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Scripture Reading: Proverbs 10—30
When we come not only to the Proverbs but to any book of the Bible, especially Ephesians, the most spiritual book, we must be persons who are right. In reading the Bible, a right person is one who loves Christ, pursues after Him, and lives a life of denying himself and of being conformed to the death of Christ. This means that, on the negative side, we must deny the self, having all aspects of our being crucified, including our self, our natural man, our old man, our character, and whatever we have from birth. We have to put all these things on the cross. In other words, we must experience the cross of Christ, which has crucified us in every way.
God's salvation, however, does not have only a negative aspect — termination. After termination there is a positive aspect — germination. After death there is resurrection. Death terminates and resurrection germinates. The human life, the fallen, rotten, corrupted life that has become satanic, must be terminated. In resurrection Christ dispenses the divine life which was released through His death. In the last step of His death, He released the divine life out from His humanity, and in resurrection He dispensed this released divine life into us through regeneration. This is germination. Now we have a new beginning with a new life and a new person. This new life is a life of both divinity and humanity. This is wonderful.
As lovers of Christ, we need to realize that, on the negative side, we are finished, terminated. Nevertheless, on the positive side we have the processed and consummated Triune God to replace us as a new life. Therefore, we should live by this life every day. We have been crucified. Now we should be able to say with Paul in Galatians that it is no longer I who live, but another "I," Christ Himself as our person, lives in us and we live with Him. We should live such a person by the power of resurrection and by the bountiful supply of the all-inclusive Spirit of Jesus Christ.
When we are such persons, we can come to the Bible not merely by exercising our mentality but mainly by exercising our spirit. Our spirit will control our mind. In our spirit there is the marvelous, wonderful, processed, all-inclusive, sevenfold-intensified, life-giving Spirit. We live with Him, and He lives with us. Now when we come to the Bible by exercising our spirit, letting the Spirit move in us, every word of the Bible, in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament, becomes spirit and life. Then our reading of any verse in the Bible will revive us. However, if we exercise only our mind, the words of the Bible will become death to us.
I can testify that after just a few minutes of fellowship with the Lord, I am fed, nourished, and stirred up. Then when I come to the Bible, every word becomes a gem. We all need to read the book of Proverbs in this way. Then every word of Proverbs will become spirit and life to us. Every word will be living and become a gem to strengthen our life of pursuing Christ for the fulfillment of God's economy in producing and building up the Body of Christ.
When I had a life-study on Proverbs in Taipei many years ago, I studied and classified all the detailed proverbs. There are at least seventy items, with many items containing several verses. These proverbs are the detailed precepts for man to live a proper human life. Each precept is a gem. Let us now begin to consider these precepts.
In chapters ten through nineteen many proverbs show us a contrast between doing righteousness in wisdom and doing wickedness in folly.
The first contrast is the contrast between wisdom and folly. A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother. The wise in heart will receive commandments, but the foolish in speech will be cast down. Wise men treasure up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool is imminent destruction (Prov. 10:1, 8, 14). He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be troubled (Prov. 13:20). The tongue of the wise utters knowledge well, but the mouth of fools pours out folly. A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother (Prov. 15:2, 20). Insight is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the correction of fools is folly (Prov. 16:22).
Righteousness is versus wickedness. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death (Prov. 10:2). Blessings are upon the head of the righteous man, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. The memory of the righteous man is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot (Prov. 10:6-7). The mouth of the righteous man is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence (Prov. 10:11). The wages of the righteous man lead to life; the income of the wicked man, to sin (Prov. 10:16).
A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps at harvest time is a son who brings shame (vv. 4-5). The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slothful will be under forced labor. The slothful man does not roast his game, but the precious substance of men is to the diligent (Prov. 12:24, 27). The soul of the sluggard desires and has nothing, but the soul of the diligent will be made fat (Prov. 13:4). He also who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a destroyer (Prov. 18:9). Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and the idle soul will suffer hunger. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, and will not even bring it back to his mouth (Prov. 19:15, 24).
He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be known (Prov. 10:9).
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions (v. 12).
When there are many words transgression does not cease, but he who restrains his lips is prudent (v. 19). He who guards his mouth keeps his soul, but he who opens wide his lips will have destruction (Prov. 13:3). In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty (Prov. 14:23). He who restrains his words has knowledge (Prov. 17:27a).
When pride comes, then comes dishonor; but wisdom is with the humble (Prov. 11:2). In the mouth of a fool is a rod for his pride, but the lips of the wise will preserve them. A wise man fears and departs from evil, but the fool is arrogant and is confident (Prov. 14:3, 16). Jehovah will tear down the house of the proud, but He will establish the territory of the widow. The fear of Jehovah is the instruction of wisdom, and humility comes before honor (Prov. 15:25, 33). Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor, than to divide the spoil with the proud (Prov. 16:18-19). Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, but before honor goes humility (18:12).
A gracious woman lays hold of honor. Like a nose-ring of gold in a pig's snout, so is a beautiful woman who is without discretion (Prov. 11:16a, 22). A worthy woman is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones (Prov. 12:4). The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands (Prov. 14:1). Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from Jehovah (Prov. 18:22). House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Jehovah (Prov. 19:14).
The merciful man rewards his own soul, but the cruel troubles his own flesh (Prov. 11:17).
Those who are perverse in heart are an abomination to Jehovah, but those who are perfect in their way are His delight (v. 20).
There is one who scatters and increases yet more, and there is one who withholds what is appropriate but ends up only in want. The blessing soul will prosper, and he who waters will also be watered himself. As for him who withholds grain, the people will curse him; but blessing will be upon the head of him who sells it (vv. 24-26).
Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid (12:1). Poverty and shame will come to him who refuses correction, but he who regards reproof will be honored (13:18). A fool despises his father's correction, but he who regards reproof gets prudence. The ear that listens to the reproof of life will lodge among the wise. He who ignores instruction despises his own soul, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding (15:5, 31-32).
He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who pursues worthless things lacks sense (12:11).
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel (v. 15).
A fool's anger is known at once, but a prudent man conceals shame (v. 16). He who is slow to anger is of great understanding, but he who has a hasty spirit exalts folly (14:29). A wrathful man stirs up contention, but he who is slow to anger quietens strife (15:18). He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city (16:32). He who is cool in spirit is a man of understanding (17:27b). The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression. A man of great wrath will bear the penalty; for if you deliver him, you will only have to do it again (19:11, 19).
The lip of truth shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is only for a moment. Lying lips are an abomination to Jehovah, but those who deal faithfully are His delight (12:19, 22). A faithful witness will not lie, but a false witness utters lies (14:5).
There is one who pretends to be rich yet has nothing; there is one who pretends to be poor yet has great wealth (13:7).
Wealth obtained by vanity will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor increases it (v. 11).
He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him chastens him early (v. 24). Discipline your son, for there is hope; but do not set your heart on destroying him (19:18).
The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man considers his steps (14:15).
He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him (v. 31). Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; he who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished (17:5). He who has pity upon a poor man lends to Jehovah, and He will repay him for his good deed (19:17).
A soft answer turns away anger, but a grievous word stirs up anger (15:1).
Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is, than a fattened ox and hatred with it (v. 17). Better is a dry morsel and quietness with it than a house full of feasting with strife (17:1).
The tongue of the wise utters knowledge well, but the mouth of fools pours out folly (15:2). A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it is a breaking of the spirit (v. 4).
He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, but he who hates bribes will live (v. 27).
A man of many friends comes to destruction, but there is a true friend that sticks closer than a brother (18:24).
A number of proverbs contrast the paths of life with the ways of death.
The paths of life involve fearing the Lord, trusting in the Lord, and taking refuge in the name of the Lord.
He who walks in his uprightness fears Jehovah, but he who is perverse in his ways despises Him (14:2). In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence, and his children will have a place of refuge. The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life, that one may turn aside from the snares of death (vv. 26-27). Better is a little with the fear of Jehovah, than great treasure and turmoil with it. The fear of Jehovah is the instruction of wisdom, and humility comes before honor (15:16, 33). By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is expiated, and by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil (16:6). The fear of Jehovah leads to life, and he who has it will lodge in contentment; he will not be visited with evil (19:23).
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah. A man's heart devises his way, but Jehovah directs his steps (16:1, 9). He who gives heed to the word will find good, and blessed is he who trusts in Jehovah. The lot is cast into the lap, but everything it decides is from Jehovah (vv. 20, 33). There are many devices in a man's heart, but it is the counsel of Jehovah that will stand (19:21).
The name of Jehovah is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe (18:10).
There is a way which seems right to a man, but the end of it is the ways of death (14:12; 16:25).
