Proverbs
Notes on Proverbs – Chapter 3
Proverbs 3:1-2
My Son, Forget Not My Law
FORGET NOT MY LAW
1. “My son…”
a. He begins with words of affection and love—for his own son.
b. The message is an exhortation given out of love. It is not a scolding or a rebuke, but an exhortation.
c. Others may neglect these words, but he wants his own son never to forget them!
d. In fact, one of the strongest motivations to remember these laws, is the family tie… they came from dad…
e. Nobody wants this son to succeed in life and do well more than the dad!
f. Ex: A car salesman may give you advice on selecting a car. That advice may not be coming from the purest of motives. He may or may not have your best interest in mind. BUT—when the advice comes from your father—his motives are pure. He wants the best for you!
2. “My law…”
a. The law here refers to the counsel, advice, and commandments this father (Solomon) gave to his son.
b. No doubt, Solomon spent many hours with his sons teaching them truth… teaching them the Scriptures… passing on lessons he learned from life… and from his mistakes…
c. The section almost sounds like the words of a father to his older son as that son is about to strike out on his own…
d. By way of application, we should note that the wisdom Solomon passes on to his son here is MORE than just fatherly advice—in the Bible it becomes divinely inspired fatherly advice!
e. Thus, we could apply Solomon’s words concerning his laws to his son to GOD’S LAW to us.
3. “Forget not my law…”
a. Forget: to forget, ignore, wither; to cease to care…
b. A young son striking out on his own is going to be tasting freedom… making decisions on his own… no more parental oversight…
c. The father warns him: Don’t forget what I taught you!
d. We too need to be reminded not to forget Gods’ Word!
• Prov. 4:5 – get wisdom—and don’t forget it! We CAN forget!
• Deut. 4:23 – Take heed that you do not forget the covenant of your God! The Jews often forgot!
e. The Psalmist was concerned about forgetting God’s law! Ps.119:93
• We should resolve NOT to forget God’s Law! They are life and revival to our soul!
• cf. 119:16, 109,141, 153,176
• It should be a concern to us too…
• HOW do we prevent forgetting God’s law? Fill our minds with it daily!
f. Prov.31:4-5 – Strong drink causes men to forget the law… and pervert judgment… discernment level decreases.
• Any kind of intoxicant can cause men to forget God’s law…
• Strong drink… drugs… worldliness… materialism… there are a lot of intoxicants out there…
• They all have the same effect—they blur the mind and reduce our level of spiritual discernment—and cause us to forget God’s law. (A good reason to stay away!)
g. That young man or woman NEEDS good training under their belt BEFORE they get to that place of freedom!
• Solomon taught his son… now he says, “Don’t forget it.”
• The fact that he says “Don’t forget what I taught you” implies that he DID teach him! Are we?
• That son is going to need his dad’s wisdom and advice.
• But the important point is to make sure that we as fathers are TRAINING our children… teaching them important lessons about life… teaching them principles from God’s Word…
• The NT gives this responsibility to the FATHERS! (Eph. 6:4)
• Sooner or later those young lives are going to be out on their own, facing the world system with all of its intoxicants designed to cause us to forget spiritual things…
• Solomon was concerned that his son FORGET NOT his law!
KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS
1. Keep = guard; observe;—hence,—obey.
2. Note that they are not to be kept in the head—but in the heart!
a. The heart is like the Ark of the Covenant in which the tablets of the law of God were stored and preserved.
b. The heart is the keeping place of God’s Word… or ought to be.
3. Ps.119:11 – thy word have I hid in my heart—that I might not sin!
4. Prov.4:4 – Let thine heart “retain” my words…
a. Retain = to grasp, hold, support, attain, lay hold of, hold fast; seize…
b. Does our heart grasp on to truth… hold it fast? We should!
c. ALL truth… ALL of God’s Word—the blessings and the cursings!
5. Deut.11:18 – lay up these words in your heart…
a. Vs.19 – and teach them to your children!
b. This is what Solomon did. He laid up the word in his own heart. Then, he taught it to his son—and pleaded with him NOT to forget it, but to lay it up in his heart too… treasure it… like laying up a treasure!
6. Throughout Proverbs, the HEART is the main issue. (Prov.4:23)
a. The heart is the first to wander away from the Lord…
b. The body may still be in church… but that is no guarantee that the heart has not wandered away.
c. It is so vital to KEEP the heart… guard it…
d. And how do we guard our heart? Keep it filled with God’s Word!
THE BLESSINGS OF REMEMBERING GOD’S LAW
A.) Length of Days and Long Life
1. Solomon tells his son that there is also a REWARD for keeping the Law… for obedience—a long and happy life!
2. This was considered the highest good to a Jew—a long and happy life. Who could ask for more? (Ps.34:12)
3. Cf. Prov.4: 10 – obey—and the years of your life shall be many!
4. Prov.9: 10-11 – the blessing of fearing the Lord is a long life! (cf. 10:27)
B.) Peace
1. Peace = shalom – has a wide range of applications—just as in English.
a. Shalom is usually translated peace—but it means more. It means something closer to “peace and prosperity… wholeness and health and harmony.”
b. “Shalom” as a saying is similar to the meaning of III John 2.
2. A long miserable life would not be much of a motivation to obey. But a long, happy life of peace sure is!
a. The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow.
3. Ps.119:165 – those who love thy law have great peace. That makes life worth living!
4. Solomon makes it clear that the reward for obedience is not just the length of life, but the QUALITY of life –peace! Quantity time and quality time!
5. Living a life of obedience—with a pure conscience tends towards a happy, well adjusted, longer, happier life!
a. However, living in disobedience and rebellion—means living with a guilty conscience… and bearing that heavy burden on the soul day by day… God’s heavy hand upon your heart, weighing you down… is an unbearable burden! (Ps.32:3-4) David was miserable! His life was not characterized by SHALOM that year!
b. Cf. Ps.38:1-8 – another miserable point in David’s life!
c. That’s no way to live! Sin destroys the quality of our life…
d. A life of rebellion and disobedience is a life full of guilt, worry, anxiety, fear, despair, depression—and that will take its toll on anyone! It may even shorten your life!
e. Solomon wants something better for his son! God wants something better for me and you too!
Proverbs 3:3-4
Mercy and Truth
Introduction:
1. Solomon is giving his son words of wisdom to live by.
2. It is almost as if his son were about to strike out on his own. Dad wants to impress these important truths in his heart one last time.
3. First he tells his son never to forget the law… the truths that his father has drilled into his mind and heart. (vs.1)
4. Then he tells his son the results of taking heed to those truths = a long and peaceful life—rather than a short life in the fast lane that knows no peace!
5. In vs.3-4, he tells his son about the importance of two other virtues: mercy and truth.
TWO IMPORTANT VIRTUES: MERCY AND TRUTH
1. Mercy: goodness, kindness, loyalty; fidelity;
a. This term implies a good, kind, loyal, benevolent spirit…
b. One man defined this Hebrew term as “love and loyalty/faithfulness blended together… overlapping”
c. This Hebrew word is used in all 26 verses of Ps.136 (for His mercy endureth forever!)
d. The Good Samaritan is the one who showed “mercy.” He was the man who was loyal… kind… good… benevolent… (Luke 10:37)
e. This seems to be the spirit or the virtuous attitude that Solomon is trying to inculcate in his son…
• Prov.21: 1 – the one who follows after this kind of mercy will find life, righteousness, and honor! No wonder Solomon wants his son to remember mercy! He wants the very best for his son.
• Prov.14: 31 – Those who honor God will show mercy to the poor.
2. Truth: firmness, faithfulness, truth; sureness, reliability; stability, continuance; faithfulness, reliability;
a. This term means something solid… firm… reliable, and hence comes to refer to truth.
b. While it may connote truth in the objective sense–a body of doctrine from God—it seems to speak more of the virtue or quality of being TRUE…
c. A young man needs to be true… firm… stable… reliable…
d. He will need that quality with respect to his schooling… (steady; faithful).
e. He will need that quality with respect to his job—firm—reliable—steady—loyal.
f. He will need that quality as a husband—firm—stable—true to his wife.
g. He will need that quality as a father—a firm, steady, stable, man to uphold and guide and lead his family.
h. Many schools and universities have mottoes similar to what Solomon is challenging his son with here—virtue and truth!
i. This is almost a summary of everything that a father would teach his son throughout his life—all the lessons of life could be condensed into “virtue and truth.” It is like the book of Proverbs in a nutshell. Be true… be kind. Speak the truth in love.
3. The terms mercy and truth appear 10 times in the Old Testament.
a. Mercy and truth preserve the king. (Prov.20:28) Solomon’s son was the son of a king!
b. Mercy and truth purge iniquity! (Prov.16:6) It will purge both moral and doctrinal iniquity.
c. We may not be kings in this world, but we are kings and priests before God! A royal priesthood!
d. Mercy and truth will preserve us too… and will keep us from sin… purge sin out of our life.
e. A life dedicated to pursuing virtue and truth will be safe indeed! Safe from the many ills and troubles in life that sinful men fall into.
FORSAKE NOT; BIND THEM ABOUT THY NECK; WRITE THEM UPON THE TABLE OF THINE HEART (HOW TO TREAT THESE VIRTUES)
1. Forsake: to depart from, leave behind, leave, abandon.
a. Solomon admonishes his son not to allow mercy and truth to depart from his life… don’t let them depart from you…
b. Of course, it is not really that truth or mercy abandons men. Men abandon them!
c. This is the equivalent of saying, “Hold fast to mercy and truth!” Don’t ever let them go!
d. The point is that WE are the ones who slip away from showing mercy… and from the truth.
2. Bind them about thy neck!
a. Tie up; tie together; bind up… like a necklace.
b. If we tie them tightly around our neck, we will not depart from them.
c. His point is that we are to keep them near to our hearts. (like a pendant hanging from a necklace—figuratively speaking) (Prov.6:21)
d. Wearing them around one’s neck seems to imply more than the fact that they are near to one’s heart. It also implies that we are wearing them PROUDLY (in a good sense)—
• as one would proudly wear his school’s letter on his sweater…
• or as one would proudly carry the flag…
• or proudly wear a Red Sox hat…
• It speaks of not being ashamed. Solomon wants his son to be virtuous and true and not to be ashamed of it!
• In many circles it’s bad to be good. Solomon wants his son to know that it is good to be good!
e. Solomon tells his son to wear mercy and truth around his neck… and not to be ashamed to let others see it.
• Let your light so shine… (Matt.5:14-16) Don’t hide it under a bushel!
f. It may well also speak of the fact that when worn around one’s neck, they are always in view.
• Like frontlets before the eyes… (phylacteries)
• If mercy and truth are worn around one’s neck, it will be a constant reminder.
• Solomon wants his son always to REMEMBER them… keep them always before your heart and your mind’s eye.
3. Write it upon the table of your heart…
a. This speaks of making virtue and truth almost “second nature”!
b. Write it so indelibly in your heart that it IS your nature to show mercy… to be loyal and true…
c. This is language similar to that which God uses to describe what He does in our heart when saved.
• God writes his law in our hearts.
• Before, sin was engraved and deeply etched into our hearts.
• At salvation, God writes His law in our heart… so that it becomes our nature—our new nature—to obey.
d. Solomon wants truth and virtue to become second nature to his son.
• Good training does that. It etches right thinking and right behavior deeper and deeper into the heart of a child.
4. Solomon wanted mercy and truth worn around his neck (external) and written in his heart (internal).
a. This speaks of both an inner work and an outward demonstration of that inward work.
b. Solomon wanted these truths in his son’s heart… but he also wanted them demonstrated in his outward life…
c. Mercy and truth should be found in his inner life of mind and heart as well as in his outer actions!
SO SHALT THOU FIND FAVOUR AND GOOD UNDERSTANDING IN THE SIGHT OF GOD AND MAN
1. Vs.4 – Solomon tells his son here that IF he holds fast to mercy and truth and wears it around his neck… living it… THEN he will find favor before God and men. (if you do A above, then B will follow)
2. Mercy and truth will put you in good stead before both God and men.
3. Favor = acceptance…
4. Example: Joseph (Gen.39:2-4,21 – Joseph was true and virtuous… merciful. He continually found favor in the sight of God and men.
5. Example: Samuel (I Sam.2:26) Samuel was loyal, true, faithful, and was kind and merciful. God honors that. So do men.
6. As wicked as our world is—and perhaps even more so today—men acknowledge loyalty and virtue in a man. While many sneer and mock, deep down inside, they wish they had it!
7. Dan. 1:9 – Daniel was brought in favor before men. He too was loyal and true!
8. Luke 2:52 – this was also said of the Lord Jesus! He was certainly merciful and true!
9. Rom.14:18-19 – The believer who is sensitive not to needlessly offend others is showing mercy… he is being true and loyal to the Body of Christ. That brother will also find favor before God and men.
a. Some of these believers were binding TRUTH around their necks (they KNEW they could eat meat) but had forsaken virtue and kindness! They were destroying their brethren in the way they flaunted their exercise of truth.
b. Others may have had mercy, but were lacking in truth.
c. Paul exhorts the believers to demonstrate BOTH mercy and truth!
• Truth without mercy is cold orthodoxy.
• Mercy without truth is wishy-washy and easily led into sin and error.
• BOTH are essential.
10. When both are combined, it sends forth a powerful testimony!
11. Do you want friends? Do you want to find favor with men?
a. Prove yourself to be loyal… and kind… merciful… You will find favor with men!
12. Do you want to be a friend of God? Be loyal and faithful… practice mercy… and you will find favor with God too!
13. If we want this favor, WE MUST wear mercy and truth around our neck! That is OUR responsibility for the rest of our days!
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord
TRUST
1. Trust defined: trust in; to have confidence in, to be bold; to be secure.
2. Everyone has confidence in something.
3. Examples:
a. You have confidence that those 18-year-old metal chairs are going to hold you up. (They don’t always!)
b. We have confidence in the car that drove us here.
c. We had confidence that the food we ate tonight was not poison.
d. We are all demonstrating confidence that this roof will not cave in on us.
4. WHY do we trust the chairs, our cars, and this roof?
a. Because we have tried them and found them to be true… trustworthy.
b. We have tried them over and over again… with the same results.
5. In the physical world, we TRUST things every day to work… cars, planes, refrigerators, alarm clocks, banks, computers, food, etc…
6. When we TRUST something, we put it to good use…
a. We BOARD that plane that we trust will take us to our destination.
b. We DRIVE that car where we want to go.
c. We EAT that chicken… and enjoy it!
d. We SIT in the chair and rest comfortably.
e. We GET IN that elevator and it takes us to the right floor.
f. In reality, we are entrusting our LIVES to such things every day!
7. If we did NOT trust in those things… our actions would be quite different.
a. There are people who will not cross a bridge or fly or get on an elevator.
b. What we trust and don’t trust has a big impact on the way we live.
c. What or whom we trust affects what we do.
d. Our actions are thus largely based upon what we believe and what we trust.
e. Therefore, the foundational facts upon which we place our trust is VITAL!
• If you place your trust in an airplane that is unreliable, you could lose your life!
• If you place your trust in a bank that is about to fold, you could lose your shirt!
• If you trust your child in the hands of a babysitter who is not what she claims to be you could lose your child!
• If you place your confidence in the advice of someone who is dishonest, you could get trampled!
• If you trust a doctor to operate on you, he could make a mistake!
IN THE LORD
1. Solomon tells his son WHERE his trust is to be placed… a solid foundation that will never let him down… never fail!
2. All of the things mentioned so far involve men. (Machinery; advice; etc.)
a. That could malfunction… their advice could be lacking wisdom…
b. Sometimes things we trust in the world fail us… with or without malice.
3. But ultimately, our trust should be in the Lord.
a. We still have to board airplanes, eat food, and lie under the surgeon’s knife… but our confidence is to be in the Lord.
b. Sure—choose the best doctor you can; fly the airline you trust; eat only in restaurants you trust—but ultimately, we have to place our trust in God.
c. Men can and do fail us. God never does.
4. How is it that we are able to sit in these chairs with confidence? Because we have sat in them many times and they held us up… and we have sat in many other chairs that held us up. We have tried them… proved them… and found them to be true.
a. We are to trust God like this too. “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
b. Rom.12:2 – “proving” what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God!
c. We come to KNOW God. We have proven God’s Word and His will to be right… able… reliable… God has never failed us. We KNOW Him. We KNOW we can trust Him. He is tried and true!
d. There are not many things in life that are truly reliable. (Jobs; people; finances; health; plans we make—all are pretty “iffy”.)
e. But God is not like that. God is a SOLID ROCK. You can trust Him.
f. That is just what Solomon is communicating to his son.
5. The better we KNOW God… the easier it is to trust Him in all things!
a. The more we know men—the harder it is to trust them.
b. But God is not man that He should lie… neither the son of man that he should repent!
c. Ps.118:8-9 – It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
d. It is better to trust in God because He never lets us down!
e. How do we know that? Taste and see that the Lord is good! He’s better!
f. We have to KNOW God in order to trust in Him. You cannot trust someone you don’t know… someone about whom you know nothing!
g. The more we come to know the Lord, the easier it will be to TRUST Him in the time of storm!
WITH ALL THINE HEART
1. Solomon not only tells his son WHERE to place his trust but also HOW to place his trust: wholeheartedly
2. ALL thine heart means an UNDIVIDED heart.
a. Lots of people trust in the Lord—but not with ALL their heart.
b. The Samaritans trusted in the Lord… but they also trusted in Baal and Chemosh!
c. Jesus warns us about trusting in two masters! (Matt. 6:24)
• The eye (what we gaze at) should be single! (6:22)
• The opposite of a single eye is an evil eye! (6:23)
• Jesus describes a man whose eyes are looking in two directions… because his allegiance is divided…
• His allegiance to GOD is divided… he does not love the Lord or trust the Lord with his whole heart—just half his heart!
d. Ps.62:9-10 – Trust not in riches but in God. He is the One with real power!
3. With God it is all or nothing! He does not tolerate competition. He wants our heart… ALL of it.
a. He wants us to trust Him with ALL our heart…
b. He refuses to share allegiance with another.
c. If the Lord be Lord then serve Him… trust Him… and only Him!
d. I Kings 18:21 – How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.
e. Who or what do YOU trust? Is it the Lord? Do we trust Him with half our heart? ¾? Or with ALL our heart?
f. When we face a financial crunch… when we face bad news from the doctor… when we face opposition… our confidence and trust must be in God 100%.
AND LEAN NOT UNTO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING
1. Riches and strength are enemies to putting our confidence in God. But intellectual pride is an even greater enemy to trusting in the Lord!
2. Solomon warns his son about intellectual pride: lean NOT on your own understanding!
a. Don’t think you are so smart! (This often plagues young people…)
b. Many young people know everything already. I did as a teenager.
c. Remember, it was pride of intellect that caused Lucifer to fall! (Ezek.28:17)
d. Pride was the “condemnation of the devil.” (I Tim.3:6) It is the reason many young people fall… “Who needs advice? I know everything!”
e. Trusting in SELF will keep us from trusting in the Lord. You can only have ONE master!
f. Prov.28: 26 – He that trusts in his own heart is a FOOL!
g. God has given us His Word to lead and guide and direct in ALL of our decisions in life.
• Anyone who departs from the wisdom of this book is a fool!
• Anyone who trusts in his own heart—wisdom—demonstrates that he does NOT trust in the Lord. That is folly.
• Ps. 147:5 – God’s understanding is infinite! How does our intellect compare?
h. Jer. 17:9 – our hearts are so deceitful, we cannot know them! How foolish to trust in a heart like that!
i. Mark 14:27-31 – The Lord said that ALL of them would be offended in Him. Peter—who trusted in his own heart—and was NOT trusting Christ said “Not me Lord!” Who was the first to forsake the Lord? Peter!
j. Jer.9: 23-24 – Let not the wise man glory (or trust) in his wisdom… but let him glory in the fact that he knows (relies upon) a God with infinite understanding!
• Who would you trust to invest all your hard earn savings? A man who is deceived or someone with infinite understanding?
• Who would you want to operate on you? Someone who is riddled with intellectual pride (I don’t have to study those medical books!) or a physician with infinite understanding?
• Doesn’t it just make SENSE to trust God?
k. Jer.10:23-24 – “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. 24O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.”
h.) In any decision we make—big or small—we need to examine it in light of God’s Word… we need divine guidance.
i. Unfortunately, many folks examine God’s Word in light of their own understanding… and their own understanding is given preference OVER God’s Word. Disaster!
3. Phil.3:3 – we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh!
a. Paul knew better than to trust himself!
b. Trusting in the flesh… trusting in self becomes an idol… another master!
c. Jer. 17:5 – you cannot trust in SELF AND GOD! Cursed is the man who trusts in man!
d. Jer. 17:7 – BLESSED is the man who trusts in the Lord.
4. Either we walk by FAITH (trusting God) or we are walking by sight (trusting in that which we can see—the earthly, physical things—including self—human talents, riches, power, wisdom)
a. We can kind of stumble through our Christian life assuming we are walking by faith. A test will PROVE to us whom we are trusting!
b. Every day, we need to PRACTICE trusting God and NOT leaning on our own understanding.
Proverbs 3:6
Acknowledge Him
ACKNOWLEDGE GOD
1. Acknowledge: to know or to recognize… acknowledge…
2. The command is to acknowledge God. But HOW do we acknowledge Him?
a. We acknowledge God when we are conscious of His presence.
• The opposite would be to ignore Him… act as if He were not there.
• Ps.14:1-2 – the unbeliever does not consider God… he does not think about God… he does not acknowledge God. To him, there is no God!
• Rom.1:28–The wicked do NOT want to acknowledge God. They do not want to retain God in their thoughts… in their knowledge.
• Many men go to great lengths to block out any thoughts of God…
• For the sinner, thoughts of God make us responsible and accountable to Him! Unbelievers do not want to acknowledge that… hence, they do not want to acknowledge Him!
• If He’s there—even if we acknowledge His mere existence—then we are accountable to Him!
• Unbelievers do NOT acknowledge Him. We should!
• We SHOULD retain God in all our thoughts. We should be conscious of Him… of His presence in all of our choices and decisions in life.
• I Cor.10:31 – whatever we do—should be done with the consciousness of God… with concern for Him and His glory.
• Col.3:23 – all is to be done under the watchful eye of God—acknowledging that…
• Acknowledging God should have an effect on every part of our life!
b. We acknowledge God when we recognize who He is.
• He is everywhere… all knowing… all powerful. (Ps.139:1-12)
• These truths about God are to be acknowledged at all times.
• If we think a thought—acknowledge God’s omniscience!
• If we decide to go to a certain place, acknowledge God!
c. When we recognize who He is, we will reverence Him… fear Him…(Prov.23:7)
• Therefore, we walk humbly before Him… seek His will…
• We are to walk in the fear of God all day long… acknowledging Him…
d. When we acknowledge Him, we recognize His authority over our life.
• We acknowledge God when we are conscious of His Word… and restrict our actions accordingly.
• We acknowledge God’s authority over us by saying NO to things that appeal to our flesh… yet we know they are not pleasing to God.
e. When we give Him credit and glory, we acknowledge Him.
• Jas.1:17 – we acknowledge God when we recognize that every good gift is from Him ultimately!
• 2 Cor. 8:16 –Titus show concern and care for the Corinthian believers. Paul acknowledges that even that concern in his heart was from God!
• Ezra 7:27 – Ezra acknowledged that it was the Lord who put this in the king’s heart! GOD did that!
IN ALL THY WAYS
1. God is to be acknowledged in ALL of our ways.
2. WAYS: road, distance, journey, path; course of life (fig.)
a. In other words, God is to be acknowledged all through our journey here on earth.
b. God is to be acknowledged and considered in every way or direction our life takes. No turns are to be taken without acknowledging Him!
c. This would mean that we are to acknowledge God in every road we pursue… at every turn we take in that road…and each step along the way… in ALL thy ways…
d. God is to be left out of nothing!
e. Jer.10:23 – Jeremiah acknowledged that he needed God to direct his every move.
3. A good illustration of the opposite of this is found in Jas.4:13-15 – leaving God out of their plans. These men did NOT acknowledge God and His will in their plans.
a. They made good plans… but James rebukes them.
b. The rebuke is NOT for making plans, but for not acknowledging God in it all! (vs.15)
c. Does this sound like us? We make grandiose plans—and perhaps well thought out plans… but what about God? What does HE want us to do? Sometimes praying is the last thing we resort to—long after the plans are already made! We simply pray and ask God to bless what we have determined we are going to do. That is not acknowledging God.
d. In all of our steps… in all of our plans, we should acknowledge God! Don’t leave Him out!
e. Are you looking for a new job? Considering buying a new house? Thinking of changing careers? Thinking of serving in the choir? Considering quitting a ministry? Looking for a mate? A Pet? A new doctor? Thinking of putting up a church building? Let’s not leave God out!
f. Leaving God out invites disaster—and we may be led down the wrong road. These men THOUGHT they knew what to do. They thought they didn’t need to consult God or His will.
• Sometimes, we are like that. The way might seem so clear that it seems obvious to us what to do… so we forget to seek God’s face… no prayer!
• At other times, we have no idea of what to do… and therefore we seek God. (II Chron. 20:12) “We know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee…”
• BUT—our eyes should be on God at all times… we should seek when we don’t know what to do… AND when we THINK we know what to do.
• Don’t ever leave God out of your plans.
4. We acknowledge God in ALL of our ways, when God is on our mind and our heart at all times.
a. Neh. 2:4-5 – praying on your feet! Nehemiah was God-conscious all through his conversation with the king.
b. Are we God-conscious in our daily lives? We should be!
c. Matt. 10:29-31–We should acknowledge God in ALL events in life… see His hand in it all… every last bit. Not a sparrow falls… acknowledge that He is sovereign!
d. Ps.19:1 – the heavens declare the glory of God. Do we acknowledge Him when we look up in the sky? We should!
e. Rom.1:20 – the invisible things of Him are clearly seen. Do we acknowledge Him when we see His creation? God holds the whole WORLD accountable to acknowledge Him in creation. Do we as His sons?
f. Phil. 4:6- in EVERYTHING let your request be made known unto God. Acknowledge God and His will and His power in everything we do!
g. We are to acknowledge Him as Lord and Sovereign over every detail of life—no matter how small and insignificant it might seem.
AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS
1. God promises to direct our steps. BUT—there is a huge prerequisite. He expects us to acknowledge Him in EVERYTHING!
2. In other words, He will direct the overall path of our life IF we acknowledge Him every step of the way—and not take a step without Him!
3. If we start leaving God OUT of even the smallest decisions—we have no assurance that we will be led in the right direction.
4. Another way of stating this: IF we know God… and keep our mind and heart FULL of God… THEN God will direct our steps.
a. The better we know God—the more assurance we will have that we are headed in the right direction.
b. The better you know the road map—the better your chances of not getting lost!
c. God’s Word is our road map. KNOW God. Acknowledge Him and His will as recorded in the Bible. We will NOT lose our way!
d. Matt.6:22 – if thine eye be single (looking only unto Jesus) then the whole body will be full of light! We will not be lacking for light and guidance and direction from God! BUT—wholehearted, single-minded acknowledgement of God is required!
5. God WANTS our pathway to be clear and safe. Therefore He said, “Consult me in everything!”
a. God has plenty of wisdom… and He wants us to come to Him and seek it!
b. Seek it wholeheartedly! (Prov. 2:3-5)
c. If we need wisdom—and we DO—then come to God for it. Ask Him for it—He giveth liberally! (Jas.1:5)
d. God will give us the wisdom we need to walk down the pathway of HIS choosing.
e. Acknowledge Him as LORD… as the One who has the right to set our course… to change our direction… to command us to stop… turn… march… as our commander in chief! Acknowledge Him as Lord, and He shall direct thy paths!
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 3:9-10
Honour the Lord with Thy Substance
9HONOUR THE LORD
1. HONOR = TO BE WEIGHTY; TO BE HEAVY; TO HONOR;
a. There is a similar connection between weight and honor in English too.
• A man carries a lot of weight in town—he is important…
• His word carries a lot of weight around here—people highly esteem his opinion.
b. Originally it came from the fact that money was measured in weight. The more weight, the more value gold coins had.
c. Thus, the concept has to do with the value we place on something or someone.
2. Here, we are told to honor the Lord.
a. We are to value Him… give glory to Him.
b. We should esteem His word highly.
c. The Lord is the One we should value… highly esteem… glorify with our lives.
d. Imagine if there was an objective way to measure and assign everything in our life a certain weight? What would really have the most weight in your life? Imagine if there was a scale we could use to weigh the value we place on things… on pleasure… career… family… friends… money… on sports… etc? Which way would the scales tip?
WITH THY SUBSTANCE…
1. The particular WAY in which this honor is demonstrated is with material possessions.
a. Substance: wealth, riches…
b. Whatever substance we have comes from God anyway! (Jas.1:17)
c. Cf. I Chron. 29:11-16 –
d. Vs.11 – Everything in heaven and earth belongs to God
e. Vs.12 – Riches and honor come from God—God is sovereign in distribution
f. Vs.13 – He is to be thanked and praised
g. Vs.14 – the only reason we are able to give is because we have received from God!
h. Vs.15 – our time on earth is fleeting away
i Vs.16 – all the good saved to build the Temple came from God’s hand anyway!
2. We are to honor Him by sacrificing our material possessions to Him and His service.
a. Thus, there is a link between the concept of honor “weighty” and possessions or money, that which is “weighed.”
b. If you were buy a ticket to see the Boston Symphony Orchestra or Red Sox, you pay top dollar. You could see a AA team for $4! You can hear Salem High band for free. But to see a team or orchestra that has much weight—highly esteemed—you must pay a weighty price!
c. I Tim.5: 17-18 – double honor refers to remuneration for their labors. Their pay is a form of showing honor for the work they do.
d. Thus, we see a link between honor, weight, and giving.
3. Giving to God is one way to honor Him…
a. It shows how much weight we assign to Him…
b. It demonstrates how much we value Him…
c. It demonstrates that we value Him more than earthly possessions…
d. There is a link between our giving and the value we ascribe to God.
• We are not talking about the # of dollars given.
• Rather, it has to do with the degree of sacrifice!
4. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He doesn’t need anything.
a. But when we sacrifice in order to give to Him, it is a form of worship.
b. It shows Him what we think of Him.
c. Luke 21:1-4 – this poor woman honored God more than others who gave many more “dollars” than she did. God measures the honor given Him according to the degree of sacrifice involved.
d. Matt. 6:1-4 – Some men gave lots of money, but did so in such a way so as to be seen of men. Their real goal was not to honor the Lord, but to honor themselves!
e. Our giving should have as its goal the honor and glory of God! (It is far more than paying the mortgage, salaries, and electric bill of the church).
AND WITH THE FIRST FRUITS OF ALL THINE INCREASE:
1. Firstfruits – the first fruit on the vine or the tree.
a. It was a special fruit—the first one! Highly prized—like a firstborn son.
b. It was tantamount to giving the “best.”
c. The firstfruit also implied that after the first fruit, there were more to come. Offering the firstfruit to God was a way of showing that it ALL belongs to Him. The firstfruit also represented the whole.
2. God doesn’t want us to give second best. He was our firstfruit…
a. Mal. 1:6 – God laments because His children were not giving Him the honor He deserved.
b. Vs.7 – they demonstrated what they thought of Him by offering polluted bread on the altar—something that had gone moldy and had no value.
c. Vs.8 – they offered sacrifices that were blind, or lame and sick. God was not impressed!
d. Vs.13 – they were tired of offering sacrifices to God and began to offer Him the leftovers—something that had little value—because they did not value God!
e. Vs.14 – God wanted them to know that He was a great King and deserved their best—not their leftovers.
3. Increase – The increase is in contrast to the “substance” which is already in their possession.
a. We are to honor God with the “substance”—that which we already possess.
b. We are also to honor God with any “increase” He sends our way.
c. When God sends an increase to us, it is only right and fitting to express thanksgiving, and to show honor and respect to Him by giving back to Him from that increase.
d. It is a way to acknowledge that we realize that it came from Him.
10SO SHALL THY BARNS BE FILLED WITH PLENTY, AND THY PRESSES SHALL BURST OUT WITH NEW WINE.
1. This verse records the RESULT of honoring God sacrificially: God will supply all your needs!
2. Caution should be used in interpreting this passage.
a. There is a big push today in what is called the “gospel of success.”
b. It is found primarily in charismatic churches. They believe that God wants us all to be healthy and now, wealthy too!
c. Bible verses are YANKED out of their contexts to support their claims.
d. They wrongly assume that passages that promise physical blessings to Israel apply to the church.
e. Example: Deut.28:1-6 – physical blessings for obedience.
• This is not a promise to us!
• Jesus obeyed His Father, and had not a place to lay His head!
f. Example: II Cor.8:9 – He became poor that ye through His poverty might be rich!
g. Example: Matt.6:12 – and forgive us our debts… (Bring your bills and tear them up! We are going to have a debt forgiving.)
h. Have you ever wondered why there is such a market in Christian circles today for Larry Burkett’s books… with an inordinate emphasis on money?
3. The passage in Prov.3:10 does NOT give us the MOTIVE to give (so that we will get). Rather, it gives us a PROMISE in giving… that when we give sacrificially, God will provide for our needs!
a. Some charlatans I have heard on the radio have suggested that God will give you threefold if you give to his ministry. (Give 100 and God will give you 300!)
b. What is the motivation in giving? GREED!
c. They have turned the whole concept of giving around. Instead of a sacrifice, it becomes a means of getting more for self!
d. Instead of an investment in eternity, they see it as an investment in the here and now! It is giving in order to get! It is self oriented.
e. In the Bible giving is an investment in eternity. We give sacrificially—we turn over riches in this life that we might have riches in heaven. That is based on faith and grace.
• II Cor. 9:6 – the farmer that hoards his seeds and wants to keep it all now, is really a fool.
• He needs some “long range vision.” If he scatters his seed now, much later, he will have a large harvest… with many MORE kernels of corn!
• Long range investments pay off. The application is to the believer giving sacrificially and generously today—and in heaven he is richly rewarded! Long range planning is wisest and best.
f. The PROMISE found in this passage is that if we give sacrificially to God, He will provide all of our needs. We will have plenty in our barns to meet our needs.
g. This promise is similar to that found in Col. 4:14-19
• Vs.14-16 – The Philippians gave sacrificially to Paul that he might preach the gospel.
• Vs.18 – their sacrificially giving was well pleasing to God.
• Vs.19 – Because of their sacrificially giving, they have assurance that God would provide for their needs…
• The promise is NOT given to selfish, greedy believers who are seeking financial gain. Rather, it is given to those who are already giving sacrificially.
4. If we are giving SO THAT God might bless us, our motive is wrong.
a. God MAY bless us if we give generously. But our giving should not be done that we might get.
b. Rather, our giving should be gracious… selflessly… sacrificially… and for God’s glory. God knows those who are giving for selfish reasons and those who are giving for His glory.
c. God honors those who honor Him.
5. I Kings 17:8-13 – Elijah told this poor woman to take her last meal, and feed him with it first!
a. It sounds quite selfish and not very manly of Elijah. BUT—this was really a test from the Lord.
b. Vs.14 – it came with a promise from that her oil and wheat would not diminish.
c. Vs.15 – she obeyed…she gave sacrificially by giving to God’s prophet first. She put God first—others first—and God provided for her needs.
d. Vs. 16 – and God kept His promise!
Proverbs 3:11-12
The Chastening of the Lord
11MY SON, DESPISE NOT THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD;
1. Chastening: discipline, chastening, correction
a. The term refers to a type of correction that leads to education.
b. Used in Lev.26:18 – “punish”. But note the PURPOSE of the punishment:
• Vs.19 – Break the pride of your power
• Vs.20 – Demonstrate the vanity of trusting in your own strength—the vanity of independence from God.
• Vs.23 – To reform our ways—correct us—straighten us out…
c. Deut.8:1-5 – The wilderness experience was a 40 year period of chastening—as a Father does with his son.
• Vs. 2 – chastening is designed to humble man; and prove to us what we are like.
• It is a teaching tool…
• Vs. 3 – the chastening was designed to teach man that He needs God’s Word more than earthly goods…
• Vs. 5 – They were to know and consider in their hearts, the significance of the fact that Jehovah was disciplining them! (Do you know that? Do we consider it? Life is God’s university.)
• When the 40 years of chastisement were over, God wanted them to CONSIDER what had happened. Ponder what God did… that they might learn the lesson and not forget it!
• A loving father will chasten his son his whole life through. (Not endless spankings—but endless lessons to be learned…)
• God chastens us to keep us humble… to keep us obedient (vs. 2c) and to teach us our need for Him and His word.
• These are lessons we will never stop learning and relearning in this life.
2.) There are several illustrations of this truth in the Bible:
a. God is a Husbandman who prunes His vine branches (John 15)
b. God is a Father who corrects His sons
c. God is a Potter who removes the lumps from the clay
d. God is a Refiner who seeks to remove the dross from the metal
e. God is a Builder who has to cut, chip away at, and polish the stones He uses in the building.
3. Lessons from the illustrations. They all teach similar truths.
a. We all have need of endless correction… none are sinless.
b. God is the Teacher…Craftsman… we have a good Teacher.
c. God’s purpose is to change us and improve us—not hurt us.
d. The chastisement DOES hurt… but it is good for us. (Ps. 39:10-11)
e. The work will never be finished in this life.
4. Despise – refuse; reject; resist; it does not refer to a passive, inner “hatred”… but rather implies an active resistance.
a. It makes no spiritual sense to resist God working in us.
b. He is changing us—and making us more like Himself.
c. It is silly for the branch to resist the work of the Husbandman—His purpose is to make the branch MORE fruitful!
d. It is silly for the clay to resist the Potter. He is transforming a useless piece of clay into a masterpiece of craftsmanship that displays the glory of the Craftsman!
e. It is silly for the gold to resist the Refiner. The Refiner is purifying the gold… removing the dirt and dross… making it more valuable.
f. Yet, we DO resist.
• We get mad when things don’t go our way—when we should rejoice, knowing that the trial of your faith worketh patience!
• We get frustrated at our failures and foibles, when we should rejoice—realizing that when we recognize our weakness, then are we strong!
• God sometimes sends health problems, poverty, rejection, and failure our way so that we will lean on HIM—and not on our own understanding and strength.
• These trials and difficulties are often the chastening of the Lord… to humble us… keep us dependent… strong.
• And dare we resist?
5. Solomon exhorts his son (and us!) NOT to resist the work God wants to do in his life.
a. Jer.2: 30 – that was the problem in Judah. God was chastening them, but they refused to respond! (Cf. Jer.5:3; 7:28; 17:23)
b. Judah’s behavior is a warning to us. She refused the chastisement of the Lord—and the result was the Babylon captivity! 70 years in exile!
c. One way or another, God knows how to MAKE us respond to Him. If we refuse to respond to the lesser forms of chastisement, He knows how to heat up the oven.
NEITHER BE WEARY OF HIS CORRECTION:
1. Be weary: abhor, weary, loath, distressed, vex, grieved
a. The term refers to a deep emotional reaction issuing in a repulsion of the object.
b. The word is used to describe God’s feelings toward the ungodliness among the Canaanites… and to describe His feelings toward idolatry.
c. Num. 21:5 – It was used to describe Israel’s feelings towards the prolonged feeding upon the manna. They loathed it! They were tired of it… sick of it… They didn’t want it any more.
d. That seems to be the meaning of the term in Prov. 3: 11.
• We are warned NOT to grow sick and tired of the Lord’s chastening.
• We should expect it the rest of our lives.
• Trials and troubles CAN seem to linger on an on… difficulties and disappointments and discouragements never seem to end…
• We CAN even begin to hate it… loath chastening.
• But isn’t that the way children behave? They loath the punishment they receive.
• Rarely does a child really appreciate being chastened by his parents.
• Too often they complain, murmur, chafe, resist, and hate it.
• Thus, they are not learning the lesson… and may need to experience the chastening for a LONGER period of time… or more severe discipline.
• Rather than loath it, we should see it as an example of the love of God. He is reminding us that we belong to Him! He chastens out of love.
2. Job began to FAINT at God’s chastening. (Job 6:1-10)
a. He began a morbid brooding over his situation… dwelt upon it.
b. Even so much he wanted to die. (He was not the only godly man who ever had such thoughts! So did Elijah!)
c. Job became weary of His chastening.
d. David too became weary of God’s chastening. (Ps. 38:1-8)
e. Perhaps you have been there too. It is GOOD to be brought low by the Lord. It is DANGEROUS to brood over it… or to REFUSE to be comforted, like Rachel … and like Asaph (Ps. 77:2)
3. Solomon tells his son neither to RESIST the chastening of the Lord… nor to RESENT it. Instead, he should learn to appreciate it.
12FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CORRECTETH; EVEN AS A FATHER THE SON IN WHOM HE DELIGHTETH.
1. In verse 12, Solomon gives his son the REASON why he should not resist but appreciate the chastening of the Lord: it is a sign that the Lord loves you!
a. Can’t you just envision this father telling this to his son.
b. No doubt Solomon wanted his son to realize that whatever chastening he received from him was an expression of love too!
2. When a father corrects his son, it is for the GOOD of his son… and an expression of the father’s love.
a. The same is true of a coach. A good coach will constantly be pointing out picky little things that his players are doing wrong… that need to change. But he does so for their good and the good of the team!
b. A good piano teacher will be constantly correcting a student…
c. The student, or athlete or son who understands this… and responds positively is going to excel.
d. It is never easy to be criticized or corrected. But it is a mark of wisdom to be mature enough to take it.
e. Solomon is REASONING with his son. He wants his son to respond properly to the correction of the Lord. Knowing WHY God chastens will make a positive response easier.
3. You young children—it is hard to be chastened by your parents, isn’t it. But did you know that it is just as hard for your parents to receive correction from the Lord?
a. Even when you grow up and are no longer under the authority of your parents, chastening never ends… correction never ends.
b. Solomon wanted his son to know that. But now, it is no longer DAD who is doing the chastening. It now comes directly from the Lord!
4. We need to know that chastening is GOOD for us.
a. Heb.12:10 – for our profit… that we might again be a partaker of his holiness!
b. Heb.12:11 – Afterward, it yields fruit… and fruit results in joy. (Like the husbandman pruning and bringing forth much fruit!)
c. Heb.12:12-14 – If God chastens, benefit from it! Don’t grow weary of it… discouraged… but say THANK YOU LORD and get on in your pursuit of good things!
d. Prov. 3: 13 – HAPPY is the man that finds wisdom—even this wisdom!
e. Solomon wanted his son to learn what the Psalmist learned…that it is GOOD to be afflicted by the Lord!
• Psalm 119:67 –to become obedient to His Word!
• Psalm 119:71 – to learn His statutes more deeply!
• Psalm 119:75 – learn of God’s faithfulness to us!
Proverbs 3:13-15
Happy is the Man
13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
1. Happy = blessed; it is often used as an interjection. (O how happy is…)
2. The term is used 25 times in Psalms. (Ex – Ps.1:1 – blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly…)
3. Prov. 8:1-3 – Wisdom cries out to all who will hear… as in ch.1
a. Vs. 32 – Blessed is the one who keeps her ways… practices wisdom.
b. Vs. 34 – Blessed is the man who HEARS wisdom speak… watching daily… (Seeking to hear and learn more…)
c. Prov.8:36 – Whoever rejects wisdom will NOT be happy. He is sinning against his own soul… wronging himself!
d. Ex: the young boy who refuses to do his homework against the wisdom laid down by his father. He is only hurting himself! He is the one who will pay in the end…
e. Ex: wisdom says, “Obey God and you will experience blessedness; happiness.”
f. It is the fool who says that obeying God and walking the straight and narrow is boring. The fool will pay for his folly eventually.
g. The fool says, “I won’t be happy until I break away from God and do my own thing. God is too restrictive. I can’t be happy if I follow Him!”
4. Solomon has already described some of the “happiness” or “blessedness” associated with following divine wisdom.
a. 3:4 – you will find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man!
b. 3:8 – health! Follow divine wisdom will keep a man or woman away from dangerous lifestyles. God’s wisdom leads to purity—you won’t have to worry about sexually transmitted disease. You won’t worry about cirrhosis of the liver if you follow God’s wisdom and stay away from strong drink!
c. 3:10 – Following God’s wisdom will bless you with having your needs all met.
d. 3:2 – long life too!
e. Remember, these are proverbs—not promises in each and every case. But over all, the one who follows God’s wisdom will be BLESSED.
• Wisdom will keep him from doing foolish things that could result in disease, loss of friends, or an early death.
5. Blessed is the man that finds wisdom and gets understanding!
a. This kind of wisdom is God’s wisdom.
• Man must get or find it. We do not have this kind of wisdom in ourselves.
• This wisdom comes only from God—not the wisdom of the world.
b. What a stark contrast between divine wisdom which results in happiness and the wisdom of the world which sometimes results in grief! (Ecc.1:18)
c. How do we find it? Is it lost? Is it hiding?
d. It is found recorded in God’s word. It is available for all of us.
e. BUT—not every believer actually finds it! Many believers demonstrate by the foolish decisions that they make that they do not have this wisdom!
f. It is not because they CANNOT find it. It is because they WILL NOT find it.
g. We have 66 books of Divine wisdom in our Bibles. How much time do we spend getting spiritual understanding? It’s there for the finding… but we have to open the book and READ it!
h. If we are going to GET this wisdom or FIND it—it requires diligence! (Prov.2:1-4 – seek divine wisdom as gold diggers seek gold!)
i. BLESSED is the man who finds it! There is no blessing upon the man who watches TV… or who golfs… or skis… or puts around in his workshop on his hobby. But there is a blessing upon the one who finds wisdom!
j. You want some blessing in your life? Get into God’s Word!
k. Revelation 1:3 – Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
l. GETTING God’s wisdom means more than memorizing a verse. It means OBEYING the wisdom learned! BLESSED is that man in his DEED. (James 1:25)
14For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
1. Solomon wrote these words. He is preeminently qualified to speak on this subject. He had unimaginable wealth!
a. I Kings 9:26-28 – Solomon had gold shipped to him from all over the world… the world’s finest gold! (10:14-15)
b. I Kings 10:4-7 – This queen had her breath taken away by the extravagant wealth of Solomon! She was also taken in by his famous wisdom!
• She noted that even his servants were happy- they hear of his wisdom! (10:8)
• 10:23 – Solomon exceeded all kings of the earth in wisdom and wealth.
c. II Chron.9:20-28 – a brief overview of all the wealth brought to Solomon yearly. He was rich!
2. When Solomon spoke to his son and said that the merchandise of wisdom is better than that of gold or silver—he knew what he was talking about!
a. He was talking under divine inspiration—AND—experience!
b. In his official dealings with kings and princes of foreign lands, he no doubt came in contact with some very wealthy men. Not all wealthy men are wise. Many are quite foolish.
c. To become a king, all one had to do was to be the firstborn in the right family. That was no guarantee of wisdom!
d. No doubt Solomon knew some wealthy men who were foolish in their ways.
e. By observing Solomon came to realize that wisdom is better than wealth!
3. Merchandising = profitable
a. It is more profitable to have wisdom than gold and wealth.
b. It is even more profitable in a financial sense… on a purely materialistic sense—it is more profitable to have wisdom.
c. Which would you prefer?
• A million dollars and no wisdom? (eager to buy the Brooklyn Bridge?)
• OR no money, but the wisdom to earn a million $ a year?
d. On the news the other day they had a story about a man who won megabucks and was now in debt over his head. He lost it all gambling—and he even spent money he didn’t have!
e. It would make for an interesting book—to write about the lives of common people before and after they became instant millionaires through the lottery. Some of them would be pretty sad stories.
4. Even for the worldling—wisdom is more profitable than gold. But especially for the believer!
a. A believer might successfully accumulate wealth, but what profit is it if in the process, he loses his family? (divorce or neglect)
b. A believer might successfully accumulate wealth, but what profit is it if it causes you to forget God? (Deut. 8:11-14)
c. A believer might successfully accumulate wealth, but what profit is it if he ruins his health in the process and cannot enjoy it? (Ecc. 6:1-2)
d. A believer might successfully accumulate wealth, but what profit it is if he can’t even sleep at night worrying about it? (Ecc. 5:12)
e. A believer might successfully accumulate wealth, but what profit is it if when he stands at the Bema, he has no true riches? (Matt. 6:19)
5. Wisdom will NEVER allow us to put making money above the spiritual needs of his family… nor will he allow making money above God… nor will wisdom allow us to put earthly treasures above heavenly treasures…
a. WISDOM knows how to prioritize.
b. Wisdom knows what is really valuable.
c. The wise believer will realize that obtaining God’s wisdom is more valuable from eternity’s perspective than obtaining gold, silver, and rubies in this life.
15She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
1. In fact, wisdom is more precious than rubies or ALL THE THINGS you could ever desire or want or imagine!
2. There is nothing that can even qualify to be put in the same category as wisdom! She is in a class by herself.
3. Paul demonstrated this in the choices he made. He practiced this truth!
a. Col. 2:3 – in Christ are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
b. Phil. 3:4-8 – Paul left a lucrative position in Judaism behind in order to pursue the knowledge of God in the person of Jesus Christ! He chose wisdom over earthly wealth and success. He is our example today.
c. Paul knew that what he left behind was not even to be compared to the knowledge of God—the wisdom of God in Christ that he found! By way of comparison, he said they were like dung!
d. The things of this world cannot even be compared to the knowledge of God… God’s wisdom…
4. If we really BELIEVE this, then it will affect the decisions we make.
a. Paul believed it—and he left his earthly success behind and CHOSE Christ.
• In one sense, Paul TRADED his earthly success for the knowledge of God.
• Solomon said the “merchandising” of wisdom is better than the merchandise of gold.
• Merchants trade and swap their goods. Paul made a good trade.
• Often we make terrible trades… lousy decisions… horrible choices.
b. If we really believe this, we too will CHOOSE Christ and the knowledge of God—Divine wisdom over the things of the world that seem so valuable.
c. Paul PRACTICED this kind of wisdom. HAPPY is he who gets wisdom!
d. Earthly success would not have provided Paul with happiness.
e. Half hearted seeking does not result in this kind of happiness. God’s wisdom must be sought with all the enthusiasm and vigor that men exert in digging for gold—for what we are looking for is far more valuable! It deserves at least that much effort to find!
Proverbs 3:16-20
Benefits of Wisdom
Introduction:
1. Solomon has been teaching his son about the importance of Divine wisdom.
2. This isn’t the kind of wisdom you get at Harvard or on the street. This is God’s Wisdom—recorded in His Word. Much of this kind of wisdom is ridiculed at Harvard and on the street.
3. Solomon just told his son that wisdom is more valuable than silver and gold. (vs.14)
4. It is the source of true happiness. (vs.13)
5. He continues to instruct his son concerning the value of God’s wisdom.
16Length of days is in her right hand…
1. Wisdom is personified as a woman offering gifts to all who will listen to her.
2. First, she offers “length of days.” (a long life)
3. Keep in mind that these are Proverbs—truth crystallized into one little gem. They were never intended to cover each and every possible situation.
a. For example, if a man dies at the age of 20, that does not necessarily mean that he was foolish or did not employ God’s wisdom.
b. And if a man lives to be 95, that does not necessarily mean that he is wise.
c. Many fools live to a ripe old age… and many wise men die young (like the Lord Jesus!)
4. The proverb means that, generally speaking, if a man violates the principles of wisdom… he may well be endangering his life perhaps cutting it short.
a. Ex: if you want to ignore God’s Words of wisdom (obey man made ordinances) and speed down route 93 at 100 miles an hour—you may well cut your life short! That kind of folly tends to shorten one’s life!
b. Ex: if you want to indulge in drinks or drugs—and ignore the wise warnings in God’s Word of wisdom—you may make yourself sick, addicted, or wind up dead! (Prov. 23:29-30,34,35)
c. Ex: If you want to ignore God’s words of wisdom concerning the strange woman and indulge in illicit sexual activity—you may well be cutting your life short. (Prov.5:1-5)
d. God’s wisdom says, stay where it is safe. The fool wants to skate on thin ice… live life on the edge. That kind of behavior may result in a life cut short.
e. Solomon wrote, “A soft answer turneth away wrath.” Practice this and you are less likely to become a victim of road rage! Shout back at someone on the highway—an uncontrolled tongue—could result in a short life!
f. But Lady Wisdom has “length of days” in her hands—offering it to those who follow her!
And in her left hand are riches and honor
Riches…
1. She has long life in one hand. In her other hand she is offering us riches and honor.
2. Solomon just said that wisdom is far better than riches. (vs.14-15)
3. He is not contradicting himself in the next verse.
a. Rather, he is simply stating that although wisdom is far better than riches, wisdom often results in riches.
b. Again, remember that this is a proverb—not a promise. Not every wise person is going to have riches. Some wise people are quite poor—like the Lord Jesus. Nor does it mean that every wealthy person must have Divine wisdom. That is hardly the case.
4. Solomon means that when a person employs the principles of wisdom to his life, it will tend to cause him to prosper. When a person abandons the principles of wisdom, it tends to bring poverty.
a. God’s wisdom exalts diligence and hard work. (Prov. 10:4; 12:11; 13:4)
• This diligence goes for the student in school; the child at home doing his chores; and for the worker in the plant or office.
b. Wisdom also exalts honesty. The one who obtains money by dishonest means usually loses his wealth…
• The fool attempts to get his riches the easy way—usually by some dishonest means…stealing, cheating, etc.
• Prov.28:22 – He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.
• Prov.13:11 – Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
• It is the fool who tries to attempt to obtain riches by a manner other than the way of wisdom. It often results in poverty.
Honor…
1. Lady wisdom offers HONOR to all who hear her and obey.
2. 4:7-8 – Embrace lady wisdom and she will promote you and bring you to honor!
3. 8:12,18 – riches and honor are with me!
4. 22:4 – true wisdom teaches us to FEAR GOD! That will in turn bring honor!
a. True wisdom also teaches us to be humble. That will in turn bring honor!
b. 15:33 – before honor is HUMILITY. Wisdom instructs us to humble self. Folly tells us to exalt self. If we want to be honored, we have to follow Lady wisdom’s advice!
c. Prov. 5:8 – Wisdom demands PURITY. The fool runs into the strange woman and in doing so gives away his honor! He has lost it!
d. Prov. 21:21 – if we follow after RIGHTEOUSNESS we will have honor. Lady wisdom demands that we pursue righteousness.
e. Lady Wisdom demands that we be God fearing, humble, pure, and righteous. THAT is the way to honor!
f. One does not become honorable by seeking honor for himself. Rather, he obtains honor by seeking righteousness, purity, humility, and by fearing God!
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness…
1. Pleasantness = kindness, delightfulness, beauty, favour
2. Again, this is a proverb. This does not mean that if we practice wisdom life will be nothing but blue skies and good cheer all our days.
3. But it does mean that by following the advice of Lady Wisdom, life will be so much more pleasant!
4. It will keep us off dead end streets… away from sins that will eat away at us…
5. There is a sense of joy and satisfaction that comes from doing what is right and wise. That is pleasant to the soul.
6. The devil would like nothing more than to convince men and women that if you follow God’s narrow path of wisdom, life will be boring… you will be miserable… unhappy… Not so! Her ways are the ways of pleasantness and peace!
7. Ps.1:1 – Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful!
8. Ps.19:11- there is a great reward to hearing God’s Word of wisdom and keeping it. The reward is a blessed, pleasant life—free from all the troubles and snares that folly brings.
9. The world knows nothing of Christianity. It’s only religion. Religion lays heavy burdens on souls. It gives men much to DO, but nothing to enjoy. But Christ frees us from sin, and gives us all things richly to enjoy! The world cannot imagine spiritual pleasures… reading the Word… fellowship… singing praises…
10. The world knows nothing of being totally satisfied in Christ or the joy of the Lord.
And all her paths are peace…
1. Peace = completeness, soundness, welfare, peace; tranquility
2. The person who follows Lady Wisdom will have so much more peace in personal relationships.
a. Prov.15:1 – a soft answer turns away wrath. Instead of wrath, wisdom enables you to defuse situations that could potentially disturb the peace!
b. Prov. 28:25 – some people are constantly stirring up strife and trouble. They seem to thrive on it. Wisdom teaches us how to avoid it.
c. Ps.119:165 – great peace have they that love thy law! God’s Word is God’s Wisdom in print. It is a great source of peace!
3. You can tell God’s wisdom from the world’s wisdom. God’s wisdom is pure and peaceable. (Jas. 3:14-17) The world’s wisdom is full of strife.
4. This means true peace. It does not involve compromise over the truth. He is talking about interpersonal relationships… not doctrinal issues.
5. When it comes to the truth, we are engaged in an unending battle. But in our dealings with people on a day to day basis, we are to be peacemakers. That is the way of wisdom.
6. The world would never give the kind of wise counsel we find in the Scriptures: turn the other cheek; suffer yourself to be defrauded; bless those that curse you; overcome evil with good!
7. Wisdom provides not only length of days (quantity) but pleasantness and peace (quality).
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:
1. Wisdom is A tree of life… not THE tree in the Garden of Eden.
a. THE tree of life was created to preserve life… eat of it and live forever.
b. Wisdom is LIKE a tree of life. It provides continual preservation and protection for us in our spiritual life.
c. Wisdom enables us to MAINTAIN our spiritual life…
d. Col. 2:7 – We need to be rooted and built up in Him… for HE is the source of all wisdom. (vs.3)
2. It is a tree—a continual source of life to those who lay hold upon her.
3. As an apple tree provides apples to those who lay hold of them… so too wisdom provides her fruit continually to those who will come by and lay hold.
And happy is every one that retaineth her.
1. Once again, Solomon states that the one who retains this kind of divine wisdom is a happy or a blessed man!
2. If you want a happy blessed life—then dig into God’s Word and begin to practice the principles of wisdom found therein! That is the real key to happiness… the only way.
3. Get it—and don’t ever let go! (Prov. 4:5)
19 The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens. 20 By His knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
Proverbs 3:21-24
Keep Sound Wisdom
1. Another “my son” section begins in vs.21.
2. Here, Solomon gives his son a new line of advice.
a. It is quite similar in theme to what he has been saying for the last couple of chapters, but there is a significant difference as well.
b. He has been advising his son to obtain wisdom throughout the book.
• 2:2 – incline your heart to obtain wisdom and understanding
• 2:4 – seek after wisdom like silver or a hidden treasure.
• 3:13 – you will be happy if you FIND wisdom or GET understanding.
• Thus far, he has been advising his son to OBTAIN wisdom… at any cost—get it!
c. Now Solomon advises his son to KEEP it—retain it at all costs too!
• It is one thing to acquire something. It is another thing to keep it.
• A man might acquire wealth quickly—[inheritance; lottery; find it]. But he can blow it as soon as he gets it too. I have known people who make lots of money, but they’re always broke. They don’t know how to retain it.
• A man might become a talented musician through years of labor—a master pianist. But he needs to maintain that skill or he will lose it.
• A man might be a talented athlete. But no matter how talented, those skills need to be maintained—or they will begin to dissipate.
• A man might acquire wisdom too. But, he must be diligent to retain it too… or it could be lost through neglect.
• The clear implication here is that wisdom must be maintained or it can be lost… diminished… faded… become dim… darkened…
3. This is a truth found often in the Bible.
a. II Pet. 1:8-9 – it is possible for a true believer to become blind (shortsighted).
• His vision begins to fail him! He can’t see so clearly any more.
• WHY? Because he was not diligent in adding virtue to his life. He wasn’t practicing what he learned!
b. Heb. 5:12 – they should have been teachers, but had to be taught the ABC’s all over again! They had discernment, but through neglect, they lost it!
4. The advice given to the son in Prov. 3:21 is worthy of contemplation, especially in light of the personal history of the one giving the advice: Solomon.
a. Solomon was the son of the one of the godliest men in the Bible: David, a man after God’s own heart.
b. David had discernment. He was a wise man.
• II Sam. 5:2 – David knew how to come in and go out… conduct himself wisely.
• I Sam. 18:16 – all Israel loved David for the wisdom he demonstrated in his comings and goings…wise personal conduct.
c. Solomon did not. I Kings 3:7 – he did not know how to come in and go out.
• Solomon was no David!
• Somehow, when Solomon was a young man, he did not have nearly the wisdom that his father had when he was a youth.
• Vs. 9 – at least Solomon had common sense enough to realize that he lacked wisdom—so he asked God for it.
• Vs.10-12 – God was pleased that Solomon wanted wisdom. God granted wisdom to him. He was given more wisdom than any king on earth!
• Thankfully, the Holy Spirit led him to record much of that wisdom in the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
• God GRANTED this wisdom to Solomon.
d. David earned his wisdom by practicing what he learned. He tested it. He walked in it. He made it his own. David grew in wisdom. He learned lessons, and accumulated this truth and wisdom… and then lived it. You could say David got his wisdom the old fashioned way. He earned it!
e. Solomon on the other hand had his wisdom handed to him on a silver platter. He went from an inexperienced child who didn’t know how to come in or go out, to the possessor of more wisdom than anyone on earth—in an instant. (Like winning the lottery).
f. Although David did a few foolish things in his life, over all, he retained his wisdom.
g. Solomon received his wisdom overnight… but did not retain it.
• I Kings 6:38c and 7:1 – Solomon spent more time building his own house than he did building the Temple!
• I Kings 11:4-8 – foreign women turned him away from the Lord. He built places of worship for false gods in Jerusalem!
h.) Solomon reminds me of in a sense, of our young athletes today. Overnight, they are transformed from a 19 year old nobody from nowhere into a multimillion-dollar celebrity with people screaming for their autographs. Many of them are unable to handle it—and make a mess of their lives.
i. It is one thing to obtain wealth and success. It is quite another thing to handle it well and retain it.
j. It is one thing to obtain godly wisdom. It is quite another thing to retain it.
k. A man can absorb many words of wisdom rather quickly.
l. It takes a lifetime of faithfulness to retain it.
5. This is the message Solomon is communicating to his son in 3:21.
a. Unfortunately, Solomon was the kind of father that said, “Do as I say, not as I do,” because he did not retain wisdom in his own life!
b. I have seen quite a few believers start off well and wisely—but then end up like Solomon… making one foolish decision after the next…
c. Keeping wisdom requires practice. It requires practicing the restraint and self discipline of making wise choices which are usually harder… even if it FEELS GOOD to make the easy choices…
• Deut. 6:6-9 – practice means they are part of every day life, not just when you go to church!
6. Keeping (guarding) wisdom and discretion requires constant, diligent effort.
a. 4:20-21 – KEEP them in the midst of thine heart… the center of your thinking.
b. This is more than keeping them in our mind intellectually. It implies that we keep them NEAR to our heart… for out of the heart are all the issues of life. (vs.23)
c. God’s wisdom is to be kept in our heart and applied to all the issues of life.
d. The heart ought to be HOME for God’s wisdom. It should LIVE there… not be buried in a back closet. It should be right in the MIDST of all we think and say and do.
• Col.3:16 – the Word of God should be DWELLING in us… in our heart.
• Col.3:17 – it should affect every area of our life—all the issues of life.
e. Are the principles in God’s Word right in the center of all the choices you make in life? Are they right in the center of your thinking when making a decision?
f. Somewhere along the line, Solomon began to push God’s wisdom into the background of his life.
• These principles didn’t seem to be in the center of his heart during his building projects.
• These principles certainly were not in the midst of his heart when he married all the foreign women.
• He was not putting these principles in the midst of his heart when he had high places built to the pagan gods in Jerusalem!
• He HAD this wisdom, but didn’t keep it in the center of his heart.
• He HAD this wisdom, but did not retain it… He didn’t KEEP it… guard it.
g. Solomon had wisdom. He knew that it needed to be retained and guarded. He admonished his son to guard and keep sound wisdom and discretion. But he failed in this very area himself.
h. It’s not how much you know. It’s not how wise you have been. It’s how faithful you are in the little things right now… practicing the principles of wisdom… keeping them in the front of our mind and heart daily… that is what makes or breaks a believer.
Proverbs 3:23-26
Results of Sound Wisdom
SAFETY
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble
1. The first result of sound wisdom is safety. When applied faithfully and consistently, wisdom will keep us safe—in every way (physically and spiritually).
2. Remember that these are proverbs. It is not a guarantee under every possible set of circumstances!
a. It doesn’t mean that if we walk in God’s wisdom that we will never stumble or have an accident!
b. Rather, his point is that following sound wisdom will lead us down safer roads in life!
3. Sound wisdom is NOT like a lucky rabbit’s foot or a St. Christopher medal. It is much more practical, more like a flashlight!
a. When you are walking in darkness, a flashlight will keep you from stumbling.
b. That doesn’t mean in each and every case. It is possible to be using a flashlight, and still trip.
c. BUT—you take a flashlight to AVOID that if at all possible!
d. Ps.119: 105 – God’s Word and wisdom is a lamp unto my feet.
e. Wisdom says, “Walk in the light, not in the darkness!”
4. Following wisdom’s advice, our chances of falling and stumbling are FAR less!
a. Prov. 2:16-18 – wisdom says to avoid the strange woman—the harlot. If we follow the advice of wisdom, it will keep our home safe and secure!
b. Prov.1:14-15 – fools cry out to us to follow them in their mischief and crimes. Wisdom says, “Stay away!” Following the advice of wisdom will keep us safe from the law!
c. Every word of wisdom found in this book is for our spiritual well being… for our good. Obey it—apply it—and it will keep you safe from trouble.
d. Violate the words of wisdom in this book, and there are serious consequences—which we will not be able to avoid!
COURAGE
24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:
1. Many folks are afraid when they lie down to sleep at night. They are full of fear.
2. However, the man who incorporates God’s wisdom into his life need not be afraid at night.
3. If you have stolen money from your place of employment, you might lie in bed at night in fear of getting caught!
4. If we lied to someone at work, we might fear being discovered and exposed as a liar!
5. If you cheated on your income taxes, you might well lie in bed at night in fear of getting caught!
6. When we don’t do things right, we have good reason to fear.
7. But wisdom exhorts us to do things RIGHT… obey the laws… obey God’s Word… treat people honestly… and when we apply this sound wisdom to our life, we will NOT be afraid!
8. We will not fear! If our heart is right with God, we need not fear what men can do unto us.
PEACE
Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. (vs.24b)
1. Psalm 4:8 – The psalmist could sleep at night—because he trusted in the Lord to keep him safe!
a. Perhaps some of us worry at night. Will our house be broken into?
b. With all the violence in our country, many worry at night.
c. As Christians, we should be able to sleep… because we know a God who never slumbers or sleeps! (Ps.121:4-7)
2. Acts 12:6-7 – Peter slept like a baby!
a. vs.1 – James had just been killed with the sword. Peter was next.
b. But on the night in which he fully expected to be executed, Peter was in prison, sleeping like a baby!
c. Could you sleep under such circumstances? Peter did.
d. Vs. 5 – the church was praying for him.
e. But more importantly, he was in prison for preaching Christ. He had rest in his soul. He was at peace with God. Therefore, his sleep was sweet—even though his circumstances were not very sweet!
f. If Peter lied to get out of jail—if he told the authorities that he would not preach Christ again, he may have been released. However, he would not be able to sleep at night! He would have been tossing and turning with an aching, guilty conscience!
CONFIDENCE (vs.25)
25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. 26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
1. The one who is applying sound wisdom to his life need not fear sudden fear!
a. He need not fear the future…
• We need not fear WWIII—we trust in a sovereign God.
• We need not fear being laid off—we can trust in God who holds our future in His hand.
• We need not fear becoming suddenly ill—God has already determined our days.
b. There are many sudden calamities in life—things for which we could never adequately prepare, but they come anyway!
c. Such sudden calamities cause many people in the world to live in constant fear.
d. Part of the reason for this fear in man is the guilt of knowing that he is not right with God—and whatever evil befalls him, he deserves!
e. We need not live like that. Things that terrorize the unbeliever need not cause us to fear.
f. We can have the confidence of the Lord in our lives. (Deut.33:27) He is our Refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. That should give us assurance and confidence!
g. When our heart is right with God, and we know how much He cares for His own, then we should be able to sleep like a baby—we are held up by His everlasting arms. (arms = strength)
2. Psalm 27:1-3 – no need to fear. If we know the Lord and trust Him, THAT is our confidence! That is all the confidence we need!
a. It matters not how tumultuous things are all around us. God is our Refuge. He is our strength. In Him there is no need to fear.
b. The LORD is our confidence!
3. Ps. 91:1-6 – we are under His wings… in a place of safety… security. In vs. One, the psalmist describes a relationship to the Lord by two similar figures.
a. Dwelling in the secret place of the Most High
• This speaks of abiding close to the Lord… the Sovereign Creator
b. Abiding under the shadow on the Almighty
• This is essentially the same thought …
• They both speak of the Lord as the place of “dwelling” for the believer.
• They both also speak of the Lord as the All Powerful One… hence, One who is quite ABLE to provide such safety and security.
c. Note here that he is not speaking about the Lord as One to whom we come running only when we are in trouble or danger.
d. Many people have that idea about God. When things are going fine we don’t need Him. But when we get in serious trouble, we pray… we seek His help… and when He helps us out, we don’t need Him any more!
e. Vs. 9-10 – Rather, the psalmist is speaking about an individual believer who DWELLS in the Lord… one who ABIDES… under the shadow of His wing.
• It is BECAUSE we have made the Lord our abiding place that we are safe…
• He uses the figure of a young chick under the shadow of the wing of the mother hen… the point: he LIVES there! That’s home! Safe and secure!
4. Psalm 112:7 – he shall not fear evil tidings.
a. Some worry about future “tidings”—what MIGHT happen!
b. Some folks lose sleep over things that haven’t even happened yet—and may not ever happen… but we worry.
c. Isn’t that kind of worrying a lack of trust in God to do what is right?
5. Isa. 41:10 – fear thou not for I am with thee…
a. If we were only MORE conscious of God’s Person, God’s Power, and God’s presence, we would worry less, and trust more!
b. Our sleep at night would improve!
c. Vs.13-14 – we may be but a worm, but we are a worm protected by the Almighty God! No need to fear!
6. I Pet. 3:14 –15 – Peter warns us NOT to fear men, even those men who may be persecuting us.
a. Instead of worrying about men, fear God! Sanctify Him in your heart!
b. That will put an end to our fear… even those sudden terrors!
c. The LORD is our confidence!
7. In a world that is so unstable and insecure, as Christians, we need to TRUST God and experience this rest and peace.
a. This is our testimony in the world too! It is a powerful testimony too.
b. Prov. 14:26 – In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
c. Sound wisdom will send us straight to God… sound wisdom will demand that our heart be right with God… and when that is so, we will experience assurance and safety. We will be able to sleep at night…
d. We will be able to trust God for our health… our future… our children and their future… for our job… people problems… all those things that so often cause worry and anxiety—we can turn over to God and let Him be God!
Proverbs 3:27-28
Withhold Not Good from them to Whom it is Due
1. The subject here is withholding dues… money owed to another.
2. “Them to whom it is due” = baal;
a. Baal is a term for lord; or owner.
b. The author is using a play on words.
c. Someone else is the real owner (lord; baal) of this money or product or goods—whatever it is that is DUE.
3. To whom would our money be due?
a. If we borrow money from another person…
b. If we borrow money from a bank or finance company…
c. If we borrow someone else’s property (car; snow blower; bicycle; stereo)
d. If we owe someone a service—by bartering your time of service for money or for property—or even someone’s else’s service. (the plumber who promises to fix the carpenter’s leaky sink if the carpenter promises to fix his leaky roof!)
e. If we purchase items with a credit card…
f. If we hire someone to do a job, and they do the job…
g. If we live in a country, enjoy its services, then we owe taxes…
h. If we have been saved and appreciate God’s grace, we are responsible to give to the Lord’s work… it is due…
i. If we borrow money, time, or service, we have become a debtor to that person or company or country.
j. That person becomes a baal of our money, time, or service—that other person becomes the lord; master of our money, time, service.
k. If we owe someone—that person is the master of our money / service.
4. Those to whom it is due does not refer to anyone who WANTS your money or asks you for money. He is speaking someone to whom you OWE money.
Withhold Not Good
1. Withhold: to hold back, keep back, refrain, deny, restrain, hinder
2. Withhold not good is a command!
3. If our money, time, or service is DUE, then we are commanded by God to pay it!
4. Actually, the command is that we are NOT to withhold money when due.
a. Not withholding is different than a command to pay.
b. This command implies that there might be times when a person HAS the money to pay, but for some reason, chooses NOT to pay. This is forbidden.
c. Why would a person withhold money due to his debtors?
• Usually selfishness. We would rather KEEP it or spend in on self!
• Some might say they are withholding tax dollars because they do not agree with the government’s policy on Iraq or abortion, or because we don’t like the President, etc…
• Cf. Matt.22: 17-21 – Jesus said to pay taxes to Caesar!
• This is hardly an endorsement of Caesar or his regime by Christ.
• Jesus told Peter to pay his taxes so as to avoid offences. (Matt.17:26)
• We are not to withhold that which is due because it may be an offence—it will tarnish our testimony for Christ.
• There is no excuse for withholding taxes. It is money owed!
5. Before we ever begin a project (building a house; buying a car; etc) we are to sit down and count the cost whether we are able to finish the project—and pay for it! (Luke 14:28-30)
a. The point is that we are NOT to get in over our heads.
b. We are NOT to borrow more than we can pay back.
c. We are NOT to live beyond our means.
d. We are NOT to involve ourselves in a commitment we are not able to finish.
e. Doing our homework AHEAD of time will prevent us from making this mistake. It will keep us out of that awkward position of owing… being in debt… and finding ourselves unable to pay…
6. However, the passage in Proverbs seems to be warning about something even worse. The warning is about REFUSING to pay money owed, even when we have it!
a. This brings to mind the warning to the wealthy landowners in James.
• James 5:1-3 – James is addressing rich men.
• Vs. 4 – These landowners hired peasants to work their fields, but were withholding their paychecks by fraud.
• Either they were LYING about the amount owed… or coming up with an EXCUSE to hold on to their money as long as possible.
• The Lord knows all about it. And He is coming one day to make the crooked things straight! (vs.8)
b. We too can commit this kind of sin.
• In running a business, we have no right to withhold payment to our creditors… or to companies that have supplied us with goods or services.
• In running a household, we have no right to hire servicemen come and fix our home or car, if we know we can’t pay them… and we are going to put off payment when the bill comes in…
• We might be mad at a company/doctor/serviceman and refuse to pay.
• We can withhold good because of a grudge; anger; procrastination; laziness; revenge;—all of which are wrong and forbidden by this passage.
When it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
1. The specific example here is of refusing to pay when we have the money or the ability.
2. Power = el (the other half of the play on words).
a. The play on words is between baal and el – a name for God.
b. It is an unusual expression, consistently translated in a manner similar to the KJV.
c. El, God is powerful; able.
d. If we have the power and ability to pay off our baals, do so!
3. There are times when we may NOT have the power or ability to pay off a loan or a bill.
a. A man may begin a project, count the cost, and crunch all the numbers and the project may seem quite do-able.
b. But the economy could turn sour—suddenly and unexpectedly… any number of things could happen.
c. We might find ourselves without power or ability to pay. That is not the point of this passage.
d. This passage speaks of someone who is ABLE to pay but refuses.
• The McCoys and the Joneses having a feud…
• The man who piles up bills and doesn’t pay them, in order to save money for his vacation…
• The man who promised to do a good deed for someone, and is able to do so, but keeps putting it off… procrastination.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.
1. The specific reason mentioned for putting off payment here seems to procrastination. (Mañana!)
2. Very often this kind of postponing is done with ulterior motives…
a. We put it off—secretly hoping that the other party will forget about it… or not bother to ask again… or grow tired of asking…drop it altogether…
b. This is often a cover for selfishness… covetousness. We put off paying because we love money and don’t want to pay what we owe… we like to keep it.
c. Sometimes the need is urgent and CANNOT be put off until tomorrow! Tomorrow might be too late.
3. WHY would someone (who had the ability to give) say, “Go and come again; tomorrow I will give?”
a. Probably because of greed. He really doesn’t really WANT to pay.
b. He wants to put it off…
c. It reveals what his heart is like… greed… self centered…
Applications:
1. While this text seems to be speaking specifically of paying back something that is owed to another, there are many applications that can be made about our responsibility to do GOOD unto others.
2. In principle, this passage is similar to James 2:15-16
a. In this text, nothing is actually OWED to the poor man.
b. But there is a moral obligation to help.
c. If a brother is destitute (starving; naked; etc)—drastic circumstances—we are morally obligated to help.
d. This does not refer to the brother who comes to borrow money for a new leather coat or one who needs money to eat at the Tavern on the Green.
e. It speaks of a brother who is destitute. This is more like the situation of the Good Samaritan who found a man lying destitute on the side of the road.
f. Vs.16 – saying, “Depart, be warmed and filled” is sending him away without helping. You are withholding good! It is just like saying, “Go and come again; tomorrow I will give.”
g. If we can help a brother or sister in Christ, we should.
• We may be used at times.
• There will always be freeloaders who take advantage of Christian generosity.
• But over all, if we can help, we should.
• If it is within our ability and power—don’t withhold.
2. Gal. 6:10 – as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially to those of the household of faith.
a. As we have opportunity—speaks of a person who has the power or ability to help.
b. We have been called to do GOOD works… we are to walk in the good works that God has ordained for us. (Eph. 2:8-10) This is the natural FRUIT of salvation, never the root!
c. When opportunity arises to do good, DO it. Don’t withhold it.
d. The question always arises—where do we draw the line?
• If we give money away, there will be a line of people at our door every day!
• I am ABLE to work every night—helping out a different brother every night of the week.
• But we also have to prioritize the use of our time.
• We also have to consider other things: our health; our family; responsibilities; our limits.
• We ARE to help and not to withhold help… but do it WISELY! Certainly the book of Proverbs while promoting KINDNESS also is promoting WISDOM in how we live our lives!
3. Titus 3:1 – We are to be READY to every good work.
a. That means we are NOT to put it off till mañana!
b. Ready = ready; prepared; even eager
c. We shouldn’t be withholding good from others. It shouldn’t take a crowbar to get us to do good to others.
d. Good should naturally FLOW out of one who is saved by grace!
4. While making application about paying our debts, consider Rom. 1:14-15.
a. Paul considered himself a debtor to the gentiles.
b. He had been given a responsibility to preach the gospel to them.
c. Paul saw this responsibility as an obligation and a debt.
d. It is a moral obligation… like a man who has the cure to cancer would be morally obligated to tell others. We have the cure to eternal condemnation!
e. Thus, he was READY to fulfill this obligation… to pay this debt. He was ready to preach the gospel wherever he was.
f. Are we? Do we see this as an obligation or a debt? Perhaps we should.
Proverbs 3:29
A Breach of Trust
DEVISE NOT EVIL AGAINST THY NEIGHBOUR, SEEING HE DWELLETH SECURELY BY THEE.
1. In this verse, the neighbor is dwelling securely by you.
a. Securely = assurance; sense of safety; confidence;
b. This speaks a neighbor who feels safe by you… he trusts you… he is at ease around you. He has confidence in you. He is totally unsuspecting of any evil being plotted.
c. Neighbors should feel safe around us. We should have a testimony that says we are able to be trusted.
2. These proverbs were written to Jews living in a Jewish community.
a. In that setting there should be a sense of safety.
b. If they were dwelling in a foreign land, surrounded by enemies, they would not be dwelling securely.
c. But Solomon is describing a scene at home… where they should feel at home.
3. The command is that we not devise EVIL against a neighbor.
a. Devise: to plough; to plot evil; usually an evil devise
b. Evil = anything bad; unpleasant; injurious; etc.
c. Prov. 6:14 – he devises mischief and sows discord
d. Prov. 16:29 – evil men lead others in the wrong direction – on purpose!
e. These terms are vague enough to include any number of applications.
• It would include devising evil against a neighbor by speaking evil of him… sowing discord among the brethren.
• It might include giving a person misleading information to make someone else look bad… giving only half the story… leaving out key details…
• It might include prejudicing people against your neighbor…
• It would include stealing from him; cheating him; moving the landmarks; taking advantage of him; borrowing and not returning; coveting your neighbor’s goods; his wife; slandering him;
• Evil, hurt, and injury take many forms.
4. But the proverb seems to be getting at something even deeper than the evil devise itself. Solomon is speaking about a breach of trust.
a. The picture here is of a neighbor who is dwelling safely with someone he assumes is a friend.
• He is at ease in his presence. He is comfortable around him.
• But, that man devises evil against his neighbor.
b. Perhaps this man feels at ease with his neighbor and begins to speak candidly, openly, and freely around him. He trusts that the conversation is confidential. BUT—the other man breaks that trust, and tells others what was said.
c. Perhaps a man trusts his neighbor, and shares with him some of his shortcomings. James tells us to confess our faults one to another. His trust is breached when that so-called friend begins blabbing to others the shortcomings of his neighbor.
d. It might not be with words only. One brother might be in the same business as another brother. When he discovers that you are planning to open up a new office in the next city, he tells your competition, and works behind the scene to harm you.
e. Deut. 27:24 – “Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbor secretly.”
• This is causing harm to someone behind their back. That hurts.
• They might have a sweet smile to your face, but a knife in your back.
• One might imagine an evil person offering a neighbor a refreshing drink, but it has been spiked with poison!
• We may not actually poison a person’s drink, but we could be guilty of poisoning the minds of people against someone… secretly.
5. Plotting to harm your neighbor is a double crime. Not only is the plot evil, but the breach of trust is worse!
a. It’s bad enough to plot harm against an enemy. But when it is done against an unsuspecting friend or neighbor, it is much more painful.
b. Psalm 41:4-9 – that’s what really hurts.
• Vs. 4 – What makes this experience so painful for David is the fact that he is agony inwardly, apart from the trouble his enemies are stirring up. He realizes that his troubles are in part because of his sins.
• Vs. 5 – David’s enemies spoke evil of him—waiting for him to die!
• Vs. 6 – the so-called friends who do speak to him come in vanity (empty words) and they then go spread rumors about him!
• Vs. 7-8 – others hate him and whisper evil about him, plotting evil against him!
• Somehow, David knew what they were saying about him. From his sickbed, this must have been like a knife in his heart! These are the things they were saying about him, behind his back.
• It’s understandable when our enemies speak evil of us and plot to harm us.
• Vs.9 – But when a friend or neighbor or a brother does—that digs in much deeper!
• This psalm no doubt, speaks of the time of Absalom’s rebellion,
• The friend who turned against David was no doubt Ahithophel, who was a trusted friend of David (he thought).
• However, when the opportunity came, he betrayed him and sided with Absalom.
• Regardless of the exact circumstances, this was the icing on the cake!
• David was sick… in body and soul….
• Some of his enemies pretended to be friends, visited him on his sickbed, but did so with evil in their heart.
• The rest of his enemies were secretly meeting, pooling all the dirt they had against the king…
• And now to top it all off, one of his trusted friends even joins the conspiracy! This is the ultimate betrayal. (The Lord quotes this in reference to Judas!)
• What hurts so, is not the actual deed. Enemies do the same thing, and it doesn’t hurt as much. It is expected. What hurts is the breach of trust—from a friend! A neighbor—someone we trusted!
c. Psalm 55:12-15 – again, the psalmist speaks of the pain that arises from a breach of trust.
• We expect such behavior from enemies.
• But the closer the friendship, the deeper the pain when that trust is breached.
• That is why discord in the local church hurts so much—because it is among brethren… friends who have shared so much together over the years…
d. I have had brethren stab me in the back—believers with whom I have had sweet fellowship! It does hurt more. Have you?
• If so, then you know what kind of pain it can cause. You know how hurtful it can be.
• Our deepest wounds as Christians will not come from the world, but from right here—in the local church!
• Thus, the command—Don’t YOU be guilty of devising evil against someone who trusts you!
• A breach of one’s trust is a painful experience.
6. This principle is especially applicable in a family setting.
a. Husbands and wives are “neighbors” in the closest sense.
• There MUST be trust in that relationship. The relationship must be built on trust.
• That which erodes relationships is not so much this or that particular deed—but rather the erosion of trust.
• When that goes, the relationship is in need of a complete overhaul.
b. So too with parents and children.
• Lots of topics are discussed around the dinner table.
• Many of those topics should not leave the dinner table—they certainly should not be spread around.
• There ought to be a sense of trust in a family setting. We should feel free to speak openly at home…
• We see and hear of the shortcomings of our family members. That is not to be spread around!
• Family members feel betrayed when things shared in confidence in the home are blabbed at school or at church… or in the neighborhood.
• The home should be a place where each member can dwell securely… and have a sense of assurance.
• Kids—if your brother is 10 years old and he still wets the bed, the kids at school don’t need to know that. If your sister lied to her father, the Sunday school class doesn’t need to know about that. If Dad got a speeding ticket, no one else needs to know that.
• We can embarrass, humiliate, and break the trust of those who should be able to trust us.
• Solomon says, “Don’t you be like that!” Don’t double cross someone that should be able to trust you.
• Trust is too precious a thing to ruin.
c. In the local church setting this trust can be breached too.
• James 5:16 – confess your faults one to another and pray for each other.
• Sometimes at testimony services or at prayer meeting a brother may open up and confess a fault. He does so because he senses safety and security in the Body. He trusts his brethren. It is an awful thing to breach that trust, and use his words against him… to put him down, or slander him.
7. Perhaps the reason this proverb is given is because neighbors and family members… and yes, even church members, have a lot of squabbles.
a. That is because we are so close!
b. And with neighbors and family members (as opposed to total strangers), we usually have a lot of “dirt” on them! We KNOW more about them… we know more of their failures…
c. Thus, when people who are close get in a squabble, there might be a tendency to use some of that knowledge to seek revenge!
8. Prov. 14:22 – Those who devise evil err. How much better is it that we seek to devise GOOD for our neighbor!
a. If we are going to do anything behind our neighbor’s back, let it be a NICE surprise, not evil!
Proverbs 3:30
Striving without Cause
Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm.
STRIVE NOT
1. A clear command is given in this passage NOT to strive.
a. Strive: complain; quarrel; contend; argue; strife either physically or with words.
b. Strife ought NOT characterize the life of a believer. “The servant of the Lord must not strive.”
2. We ARE called to certain kinds of strife and contending:
a. We are to contend for the faith… (Jude 3)
b. We are to strive together in prayer (Rom.15:30)
c. But that is not the kind of strife Solomon refers to here.
3. Solomon is speaking about a kind of strife that we should AVOID like the plague.
a. This kind of strife is the work of the flesh. (Gal.5:20)
b. This kind of strife is an evidence of carnality. (I Cor.3:3)
c. This kind of strife is demonic! (James 3:14-16)
4. The reason for the command: Some folks seem to gravitate toward strife. (Prov.25:8)
a. Some folks seem to have to stick their noses in every dispute or argument or disagreement among the believers.
b. Some folks seem to be able to stir up strife when there is no strife. They can manufacture it!
c. Solomon warns us NOT to haste toward stirring up strife.
• He gives an interesting reason—because while strife can be stirred up easily, it is often difficult to end it!
• It is like starting a forest fire. One little match is all it takes, but it could end up requiring fire fighters from many states to come to put it out!
• Spiritually, starting strife is just as damaging and dangerous as starting a fire. Many people can be hurt. Much damage can be done… damage you never intended to do!
• It’s like throwing a rock in a pond. It’s easy to throw the rock, but difficult if not impossible to stop the ripples!
• Prov.17:14 – it is like the letting out of water (from a dam). It may start off as a trickle, but it can soon escalate into an uncontrollable flood!
• Therefore, don’t meddle with it! Leave it alone! Stay away!
d. Thus, Solomon warns not to be hasty about jumping into an argument! You don’t always know what you are getting into! You may not have an easy way to escape!
• Like US involvement in many hot spots around the globe.
• It is relatively easy to send troops into one of those hot spots. But it is not always easy to END the dispute and bring the troops home!
• Once our troops are involved, we discover how dangerous and sticky the problem really is. Once you commit troops, it’s hard to un-commit them!
• Some troops remain in the hot spot for years to follow…
e. Solomon’s warning to us is similar. Don’t be so quick to jump into the fray!
• Don’t be so quick to stick your nose in someone else’s problems!
f. “When thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.”
• Sometimes we jump into a dispute, and discover that we jumped in on the wrong side!
• We might hear one side of the story and assume that we are fighting for the right, only to discover later that we were dead wrong! Our neighbor comes with the rest of the story and we are put to shame!
WITHOUT CAUSE…
1. Strife should be avoided. But especially strife “without cause.”
2. Without cause refers to strife that is not necessary.
a. Folks always insist that they have a “cause” for their fight.
b. Sometimes we create strife over someone’s oversight. We make mountains out of molehills.
c. But is that cause WORTHY of disrupting the peace? Is it worthy of breaking fellowship? Is it worthy of tarnishing the testimony of the Lord? Is it worthy of damaging the local church? Is it worthy of destroying friendships? Is it really worth all that heartache?
d. In the heat of the argument, many would declare that they were RIGHT… and therefore it IS worth fighting over.
e. BUT — later on, as time goes by and as we look back at the event, very often we might be forced to admit that it was really NOT worthy fighting over! There really was not a just cause for that fight.
3. Very often all it takes is to apply the salve of God’s Word—OBEY these principles and discover how causeless our cause becomes!
a. Suffer yourself to be defrauded… (I Cor.6:7)
b. In lowliness of mind, forbear one another in love…
c. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
d. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven us…
e. Be kindly affectioned one to another in brotherly love, in honor preferring one another…
f. Not rendering evil for evil, but contrariwise, blessing…
g. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…
h. Let love cover a multitude of sins…
i. Turn the other cheek…
j. Applying any one of those principles will usually cause the strife to cease! It is when we REFUSE to incorporate those principles that the strife continues… and drags on and on…
4. Instead, we feel that we have a just CAUSE for the strife to continue!
a. Some folks seem to be on a crusade to make their point… and to prove that they are right… and that they have just cause to continue the strife…
b. If that is our nature, we will ALWAYS find some cause of strife!
c. Prov.16:27-28 – if you want a reason to fight, you can always dig one up!
• Note that the evil is buried. Everyone wants it to stay buried.
• But the ungodly person digs it up! The ungodly man is not content until every piece of dirty laundry is dug up and displayed!
• The ungodly man then SOWS strife—like planting seeds. (Planting thoughts in people’s mind… to sway them to his or her side in the fight…)
• This kind of strife promoted by ungodly men results in separating chief friends!
d. Prov.17:9 – love is willing to bury a transgression. A person who demonstrates the love of God is going to demonstrate Christlikeness… willing to turn the other cheek… bury dirt… and get on with life!
e. Prov.10:12 – a person driven by hatred is unwilling to bury the offence. A person driven by love IS willing to bury it.
f. Prov.15:18 – A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
g. Prov.26:21 – As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.
• A contentious person will keep a fight going and going and going… like the energizer bunny.
• It is the SPIRIT of contention that keeps it going. It is like adding coals to a fire. God wants this kind of fire to burn out… and usually they will… stop adding fuel to the fire!
• Bury the fuel and the fire will go out by itself.
• God wants us to be peacemakers—driven by love—not driven by hatred and a contentious spirit!
• Prov. 22:10 – Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
• If nobody is there to keep strife going, it will die out…
• If no fuel is added to the fire, it will burn out…
• I Pet.4: 8 – this is the kind of love God wants US to demonstrate in the local church.
IF HE HAVE DONE THEE NO HARM…
1. The warning in this verse is for us NOT to get involved in strife—especially if it is none of our business.
2. If two people are fighting… because one has stepped on the toes of another, what is that to you?
a. What does the BIBLE say to do?
b. The offended party is to go to his brother ALONE. No one else is involved.
c. MOST offences can be easily resolved ALONE.
d. Once you add more people into the formula, it becomes much more sticky, difficult, entangled, and complicated… and harder to end.
e. Then more and more people jump in… sides begin to polarize, and before you know it, you have a BIG problem…
3. Prov.25:9 – The RIGHT way to settle a dispute is for two parties involved to go to each other privately.
a. Don’t involve other people in your debate. It doesn’t involve them.
b. All other parties are without cause in this argument!
c. The only one who has a CAUSE is the one offended… no one else has a cause, unless the church leaders need to be called. But that is rare.
4. If two people are having a dispute, stay away!
a. Prov.26:17 – don’t get involved—don’t meddle in strife that is not yours!
b. If you pick up a dog by the ears, you will get hurt… you will be bitten! Picking up a dog by the ears causes a lot of hurt and pain! So don’t do it!
c. If you see two people having a dispute, and you meddle in that strife—you will cause a lot of hurt and pain! So don’t do it!
d. If the person has done YOU no harm, stay out of the strife! You have no cause to step in!
e. If he has done YOU no harm… stay out of the debate… stay out of the strife… don’t complicate matters… don’t cause polarization… don’t add fuel to the fire.
5. Even in those situations where the party who was RIGHT seemed to get the raw end of the deal, let’s not forget God!
a. He knows everything. He knows all hearts, motives, and the intents of the heart.
b. He is keeping score—perfectly! He is unbiased and is no respecter of persons.
c. He is omniscient and a righteous Judge.
d. All parties will eventually have to give account of their actions to Him.
e. That is the judgment that really counts.
f. Every crooked thing will be made straight in that day. Justice will prevail.
g. In the meantime, as we live in an imperfect world, we are to follow the rule book left by the perfect judge:
• Don’t strive with men when it doesn’t concern you.
• Don’t promote hate and dig up dirt!
• Promote love and bury dirt!
• Bury the hatchet. Suffer yourself to be defrauded.
• Don’t add fuel to the fire to keep strife going…
• Be a peacemaker—and bury the fuel.
• Commit the situation to the Lord… who shall judge the living and the dead with RIGHTEOUS judgment!
• Rom.12:18 – in the meantime, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men!”
• Heb.12:14 – Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
6. If we would simply OBEY these passages, we would be able to either prevent strife from occurring… or if it does occur, cause it to die out!
a. What happy families we would have in the home!
b. What glorious fellowship we would have in the local church!
c. Why, we might even get along with that cantankerous neighbor!
Proverbs 3:31-32
Envy Not the Oppressor
31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
ENVY
1. In the last passage, Solomon warned his son not to strive.
2. In this verse, he warns his son not to envy.
3. Envy: envy or jealousy; wanting, craving what someone else has. Envy pains to hear of others doing well. Envy is grieved to see others prosper, or to hear them praised. (all stems from selfishness)
4. It is the opposite of contentment.
a. God has commanded us to be content with such things as we have… (Heb.13:5)
b. We are to be content in whatsoever state we find ourselves. (Phil.4:11)
• God is the One who sovereignly places us in our lot in life.
• Think of Christians who live in India under the caste system. They are born into a certain caste, and are stuck there the rest of their lives. That is God’s doing. They are to be content.
• So too for Christians born in poverty or great wealth in this country.
• It is entirely Lord’s doing… we are not to envy what others have. We are to learn to be content in whatsoever state we are in.
• Don’t envy others! You don’t know all the baggage that comes with their position that is not seen by others!
c. If we have food and clothing, we are to be content. (I Tim.6:8)
• How many of us really WOULD be content if that is all we had in this life?
• Folks in Ethiopia don’t even have food and raiment. They envy other tribes who have food and clothing.
• We have food and clothing and so much more. Yet, we are not more content. Instead, we envy what the wealthy in this country have…
• It is human nature to look around at what others have, and envy it… lust for it… we tend to covet our neighbors goods.
• Even if we obtained what our neighbor has… there is always someone with more… there is no end… unless the heart is changed.
5. Prov.14:30 – it is the rottenness of the bones!
a. It is the opposite of a healthy heart. It is sick… rotten.
b. It will eat away at the inner man, like a disease eats away at the body.
c. Envy gets under the skin—and burns away—when we hear others praised, promoted, and prospering… because we want the praise, promotion, and prosperity for ourselves!
6. Prov.27:4 – it is worse than wrath or anger!
a. Who can stand before it? It can engender more passion and rage than mere anger. It is an endless reservoir of rage!
b. It can totally control one’s life.
c. It can lead to all kinds of other sins… even murder!
d. Anger and wrath usually swell up for a while and then simmer down. Envy remains under our skin…
e. Anger and wrath may be appeased. Envy doesn’t go away so easily.
7. Prov.23:17 – the cure is to fear God!
a. People that fear God are conscious of Him… of His presence… His power… aware of His omniscience and omnipotence…
b. The more conscious we are of the Lord, the more satisfied with Him we will be. The more satisfied with the Lord, the less we will crave after what our neighbor has!
8. Another cure for envy is a closer relationship to God.
a. Heb.13:5 – we are told to be content with what we have—because we have Christ! He should be all we need! He is the one who satisfies the soul and brings contentment. When Christ is our life, we won’t be looking for contentment and satisfaction in the things our neighbor owns. We will glory in the Lord!
b. I John 2:15-16 – John commands us NOT to love the world… for the love of the Father is not in him! His point is that our heart can only love one Master—either the things of the world, or God.
OPPRESSOR
1. The particular kind of envying mentioned here is envying the oppressor.
2. Oppressor: violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice (margin reads: violent man)
3. One might ask, “Who would ever envy a cruel, violent oppressor?
a. Answer: Lots of people!
b. It is not the oppression that is envied, but the power and wealth often associated with it.
• Some men crave to exercise power over others.
• They get a sort of morbid pleasure in tyranny.
c. Some evil men trample over others to get where they want to go.
• They use people. They abuse people.
• They lie, cheat, steal, misrepresent, use fraud, violence, stab others in the back—all to get to the top of the ladder.
• Obviously, not all people in positions of power are like this. Some are quite godly—but Solomon is speaking about “oppressors!” (men of violence)
d. By mistreating others and trampling over the backs of others, some men manage to push and shove themselves into positions of power and great wealth.
• In the world, wicked men often prosper, and godly men are often taken advantage of.
• You don’t get ahead in the world by turning the other cheek, by putting others first, suffering yourself to be defrauded, by sacrificial love, or by esteeming others better than yourself.
• Sometimes ungodly men take advantage of those traits. In doing so, they may even prosper.
• The wealthy land owners in James 5 were such oppressive men. They took advantage of the lowly workers and obtained great wealth in the process.
e. Solomon is warning his son (and us) not to envy the power and wealth that men accumulate by oppressive, violent, and dishonest means.
• This passage would be especially applicable to Christian businessmen.
• Running your business in such a way as to please the Lord means that many tricks of the trade—used by all your competition—you may not be able use!
• Other companies may take advantage of their lowly workers, you may not. Other companies may employ questionable practices. You may not. You KNOW that those tricks work… and that other companies have grown, prospered, and expanded as a result.
• Don’t envy them!
• Be more concerned about pleasing the Lord than pleasing your accountant or your stockholders!
• The same principle is true in running a local church! In observing how local churches in the valley have operated in the past 20 years, I have seen some unsavory, unethical practices too… worldly tricks that draw in crowds, keep people happy, and result in numerical growth. We are NOT to envy that kind of “success.”
CHOOSE NONE OF HIS WAYS
1. The temptation would be to FOLLOW the ways of the oppressor… or of the man who uses dishonesty, violence to obtain power or wealth.
2. For the Christian businessman who observes another business use ruthless tactics and prosper—one might be tempted to imitate those actions—because they work!
3. One might be tempted to justify by saying, “Business is business. It’s a dog eat dog world out there. You gotta fight fire with fire…”
4. Yet the Bible says NOT to choose his ways. We are to follow in the ways of God—even if they don’t seem to advance our ambitions —even if they don’t seem to produce the kind of results we would like to see.
5. DON’T choose the ways of the dishonest oppressor… of the evil man. Follow God and trust Him for the outcome.
6. So too in running a local church—the principle is the same. We are NOT to choose the ways of the church growth movement just because they work. We are here to follow God’s ways (Bible) and to please Him (not men) and leave the increase to the Lord.
32For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
1. The REASON we are not to envy that kind of success is because the froward is an abomination to the Lord!
a. Froward – crooked; devious; all kinds of evil practices.
b. Don’t envy it—God hates it!
2. The end of the ungodly is anything but enviable! The oppressors… the froward will one day be judged by God. Their days are numbered. Don’t envy that!
a. Prov.24:19 – Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
b. Prov.24:1 – Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them. For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
c. Psalm 37:1-2 – Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
d. Psalm 73:1-3 – Asaph was envious at the foolish.
• UNTIL he went into the house of the Lord and saw their end. (vs.17)
• Vs.18 – they are but a step away from destruction.
• That is nothing to envy. We would not envy these men if we saw them as one breath away from the Lake of Fire!
• Consider the terms used of them: there is no reward; their candle shall be put out; they shall be cut down like grass; they will be cast down into destruction; That is not an envious position to be in!
• When we get a heavenly perspective on things, our whole attitude will change. Envy will be turned into pity!
• Then, instead of wanting what they have, we will want to share with them what we have—salvation in Christ!
3. Solomon teaches his son the same lesson Asaph learned. Don’t envy wicked men.
a. They may prosper in the present world, but they are an abomination to the Lord, and in the life to come, they will experience judgment!
b. There is no cause to envy that!
c. Ecc.4:1 – later Solomon wrote about the oppressors. He noted all the sorrow and tears they created. He also noted that although they ended up with much power, they did not have any more inner comfort, rest, or peace than the people they oppressed!
d. There is no reason to envy them!
4. God’s secret is with the righteous.
a. God gives grace to the lowly… not the proud, powerful, arrogant oppressors! (Cf. Psalm 25:14 – the secret of the Lord is with them who fear Him, and He will shew them his covenant.”
b. The proud, ignorant oppressors know nothing of God and His ways.
c. God’s secrets… God’s counsel, which is hidden to the world is known to the righteous.
d. Sinners are an abomination to God. Saints are His delight!
e. Knowing God is FAR more valuable than any wealth or power the oppressors may have accumulated.
f. We have God’s secret—God’s word—which is far better than rubies… more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold!
Proverbs 3:33
Blessing and Cursing
Introduction:
1. Here is a simple 7 straightforward principle, which is found in many contexts throughout the Word.
2. It describes something very basic about God and His nature: He blesses the just and curses the wicked.
3. This stems from God’s nature: He loves righteousness and hates iniquity. (Heb.1:9)
4. The final verses in this chapter seem to be given as a conclusion to the several commands given in the chapter.
a. vs.27 – Don’t withhold good when it is in your power to do it.
b. Vs.29 – don’t devise evil against your neighbor… don’t betray his trust.
c. Vs.30 – don’t strive with a man without a cause.
d. Vs.31 – don’t envy the wealthy oppressors.
5. After saying all that, in vs.32, Solomon writes FOR… the froward is abomination to the Lord.
a. After listing many “don’ts” to his son, Solomon then gives some REASONS why not!
b. FOR it is abomination to God!
c. The “for” seems implied in the next three verses.
d. Each of the next three verses expands on that reason given in vs.32.
The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked…
1. Don’t withhold good; don’t devise evil; don’t strive; don’t envy… why???
2. Because the curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked! That’s why!
3. Those who behave in a wicked way expose themselves to the judgment of God!
4. Lev. 26:14-18 – This curse was literal in the nation Israel.
5. Those who persist in it bring a curse upon their own lives!
Prov. 21:12 – God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. (lawlessness – men who don’t go by the rules)
a. The wicked are no match for God.
b. God will eventually overthrow all of their evil schemes and plots. They are doomed to fail… if not in this life, certainly in the next.
c. This thought is a good motivation NOT to behave in a wicked manner! We too could find God opposing us… bringing a curse upon our life!
d. The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked.
• Solomon suggests that instead of FOLLOWING the ways and lives of wicked men, we OBSERVE their lives!
• Great lessons can be learned by observing men—even believers—who do not walk the straight and narrow. Watch men who compromise and cut corners spiritually.
• They may prosper in the world, but they will wither up spiritually.
• Good lessons are there for us all. Watch and learn.
6. Psalm 106:14-15 – Sometimes, the curse of the Lord is not easily seen.
a. Sometimes, God seems to be blessing, but He sends leanness to the soul.
b. It has been my observation that when God sends leanness of soul to a believer because something isn’t right in his/her life, that believer tends to blame it on someone else! (the church has no love; the brethren don’t minister to me; I’m unhappy, it must be my spouses’ fault; etc.)
c. A curse on the soul is far worse than a physical malady!
d. The curse of God is often not seen at all by the outsider.
• Matthew Henry likened it to the leprosy consuming away in the timbers of one’s house… quietly… unseen… unknown by the casual observer—but very much a presence in that house!
7. Prov.26:2 – An undeserved cursed does not come!
a. Just as birds wander in the sky but never land on us—so too, a curse does not come upon us without cause!
b. In other words, God doesn’t judge us unless we deserve it! Unless it is earned!
c. Thus, if God chastens us—it is for a good reason!
d. This does NOT mean that bad things won’t happen to us. But there is a big difference between a trial designed for our good, and chastening which is the result of our sin or rebellion.
8. When God chastens the believer, that believer will waste away… wither away… consume away… until he can take it no more!
a. Isa.57:21 – there is no peace to the wicked!
b. Job 9:4 – you cannot resist God and win!
c. Ps.32:3-4 – God’s hand was heavy upon him!
But he blesseth the habitation of the just.
1. However, just the opposite is true in the habitation of the just.
2. God blesses the just!
3. In the previous verse, Solomon said that God’s “secret” is with the righteous, the just.
a. Vs.32 – The wicked know nothing of God and His ways.
b. God’s secrets… counsel, [hidden to the world] is known to the righteous.
c. God blesses the habitation of the just—He shares His secret counsels with them! His Word!
4. Lev.26:3-7 – so too, God’s blessing is promised to the just—here to the obedient. (That’s how one demonstrates that he is just—obey!)
a. In any age, the principle is the same: Obedience brings God’s blessing!
b. In the church age, our blessings are spiritual, and our reward for obedience is not obtained in this life, but at the Judgement Seat. Nevertheless, the principle is the same.
c. God blesses those who obey Him… who honor Him.
d. God honors those who honor Him. (I Sam.2:30)
e. Ps.1:3 – “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
5. Note Solomon’s use of the terms “house of the wicked” (vs.33) and “habitation of the just” (vs.34).
a. The two terms are used synonymously.
b. His point is that we can bring either blessing or cursing on our house, depending upon our behavior!
c. Prov.9:1 – wisdom builds a strong house!
d. Prov.11:29 – the fool troubles his own house—he brings trouble to it.
e. Prov.12:7 – The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.
f. Prov.14:1 – a wise woman builds up her household.
g. Prov.14:11 – the two houses are once again contrasted.
h. Prov.15:27 – the greedy man troubles his house.
• It is far better to have a humble house with only herbs to eat with God’s blessing—than to dwell in a large castle without the blessing of God!
6. Some houses are overthrown. Why? Usually, because wisdom is not applied! Obedience is lacking or inconsistent!
a. Some houses are strong. Why? Because those in the house exercise wisdom… they trust and obey. It really is as simple as that.
b. We bring either blessing or cursing upon our own house.
» Either we build it up or tear it down…we bring blessing or trouble.
» It is important that we take God’s Word seriously.
» You cannot play fast and loose with this principle and expect to come out ahead!
7. Deut.29:19-20 – for the proud, arrogant man who thinks that he shall escape the curse of God! But he is dead wrong! Watch out! There is no escape!
Proverbs 3:34
The Proud and the Lowly
The Proud and the Lowly
1. This proverb is another simple truth crystallized into a short, concise saying.
2. It is much like the previous verse: God curses the wicked and blesses the just.
3. Here, God scorns the scorners and gives grace to the lowly.
4. It is possible (even likely) that this verse (as well as verses 32-35) is given at the end of the chapter as a REASON why Solomon’s son ought to follow his father’s words of wisdom. (see FOR in vs.32)
SURELY HE SCORNETH THE SCORNERS:
A.) Scorners
1. Means: Conceited mockers; arrogant talkers; to be inflated…
2. Prov. 9:7-8 – it is hard if not impossible for us to know how to deal with proud talkers!
3. Prov. 13:1 – scorners love to talk proudly and mock others, but they will not listen to instruction or rebuke themselves!
4. Prov. 14:5 – scorners seek wisdom but don’t find it. Pride keeps him from real wisdom.
a. Real wisdom comes through humility… and the proud talker knows it all already! You can’t tell him or her anything!
5. Prov. 21:24 – his pride leads the scorner to wrath… and fighting… arguments.
6. Prov. 28:25 – Proud, arrogant talkers stir up strife!
7. Prov. 15:12 – He hates to be told what to do. He gets angry when someone dares to approach him about something! He won’t go to the wise man to hear or to obtain wise counsel.
8. Prov. 22:10 – and when there is an argument or contention, it will END if you get rid of the scorner—the proud, arrogant talker! (Only by pride cometh contention!)
9. Psalm 101:5 – David would not tolerate proud talkers!
a. Such proud talkers and scorners and slanderers cannot be tolerated in the local church either!
B.) God Scorns The Scorner
1. Prov.24:9 – the scorner is an abomination (disgusting) to men. Imagine how much it must disgust God?
a. God hates pride because He is jealous of His glory. He shares it with no one.
b. Pride seeks to remove God from His throne… and place self there. (Lucifer; men)
2. Prov. 19:29 – judgments are prepared for scorners.
3. Psalm 31:23 – God will recompense proud men.
4. Prov.26:12 – there is no hope for a man wise in his own conceits. (proud; arrogant scorner—no hope!) God is against him. His case is hopeless… worse than a fool!
5. Ps.138:6 – the proud He knows afar off. Arrogant talkers do not have a close relationship to God. Period!
6. This thought is important to God.
a. This verse was repeated two times in the NT
b. In both verses the NT writers use the word “proud” for scorner.
c. Also in both NT verses, the authors use the word “resist” as a translation of the verb “scorneth.”
• Resists: to range in battle against; to oppose one’s self.
• God not only is disgusted by the behavior of proud, arrogant talkers… scorners… He actively resists them… opposes them!
• He allows proud scorners to continue in this life. But He is preparing judgments for them all!
BUT HE GIVETH GRACE UNTO THE LOWLY.
1. Lowly = the humble; meek; poor;
a. This term helps clarify exactly what shade of meaning Solomon meant to attach to “scorner.” He means the “proud” talker… emphasis on pride.
b. That is how both James and Peter understood his usage of the term too.
2. God judges the proud talkers, but God gives GRACE to the lowly.
3. Isaiah 57:15 – God dwells with the lowly… the hearts of the lowly is God’s dwelling place—and He revives the spirit of the lowly.
4. Isa. 66:2 –God looks to the lowly… humble… contrite in heart.
5. I Pet. 5:5-6 – God wants us to be clothed with humility!
a. Col. 3:12-13 – PUT ON humility…
b. When that is the case, there will be no fighting or contention.
c. If we humble ourselves, God will lift us up!
d. Luke 14:11 – For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
e. We need to promote self-abasement, not self-esteem!
6. 2 Ch. 32:26 – Hezekiah humbled himself of his pride, and the Lord removed the judgment that was about to fall upon him!
* Cf. 34:37 – God answers prayer because of humility!
7. Prov. 22:4 – By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, honour, and life.
a. God honors humility!
b. Note that the fear of God and humility appear together here. They are two peas in a pod. One who acknowledges God for who He is will fear Him AND will humble himself before Him! The bigger God is in our sight, the smaller we become!
c. A just apprehension of God will always lay us in the lowest dust before Him! (Charles Bridges)
d. For the Christian, humility and godly fear may not bring us earthly riches. But it will enable us to enjoy our true spiritual riches!
e. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of God!
8. True greatness is humility! Matt. 18:4 – Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
a. Matt.20:26-28 – If you want to be great = humble yourself—stop trying to be great!
b. Jesus is our example! He was great—and He was humble!
Proverbs 3:35
Glory or Shame?
The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.
Introduction:
1. Solomon has given his son a series of exhortations in this chapter.
2. He ends the chapter with a series of contrasts—given as reasons WHY his son ought to obey the previous commands.
3. Solomon contrasts the following:
a. The froward and the righteous (vs. 32)
b. The wicked and the just (vs. 33)
c. The proud scorners and the lowly (vs. 34)
d. Now he contrasts the fool and the wise. (vs. 35)
THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY…
1. Solomon wanted his son to be wise. What parent wouldn’t want their children to be wise?
2. Solomon seeks to make wisdom attractive to his son. It results in glory!
a. Glory = honor; glory; dignity; good reputation…
b. This is attractive. A wise parent will seek to instill in his child a sense of honor… dignity… respect… integrity…
c. Solomon seeks to make this kind of glory a prize to be sought after. He wants it to be attractive to his son.
d. The world makes its evil ways look appealing and attractive!
• Cf. Prov.1:11-14 – they try to lure with promises of excitement and wealth!
• But what they don’t tell you is that this lifestyle is a trap! (1:17) and they are really laying wait for their own lives! (1:18)
e. The devil made evil look appealing to Eve. He showed her that the forbidden fruit was good for food; pleasant to the eyes… desirable to make one wise!
f. The devil made sin look appealing to Christ. He suggested that He turn the stones into bread when He was hungry. He showed Him all the kingdoms of the earth and their glory.
g. Solomon wants GOOD to look appealing to his son.
3. This is good advice to all parents. Make doing what is RIGHT appealing!
a. This doesn’t mean that we should make it look cool or acceptable to the world! That is a worldly approach.
b. Cool = “in”—acceptable with the “in crowd”. The “in crowd” is not the One we are trying to please!
c. Spiritual things will NEVER be cool with the world. The world hates truth! Darkness hates light.
d. But, as Christians, we should make light (truth; obedience; righteousness) look appealing to our children in a good sense.
e. Parents can do that by holding up and honoring that which is good and pure and holy!
f. Instead of holding up Michael Jordan or some other celebrity a role model, hold up Jesus Christ as a model! Or one of the apostles!
g. Reward good behavior in the home! Praise your children when they make wise choices! Praise them when they do that which is honorable… just for the sake of honor!
h. Make it appealing! It is appealing to God!
i. There ought to be an attractiveness to truth and light to those who are born again!
j. This is what Solomon is doing with his son. He wants his son to know that the wise will inherit glory!
k. He wants his son to know that there is great reward in following the way of wisdom!
4. This glory (honor; dignity) belongs only to the wise. It is their inheritance.
a. Inherit = to get as a possession; to acquire; to inherit.
b. It implies that it might not be acquired immediately.
c. The reward for wisdom is not always immediate… but it is sure.
• For us, the way of wisdom means to follow the Lord. That means suffering and persecution in this life.
• In this life, we may not inherit glory… we may inherit shame—at least in the eyes of the ungodly.
• The martyrs died a shameful death—in the eyes of the world. But they went on to inherit glory!
• If we follow the ways of wisdom, we will not be honored by the world… we will be treated shamefully. (I Thess. 2:2)
• The wise man who lives for the Lord and sacrifices in this life is considered to be a fool by the world. Their motto is “eat, drink, and be merry!” Why pick up a cross? Why suffer? Why sacrifice? The world thinks the godly saint to be a fool! (I Cor. 15:19)
• In this life, we don’t often see the result or the reward of wisdom. But we will in heaven!
• Whatever we suffer in this life for the Lord will seem like nothing compared to the glory that shall follow! (Rom. 8:18)
• When we follow the way of wisdom in this life, the immediate result is often suffering. But when we stand before the judgment seat, the reward will be glory! (I Pet. 1:6-)
• Even if we don’t see it right away, the way of wisdom results in glory! The wise shall inherit glory!
• The straight and narrow way may be quite straight and narrow now—but it leads to everlasting life… we inherit glory at the end!
• The Lord set the pattern—suffering in this life—and GLORY to follow! (I Pet. 1:11)
5. Sometimes, following the way of wisdom DOES result in glory NOW! (or at least profit… a degree of advantage)
a. There IS profit to godliness in this life too. (I Tim. 4:8)
b. Walking in wisdom is the way of godliness.
c. Those who walk in wisdom and follow godliness… will experience a certain degree of “profit” (glory) in this life AND in the life to come…
d. Examples:
• The wisdom in proverbs tells us to be diligent in our work. That usually results in profit!
• The wisdom in proverbs warns us against drinking strong drink. That profits our health… relationships… family life…
• The wisdom in proverbs tells us to be careful with the use of out tongue. That too will be profitable in this life!
• The wisdom in proverbs tells us to avoid evil companions. That too results in profit in this life.
• The wisdom in proverbs demands that we be honest. That will be of great profit too—if we can avoid going to jail!
e. We are rewarded from God at the Bema seat in heaven for wise behavior. But there is also some “glory” or profit to be had in this life.
6. Sometimes when we live godly and follow the way of wisdom:
a. We may suffer and be shamed in this life—but inherit glory in heaven!
b. We may experience honor in this life from following wisdom—and then ALSO inherit glory in heaven!
c. It is better to follow the way of wisdom all around.
d. At least ultimately—the wise shall inherit glory.
e. Psalm 84:11 – He gives grace and glory!
f. Prov. 4:8 – exalt wisdom, and she shall promote thee!
g. Dan. 12:3 – They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament for ever and ever!
BUT SHAME SHALL BE THE PROMOTION OF FOOLS.
1. Ultimately, fools inherit shame!
2. However, in this life, fools sometimes do well!
a. Folly in the Bible is not childishness… or silly pranks. It speaks of rebellion… ungodliness… evil… refusal to obey Lady Wisdom (God!)
b. They are eating, drinking, and are merry in this life! They seem to be having a grand old time!
c. The ungodly and those who reject the way of God’s wisdom might prosper in the world! (Ps. 73:1-3)
d. Jer. 12:1 – Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
e. Job 21:7-13 – READ
f. This fact often puzzles the godly. It doesn’t seem fair!
• Solomon wants his son to know that while fools may seem to have power, wealth, and glory in this life, they have nothing but shame waiting for them in the life to come!
• Shame shall be the promotion of fools—regardless of what they say or think now!
3. Promotion: to exalt; to lift up; to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted
a. In this world, it seems that the ungodly are winning. They seem to be exalted. The fools seem to have their share of glory.
b. Who has glory in this life? Movie stars… celebrities… athletes… wealthy tycoons… CEO’s…
c. Many of them (not all!) are ungodly fools!
d. What is it that exalts them today?
• Good looks; money; fame; athleticism; power; etc.
• In the future, they will be exalted in SHAME!
• Charles Bridges: “Their fame will be infamous; their disgrace conspicuous; lifting them up, like Haman upon his elevated gallows!”
4. Daniel 12:2 – And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
a. They will be raised to an eternity of shame!
b. Their shame will be experienced in the Lake of Fire.
c. The only exaltation the fool will have in that day is SHAME!
d. IN that day, God will eternally separate the wise from the fools.
e. Eternal glory for one—eternal shame for the other.
5. Solomon wants wisdom to be appealing. He also wants folly to appear as it really is: shameful!
a. This is good advice for parents today!
b. Solomon wanted to make it clear to his son that he should NOT therefore envy the wealthy, powerful oppressor! (Prov. 3:31)
c. Don’t envy those who seem to be enjoying fame, wealth, power, and glory in this life. Eternal shame is their end.
d. There is nothing appealing about the life of a worldly, ungodly fool! It ends in shame.
