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Scripture Reading: Proverbs 10—30
In this message we will consider more of the detailed precepts for man to live a proper human life. Each of these precepts is a gem in Proverbs.
Chapters twenty through twenty-nine contain many admonitions and teachings.
Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler; and whoever errs by it is not wise (Prov. 20:1). He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich (Prov. 21:17). Do not be among those who get drunk with wine, among gluttonous eaters of flesh; for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them with rags (Prov. 23:20-21). When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider carefully who is before you; and put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceitful food. Do not eat the bread of one who is envious, and do not desire his delicacies; for as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, "Eat and drink"; but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words (vv. 1-3, 6-8). Verses 29 through 35 say, "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions?/Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?/Those who linger late over wine,/Those who go to seek out mixed wines. / Do not look upon the wine when it is red,/When it sparkles in the cup,/When it goes down smoothly;/In the end it bites like a serpent,/And stings like an adder./Your eyes will see strange things,/And your heart will utter perverse things;/And you will be like one who lies down while at sea,/Or like one who lies down at the top of a mast./They struck me, but I was not hurt;/They beat me, but I did not feel it;/When will I awake? I will seek another drink."
It is an honor for a man to keep away from strife, but every fool rushes headlong into it (Prov. 20:3). Do not go out hastily to strive; otherwise what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? (Prov. 25:8). For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down. As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife (Prov. 26:20-21). A fool utters all his anger, but a wise man holds it back. An angry man stirs up contention, and a furious man abounds in transgression (Prov. 29:11, 22).
Who can say, I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin? (Prov. 20:9). He who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy (Prov. 28:13). Proverbs 28:13 is a good verse. We should ask the Lord to help us not to cover our transgressions but to confess and forsake them. In 22:8 we are told that he who sows injustice will reap iniquity, and the rod of his wrath will fail.
Differing weights and differing measures, both of them are an abomination to Jehovah. Differing weights are an abomination to Jehovah, and false scales are not good (Prov. 20:10, 23). Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; he who guards his soul will keep far from them (22:5). The bread of falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel (Prov. 20:17).
Proverbs 21:24 says that Proud, Haughty, Scorner are the names of him who works in the arrogance of pride. A man's pride will bring him low, but he who is of a lowly spirit will obtain honor (29:23). He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered (28:26). Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a foreigner, and not your own lips (27:1-2). Do not claim honor for yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; for it is better that it is said to you, "Come up here," than that you should be put lower in the presence of the noble, whom your eyes have seen (25:6-7).
Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, lest you become filled up with it and vomit it. It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glory for men to search out their own glory (vv. 16, 27).
The sluggard will not plow because of winter, therefore he will beg in harvest and have nothing. Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty; open your eyes, and be satisfied with bread (20:4, 13). The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!" (22:13). The drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe them with rags (23:21). Proverbs 24:30-34 says, "I passed by the field of the sluggard,/And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense;/And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;/Its surface was covered with nettles,/And its stone wall was broken down./When I looked, I considered it;/I saw it and received instruction:/A little sleep, a little slumber,/A little folding of the hands to rest,/And your poverty will come upon you like a robber,/And your want, like an armed man." The sluggard says, "There is a roaring lion on the way; a lion is in the streets!" As the door turns upon its hinges, so does the sluggard upon his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he gets weary by bringing it to his mouth again. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer discreetly (26:13-16). The desire of the sluggard puts him to death, for his hands refuse to work (21:25).
Proverbs 20:16 says, "Take his garment when he becomes a surety for a stranger, and hold the pledge when he becomes surety for foreigners." Do not be one of those who give their hand as a pledge, or one of those who are a surety for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken away from under you? (22:26-27). Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger, and hold one in pledge who is surety for a foreign woman (27:13).
Whoever guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles (21:23). He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who opens his lips wide (20:19). Proverbs 29:20 says, "Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?/There is more hope for a fool than for him." It is a snare to a man to rashly say, "It is holy," and after making the vows to begin to consider (20:25).
Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. Like the sparrow in its fluttering, like the swallow in its flying, so a curse without cause does not alight. A whip for the horse! A bridle for the donkey! And a rod for the back of fools! Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. Like the legs of the lame which hang down, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. Like one who binds a stone in a sling, so is he who gives honor to a fool. Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of fools. Like an archer who wounds everyone, so is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by. Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him (26:1-12).
A continual dripping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. He who would restrain her restrains the wind, and grasps oil with his right hand (27:15-16). It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop than in a house shared with a contentious woman. It is better to dwell in a desert land than with a contentious and vexing woman (21:9, 19; 25:24).
The mouth of strange women is a deep pit; he with whom Jehovah is indignant will fall in there (22:14). For a harlot is a deep pit, and an adulteress is a narrow well. Indeed, she lies in wait as a robber, and increases the number of the treacherous among men (23:27-28). He who keeps company with harlots wastes his substance (29:3b).
An inheritance gained hurriedly at the beginning will not be blessed in the end (20:21). A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished. A man who is envious hastens after wealth, and does not know that want will come upon him (28:20, 22). Proverbs 23:4-5 says, "Do not weary yourself to become rich; /Cease from your consideration of it./When you set your eyes upon it, it is gone;/For wealth certainly makes itself wings, /Like an eagle that flies toward heaven." The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor, a snare of death. All day long one covets greedily, but the righteous man gives and does not hold back (21:6, 26). The ruler who lacks understanding is also a great oppressor, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days (28:16). A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver and gold (22:1). Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his ways though he is rich (28:6).
There is gold and an abundance of corals, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel (20:15). In 24:13-14 the writer says, "My son, eat honey, for it is good,/And the drippings from the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste:/Know that wisdom is such for your soul;/If you find it, then there will be a latter end,/And your hope will not be cut off." Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established, and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches (vv. 3-4). Whoever loves wisdom makes his father glad (29:3a). Proverbs 23:23 charges us, saying, "Buy truth, and do not sell it;/Buy wisdom and instruction and understanding." Verse 19 says, "Listen, my son, and be wise,/And direct your heart in the way."
By forbearance a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue can break the bone (25:15).
Proverbs 22:29 says, "Do you see a man skilled in his work?/He will stand before kings;/He will not stand before obscure men." The plans of the diligent lead only to plentifulness, but everyone who is hasty comes only to want (21:5).
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction will drive it far from him (22:15). The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother (29:15). Proverbs 23:13-14 says, "Do not withhold correction from a child;/If you beat him with the rod, he will not die./If you beat him with the rod,/You will deliver his soul from Sheol." Proverbs 22:6 charges us to train up a child according to the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it. Finally, 29:17 admonishes us, saying, "Correct your son, and he will give you rest;/He will also give delight to your soul."
Stripes that wound purge away evil, and strokes reach the innermost parts of the inner being (20:30). He who hardens his neck after being often reproved will suddenly be broken beyond remedy (29:1).
Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor man also will cry and will not be heard (21:13). He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination (28:9).
To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to Jehovah than sacrifice. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent! (21:3, 27).
The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, and a man is tried by the praise given him (27:21).
Make no friendship with a man who is given to anger, and with a wrathful man do not go (22:24). Do not associate with those who are given to change (24:21b). He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who opens his lips wide (20:19). Whoever keeps the law is an understanding son, but he who is a companion of gluttons shames his father (28:7).
