools are attracted to alcohol… which also is a snare of death… think of the countless lives lost each year on the highways because of alcohol…
f. Young fools are attracted to drugs… which also is a death trap… through overdoses… contagious diseases… addiction… it is a death trap! Only a fool would be attracted to a death trap…
g. Young fools are attracted to illicit sexual activity… not knowing that it too is a death trap… spreading HIV and aids…
h. Fools are attracted because there IS a pleasure to sin…
• But the folly lies in this: the pleasure is short lived…
• But its consequences are long lasting…
i. The devil is a master at disguising his “snares” and “traps” and making them look attractive.
• Look at all the TV commercials for alcohol… everyone drinking is having fun… they are young, healthy, good looking, physically fit…
• The picture they are painting is a LIE…
• It is a pretty face on a trap…
• It is like the bait that seems so appealing to the fish—who discovers too late that there was a hook under that bait…
• It was a snare of death to the fish… and those snares are death traps to young fools who are attracted by the pretty packaging…
j. SIN is such a death trap! (Jas. 1:13-15)
• Sin tempts us with an attractive cover…
• It entices us with its appealing bait…
• As soon as we see this trap, we should FLEE!
• Because if we linger, it will continue the enticement… our sin nature will draw us into the trap…
• Lust will conceive…
• And the trap door closes on us…
• Sin when it is finished bringing forth death…
• Therefore, RUN!
• Flee idolatry! Flee youthful lusts!
k. The love of MONEY is such a death trap! (I Tim. 6:9-11)
• A desire to be rich is a trap. We are TOLD that. Take heed to the warning.
• It causes good men to go astray… and pierces them with many sorrows!
• Therefore, FLEE the love of money!
• It looks appealing, but it is a death trap… it DROWNS men spiritually… brings to an end their spiritual health and vitality…
• Countless other examples of death traps could be cited in the Scriptures.
6. The wise young man will be AWARE of such traps… and will learn from the laws of the wise… see through the deceitful bait in the trap… and depart from it!
a. And hence, he is protected—spiritually!
b. This young man wasn’t fooled by the short lived promise of pleasure…
c. He sees the trap for what it is: a trap to be avoided!
d. Instead, he will be attracted to the fountain of life… because he sees the long term benefits of it.
e. Stop and think about a carefully baited death trap.
• Try to picture an animal standing before a baited trap—looking at the bait… being enticed.
• The animal is absorbed with thoughts of a luscious meal… and is about to pounce.
• But as we stand back and observe, we KNOW what’s going to happen. He will be caught in the trap… and killed!
• We look and think—what a dumb animal to fall for such a trap.
• Solomon observed men falling for the same kinds of traps…
• He recorded his findings for our learning. Don’t be like the dumb animal. Be wise. See the traps for what they are… and depart from them.
• Be attracted instead to that which is good—to the fountains of life…
Proverbs 13:15
The Way of the Transgressor
A. Good Understanding
1. Understanding: prudence; insight; prudence; good sense.
a. Solomon is speaking about the man (woman or child!) who has good common sense… a good head on his shoulders… insightful… discerning… wise…
b. This term is used 6 times in Proverbs.
2. Nehemiah 8:8 – Our term is translated sense in this passage.
a. The Scriptures were read, and then the SENSE was explained to the people.
b. In other words, not all the people understood the word of God as read, so men stood and explained it in such a way that it was understood by the crowds.
c. They had a good understanding of its meaning once it was explained to them. It made sense to them.
d. This term has the idea of “sense…good, intelligible sense…”
3. Prov. 19:11 – The discretion of a man deferreth his anger.
a. The term “discretion” is the same term as is translated “understanding” in Prov. 13:15.
b. A man with discretion is one who has the good common sense to know when to show anger and when to suppress it.
c. Have you ever seen a young mother blow up at her kids in the frozen foods dept. at the grocery store? No discretion… not a woman with a good sense, timing or control.
d. Have you ever seen a husband and wife fight in a most inappropriate setting? (the mall… church parking lot… at the office…) People with a good sense of discretion may get angry, but they have the good sense to defer that anger — and take up that issue at a later and more appropriate time.
e. Have you ever heard a father yelling and cursing out his young son… calling him an idiot and a jerk and a loser in front of all of his friends?
f. Sure — we all get angry… but there are some things you just don’t say… that is if you have discretion… good understanding…
4. I Sam. 25:3 – Abigail was said to be a woman of good understanding (same term).
a. The context tells us what the author meant by good understanding.
b. David was about to make a fool of himself by over reacting to the ingratitude and cold heartedness of Nabal.
c. David had protected this man and his property… and yet Nabal wouldn’t even provide him and his soldiers with some food…
d. In a rage, David was going to fight against this man and put him to death… which really was not the wisest thing to do.
e. David was caught up in the emotions of the moment.
f. Abigail saw the whole scene from a distance… was used to the folly of Nabal… and just had the good common sense to know what to do.
• She didn’t fall to pieces…
• She didn’t over react…
• She didn’t just start crying… she didn’t faint…
• She didn’t get angry… yell…
• She handled herself with poise… dignity… calm… and approached the situation with good common sense.
• She instinctively knew just what to do… how to handle this potentially volatile situation.
• She immediately came up with just the right procedure… and followed it.
• Have you ever met people like that? Make friends with them!
• They just know how to handle situations… discretion… common sense… wisdom…
• They are able to see the big picture…
• They are able to extract the emotion from the scene and act rationally… calmly… sensibly… prudently.
• Such folks are priceless in the local church… especially during turbulent times.
• Such folks are invaluable in the office…
• What an asset to the home life…
• In other words, a person with this kind of discretion is going to demonstrate discretion in whatever setting they find themselves.
g. She went to David, spoke softly to him (a soft answer turneth away wrath)… and convinced David to think about his actions.
h. Vs. 32-35 – David responded well. Abigail’s good sense MADE sense to David…
i. This woman proved herself to be a woman of good understanding.
j. Evidently as Solomon observed human behavior, he realized that when it comes to discretion… some people have it… and some people don’t.
B. Giveth Favour
1. Favor – grace; good standing; acceptance;
2. Giveth – bestow; give; yield; produce; entrust; extend…
3. Good understanding (good sense) yields favor… it produces favor… acceptance…
4. Those who demonstrate this kind of discretion and good common sense find themselves in favor…
a. This favor is broad enough here to include favor with God and man.
b. The person with this kind discretion and good sense is going to find themselves in favorable standing… before God and men.
c. This was certainly the case with Abigail. She demonstrated good sense — and David married her! She found favor with David!
d. But Abigail found favor with God too. The passage implicitly praises her wisdom.
5. In human affairs, those who demonstrate this kind of good sense often find themselves in favor with men.
a. Prov. 14:35 – The king’s favour is toward a wise servant. Kings notice the servants in whom dwells wisdom and discretion… and they are often rewarded… as Pharoah rewarded Joseph. Joseph’s discretion brought him favor.
b. Those who demonstrate wisdom and discretion in the office will be noticed… and recognized… and promoted accordingly.
c. Those who demonstrate discretion and discernment in the local church are the kind of people we want serving in positions of leadership!
d. Those who demonstrate discretion and good sense in the social realm usually have no problem making and keeping friends.
6. Those who do NOT have good sense find just the opposite.
a. The man who does not defer his anger proves he doesn’t have discretion… and he will invariably turn his friends off… get them angry…
b. The man who is constantly doing foolish things at work a lack of wisdom… no discretion… no common sense… this is not the man who will find good favor with the boss…
c. Ps. 111:10 – The young person who does not have good understanding demonstrates it by habitual disobedience.
• This person is not going to find favor with God OR with men…
• At least not with men of good understanding!
• He might find favor among other disobedient fools… but not with men of wisdom and understanding.
7. But those who manifest wisdom, discretion, and good sense in their lives will always have friends… and will be in favor with men in whatever setting they find themselves in.
1. BUT—in contrast to the way of the wise man of good understanding.
a. Generally speaking, those with good sense do well in life.
b. They are in favor with God and men.
c. It shows in their home life; their career; and in the local church.
d. They have friends. They advance. They are respected.
e. BUT—such is NOT the case for the transgressors.
2. Transgressor: to act treacherously, deceitfully, to act or deal faithlessly, deceitfully, offend.
a. In context, the transgressor is seen as the opposite as the man of good understanding.
b. A man of good understanding is NOT going to be a transgressor.
c. The term transgressor implies one who is deceitful… not faithful… and even offensive.
d. This person is not going to find favor… nobody likes a sneak… a cheat… someone who cuts corners when everyone else has to do it the right way…
3. Way: road; pathway; journey; course of life.
a. The men are different… and so are their ways…
b. They take different routes in life… and their experiences are also quite different.
c. The way of the one with good understanding is the way of favor… grace… acceptance…
d. The way of the transgressor is just the opposite.
4. Hard: this term is not easy to translate.
a. Defined: perpetual; constant; perennial; ever-flowing; firm; hard.
b. It is translated either as “strength, strong, mighty, or rough.”
c. The English version might give the wrong impression. The term does NOT mean “difficult.”
• The verse is not saying, the way of the sinner is difficult… fraught with difficulties.
• While that is certainly true, this isn’t the best verse to support that concept.
5. There are two possible meanings of this term in this verse.
a. The way of the transgressor is hard in the sense of firm… stubborn… calloused… hard hearted.
• All throughout life the transgressor takes this hard heart with him…
• Of course that makes his way rough…
• But he himself is the hardened one…
• After a person commits a sin or a crime… he becomes calloused to it.
• His conscience may have convicted him the first time he beat someone up… or the first time he stole… but after doing it year after year, he becomes hardened…
b. The way of the transgressor is constant… unchanging… perpetual… immoveable…
• The idea here would be that the transgressor isn’t going to change his ways…
• He has walked this way so long… he is stuck in it…
• No amount of exhortation or even punishment is going to change him. He is set in his ways…
c. These two ideas can be harmonized: the way of the transgressor is hard: he is hardened; calloused; and is set in his ways… and thus unchangeable… like cement.
• As clay or cement becomes hardened… it becomes unchangeable…
• Solomon may have observed that some criminals are hardened… they have lost sensitivity… they become hard and set in their ways…
• His sin became a habit… his habit became lifestyle…his lifestyle had a grip on him…
• He is hardened in his ways…
• A correctional institution isn’t going to do this man any good. He is incorrigible… set in his hard hearted ways…
• Apart from the miracle of the new birth, this man has no hope.
• He is set in his evil ways… and on a road to ruin.
6. What a contrast to the man of good understanding…
a. He has good sense. He listens. He learns. He changes. He knows what to say and when to say it… and when to keep quiet.
b. He has discretion and is in favor with God and men.
• Like Joseph—who found favor in prison—because he demonstrated discretion and good sense…
• Like Daniel who found favor in the court of Babylon for the same reason…
• Like Jesus—who found favor with God and man… because as a young boy He showed good understanding. (Luke 2:52)
• Good understanding… discretion… common sense… are respected everywhere…
c. The transgressor on the other hand has become hardened… set in his ways… He is respected nowhere.
Proverbs 13:16
Prudent Men Deal with Knowledge
1.) Prudent: this term can have two possible senses: good and evil
a.) Evil: subtle; shrewd; crafty; sly; tricky; cunning.
i. This term is used of the devil—he was more subtle than any beast of the field. (sly; shrewd; crafty)
ii. It is also used in this sense in Job 5:3 – He disappointeth the devices of the crafty…
b.) Good: sensible… discerning… wise…
i. The term is used in a good sense here.
ii. Here it is used of a man who is shrewd in the sense of being wise… sensible…
iii. Prov.14:8 – the prudent man’s wisdom is defined here: he looks well to his goings…
iv. Prov. 22:3 – the term even adds a moral sense to it in Proverbs. Here a prudent man foresees evil and goes the other way! That is being shrewd in a spiritually sensible way!
v. The term is used 8 times in Proverb and always in a good sense.
2.) Deals with knowledge.
a.) A prudent man has knowledge: knowledge, perception, discernment, understanding, wisdom.
i. The man who (in a good sense) is shrewd and sensible wants to observe and works with the FACTS…
ii. He wants a proper understanding of things…
iii. He wants to perceive what is really happening…
iv. He uses his head… he thinks… he uses the intelligence God gave him…
v. He doesn’t want the wool pulled over his eyes. He wants to see clearly… to understand the situation…
vi. And he wants the discernment and wisdom to draw the proper conclusions from those facts.
vii. The prudent man does not act on gut impulse. He lets his head direct his steps, not his stomach.
viii. He does not let his feelings or his emotions blind him from the facts.
ix. He deals with knowledge… facts… not impulses.
b.) Deals with: to do; fashion; accomplish; make; use; produce; acts with; observes; acquires…
i. The term has a wide range of meaning… but the general meaning is clear. A prudent man observes and works with… acts with… knowledge.
ii. Darby translated it, “Every prudent man acteth with knowledge.”
iii. In another translation it reads: “The clever do all things intelligently.”
3.) The verb speaks of continual action or repeated action…
a.) This tells us that the prudent man Solomon is describing is CONSISTENTLY dealing with the facts… with knowledge…
b.) He isn’t swayed by his feelings on Monday… and thinks rationally on Wednesday…
c.) When situations arise, the prudent consistently seeks for the facts… and he then acts on knowledge… he acts intelligently…
4.) The prudent man deals with knowledge because he SEEKS knowledge. (Prov. 18:15)
a.) He is wise enough to know that he doesn’t know everything… that he doesn’t have knowledge in every realm…
b.) So he does his homework… he researches when necessary… because he wants knowledge… he wants the facts.
c.) Perhaps he consulted with others…
d.) He sought for counsel…
e.) He is careful not to meddle into affairs of which he has no knowledge.
f.) He knows when to speak and when to be quiet—when he doesn’t have the facts.
g.) He is a prudent man.
h.) This is the kind of man that we should strive to be.
1.) Folly: the term means what it says… but takes on a specialized meaning in this proverb.
a.) Here it is seen as the opposite of knowledge… the opposite of the facts…
b.) Hence, the particular KIND of folly described here is ignorance… a lack of knowledge or information.
2.) Lays open: scatter; spread out for all to see… spread abroad… make information or behavior known to others in a public manner.
a.) Solomon says that the fool (the opposite of a prudent man) shamelessly spreads out his ignorance for all to see…
b.) One translation reads: fools advertise their ignorance.
c.) They make their ignorance known:
i. By the things they say…
ii. By the things they do…
iii. Their words and their works… speech and behavior…
iv. Their walk and their talk BOTH display ignorance.
3.) The fool displays his ignorance in his speech… by the things he says and repeats.
a.) Prov. 29:11 – A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
i. The fool says what he thinks. Solomon says that is FOLLY!
ii. Why is it folly for a man to speak his mind? Because what we THINK may not be true… accurate… or kind!
iii. What we think may not be well researched.
iv. What we think is often lacking information…
v. Often that which is in the mind of a fool is folly!
vi. Just because we think something doesn’t make it so!
vii. Without all the information… without hearing both sides of the story, what we THINK could be misleading, inaccurate, and WRONG!
viii. Thus, it is NOT a good idea to utter all our mind. Not everything that goes through our head is worth uttering.
b.) Prov. 15:2 – the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
i. When a fool speaks, foolishness comes out.
ii. And note that the fool POURS it out… shamelessly.
iii. It is as if he doesn’t care what comes out of his mouth…
iv. When the mouth is constantly pouring things out like a river—it is impossible for all that information to be verified… and with the fool, it isn’t!
v. Ignorance pours out…
c.) Prov. 18:13 – the fool answers a matter before he hears it!
i. He gives his opinion or view before he hears the whole story… before he hears both sides.
ii. He does not deal with knowledge. He speaks out of ignorance…
iii. It is a folly and a shame to him!
4.) The fool displays his ignorance in his behavior… by his WALK.
a.) His walk… his manner of life… display his ignorance and folly.
b.) Ecc. 10:1 – his walk says to every one that he is a fool.” He doesn’t have to open his mouth. His actions speak. And what do they say: “I am a fool.”
c.) Solomon says here, “Just observe such men. Their lifestyle sends out a clear message. I am a fool!”
5.) The fool does not deal with knowledge. Instead, the fool deals with:
a.) Hearsay… and is foolish enough to accept it as fact.
b.) Assumptions… without research, he assumes his view is right.
c.) Gossip… and he spreads it as if it were fact.
d.) Conclusions drawn without hearing the facts…
e.) Ignorance…don’t confuse me with the facts…
f.) Feelings… who cares about the facts; I feel it should be done this way…
g.) Impressions…
h.) Gut impulses…
i.) The fool is not moved by his head… at least he is not moved by an informed head. He is moved by all kinds of other things: pride; ignorance; showmanship;
j.) The fool blurts out what is in his head whether he has the facts or not. When he speaks and when he acts—he demonstrates his folly.
Conclusions:
1.) Learn from the folly of the fool. Make sure you have the facts before you speak… and before you act.
2.) If you go to a wise man for advice, you will get knowledge. Go to a fool and you will get foolish advice. Be careful from whom you seek advice!
3.) Let’s be like the prudent man.
a.) DEAL with the facts…
b.) SEEK the facts
c.) Seek to draw the proper conclusions from them…
d.) Don’t speak or act UNTIL you have good, solid knowledge of what you are about to say or do.
4.) A man’s speech and conduct are usually consistent with his character. This is true of the prudent man AND the fool!
5.) And of course, a prudent man deals with knowledge from God’s Word!
a.) The prudent believer will SEEK to know God’s word…
b.) He will seek guidance and counsel from God’s Word
c.) He will want the right information from the Word BEFORE he speaks… and before he acts…
d.) He is prudent enough to know that it is folly to ASSUME without consulting God and seeking knowledge from Him…
e.) It is folly to ACT without KNOWING what God would have us to do…
f.) A prudent man DEALS with knowledge. His life—his words and his works—all seek to be in conformity to the Word of God.
g.) When problems arise in the local church—the elders want to act in accordance with the knowledge of God’s Word—not hearsay; gossip; gut feelings etc… but the facts!
h.) When problems arise in the home—seek knowledge in dealing with it from Gods’ Word… it contains all we need…
i.) What folly to ignore the jewels of wisdom and knowledge in the Word… and go off speaking and acting … leaning on our own understanding. That’s true folly.
j.) Col. 2:3 – “In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” The better we know His word… and the closer we stay to Him… the more sound knowledge will be manifested in our lives… that’s the prudent man spiritually!
Proverbs 13:17
A Wicked Messenger and a Faithful Ambassador
A. The Wicked Messenger
1. Wicked: criminal; guilty; guilty of sin or guilty of a crime…
2. Messenger:
a. Translated angel 111 times; messenger 98 times
b. It refers to a messenger, representative, or ambassador… one who informs or announces… or proclaims.
c. It is used of both men and angels—of men in this proverb.
d. In ancient times (before telephones, email, and cell phones), messengers played a much more important role.
e. Because virtually everyone has a cell phone, we have instant access to almost anyone on the planet—24-7! But obviously, that was not always the case.
f. We even have instant messenger on the Internet—so that we can instantly communicate with MANY people at the same time…
g. In ancient times, messages often took a long time to reach their destination… weeks… months… even years… as long as it took for the camel to get there—or the pony express.
h. Messengers were sent with valuable information… and information can be critical—for businesses, for countries at war, for interpersonal relationships, etc…
i. The application of this proverb probably takes on a little different shape in the modern world, but it is STILL a valuable principle—and still has many valid applications for us today.
3. The messenger is defined in the proverb in three ways:
a. The meaning of the term wicked (crime…)
b. The mischief into which he falls…
c. He is seen as the opposite of the faithful messenger… hence, he is unfaithful.
4. This messenger is wicked…
a. He is sent on a mission… but some sort of wickedness arises…
b. The wickedness arises because of his CHARACTER.
c. This proverb is really about a man’s character… and hence, the real heart of the principle is just as valid today as ever—though the area of application may change a bit.
d. This messenger is wicked, falls into mischief, and is unfaithful, not because of circumstances, but because of his character… because of the kind of man he is.
e. Solomon is warning us in this proverb about different KINDS of men… different characters…
f. The proverb is about betrayed trust… a man trusted to deliver a message and falls into mischief along the way.
g. The application today could be made to anyone HIRED to do a job… to perform a service… to deliver goods… to represent a firm, a country, or a church… anyone who is trusted with a job to do…
h. When appointing a man to a position of trust CHARACTER counts!
• We used to hear during the presidency of President Clinton that character didn’t matter… as long as the job gets done.
• Solomon implies here that it DOES matter.
• Solomon implies that the quality of a man’s character affects the quality of job…
5. The wicked messenger falls into mischief…
b. Mischief: evil; distress; misery; injury; calamity; pertaining to that which is not morally pure.
• This is a broad term which encompasses all kinds of trouble… hurt… calamity… immorality… sin.
c. Falls: Dict. Of Biblical Languages: fall, i.e., have an object go from a higher position to a lower position, often with the implication of being out of control in relation to the situation.
• The wicked messenger was put into a pretty high position—a position of trust… by whoever sent him…hired him…
• But he fell from that position to a lower position…
• This implies that the fall was self inflicted and by design… not an accident.
• Falling into mischief isn’t like catching a cold. It involves the will… especially when Solomon describes the character of this man as “wicked.”
6. Possible WAYS in which he falls into mischief…
a. Perhaps he is to deliver some goods—and steals some of those goods.
b. Perhaps the hired messenger proves to be a sluggard. (Prov. 10:26)
• Here Solomon states that he is an irritation to the one who sent him… or hired him.
• If a person is hired to do a job and never seems to get around to doing his duties, it irritates like vinegar on teeth or smoke in the eyes.
• Who wants a messenger who causes irritation rather than helps?
• When the president sends an ambassador to Iraq to help stabilize the region and provide security for our troops, I want him doing his job. Don’t you?!!
• When the Sunday school superintendent assigns a class to a teacher, he expects the teacher to do his/her duty and study the word… pray… and show up on time prepared to perform the ministry assigned!
• When people sign up to bring a dish to a church function and don’t bring what they signed up for—it is an irritation to those in charge.
• When an employee is hired to deliver the company’s mail and packages, and out of laziness, they are continually late, it is an irritation.
• When a job is to be done—and the wicked messenger doesn’t do his job—no one is pleased.
d. Prov. 25:19 – confidence in an unfaithful man is like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint.
• A broken tooth—try biting into a piece of meat with a broken tooth… it HURTS!
• Try taking a step on a foot that is out of joint—it HURTS!
• Don’t BE that kind of person… don’t HIRE that kind of person… don’t place your TRUST that kind of person… that is the reason for the warning here.
e. There are lots of possible scenarios in which a messenger / worker could commit a crime or sin… or make mischief.
• Perhaps he is to deliver a private message and does not keep it private…
• Perhaps he to deliver a message for the government, but works for a foreign government as a spy…
• Perhaps he is hired to deliver goods for a company, and instead tosses them in the dumpster…
• A new employee is hired and all he does is stir up trouble.
• A new deacon, or Sunday school superintendent, or pastor is put into a position… and instead of carrying out their ministry, they fall into mischief… create problems and controversy…
7. The warning: if you hire a wicked messenger or worker… if you entrust a responsibility into the hands of an unreliable man… if you are counting on a man with a flawed character to deliver a message or perform a service, expect trouble! Count on it! Wicked messengers fall into mischief.
1. In contrast to the wicked messenger is the FAITHFUL man…
a. Here the opposite of wicked is faithful…
b. Faithful = trustworthy; reliable.
2. Ambassador: messenger; envoy; one who represents another…
a. The ambassador is a synonym for messenger in the first part of the verse.
b. The contrast is not between their function, but rather between their character… wicked vs. faithful.
3. The faithful ambassador (one sent on a mission or with a message) is HEALTH…
a. This health stands in contrast to the mischief of the unfaithful, wicked messenger.
b. Health: health; profit; sound (of mind); peaceful state; formally, time of healing,
c. Solomon states here that the faithful ambassador—the one who is sent with a job to do and DOES it faithfully is HEALTH to those who sent him!
d. The sluggard sent on a mission is not health or healing to those who sent him. He is like smoke in the eyes.
e. But the faithful ambassador is like a balm of Gilead… soothing… healing… the one who sent that man can REST, knowing the job will be done and done well… he doesn’t have to worry about it!
f. Are YOU that kind of person?
• When you are given a task at work, does your boss have to bite his nails wondering whether you will get it done?
• When you are assigned a ministry in the local church, is the leadership able to rest, knowing that the job will be done and done well?
• When you are given a responsibility—at home, school, office, the local church—do you bring health and rest to others, or does your irresponsibility cause irritation?
• The faithful ambassador does his job and puts the minds of those who sent him at rest.
• BE that kind of worker!
g. Prov. 25:13 – the faithful ambassador refreshes the soul of those relying on him!
4. What is it that brings HEALTH, peace, rest, and refreshment to those involved in a work? FAITHFULNESS!
a. I Cor. 4:2 – it is required in stewards of any sort, that a man be found faithful.
• Whether you are sent on a mission, sent with a message, sent as an ambassador, or appointed an assignment, faithfulness is required—and expected!
• Someone has well said: the most important ability is reliability!
• Skill, talent, ability, and brilliance are worthless if not accompanied by faithfulness!
• What good is a skillful surgeon if he decides to play golf the day you are scheduled for surgery?
• What good is an eloquent Sunday school teacher who doesn’t come to church?
• What good is any ability if it cannot be counted upon?
b. II Tim. 2:2 – Paul tells Timothy to pass the glorious gospel message and the whole counsel of God on to other men…
• But note that he does not tell him to pass it on to those who are intelligent and quick learners… or to those who are skilled orators… or to those with special powers of persuasion.
• The truth is to be passed on to FAITHFUL men… those who are reliable… those you can count on to do the job…
f. Prov. 20:6 – such men are hard to find… but worth their weight in gold when you do come across one.
• Ask anybody looking to hire people for their small business… reliable, good workers are hard to come by!
• Ask any pastor—reliable servants in the local church are worth their weight in gold…
• Ask the head nurse in the hospital… the foreman in the factory… a landlord… the owner of a restaurant… they will all tell you the same thing: reliable, faithful people are hard to come by!
Proverbs 13:18
Regarding or Refusing Instruction
A.) Him That Refuseth Instruction
1.) Instruction: discipline; chastening; correction.
a.) This term is translated “chastening” in Job 5:17
b.) This is repeated in Prov. 3:11
c.) Chastening is child training… it is God’s method of teaching His children… instructing us… molding us…
2.) What we are NOT to do with instruction:
‣‣ Don’t REFUSE it…
• Refuse: to let go; let loose; ignore, let alone.
• This term is translated variously in the Old Testament.
• In the Pentateuch it is usually translated: to uncover; to make naked.
‣‣ It is translated in several different ways in Proverbs:
• 1:25 – set at nought all my counsel…
• 4:15 – avoid …
• Several times it is translated “refuse”—as here.
‣‣ While the term CAN mean refuse, that word might have too aggressive a connotation in English.
• It is a refusal but can be quite passive—by simply ignoring… not paying attention to…
• It can even imply one who AVOIDS instruction…
• The term is broad enough for all of those shades of meaning…
B.) Various Ways in Which Instruction is Refused
1.) The point is that refusing instruction CAN occur in an open, defiant, confrontational manner.
a.) Like the little child shouting NO, or in a much more subtle manner.
b.) Some hear instruction and argue, fight, oppose, and openly rebel against it.
c.) I Kings 12:13-15a – Here Rehoboam refused the counsel of the older, wiser men… openly, defiantly, and rebelliously.
d.) There wasn’t any question as to what his opinion of the counsel and instruction was.
‣‣ Sometimes WE defy instruction that way. Sometimes our kids do.
a.) After hearing counsel, they might say, “I will not! Don’t tell me what to do! Who do you think you are!”
b.) This kind of refusal is easy to spot—and often easy to deal with in kids.
c.) Usually the rod will drive this kind of rebellious foolishness from them.
‣‣ Poverty and shame shall be to him!
a.) Consider Rehoboam: he lost the kingdom! He was brought to shame! (I Kings 12:16)
• He was warned—but defiantly rejected the instruction.
• The nation was divided—civil war—because one man defiantly refused to listen to instruction.
• This is the point of the proverb: terrible things can happen when we reject counsel!
b.) Prov. 5:9-13 – the man who defiantly refused to listen to instruction concerning purity. He pursued immorality and fornication—and was brought to shame… and lost his wealth… ended up poor and disgraced. That happens every day.
c.) Prov. 6:26 – Lady Wisdom was crying out—but this young fool rejected her counsel and pursued immorality—and was reduced to a piece of bread!
i. The context indicates that it was not just the immorality that is to blame—but the rejection of the counsel!
ii. This goes for young men and young women.
iii. When teenagers get pregnant—they bring shame to themselves immediately…
iv. AND they are often condemning themselves to a life of poverty…
b.) Ask any number of teenage mothers—who find themselves irretrievably TRAPPED in poverty, welfare—unable to go to college… unable to find a moral young man who is looking for a faithful wife and mother of his children…
c.) Shame will set in… but it’s too late to reverse history then.
d.) That is not always the case—but these are proverbs… USUALLY!
e.) One more good reason to remain pure.
f.) One more good reason to LISTEN to those giving counsel concerning the purity of life God expects.
3.) Other people may avoid situations where they know the possibility for correction or instruction may arise… (the Sunday school lesson is on a topic that makes you uncomfortable—so you skip Sunday school till it’s over…)
a.) I Kings 22:8 – King Ahab didn’t allow Michaiah to prophecy in his presence because he never said what the king wanted to hear! He avoided hearing that prophet altogether…
b.) Such folks don’t want to bother with instruction. He avoided hearing the instruction from this prophet—because he knew that Michaiah would tell him what he didn’t want to hear! So he avoided it altogether…
c.) They become astute at learning when and where and from whom instruction or reproof might occur—and avoid it like the plague.
d.) The person that avoids counsel and instruction will NEVER gain or benefit from it.
e.) I have counseled with couples in years gone by—during which it was discovered that the wife ended the counseling sessions and insisted on going elsewhere for counseling (for $80.00 an hour!). The reason? To avoid hearing instruction from the Word it was worth $80.00 an hour to have someone tell her what she wanted to hear!
f.) Folks will go to great lengths to avoid instruction… or correction.
g.) I Kings 22:37-38 – the king died and dogs licked his blood… he lost his royal dainties (his throne, his crown, his gold) and died in shame.
4.) Other folks will refuse instruction by PRETENDING to listen… pretending to be very interested… feigning to see its value… but then go their way and do what they were going to do anyway…
a.) These are the YES men… and women. Yes and thank you!
b.) They politely listen, and appear to hang on your every word… but INWARDLY are rebelling and refusing.
• They are hearers but not doers.
• It is exactly the same kind of rebellion; it just appears under a different mask.
• Some people have naturally meek, shy, non-aggressive, non-confrontational temperament…
• In a situation where their behavior is being confronted, they meekly listen… but inwardly are as adamantly as a rock opposed to the instruction.
c.) This kind of meekness is NOT the fruit of the Spirit—but is natural… fleshly… a cowardly meekness… the fear of man.
• True meekness is meek before God.
• This shy person appears to be meek (fear of man) but is not at all meek before God.
• This person is a rebel… but too shy or too afraid to let it show…
d.) Don’t let your kids fool you with their passive rebellion—that appears to be submissive and receptive to correction—but inwardly rebels.
• Even if they comply—check their attitude in obedience!
• Because they passively comply does not necessarily mean that they have inwardly received the instruction.
e.) Ezek. 33:31 – they sit before the prophet AS IF they wanted to be instructed, but their rebellious hearts were unchanged.
• Read about the shame and poverty that came to Ezekiel’s generation—the Babylonian Captivity!
• They lost their homes, their nation, their temple, and were carried away as defeated captives… shamed!
f.) Jer. 42:1-4 – the people came to Jeremiah for counsel… to be instructed in the things of the Lord.
• Jeremiah agreed to give them counsel from the Lord.
• Vs. 6 – they all agreed to hear and to submit to the will of the Lord whether it was good or bad!
• This appears to be a most hopeful setting—the people seem eager to hear what the Lord had to say!
• Jeremiah then reported to them the word of the Lord. The instruction they sought, they received!
• Jer. 43:1-4 – the people pretended to want instruction, but deep down inside, they had no intentions of changing.
• They simply wanted see what Jeremiah would say. If it was agreeable to them, then they would continue their charade, and pretend to be submitted to God.
• But they DIDN’T like what he had to say… and hence, they rejected the counsel and instruction.
• Lots of folks approach instruction and counsel that way.
• Their self will and rebellious spirit is temporarily MASKED by their superficial and apparent eagerness to hear instruction.
g.) This is just another FORM of refusing instruction. God sees through all of our masks. He knows the intentions of our hearts.
h.) Approaching instruction that way will lead to poverty and shame. Jeremiah and his so-called listeners ended up in poverty, famine and shame in Egypt! (Jer. 42:17)
1.) Proverbs speaks much about instruction—and tells us exactly what to DO with instruction. Consider the various verbs associated with instruction in Proverbs:
a. 1:2 – know wisdom and instruction…
b. 4:1 – hear instruction…
c. 4:13 – take fast hold of instruction…
d. 8:10 – instruction is to be received over choice gold
e. 10:17 – he that is in the way of life keepeth instruction…
f. 12:1 – we are to love instruction…
g. 23:12 – apply thine heart to instruction…
h. 23:23 – buy wisdom and instruction… and sell it not…
i. 24:32 – receive instruction… learn from it…
2.) The one who responds PROPERLY to instruction will be honored.
a.) Honor: heavy; weighty; glory; of value… as in gold…
b.) 13:13 – he will be rewarded…
• The student will be rewarded with good grades…
• The worker will be rewarded with good pay…
• The friend will be rewarded with more friendship…
c.) 13:18 – he will be honored… rather than living in shame
• He will avoid the shame of Rehoboam, those who pursue immorality, those who rejected Jeremiah’s counsel…
• He will instead receive HONOR…
• Ultimately, he will be honored at the Bema Seat…
• But even on earth—the one who follows instructions is honored.
Proverbs 13:19
Desire Accomplished
1. Desire: desire; wish; longings of one’s heart; the object of one’s desire; wish or want for something for the pleasure it brings.
a. These desires can be either selfish (lust) or proper.
b. Here it is used in a good sense… a proper desire.
2. The desires of our fallen, depraved, sinful hearts are always evil. However, when a person is regenerated he receives a new heart… a new capacity of mind and heart… new desires.
a. Prov. 11:23 – the desire of the righteous is only good.
b. The new man desires that which is good… he longs for righteousness… he craves for that which pleases the Lord.
c. Ps. 27:4 – the psalmist had a desire to dwell in the house of the Lord… because he loves the Word of God and the house of God.
d. Every man that is alive unto God is going to have a desire to DO that which is right… and to BE holy as He is holy… and to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing…
e. Every man who is alive unto God is going to desire to accomplish things which are good and bring glory to God.
3. In the believer today, it is the LORD who produces these good desires in the regenerated heart.
a. Phil. 2:13 – it is God who worketh in you both to WILL and to do of His good pleasure.
b. Not all desires that come into our hearts are evil. What matters is the SOURCE of the desire. Is it the Lord working in us or is it the selfish, sinful flesh?
c. Don’t we often struggle with this in life… debating whether a desire is of the Lord or not? Isn’t it difficult sometimes sorting out our motives? Am I being selfish, or is this a desire from the Lord?
d. The key is to stay close to the Lord…
• keep your heart with all diligence…
• examine your heart and motives often…
• compare them to the Word of God…
• be renewing your mind…
• ask the Lord to search our hearts…
• so that if we do proceed on a desire that is not of the Lord—He is able to woo us away…
e. Sometimes desires that seemed good may not have been the Lord’s leading:
• Rehoboam who wanted to fight to keep the nation together, when it was of the Lord to let it split.
• Paul’s desire to preach the gospel in Asia Minor, when the Lord had other plans.
• But the one with a proper heart attitude is easily re-routed by the Lord back to the path of His will…
f. Even good desires must be kept in control…
• A man may have a good desire to take care of his body… but can go overboard on that good desire and become a slave to the gym!
• A man can have a good desire to serve in the local church… and spend so much time here that his family suffers.
• A man can also have a good desire to spend time with his family… and that good desire to spend time with his family turns into selfish doting… and he begins to forsake the assembly of the saints!
• A desire to play sports… or to do well at school… or to play music… — virtually ANY good desire can get out of control… and cause us to be off balance.
• We need to make sure our desires are balanced… and are Spirit led… and are not choking out other priorities.
4. The desire ACCOMPLISHED…
a. Accomplish: to be,; become; come to pass; exist; happen; occur.
b. 13:12 – when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life…
• Hope deferred makes the heart sick…
• There is nothing like seeing a goal, an ambition, an aspiration, a longing, a prayer request being fulfilled… answered… brought to pass.
c. This is the point of contrast in this proverb… the man whose desire is accomplished… and the fool, whose desire is NOT accomplished.
5. Is SWEET to the soul…
a. Sweet: to be pleasant; be sweet; be pleasing; favorable and welcome.
b. It is a tree of life…
c. The term is used in various contexts:
• My meditation shall be sweet…
• My sleep shall be sweet…
• Sacrifices offered to the Lord were pleasant… sweet…
d. This term speaks of a feeling of great satisfaction that is obtained from a desire accomplished. There is a sweetness to it.
e. This is true in ALL kinds of areas of life…
• A big project at work gets finished—there is a sense of sweet accomplishment when it is done…
• Seeing one’s children go on to live for the Lord…
• Finishing a building project… a sweet sense of satisfaction…
• Finishing paying off your mortgage… a goal accomplished… is sweet…
• After 4 long years in college, receiving your degree is sweet to the soul…
• After many years of praying, training, schooling, raising support, the missionary who finally sets foot on the soil of the country he desired to serve in… sweet accomplishment…
• Some folks may have had an ambition to DO something adventurous… climb Mt. Everest… run a marathon… swim the English channel… visit China… when the desire of many years is accomplished, there is a sweetness to it…
• After praying for many years, to see that loved one get saved… is sweet to the soul…
• Even after something simple like remodeling your kitchen—when the desire is accomplished, there is a sweetness… a pleasantness associated with it.
• And the more labor, energy, effort, and heart longing that preceded it—the sweeter is the accomplishment!
6. The concept of having good desires accomplished will have an eternal fulfillment one day for the believer in Christ.
a. Ps. 17:15 – “I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness!”
b. This is our ultimate desire… our true ambition…our goal… to one day be with the Lord and be LIKE the Lord!
c. One day that desire will be accomplished—and it will be sweet. Just imagine! Sweet to the soul!
1. Fools do NOT end up accomplishing good desires. WHY?
a. Because they are too busy doing evil things…
b. They don’t WANT to leave what they are doing in order to accomplish something good.
c. The fool will continue in his folly, and his hopes and desires for good will never be realized.
2. Very often fools have desires for good things… just like wise men.
a. They want a happy family… but refuse to stop messing around… and their hopes for a happy family are dashed!
b. They want to do well at work and get promotions… but they continue to show up late… do sloppy work… because they refuse to get up on time… or put in an honest day’s work.
c. They would love to have a college degree, but will not depart from all their partying and night life to go to college…
d. They want to have friends too…but refuse to stop their gossip and bad behavior that causes their acquaintances to stay away…
e. They want good health too… but refuse to depart from their many habits that are hazardous to their health… they drive fast, smoke, drink, take drugs… etc… and good health seems to elude them.
f. And their desires are not accomplished… and it’s not because they couldn’t be. It’s because they refused to depart from their foolish and evil ways!
g. Prov. 21:25 – the slothful man desires all the things that the hard working man possesses… but he refuses to depart from his evil ways… from his slothfulness… and thus his desires are never accomplished!
3. The point here is that to be truly happy… experience this sweetness of soul that Solomon describes, it is necessary to depart from evil… which the fool is unwilling to do.
a. It seems so illogical to those observing…
b. A man with lung cancer who continues to smoke…
c. A man who just wrecked his family because of his drinking who continues to drink…
d. The homosexual who contracts aids, and refuses to depart from his lifestyle…
e. The big mouth who gossips and slanders wherever he goes and makes enemies and brings trouble on himself… who continues to blab…
f. Until the fool departs from his evil, he will never experience this sweetness of soul.
g. He will continue to have a desire for good things… but those desires will go unfulfilled… because of his foolish ways.
• Prov. 3:7-8 – depart from evil and it will be HEALTH…
• The fool is unable or unwilling to make the connection between the sweet soul and departing from evil.
Proverbs 13:20
Walking with Wise Men
Introduction:
1. In this proverb, the theme is companions.
2. Some companions are wise; others are fools…
3. In either category, the point is that one’s companions exert a great deal of influence… for good or for evil.
1. The book of Proverbs is all about wisdom… words of wisdom… gems of wisdom… the ways of wisdom… the signs of wisdom… the benefits of wisdom…
2. In this proverb, Solomon describes a unique way to become wise: associate with wise men!
a. His implication is that wisdom rubs off on you!
b. Walk with wise men and their wisdom will rub off on you.
c. Walk with wise men and you will become a wise man!
3. If you want to be wise… if you want to be good, you must keep good company… associate with those who exhibit wisdom.
4. In one sense, a man’s character is known by the kind of company he keeps.
a. You can tell a lot about a person by the friends he chooses to associate with.
b. There is an old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Watch as the Canada geese line up in their formations to fly south for the winter. There will not be one robin or one blue jay in the bunch… nothing but Canada geese.
5. A man’s character is known by the company he keeps. This is true in the spiritual realm as well.
a. Lev. 19:2 – if we walk with God, HIS character of holiness should rub off on us!
b. Mark 10:43-45 – Christ’s example as a humble, selfless servant should have rubbed off on the disciples.
c. Acts 4:13 – it became obvious to the onlookers that the apostles had spent time with Jesus. His character, wisdom, grace, and strength rubbed off on them.
d. Ps. 119:63 – So too the believer who walks with spiritually minded men…obedient God-fearers.
• The one who walks with spiritually minded men is much more likely to become spiritually minded.
• Choose friends who fear God and keep His Word… not only believers, but believers who are walking with God and have a testimony for Christ.
• If there is no fear of God, then there will be undertones of murmuring, ridiculing spiritual things, undercutting the teaching ministry of the Word, making fun of those who want to do what’s right…
• This can even happen in church!
• What is a person’s ATTITUDE towards God and spiritual things? Is he sincere? Does he mock? Make jokes? Act irreverently?
• Then don’t walk with that person—no matter how “cool” they think they are! God calls him a fool…
e. Ps. 16:1-3 – CHOOSE GODLY FRIENDS…
• David delighted in the SAINTS… men who were holy in their lifestyles… set apart to God…
• and excellent (noble; moral excellence)
6. WALK… wisdom doesn’t rub off when you have a passing acquaintance with wise men… but rather a walk.
a. Walk: one’s whole course of life… the general direction of one’s life…
b. This speaks of one who has determined not just to walk with wise men on occasion, but to make it the whole course of his life!
c. He has purposely chosen NOT to walk with fools but with the wise.
d. He carefully chooses his close friends and has made a conscious decision to walk with wise men…
e. For the believer, this means another believer of like precious faith who walks with God… faithfully… consistently… one who loves God and desires to honor Him in everything… one who spends time in the Word… one who loves righteousness and shuns evil… one who is led by the Spirit… and seeks to bring glory to God with his whole life…
f. Amos 3:3 – can two walk together except they be agreed?
7. This does not mean that we will not ever be with those who are not wise.
a. We are commanded to live in the world… but not to become CONFORMED to the world… not to become LIKE the world. In it but not of it.
b. We will have lots of acquaintances in the world… but our close friends should be wise, discerning, Spirit filled believers
c. We will be with carnal believers at times… but we should not seek to be with them for close friendship, but rather for ministry… to help them… to provoke them to higher ground… to encourage them to live for the Lord and not to love the world.
8. HOW does walking with wise men make us wise?
a. Walking with someone implies conversation… interaction…
b. Prov. 27:17 – Iron sharpens iron. Wise men actually make each other wiser by discussing ideas… views… spiritual things… they will challenge your thinking if it seems to be conformed to the world… and cause you to defend it or change…
c. Prov. 2:20 – those who walk with wise men learn to appreciate the way they walk and will KEEP it (guard it… protect one another… with a warning… encouragement… help along the way…)
d. Mal. 3:16 – God fearing people stick together and SPEAK together… fellowship and share together in spiritual things.
e. Heb. 10:24 – walking with wise men means that if we begin to pursue folly, they will PROVOKE us back to the way of good things… good counsel… advice… warning… even a loving rebuke now and then…
1. Companion: to associate with; be a friend of; to be companions; to be a special friend.
a. When it’s time to pick your close friends, walk with wise men and avoid the wise guys!
b. Wise guys think they are cute… think they are cool… think they are popular… and people laugh when they tell their jokes… and often play along with their game to their face.
c. But oftentimes, they are not laughing with him, but AT him… those same people turn away are repulsed by their folly and stupidity.
d. Prov. 4:14-16 – associating with evil men also rubs off on you. They don’t sleep until they have caused you to fall… DOWN to their level.
e. Don’t let the wrong crowd drag you down to their level. If you associate with them, it will.
f. When you get in with the wrong crowd, you BECOME the wrong crowd!
g. Therefore, stay away! Walk with wise men—who know and love the Lord.
2. Just as walking with wise men rubs off on you, so too walking with foolish men rubs off on you.
a. Prov. 16:29 – violent men will encourage you to become a violent man.
b. Prov. 22:24-25 – angry men will teach you to become an angry man… and to blow up easily… uncontrolled… short fused…
c. Prov. 23:20-21 – wine bibbers are not good companions. You may learn their ways too… or druggies.
d. Prov. 28:7 – a companion of riotous men shames their father. (Riotous = worthless; vile; light; vain.)
e. Are YOU associating with these kinds of people? Take a good look at them. Is that what YOU want to become? You will, if you keep associating with them.
3. Psalm 1:1-3 – blessed is the man who does NOT walk with the ungodly… with sinners… and with the scornful.
a. It appears that the psalmist implies here that the blessed man does NOT walk with the ungodly and with fools… because he loves the Word of God.
b. It is implied (I think) that he therefore walks with those who love God’s Word and live it!
c. Instead of being destroyed, he is strong and fruitful, like a tree planted near water—where it receives all it needs for growth and strength.
4. I Cor. 15:33 – Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
a. This New Testament verse pretty much sums up the last part of the proverb.
b. Communications (homilia) companionship, intercourse, communion.
c. If the ones you commune with on a daily basis… fellowship together with… are evil, it will have a corrupting effect on your life!
» Your love for holiness will be adversely affected.
» Your attraction to earthly things will increase.
» Your fear of God will be diminished.
» Your horror over sin will be neutralized.
» Your resolve to obey God’s Word will be weakened.
» Your separation from the world will be compromised.
» Your zeal to evangelize will cool down…
» You may not notice it at first, but it will happen… gradually… a change will take place in your life.
» If you see that beginning to happen FLEE! Seek good, godly fellowship and friendship.
d. Corrupt = destroy; ruin… just as the proverb said.
e. The world is FULL of such fools. We can’t avoid being around them… but we can CHOOSE not to commune with them… become close friends… seek to walk with them.
Proverbs 13:21
Evil Pursues Sinners; Good to the Righteous
Introduction:
1. This proverb is yet another variation of the principle, “You reap what you sow.”
2. Like the many other variations, it adds its own unique shade of meaning.
3. This proverb (unlike many others) appears in a context. Vs. 21-25 for the most part speak of prosperity vs. poverty…
a. vs. 21 – doing well vs. doing poorly…
b. vs. 22 – leaving an inheritance…
c. vs. 23 – food stored vs. food destroyed…
d. vs. 24 – training a child to be hard working and prosperous
e. vs. 25 – eating and being satisfied vs. lacking…
4. It should be pointed out that what Solomon records in this proverb is GENERALLY true… but keep in mind it is a proverb.
a. There are exceptions to this rule…
• When viewed from the earthly perspective. Perhaps MANY exceptions.
• From heaven’s perspective, this principle is always true.
• But Solomon was writing from an earthly perspective… gems of wisdom to be applied to life down here on earth.
b. It was not intended to cover every possible situation…
c. Like the Red Sox, it doesn’t cover every base.
d. I’m sure we could all think of many exceptions… perhaps in our own lives.
e. Nonetheless, it is also clear that this is a TRUTH… and generally, this is what comes to pass most often.
1. Evil: translated variously: evil; trouble; disaster; adversity; misfortune; misery; calamity; distress; injury; affliction.
2. Pursueth: chases; persecutes; runs after; follow after…
3. Solomon’s point: bad things are constantly happening to sinners.
a. Everywhere they go—calamity follows… tragedy strikes…
b. For the sinner—the man whose life is characterized by sin—there is no escaping calamity… trouble… misfortune…
c. Solomon depicts the sinner as a man who is running along his regular course of life… and someone is chasing him—someone called “tragedy”… trouble… calamity… distress…
d. The sinner can run as hard as he can to try to ditch his pursuer, but will never be able to do so.
e. Have you ever met a person like that? If there is trouble anywhere to be found, rest assured he’ll find it… or it will find him! Trouble seeks him out!
f. Trouble has locked its radar on this person and will follow him until it gets him!
g. One of the bad things that often happens to the lazy sinner (in this context) is hunger (vs.25).
4. Sometimes such a person develops a poor me attitude.
a. Poor me! Bad things always happen to me! Trouble and adversity seem to seek me out!
b. And when you look at his life, you might agree… the poor guy!
c. We’ve all seen people who seem to have to deal with an inordinate amount of trouble… (lose their job; house is repossessed; kids are in trouble; health is on the skids; they go through life putting out one fire after another…)
d. The point of this proverb is that SOMETIMES that kind of a life… a life full of trouble and tragedy… is self-induced.
e. In other words, the trouble follows them BECAUSE they are sinners… because of their sin…
5. Calamity is often the consequence of sinful behavior.
a. Those who think they are too cool to wear a helmet may end up with a head injury…
b. Those who think they can handle alcohol bring an endless series of tragedies into their lives…
c. Sinners often stir up trouble as they go too… because they don’t control their tongue… or their temper…
d. Because of their sinful words and actions, they are often pursued
• by people they provoked to anger and now hate them.
• pursued by people who are mad enough to take them to court…
• or perhaps people who want to harm them physically
• perhaps they are now pursued by the IRS or the police because of their sinful actions…
e. Sinful behavior can RUIN our lives… and the lives of those around us. There are consequences to sin.
f. Sinners bring trouble on themselves.
• Prov. 11:17 – he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh (Joseph’s brothers who were so cruel to him were troubled the rest of their lives!)
• Prov. 11:29 – troubling one’s own household.
1. How? Greed, selfishness; immorality; anger; lack of self control.
2. Cruelty is another way! Be mean spirited to your spouse… to your kids… to your parents… and you are troubling your own house!
3. If that’s the way you live at home, then expect trouble to pursue you… till it gets you! And it WILL catch up to you eventually.
• Psalm 140:11 – trouble HUNTS for the violent man.
• Sinful behavior brings trouble upon us… you reap what you sow…
5. BUT beware of judging others on the basis of circumstances!
a. Don’t be like Job’s miserable so called friends!
b. The principle in Prov. 13:21 is a proverb. It does NOT cover every possible situation.
c. There are many times when we could easily misuse this principle—as Job’s friends did.
d. Job 4:7-8 – the misreading of circumstances by Eliphaz. This man was dead wrong. His theory just did not fit the facts here.
• By this principle we would have to conclude that Job’s sufferings and afflictions were because of his sin.
• We would have to conclude the same thing for Joseph; Daniel; Paul; and others… including Jesus Himself!
• BUT—the Bible tells us just the opposite. These godly men were not suffering because of their sin… but because of their righteousness!
e. When we see a brother who faces one trial after another, it is NOT a good idea to follow the example of Eliphaz and Job’s other “friends.” They were miserable comforters.
f. Acts 28:3-4 it is superstitious to think that way. The barbarous pagans on the isle of Melita thought Paul must have been a criminal—because calamity appeared to strike.
g. The truth is, we can’t know WHY a person faces many trials. In Job’s case, we know…
h. The purpose of the proverb is not for us to judge others—but perhaps to judge ourselves.
i. If we seem to face one trial after another… one calamity after another… that is good cause to slow down and examine our hearts honestly before God.
j. Now, the proverb stands as a TRUTH. Evil does pursue sinners… but be careful in applying that proverb.
21b But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.
1. The righteous – righteous; lawful; just in his cause;
a. In Proverbs, the righteous are the just; those who do things right; those who are hard working; faithful; good, obedient, law abiding citizens.
b. They do things the right way—and are repaid for doing so.
2. Good – good; agreeable; pleasant; gladness; benefit; prosperity; bounty.
3. Repaid – recompense; restitution; pay back.
4. This is the flip side of the first part of the proverb: evil pursues the sinner… good pursues the man who does things right.
a. Cf. Prov. 11:31 – God repays good for good…
b. The repayment for good may not come immediately… but it WILL come. Consider the end of Job.
c. For the Christian, it may not even come in this lifetime… but it will come—at the Bema seat…
d. And the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.
e. Isa. 3:10 – in God’s time and in God’s unique way for each dispensation, ultimately, this principle will be seen to be true…
f. Prov. 3:2 – For length of days, and long? life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
g. Prov. 10:6 – Blessings are upon the head of the just…
h. Psalm 23:6 – Here the psalmist says, “surely goodness and mercy shall FOLLOW me all the days of my life.”
• The word for follow is the same word that is translated “pursueth” in Prov. 13:21.
• Just as evil chases down and pursues sinners, so goodness and mercy chases down and pursues the godly… the sheep following the Shepherd…
• And this will pursue them all the days of their earthly lives.
Proverbs 13:22
Leaving an Inheritance
Introduction:
1.) Vs. 21-25 for the most part speak of prosperity vs. poverty…
a.) vs. 21 – doing well vs. doing poorly…
b.) vs. 22 – leaving an inheritance…
c.) vs. 23 – food stored vs. food destroyed…
d.) vs. 24 – training a child to be hard working and prosperous
e.) vs. 25 – eating and being satisfied vs. lacking…
22a A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children…
A.) A Good Man
1.) Good: good; appropriate; becoming; morally good.
2.) This is the good, moral, righteous man mentioned in the previous verse.
a.) Evil follows the sinner… the immoral man.
b.) But GOOD follows the righteous man… and he is repaid for his good.
c.) Prov. 11:31 – often times he is paid off in this life—in the earth.
• The good man is a hard worker… and his hard work pays off.
• The good man is a diligent student… and his studies pay off.
• The good man does things right—and thus is not investigated by the police and does not have his property repossessed… it pays off.
d.) Psalm 23:6 – Here the psalmist says, “surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
3.) The good man, who works hard, studies hard, does his best, practices the famous Protestant work ethic, is fair, honest, ethical, and upright in all he does NORMALLY does well.
a.) If he’s a business owner, that man’s business should do well.
b.) If he works for a company, that man will advance in the company.
4.) If he honors God with his life, he can expect God’s blessings in his life.
a.) Prov. 10:6 – Blessings are upon the head of the just…
b.) The godliness, honesty, uprightness, and integrity of this good man manifest themselves in diligence, hard work, high standards, and faithfulness in the workplace.
c.) That usually translates into doing well… prosperity… there is usually a monetary reward for that kind of a life.
d.) There are exceptions… often the wicked do well in the world and the righteous suffer… but those issues are not under discussion in this proverb.
e.) The good man does well…
5.) And when his life is over, his goodness… integrity… and uprightness keep on manifesting themselves.
a.) At the end of his life, he has something to show for all his labor.
b.) He was a good man. He didn’t blow all his money at the race track… or on drinking. Thus, he has set aside a little nest egg.
c.) He was a good man. He didn’t spend his money foolishly, but spend it wisely and frugally. Thus, it’s not all gone… he had a savings.
d.) Prov. 21:17 – he didn’t live beyond his means…
e.) He was a good man. And when the end of his days came, he had gathered a savings of some value.
f.) Prov. 12:27 – this man was wise—and counted as precious all the physical blessings God entrusted to him. He wasted nothing.
B.) Leaves an Inheritance to His Children’s Children
1.) Solomon states that this is what a GOOD man does.
a.) He leaves an inheritance to his children… so they will have something to leave to their children.
b.) His children and grandchildren benefit from his goodness… from his hard work… frugal living… wise investments…
c.) This isn’t worldliness or materialism. This is what a GOOD man does.
2.) Good men leave their inheritance to their children.
a.) It doesn’t say to leave your inheritance to the Temple or the church… or to science… or to a favorite charity… but to your children.
b.) I have received many solicitations from Christian organizations attempting to get me to leave my earthly goods to their organization…
c.) It is a great way to increase revenue.
d.) But could you imagine how WEALTHY the churches would be if everyone left their inheritance to the church?
e.) I don’t think God WANTS the church to be that wealthy. It didn’t do Laodicea much good.
f.) Matt. 23:14 – the Jewish wolves used to prey on widows in hopes of devouring their homes when they died… leaving it to them.
g.) Many charlatan evangelists do the same thing today—and it is equally despicable! God hated it—and rebuked the Pharisees for doing so.
h.) You may want to leave a portion of your inheritance to the Lord’s work… or to a charity… but the BULK of it ought to go to your children!
i.) There is nothing unspiritual or selfish about leaving your earthly goods to your children.
3.) Again, this statement is NOT universal. It is a proverb. It doesn’t cover every situation.
a.) Some good men have no children to leave an inheritance to.
b.) And there are many good men who are poor—and have nothing to leave to their children… nothing earthly, that is.
• Ecc. 7:11 – wisdom is one of the best possible inheritances to leave behind to your children—the example of a life lived in the wisdom of God.
• Far greater than gold that perisheth is it for a father to leave his children an inheritance of a righteous example… of godliness… mercy… compassion…Christlikeness… charity…
• That is leaving behind is a true fortune… true riches…
• Whether you leave earthly goods behind or not—be sure you leave this behind in your portfolio… a godly heritage…
• One man may leave behind a valuable family heirloom: perhaps an antique grandfather clock… or a valuable picture… or a bed George Washington slept in. For years to come your children and grandchildren will remember you by that clock or bed…
• But far more important is it for them to remember grandpa as a man who loved the Lord… who read his Bible every day… and prayed for them every day… and was seen in the Lord’s House every Lord’s day. That’s a priceless inheritance to leave behind!
22b And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
1.) On the other hand, the wealth of the sinners is NOT passed on to his children’s children.
a.) This man may have spent his money foolishly…
b.) He may have wasted his money living above his income…
c.) He may not have made much money because of laziness… he didn’t want to study… he didn’t want to work hard… and thus he never advanced… and neither did his salary.
d.) He had nothing to leave to his children and grandchildren.
2.) His wealth is laid up for the just…
a.) Laban’s wealth was laid up for Jacob; Egypt’s wealth was laid up for the poor slaves of Israel; Haman’s wealth was laid up for Esther and Mordecai.
b.) How did the wealth of the sinner end up in the hands of the just or the righteous?
c.) The righteous man is one who does things right…
d.) The foolish man may have spent all the money he could have saved by eating out at a restaurant run by a righteous man…
e.) The sinner may have been involved in illegal activity—and had all his possessions repossessed… and turned over to men more righteous than he.
f.) Ecc. 2:26 – this thought HAUNTS the ungodly… the thought of an atheistic father having to leave his wealth to a God-fearing son!
3.) There are a lot of inequities in our present economic system. Many things are not fair. The poor are not dealt with fairly…
a.) Should we redistribute the wealth as some are pushing for?
b.) This passage seems to imply that wealth IS redistributed… it goes from the unjust to the just… from the lazy to the diligent… from the foolish to the wise…
c.) Of course this was written for Jews and was intended primarily to be practiced within Israel—it was not intended to be the basis of some United Nations initiative…
d.) But within a city, a region, a smaller society or a tribe… Solomon hit the nail on the head. Wealth often changes hands… and it seems to end up in the hands of good men.
4.) Even the good man may leave his wealth to his son—but his son’s son may end up being a fool.
a.) Ecc. 2:17-19 – wealthy men are also haunted by thoughts of having to leave their hard earned money to their son… who may be fool… and blow it all… ruin the family business…
b.) That son could quickly LOSE all the hard earned wealth his dad and granddad left him…
c.) Ultimately, all that wealth could end up in the hands of men in the region who are wise, diligent, and hard working.
d.) The poor fool of a son may have to sell the farm… and all of dad’s hard work is now in the hands of a stranger… no longer in the family. That’s a shame—but it happens every day.
5.) One thing is sure—you can’t take it with you.
a.) You are never sure how your hard earned wealth will be used…
b.) But if we leave behind a heritage of godliness—that can never be wasted…
Proverbs 13:23
Good Judgment and Wealth
Introduction:
1. This is one of those proverbs that has one of two possible meanings.
a. Of course Solomon only meant ONE thing when he wrote it.
b. The problem is that today there is a problem interpreting what Solomon meant.
c. There are some good reasons WHY some of the proverbs are hard to be understood:
• There is also the nature of a proverb—written to capture the mind with sometimes-tricky wording that makes you think. Sometimes the wording is purposely ambiguous. Sometimes it appears to say one thing at first glance, but after some thought, its real meaning shines through.
• On top of that, we are trying to interpret it several thousand years after it was written.
• In addition, there is the problem of translation… and sometimes the original nuances aren’t quite so apparent in the translation.
2. The two POSSIBLE meanings:
a. A hard working poor man often does better with his little than a lazy and foolish wealthy man with his much.
b. The lower classes could do much better were it not for the injustice of the wealthy who destroy their gain.
3. Both of these interpretations make good sense and are in harmony with other Scriptures… but the context seems to lend weight to the former interpretation… contrasting the hard working poor man to the lazy and foolish wealthy man.
a. The reason: this view follows the pattern in the chapter of making such contrasts.
b. Ex:
• vs.11 – wealth gotten by vanity vs. that which is gotten by labor
• vs. 12 – hope deferred vs. hopes fulfilled
• vs. 13 – despising vs. fearing the word
• vs. 14 – life vs. death
• vs. 15 – favor vs. hardship
• vs. 16 – prudent man vs. fool
• vs. 17 – wicked vs. faithful messenger
• vs. 18 – refusing vs. receiving instruction
• vs. 19 – desires accomplished vs. desires never accomplished
• vs. 20 – companions of fools vs. wise
• vs. 21 – evil or good pursuing men
• vs. 22 – inheritance of a good man vs. a sinner
c. It makes sense that in the next proverb there would be such a contrast too. The second meaning mentioned does not follow this pattern like the first one does. For that reason, the first makes more sense.
d. Like the rest of the context, we have a proverb with an antithetical parallelism—which simply means that he is contrasting opposites.
e. The contrast is not so obvious at first glance… but it is there:
• Much food which is kept is contrasted to that which is destroyed…
• The poor man is contrasted to the other man—the opposite of which would be a well to do man… a wealthy man.
• The sound judgment of the poor man contrasted to the lack of judgment on the part of the wealthy.
• The tillage of the poor is contrasted to the “tillage” of the wealthy.
1. Tillage: tillable ground; ground that is able to be tilled, plowed, and planted.
a. The term is only used 4 times.
b. Ex: Jer. 4:3 – “break up your fallow ground…” In other words, if you have land that is able to be tilled, then USE it! Plow it! Plant!
2. The tillage of the poor.
a. This refers to the relatively SMALL plots of land owned by the poor man.
b. The wealthy land owners owned perhaps thousands upon thousands of acres. The poor man did not. He owned but a small plot.
3. Much food.
a. Solomon’s point is that it is possible for a small plot of land to yield a large amount of food.
b. I read an article on “intensive gardening.” It was for people who live in the city and may only have a tiny patio area with only a few feet of growing space… techniques were given to make the most of that space… and to make it as productive as possible.
c. You would be surprised how much food can actually be grown in a small garden area. This seems to be Solomon’s point in the first part of the proverb.
4. What he doesn’t say, but is implied in the proverb is HOW that much food in a small plot is accomplished.
a. He implies it because it is contrasted to the wealthy man who “lacks judgment”… or a lack of good sense.
b. Somehow, the poor man gets a lot out of a little.
c. This good judgment… good sense… on the part of the poor man is manifested in several ways.
5. He has the good sense to make the best of what little he has.
a. He doesn’t sit around and bemoan the fact that he doesn’t own as much as his neighbor. His attention is not on what others have.
b. Rather, he gets busy concentrating on what he DOES have…
c. He thinks to himself, “This is my plot of land; this is my lot in life; I had better make the best of it… this is what I have to work with to feed my family…”
d. He determines that somehow this little piece of land is going to have be utilized to the very fullest… I am going to squeeze every last vegetable out of this land that I can!
e. This mindset (I’ve got to make the best of what I have) will take a person a lot farther than one might think… and we’re not talking about mind over matter.
f. Feisty woman in Florida who survived on gum and a half a candy bar!
g. People who survive in the wilderness in the winter for long periods of time on virtually nothing… but a will to make it. Others may have given up and died facing the same set of circumstances.
h. Sometimes when we are FORCED into an undesirable position, we are also FORCED to accomplish things we would otherwise never accomplish.
i. Families who never thought they could live on one income—when forced—discover they can!
j. You’d be surprised how much you do with a little… when it’s all you’ve got!
k. You are then forced into the kind of mindset Solomon describes here: this is all I’ve got; I’ve got to make it work!
l. That kind of mindset and drive will take you farther than you could imagine…
m. A farmer with just a little plot of land looks at his hungry kids and determines that he is going to do whatever it takes to MAKE that land feed his family!
6. He has the good sense to use some good old fashioned Yankee ingenuity. (Yiddish ingenuity!)
a. When forced into a corner, one becomes quite resourceful.
b. I know people who have fixed their cars with duct tape and coat hangers and garden hoses.
c. If you only have a small plot of land, you CAN make it productive:
• By planting at one week intervals—so the crops keep on coming.
• By planting early—and covering at night… extend the season.
• By growing crops in between other crops—to extend growing space… and not to waste one square inch.
• By planting up! Plant vines and make them climb up to use less space…
• By intensive labor you can keep the garden weed free—so as to maximize the harvest…
• By using every part of the plant you can get more food from each plant…
d. There are lots of ways to get a lot out of a little… if you put your mind to it.
e. That’s what Solomon is saying—the tillage of the poor—a small plot of land yields MUCH FOOD… because of the diligence, ingenuity, and determination of the poor farmer.
23b But there is that is destroyed for lack of judgment.
1. On the other hand, there is also another possible scenario…
a. The opposite of the poor man’s tillage (acreage) is the tillage of the wealthy man.
b. He has lots of land. He doesn’t need to use such labor intensive practices per square foot as the poor man.
c. In fact, the rich man may not see the need to be resourceful.
d. He may not see the need to be diligent.
e. He may not see the need to be so careful about breaking up the fallow ground, pulling out weeds, or frost.
f. He may waste a lot of space… seeds… fertilizer…
2. As a result, much of his crops will be destroyed… by frost, bugs, or weeds…
a. Because of his lack of judgment… good common sense… the poor man’s small plot may produce much more than his rolling plantation!
b. Due to neglect, slothfulness, and apathy, his fields may yield no fruit.
c. Prov. 24:30-34 – Poverty could come to a man who owns a large farm… if it is not take care of.
d. Good judgment with a little, is better than a lot—without good judgment. Egypt with all her riches would have been destroyed were it not for the good judgment of Joseph.
3. Application to the spiritual realm:
a. Often one believer (Tom) who has lots of time on his hands that COULD be used to study the Word, feed his own soul, and prepare Sunday school lessons to feed others… is not very diligent in spiritual things.
b. Yet there may be another brother (Joe), who works long, hard hours, and yet becomes resourceful with what little time he has… to feed his soul… and to be able to minister to others…
• He uses his commute time to listen to sermons on tape…
• He carries a pocket sized Bible to read at lunch time…
• He puts Scripture on post’em notes at work to memorize scripture… when he is put on hold on the phone…
• He gets up a half hour early each day to prepare for his Sunday school class—and pray for his students.
• He may not have as much time, talent, or education as Tom, but what little he has he puts to good use for the glory of God.
• He doesn’t have all the advantages Tom has, but he has the good judgment to utilize what he does have to the fullest.
• So there’s no point in grumbling because we don’t possess all the privileges and advantages of someone else. Use what little you have to its fullest—and you’ll be surprised how much FRUIT you will be able to bear for the glory of God!
Proverbs 13:24
Sparing the Rod
1. Clearly Solomon’s point is that the rod should be USED on our children IF we love them!
a. One commentary noted that “sparing the rod” was figurative language and that the Bible did not mandate corporal punishment for children.
b. Such a view was not arrived at by a careful consideration of the meaning of the text.
c. It was obviously arrived at by a careful consideration of what men are saying in our day and age… and in particular what psychologists are saying.
d. There isn’t anything that would lead one to believe that this is figurative. In fact, there are quite a few passages where chastening is mentioned… and involves corporal punishment for children.
• 22:15 -?Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.?
• 23:13-14 – Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.? 14 ?Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
• There isn’t any way around this language. It speaks of using a ROD… a stick of some sort… and beating with it.
e. As a side note: what IS a rod?
• It is not a baseball bat… or a pipe…
• Rod: rod; staff; branch; offshoot club…
• Beat: hit, strike, or smite…
• The rod mentioned in Proverbs is a stick used for hitting. Period.
» BUT — Solomon is not encouraging brutality with children…
» Nor is physical chastisement the only instrument of child training mentioned. (cf. 22:6)This is positive instruction.
» And without positive instruction—beatings are of no avail…
» Positive instruction is the MAIN means of child rearing. The corporal punishment is for disobedience or rebellion.
• In our day and age, we need to use extreme caution in the WAY we discipline our kids. Christian parents have lost their children for following the commands in this book…
• But with a little wisdom and common sense, we can make that an unlikely occurrence in our homes.
• I would advise that you use the thin rod from the plastic mini-blinds.
» Some years ago I was counseling with a parent who was in trouble with the social workers for the way this parent’s children were being treated. Spanking became an issue.
» This individual was using a wooden spoon… and I suggested—right before the social worker that she should NOT use a big, thick wooden object like that… and suggested the mini-blind rod.
» I brought one to show to a social worker in Salem who, after examining it, agreed that it would be an acceptable form of corporal punishment.
» I showed her how it flexed… how skinny it was… and that when applied to the rear end it was unlikely it was to leave a mark…
» With a hard wooden spoon, if you miss and hit a bone, you could do some damage… and have some “splaining” to do!
» What I did not tell her was that it stung a lot more than a wooden spoon…
» It fits the bill as a “rod”… it stings and thus does the job… and it is not quite as intimidating looking to a social worker.
• A word of caution with social workers:
» I understand that many of them have quite liberal views and are often against corporal punishment altogether.
» But keep in mind, that they are ministers of God to thee for good! (Rom. 13:4)
» I have found that if you treat them with respect, they are often quite reasonable people…
» If you come flying at them with 10 Bible verses and a holier than thou attitude… he is likely to make a mental note about you… and you will be put in the “kook” category—which could really make things worse for you!
2. Solomon states in this verse that the rod SHOULD be used and not spared.
a. The rod needs to be used because our children are sinners!
b. They are not only our children, but they are children of Adam… and have the fallen nature of Adam.
c. Even as a child, that nature is there. It may not have manifested itself in all the ugly ways of an adult… but the nature is there…
d. The rod is to restrain the child… and keep the manifestation of that sinful nature in check… whether the kids are saved or not—the rod works!
e. Spare: withhold; restrain; keep back…
• Don’t spare in its use…
• Don’t hold back… use it, and it will bear good fruit…
• What would cause a parent to spare?
» Often if the child cries… or puts up a fuss…
» Prov. 19:18 – Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
» Of course, we are not to go overboard… but don’t go underboard either!
» Sparing the rod is a much more common sin than using the rod in excess… both are problems… but sparing the rod occurs more often.
3. The parent who spares HATES his son!
a. Of course the kids will try to convince us of the opposite.
b. Remember little Elizabeth Shafer? Her father told me that when she was about 2 and he had to give her a spanking, she cried out, “You’re killing me dad!”
c. Kids think: “If you loved me you wouldn’t punish me like this!” When the exact opposite is the case. The Bible says if a parent DOESN’T spank their child they HATE them!
d. In what way is it hate?
• Prov. 22:15 – foolishness is in the heart of a child. It is like a disease that will handicap them the rest of their lives. If you know it’s there… and don’t do anything to remove—you can’t possibly love that child!
• What if it were malaria and you had a cure for malaria in the cabinet, but you chose not to use it, because it was too much trouble to get the child to swallow the pill… that isn’t love. That’s neglect… and worse if the child dies!
• We have a cure for the disease of foolishness… and shame on us if we don’t use it!
• It IS an act of love to discipline a child… sacrificing self for their good!
• It is an act of hatred and neglect not to do so.
1. The parent who truly LOVES HIS CHILD, will discipline him.
a. This is following the pattern of our heavenly Father… (Cf. Prov. 3:11-12)
• Our heavenly Father doesn’t spare the rod.
• He uses it on EVERY one of his sons… out of love. (Heb. 12:7)
• He is our pattern of parental love… manifested in chastening…
b. Parent-inflicted pain in his youth enables him to avoid a lifetime of self-inflicted pain!
c. A little discomfort now spares them from years of disaster…
d. 22:15 – ?Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.?
e. A parent who loves his child will do what is BEST for the child. God says that discipline is best for them!
f. 23:13-14 – Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.? 14 ?Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
• The term for hell = the grave.
• The point is that disciplining a child when young may deliver him from death! You could save his life! Isn’t that love?
• The little boy who disobeys positive instruction to stay in the yard and goes across the street needs a good spanking… one he won’t soon forget—and that could save him from going in the road again and getting killed by oncoming traffic…
2. The loving parent will chasten him “betimes.”
a. Betimes: to seek diligently; to seek early; seek earnestly…
b. In other words, don’t wait…
• Don’t wait until 3 days later… when it is forgotten…
• Don’t wait until they have become so disobedient that you end up disciplining in a fit of anger…
• Don’t wait until it’s too late…
• Don’t wait until the police knock on your door… if we don’t discipline our kids, the judicial system may have to.
c. Begin early in life… from the earliest stages in that toddler’s life… don’t allow the child to gain the mastery early… chasten early!
d. Bad habits are best broken early. It’s much easier to quit smoking after your first cigarette than after smoking for 25 years!
e. Deal with the issues of rebellion when they are young… the young, tender plant is most easily bent… Charles Bridges put it this way: “bend the tender twig before the knotty oak is beyond our power.”
f. Kids are like wet cement… make your impression on them while they are still able to be formed… before they become hardened and it’s too late.
3. Parents should demonstrate TRUE love… a Biblical kind of love to their children.
a. Ps. 103:13 – “like as a father pitieth his children.” It is natural and right for a parent to have pity on his child.
b. But love also demands that a parent express the tough side of love too—in using the rod… ignoring the cries… knowing that it is for the child’s good… it may even save his life!
Proverbs 13:25
Eating and Satisfied
Introduction:
1. The proverb states that righteous men eat well and the wicked go hungry.
2. And once again, we must remind ourselves that these are Proverbs: truth crystallized… and sayings that do NOT cover every situation.
3. Certainly Solomon knew of many exceptions to this principle.
a. As a king, he would no doubt have known many of the wealthy land owners and the nobility… many of whom were ungodly wicked men… but who ate quite well.
b. And no doubt as king, Solomon heard many cases where righteous men were cheated, unjustly treated and who were very poor… and who did not eat so well.
c. In fact, he even wrote about such godly but poor men. (Prov.15:16-17)
d. Solomon KNEW that the righteous are often poor… and he knew that the wicked were often wealthy.
e. Nevertheless, there is a principle in Prov. 13:25 that Solomon thought was worth writing down… and so did the Holy Spirit!
1. The righteous will have enough… AND they will know that they have enough (satisfaction).
a. They are not gluttons… they eat till they have satisfied their appetite… they do not eat until they could not possibly stuff in another bite or they’d explode!
b. The righteous eat in moderation… and are satisfied with moderation. He eats till he is satisfied and then he stops.
c. The righteous soon discovers that eating in moderation is enough. That’s all you need! All we need is enough.
d. God promises enough to satisfy our needs…not enough to satisfy all our lusts.
2. Enough can be as good as a feast! Prov.15:17
a. A dinner of herbs is enough to satisfy the appetite. You don’t need steak and lobster.
b. In fact, a modest meal of vegetables is far BETTER than a feast of meat and potatoes with all the trimmings IF there is love… as opposed to a wealthy home with a huge meal served by servants… where everyone hates each other…
c. Who had the better meal? Who enjoyed the meal more?
d. Try to put your own house into this scenario:
• I’m sure that every one of us here tonight have experienced family problems where there was fighting, friction, frustration, anger, unkind words, maybe even yelling, and hostility… you all sat around and ate supper with a big pit in your stomach…
• Under that cloud, it doesn’t matter whether you had filet mignon or a just a bowl of rice… it wouldn’t be a very enjoyable meal…
• Regardless of the quantity of the meal or the quality of the food… it would not be enjoyable.
• And yet at other times, when there is real joy in the home… mom can go to the cupboards and discover she has very few ingredients to work with…
• But if there is love in the home… and all are in a good mood… getting along well… and trusting in the Lord—and everybody gathered around the kitchen to make a game out of trying to put a meal together out of three stalks of celery, a half a cup of peanuts, a can of peas, a can of tomatoes, and a little left over tuna… that meagerly meal can be extremely enjoyable! Enjoyable putting it together—and enjoyable laughing about how awful it tastes!
• In fact, that meal time could even become one of the favorite family memories!
3. You don’t need shrimp and lobster to have an enjoyable meal.
a. All you really need to have an enjoyable meal is a bowl full of “herbs”—and people sitting around the table who love each other… and love the Lord… and are content with whatever God has provided.
b. I doubt if the Queen of England has never had such a good meal!
c. All you need is enough.
4. It is the LORD who provides enough to satisfy.
a. The point of the passage is that GOD blesses the righteous with enough to eat…
b. Prov. 10:3 – The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish.
c. It was part of the promise God made to Israel under the Mosaic covenant… (Deut. 28:1-5) God promised to bless their crops and provide enough in their basket if they obeyed… if they were righteous.
d. If they did NOT obey… they had no such promise (28:15,17)
e. Thus, when the nation obeyed the Law and was righteous, they could expect God’s blessing and bounty.
f. This is the essence of the proverb.
5. This principle is found in many Old Testament passages.
a. Ps. 34:10 – they that seek the Lord shall not want.
b. Context: God’s constant care for His people.
• vs. 6 – In trouble, David cried and God delivered.
• Vs. 7 – The Angel of the Lord (and His hosts) encamp around those who fear God… for our good. Protected!
• This care is not for everyone:
‣‣ For those who bless God continually (vs.1)
‣‣ For those who boast in the Lord (vs.2)
‣‣ For those who magnify the Lord (vs.3)
‣‣ For those who seek the Lord (vs. 4)
‣‣ For those who cry to the Lord (vs. 6)
‣‣ For those who fear the Lord (vs. 7)
‣‣ For those who taste and see for themselves! (vs. 8)
‣‣ For those who fear the Lord (vs.9)
c. Vs. 10 – With that as a background David says, “They that seek the Lord shall not want (lack) any good thing.
• If God is your all in all—then you will not lack… you will taste and be satisfied…
• Ps. 23:1 – The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want (lack).
‣‣ Those who want to travel their own route don’t have this promise.
‣‣ Those who don’t want to follow the Good Shepherd may not make to the green pastures and experience fulfillment…
• Ps. 84:11 – no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.
‣‣ Sometimes we complain and think God is withholding good from us when we don’t eat shrimp and lobster and only have herbs.
‣‣ But having shrimp and lobster every day may not be best for us.
‣‣ We might miss out on the joy of the Lord that is ours as we sit contentedly around a table of herbs… with love!
‣‣ If all we have is a table of herbs… just remember, God may be withholding many things from us—but no GOOD thing… He withholds nothing that is good for our soul… for our spiritual lives.
» Daniel and his friends ate herbs… and it didn’t do them any harm. They appeared “fairer and fatter in flesh” than those who ate at the king’s table.
» They profited from it!
» What most would look upon as a meagerly meal—did them GOOD!
» Families who go through times of trial and dry periods financially often discover that it was the very BEST thing for them spiritually!
» It is not always the case, but often is: prosperity in the world tends to cause us to forget the Lord…
» Poverty often causes us to focus more clearly on the Lord… to seek Him… as we see our need for His care moment by moment.
‣‣ Even for folks in the world, this principle is true… and has often been proven.
» Think of the many wealthy families in California who lost their homes in the recent fires… all their earthly goods gone up in smoke.
» On TV we probably all saw pictures of families weeping over their loss… and yet thankful that they still had each other… the parents and kids made it away safely…
» In fact, the removal of all earthly and material things enabled them to see a little more clearly that which was far MORE important… life and loved ones!
» Luke 12:15 – “a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”
» Sometimes it takes losing one’s possessions to make us to see how precious is LIFE itself… and our family and friends.
» The unsaved can learn this lesson on that level.
4. But how much GREATER should be the lesson to the believer!
a. God may chose to reduce us to a table of herbs…
b. But we can still have LOVE around that table… a poor economy can’t take that away from us!
c. And we are still blessed with ALL spiritual blessings in heavenly places.
d. Sometimes it takes loosing our earthly blessings for us to appreciate how richly blessed we are spiritually!
e. For the believer in Christ, God hasn’t promised a stalled ox every meal. But He does provide for the complete satisfaction of the soul!
f. Even if we find ourselves reduced to a table of herbs for a season in life… taste and see that the LORD is good… HE is the One who truly satisfies our soul…
1. The curse of Deut. 28 would be upon the wicked… those who disobeyed God’s Law.
a. Their baskets would not overflow with bounty.
b. Their crops, fields, and cattle would be cursed.
c. They could expect famines and hunger if they disobeyed.
d. The belly of the wicked shall WANT (lack).
2. Their belly shall want…
a. They will not experience satisfaction…
b. Their desires will be insatiable…
c. In fact, there is nothing in all the world that could really satisfy the inner cravings of man… apart from God Himself…. And the wicked don’t want the Lord.
d. Thus, they shall suffer want… lack…
e. Their belly won’t be satisfied with food…
f. Their souls won’t be satisfied either…
3. This is a picture of the awful future condition of those wicked men in the Lake of Fire: they will desire to be satisfied, but will not… they will burn in those unfulfilled desires…
a. Cf. Luke 16:24-26 – the wicked rich man in Hades… longing for the satisfaction of a drink of water—but cannot be satisfied.
b. In whose shoes would YOU rather be? (Luke 16:19-23)
i. The rich man who fared sumptuously every day and ended up in Hades…
ii. Or the poor man that ate of the crumbs that fell from his table… yet who would soon be transported to Paradise… into Abraham’s bosom… into the presence of the Lord… and ultimately into the heavenly city forever?
4. The main point of the second half of this proverb is that there is NO SATISFACTION for the wicked… in this life or in the life to come.
5. A spiritual application: the Christian who may have precious little in the world… but who feasts upon Christ… will find TRUE satisfaction of his soul…
a. While the unbeliever who prospers in the world… with all of his millions… finds that his belly (inner man) goes hungry… unfulfilled… discontent… unhappy… without any true satisfaction.
