Proverbs 20:2
The Fear of a King
2a The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion:
1. The fear a person has (or ought to have!) when he stands before a king is in some ways like the fear a person has when he stands before a roaring lion.
2. In other words, kings and lions both evoke fear in the hearts of men, because in some ways they are alike.
a. They are both powerful. (Ecc. 8:4)
• Because of his power, nobody can tell a king what to do.
• It is not a good idea to try to tell him what to do either!
• A king had absolute power in those days. He had the power of life and death… no trial necessary.
• Kings with unlimited power were like lions. If they felt like “eating” you they could… and nobody could question them.
b. They are both stronger than you.
• It doesn’t make a lot of sense to try to fight with a king. He will always win—like a lion.
• If it’s a straight battle between you and a lion, the lion is going to win.
• This proverb is a call to acknowledge such power.
• This proverb is similar to our proverb: You can’t fight city hall! City hall always wins. They are bigger and stronger than you!
• They can both do serious harm to you. In fact, they can both kill you.
• If you DO chose to engage a lion, expect serious bodily harm… and quite likely death.
c. They are unpredictable.
• There is no such thing as a tame lion.
• Lion trainers might put their hand in a lion’s mouth one day… and the next day the lion might bite it off.
• A lion trainer in Las Vegas had been working with his lion for years… making the lion jump through hoops… putting his head in his mouth… and all sorts of tricks. But he made one false move and the lion attacked him.
• Working with lions is risky and a dangerous business.
• Lions are wild animals… and thus unpredictable.
• Kings are like lions, Solomon says. They too can be wild and unpredictable: one false move and YOU could be dead!
3. Some men might think that they can stand up to an evil king and set him straight.
a. Solomon’s advice: don’t try it!
b. He uses the illustration of a lion to drive the point home.
c. Could you stand up to a lion? Probably not.
d. Yes, David stood up to a lion and won, but that was a most unusual case. (Probably because God had a plan for the seed of David and providentially intervened in his life to keep him alive so he would HAVE a seed!)
e. Normally, if it’s just you against the lion, the lion wins.
4. What makes this interesting is the fact that this proverb was written BY a king… King Solomon.
a. If your average Joe on the street warns you, “Watch out for the king,” it might be a helpful warning.
b. But you might wonder why he is warning you. Did he have a run in with the king? Does he have an ax to grind against the king? Is he stretching the truth? What is his motivation in making such a warning?
c. You might also wonder, “Does this guy really know what he’s talking about? Is he a trouble maker?”
d. But when the king himself warns you about kings, you take notice. He DOES know what kings are like.
e. Perhaps Solomon remembers times when he unfairly roared at one of his subjects. Kings can have bad days too.
f. Perhaps Solomon remembers a time when a small farmer irritated him, and the king made him pay for it!
g. Or perhaps Solomon had heard stories of OTHER kings—and how harshly they treated their subjects… especially when the subject got the king angry.
A. Provoking Him to Anger
1. The second part of the proverb tells us a particular WAY in which the king and the lion are alike:
a. Prov. 19:12 – The king’s wrath is like that of a lion.
b. Getting a king angry is like getting a lion angry.
c. This is very much like an American proverb: Don’t grab a tiger by the tail.
d. It is extremely foolish and dangerous to provoke a lion to anger (or a tiger as the young men in San Francisco recently discovered).
e. In the same way it is folly to provoke a king to anger.
2. As you read through the Bible, there are plenty of examples of kings taking out their wrath upon a subject who irritated them.
a. Read through I & II Kings… examples abound.
3. Don’t mess with a lion… or a king.
a. Avoid confrontation at all cost.
b. If you find yourself face to face with a lion—walk gingerly. Don’t irritate him. Don’t poke him with a stick or throw a rock. And hope that he just had lunch!
c. In the same way, don’t mess with a king—or anyone in authority.
d. If a police officer pulls you over, don’t argue with him. Even if you think you are right, don’t be confrontational… don’t pick a fight with him. You might just lose!
4. Do not irritate a lion… or a king.
a. Ecc. 10:20 – Curse not a king… don’t spread gossip or rumors about him. That will irritate him if he finds out.
b. Solomon states (as a king who should know) that often a little bird tells the king. Kings have ways of finding out… so don’t do it.
c. This is good advice in lots of circumstances.
d. Students in a classroom shouldn’t be murmuring about their teacher—for the teacher might find out—and the teacher could make life miserable for the student!
e. Employees should not bad mouth the boss. Bosses also have ways of finding these things out—little birds. Your boss may not have power over life and death—but he does have power over the pink slip… and perhaps over pay raises. Don’t irritate a lion.
5. Stay on the good side of a lion… or a king. Stay in his favor if possible.
a. Prov. 14:35 – The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.”
• You stay in his good favor by demonstrating wisdom… being a good servant or subject… (or employee or student).
• But his wrath is against those who cause him shame.
• Don’t make the king look bad… because that will really get him angry…
• Kings don’t like to look bad… and he will take it out on whomever it is that makes him look bad!
• Bosses don’t like those who work for them make them look bad either. Nobody does.
• If you know what’s good for you—avoid making others look bad… especially those in a position to get even!
b. II Sam. 10:1-7 – Hanun shamed David and his men.
• He got the king angry at him.
• David gathered the whole host of his army, and defeated Hanun and his men.
• David’s response did not seem to fit the crime. Hanun embarrassed his men. David slaughtered hundreds of men in response.
• Those who cause shame to a king will experience the wrath of that king… and a king’s wrath is not always reasonable.
• That’s the point of the proverb. Irritate a lion a little, and his response might be overwhelming. He could maul you to death… and eat your carcass.
6. Appease a lion or a king…
a. Even if they are mean, cranky, selfish, unfair, and contrary. (Perhaps especially if they are so!)
b. Prov. 16:14 – “The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man will pacify it.”
c. The purpose of these proverbs is that subjects might be wise in their dealings with fickle, unpredictable, powerful men—like kings.
d. Solomon wrote these words for the GOOD of his subjects. He didn’t want them to have to face the wrath of a king.
e. Don’t provoke him to anger. Do whatever you can to pacify him… even if he is unreasonable… unrighteous… and wrong!
f. He is like a wild animal. Do whatever you can to calm him down and not get him upset. It will be best for YOU.
7. Rom. 12:18 – Live peaceably with ALL men…
a. But especially with those who can make life miserable for you!
b. We can make application of Solomon’s proverb to all kinds of situations in life…
c. In many situations, (even if you’re right and they’re wrong) it’s not worth stirring up a hornets’ nest… it’s not worth grabbing a tiger by the tail… it’s not worth it to provoke a lion to anger (or your boss; your teacher; your mother in law; father in law; or the policeman; or the building inspector.)
8. Fear of what might happen is a GOOD thing.
a. It is healthy and wise.
b. It causes you to think twice before acting or speaking. It causes you to be careful.
c. It causes you to think through the whole situation. Consider the possible reaction and outcome.
d. And if fear results in that kind of caution, it is very helpful.
9. Of course, it’s a good idea not to anger ANYONE… lest they seek revenge and make life miserable for you. This proverb has broader application than to kings only!
a. Solomon later makes the same warning and applies it especially to MEAN kings… (Prov. 28:15)
b. That would be true for ALL mean people. They will turn on you. They can do you much harm.
B. Sinning Against His Own Soul
1. Sinning against his own soul
a. Soul is used here in the sense of one’s life.
b. In other words, the one who angers a King is sinning at the peril of his own life… he is putting his life in danger.
c. If you provoke a king to anger—he could take your life… just like irritating a lion. Do so at your own peril.
2. I Kings 2:23 – Then king Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.
a. Adonijah attempted to steal the kingdom from his brother Solomon by marrying the young virgin that lay with David. That would have made Adonijah in line for the throne.
b. Obviously, this trickery angered King Solomon.
c. Adonijah did not fear the king. He was poking a stick in the king’s face… in the face of a lion…
d. Solomon roared back—like an angry lion—that Adonijah did so against his own life. (vs.24-25)
3. Romans 13:2 – Men who resist authorities today (regardless of whether it is a monarchy, democracy, or dictatorship) do harm to themselves . Governmental officials have the power of the sword… and they use it!
4. Of course, we do not live in a monarchy or a dictatorship.
a. This proverb is especially written for such situations and does not speak about a democracy.
b. We do not have rulers who have absolute power over life and death—thankfully!
c. We DO have the right and the privilege of opposing leaders here with our vote or by getting involved in politics.
d. But the principle Solomon describes in this proverb IS applicable to us in many various situations where people have authority over us… and wherein getting them angry could make life miserable for us.