Thoughts From Proverbs 28

Joshua 21:43-45

⁴³ So the Lord gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. ⁴⁴ And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand. ⁴⁵ Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.

I Kings 8:56

⁵⁶ “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant.

I have decided to take the rest of 2018 to look at some statements that misunderstand the Scriptures. The texts listed seem plain to me so I have chosen them first.

There is a very popular Biblical millennial doctrine that represents Israel as the continuing entity of God. This teaching understands Israel as that national entity with its geographic boundaries that we know today.

One of the most important truths claimed by these teachers is that God has an unfulfilled promise to Israel.  He has promised them a certain measurable geographic tract of land for their nation. They have not received this land so God’s relationship with them must remain ongoing to have this promise fulfilled.  I don’t know if this rationale can be defended, but even if it can it must deal with our texts above that must be given serious consideration.  Note:

A.    What is said; all the promise fulfilled.

B.     To whom the promises were spoken:  To the Fathers.

C.    When this was spoken:  In both Joshua to Israel after the land had been divided, to Israel in Solomon’s prayer, after the Kingship of David.

These texts are very plainly spoken with no conditions placed on them.

The commentaries I have read by these Pro-Israel writers neither deny nor explain these texts.  They simply ignore them.

Any simple, honest reading of these texts in context can do nothing else than take them at face value.

1.       By the time the land division was finished God’s promises to the Fathers were fulfilled.  They had received the full extent of the lands promised to them.

2.      Solomon in his great prayer confirms this.  And holds so commonly known at this time that he names it as an illustration of God’s power, verity and covenant with Israel.

I see no reason to doubt Solomon.

Thoughts From Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27:12

¹² A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty.

This verse contains a principle that is basic to a great number of the cautions and instructions in Proverbs.  It is “Precaution is better than escape”.

It is better to be cautious about what you say.  It is better to monitor your appetite.  It is better to   plant your field and then build your house.

It is better that your child not climb a tree than that their fall does not injure them.  This seems so simple that it need not be said.  But there is another principle that lies behind it.

A.    That a person prepare themselves that they can be prudent.

B.     That they are aware that there are dangers, ie. “don’t try to pet a strange dog with new puppies”.

C.     That it is foolish to think you are immune to danger, ie. “criminal companions are in every instance a danger”.  The only thing is to avoid them.

D.    Avoid those places where evil most commonly occurs, ie. “Where are there people most likely to find trouble…in a place of alcohol consumption, or a Sunday School class?”

Everything said above begins as a caution or is an unnecessary exposure to danger.

Thoughts From Proverbs 26

Proverbs 26:7

⁷ Like the legs which are useless to the lame, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools.

 One who is incapacitated because of lame legs can do nothing healthy legs are required to do. It is senseless to expect him to do anything. It also is futile for him to attempt to do that which would require healthy legs. Any effort will fail and disappoint one who thought he would be able to help.

The fool who has a proverb he intends to teach has like liabilities. He is attempting to do what he is incapable of doing.  He does not recognize his inability to do what he claims and he disappoints anyone who depends on him.  He can neither use or teach others the proverb in his mouth.  It is like the injured legs—useless. 

Proverbs 26:8

Like one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool.

A fool is to be avoided.  He is to be corrected and maybe even pitied, but never honored.That is “he is not to be applauded for his folly”. He is not to be given an office and expected to fulfill its responsibilities.  And he is not to be commended for foolish misdeeds.  He is to be recognized and answered by rebuke appropriate to his folly.

Thoughts From Proverbs 25

Proverbs 25:1

 These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, transcribed.

This is a precise statement of the origin of what follows. Unless there is some overwhelming internal reason, the opinions and theories of critics not withstanding, this statement of the author should be our authority.

Solomon wrote the following Proverbs there were kept in a safe deposit and later copied for public use by scholars in King Hezekiah’s court.   This is a forthright and believable statement with nothing problematic in it.

If we can't believe this we can't believe any author from the past. History loses all reality and becomes the subjects of the critics who read it and express their opinions.

Proverbs 25:16

¹⁶ Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, that you not have it in excess and vomit it.

 It’s Christmas Day and Darlene has baked a Pecan pie. It is oh so good. I could not wait to eat a slice. But one is enough. Another slice will be too much of a good thing. It does seems as if that is what our writer Solomon is saying, “Know when you have had enough of a good thing and do not overindulge, be sick, and appear foolish.”…. I'll finish with pumpkin pie.

Thoughts From Proverbs 24

Provides 24:13-14

¹³ My son, eat honey, for it is good, Yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste;
¹⁴ Know that wisdom is thus for your soul;If you find it, then there will be a future,
And your hope will not be cut off.

 It is very common to have a sweet tooth, and there is nothing that is more universally liked as a satisfier than honey. When the Proverbs were written it’s likely that there was nothing as desirable and as enjoyable as honey. I admit freely that I like it myself.

It is said here that it is good. While there are other things that are bad for you, it is not so with honey. And it is sweet and desirable. You should seek it for its twofold benefits.

There is a valuable offering availab­le to you that affords the same benefits. It is good and it is enjoyable. There are foods and drinks and medicines of which we must say they are good for us. But we cannot say there are enjoyable.

 When you get wisdom you will not find it not find it a bitter pill. It both has a promise and a guaranteed application.

 The effort to get wisdom and the results of having it come with no regrets.

Thoughts From Proverbs 22

Proverbs 22:5

⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; he who guards himself will be far from them.

A mistake many make, that the affluent man though evil lives an easy and enjoyable life.  It is a fact and a certainty that the way of the transgressor is hard.  You can be sure the evil person has burning and wasting wants that will not be satisfied.                                                                                                                                           

Proverbs 22:17

¹⁷ Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge;

Note the instructions given in this verse:

A.     Seek the wise, cf vss 24-25.

B.     Listen to and for wisdom.

C.     Discriminate between that which honors God and improves your character, and useless conversation.

D.    For any instruction no matter how well intentioned or helpful, it must be applied.

Psalm 1:2 is the response of the person who has taken seriously Proverbs 22:17.  The message of both of these verses is that the instructions from the Lord are taken so seriously that change results, and spiritual growth is evident with the attending fruitfulness.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

Thoughts From Proverbs 18

Proverbs 18:14; 17:22; 14:10; 1:3

¹⁴ The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a broken spirit who can bear it?

The writer is constant in telling his readers that there is something worse than illness or injury. What he names as "crushed spirit" is what we know as depression.

The believer is not immune to depression. Sometimes it is physical, sometimes it is mental, and sometimes it is spiritual. If is spiritual it is most likely sin and unbelief, and any progress in a cure must begin with repentance.

If it is physical it may only be helped when it is treated with the proper medicine. Repentance will not heal diabetes. A “crushed spirit" is like a crushed foot. It is not helped by or with  counseling. Pain is helped and healing comes with the proper treatment.

A “crushed spirit" can come upon a believer from the death of a loved one, from a failure in an established relationship, or even from the loss of a beloved animal. What the Christian needs for help must be determined by the particular situation. There is no one cure that is the be-all and end-all of treatment. We do have the promise of Christ in Matt. 11:28-30; cf 11:29.

²⁸ “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Thoughts From Proverbs 15

Proverbs 15:5, 10 12, 31, 32

⁵ A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but he who regards reproof is sensible.

Five times in this chapter the writer instructs in the use of “reproof”.  The necessary takeaways are:

A.    The one who ignores reproof is a fool, cf 12:1.

B.     To ignore reproof is to guarantee your own destruction.

C.     The wise person waits upon and looks for reproof for instruction.

Proverb 15: 16-17

¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and turmoil with it.
¹⁷ Better is a dish of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox served with hatred.

 The Scriptures from beginning to the end teach plainly the message of these two verses. But the same Scriptures are a history of them being ignored. Greed and the sins that derive from it are part and parcel of human history. Christians are aware of this but we go on thinking joy is ours by things.  There is Bible replete with instructions, warning against this failure, but listen to Paul in Philippians 3:7-11; 4:11, 18.

⁷ But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, ⁹ and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, ¹⁰ that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; ¹¹ in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

The person who has everything is one who does not want. The person who has no contentment is the one who has no point of satisfaction, cf Psalm 23:1.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Thoughts From Proverbs 14

Proverbs 14:3

³ In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back,
But the lips of the wise will protect them.

Speech is an important part of human behavior.  In this verse it is identified as a contributor to the cause of punishment but there are a number of identifying characteristics attributed to the tongue-- speech, communication, or silence.

1.      Speech can be used to hurt others.

2.      Words can identify wisdom or folly.

3.      Words are a means of convicting evil men.

4.      Words are used to gain good results.

5.      Silence is an antidote to foolishness.

6.      A babbler is determined for ruin.

7.      One who listens to wise counsel grows wise.

8.      Impatience and folly are revealed in the conversation of a fool.

9.      The words of a fool cannot make anyone wise.

10.  Talk not supported by fruitful talk is a path to poverty.

Proverbs 14:33

³³ Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding,
But in the hearts of fools it is made known.

Wisdom is a character virtue.  It is in the heart as a settled matter.  It rests there.  And it cannot be hidden,  even if it is surrounded by folly.  The heroes identified around us are usually people who show good sense in the midst of overt folly. cf I Timothy 1:7

⁷ wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

Thoughts From Proverbs 13

Proverbs 13:8

⁸ The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
But the poor hears no rebuke.

 Some truths are communicated by subtlety. This verse is one of those truths. First it is even with those things that seem most desirable, as wealth, there are dangers to be faced that the wealthy must worry about: A. being kidnapped. B. having a conflict that money cannot solve.

Then there is the opposite, being poor. This has at least one benefit. It is seldom or never that the poor are kidnapped. At least it so seldom that it is no burden to them. This might not offset the lack poverty brings, but it is a benefit. So wealth has a built-in danger, and poverty at the worst has a benefit.

Proverbs 13:11

¹¹ Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles,
But the one who gathers by labor increases it.

Uncle Remus stories have always fascinated me. The story of the tortoise and the hare has a moral that is very near to the meaning of this verse. "Slow and steady with the certain finish line," is always best. Wealth in spurts and dry holes gain no good end. I grew up with Glen McCarthy and the Shamrock Hotel as the ultimate wildcatter and his dry holes. This was a caution that was a danger to ignore.

Thoughts From Proverbs 12

Proverbs 2:20

²⁰ Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.

 The contrast in this statement furnishes a classic division among mankind. The particular truth that is found here is foundational to understanding evil and good in any society. Note:

l.  Deceit or incipient sin has an internal origin.

2. This incipient sin is the root cause of the evil deeds planned and practiced.

3. Evil may be practiced individually or in gangs, it may be shrugged off as mischief or be the most heinous acts, it may be occasional or serial, and it may be blatant or secretive, but it has an internal evil origin.

4. Peace is no accident. It requires purpose and thoughtfulness.

5. Peace is a result of love for God and for one’s neighbor.

6. The fruit of righteousness is peace and the fruit of peace is joy.

First we learn deceit is not accidental but character fault.

Secondly is to be recognized that peace with attending joy does not just fall out. It must be planned. "Great peace have they who love your law and nothing shall make them stumble."

Thoughts From Proverbs 11

Proverbs 11:1

A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
But a just weight is His delight.

The study of theology has been a lifelong task for me.  In this study of theology, the pursuit of Biblical Ethics has always been of special interest to me.  This began in Bible College, was an assigned subject in Seminary, and continues to be present in this year-long commitment to Proverbs.  This year has left me in wonder at how little serious attention is given to Proverbs by those whose specialty is Ethics.  There is no place better suited to study practical righteousness than Wisdom Literature, particularly Proverbs.  It can well be said that the Proverbs are the practical application of the Law.

In 11:1 the basis of all acceptable conduct with God is stated.  Cheating, no matter how minor, is hated in God’s sight.  The fuel pump that is short, the thumb on the scale in the meat market, the bale of hay that is loose, or the blind horse are all crooked at the point of sale.  Deception in order to cheat the buyer and benefit the seller may be ever so minor but the intent to defraud is measured by that intent, not the greatness of exchange.  And it is at that point that God hates the deed and the doer.

Thoughts From Proverbs 10

Proverbs 10:8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 31, 32

⁸ The wise of heart will receive commands,
But a babbling fool will be ruined.
¹⁰ He who winks the eye causes trouble,
And a babbling fool will be ruined.

These eleven references to failure, recklessness, or ignorance are a continuation of the writer’s warning against sins of the mouth. But it seems as if no amount of caution is adequate to prevent this human failure.

Verses 8 and 10 are especially vivid in the description of this failure.  The name applied, “babbling”, the person described, “a fool”, and the end predicated, “ruin” all make this a dire warning.

None of the descriptive language is desirable for anyone.  What can be a worse name than to be called a babbler?  It is to be without content and too ignorant to realize this.  A babbling brook is a stream whose progress is marked by meaningless noise.  Though the noise may be pleasant it is without any value.

The writer does not give this babbler the possibility of being pleasant.  This one is a fool destined to destruction.

Thoughts From Proverbs 9

Proverbs 9: 8

Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.

I have two observations before we look at vs 8. First I find chapter 9 to be one of the most important in the whole of this writing. Second the contrast of wisdom and folly cannot be over emphasized.

9:8 - I am very conservative politically. I admit that I am just short of being reactionary. I voted for our president and I like much of what he has done. There are too many reasons to name them why his policies which I do not understand, or to which I disagree do not bother me. I'll give you one. I simply do not have the information he has that inform his decisions. My ignorance makes me hesitant to criticize.

Now back to vs 8. What we can see is his reaction to criticism. He appears to take all criticism as a personal attack, or ignores it and fails to get any help he otherwise might have.

His attacks on any who otherwise would be a help, discourages them and inflames his enemies. As is my observation he does not seem to ever receive reproof. The opposite of affection for any reprover is his hatred. Illustration: to call his former Secretary of State dumb and lazy is a certain indicator of his failure to be a just man.

Thoughts From Proverbs 8

Proverbs 8: 1-11

¹Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?
² At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
³ beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud:
⁴ “To you, O people, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.
⁵ You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.
⁶ Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.
⁷ My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.
⁸ All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.
⁹ To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
¹⁰ Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,
¹¹ for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

The writer's subjects change in this chapter. Through chapter 7 his subjects have been personal and relational. From this point forward they will be far more impersonal, general, and universal. This wisdom that is introduced has characteristics that are:

A. Available to students without distinction cf verse 4.

B. It can be learned even by the simple leaving all without excuse for failing in this virtue, cf vs 5.

C. Wisdom is without exception virtuous. It is always based on God's law, vss-7-9. At this point it must be noted that general wisdom is righteous. It is not the righteousness of grace.

D. Wisdom is more valuable than earthly treasure. This is always so, vss 10-11.

Three general applications of wisdom with which we live in our daily lives are:

1. Respect for authority beginning with parents.

2. A healthy work ethic is not confined to believers.

3. Sexual discretion and love of family is found in society in general.

4. Respect for honesty is common though a seeming failure.

Thoughts From Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7:14-23

¹²now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
¹³ She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:

¹⁴ “Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
¹⁵ So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!
¹⁶ I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
¹⁹ My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
²⁰ He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”

²¹ With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
²² All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose
²³     till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.

Proverbs 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, and 6:20 all have this same direct instructions to the son from his father. So we must accredit these relationships as an important part of the instructions and warnings.

This warning in chapter 7 is important in where it happens (7:8) and when it happens (7: 9). The fact that is always available 7: 12. Lust can always find its objective.

Note also the qualifications of the wily seductress.

1. Verse 14 - She is religious and mystical. Any spiritual defections are overcome.

2. Verse 15 - She addresses his vanity. He as so special to her.

3. Verses 16-17. All the senses have been provided for: sight, smell, feel are all surfeited.

4. Verse 18 - There is no commitment required. This is until morning and then we can go our way

5. Verse 19 - This is my mates fault. He has left me at home alone.

6. Verse 20 – He has left me without any resources. He took his resources with him. I have a right to betray him. He is stingy and does not care for me. Such is her excuse for her treachery but verses 22-23 are the certain end.