Proverbs
Notes on Proverbs – Chapter 25
Proverbs 25:1-2
The Glory of God and the Honor of Kings
Verse One Introduction:
1. Chapter 25 begins a new section in the book of Proverbs, as its first verse states.
2. This new sections consists of the next five chapters (chapters 25-29).
3. We are told that these chapters are the writings of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah copied out.
a. Hezekiah’s men were probably his royal scribes.
b. Evidently they gathered together Solomon’s proverbs and made copies of them.
c. This collection includes 138 proverbs.
d. Hezekiah had an interest in literature. He wrote a section of the book of Isaiah (28:9-20).
e. These proverbs had evidently been collecting dust somewhere in the royal library for about 250 years – since Hezekiah lived about 250 years after Solomon.
f. During this time there were 12 other kings between Solomon and Hezekiah, and during much of that time Israel was apostate.
4. The Jewish Talmud states that Hezekiah edited the Song of Solomon, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Isaiah.
a. Proverbs 25:1 is an interesting look into HOW this portion of inspired Scripture came to be included in the canon.
b. These 138 proverbs were inspired as they came from Solomon’s pen, but were not “published” for another 250 years!
c. I Kings 4:29-34 – Solomon spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
d. We have all of Solomon’s inspired writings, but it sure would be interesting to have a copy of the rest of his writings!
5. Verses 2-7 all relate one way or another to kings.
a. Verse two is a contrast between the eternal God of heaven and mortal kings of the earth.
1. Conceal defined: To hide; conceal; to keep something unknown; to keep from public notice.
2. Thing: Speech; utterance; word; business; case; matter; something.
a. The term is similar to our English word “thing,” in that it is generic and broad in application.
3. God conceals things.
a. This is meant to be understood in the broadest and most general sense.
b. God conceals things.
c. We might think that He has REVEALED much, and in a sense He has.
d. However, compared to His infinite understanding, He has really revealed very little! (“Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” Psalm 147:5)
e. In light of that truth, it is fair to say that over all, God conceals things.
4. Deut. 29:29 – the “secret” (same word – hidden) things belong to the Lord.
a. The things that God has concealed belong to the Lord.
b. There are things about the Person of God that we will be learning throughout all eternity. He has not revealed everything about Himself, His will, His character, or His plans for the ages.
c. Some things are hidden in such a way that man will NEVER be able to come to a knowledge of it—regardless of his IQ, regardless of his technology, and regardless of the accumulation of man’s science over millions of millennia.
d. The secret things belong to the Lord and cannot be known until He chooses to reveal them.
5. But there are other things that God has “hidden” that man IS able to discover.
a. God has revealed things in His Word.
• But rest assured, there are things in God’s Word that lie beneath the surface that are there for the finding… but have yet to be discovered.
• There are many milk truths in the Scripture for us all to see, learn, apply, and experience.
• But there are also the “deep things of God” revealed in the Scripture, which in a sense are “hidden.” They have been revealed in that they are in the Word, but they are hidden in that it takes much study, illumination, and discernment to see.
• They are hidden until we have eyes to see and ears to hear.
b. God has revealed things about Himself in the creation.
• Ps. 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God.
• Ps. 19:2 – Day and night “showeth knowledge” about God.
• Ps. 19:3-4 – This knowledge is sent out worldwide—and it doesn’t matter what language you speak. There is knowledge of God that can be discovered in His created universe.
• Rom. 1:20 – There are invisible things about God that can be known by studying the visible creation.
• This knowledge is revealed in creation… but hidden until discovered.
• Thus, much is discoverable!
c. The point of this proverb seems to be that God has chosen to hide knowledge in His revealed Word, will, and in His creation…
• But the purpose of this kind of “hiding” is not so that we won’t ever find these truths… but that we might be busily engaged and occupied in FINDING them out!
• Genesis 1:28 – In a sense, this is implied in God’s original command to unfallen mankind: “subdue the earth.”
• Subdue: Subjugate; overcome; enslave; i.e., conquer and control an environment or people.
• God gave to Adam and Eve authority over the whole planet and told them to bring the earth into subjection… exercise lordship over the natural world… bring the environment into slavery for the benefit of mankind and the glory of God.
• (This sounds very different than the agenda of the New Ager Mother Earthers who seek to have mankind bow in submission to the creation!)
• This implies that the earth has almost unlimited potential.
• The natural resources found in God’s creation are to be discovered… used… and re-used.
• The natural laws God built into His universe are to be subdued – the power of electricity; oil; coal; solar power; thermal heat; wind; nuclear power; and on and on it goes.
• It was always God’s intention for mankind to discover the WONDERS that God has built in to His creation.
• There are potential cures out there in God’s creation for every ailment known to man.
» The cure for one disease may be found in the saliva from a frog from Brazil.
» The cure for another disease may be found in the rocks of North Dakota…
» God has in a sense “hidden” these things in His creation.
» But on the other hand, God has given us minds, eyes, ears, and hands to do research and discover their use and subdue it for man’s good and God’s glory.
6. It is to God’s glory that such wonders are to be found in His creation.
a. The heavens declare the glory of God.
b. But so do the rocks, the chemicals, the frogs and bats, living cells, the skin, the blood, etc.
c. When a scientist, a medical researcher, or an inventor discovers something useful and beneficial to mankind, it was really the LORD who created the chemicals or the scientific laws in the first place.
d. The scientist or inventor merely stumbled across one or two of the almost infinite marvels to be found in God’s creation.
e. God “hid” them… so that we might discover them and subdue them.
f. The sin of man has hindered the discovery of these treasures.
• War, sickness, man’s shortened life span, greed, selfishness, laziness, waste, etc… have all combined to be a great hindrance to where mankind COULD be today.
• We think we are so very far advanced today with our shiny new technologies.
• But we are probably more like cave men compared to where mankind’s discoveries and inventions could be or should be after about 10,000 years of human history!
• Nevertheless, God HID millions of treasures in His creation for us to discover.
• Of course, we are also to be good stewards of God’s creation.
g. Rom. 11:33 – God’s ways are past finding out.
• We will never exhaust the wealth of spiritual treasure in His Word.
• We will also never exhaust the wealth of physical treasure to be found in His creation.
• And though His ways are past finding out, on occasion, we DO learn something of His ways and will.
• When we do discover a tiny portion of His ways, it is thrilling to us. And it is a reminder of how much MORE there is to know… how much MORE is hidden from us.
• This fact glorifies God by reminding us of His INFINITE glories… ways past finding out… infinite understanding—and we are just scratching the surface.
• If nothing was hidden—in other words, if we could discover everything there is to know about God and His ways, then God would not be so great. He would not be so worthy of glory if puny man could figure Him out.
• Isa. 55:9 – But His ways and thoughts are as high above our ways and thoughts as heaven is above the earth.
• There is so much more to be discovered.
1. The second part of the proverb states the contrast.
a. The contrast is between God and human kings… the High King of Heaven with the lowly kings of earth.
b. God “hides” things, but human kings “search them out.”
c. It should be noted that the word “glory” is the same Hebrew word as “honour” and the same Hebrew term is translated as both “thing” and “matter.”
2. Kings “search out” matters.
a. Search out – search for; examine; investigate; probe; explore; inquire; find out.
b. In ancient times, kings were not only political rulers. They were also lords over the arts and sciences.
• Pharaoh had wise men, astronomers, and scientists as part of his royal court.
• In Babylon, Daniel and the brightest minds of Israel were taken to be part of the king’s court.
• Ancient kings wanted the best and the brightest minds on their courts, NOT to advise them politically, but to assure that their kingdom would be in the forefront of new discoveries… whether it be of gold in the hills, a new use for metals, new weaponry invented, etc.
3. This proverb was written with JEWISH kings in mind.
a. Deut. 17:18, 19 – Thus, the Jewish kings were also to know God’s Word.
b. They were to study it… know it… live it.
c. And while God’s ways are past finding out, it was the glory of the king to discover the will and mind of God as best he could… through His Word and His prophets.
4. When a king (or someone in his court) searched out a matter and discovered something valuable for mankind (whether in the field of theology, science, medicine, etc.) it was to the honor of the King!
a. As the people see the progress, the inventions, and the advances in science, agriculture, medicine, etc, they praise their king and give him honor and respect.
Proverbs 25:3
The Unsearchable Heart of Kings
Introduction:
1. As we noted last week, chapter 25 begins a new section in the book of Proverbs, as its first verse states. (chapters 25-29)
2. These chapters are the writings of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah copied out.
3. Verse three speaks of the unsearchable nature of the heart of a king. It is also to be connected in thought with verse two.
3c The heart of kings is unsearchable.
1. Heart defined:
a. This is a very common term in the Old Testament, used 508 times.
b. It is used 95 times in Proverbs.
c. It means: The inner man; mind; will; heart; understanding; the inner self-life.
2. In our present proverb, the term is used of the inner life of a king.
a. It speaks of his inner thoughts, feelings, understanding, etc.
b. It speaks of the whole inner life of a king—an inner life that is hidden from physical vision.
c. Solomon is referring here to what makes the man tick; what is going on inside his mind and heart that no one can see or know.
3. The heart of kings is unsearchable.
a. Unsearchable defined: Unable to be searched; investigated; examined; comprehended; understood.
b. The term is used of God:
• His greatness is unsearchable (Ps. 145:3)
• His understanding is unsearchable (Isa. 40:28)
• His works are past finding out (Job 9:10)
c. In our proverb, Solomon states that the inner life of an earthly king is also unsearchable.
d. Cf. I Cor. 2:11 – who knows the “things” of a man (those deep inward things) except the spirit of the man himself?
• In this context, Paul’s point is that nobody really knows what is going on inside another person.
• Therefore, how much LESS do we know about the inner thoughts of God unless He reveals them to us?
e. The inner thought life, motives, goals, purposes, and feelings of an earthly king cannot be known by anyone else.
f. Nobody knows what the king is really going through.
g. We know what the king says and what the king does, but we do NOT always know WHY.
h. We don’t know all the inner machinations that led him to make the decision that he made.
i. We don’t always know the philosophical or ideological worldview that led him to make that decision.
4. Just HOW unsearchable is the heart of a king?
b. In other words, if you can measure the heavens, then you might be able to understand what’s going on inside the mind and heart of a king. If you cannot measure the heavens, then you are unable to know the heart of the king.
c. If you can measure the depth of the earth, you can measure a king’s heart.
d. I suppose that scientists might be able to come up with some sort of instrument to measure the depth of the earth today, but that is not Solomon’s point.
e. Solomon gave two examples of things which in his day were unable to be measured, and made a connection to the unsearchable nature of the king’s heart.
f. This was a figure of speech and was not intended to be an exact scientific equivalence.
g. Jer. 31:37 – Jeremiah used the same figure of speech to mean the same thing: something unfathomable; incomprehensible.
h. Solomon’s point in using this figure of speech is that no one on earth really knows the heart of a king.
5. This point connects verse three with verse two.
a. Verse two: God (the king of the universe) conceals things.
• God is the Sovereign Lord of the universe.
• God’s understanding is infinite. We actually know very little of what is going on inside God’s mind and heart.
• We know what He has revealed, but since His understanding is infinite, we have a tiny portion of that.
• He is working all things for good, according to His eternal purpose.
• We don’t see or understand these works of the Lord.
• They are all hidden from us.
• They are part of God’s mind and heart, but are hidden from us.
• And since we cannot know the hidden things in a man’s heart, we certainly cannot know the hidden things in the Lord’s mind and heart.
• The secret things belong to the Lord.
b. Verse three: earthly kings also conceal things.
• This has always been the case, and it is the case today too.
• Whether we like it or not, nobody is privy to the king’s heart.
• None of us really knows what goes on behind closed doors.
• There are many rumors and innuendoes of intrigue around a royal court. There is a lot of spinning and mudslinging around our presidents—from both sides of the aisle.
• But in spite of what men THINK they know, nobody knows the heart of the king.
c. This is true of our president—and of EVERY president this country has ever had.
• We don’t know what really goes on in his war room.
• We don’t know what goes on in secret meetings he has with leaders from other countries.
• We don’t know what kind of business deals he is seeking and pushing around the globe.
• We don’t know everything that is on his agenda.
• We know nothing about the secret security briefings that he receives every morning from the CIA and his generals.
d. Thus, the earthly king is similar to God in this sense.
• Much of what God knows, He keeps secret from us…. and for our good. The secret things belong to the Lord.
• Much of what our earthly king knows, he also keeps secret from us. This is also for our good.
• As certain secret things belong to the Lord, so also, certain secrets belong to the king and his court—or to the president and his cabinet.
e. This has always been the case, and it certainly is so today.
• Aren’t you glad that the whole nation is not aware of ALL of our state secrets? They would be published on a wiki sight to the ruin of the country.
• Aren’t you glad that a CNN reporter is not present every morning to hear when the president is briefed about every potential threat from ISIS, Al Qaeda, the Taliban, North Korea, Hugo Chavez, the Mexican drug cartel, and every radical Islamic cell group in America?
• If the public knew all that, there would be panic!
• If the public knew of what went on in all the global business and trading, and just how fragile the economy REALLY is, we would probably take our $35.00 in savings out of the bank and hide it under our pillow.
• It’s a GOOD thing that we don’t know the heart of the king. It’s a good thing that we are not privy to all the information he receives every day.
• Have you noticed how rapidly our presidents seem to age in four years on the job?
f. Note another connection with verse two: God the heavenly King conceals things, but earthly kings search things out.
• It is the HONOR of an earthly king to “search out” matters.
• An earthly king needs to be informed. He needs to seek out the very best information that he can.
• An earthly king needs to search out the very best intelligence he can get.
• It is the honor of a king to search out the best information he can get; it is also the king’s honor to keep some of it secret.
• Wise kings seek out matters and wise kings also keep some of what they discover secret.
• Again, the point of this proverb is to make a connection between God the heavenly King and earthly kings.
• There is something mysterious about those in such high positions—and in a sense, it is a good thing that there is such mystery.
• Men don’t know all of what’s going on inside the heart of the king and they don’t NEED to know it all.
6. Certainly we can learn from Solomon’s words to be careful about “speaking evil of dignitaries.”
a. I Pet. 2:17 – We are commanded to honor the king—or president.
b. So, before we judge kings, presidents, and governors, we should keep this proverb in mind.
c. We don’t really know the heart of the king or president.
d. We are not privy to all the information that he has.
e. We aren’t aware of all the political, financial, security, and social ramifications of the decisions he makes.
f. This proverb should cause us to be more careful in judging our political leaders.
g. It is good to be aware of what’s going on in the country; it’s good to be as informed as we can be, but before we judge, remember that we cannot know the king’s heart.
h. I Tim. 2:1-3 – Rather than constantly criticizing those in positions of authority over us, we should spend a little more time praying for them.
Proverbs 25:4-5
A Throne Established in Righteousness
Introduction:
1. Verses four and five constitute one proverbial thought.
2. Solomon takes up a theme that was important to him as a king who sat on the throne of Israel.
3. This theme of a throne being established in righteousness is also found elsewhere in his writings.
4. Solomon observed the process of refining silver and applied a lesson from it to the royal throne.
The Illustration (Vs. 4)
a. Silver was a metal mined in the earth.
b. Miners would discover a vein of precious metal as they dug in the earth.
c. However, the veins of metal were often speckled with pieces of worthless rock and dirt. The veins of silver were not perfectly pure.
d. Thus, a process of refining was required to purify the silver and remove the worthless dirt, stone, and other objects.
e. The metals were melted in a refining pot (Prov. 27:21).
f. As the metal was melted, the impurities (dross; slag) would float to the surface and would be scrapped off.
g. This would leave the refining pot full of pure silver to be used for coins, jewelry or other items.
h. Thus, the idea of taking away the dross spoke of removing impurity.
a. Finer: The finer was a “refiner,” or the silversmith.
• This was the man who refined the metal by melting it and removing the dross.
• This was the man responsible for making sure the metal was pure.
• The refining process also included the idea of testing or proving the metal to make sure that it was pure and up to standards.
• The refiner (finer) was also the man who would then mold that metal into a valuable object.
b. Before the impurities were removed the silver was not fit for making fine vessels.
c. But once the metal had been refined it WAS fit for use in fine vessels.
d. Pure silver would be valuable and serviceable.
e. It would be made into vessels which would be beautiful, practical, and valuable. They would be highly prized.
3. This was a common illustration in later writings of the Old Testament.
a. Mal. 3:2-3 – This term is used metaphorically of Christ at His coming.
• When He comes, He will put the men of Israel to the test to demonstrate if they are silver or dross.
• The dross will be removed leaving only the pure to enter the Kingdom.
• Christ as King of Kings will remove the impurities before establishing His throne in the Kingdom.
b. Ezek. 22:17-22 – This was a common illustration of God’s judgment against Israel. This judgment spoke of the judgment of Babylonian invasion and destruction of Jerusalem. Jerusalem would be like a furnace of fire.
The Application (vs .5)
a. Solomon applies the lesson of the refiner’s pot to the royal throne.
b. Wicked people who surround the king and his court are like impurity or dross that defiles pure silver.
c. Thus, the wicked people are like the dross; and the king is like pure silver.
d. With silver ore, the dross needs to be removed; so too do wicked people need to be removed from the king and his court.
e. The “wicked” refers to criminals; crooks; dishonest men.
• They have a defiling effect on the king’s throne.
• This has always been the case. A king (or prime minister or president) will always have a flurry of dishonest men fluttering around them like flies.
• Evil men will seek to befriend the king for personal gain.
• Evil men will seek the king for personal favors.
• They will seek for ways to enrich themselves, often dishonestly.
• When a man has as much power as a king or president, there will always be swarms of men around him with their hands out.
• This was true in Solomon’s day and it has been true throughout the history of this country too.
• Corruption and power always seem to go together and it is hard to separate them at times.
• And this is true regardless of the political party. It is human nature.
f. The point of the illustration is that this kind of corruption needs to be REMOVED… like dross from silver.
• Solomon’s point is that a wise king will seek to remove all corruption. It must not be tolerated. It will destroy his reign and his throne—and perhaps the country!
• Consider I Kings 2.
» Here is the record of David’s last words to Solomon.
» David commanded Solomon (as he took over the throne) to PURGE OUT some evil men and criminals.
» Vs. 5-6 – David tells his son to remove Joab for his evil.
» vs. 8 – David told Solomon to deal with Shimei for the evil he did.
» Vs. 23-25 – Solomon had to put Adonijah to death too for his rebellion.
» Vs. 27 – Solomon had to thrust out the evil priest Abiathar too.
» Solomon had to purge out the evil men who had become attached to the throne.
» Vs. 12 – As a result, Solomon’s throne was ESTABLISHED greatly.
• Prov. 20:8, 26 – Solomon mentioned this fact twice already in this book.
• The government of our neighbor to the south (Mexico) is riddled with corruption, and it is destroying the country.
• It was tolerated and tolerated, and now it seems to have taken over.
• The drug cartel pays the corrupt police to do their bidding for them.
• We read similar things about the government in Afghanistan and their connection to the drug trade there.
• Power and corruption is part of life in a sin cursed earth.
• And don’t think that our government is exempt!
• But wise leaders will not tolerate it. It will be removed.
• And it can be a difficult process to remove it – melting metal in a furnace of fire.
g. But the end product is worth it! That’s his point… which leads to the next expression in the proverb.
a. Prov. 16:12 – This fact was mentioned earlier too.
b. When the dross is removed from the silver, it was fit for use in fine vessels.
c. It would be made into vessels which would be beautiful, practical, and valuable, and thus, highly prized.
d. So too when the wicked are removed from the king and his royal court, the kings THRONE shall be established in righteousness.
• It shall be beautiful, practice, useful, valuable, and highly prized!
e. An established throne.
• Established: Made firm; stable; steadfast; strong; fully formed; built up; firmly set in place; authenticated as valid.
f. Solomon’s point is that when corruption is removed, the king’s throne is established: Firmly set in place; stable; firm; unmovable!
g. What a contrast to the thinking of most politicians today.
• We seem to have the idea that if a president wants to establish his administration, he needs to build up political power by trampling over the other party, by bullying, and asserting himself
• Solomon states that an administration is made strong through moral purity.
• If evil men and their corrupt ways are removed, then the king’s throne WILL be established.
• It will have authenticated itself as valid. Thus the people will trust the king and want him to succeed. He will have the full support of his people if he has the TRUST of the people.
• When the people see corruption, they begin to distrust their leader and he loses their support.
• When a leader loses the support of his people, then his throne is not established. It is weakened!
• People will not stand behind, sacrifice for, or risk their lives to protect a throne that they do not trust.
• Nobody likes being lied to or cheated. But when the people trust their leaders, they will “establish their throne.”
h. Psalm 101:1-8 – David, Solomon’s father knew this truth.
• He wrote this psalm as the king. His “house” was the royal palace, referring to his royal court.
» vs. 2 – David determined (as king) to behave himself wisely as king and to maintain a right heart attitude. The king had to LEAD the way in maintaining a morally pure administration.
» Vs. 3, 7 – He determined to set no wicked thing (men) before him. He HATES corrupt men and corrupt ways. He would not allow them to “cleave” to him as corrupt men seek to do with powerful men.
» Vs. 4-5 – As king, he would not tolerate wicked men with froward or evil hearts. King David said such wicked men would “depart from me” and he would be “cut off.” King David would remove the dross.
» Some of this evidently rubbed off on his son Solomon.
i. A throne that has been cleansed of corruption is like a fine vessel: beautiful, practical, valuable, and highly prized! It will be strong and stable too.
j. When the leadership of a nation is free of corruption, it is established in RIGHTEOUSNESS… and the whole country benefits from it.
• Proverbs 14:34a – “Righteousness exalteth a nation.” It strengthens it too. Tolerating corruption abases a nation and makes it weak.
k. This principle applies to other areas of life as well.
• This is true of a business too. If the customer base thinks the company is cheating them or being dishonest, they will not support the company or buy their products.
• This is true of a local church too. People are very forgiving with honest mistakes, but if they detect dishonesty in the leadership, it will not be tolerated. The church will not be established and strengthened, but weakened.
• This is applicable to us as individuals too. If people discover that you are dishonest, or that you cheat, or lie, or gossip behind their backs, or if your word cannot be trusted, your relationships will not be strong, firm, and established. They will be weak, fall apart, and you will lose friends daily.
• Righteousness (honesty; purity; decency) establishes the throne—but it also has a strengthening effect in our personal lives and in our relationships with each other.
Proverbs 25:6-7
Self Promotion
Introduction:
1. This is a proverb that deals with a temptation that is “common to man”, namely, self-promoting ambition.
2. It is a common desire to want to elevate and advance ourselves.
3. In this proverb, Solomon gives some inspired advice on how to deal with that desire.
4. Solomon tells us what NOT to do and why.
1. “Put forth” – to honour; adorn; glorify; be high; to swell; elevate.
2. The command:
a. Solomon is commanding his readers NOT to elevate themselves in the presence of the king.
b. They were not to seek honor and glory for themselves from the king.
c. The command did not forbid them from BEING honored or elevated by the king. The command was that they should not put themselves forth for such honor.
d. The idea here is that while promotion is good; self-promotion is not.
3. In the presence of the king
a. Solomon (as a king) would have seen much too much of this kind of behavior.
b. No doubt, he was surrounded by self seeking, self promoting, ambitious, greedy men who were trying to USE the king’s presence to elevate themselves politically or financially.
c. The word “presence” means: “In front of, before, in the presence of, in the face of.”
d. In other words, Solomon is speaking of a person who seeks to push himself in the presence of the king… seeking to be seen with him… seeking to be in his presence as much as he can—but for selfish reasons.
e. No doubt we have seen this sort of thing when there is a press report at the White House or in the House. The President or the Speaker of the House (the important people) stand in front of the microphone. Behind them is a crowd of politicians all jockeying for position to have their face seen on national television alongside the President or the Speaker. Their goal of course, is to advance their own careers.
f. Just being seen with the King or with a President adds credibility and stature to the one seeking to advance his career.
4. Putting forth oneself…
a. This kind of self promotion is as old as the hills.
b. It is an integral part of human nature—fallen human nature, that is.
c. Pride is at the root of it all.
d. Pride tells us that we OUGHT to be advanced… that we DESERVE to be advanced… that we are better than others.
e. We tend to rank ourselves higher than do others.
f. Thrusting yourself forth in the presence of the King comes in various degrees too.
• It might involve pushing another politician out of the way so that your face can be in the picture with the President.
• It might involve trampling over the careers of others in order to advance yourself. (Climbing the corporate ladder on the backs of your co-workers)
• It often involves dishonesty, lying, and cheating to get yourself in the presence of the king or president—like Tareq and Michaele Salahi, the infamous party-crashers at the White House. They put themselves forth to be in the presence of the President through deception.
• Pride, greed, and raw ambition can motivate a person to commit all kinds of other sins.
1. Self promoting ambition does not only occur in the presence of the King in the royal court.
a. It also occurs in the presence of ALL great men.
b. “Great men” here refers to men in important positions; men of prominence, fame, wealth, and stature.
c. Great men always have others who want to be associated with them—and usually with self seeking motives.
2. It is not likely that many of Solomon’s readers (or us) would have had any opportunity to put themselves forth in the presence of the King, but they would have similar opportunities in lesser arenas.
a. Perhaps you are on a committee somewhere. Sometimes committee members can become a little pushy and self assertive in seeking to become the chairman.
b. This sort of thing takes place every day in the business world: unprincipled people using unsavory means to advance themselves—often at the expense of other more deserving people. They put themselves forth in the presence of the boss… the CEO.
c. This thing can even occur in the local church. Paul told Timothy that it was good to seek to serve the Lord in an office or some other position in the local church. The warning in our proverb is not to be self assertive and self promoting.
d. Unfortunately, this kind of self promotion occurs in the ministry too. It shouldn’t, but it does. Some men in a ministry USE a ministry as a steppingstone to advance their own “careers.” It is sad to say, but sometimes there is politicking going on in the background and jockeying for position.
3. The command: “Stand not”
a. Defined: To stand; to present something to another; to appoint; to prop up; (lots of shades of meaning).
b. This term is used in Lev 16:7 of presenting a sacrifice before the Lord.
c. Solomon is commanding his readers not to present themselves before great men—and in the context, he means for the purpose of self-advancement… self-promotion.
d. The idea is that we should not take the initiative ourselves.
• We should not be pushy, assertive, overly aggressive, or forceful in pushing ourselves on anyone.
• Prov. 27:2a – “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth.”
e. Thus, the advice that Solomon states here is going to be extremely ego-deflating to a man full of ambition whose main goal in life is to advance himself and his career or his product.
f. Nevertheless, the commands remain: Don’t elevate yourself before a king; don’t assertively push yourself on a great man—like your boss.
1. After giving the ego-deflating commands, Solomon next gives the reason WHY.
a. Solomon was not trying to discourage his ambitious readers.
b. He wasn’t trying to prevent them from getting promoted.
c. Rather, he was trying to prevent them from being humiliated.
2. “For better is it” (Vs.7a)
a. The word better has a broad range of meaning including: Good; pleasant; agreeable; glad; happy; prosperous; appropriate; becoming.
b. His readers may have been engaged in self promotion, which could lead to humiliation.
c. Solomon shows them a “more excellent way” – a way that they will find much more agreeable, appropriate, and pleasant than being humiliated.
3. As counterintuitive as it might sound to ambitious men, the better way to experience promotion is to OBEY the first two commands!
a. Don’t advance yourself. Don’t be overly assertive and push yourself on the king, or the great men, or your boss.
b. There are two possible ways to be found in the presence of the King: one right and one wrong.
c. One is honorable, the other is humiliating.
4. The WRONG way is to put yourself in his presence.
a. This is what was forbidden in the proverb.
b. For example, at a photo shoot at the White House, many ambitious congressmen would be pushing themselves forward to be as close to the President as possible.
c. Maybe the rookie no-name congressman from New Hampshire works his way right next to the President. How humiliating to be told to step back so the senior congressman from California can have the spotlight.
5. The RIGHT way is to obey the command and NOT assert yourself and push your way into the presence of the King.
a. Far better is it to be standing off in a corner somewhere, and to be ELEVATED to an important position than to be LOWERED in the presence of all the people you were trying to impress!
b. It is more agreeable, more pleasant, and more satisfying to have someone ELSE advance you than to advance ourselves.
6. Luke 14:7-10 – Jesus taught a parable based on this very truth.
a. The setting is a wedding feast held by an important man.
b. According to the customs of the day, the closer one was seated to the host, the more important the position.
c. Thus, there was sometimes a little scramble for the most honorable seats at such feasts. Everybody wanted the best seat for themselves.
d. Jesus taught this parable as a rebuke to the Pharisees.
• They assumed that because they deemed themselves to be important, they should have the highest positions in the Kingdom.
• However, if they maintained that attitude of pride and self assertion, they would be given lowly seats in the Kingdom.
• They would be humiliated when lowly people (like humble, repentant tax collectors and harlots) would be exalted and the Pharisees would be humiliated.
e. This parable rebuked the Pharisees, but even the apostles had a problem with this sin of self-promotion. (Matt. 18:1-4)
• They argued over the best seat in the Kingdom too—who would sit on the right and left hand of the Lord.
• They argued over who would be the greatest in the Kingdom.
f. Those who put themselves first will be last.
g. Before honor is humility. (Prov. 18:12)
7. The New Testament writers also apply this principle to Christian living.
a. Jas. 4:10 – “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
• Our job is not to lift ourselves up.
• Our job is to lower self; humble self; be a servant.
• Servants don’t stand in the presence of great men. They don’t try to hobnob with important people. They know their place.
• We should learn to be content with our place of lowliness rather than greedily seeking promotion and exaltation.
• Our job is to walk in lowliness.
• The LORD is the One who lifts us up. The Lord is the One who advances us to the position He wants us in.
• Joseph became Prime Minister of Egypt not because he was assertive and self promoting. Rather, he became Prime Minister because he was a good servant and his skills were noticed, appreciated, and eventually led to the king advancing him to a place of honor.
b. I Pet. 5:6 – “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.”
• Again note the order: we humble ourselves; God does the exalting.
• Note the words, “in due time.”
• This implies that it is easy to become restless, anxious, and tired of waiting.
• After waiting for advancement longer than WE think we should, there is a tendency to take matters into our own hands and become self-assertive and self-promoting.
• It is far better to wait on the Lord and let HIM do the exalting.
• One final note: “Acting humble” should not be used as a strategy for self-advancement.
» God knows the heart. There are thousands of evangelicals who USE the Bible to advance themselves and their business.
» The whole gospel of success is based on this perversion of truth.
» They used good principles from the Bible, but the real motive is self-advancement, earthly success and riches.
» Many Bible principles when practiced in the business world WORK—even if their motive is selfish and greedy.
» Unfortunately for them, God knows the heart.
» God can tell the difference between a person who walks humbly and is honest with his clients in order to (1) glorify God or (2) make a lot of money.
• God wants GENUINE modesty and humility. That is what the Lord looks for and exalts.
Proverbs 25:8
Be Not Hasty to Strive
1. The subject at hand in this proverb is strife.
a. Strive: Contend; argue; debate; quarrel; bring legal charges against; raise complaints or accusation against someone.
b. The term Solomon used is broad enough to include ALL kinds of disagreements and debates.
c. Some commentators are sure that he is speaking about law suits in particular.
d. While the term used certainly could include lawsuits, it seems to have a much broader meaning.
e. It could include anything from a squabble among friends, to a lawsuit, and even a war between nations.
f. People get into all kinds of disagreements that never rise to the level of a lawsuit.
g. We have all experienced strife in one form or another—many times over! It is a problem that is common to man.
h. We have all been accused of things that we didn’t do or say.
i. We have all had people complain about us, our work, our family, our words, etc. It’s not very pleasant.
j. In a world with seven billion sinners, there will continue to be strife, debates, arguments, fights, and lawsuits… even wars.
k. This is a reality of life and we will not be able to avoid it entirely until glory.
2. The command: Go not forth
a. This verb is used often and means to go in or to go out.
b. It is used in many different contexts.
c. Here it simply means to go towards something… namely, going towards a fight or an argument or an accusation against someone.
d. Solomon is warning his readers NOT to enter into strife.
e. Of course, sometimes, there is no way to avoid strife.
f. Sometimes it is necessary to bring an accusation against another.
• We live under the constant threat of a terrorist attack.
• Our government has told us that “if you see something, say something.”
• There are times when it is perfectly appropriate and right to bring an accusation against someone, especially if they are up to no good and might harm someone.
g. This proverb does not outright forbid bringing an accusation against another person, or ever taking someone to court.
• In fact, it was God who established human government and established a judicial system for this very reason.
• Solomon lived under the Mosaic Law and the Law provided the legal procedures for taking someone to court.
• In fact, Solomon himself acted as a judge from time to time.
• He is not forbidding lawsuits or accusations against others altogether.
3. The specific nature of the command: Do not go forth hastily.
a. Hastily: Quickly, speedily; in a hurry to get something done or accomplished.
b. Solomon is not forbidding us from entering into strife or a debate or making an accusation against another person.
c. He is however, forbidding us to do so hastily!
d. The specific command is that we are not to make snap judgments and instantly accuse someone without all the facts.
e. We are not to assume things and enter into a debate on the basis of assumptions and gut feelings.
f. We are not to quickly judge a person and level a complaint against them.
g. In time, it may be necessary, but give it time!
h. Do not go forth hastily to strive with anyone.
i. James tells us: “Be slow to wrath.”
j. Solomon tells us: “Be slow to accuse; to argue; to enter into a fight with someone.”
k. Don’t act on impulse or passion.
l. Be more deliberate, thoughtful, careful, and prayerful in handling matters.
m. Passion and anger can easily draw us into some form of contention.
n. It is far better to think things through first before you open up a potential can of worms.
4. It is our nature to be hasty and to jump into the middle of an argument or a debate.
a. Solomon was a keen observer of human behavior. He certainly must have observed this trend often as a king and as a judge.
b. I have also had to deal with this many times as a pastor.
c. When debates arise in the local church (and they will arise!) too often we are quick to form opinions, pick sides, join the debate, and add fuel to the fire WITHOUT knowing all the facts.
d. Sometimes folks hear one side of the story and have already made up their minds and have condemned the other party. That is being hasty in strife. At least wait until you hear both sides.
e. Circumstantial evidence can look very damning, and it is easy to assume guilt and accuse someone on that basis—hastily. Yet that damning circumstantial evidence may have a very simple explanation that exonerates the accused.
f. Therefore, don’t be hasty to accuse. Don’t be hasty to enter into a fight or a debate.
g. Give it a little time. Wait for all the evidence to come out. Wait for all the facts to surface.
h. Prov. 24:28 – “Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause.” Without all the facts, we may not really have a just cause for the accusation or for the argument.
i. We also allow our biases to enter into this.
• We are much more likely to quickly assume the guilt of someone we don’t like or someone we are biased against.
• We are much more likely to quickly assume the guilt of a person from a particular race or culture we don’t like.
• For example, suppose that we saw a lineup of three men accused of terrorism: one red headed Irishman, one blonde Swede, and a dark haired man from Yemen.
• We might be more inclined to hastily accuse the man from Yemen—even before hearing all the facts of the case.
• Solomon’s warning here is: don’t be too hasty to accuse.
• Obviously more terrorism comes from the Middle East, but it would be foolish to hastily conclude guilt on that basis alone.
• Don’t be too hasty to condemn.
• Don’t be too hasty to bring a lawsuit against him.
• It’s far better to wait for all the facts of the case to come in.
1. In the second part of this proverb Solomon gives the REASON we should not be too hasty to “go forth into strife.” The reason has two parts.
2. “Lest thou know not what to do!”
a. The reason we should not be hasty to jump into a fight, or a contention, or to make an accusation, is because once you get it started, you may not know what to do afterwards.
b. Emotion can draw us into a fight. But once you are in the midst of the battle, you have to think about your next move; and you may not know what to do next.
c. You can blurt out an accusation against someone based on a hunch or a gut feeling. But after the accusation is made, and people demand evidence, you may not know what to do.
d. Solomon’s point is that we should think about step #2 before we ever take step #1.
e. What if you make an accusation, or enter into an argument, or pick a side in a debate, and make a big deal out of it, only to discover that you were wrong. What do you do then? You may not know what to do then.
f. Along a similar vein, the Lord Jesus warned in Luke 14:31: “Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?”
• The warning is, “don’t be hasty to get engaged in a war. Sit down first and think it through.”
• Anyone can start a war. Not everyone can finish well.
• Once you attack, then what?
3. “When thy neighbor hath put thee to shame.”
a. If you enter into a brawl of one sort or another, you may not know what to do.
b. And on top of that, you may be brought to shame.
c. The king who enters a war without thinking it through might be brought to shame when his army is decimated and he is captured and chained.
d. The man who accuses someone on impulse and anger rather than on the facts may be brought to shame. He may be exposed as a troublemaker who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
e. Someone who is hasty to engage in an argument over an issue without knowing all the facts will be brought to shame too. He will have egg on his face and may have to eat his words… and be very embarrassed and ashamed of his folly.
f. It’s easy to start an argument. It’s not always easy to stop it. And it could escalate far beyond what you ever envisioned. It could bring you to shame.
g. You may lose both the argument and your honor.
h. Prov. 15:18 – God would have us to be “slow to anger.”
i. Prov. 14:17 – “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly.” Acting on anger and impulse will cause us to jump into a fight without thinking it through. That kind of a person always ends up doing something stupid that he regrets later on. It will bring him to shame.
j. So when contention and strife is beginning to bubble up (at home; in the office; at school) before you get angry and passionate and jump into the fray, here’s what to do: stop… take a deep breath… think… make sure you know all the facts… read the Word… take it to the Lord in prayer…
k. By then the argument may even be over and settled.
Proverbs 25:9-10
Debates with Your Neighbor
1. Debate thy cause:
a. To strive; dispute; contend; fight (either physically or with words); to quarrel; to bring forth a lawsuit.
b. This word is translated “strive” in verse eight.
c. Solomon is speaking of all kinds of arguments, fights, quarrels, and disagreements of various levels that arise among neighbors, friends, and brothers.
2. Neighbour:
a. Friend; companion; fellow; another person.
b. The debate described here is not limited to certain circles, but is a debate that might occur with ANY other person. (Friend; foe; family; boss; co worker; teacher; classmate; etc.)
c. The exhortation is broad enough to be applied to ANY debate with ANY person.
3. Himself:
a. The main verb in this command is debate, but the point of the command is not that we should get into a debate; it’s better not to get into a fight with anyone.
b. But if we do find ourselves embroiled in a debate, we should keep it PRIVATE.
c. Debate with your neighbor himself (him alone)—not with your neighbor and drag lots of other people into the argument.
d. Verse 8: Here the advice is, “Don’t go HASTILY into a debate or strife.” Don’t be eager to argue. Don’t jump in on a whim or without knowing all the facts. Be SLOW to enter into a controversy.
e. Verse 9: Now the advice is that if you DO find yourself in a debate, as much as lieth in you, keep it private.
f. The PURPOSE of speaking to the person in private is to deal with the matter in a peaceful, amicable way.
g. Reconciliation is the goal.
h. Remember, these are proverbs. They don’t cover every possible situation. Sometimes it may not be possible to keep it private. But if you can, then do!
4. This principle of dealing privately with controversy is found elsewhere in Scripture.
a. Matt. 18:15 – Here Jesus speaks of a controversy between two Jewish brothers in a synagogue setting.
• If you have a controversy with a brother, go to him alone and try to bring about reconciliation.
• Try to resolve it privately if possible.
• If you can resolve it at that level, then you have gained a brother.
b. Prov. 11:13 – A faithful man will try to conceal a matter. Don’t bring others into the fray. Try to keep it private—just between the two parties involved.
1. Discover:
a. Uncover; reveal; show; disclose; to make known; expose; etc.
b. The term used here does not speak of a person finding out a secret for himself, but rather, it speaks of exposing it to others… causing others to discover it.
2. Secret:
a. This term speaks of counsel; inward or intimate conversation or counsel; intimate fellowship; something shared in confidence.
b. The term is used in Ps. 55:14: “We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.”
3. From time to time someone will confide in us.
a. They will share something that is heavy on their heart—something very private.
b. Perhaps you have given some personal information to a friend that you gave in confidence… something you didn’t want anyone else to know.
c. If you give private information out you expect others to keep it private.
d. Therefore, if others give private information to you, they too expect you to keep it in confidence.
e. The second expression in our proverb forbids us from revealing the secrets of others.
4. Prov. 11:3 – It forbids us from being a “talebearer.”
a. Talebearers blab to others things that were shared in confidence.
b. When someone violates your trust and shares YOUR private matters publically, it can be humiliating, embarrassing, and extremely frustrating.
c. It can be painful:
• Proverbs 18:8 – “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.”
d. Revealing secrets does not help end the debate. It stirs up the debate and keeps the fire going.
• Prov. 26:20 – “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”
5. So far Solomon has given us good advice when we find ourselves embroiled in a controversy.
a. Keep it between the two parties involved.
b. Don’t drag others in.
6. The proverb does not make clear WHOSE secret is revealed.
a. It could refer to the secret of the one accused.
b. It could also refer to the secret of a third party not directly involved in the controversy.
c. What the proverb says is that in the midst of a controversy, when tempers are flaring, when the battle is raging, and the flames are hot, DON’T reveal secrets.
7. Don’t reveal secrets of the one with whom you are debating.
a. If somebody stole something from you, deal with that person alone.
b. You don’t have to tell others what he did. Keep it private.
c. If you start revealing this person’s secret (his sin) it only adds fuel to the fire and makes the controversy more difficult to resolve.
d. The person with whom you are embroiled in a debate is not only angry at you for the original cause of the debate; now he is also angry at you for blabbing what he did all over town!
e. It doesn’t matter what the sin is either.
• If someone was gossiping about you, then deal with that person in private. Nobody else needs to know.
• If someone committed some other indiscretion against you, deal with him or her privately. Don’t blab it all over town. That doesn’t help; it hurts.
• If someone lied to you, offended you, cheated you, etc. —deal with it one on one. Don’t reveal that person’s secret sins to others. They don’t need to know anything.
• Debate the cause with your neighbor alone and don’t reveal any secrets.
8. The “revealing of secrets” described in this proverb could have another application as well.
a. It could be the secret of a third party.
b. A possible scenario:
• There is a debate (controversy; strife) between two people over stolen property.
• Tom (the man who is accused of the crime) says, “I wasn’t even in town the night they were stolen. I couldn’t have taken them.”
• But YOU (the accuser) were told by a third party (Pete) that he saw Tom there that night. You now know that Tom is lying.
• However, Pete gave that information in confidence. Pete wanted to help you, but he didn’t want to get himself involved in the controversy.
• It’s tempting to use Pete’s information in the debate. It would end the argument.
• However, Pete gave you that information in confidence and you promised Pete you wouldn’t reveal his secret.
• If you DO, it will cause a third fight between Pete and Tom. You have not resolved the debate; now you have expanded it!
9. Regardless of whose secret it is, when you are in the midst of a heated argument, it is tempting to reveal the secrets of others… to tell many people to win them over to your side of the debate.
a. Either to bolster your side of the argument.
b. Or to drag down the other side.
c. Solomon’s advice is timely in such a situation:
• Debate with you and your neighbor alone
• Don’t reveal secrets in the process.
Two Consequences of NOT keeping the matter private
1. The result: Shame: to bring shame, disgrace, or reproach.
2. If in the midst of controversy and strife, you begin revealing the private secrets of others… there will be consequences to that action.
a. He will shame you by making it known that you are not trustworthy; you are a talebearer; you cannot be trusted. You violated his confidence.
b. Even if you were on the right side of the original debate, by breaking the confidence of others, or by revealing secrets in any other way, you will earn the reputation of one who is a talebearer… unreliable…
c. That will bring shame upon your name.
3. Verse 8: In a slightly different scenario, the result is the same: Shame.
a. If you enter into strife hastily, it could end in shame.
b. If you make a private matter public, it could end in shame too.
c. We could save ourselves a lot of shame by taking this good advice.
1. Your INFAMY will not turn away.
2. You betrayed the confidence of a friend.
3. You will become the infamous violator of trust.
4. You will have gained a reputation for being two faced; double tongued; unreliable.
5. Nobody will want to entrust private information with you again.
6. Your infamy will follow your steps wherever you go.
7. The reputation you earn will not turn away. It will stick with you.
8. It’s hard to shake a reputation. The best way is to not earn it in the first place!
Proverbs 25:11
A Word Fitly Spoken
Introduction:
1. This proverb was probably intended to be linked together with verse 12 as one proverbial thought.
2. Combined, they liken words spoken and heard to something beautiful.
3. Verse 11 speaks of the beauty of the word from the speaker’s perspective.
4. Verse 12 deals with the beauty of the word from the hearer’s perspective.
1. This expression describes words spoken, but not just any words randomly blurted out.
a. Words are powerful. They can be spoken in many different ways with many different results.
b. This expression describes but one very narrow and unfortunately, often very rare use of words… those that are fitly spoken.
2. First, let’s consider the terminology used:
a. Words:
• The Hebrew word used here is translated 85 different ways in the KJV!
• It has several meanings, but we will consider only those that relate to its use in this proverb.
• This term is commonly used of the word of the Lord in the Old Testament. It is translated “command.” (The ten commands are actually called the 10 words – same Hebrew word – Ex. 34:28)
• However, the term as used in our proverb refers to any kind of utterance; or speech—and the context implies that it is coming from another human being—not necessarily new revelation from the Lord.
• It is variously defined as speech, a message, a statement, communication;
• It is used here of speech in general, and not just one word.
• A speech fitly spoken… a statement fitly spoken… ordinary talk fitly spoken… a conversation fitly spoken… etc.
b. Fitly:
• This is an unusual word. It is used 36 times in the Old Testament.
• The KJV translates it “wheels” 35 times and “fitly” once.
• It is used to describe all kinds of wheels – military wheels on chariots, cart wheels, a potter’s wheel, spinning wheels, decorative wheels, and threshing wheels.
• This is the term that is also used several times in Ezekiel’s description of the “chariot wheels” that transported the throne of God in his vision in chapter one.
• Ezekiel’s use of the wheel might throw some light on the usage of the term in our proverb.
• Ezek. 1:16 – The prophet speaks of these chariot wheels as wheels within wheels… almost like a gyroscope effect.
1. A gyroscope is defined as “a device consisting of a rotating heavy metal wheel pivoted inside a circular frame whose movement does not affect the wheel’s orientation in space.”
• Ezek. 1:19-21 – The movement of this chariot-throne is described as if these creatures and the wheels were able to move in any direction in an instant… transporting the chariot throne of God at His will.
• It may well be that the concept of a wheel to the ancient mind was equated with perfect BALANCE.
• When a wheel is in balance, it produces a smooth ride.
• When a wheel is out of balance, it provides a bumpy ride.
3. Words FITLY Spoken Described:
a. Words that are in balance with the truth and with God’s Word.
b. Words that are in balance with the immediate situation.
c. Words that are in balance with proper timing.
d. Words that are in balance with the emotional climate.
e. Words that are in balance considering the person(s) to whom you are speaking.
f. Words “fitly spoken” are words that are carefully chosen; carefully placed and arranged.
g. It may also include the idea of words that are spoken with a right spirit and a right attitude.
h. And of course, truth needs to be spoken, but it needs to be spoken in love. “Speak the truth in love.”
4. Some men (and women) seem to think it a high honor to “speak their mind.”
a. They interpret it as being honest and transparent.
b. They pride themselves in speaking out whatever is on their mind.
c. That is actually pretty foolish because way too often, that which is on our minds is not worth speaking. It is not even worth thinking!
• To blurt out whatever is on our minds whenever it pops into our minds spells trouble.
• That kind of person isn’t carefully choosing his words.
• He is not thinking about the proper timing… or the right situation in which to bring up the subject.
• Prov. 29:11 – A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
5. Examples of Words FITLY spoken
a. The words of Abigail to David (I Sam. 25)
• He also took into consideration that she was a woman approaching the man anointed as king. (vs. 23-24)
• She made haste—using proper timing. (vs. 23a – she hasted before it was too late. She took advantage of the window of opportunity.)
• Abigail took into consideration the emotional distress of David and his men. (vs. 25 – you are right in being angry!)
• She encourages him to think of the consequences of acting in anger. (vs. 31)
v. To David, these words were apples of gold in pictures of silver. (vs. 32-33)
b. Paul’s words on Mar’s Hill
• Acts 17:22-28 – He launched his speech by noting the altar that they made to the unknown God. Then he made his point by quoting one of their poets.
• He could have just torn into them as being vile, vulgar, ignorant idolaters.
• Instead, he wisely chose to present the truth in a manner in which it might be received.
• He did not compromise the truth, but he carefully chose his words so as to not unnecessarily offend the Greeks.
• There is an offence to the cross, but the one presenting the message should NOT be offensive.
1. There have been several different interpretations for this expression.
a. Pictures of silver:
• The word “picture” is defined as a setting, or a frame.
• It could be a frame for a piece of art.
• It could be a setting of silver in an engraving.
b. It might not be possible to know for sure what Solomon had in mind and what he was alluding to.
• Some interpret this as silver and gold engravings on a fine piece of furniture in a palace… or perhaps a piece of art.
• Others see it as golden colored fruit placed in a sliver basket used as a centerpiece on a table.
• One man suggested that this might be poetic language describing oranges on a tree after a winter storm in which the oranges were covered with silver-like snow and ice.
• Each of the above descriptions is pleasing to the eye.
2. While we may not be able to know for sure exactly what the author of this text had in mind, one thing is clear: Solomon was speaking of that which was a thing of beauty.
a. That’s the point that is made in this proverb.
b. Words fitly spoken are a thing of beauty.
3. Truth is enhanced when communicated carefully and thoughtfully.
a. Prov. 15:23 – “A word spoken in due season, how good is it!
• Proper timing is an art in itself… knowing when to speak and when to be quiet.
• Ecc. 3:1 – There is “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”
• Ecc. 3:7 – There is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.”
• Truth spoken at the wrong time can be damaging and ineffective, but at the proper time, “how good is it!”
b. Ecc. 12:10 – “The preacher sought to find out acceptable words.”
• This applies not only to preachers, but to us all.
• We should SEEK OUT the right words when confronting others… or a rebuke or reproof is in order.
• Sometimes a teaspoon of sugar helps the medicine go down.
• Seek to speak the truth—but do so in a way that is most likely to be received.
• Truth is piercing enough. It is not necessary for us to couch the truth in caustic words.
• How many times have we spoken to someone, and then walked away and thought to our self, “I shouldn’t have said that. I wish I said it this way instead.” or “I should have waited to tell him. This was not the right time.”
• We have all done that—and kicked ourselves for not thinking it through before we spoke.
• We speaks words that are out of balance and not fitly spoken, and we regret it later. Sometimes those words come back to bite us.
• Like a wheel that it out of balance, words spoken “out of balance” result in a very bumpy ride.
• But how sweet it is when we THINK before we speak… and we choose our words carefully… and we pray about the timing… and we say it in just the right spirit.
c. When truth is spoken “fitly,” it truly is a thing of beauty.
• And like a wheel in balance, it results in a smooth ride.
Proverbs 25:12
A Wise Reprover
Introduction:
1. This proverb is probably to be read together with the previous verse.
2. Both verses speak about the beauty of wisely chosen and wisely timed words.
3. We all know that words can be extremely hurtful and ugly.
4. In verses 11-12, Solomon points out that words can also be beautiful… like gold jewelry.
1. Reproof defined:
a. Judge; rebuke; reprove; correct.
b. Lodge a legal charge against someone.
c. To convict; to convince someone of a moral wrong.
2. Reproof and correction is valuable and profitable.
a. But not all reproof is valuable or profitable.
b. Some reproof can actually be hurtful and damaging and make matters worse.
c. It is only WISE reproof that Solomon describes as a thing of beauty in this passage.
d. The implication here is that not all reproof incorporates wisdom.
e. The intentions may be good, but if reproof is carried out without wisdom, it can be damaging.
3. The characteristics of a wise reprover.
a. A wise reproof uses Scripture. (II Tim. 3:16)
• “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
b. A wise reproof reproves with divine authority. (Titus 2:15)
• “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.”
• His reproof is based on Scripture and he makes that known.
• When that is the case, then it is an expression of God’s authority, not man’s opinion.
c. A wise reproof reproves with all longsuffering and doctrine. (II Tim.4:2)
• “…reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
d. A wise reprover does so in love as a brother. (II Thess. 3:15)
• “Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
e. A wise reprover reproves without hypocrisy. (Matt. 7:5)
• “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
f. A wise reprover speaks in due season. (Prov. 15:23)
• “…a word spoken in due season, how good is it!”
g. A wise reprover speaks graciously. (Col. 4:6)
• “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
4. For the reproof to be valuable and effective, it must be delivered in the proper manner.
a. Good intentions are not good enough.
b. Many a father has reproved his son with the right intentions, but with the wrong spirit. That can do more harm than good.
c. Col. 3:21 – “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.”
d. Reproof that is intended to correct bad behavior may actually exacerbate the problem and result in anger and discouragement.
e. The one doing the reproving needs wisdom, grace, guidance, good timing, brotherly love, and most importantly, the truth of God’s Word.
f. For reproof to be valuable, beautiful, and effective requires wisdom on the part of the one reproving.
g. But there is also a prerequisite on the part of the one hearing the reproof.
1. An obedient ear refers to the ear of the one who is being reproved.
a. For reproof to be a thing of beauty, it requires wisdom on the part of the reprover AND obedience on the part of one hearing the reproof.
b. The point is that reproof (though necessary and valuable) is a delicate thing. It can go terribly wrong on either end… the one speaking or the one hearing.
2. An obedient ear actually implies two steps on the part of the one who is being reproved.
a. It requires first of all that he use his ear and is willing to listen. Not all persons in need of reproof will even listen. The fool thinks that he is above reproof. He’s too smart for that. He doesn’t need it.
b. Secondly an obedient ear implies that the one who listens also obeys what he hears, implements the reproof into action, and makes the necessary changes. Listening is not enough.
3. Acts 17:11 – Of course, all reproof needs to be examined in light of God’s Word.
a. Luke tells us that it is good to receive the word spoken with all readiness of mind, but also compare it to Scripture.
b. This proverb does not imply that we are required to obey ALL reproof.
c. Sometimes the one reproving is not wise. Sometimes his counsel or correction is out of line.
d. The proverb is really looking at a situation where the correction is good and necessary. That kind of reproof is to be obeyed.
4. Not all ears are obedient.
a. Prov. 1:30 – Lady Wisdom laments that the young men she cried out to rejected her reproof. “They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.”
b. Prov. 15:12 – Some will not even listen to reproof. They do not appreciate the reproof. “A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.”
c. Prov. 5:11-13 – Those who reject reproof will live to regret it. 11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, 12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; 13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
d. Prov. 29:1 – Wise reproof rejected leads to destruction. “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”
e. That is a disobedient ear.
f. Not all reprovers are wise and not all hearers are obedient.
g. Both wisdom and obedience are needed for reproof to accomplish God’s purpose in it.
h. Reproof needs to be well given and well taken.
5. But when wise reproof falls upon an obedient ear, it truly is a thing of beauty.
1. In verse 11, words fitly spoken are like apples of gold in pictures of silver – a thing of beauty. In verse 12, wise reproof obeyed is also a thing of beauty – like fine gold jewelry.
2. “Earrings of gold and ornaments of fine gold” were intended to convey three main points:
a. Earrings and ornaments are considered to be things of beauty.
b. Gold earrings and ornaments are not only considered to be beautiful, they are also valuable.
c. Because they are beautiful and valuable, they are highly prized.
3. Solomon’s point is that a wise reproof on an obedient ear is:
a. A thing of beauty.
b. It is a most valuable thing.
c. And it ought to be highly prized and sought after.
4. The true beauty and value of wise reproof on an obedient ear:
a. The one with the obedient ear will love you! (Prov. 9:8)
• “Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.”
b. Initially it stings, and even though it may take a while, eventually, the obedient ear will learn to appreciate what you did for him or her (Prov. 28:23).
• “He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.”
c. Wise reproof, even when spoken graciously in brotherly love, is painful. But the wound will soon be seen for what they are: the faithful wounds of a friend. (Prov. 27:6)
d. The one receiving the rebuke will be honored (13:18).
• “But he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.”
• When reproof is obeyed and the correction is made, it brings the one reproved to the place of honor instead of remaining in sin and dishonor.
• It restores his testimony and his reputation.
e. The one reproved will see the true value of it and it will have a lingering effect like sweet anointing oil (Psalm 141:5).
• “Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head.”
Proverbs 25:13
A Faithful Messenger
1. Solomon is speaking here of the value of one who is sent with a message or on a mission.
2. The word “messenger” means:
a. Ambassador; envoy; delegation; a person who is sent to represent another person or a nation.
b. The term is a little broader than our English word “messenger.”
c. It may involve a simple delivery of a message, but it also may involve the carrying out of a mission.
d. Thus, Solomon is speaking about those who are sent out for various purposes to accomplish the task(s) of the one who sends.
3. Thus, this proverb has application in countless situations.
a. It could apply to a teacher – one teaching God’s Word.
b. It could apply to a friend who is sent to deliver a message for another friend.
c. It could apply to one who is given a ministry to perform in the local church.
d. It could apply in the workplace – to a workman who is given various responsibilities to carry out for his boss or for the company.
4. The proverb is really about responsibility; for Solomon speaks not just of any messenger, but a FAITHFUL messenger.
a. Not every messenger is valuable for not every messenger is faithful.
b. Faithful: Reliable; faithful; to stand firm; to trustworthy; stable.
c. Not everyone sent to perform a task or a ministry is valuable, because not all are faithful. They are not all reliable.
d. Just because someone HAS a particular task, job, position, or ministry to perform, does not mean that they do a GOOD job at it.
e. Not every worker does a good job. Not all can be counted upon to get the job done.
f. Not every pastor sent to a local church faithfully delivers the message.
g. Not every Sunday school teacher sent to minister to a particular age group is faithful in preparing, studying, and praying for his or her students. Some are faithful; some aren’t.
h. Not every servant in any other ministry in the local church reliable and steadfast in their ministry.
i. Not every office or factory worker can be relied upon by the boss to carry out the task he was assigned.
j. It has been said many times that the two most important abilities are reliability and dependability.
k. This is the point of our proverb.
1. In this proverb Solomon is describing the value of a faithful messenger, but not from the perspective of the value of the job or task accomplished, but rather from the perspective of the one who sent the messenger to perform the task.
2. Every boss, every employer, every manager, every pastor, every leader of any sort can readily enter into what Solomon states here.
a. In the work world, it is not easy to find good, faithful, reliable workers.
b. In the local church, it is not easy to find good, faithful, reliable servants.
c. It’s usually pretty easy to find people who are qualified to DO the job… but it’s not so easy finding people who can do the job and will be faithful at it… reliable… trustworthy.
d. Work ethic, integrity, and stability are not as common in the world as they should be.
e. Everybody looks and sounds good on the job interview; but it sometimes takes a couple of years before their real work ethic, integrity, and stability are revealed.
f. They may be eminently qualified to perform the task, but are they reliable? Will they show up that day? Will they be late for the meeting? Will they procrastinate and put the work off until it’s too late? They may be able to do a great job, but is their home-life so unstable that it affects their work? Are they a scatterbrain? Are they disorganized? Do they try to pawn the work off on to someone else?
3. Solomon is looking at this issue from the perspective of the one who SENT them to do the job or to deliver the message.
A Faithful Messenger is Refreshing
1. The “cold of snow” probably does not refer to snowfall on the crops in harvest time.
a. Snow at harvest time in Israel would not be very likely.
b. That would not be refreshing to the harvester.
c. Actually, snow falling on the crops at harvest time could be disastrous. It could ruin the crop. The farmer would not find that very refreshing!
d. But the text says, the “cold of snow,” not the falling of snow.
e. The “cold of snow” more likely refers to the snow in the mountains that is brought down from the hills to those working in the fields in the form of ice cold water… or perhaps ice to cool down their drinks.
f. Others think the “cold of snow” refers to breezes that blow off the snow capped mountain and drag down cool mountain air to refresh those working in the hot sun below in the fields during the time of harvest.
g. Regardless of the exact meaning of the “cold of snow,” the point Solomon makes is that in time of harvest, when workers are hot and sweaty, coolness in any form (a cool drink or breeze) brings welcome relief and refreshment.
2. Solomon states that the faithful messenger (the one who delivers his message or performs his ministry) is REFRESHING to those who went him.
a. When the boss, (or manager, or leader) hears that the message he sent was actually sent faithfully and reliably, then he is refreshed.
b. When a pastor hears that a ministry is being faithful carried out, he is refreshed.
c. When a president hears that his ambassador faithfully carried out his mission overseas, he too is refreshed and relieved.
d. When a boss or manager sends someone to carry out an important task, he may be sweating it out like the men working the fields in the heat of the day.
e. The knowledge that the task was carried out faithfully is like a cool breeze to him… enabling him to rest a little easier.
1. Master: Lord; master; owner; proprietor; one who exercises authority over others.
a. The master here refers to the one who sent the ambassador or messenger.
b. He is the “boss” or the one who has authority.
c. The master is in charge, and ultimately the carrying out of the task at hand falls on his shoulders and is his responsibility even if he is not the one sent to actually perform the task.
d. If the master (boss; leader; etc.) has unfaithful servants it reflects poorly on him.
e. The master receives the blame if the job is not done. He carries the burden and the weight.
2. The SOUL of the master is refreshed when the one sent is faithful to his or her task.
a. Just as a cool breeze or a cool drink refreshes the body of one harvesting in hot weather, so too a faithful messenger refreshes the soul of the master who sends him on his mission.
b. Soul: Person; appetite; mind; living being; desire; emotion; passion; feeling; the inner life; the inner person as opposed to the outer person – the body.
c. A faithful messenger/ambassador is refreshing to the one who sends him and thus is VALUABLE for that very reason.
d. It is a refreshing relief to be able to send someone to do a task and KNOW that the job will be done… that it will be done well… and not have to worry about whether it will get done.
e. It lifts a load off the master’s shoulders to know that he doesn’t have to worry about that task. He has utmost confidence in the servant sent to carry out that duty.
3. Prov. 13:17 – Two different kinds of messengers contrasted.
a. A wicked messenger falls into mischief, and thus creates trouble for the one who was relying upon him to carry out his duty.
• If you hire a wicked or unfaithful messenger or servant, then you can expect trouble… regret… anxiety… discouragement… disappointment… etc.
• Prov. 10:26 – “As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.”
• Prov. 25:19 – Confidence in an unfaithful man is like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint.
1. Solomon makes some powerful analogies here concerning a man who is not faithful in his duties.
2. He is like smoke in the eyes—irritating!
3. A broken tooth—try biting into an apple with a broken tooth… it is painful!
4. Try taking a step on a foot that is out of joint—it hurts.
5. Those who are sent to do a task and are unfaithful are like a foot out of joint. When the person walks, he expects his foot to work, but when it doesn’t work and is out of joint, it is painful to rely upon it!
6. Don’t BE that an unfaithful messenger… don’t HIRE an unreliable person… don’t place your TRUST in someone who is untrustworthy.
b. But a faithful ambassador is HEALTH… (Prov. 13:17)
• The Hebrew word translated “ambassador” is the same word translated “messenger” in Prov. 25:13.
• Health: A masculine noun indicating healing; peace, calmness. It refers to a state of security, stability, relaxation: A heart of peace is said to be a source of life for the body.
• The one who sends a faithful messenger will experience health; peace of mind and heart instead of worry and fear.
c. Faithful servants are valuable and are worth their weight in gold.
• However, they are rare.
• Prov. 20:6 – a faithful man who can find?
• If you can find one, they are “health” to your bones. They are refreshing as a cool drink in the heat of summer.
4. Consider YOUR ministry before the Lord.
a. In a sense, we are all messengers or ambassadors of the LORD.
b. He has given each of us a spiritual gift, a place in the Body, and a capacity to serve Him.
c. He has sent us into the world to represent Him and preach His gospel.
d. I Cor. 4:2 – It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.
e. When we are faithful to the ministry to which God has called us, then we are REFRESHING to the Lord!
f. God has feelings. He can be grieved. He can be disappointed. He can be hurt. But He can also rejoice and be refreshed when you and I are FAITHFUL to the tasks He sends us to perform.
g. We can be PLEASING to the Lord our God.
Proverbs 25:14
Boasting of a False Gift
Introduction:
1. This proverb does not contain any commands or exhortations.
2. Rather, it makes a statement which serves as a warning.
3. The statement is that there are people in the world who are just like the one described in this proverb.
4. The implied exhortations are:
a. Beware of such people; don’t be duped.
b. Don’t be like this person.
What the Boaster Does
1. The proverb warns of a man who boasts of a false gift.
2. A false gift:
a. False: A lie; deceit; misleading; fraud.
b. The term is used in Jer. 23:32 – used of false prophets proclaiming “false” dreams… which in fact, were deceitful lies.
c. These prophets said that they received a dream from God with a special message from God, but they were lying. They were purposely trying to deceive the people into believing a lie.
d. They promised dreams of wonderful things… peace and prosperity that never materialized.
3. Thus, a false gift is the promise of a gift that is misleading, deceptive, or an outright lie.
a. A warning against “false gifts” is timeless. It is appropriate for every human being in every age bracket and in every generation.
b. Since the fall of Adam, there have always been scam artists out there… seeking to deceive others with a false gift.
c. The tactics and methods used may change, but essentially the scam is the same.
d. There have always been dishonest people who make wonderful promises and claims that they have no intention of keeping.
e. The promise of their “gift” is false, deceptive, misleading… an outright lie.
4. The BOAST (halal)
a. The word “boast” has a couple of meanings:
• Its first and most common meaning is to shine; to radiate; to praise; to extol the greatness of a person. It very often means to extol the greatness of God.
• The term can mean to extol the greatness of someone else… OR to extol the greatness of something.
• Solomon uses the term in the sense of extolling the greatness of a gift… praising it… making it sound wonderful… making it to “radiate” with glory.
b. Our proverb speaks of a dishonest man who makes a boast about a gift that he knows is deceptive.
• He loudly proclaims how wonderful it is… how valuable it is… and he extols its greatness.
• He is not quiet about it… but openly boasts.
• He attempts to make his gift radiate in the minds of his hearers so that they will become dazzled by it… and desire to have it.
5. This is a warning against the age-old snake oil salesman.
a. The snake oil salesman boasts about his product.
b. He makes wild claims that it can heal ulcers, headaches, sore backs, poison ivy, and any other ailment you might have.
c. He boasts great things about his product… he makes it shine in the minds of his hearers.
d. But his claims are false. It is a false gift.
e. The effect of his wild claims and boastings is that he gets the hopes up of all who hear… of those who may be suffering from ulcers, a sore back, etc.
f. They want so badly to believe, that they spend large amounts of money to buy his snake oil… in hopes of curing what ails them.
g. But in the end, they are always disappointed and discouraged… and maybe a little embarrassed that they were gullible enough to believe the snake oil salesman.
6. Snake oil has earned a bad reputation over the years. It has lost its luster and shine. But the snake oil salesman is still alive and well.
a. He has simply developed a new line of products for his modern customers.
b. Today he uses the internet. There you can boast of a false gift to thousands of people all at once!
c. He sends out emails to his potential customers with a claim that is sure to radiate in their gullible little minds: a wealthy widow in Qatar is dying of cancer and is hoping that you would be willing to manage her six million dollar estate.
d. A wealthy businessman temporarily living outside of Boston was looking for a nanny to take care of his daughter for the summer for $4000.00. He sent the Bank of Virginia check to our house, told Shannon to cash it, and to return $400.00 of it… since she wasn’t going to be a “live in” nanny.
e. Scam artists have multiplied and improved their trade over the years. They are more deceptive than ever.
7. But the false gift is not only boasted by salesman.
a. We have the “gospel of health and wealth” folks today making grandiose promises to gullible Christians.
• Send in $100 and God will multiply your gift 10 fold!
• Be a big time supporter of our ministry and you might get a front row seat in our healing service… and your chances of getting healed are multiplied.
• But their promises are “false gifts.”
• And people leave those places disappointed and more discouraged than ever.
• These men are like the false prophets with the false dreams of “good things” that never materialized.
• When will the Christian public learn: there are men out there who will “make merchandise of you.” We’ve been warned.
• They make wild and unrealistic promises contrary to what the Bible says, and believers still fall for it.
• Jude 12 – Jude describes false teachers of the last days using the very same image: clouds without water.
» And wasn’t this trait how sin ENTERED the world?
» Satan made a grandiose promise to Adam and Eve: eat this fruit and ye shall be as gods!
» But it was designed to be deceptive…
» Certainly we should not manifest that character flaw in our lives!
b. And then there are the Bernie Madoffs of the world—who promise a great return on your investment… except that it is the old pyramid trick.
• People were promised glowing reports of success. He boasted of great returns.
• But it was a false gift… and in the end, it caused hundreds of individuals and businesses to lose their shirt… for him to end up in jail and his son to commit suicide.
c. And certainly we have seen this countless times on both sides of the aisle in the political arena: politicians who make grandiose promises… but do not fulfill them.
• Sometimes they were deceitful, empty words designed only for the campaign to get him into office—never intended to carry through with them.
• Sometimes he makes promises naively, assuming he will be able to change Washington… and discovers that he cannot keep his promise.
What the Boaster is Like
1. The boaster is like “clouds and wind without rain.”
2. Solomon has used various illustrations to describe WORDS people speak… they can be valuable, beautiful, and refreshing.
a. Vs. 11 – Words fitly spoken are like “apples of gold in pictures of silver.”
b. Vs. 12 – A wise reprover is like an “earring of gold.”
c. Vs. 13 – A faithful messenger is like “the cold of snow in harvest.”
3. Vs. 14 – Now he speaks about a person who speaks words that are NOT valuable, beautiful, or refreshing: one who makes great promises but fails to keep his words.
a. He is like “clouds and wind without water.”
b. His words are empty and disappointing.
4. The meaning of this might not be as apparent to us living in the Northeast as it would be to farmers living in dry and dusty California… or to farmers who lived off the land in the days of Solomon.
a. Farmers in dry regions (like California or the Middle East) are dependent upon rain for their crops… or at least they used to be before they learned to irrigate by draining local rivers.
b. But to the farmer who WAS dependent upon natural rain for the survival of his crops and his farm, clouds and wind gave him great hope.
c. Clouds and wind normally meant a rain storm. That was good news. It got their hopes up… their expectations high.
d. They saw the clouds and naturally looked forward to good results: copious amounts of rain to cause their crops to grow… which resulted in prosperity.
e. But when the clouds and wind came by without rain… if they came by (promising rain) but just kept on blowing over their fields without actually dropping any rain, the result was great disappointment and discouragement. It could mean the ruin of their crops.
5. Clouds and wind bring with them a promise of wonderful things… like the man who boasts of a great gift.
a. But when the clouds roll by and don’t actually drop any rain, the clouds were like a false gift.
b. It seemed to promise rain, but didn’t deliver.
c. As a result, hopes are dashed. Great expectations followed by sinking disappointment.
6. Not only are we warned not to be duped by such people, but we are also warned not to make promises that we do not fulfill.
a. It is discouraging and disappointing to be on the recipient end of false gifts… or broken promises.
b. We should not be the one breaking promises either.
c. It is very disappointing for kids to have dad promise to take them here or there only to discover that dad didn’t keep his promise. It was a false gift…
d. Sometimes it happens and there is nothing you can do about it. But it should not become habitual… a repeated occurrence.
e. It is better not to promise a gift unless you know you can keep the promise.
Proverbs 25:15
A Soft Tongue
Introduction:
1. This simple but profound proverb makes but one main point.
2. Solomon made one observation from the physical realm and applied it to human relationships.
3. While the proverb speaks of dealing with a prince, the principle applies far beyond the royal court.
4. This principle is valuable in many real life situations in lives of us commoners too!
The Illustration: A soft tongue breaketh the bone…
1. The illustration is that of a soft tongue putting pressure on a bone.
a. Solomon pictures a man eating meat or poultry.
b. There is a bone in his mouth, and the man applies pressure from his tongue against the bone.
c. At first nothing happens.
d. But as that pressure patiently continues, eventually, the bone breaks.
e. He didn’t have to use a sharp instrument or even his strong, hard, sharp teeth.
f. A soft tongue, with enough constant, gentle pressure is able to break something as strong as a bone.
2. The tongue is a soft tissue.
a. One might assume that because the tongue is soft and delicate it is therefore powerless and ineffective.
b. The tongue is not hard like a hammer.
c. The tongue is not sharp like a knife.
d. One would think that it could never break a bone, but it can.
e. It doesn’t have the capacity to give one strong forceful blow like a karate chop to break a bone.
f. It doesn’t have any sawing action like a serrated knife to cut a bone in half.
g. It doesn’t have the crushing force of a hammer to smash a bone.
h. The tongue may be a soft tissue, but it has a very strong muscle.
i. The strength of the tongue lies in its ability to apply constant, unrelenting, but gentle pressure.
j. The gentle pressure of a tongue, over time (if it is patient) can bring about the same result: the breaking of a bone.
k. It can be just as effective as a harsher approach—like a saw, a knife, or a hammer.
3. There is more than one way to skin a cat; there is also more than one way to break a bone.
a. Some approaches are quick and easy, but abrasive.
b. The soft tongue approach takes more time, but it is gentle.
4. The illustration Solomon used is doubly clever.
a. The illustration speaks of the tongue physically breaking a bone.
b. It demonstrates the power of the actual tongue itself and the pressure it can apply to objects in the mouth.
c. But Solomon is really getting at the use of the tongue in speech and communication.
d. The proverb is designed to demonstrate the power of soft and gentle words as opposed to harsh and abrasive words.
The Application: By long forbearing is a prince persuaded
1. Solomon applies this principle to dealing with royalty, namely, a prince.
2. “A prince is persuaded”
a. Persuade: To be open; to entice; convince; persuade; allure.
b. In Solomon’s analogy, the persuading of the prince is likened to the breaking of the bone.
c. Trying to persuade a prince is difficult, like breaking a bone. Bones don’t snap easily. Neither is a prince persuaded easily.
d. The goal is to break the stubborn will of the prince. Princes can be stubborn and strong minded.
3. “By long forbearing”
a. Strong’s Concordance defines long as self-restraint or patience.
b. Strong’s defines forbearing as breath; nose; nostrils; anger.
c. The expression (long forbearing) is a graphic picture-word.
d. The same expression is used in Prov. 16:32 which is translated “slow to anger.”
e. Being “long in forbearing” and “slow to anger” are really two sides of the same coin.
4. A quick outburst of anger is NOT the way to deal with a stubborn prince.
a. That would be like using a hammer or a saw to break the bone.
b. Dealing with some folks (especially those in positions above us) can be difficult and frustrating at times.
c. You may FEEL like using the hammer approach but this proverb teaches that it may not be the most effective way to deal with the problem.
d. Sudden outbursts of anger, or harsh and abrasive words may be the quickest way to make your point known, but it is not necessarily the most effective way of dealing with the issue.
e. In fact, in dealing with royalty it could mean “off with your head!”
5. Solomon suggests another method: soft, gentle persuasion and long forbearance.
a. Soft, gentle persuasion:
• The constant pressure of a soft tongue against a hard bone can break the bone.
• So too, soft, gentle words can be effective in breaking the stubborn will of a prince and convincing him of your argument.
• Prov. 15:1 – “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”
• This method works outside the royal courtyard too!
• It can work in the home with your spouse or with the kids; in the office with your boss or co workers; it works in almost any interpersonal relationship.
• And it can work in the political arena too. Solomon is speaking about how to persuade a “prince.”
1. Political change is better achieved by a slow, determined, gentle, process.
2. It is time consuming but far better than the “bull in the china closet” approach.
3. This was in fact the method of Martin Luther King. He broke the bone and persuaded the prince (and the country) without guns and suicide bombers. His was a slow, gentle manner by means of powerful, persuasive, and effective words.
b. Long forbearance:
• For words to be effective, they must be spoken in “due season,” at the appropriate time.
• That may require patience and forbearance.
• Waiting for the right time to bring up an issue is essential.
• Learning to wait for emotions to settle down; waiting for the right environment; the right set of circumstances to bring it up is an art in itself.
• The goal here is to be effective, not necessarily fast.
• If the goal is to break the bone or persuade the prince (or anyone else), and if the matter is important, then it should be worth waiting for the proper time.
• A hammer is much faster, but it would crush and pulverize a bone.
• If the goal is to simply snap the bone (break the will of the person and not crush the spirit), then it is better to wait for the right time… and use the gentle approach.
c. Example: God spoke to Elijah at just the right time, and in just the right way. Elijah heard the mighty wind, then a great fire, and earthquake, but the Lord was not in any of them. Then he heard the still, small voice.
d. This proverb teaches us (contrary to our way of thinking) that gentleness is not weakness. It is strength. It is the fruit and the power of the Holy Spirit.
6. Of course, we should keep in mind that this is a proverb. It is a truth crystallized. It is a generalization that was never intended to cover every possible situation.
a. Soft, gentle persuasion is not always effective. Some people are hardened in their ways and no amount of persuasion will convince them.
b. And then there are situations with serious time constraints. You may not have time for “long forbearance” and may have to use harsher methods.
c. But generally, soft, gentle persuasion is much more powerful and effective than we might think.
d. In most situations, the gentle and patient approach is the best.
e. We have an American proverb that is similar: “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar” or “A spoonful of honey will catch more flies than a gallon of vinegar.” It is attributed to Ben Franklin.
Proverbs 25:16-17
Too Much is Too Much
16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. 17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.
Introduction:
1. These two verses comprise one single and simple proverbial thought: Too much is too much.
2. It is a warning against overdoing anything. Even too much of a good thing is too much.
The Illustration: Honey (vs.16)
1. Solomon uses an illustration from everyday life that everyone in his kingdom (and everyone reading this proverb) could relate to.
2. In Solomon’s day, the sweetest treat was honey, or something made from honey. And everybody loves sweets.
3. In the illustration, Solomon mentions four steps relating to honey.
a. Finding it
b. Eating it
c. Being filled with it
d. Vomiting it
4. Finding it
a. Honey was not usually purchased in a store in a jar.
b. We have a few occurrences of men “finding” honey in the woods by chance.
c. Saul’s son Jonathan found honey and ate it.
d. Sampson found honey in the carcass of a lion.
e. These men found it by chance. They happened to stumble upon it as they were traveling in the woods.
f. This was considered a fabulous find too! Honey was greatly valued and desired. This was good fortune! You didn’t find honey every day.
g. Sweets are so accessible to us, that we probably can’t relate to “finding honey” in our travels. But it was a real find in Solomon’s day.
5. Eating it
a. Obviously, the next step after finding honey is to eat it!
b. But the warning here is to eat only so much as is “sufficient.” They were warned to eat just enough and no more.
c. Honey tastes great. It is enjoyable and pleasurable.
d. There is a tendency with things that we love to go overboard.
e. When it comes to sweets, the tendency is to eat too much.
f. Thus, Solomon warns, don’t eat too much honey. Eat only that which is sufficient to satisfy and no more.
g. You may FEEL like eating more, but don’t.
6. Being filled with it
a. Filled: Can mean satisfied, and it can also mean excess, having too much, more than enough, etc.
b. It clearly means being overly full in this passage. It speaks of excess… eating too much honey.
c. Solomon is speaking of going beyond satisfaction to excess.
d. Sweets are good, but there is a reasonable and sensible limit.
7. Vomiting it
a. The fourth step Solomon describes is vomiting… which needs no further description.
b. The warning is that if we eat more honey than is sufficient, we will become excessively full, and that can make you sick.
c. Something that you love can, if overindulged in, make you very sick.
d. It can make you sick enough to vomit—and thus your body rejects the honey… the honey that you used to love.
e. If the experience is bad enough, in some cases, it causes the person to hate honey. The taste, smell, or even the thought of honey might make you sick.
f. Thus, the warning, “don’t overdo it!”
The Application: Your Neighbor (vs. 17)
1. In verse 16, Solomon gave a warning concerning honey that consisted of four steps.
a. Finding it
b. Eating it
c. Being filled with it
d. Vomiting it
2. In verse 17, he gives a similar warning concerning dropping into your neighbor’s house which consists of three steps.
a. Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house.
b. Lest he be weary of thee.
c. And so hate thee.
3. Finding a friend and visiting him/her.
a. This is parallel to Solomon’s illustration of finding honey and eating it.
• The Dictionary of Biblical Languages defines the “neighbor” as “friend; companion; associate; i.e., a person which one associates with and for whom there is affection and personal regard.”
b. The term can also be used of the person who lives next door or of a fellow countryman.
c. It seems likely that Solomon had something a little more specific than a stranger next door or just any other person who lives in the same country.
d. Solomon seems to be speaking about a friend or a companion.
e. Like finding honey on a lark in the woods, when you find a friend, it is a great find.
f. You don’t find honey or friends every day, so when you do come across a friend, it is valuable and the relationship is to be prized.
g. Finding a friend is like finding honey by chance. And visiting your friend and spending time together is like eating the honey.
h. Of course when you first find honey, the tendency is to gobble it all up because you love it so much. It is so pleasing to the taste.
i. The tendency with friends is the same. When you first come across a friend, the tendency is to visit and call them all the time.
j. When a person finds honeycomb in the woods, the tendency is to eat the whole thing… to gobble it all up at one.
k. When a person finds a friend whose company is enjoyed, the tendency is to monopolize his/her time. The tendency is to pop over their house without notice, call frequently, and be “clingy.”
l. The warning Solomon gave concerning honey, was intended also to be applied to one’s friends.
• Eat sufficient honey to be enjoyable, but not too much. Don’t overdo it.
• The same advice goes with your friends too. Spend sufficient time with them, but don’t overdo it. Don’t go overboard.
• “Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbor’s house.”
1. The word withdraw means “make rare” or seldom.
2. The admonition is, don’t visit too often.
• Even though you both may enjoy one another’s company, too much time together is too much.
• That person may genuinely want to be your friend, but he/she may also want to be friends with others too.
• The warning is, don’t be clingy, don’t force yourself on someone, don’t monopolize their time. Don’t expect that they should spend every spare minute they have with you!
4. Lest he be weary of thee.
a. Being weary of you is parallel to being “full” of honey.
b. It is good to have a taste of honey now and then. But you can have too much of a good thing.
c. It is possible to overdo anything, including spending time with your friend.
d. By visiting too frequently, by monopolizing their time, by calling on the phone habitually, you can make your friend WEARY of the relationship.
e. It doesn’t mean he/she doesn’t like you. It just means that enough is enough.
f. The man who got full on honey likes the honey. But he needed to exert self control and not go overboard… or he would be full… too full… honey in excess.
g. Weary: The word translated “weary” in verse 17 is the very same Hebrew word translated “full” in verse 16.
h. In other words, by overstaying your visit, by calling too frequently, by popping in your neighbor’s house too many times, your friend can become FULL of you… just like a man who eats too much honey is FULL of honey.
5. And so hate thee.
a. This is strong language. In the illustration, this is parallel with vomiting.
b. Eating too much honey makes a man sick and causes his body to reject what he has ingested.
c. Popping into your neighbor’s house or calling on the phone too often can also make your friend “sick and tired of you!”
d. Eating too much honey causes the body to reject and vomit out the honey it just ate.
e. Spending too much time with your friend can cause your friend to want to reject being with you too.
f. Too much, even of a good thing, is too much.
g. Solomon’s point has also been recorded in some non Biblical proverbs:
• “After the third day fish and company become distasteful.”
• “Familiarity breeds contempt.”
h. It’s kind of difficult to think of, but if I visit my friend too often and become a nuisance, and he gets sick of me, I am like the vomit in the illustration! That is disturbing enough to make me stop and think about my actions.
i. If the experience of vomiting up honey is bad enough, in some cases, it causes the person to hate honey. The taste, smell, or even the thought of honey might make you sick.
j. This can happen in a friendship too.
k. The one that used to be such a good friend, the one whose company and fellowship was so sweet, can develop a hatred for you!
l. Hate: Means hate; hostility; dislike; shun.
m. He/she might hate to see you walking up the driveway; they may hate to see your number pop up on the phone; they may hate to see your face!
n. Too much of a good thing is too much.
6. This is a good warning for all of us.
a. Learn the lesson of the honeycomb. Everybody loves honey; and it’s great to eat a little, but don’t overdo it.
b. You may end up hating honey. It might end up making you sick.
c. Friends, like honey, are pleasant in moderation, but quite disagreeable when overdone.
d. And learn the lesson of overworking a friendship.
• Visit your friends, but not excessively.
• Don’t force yourself on people.
• Let friendship develop naturally.
• Don’t be clingy.
• Don’t monopolize your friends’ time.
e. Forcing ourselves on someone or monopolizing a friend’s time is really quite selfish. It is all about satisfying MY desire without considering others. You might love it, but it could make them sick.
f. If you really love your friends, be considerate. It is a matter of good manners.
7. Hebrews 4:16 – Of course, there is one Friend to whom we can come daily… hourly… moment by moment and never wear out our welcome – the throne of grace! What a Friend we have in Jesus!
Proverbs 25:18
A Man that Beareth False Witness
Introduction:
Bearing False Witness
1. The first part of this proverb is taken from the 10 commandments. The exact same terms are used for “false witness… neighbor.”
2. Witness defined:
a. Witness; testimony; verbal or otherwise.
b. The giving of evidence in a legal setting (courtroom).
3. The expression “bearing false witness” is broad enough to include any kind of lying.
a. Prov. 6:19 – Bearing false witness is one of the things that the Lord especially hates… one of the seven deadly sins.
b. Lying against others is a serious sin in God’s sight. All sin is, but this seems to be described as even more serious.
c. And we have all been guilty of lying—whether we want to admit it or not.
d. We have all “born false witness” and we have also been on the other side of the lie. We have all had others lie about us.
e. Nobody likes to have others lie against us. We should HATE lying as the Lord does.
f. Perhaps this sin is listed as one of the seven deadly sins because of the awful consequences that it can have in the lives of others.
4. The fact that it is against your neighbor makes it a bit more specific.
a. Not all lies are against another person.
• Very often lies are aimed at exalting SELF.
• We might lie about our achievements to make others think highly of us. That is not against your neighbor.
• We might lie on our income tax return. That is designed to rob the government and put more money in our pockets. That is not against your neighbor.
• We might lie to appease someone’s anger. That is not necessarily AGAINST them. That is designed to make life easier for self.
• We might lie about where we went or what we did. That is designed to avoid conflict for self; but that is not necessarily against someone else.
b. But some lies are clearly against a neighbor.
• A lie is against a neighbor when it is designed to harm him in some way.
• A lie is against a neighbor when it is designed to make him look bad before others. For example, you might lie about Fred by saying that Fred cheated his way through college.
• It is a lie against a neighbor when we take an unflattering fact about someone else and embellish it to make it sound even worse than it really is. That’s a lie against your neighbor.
• It is a lie against a neighbor when you bear false witness about a co-worker and his work.
• It is a lie against a neighbor when you wrongly accuse someone of a crime before a court of law. That lie could have serious consequences.
5. Prov. 24:28-29 – Paul dealt with the issue of a slightly different expression: “witness without a cause.”
a. “Without a cause”: For no purpose; in vain; gratuitously, without cause, undeservedly; baseless; groundless.
b. This passage may well be speaking of a courtroom scene.
c. Bearing witness about another should never be done for no good purpose… undeserved. That is a false witness.
d. Note also that this false witness appears to be done out of revenge… to get back at a person for some perceived ill done.
e. Bearing false witness has been a problem ever since Eden.
f. As believers, God expects that we speak the truth… and do so in love, not out of spite or revenge… and not “without a cause.”
g. And our words should not be “deceptive” either.
• Deception might contain an element of truth—just enough truth to make the liar feel justified.
• It might be a half-truth. But in God’s mind, a half-truth is a whole lie.
Three Effects of Bearing False Witness
A. Lying Is Like A Maul: It Crushes
1. A maul is a “hammer–like tool that delivers jolting blows.” (Zodhiates)
2. Think of taking a maul or large hammer to an automobile. It could easily destroy it.
3. Think of taking a maul to another human being. The blunt force to the head could easily kill a person.
4. Just one blow from a maul crushes and pulverizes. It can do an incredible amount of damage with just a few swings. A smaller hammer might require many swings to do the same amount of damage. But a heavier, weightier maul doesn’t require multiple swings to crush and pulverize.
5. That’s exactly why Solomon used this term to describe the effects of lying: it can crush and pulverize a person inwardly. It can do an incredible amount of damage in a short amount of time. Just one lie can do much damage.
6. One single lie about another person can do as much damage to his reputation as a maul could do to his head.
a. And once you put out a lie about another person, even if you retract your statement later on, the damage has been done.
b. You have already put that thought in people’s minds.
c. When a person is accused of sexual abuse, that thought is embedded in people’s minds. And even if the accusation is discovered to be false in a court of law, the damage has already been done. You have crushed his spirit as well as his reputation.
d. It is impossible to un-ring the bell once it has been sounded.
e. Once you put a lie out there, it has a tendency to stay out there. This is especially so on the internet. We have heard recently of young people committing suicide over information about them that was sent out to cyber space for the whole world to read. It’s bad enough if it’s true. It is far worse if it is a lie.
f. Words can hurt… as much as being hit in the head with a maul.
g. Words do have consequences.
B. Lying Is Like A Sword: It Divides
1. A false witness is also like a sword.
2. Like a maul, swords can hurt and do much damage.
3. But a sword hurts in a different way than a maul.
a. A sword is used to cut off and divide.
b. John 18:10 – “Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear.”
c. When the two women were arguing over who was the real mother of the baby, Solomon told the men to take out a sword and cut it in half.
d. That’s what swords do. They cut and they divide.
4. Just as swords cut and divide “things”, so also lies can cut and divide people.
a. Lies can cut into the heart of a man or woman.
b. Prov. 16:28 – Lies can also divide people… even chief friends can be divided by a false witness.
• This is the work of a whisperer… one who whispers rumors.
• This verse says nothing about whether the rumor whispered is true or false. It doesn’t matter.
• Rumors about others can destroy friendships.
• It’s bad enough if the rumor is true; a lie is even worse.
c. And once the sword has been swung, and the friends have been severed, it may not be so easy to get them together again.
d. And while the Lord Jesus was able to restore the ear which Peter cut off Malchus, it’s not so easy to restore relationships that have divided through lies.
e. Once a lie is spread, there will be many who will believe it. And that lie can snowball and develop into something bigger than life… and it might be impossible to stop that snowball from rolling along.
f. Suppose that Tom and Fred are friends. Once you tell Tom that Fred doesn’t really like him (he’s just using you), Tom will start to look for evidence… and if that thought is lodged in his mind, he will probably find something to confirm it—even if it isn’t so!
g. You can lie about others and divide in a moment—as long as it takes to swing a sword, or tell a lie.
h. You could spread a rumor about a person and say that he is on drugs, or that he cheats on his wife, or that he is not friendly, or that he is stingy, or self centered, or that he is seeking the boss’ job, or that he’s gay, or that he is a closet Yankee’s fan… it becomes hard for that person to prove that he is NOT any of the above. It’s hard to prove a negative.
i. The damage has been done. He may already have lost friends… or perhaps his friends will be suspicious of him in the future.
j. Like a sword, lies can cut and divide.
C. Lying Is A Sharp Arrow: It Pierces
1. Lies can also pierce like an arrow. They can pierce the skin and become deeply embedded—even penetrating into the heart.
2. Jer. 9:8 – “Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.”
a. Deceitful tongues (words) can be like arrows…
b. They can be deceitful because he speaks peace to his neighbor… but his heart has another plan.
c. When this kind of plot is carried out, it pierces the soul of the one lied about like an arrow stuck in his heart.
3. Prov. 18:8 – “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.”
a. The talebearer is the gossiper.
b. It is left unsaid whether the content of the gossip is true or false.
c. This proverb simply states that the result of gossip is deep inner pain… like the deep wound of an arrow.
4. Of course a sword can pierce too, but there was probably a good reason for using the three different illustrations – to describe the different actions of the instruments: crushing, cutting, and piercing.
5. The “piercing” and penetrating action of an arrow speaks of how deeply a lie can wound the person lied about.
a. It can cause inner grief and pain for a long, long, time.
b. And if the arrow is taken out carefully, the wound may not appear outwardly as serious as the crushing wound of a maul or the cutting of a sword, it may be much deeper and cause inner pain longer.
c. Over time, a physical cut from an arrow will heal though it will leave a scar.
d. But the wounds of words may not heal so quickly.
e. Of course, as believers, we should learn to dismiss such false accusations and allow love to cover a multitude of sins.
f. But that is much easier said than done.
6. Another reason for distinguishing the action of an arrow from a sword is distance.
a. A sword is made for cutting someone up close. An arrow pierces someone from a distance.
b. We might throw out a lie just as we might shoot an arrow at a lark… assuming that it won’t hit or hurt anyone.
c. But just as an arrow shot at a lark CAN hit someone, lies can also harm people that we never intended on harming.
d. II Kings 22:24 – “And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness.” King Ahab was killed by a stray arrow.
e. Lies can travel a long way away and harm others we didn’t intend to harm.
7. In light of the warning about the serious and long lasting effects of lies, we need to be sure that we speak the truth—in love. (Eph. 4:15)
a. Here’s a good prayer for us all: “Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.” (Psa. 120:2)
Proverbs 25:19
Confidence in an Unfaithful Man
Introduction:
The Illustrations
1. In Solomon’s day it is likely that most if not all people had experienced a broken tooth.
2. Democratic Rep. from Ohio Dennis Kucinich has filed a lawsuit over a sandwich he bought at a congressional cafeteria. He sued for $150,000.00. He said it led to “serious and permanent dental and oral injuries.” Evidently, he broke a tooth biting into an olive. It can be painful. ($150,000.00 worth of pain!)
3. But there are lots of other ways to break a tooth. (falling on a rock; getting punched in the mouth; playing hockey; hit with a baseball; etc.)
4. Regardless of the means of the broken tooth, the result is that it is painful. The nerves in your teeth can cause excruciating pain.
5. And when your tooth hurts, you know it! Almost nothing else matters when your tooth hurts. You can’t think of anything else but the broken tooth.
6. Eating becomes a big problem with a broken tooth.
a. Everybody has to eat. There is no avoiding it… even if you do have a broken tooth.
b. The problem of eating with a broken tooth is that when you bite down on an apple or some other piece of food, and it hits the broken tooth, it is followed by unbearable pain.
c. This is especially so in the situation when you forget about your broken tooth and you bite down on a sandwich, expecting your teeth to work, and the broken tooth doesn’t work. It causes you to shriek in agony.
1. The second illustration is that of a foot out of joint. We have probably all had a problem with a foot at some point or other… perhaps a broken bone or a sprained ankle.
2. Just as eating is something we all do, so too is walking.
3. When our feet are working fine, we don’t even think about them. But if we had a foot out of joint we would sure think about it.
4. A foot out of joint may not be a problem when we are sitting in a chair. It only becomes a problem when we get up and start to walk.
5. Or imagine if your foot was out of joint, and you got up out of bed, not thinking about your foot—assuming that it would work—and stepped on it! Ouch!
6. It would be like biting into a sandwich with a broken tooth. Instant pain!
1. The main thrust of this proverb is to teach us something about putting confidence in unfaithful men.
a. Confidence: Trust; reliance; confidence; security.
2. Perhaps up front we should note that there are many verses in the Scriptures that teach us NOT to put confidence in men.
a. Ps. 118:8-9 – 8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
b. Prov. 3:26 – “For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”
c. This is a common theme in the Bible. We are not to put our confidence in men. Our confidence (faith) is to rest in the Lord and in Him alone.
d. Our present proverb does not deal with that issue at all. This proverb does not view confidence in a man along those lines at all.
e. Confidence in a man vs. confidence in God is not the point in Proverbs 25:19. Confidence in man is NOT a bad thing in this context.
3. The TYPE of confidence in man Solomon describes in Proverbs 25:19 is a situation wherein a person has been given a duty to perform, an errand to run, a responsibility to attend to, or a task to carry out.
4. In this sense, we put confidence in men every day.
a. When a parent gives their son a chore to do, they are putting confidence in him that the chore will get done, and done well.
b. When a boss gives one of his workers a task to carry out in the office, he puts confidence in the employee that the task will be completed… on time… and done properly.
c. In the community, town leaders put confidence in various town workers to fulfill their duties too.
• They have confidence the police will be policing the streets.
• They put confidence in the firemen that when the alarm goes off they will be ready and prepared for the fire.
• They put confidence in the city workers hired to fill the potholes that the potholes will get filled.
d. In the assembly, we put confidence in people to perform certain ministries.
• The nursery director puts confidence in the ladies who signed up to serve in the nursery to show up.
• The head usher puts confidence in his ushers to perform their duties too.
• The head of the cleanup crew puts confidence in the people who volunteer to clean the building that they too will show up and do the job.
• The Sunday School Director has confidence that his teachers will show up for class—prepared and ready to go.
5. Solomon speaks of putting confidence in a man “in time of trouble.”
a. Trouble: Distress; adversity; affliction; calamity; anguish.
b. In everyday, routine life it is necessary to put confidence in men to carry out their duties.
• In easy times, many a man will be friendly and seem helpful. They may say, “You can count on me! If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call. I’ll be there for you.”
• But then when a time of trouble comes and they are needed, are they really what they professed to be?
• Prov. 20:6 – “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness; but a faithful man who can find?”
c. But it is in times of crises and distress that confidence in a faithful man is vital.
d. For example, during wartime, the military leaders need to be able to put their confidence in those under them to carry out their duties. The lives of hundreds of people could depend upon his faithfully carrying out his duty.
e. During the busy season at work, the boss might especially be counting on his employees to do their job well. The bottom line depends upon it. Perhaps the existence of the company depends upon it.
f. In time of distress, when you put your confidence in a person to do their job, faithfulness is paramount!
6. Confidence in an unfaithful man.
a. This is most distressing of all… especially in time of trouble.
b. Unfaithful: Treacherously with; to be traitorous; to act unfaithfully; to betray. The verb connotes unfaithfulness in relationships like marriage.
c. During wartime, giving an important responsibility to an unfaithful man could be disastrous.
d. Putting confidence in an unfaithful man means that the task you ASSUMED was going to be performed—wasn’t!
e. The results could be calamitous.
f. It is a form of treachery; betrayal. One’s confidence was betrayed.
7. It is like a broken tooth.
a. When you bite into food, you expect that your teeth will faithfully perform their duty.
b. But when you have a broken tooth and you bite into food, instead of the teeth doing what they are supposed to do, you have an excruciating pain instead!
c. Instead of enjoying a nice sandwich, you are shrieking in pain.
d. The man whom you were counting on to do his job was unfaithful and did not do what he was supposed to do. That causes the one who trusted in him some serious pain and distress.
8. It is like a foot out of joint.
a. When you attempt to walk, you expect your feet will faithfully perform their duty, namely, keep you up and walking.
b. When your foot is out of joint, instead of walking, you will probably fall over in pain.
c. The unfaithful man who fails to do the job you were counting on him to do is like that foot out of joint.
d. It let you down. You were greatly disappointed. It caused you pain. You were confident that it would enable you to walk, but instead you fell on your face… and it was all because of the broken foot.
e. The unfaithful worker is like that foot out of joint. He is a person who lets you down; disappoints you; causing you pain; and can cause you to stumble.
f. Sometimes people fail you when you need them most. This proverb warns us to expect to be discouraged in that way.
9. Of course, confidence in the Lord will never cause us to be discouraged. He never lets us down.
a. Ps. 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble.”
b. Rom. 10:11 – “Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Putting our confidence in God will never result in our being ashamed of misplaced trust… or of a betrayal of confidence.
c. Men will let us down, but God is always faithful.
Proverbs 25:20
Songs to a Heavy Heart
20a As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather…
A. Taking Away a Garment in Cold Weather
1. Everybody can relate to this illustration whether you live in Jerusalem or Fairbanks… Florida or New Hampshire.
a. Cold weather is a relative term, and everyone has been cold to one degree or another.
b. The threshold might be different in various regions, but everyone has been cold… and nobody likes it.
c. Even those who like cold weather like it because they bundle up for it and wear garments that shield them from the elements.
d. But take away those garments, and anyone would be uncomfortable.
2. The point of this simile has to do with the EFFECTS of taking away the garment in cold weather.
a. If you were sitting outside on a frigid winter day, and you were shaking to the bones, and someone offered you a warm coat, you would be most grateful.
b. But if instead, they took away your thin coat and caused you to be even colder, you would be incensed… furious… irate.
c. The point is that it’s already cold out. Taking away the coat only makes a bad situation worse.
3. Consider the person who took away the garment:
a. We would have to call them cruel, malicious, hurtful.
b. They obviously could have cared less about the person whose coat they took away.
c. It is beyond inconsiderate. They would be considered totally insensitive and unfeeling.
d. Anyone reading about what they did would be aghast at their lack of compassion.
B. Vinegar Upon Nitre
1. This is the second simile used. At first glance it seems to be totally unrelated to the first, but actually it is not unrelated.
2. Nitre is some sort of soda or carbonate of soda.
a. Some sources suggest that it may have been a potassium or sodium soda. Sometimes it was made from ashes.
b. It may have been a strong mineral alkali used in scrubbing and cleansing.
c. Jer. 2:22 – “For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.”
d. Such carbonates were used as a detergent agent for washing, as well as embalming and also for ceramics. It adds an element of abrasiveness.
3. Vinegar upon nitre.
a. This speaks of a strong chemical reaction that occurs when these two elements are put together.
b. What kid hasn’t mixed vinegar and baking soda together!
c. Separate, they just sit there quietly in their containers.
d. But mixing the two causes a strong reaction… bubbles and gas. It is almost like a minor explosion.
e. That is the point of this illustration: Certain things apart are fine; but mixing them together creates a problem… a negative reaction… even an explosive reaction.
One Application:
1. Here Solomon is speaking about a person with a heavy heart.
a. His heart is burdened, although we are not told what kind of burden. Whatever it was, it was obviously a very heavy burden.
b. This proverb is generic enough to cover any burden that anyone might have on their heart.
c. People have burdens on their hearts for all kinds of reasons:
• Unsaved loved ones…
• Marital problems…
• Wayward children…
• Bad news from the doctor…
• Financial woes… loss of a job…
• Interpersonal relationship problems…
• Going through a messy divorce…
• Going through chemo therapy…
• Grieving the loss of a loved one…
• Discouragement, depression, sadness, etc.
• Burdens come in all sizes and shapes.
2. Some well meaning people might assume that the best way to minister to someone who is sad is to try to cheer them up and make them happy.
a. One attempt at that is mentioned in the proverb: singing a happy song to the person with a burdened heart.
b. Someone else might try to cheer them up inviting them to an amusement park… or invite them to a party.
c. For others, they might try to make light of the situation, even joking about it—hoping to cause the burdened one to see his problem as “no big deal.”
d. In some situations, that might be helpful. It might offer just enough distraction from his troubles to be encouraging.
e. But that is not always the case. This proverb speaks about the fact that there are a large number of cases wherein that would NOT be helpful.
f. In fact, it could actually be very harmful. It is like taking away a person’s winter coat in a blizzard. It makes a bad situation worse.
g. It could cause a minor melt down or an explosion, like vinegar on nitre.
3. In many situations, a person who is sad, or discouraged, or cast down is not emotionally prepared or ready to hear someone start singing an upbeat chorus of “Happy Days Are Here Again!”
a. To the sad person, happy songs intended to encourage may do just the opposite. He may not be in the mood for that approach.
b. Instead of encouraging him, it may actually stir up his sadness by accentuating to him that happy days are NOT here for him.
c. It may just be another sad reminder of how far he is from enjoying life and how far into the miry clay his heart has sunk.
d. Ps. 137:1-4 – The Babylonians told the Jews to sing some Jewish songs… but the captives were not ready for that.
• They were still grieving the loss of their country.
• They could not get themselves to sing patriotic songs and songs of their faith in a strange land for foreigners.
• This was the height of insensitivity on the part of the Babylonians.
• The Jews were still grieving their great loss. That would take time to heal.
4. Very often singing a happy song or telling light hearted jokes are not the best way to encouraged one who is severely discouraged or grieved. Consider the case of Job:
a. If anyone had a burdened heart it was Job.
b. In one hour’s time he lost his children, his flocks, his herds, his property, and his health.
c. He sat in the dust grieving and sorrowing. This was perfectly normal and natural.
d. Job 2:11-13 – He was approached by three friends.
• Upon arrival at the spot where Job was, they lifted up their voices and wept.
• They tore their garments as an expression of sharing his grief.
• They sat there with him silently for seven days for they SAW that his grief was great.
• Note that they were sensitive to his feelings. They could see his grief… and they respected that grief.
• Thus, they sat silently with him for one full week.
• That was probably the best thing they could have done for Job—to simply respect his grief.
• They waited a week to allow time for his hurt to begin to heal before they ever said a word.
• Sometimes something simple like a handshake, a hug, a look, or a word of empathy can mean a lot.
• Initially, these men were great comforters. It wasn’t until they opened their big mouths that their comfort became harmful.
5. The main thrust of this proverb is that we should be sensitive to the feelings and emotional state of others.
a. Respect their grief.
b. Give them time to heal inwardly. Don’t try to force it by singing a cheerful song when they are not emotionally ready for that.
c. Prov. 15:23 – “A word spoken in due season, how good is it!” Knowing when to speak is as important as knowing what to say.
d. Ecc. 3:4 – “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”
• We should have enough wisdom to know the difference between a time to weep and a time to laugh and be jolly.
• Unfortunately, not every believer has that wisdom.
• Without wisdom, our words can fall upon a grieving person like vinegar upon soda…
e. Ecc. 3:7b – There is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
• There is a time and place for everything.
• But when those things occur “at the wrong time and out of place”, it can be hurtful and harmful.
f. Rom. 12:15 – Here we are told exactly what to do with those who are weeping and mourning. We are to weep with those who weep—not sing happy songs!
g. Prov. 10:11 – With prayer, wisdom, discernment, and good timing, our words can be like well of life. Even words spoken with good intentions but lacking wisdom, can be irritating… and can cause a bad reaction… like acid on soda.
Proverbs 25:21-22
If Thine Enemy be Hungry
How to Treat Your Enemy (vs.21)
A. If He is Hungry or Thirsty, Feed Him and Give Him Drink
1. This is a command and it is simple to understand.
a. If our enemy is suffering, we should try to meet his need.
b. If our enemy is going without the bare minimum, we should help feed him or give him something to drink.
c. And we could probably add here that if he is injured and bleeding on a battle field, we should treat his wounds.
d. It doesn’t mean that we are required to give him arms and weapons or adopt his ideology.
e. But we are required to alleviate his suffering.
2. However, it is not so simple to obey.
a. It is not quite so hard to give food and water to an ally, a friend, or a brother.
b. But providing the essentials of life to an enemy is hard to do.
c. The word “enemy” here means one who is hated or loathed.
d. It is an exceptionally strong term.
e. Thus, by using such a strong term, Solomon makes it clear that the action is not being done out of a warm fuzzy feeling that we have for the person.
f. Instead, the kind deeds are to be done regardless of our feelings for the individual.
g. The command is to perform deeds of kindness contrary to our feelings. The reason is clear; our behavior is to be in harmony with God’s Word, not with our feelings.
h. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Going by the feelings of our heart we can deceive ourselves into thinking that our actions are proper when in fact they are not.
i. We are to be kind to our enemies because God said so.
j. The Bible doesn’t tell us what to feel, but it does tell us what to DO.
k. We are not required to feel warm and gushy towards our enemies, but we are commanded to love them by performing DEEDS of love, regardless of our feelings.
l. Matt. 5:43-48 – Jesus commanded His disciples to love their enemies, bless them, and do good unto them.
• In doing so, the disciple is LIKE his heavenly Father.
• It is an expression of God’s love to the unworthy and undeserving. It is an expression of godliness.
• God bestows good gifts on His enemies and so should we.
• If we do good only to our own brethren, we are no better than the world. The world does that!
• That is just natural affection—human compassion.
• God wants us to demonstrate agape love.
• And remember that agape love is kind. Love is not self seeking. Love is not easily provoked. Love bears all things. And love never fails.
3. Feeding a hungry enemy does not come naturally to us.
a. Revenge comes much more naturally to us.
b. There is usually a sense of sweet satisfaction that comes from seeing an enemy suffer.
c. We enjoy seeing our enemy go hungry or thirsty.
d. We enjoy seeing our enemy suffering any kind of tragedy.
e. Prov. 24:17 – We are not to rejoice at the calamity of an enemy; but rather, meet his need.
f. Phil. 4:13 – To obey this proverb requires the power of God working in us.
• The power to obey this command is foreign to us; on our own it is impossible.
• But “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
• We are to follow the One who died for His enemies. Surely we can feed them when they are hungry!
4. Our responsibility is to demonstrate deeds of love.
a. We may feel the person deserves wrath and vengeance, but that is not our job.
b. II Kings 6:22 – Elisha showed kindness to and fed the very soldiers that came to take him away!
c. Heb. 10:30 – “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.”
d. Our job is to demonstrate love. God will judge those who need judgment in His time and in His way.
e. When we take vengeance on an enemy, we are assuming the role of God, and the Lord does not appreciate rivals from the likes of us… from other unworthy sinners who also deserved judgment but received the love and grace of God instead!
f. Ps. 35:11-15 – David treated enemies with love. So can we.
B. If His Coals Go Out, Give Him Hot Coals
1. What Solomon said about providing food and drink for an enemy is easy to understand. It is hard to do, but easy to understand.
2. This command is not as easy to understand.
a. It could be understood as the third expression of agape love and kindness shown to an enemy.
b. Some have also interpreted this to mean that the deed of kindness may melt his heart and win over the heart of the enemy and make him a friend!
c. It could also be understood as an expression of divine vengeance on an enemy.
3. As an expression of love and kindness.
a. In the days before electric stoves, lights, and heaters, fires were used to heat a home and cook the food.
b. Often the fires were kept going by preserving the hot coals.
c. If a fire went out, it was considered a neighborly thing to give your neighbor some of your hot embers.
d. Those hot embers would be put in a metal dish and carried on the head as most things were.
e. Many believe that “heaping coals of fire on your enemy’s head” was the third expression of kindness—like giving him food and water… and hot coals to cook the food on or heat his home.
4. Thus, if your enemy is hungry feed him; if thirsty give him drink; if out of burning embers, give him bountifully.
HOW THE LORD WILL TREAT YOU (vs.22)
A. The Lord Shall Reward Thee
1. The one who obeys the commands of verse 21 can expect the blessing of verse 22: God will reward you!
a. Reward:
• Recompense; pay back; restitution.
• OR retribution… pay back for evil done.
• Either way, it speaks of being rewarded for deeds—either good deeds or evil.
2. The one who shows love and kindness to an enemy is told to expect a blessing from the Lord.
a. God rewards good deeds with blessings.
b. Especially under the law, the Jews’ blessings were often contingent upon their obedience.
c. The promise here is that if you show love to an enemy (deeds of kindness that may be costly to you—food, drink, coals), then God will “pay you back.”
B. Coals Upon the Head: As Divine Vengeance
1. While it is possible that the coals of fire heaped upon the head of an enemy COULD refer to an act of kindness (as mentioned earlier), it is also possible that it refers to an act of divine wrath and vengeance upon this enemy.
2. If this is the case, then the proverb is to be understood in this sense:
a. Our responsibility is to give food and drink to a cruel and heartless enemy as an act of love.
• We are not to take vengeance into our own hands, but to leave that to the Lord.
• Prov. 24:29 – We are not to “pay back” those who have harmed us. We are to leave it to the Lord.
b. God’s responsibility will be twofold:
• God will judge the enemy in His time and way. God will add heaps of burning coals to his head—perhaps a reference to more severe judgment in the Lake of Fire.
» Rom. 12:19-21 – Paul quotes this proverb and seems to link the heaping of coals to divine vengeance.
» By showing an enemy deeds of kindness, you are actually increasing his judgment and adding coals of judgment to his head, for he is now sinning against greater light… sinning against expressions of God’s love through you!
• And God will reward you for not taking vengeance into your own hands, but choosing to obey God and showing kindness even to an enemy!
c. God will do all the “paying back” for deeds done—both good deeds (He rewards you) and evil deeds (He judges the enemy).
• Thus, when we obey God and show kindness to our enemy, we can do so knowing that the enemy isn’t getting away with anything. Justice will prevail eventually.
• It is not our job to do the judging. Our job is to do good to all men and leave the judgment and vengeance to the Lord.
• Of course we should not do good to others HOPING that our deeds will cause them more pain and suffering in the afterlife. A vengeful spirit displeases the Lord.
• We receive no reward for deeds done with the wrong attitude or evil motive.
Proverbs 25:23
An Angry Countenance and a Backbiting Tongue
Consider the various translations for this verse:
1. The difference between “driveth away” and “brings forth”:
• The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue. (KJV)
• The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance. (NKJV)
• The north wind bringeth forth rain: So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance. (ASV)
• The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks. (ESV)
• Gossip brings anger just as surely as the north wind brings rain. (GNT)
• The north wind brings forth rain, and a gossiping tongue brings forth an angry look. (NET)
• As a north wind brings rain, so a sly tongue brings angry looks (NIV)
• The KJV stands alone on this translation. And it is not a textual issue. It is simply a difference of opinion concerning the translation of a Hebrew word. (Does it mean drives away or brings forth? They are opposites in meaning.)
2. Note also the difference between the backbiting tongue that brings forth the angry look vs. the angry look that brings forth the backbiting tongue:
• The north wind bringeth forth rain, and the angry countenance a backbiting tongue. (Darby)
» He differs with the KJV on “drives away” but sides with it on the angry countenance that precedes the backbiting tongue.
» Virtually all other translations have the angry look preceding the backbiting tongue.
• The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue. (KJV)
This Proverb is subject to different interpretations.
1. Some of the proverbs are worded in an ambiguous way on purpose—to cause us to think.
2. However, in this proverb, most of the confusion is clearly attributed to the definition of the term “driveth away.”
3. The Hebrew term has MANY different meanings (just like many English words). That is the problem in this passage.
4. Consider some of the various definitions listed:
a. “To twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained. Bear, bring forth. To wait anxiously; to be brought forth; to be born; suffer torture (participle) to be distressed.
b. Other dictionaries have similar lists of meanings for the term.
5. The meaning that applies in Prov. 25:23 must fit the context.
a. In context, the subject of the verb is WIND.
b. Thus, the wind “whirls or twists.”
c. In some way, the wind twirls or moves the rain.
d. The question for the interpreter is, “in which direction” does the wind move the rain?
• Does the wind bring forth the rains or does it blow or whirl them away? (Both concepts can legitimately be taken from the list of various definitions.)
• The question, is, what did the author mean when he wrote it?
• Both views make sense and both views are legitimate interpretations.
• All hinges on the meaning of the Hebrew word translated “driveth away” in this context.
6. In the second part of the proverb, there is no verb.
a. This is common in Proverbs.
b. Clearly, the verb that needs to be inserted is the SAME VERB as in the first part of the proverb.
c. In other words whatever the north wind does to the rain, an angry countenance does to a backbiting tongue.
7. I checked over a dozen translations on this passage and the KJV stands alone in translating the verb as “driveth away.”
a. ALL of the other translations (even the NKJV) translate the verb as either “brings forth” or “produces.”
b. This translation (by the way) says the opposite of drives away, so it really does affect the interpretation of the proverb.
c. One produces the rain (brings it on) and the other meaning is to drive it away (gets rid of it).
d. The question is, does the wind BRING the rain or does it get RID of the rain? (Wind CAN do either one.)
e. The difference between the two is NOT a textual issue.
f. It is simply related to the definition of this ancient Hebrew term that has several different meanings.
8. I am inclined to stick with the KJV translation for the following reason.
a. It seems to fit better with the meaning of the second half of the proverb.
b. In other words, just as the north wind DRIVES AWAY rain so too an ANGRY COUNTENANCE can drive away a backbiting tongue.
c. For example, if someone is gossiping and backbiting, you can show your displeasure with the content of the conversation without saying a word – just a cold, angry stare will drive the message home to the backbiter and will often be enough to cause that person to STOP gossiping.
d. Every parent knows this. A child who is causing mischief can often be brought to repentance without a scolding or a spanking. Often an angry countenance from dad or mom says it all. Even little children can “read” their parent’s face and knows when to stop. The angry look tells the child that dad is dead serious.
e. Mark 3:5 – When the Pharisees used a man with a withered hand to accuse Jesus, the Lord Jesus “looked round about on them with anger.” Jesus used an angry countenance to demonstrate His displeasure with their hypocrisy.
9. Whatever meaning we attribute to the term in the first part of the proverb must also be inserted in the second part.
a. For example, if we say that the north wind PRODUCES (or brings forth) the rain, then we are forced to say that the angry countenance PRODUCES a backbiting tongue… which doesn’t make that much sense to me.
• The connection between an angry countenance and producing backbiting is not that apparent.
• Those who interpret the passage this way are forced to alter the meaning of “countenance.”
• They say that an angry SPIRIT produces a backbiting tongue.
• However, the definition of the term countenance is NOT ambiguous.
• It means “face” or facial expression.
• Also, in Palestine, the North wind does not normally bring rain. It would have been odd for Solomon to use the North wind as an illustration.
• Thus, I would reject the popular view in favor of the KJV translation.
b. On the other hand, the connection between an angry countenance (an outward expression of displeasure) and causing some to stop backbiting IS apparent and obvious.
• When you “give someone a dirty look” for behavior that you obviously do not approve, it DOES usually cause the backbiter to change the subject… or rethink their actions.
• The word translated “backbiting” means secret, sly, hidden, etc. It implies someone is saying something that they shouldn’t be saying and they are trying to hide it… like a gossiper or backbiter.
• If someone begins gossiping or verbally stabbing someone in the back in the midst of a conversation with you, often an angry look… a look of disapproval will cause the backbiter to change the subject.
• Parents know that; teachers know that; bosses know that.
• Why it is so commonly known and so commonly practiced that it is almost “proverbial”!
c. Application from this proverb could be applied more broadly.
• In general, we should FROWN upon bad behavior.
• It is perfectly appropriate for our face to send messages.
• Our facial expression can send a message of delight and approval OR it can send a message of anger and disapproval.
• This proverb challenges us to send the right message!
• Our facial expression can also send a message of disapproval when someone tells an off color joke… or uses foul language. Often just a look is enough to cause the person to stop.
• There may be times when it is inappropriate for us to verbally rebuke someone for their speech, but body language can send the same message, and sometimes even more effectively.
• Just a look can drive away foul jokes, foul language, backbiting, gossip, and who knows what else!
• When we countenance bad language or behavior approvingly by facial expressions, we give the person a green light to continue… and take the conversation even further.
• When we disapprove of ungodly language or behavior and it shows on our face (angry countenance), we give the person a red light… meaning that he should stop.
• People will often stop out of shame and cowardice… but they stop.
• Just one look can nip it at the bud and prevent a lot of damage.
• And the backbiter, who is thus scared or shamed away from his backbiting, will not soon bring up such a subject in the presence of the man with the angry countenance.
d. There is a time and place for everything—even angry looks.
• Some occasions call for love and understanding; some call for an angry look.
• There are times when a smile is called for; there are times when a frown is called for.
» As believers, we need to have TWO sides – the side that loves righteousness and the side that hates iniquity.
» It is a flaw to be a man that is always angry.
» It is equally a flaw to be always soft, and to smile on everything.
• And it can be a matter of compromise to smile when we should be frowning.
• We are to love righteousness and hate evil (Heb. 1:9) Therefore, we are to smile at righteousness and frown at evil.
• Reversing that is ungodly. To smile approvingly at a backbiter (or sinner of any stripe) is to be a passive partaker of his sin.
• On the other hand, when an angry countenance is directed to the backbiter, it is an expression of love, for love rejoices not in iniquity.
Proverbs 25:25
The Refreshing Nature of Good News
Introduction:
1. This is a simple proverb in every way.
a. There are no difficult or obscure words in it.
b. There are no ambiguous expressions.
c. There is no difficulty in connecting the two parts of the proverb.
d. The illustration presented is one that every living person can relate to.
2. Solomon makes one simple analogy here: hearing good news from afar is like a refreshing drink of cold water.
a. The good news is to the ear what the water is to the soul: refreshing!
1. Everybody has experienced this scene:
a. It is a hot day and you have been working hard.
b. The sun has been beating on you, and your mouth is parched. You are dying for a cold drink… but there is no cold drink to be had. You have to wait.
c. Perhaps you are driving home from work in mid August and the AC isn’t working in your car and the traffic is clogged on route 93.
d. You are dying for a drink, but you know you won’t be able to have one for an hour or so in this traffic.
e. Your thirst makes the hour seem like five hours.
f. Your mind is on that drink and you can think of nothing else. When you are that thirsty, all you can think of is cool, refreshing, water.
g. You may have many other desires in life, but at this time you simply want a cool drink.
h. And when you finally get that drink, it is a bit like paradise. It is satisfying deep down inside. It is the best water you’ve ever tasted. You feel like you could drink a gallon.
i. That cool water brings a sense of satisfaction to your soul (soul here is used in the sense of life… yourself… to the core of your being…)
2. Judges 15:18-19 – Samson had just finished a fight with 1000 men.
a. He slew them all, and was exhausted… and thirsty.
b. God provided water that refreshed his soul and “his spirit came again and he revived.”
c. This is the kind of refreshment to which Solomon alludes.
d. It is the kind of refreshment that is like having your spirit come back to you when you were at the point of exhaustion and completely depleted of strength… after you have experienced a physical revival.
3. II Sam. 23:15 – David also experienced this kind of deep physical thirst: “And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
4. Deep, physical thirst is also used figuratively for other longings of the soul.
a. Psalm 42:1-2 – David LONGED and thirsted after God…. “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”
b. Isa. 55:1 – Isaiah uses this figure to describe the soul’s longing or thirsting after salvation: “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”
c. But in our proverb, Solomon uses this figure to illustrate how refreshing good news can be to the soul.
1. Good news from a far country is in some ways like finally getting that cool, refreshing drink after waiting so long for it!
a. What makes it so refreshing? It was the distance; the long wait; the times of great anxiety in not knowing; the longing for fellowship; the worries about the potential trouble;
b. All of these combine to make GOOD news from a far country especially refreshing.
2. Good news from a far country probably doesn’t have the significance today that it had in Solomon’s day.
a. In that day, when someone was in a faraway land, it could be months, even years before you heard word from them.
b. It wasn’t that long ago that when a missionary boarded a boat to go across the ocean, it would take six months for a letter to make it to them… and another six months for the response.
c. Today we have instant access and communication with those in faraway lands. We can Tweet, Skype, text, or call—all in a matter of seconds.
d. Thus, the thirst for news might not seem as intense today as in Solomon’s day.
3. But imagine you are a father or mother of a soldier who is fighting in a war in a far away, desolate area of the world.
a. You hear on TV that the area where he was serving was bombed; there are heavy casualties, and the communications are down.
b. Waiting to hear whether he survived or not could turn minutes into days; and days into years.
c. Your soul would LONG to hear good news. Nothing else would matter. All you want is to hear a good report. Nothing else on earth would satisfy your soul.
d. This is what Solomon is speaking about: the soul that LONGS for good news from a faraway land.
e. When the good news does come (your son is safe!) then it is like a cool, refreshing drink to your soul. It satisfies; revives the soul; the spirit comes again! You can breathe again!
4. Prov. 15:30 – “a good report maketh the bones fat.”
a. The “light of the eyes” speaks of the eyes as a window into the soul. The eyes can communicate.
b. They can sparkle; they can twinkle; they can beam; or they can be dull and look very sad.
c. The light of the eyes is a twinkle in the eye – an indication of a happy heart.
d. So too, a good report makes the bones fat – this too speaks of an inward twinkle… inward spiritual and psychological health.
e. Fat bones are moist, strong, healthy, and full of healthy marrow.
• They are the opposite of dried out bones. (Prov. 17:22 – a broken spirit drieth the bones)
• Envy is the rottenness of the bones. (Prov.14:30)
• But good news encourages… and makes the bones fat…
f. A good report encourages and is like bringing light back to the eyes… it is like fat, healthy bones—which speak of an inner man that is sound, spiritually healthy, encouraged, and strong… revived!
5. Proverbs 13:12 – Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life!”
a. Hope defined: Always translated “hope”… from a word that means “to wait for; hope for; expectation of a positive future prospect.”
b. When a loved one is far away, there is much hope for good; much waiting for news; much anticipation…
c. When a loved one is far away, that hope cannot be confirmed easily. It takes news… good news to confirm it.
d. You may be hoping for good news… but when it does not come… and you are forced to wait… and the news is deferred, it makes the heart sick… for you LONG to know more.
e. But when the desire of the heart comes (when what you were hoping for comes to fruition)… it is a tree of life…
f. When good news comes from a far country, the anxiety is over… the worries and fears are laid to rest. The sick heart is replaced with a spiritually healthy and joyous heart… and fat bones too!
6. Examples:
a. Consider how refreshed was Jacob when his sons brought back the news from far away Egypt – after so many long years, that Joseph was alive! (Gen. 45:25-28)
7. The sinner can be refreshed with the good news of heaven… the good news of the gospel of God’s grace!
a. “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
b. What RELIEF we can bring to the thirsty soul who has found no satisfaction in this old world when we bring the gospel message to them.
c. In John 4, Jesus likened salvation (the effect of the good news) to a drink of “living water” that refreshed the soul of the sin weary woman.
8. The saint too can be refreshed with good news from faraway heaven too—every time we read the Bible!
a. We are citizens of heaven!
b. We CAN walk in newness of life.
c. We are overcomers in Christ.
d. Christ liveth in me!
e. We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings.
f. We can be used as instruments of the Lord to bring good news to others!
Proverbs 25:26
A Righteous Man Falls
Introduction:
1. In this proverb, Solomon speaks to a sad issue that has been with us since the Garden of Eden and will be until the Lord returns.
2. This proverb is about a testimony that is ruined and its effect on others.
3. Unfortunately, we all know exactly what he is talking about.
4. This proverb has many applications, but for one, it ought to make us scared to death of becoming yet another sad statistic of the fallen.
5. Fear can be good for us.
1. First of all we should note that it happens: righteous men DO fall.
a. The Bible is full of sad stories of godly men who fell into sin and ruined their testimonies.
b. And it happens in the church age just as much—and in the tail end of the church age, we should only expect it to increase.
2. Examples:
a. It all started with godly Adam falling into sin.
b. Noah—got drunk.
c. Abraham—went in unto his handmaiden; lied.
d. Moses—righteous anger got out of control and he broke the tablets containing the Ten Commandments.
e. David’s sin with Bathsheba—his counting of the army.
f. Jehoshaphat compromised with Ahab and helped the ungodly.
g. The apostles—Peter denied the Lord three times; they fought to see who would be the greatest among them; they fled like cowards when Christ was taken.
3. The Bible is painfully open and honest concerning the lives of its heroes.
a. It does not candy-coat the life story of any of them.
b. The Bible gives us the record of these men—the good and the bad… the heroic moments and their moments of cowardice… the victories and their failures.
c. Hebrews chapter eleven gives us a list of the heroes of the faith. We could also write another chapter outlining the failures of those same men.
d. The point is that righteous men DO fail. They are human; they have sin natures; and at times sin gets the best of them.
e. And we are made of the same stuff. We are no different.
f. That means that at any given moment you or I could fail and fall also.
1. Consider the Hebrew word translated “fall”
a. Defined: To totter; shake; slip; to stagger; to waver; wobble; to be moved, be overthrown; to dislodge.
b. This term is a bit different from the term to stumble or trip. It seems to imply more of an unsteady, wobbly, staggering along.
c. I Chron. 16:30 – “…The world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.” Here the term is translated “moved” and is seen here as the opposite of being “stable.”
2. “Falling down before the wicked” – This could be understood in two ways:
a. It could refer to the TESTIMONY of a righteous man who falls into sin before the eyes of the on looking wicked men in the world.
• The word “before” might cause us to lean towards this view.
• “Before” means “face” or “in the face of” or “before the eyes of.”
• This would lead us to believe that Solomon is speaking about the testimony of the righteous man before the eyes of the world.
b. It could refer to faltering or wavering by COMPROMISING before the wicked and their ungodly ways.
• The word translated “fall” might lead us to believe that Solomon had in mind a “giving in to” or “wavering” by compromising with the wicked… since it is not the word for stumble or fall.
c. Both views make powerful statements of important truths.
• The question is, what did Solomon mean when he wrote this?
• Or, did he intentionally leave it vague enough to be understood in both ways, as is the case in many proverbs?
• We might not be able to settle this with certainty until glory. Thus, let’s consider both possibilities.
1. A troubled fountain; a corrupt spring.
a. In the dry regions of the Middle East, a fountain, well, or spring was particularly prized.
b. This was so especially to travelers. Traveling under the sun in an arid desert caused a man to long for a cool drink.
c. They would often know where the next fountain, well, or spring was.
d. It was greatly anticipated and longed for.
e. However, sometimes, for various reasons, an enemy might poison a well or fountain.
f. When a traveler arrived at the well—expecting a cool, refreshing drink, it was disappointing to the extreme to discover that it had been poisoned or polluted.
g. Solomon uses this to illustrate a righteous man who falls down before the wicked.
h. Prov. 10:11 – A righteous man should be a “well of life”—refreshing to others.
i. But if the well is polluted, he is no longer refreshing, but deeply disappointing.
2. “A righteous man who falls down before the wicked” could refer to the TESTIMONY of a righteous man who falls into sin before the eyes of the on looking wicked men in the world.
a. Believers stand BEFORE (before the face of) the world’s critical eyes every day.
b. They are watching.
• In fact, both men and angels are watching us.
• There are some ungodly men who though they are really not interested in our faith, are interested in our lifestyle, our standards, our integrity, and our families.
• The ungodly watch every move we make. We are curious items to them. We are peculiar people.
c. And while the world may mock us publically, often privately, there is a good amount of respect for the God-fearing saint of God.
d. It is especially disappointing when those who have great respect for a believer’s testimony discover that his life is faltering… stumbling… not as stable as you thought.
• Some in the world observe believers and admire their stand, respect their standards; and look up to their faithful, consistent convictions.
• But when they see a believer whom they admired fall into sin, it is a big letdown… a disappointment… disillusioned.
• And it is extremely damaging today to the cause of Christ.
• That is especially so for a Christian leader—a pastor, evangelist, deacon, elder, etc. The world is watching and they hold us to a higher standard—and so they should.
• That kind of a moral fall casts a dark shadow on Christianity as a whole. It shouldn’t, but it does.
e. It is like a man who goes to a fountain or a spring, expecting a drink of cool, healthy, refreshing water, and instead finds it polluted and corrupted.
• That man used to go to that well (the word for fountain is a well).
• Previously he valued that well. He always used to get good, refreshing water there.
• But now that it has been polluted, he no longer values it. He stays away. It is no longer a special place.
• Now, every time he thinks of that well he is disappointed.
• So is the righteous man who stumbles and ruins his testimony.
• He who had been known for honor, honesty, and integrity, and who had spent a lifetime building up a godly testimony, can RUIN it all in a moment of time… one tragic fall… one moment for the flesh—and it all goes up in flames.
• His testimony is gone—and those who had been looking up to him are greatly disillusioned.
f. Such falls can have a rippling effect.
• Flavel wrote: “The scandalous falls of good men are like a bag of poison cast by Satan into the spring, from whence the whole town is supplied with water.”
3. It could refer to faltering or wavering by COMPROMISING before the wicked.
a. This is the second way to understand the expression “falling before the wicked.”
b. If the term “fall” is understood as a “wavering” in the sense of “giving in to” the wicked… or compromising with the wicked, then the application is slightly different.
c. With that understanding of the expression, Solomon is saying that the righteous man who caves in on his stand for righteousness is like a troubled fountain or a corrupt spring.
• For example, there is the righteous man who previously refused to take bribes, wavers when enticed and takes a bribe.
• There could be a man who was morally pure, who in a moment of weakness, wobbles morally, and gives in to the temptation of the seductress.
• Or the politician who has been a national figure who has given his career to the removal of corruption from the government, who is later caught in a moral scandal of his own.
d. The point the proverb emphasizes is the disappointment involved.
• It is discouraging to see a righteous man cave in to peer pressure.
• It is discouraging to see a righteous man compromise his faith… his standards… his convictions.
• But it happens every day.
e. We see this in politics all the time.
• We elect candidates who promised to stand up for certain principles that are important to us… only to discover that they cave in to the pressure and change once in office.
• We vote in a reformer who promises to change the way we do business, only to discover that once in office, it is more of the same.
f. We see this in the ministry constantly.
• Pastors are caving in to the pressure to not mention alcohol, or dancing, or other hot button issues.
• Pastors also are giving in to the immense pressure to allow contemporary Christian music in the church.
• Pastors are also caving in to the pressure today to discard dispensational theology—Reformed is the doctrine of the hour.
• It is extremely disappointing and discouraging… like going to a well expecting a drink of refreshing water and finding it polluted.
g. And this is seen not only in pastors and churches, but in individual believers too.
• We see believers who once opposed new evangelicalism who now embrace it.
• We see individual believers who once took a good stand against contemporary Christian music and now listen to it… or have gone to a rock and roll church.
• As the songwriter put it, “Change and decay in all around I see; O Lord who changest not abide in me.”
• And sadly, like a polluted well, the damage done may be permanent. Polluted or poisoned waters (or radioactive waters!) may remain polluted.
• You can pour poison in a well in a moment and ruin it. It may take years for the water to be cleansed and pure again—if ever.
• A believer’s power to do good may be lost indefinitely, like a corrupt spring.
h. What a pity for a believer to cave in to the pressure of the world or of wicked men. There is no need to cave in and compromise. We have been promised VICTORY over the world and wicked men. There is no need to capitulate to them today.
Proverbs 25:27
Glory Seeking
27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
Introduction:
1. This is the second reference to honey in this chapter.
a. Honey was a good illustration to use because it was familiar to everyone in Solomon’s day.
b. It was their sweetener and their candy: and who doesn’t love sweets?
c. Honey is used in a similar way in both illustrations. It speaks to the fact that while a little might be ok, too much makes one sick!
2. In verse 16, Solomon used honey to illustrate the fact that while going over to your neighbor’s house is good (like honey is good), going over too often can actually make your neighbors sick of you—like eating too much honey.
3. The same concept is now applied to a different situation.
a. In this proverb, Solomon is speaking about men (or women) who “search their own glory.”
b. The point is the same: too much makes people sick!
1. Eating too much honey is “not good.”
a. The word “good” here means beneficial; appropriate; pleasant; agreeable; etc.
b. Eating too much honey is not pleasant; it is not agreeable… especially to the stomach. It can make you sick!
2. Proverbs 25:16 also spoke of this truth, but added more details.
a. This verse states that one should only eat enough honey that is sufficient.
b. Don’t eat too much. Don’t eat MORE than is sufficient.
c. Honey was not intended to be a meal.
d. Eating too much can cause a person to become sick and vomit.
e. Too much honey makes a person sick to their stomach.
f. Thus, verse 27 tells us that eating too much honey is not good. It is not fitting; it is not appropriate; it is not pleasant.
g. It might SEEM pleasant as you are eating it—and the tendency is to overdo something that is so enjoyable.
h. However, after a while, it will catch up to you and make you sick.
i. Thus, the advice here is to eat only as is sufficient.
j. Don’t go overboard—for you will regret it later. You may get sick and vomit it out!
k. Eating honey is pleasant and agreeable; getting sick and vomiting is not.
27b So for men to search their own glory
1. The terms:
a. Search: This term means to seek out; to investigate in order to find.
b. Glory: Honor; glory; wealth; that which is valued.
2. Solomon is speaking about a man (or woman!) who is self-seeking… seeking their own honor; popularity; prestige; glory.
a. Seeking one’s own glory refers to seeking to make a big splash for self.
b. It speaks of self exaltation: seeking to make a big name for oneself.
c. It speaks of seeking any kind of advance, self promotion, or advantage that would draw attention to self.
d. It speaks of the man who is full of himself and seeks to be even fuller!
e. They court the applause of men and covet praise of others.
f. They seek to be popular; admired; well liked; looked up to.
g. Solomon is speaking about the man or woman who is constantly tooting their own horn:
• They boast about how spiritual they are; how much they give; how much they serve; how many tracts they passed out; how long they pray; how many good deeds they have done; etc.
• Actually, others don’t need to know any of that!
• If you want to be rewarded for your good deeds, then don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Don’t toot your own horn.
• This is what the Pharisees did. They did good works to be SEEN of men… to receive the applause of men… to be exalted in the sight of men. It was sickening to the Lord.
3. It is part of our fallen human nature for men to seek their own glory.
a. It is the sin of PRIDE that afflicts us all. It is the pride of life.
b. In a sense, it is the sin of IDOLATRY – giving glory to self that belongs to God.
c. It is the opposite of a Christ-like, SELFLESS attitude that seeks the welfare of others.
d. John 5:44 – Jesus pointed out this flaw in human nature: “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?”
4. This is a common theme in the Scriptures.
a. Prov. 27:2 – “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth.”
b. Prov. 18:12 – “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.” Men seek for honor and don’t attain it. Men who walk in humility DO attain it!
c. Phil. 2:3 – “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
1. It is not wrong to speak about oneself.
a. That is almost necessary at times. In normal, everyday conversation we discuss what we did for the day; where we went; what we were able to get done. That’s normal and natural.
b. But there is an invisible line, which when crossed takes us beyond that which is good to that which is not good… in fact, to the point of being sickening.
• When friends are gathered, often stories of events in our lives are told as part of good conversation.
• But when one person dominates the conversation talking exclusively about himself, after two or three stories, it becomes sickening to all.
2. Not glory:
a. Note the italicized words: “is not”
• Something needs to be added to make sense of the statement.
• Thus, it has been translated in a couple of different ways.
• One way is to seek glory piled upon glory.
1. Holman: or to seek glory after glory.
2. NRSV: or to seek honor on top of honor.
• The other way is to understand it as the KJV does—which is the most prevalent way.
1. Something has to be added here. The KJV added the thought “not good” from the first part of the proverb—which is perfectly sensible.
2. It means something along the lines of “seeking too much glory is not glorious!”
• The difference in overall meaning is miniscule. Solomon’s point is crystal clear: seeking to glorify and exalt oneself is not glorious at all. In fact, it is disgusting and shameful.
3. To show just HOW inglorious it is, Solomon likens seeking glory to eating too much honey.
a. Eating a little honey is good.
• A little honor/glory is good too—in this sense.
• A man should seek to lead a life that is honorable.
• We should seek to lead a life that is a good testimony for the Lord.
• When we do, we will earn a good reputation and bring honor to our name.
• It is good and wholesome and spiritually healthy for a believer to be concerned about his/her reputation—our testimony before God and men.
• We desire to have a good reputation. It is like honey—sweet and good.
• One man (Charles Bridges) worded this thought interestingly: “This carefulness is a virtue on the brink of becoming a vice; a duty on the border of imminent danger.”
• His point was that it is possible to take that which is good too far and drive it over the edge… and thus to cross the line from good to bad…
• There is often a fine line between seeking to be a good testimony BEFORE men and seeking honor and approval FROM men.
• It is good to be careful to maintain a good reputation and to LEAD an honorable life.
• However, SEEKING honor for self—and especially seeking honor upon honor—glory upon glory—is like eating too much honey. That crosses the line.
b. Prov. 25:16 – It makes you sick and causes you to vomit!
c. Prov. 27:7 – When you are full of honey, any more is loathsome!
• There is nothing particularly glorious about vomiting or watching a person vomit.
• The one who seeks to exalt himself is sickening. It results in regurgitation.
4. Far better is it to follow the Lord’s admonition in Luke 14:11:
a. “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
b. The right way to be honored is not to exalt self, but to humble self… and let God do the exalting at the Bema seat.
c. Prov. 27:2 – “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.”
d. A truly honorable man doesn’t have to SEEK honor from men. He simply needs to live an honorable life.
Proverbs 25:28
A Lack of Self Control
Introduction:
1. This proverb speaks of the danger of lacking self-control.
2. To demonstrate the pitiful condition of such a man (or woman), Solomon uses the illustration of a broken down city with no walls.
28a He that hath no rule over his own spirit…
1. Solomon is describing a certain character flaw in this proverb: a lack of self-control.
2. He describes that flaw as a man who has “no rule over his spirit.”
3. The word spirit is used in a general sense here.
a. Spirit:
• Breath; wind; animation.
• Temper; disposition; impulse; seat of emotions; courage.
• Sometimes used of the mind.
• Sometimes it is used of the physical life of a person. (Ps. 104:29)
• Often used in general of the inner life of a person; the inner man.
b. Today we use the word spirit in many similar senses.
• We say a lively person has “spirit.”
• We talk of team spirit… their energy, vitality, etc.
• We speak of a man’s spirit as his attitude.
• A person may have a jealous spirit… a violent spirit… a humble spirit… etc.
c. In our proverb, Solomon is using the term to speak of a man’s inner life… his inward disposition… his inward attitude… his thought life and inner emotions; in short, the person—the inner man.
4. Solomon is describing a man who has NO RULE over his inner thoughts and emotions.
a. Rule: Control; restraint.
b. Solomon is clearly speaking of a person who does not have self control.
c. He cannot (or will not) restrain his inner spirit… his inner thoughts and emotions.
d. The character flaw of having no control over one’s inner emotions has countless ramifications and will prove to be life dominating.
e. This man is a SLAVE to his feelings and emotions.
f. He is a slave to lust; a slave to anger; a slave to cursing; a slave to an uncontrolled tongue.
g. He has countless evil masters, and the Bible speaks of several of them.
h. Thus, to the man with no self-control (cannot rule his own spirit), a temptation is as good as a sin. He has no power or strength against it.
i. He is forced to surrender to the first impulse of passion.
5. Anger
a. Proverbs 14:17 – This is the man who is “soon angry.”
b. He flies off the handle easily and quickly. He is short tempered—short fused.
c. The tiniest things irritate him and because he has no self-control, the smallest irritation is manifested outwardly.
d. He has no control over his anger.
e. He probably yells and screams a lot too.
f. Prov. 14:29 – The one who is “soon angry” is the opposite of the man who is slow to wrath. Instead of being slow to wrath, he that is hasty in the outward display of his anger!
6. The Tongue
a. Jas. 1:26 – James speaks of a man who lacks self-control (bridle) over his tongue.
b. This man not only lacks self-control over his tongue, but also is deceived. He THINKS that all is fine spiritually—when it is not.
c. Jas. 3:2 – James implies here that if a person could control their tongue, then he/she could control their whole body, namely, any other impulse. That is because they have self-control—and that quality overflows into other areas of life as well.
d. Jas.3:8 – The problem is that no man is able to completely control the tongue. We all offend in that way.
e. It is perhaps the most common area where we need to exhibit control over our spirit… self-control.
7. Sexual desire
a. I Cor. 7:9 – “If they cannot contain” (if they lack self control sexually) then they should get married.
b. Paul speaks of those who have no control over their spirit in the sexual realm. He too is like a broken down city.
c. Having no control over one’s spirit spills into every realm of life.
d. This is an exceedingly dangerous area in which to lack self-control.
e. The desire is normal and natural; but having no control over it is sinful.
f. Hence, God’s cure for that desire is for it to be channeled honorably through marriage.
g. The marriage bed is undefiled (Heb. 13:4) but those who have no control over their spirits sexually, (whoremongerers and adulterers) “God will judge.”
8. While sex, anger, and the use of the tongue may be the most common and frequent areas in which most men lack self control, there are other areas as well. Those are perhaps the most explosive areas.
a. It could also apply to jealousy, pride, bitterness, resentment, even in over eating.
b. We need self-control (temperance) in order to keep on running the race. Thus, a lack of self-control can be manifested in a lack of diligence in reading God’s Word; praying; witnessing; slacking off in our spiritual life in general.
c. This is a serious issue that Solomon raises and one that we all struggle with to one degree or another.
d. Individuals may lack self control in different areas of life, but we all lack self-control from time to time.
e. We all deal with this issue and will until the Lord returns.
1. In the second part of the proverb in English Solomon illustrates this man as a broken down city without walls.
a. The illustration puts a picture in our mind’s eye to contemplate.
b. The illustration also adds another layer of meaning to the concept of self-control.
2. A man without self control is like a city without walls.
a. In Solomon’s day, city walls spoke of a city’s main layer of security.
b. Cities built walls around them to keep out invading armies.
c. This might not be as meaningful to us today as it was in ancient times.
d. Today planes can fly over cities and drop bombs. Walls are more decorative for us today.
e. But in ancient times, before planes, walls were the major obstacle to an invading army. The taller and wider they were, the better!
f. Cities like Babylon had a double wall around the city and their walls were wide enough for chariots to ride upon. That gave the Babylonians a sense of safety and security.
g. Thus, a city without walls was not safe. They were wide open to attacks from their enemies.
h. Their city walls served as a layer of protection; but without walls they were vulnerable. They were unprotected. They were in a weakened condition. They were defenseless and hopelessly exposed to invaders. The enemies could march right in with nothing to stop them. And the enemy can march right in from any direction they want. There are no walls!
i. The application to a man with no self-control is obvious:
• He is mercilessly exposed to the attacks of our enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
• He is unprotected and defenseless. Self-control provides a layer of protection for the believer that this man does not have.
• The man with no self-control is weak and vulnerable; he is easily defeated by his own uncontrolled desires: anger, lust, bitterness, pride, outbursts of the tongue.
• The man is defenseless against the attacks of his own impulses and lusts.
• The enemy can march right in, unhindered. And with no walls, the enemy can march in from any direction. The application is that a man who lacks self-control can be attacked not just from one front (anger for example), but from ANY front.
• If he lacks self-control over anger, he also lacks self-control over his tongue—and in many other areas as well.
• The man who lacks rule over his spirit doesn’t merely have a problem from one direction, but from EVERY direction.
• It speaks of the kind of person he is: lacking self-control he is vulnerable in every way.
• Prov. 16:32 – The person who DOES have control over his impulses and rules his spirit (including anger) has an inner strength greater than his enemies. He is better than the mighty man who conquers cities!
• It is a far greater strength to have inward power than outward power.
3. A man without self-control is like a broken down city.
a. A broken down city is a city that was invaded, defeated, and destroyed from within.
b. Again, the application is obvious.
c. The man who lacks self-control can also expect to be defeated spiritually.
• Because he has no control over passions, anger can lead to murder; lust leads to adultery.
• Because of this one character flaw, the enemy has an open door to march in any time and in any way he wants.
• And the end result will be utter ruin for that man.
d. There are too many enemies—coming from too many directions. And they come when least expected.
• Such attacks will wear any man down and leave him defeated eventually… that is UNLESS he regains self-control.
• Trying to defeat each and every enemy is a losing battle.
iii. Once they are within city limits (in our mind and heart) they are going to win. They are stronger than we are and able to wait us out.
e. The answer is not to attempt to defeat all of the invading enemies individually, but rather, to build city walls (i.e. have self-control).
• The answer is to become a person who DOES have control of his spirit.
• Solomon simply points out the problem; he does not offer a solution to the problem… because the Law (under which he lived) did not have the solution we know today.
f. Gal. 5:22-23 – The fruit of the Spirit is “temperance” – or self-control.
• A life yielded and surrendered to God will be fortified and strong… self-controlled… like a city with massive walls over which no enemy can enter.
• Instead of attempting the impossible—attempting to put out a thousand fires of anger, lust, pride, etc., God’s answer is to be FILLED (controlled by) the Spirit… and thus HE will work in us and produce the fruit of the Spirit—temperance.
• Temperance, the fruit of the Spirit serves as a city wall over which no enemy can scale.
• The person who dwells there (by walking in the Spirit day by day) is safe and secure. The one who walks in the Spirit will NOT fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
• God’s Holy Spirit enables the believer to have control over his spirit such that he is able to take offence, insult, verbal abuse, without blowing up and without striking back.
