1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and
whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
The word “mocker” here means to scorn
or talk arrogantly. In fact, the Hebrew
word is used seventeen times in Proverbs and only one other time is it interpreted
as mocking. The other fifteen times it
is translated as scorn. Wine, if abused,
will bring about haughtiness and give a false sense of confidence or arrogance.
“Strong drink” is an intoxicating
mixture, which has the sole purpose of numbing. Pr. 31:6 “Give strong drink unto him that
is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.” In the day when this was written, modern
medicine’s morphine was not available.
When someone was about to die, they would give them strong drink to ease
their pain.
As with most things, “miss use” is the
key and these two, wine and strong drink will bring down the greatest of men.
2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso
provoketh him to anger sinneth
against his own soul.
Lets
say you walked up to a lion and the lion was laying there asleep and you took
out your pea-shooter and popped him a good one right between the eyes. You had better be ready to die because that
lion is going to rip you to shreds physically.
The same is true with a king.
There is a certain amount of respect we must have for the king's
position and authority. One of the things strikes me is in today's
accepted social behaviors, many have no regard for those who are in
authority. We are not talking about slavery
here, we are talking about even the most rudimentary
circumstances. Some that come to mind
are parents, teachers, and law enforcement.
The fear of the king is likened to the
fear of the LORD. It is a respect and
purpose to please in order to preserve yourself. Look at this, Pr 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers
of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Pr 22:11 “He that loveth pureness of heart,
for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.”
3 It is an honour for a man
to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
It is always good to be able to end a
controversy or dispute, which is what the word “strife” is talking about
here. This is a warning to us that fools
live and play in controversies in order to cover their own derision. Be aware, those who advise you in how wronged
you are in any matter, they themselves may be fools. Choose your counsel wisely. It is a very serious matter, take it
seriously and pray for Godly counsel every day of your life.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
The sluggard is a slow moving one often
likened to a sloth. They are slow to
react and late to everything but the dinner table and even then
they can barely lift their hand to their mouth.
Pr 26:15 “The slothful hideth
his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it
again to his mouth.” The
point here is basically work as hard as you are able and be diligent with what
God has blessed us with. Be wise about
the bounty our hearts desire that He would impart in us a glimpse of heaven to
brighten His presence in us. "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling
of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up."
[Pro 21:20 KJV]
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a
man of understanding will draw it out.
Again, be very careful where you get
counsel. The matters we bring before
counselors often are very personal and not for the talebearers. You do not want your personal business
publicized. Another caution is a
principle found here in Pr 11:14 “Where no counsel is, the
people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”
And, Pr 24:6 “For by wise counsel thou
shalt make thy war: and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” One having Wisdom is expected to know others
having Wisdom. Not just one, but
many. An action item to put in your
schedule today should be to find someone or at least contemplate whom
you should have as counselors.
6 Most men will proclaim every one
his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
The word “proclaim”
here is interesting in that it means to call out or announce and at the same
time the word is from the Hebrew root word meaning to grab and get in the face
of someone and recite. If you walk away
from a conversation where you had to proclaim yourself as someone faithful,
find yourself a quiet spot and consider your ways. Our behavior speaks volumes about where we
are in our Wisdom but more importantly growing in Wisdom requires change. If we do not have a convincing walk we need to consider our behavior. I have to ask myself
often what is motivating me to do a certain thing and brother let me tell you,
it gets pretty noisy inside when I have to recon with my own foolishness. I remember something a long time ago when my
boys were young, one of them said, “I’m cool.”
His older brother quickly corrected him, “don’t you know…if you have to
tell everybody you are cool, then you're not.”
The word “faithful” is also translated
as truth, which means a faithful man is trustworthy and deals in truth. We often get so caught up in our own worlds
that we minimize the significance of those around us. We even justify our needs over theirs by
touting to ourselves, “No one else is going to take care of ME like ME.” We all are different and some of us like to
be considered different, the challenge is to be different as the last part of
this verse is stating. It implies there
are few truly trustworthy people and they are hard to find.
7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children
are blessed after him.
A just man has integrity and in today’s society integrity blemishes the satin fabricated
on lies and deceitful intentions. Have
you ever noticed how hard some try to bring down anyone who seems to be one of
great integrity.
They look under every stone and in every closet. The funny thing is this, the word integrity
here means completeness or fullness and simplicity.
“Ah, the simple life.” We have all heard that before. For some reason we seldom consider integrity
as simple. When
actually, keeping the web of lies mended is more work than God ever
intended. Freeing ourselves from the
torture of remembering what we told this person or that person is true freedom.
Oh, and don’t think your children aren’t
watching every move you make. They will
be just like you. Fill your home with Truth so that all that enter may taste
its refreshing freedom of vibrancy.
8 A king that sitteth in the
throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his
eyes.
Have you ever walked into a room and
found someone angry? What did you want
to do? Stay? Probably not, especially if that person was a
boss or parent or spouse. You probably
wondered what you did or said to make them so mad. This verse is not really talking about that
at all but that if you hate evil your very look at it will keep it far from
you. Evil is a parasite and being a parasite it has to have one of two kinds of host in order
to survive and propagate. First, there
is the unsuspecting host who is not aware of the danger lurking in their
proximity. Second, there is the one who
thinks the evil will not affect his or her life. However, if we look at evil with the look it
talks about in this verse, the look conveys our insight and conviction our
fortitude and above all our weaponry of Wisdom.
9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure
from my sin?
Your initial thought might be to say,
“no man can say he is without sin unless he has been forgiven.” And that is
certainly true. This verse however is
referring to the lack of those who can say they have actually
attended to their condition in so much as asking forgiveness and fled
from their previous nature. Wisdom holds
us accountable to sin or better stated, the deviations from the path Wisdom
would have us living. Our accountability however, is in the sense of knowledge and
dedication to changing our path as we grow in Wisdom. We already know we will always do battle with
sin in our lives. That said, the purity
comes with having dealt with the sins and righting our path.
10 Divers weights, and divers
measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD.
This verse is talking about being
underhanded in your dealings. Weights
and measures were used in the past to ensure a fair amount of grain for a
price. There were some that used weights
and measures that were wrong and making the deal better for the seller.
Consider this, when we say something to
someone, are we really forthright about what we
mean. Do we include language to make
things seem differently so someone will take our side? It’s the same thing as cheating someone out
of a measure of wheat and Wisdom teaches that is an abomination to the LORD.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his
work be pure, and whether it be right.
I have never met a parent on the face
of this earth that thought their child was average. Their child works so much harder than they
did when they were that age and they accomplish more than the combined efforts
of every other child within a hundred mile
radius. Thank God for parents!
Now, look back in your past to when you
were a youth. Are you still like
that? If you asked some who were very
close to you in that day, say an uncle or neighbor, what would they say? Did you cut grass and when you cut grass, it
was the best-looking yard in the neighborhood because your work was pure? Or, did you baby-sit, and when you baby-sat,
did you leave the house in better shape than when you found it, or was the
refrigerator emptied? (I always envied
babysitters for their access to the fruits of their labors.)
Remember verse seven? Children will act like their parents; they
will do things the same way their parents do them.
12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath
made even both of them.
Where do we put our ears and what do we
allow them to drink? The same is true
for the eyes. In a medical sense, these
two organs are connected directly to the brain.
They are in close proximity to the brain and
have been created having very distinct functions. The ear for instance is not solely
responsible for just hearing but balance as well. The LORD thought balance was so important to
us that the mechanism that provides this amazing feature is surrounded by the
hardest bone in the entire body and it has its own separate connection to the
sensory part of the brain. The ear is actually connected to the brain by two separate channels,
one for balance and one for sound. The
eye is another amazing feature.
Evolutionist have said, many millions of years ago while light was
landing on a cell the cell somehow developed the ability to process the light
and thus the eye became what it is today.
I guess I would have to ask the question then, why are
there not some creatures then that only have one light-processing
organ. Since everything that has an eye
has two there would seem to be a distinct design in place for the entire animal
kingdom.
Now there is some responsibility with
these miraculous organs. The “hearing
ear” for instance is an ear inclined to obedience. The word “hearing” is also translated as hearkeneth as in Proverbs chapter 1:33 and is translated as
obey in 81 other verses. The point is
this, having an ear means there is a responsibility while using it. Using discretion in what we allow into it and
then acting on what is heard. The same
goes for the eye. We have
to be careful in what we allow our eyes to dwell on.
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open
thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
This is not talking to those poor
mothers who are up and down all night taking care of
their infants. Their love of sleep is
from depravation. Hint, hint,
husbands. This verse is talking about
sleeping half the day away out of laziness.
There is another thing sleep is used for and that is to hide from the
trials of the day, this reason for sleeping is the deadliest. We need to get up and get about our business
everyday bright and early. If you need
more sleep than others go to bed earlier so you can get up early.
This word “open” is and interesting
word in that it is used 20 times and in all but one
refers to the eyes. Not simply the
physical ability to see but rather the ability to envision truth. In Gen 3:7 "And the eyes of them both
were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig
leaves together, and made themselves aprons." This was after Adam and Eve had eaten from
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Their eyes were opened in a spiritual sense. Wisdom teaches us that with our Spiritual
eyes open we will be satisfied with the things necessary for our lives.
14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but
when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
Being deceitful in your purchasing is
lying. Being deceitful in your selling
is lying as well. It is safe to say,
being deceitful is lying. This verse and
the “It is naught, it is naught” means the buyer was
saying devaluating things in order to get a lower price on the
merchandise. Then after his lying and
cheating, he boasted about it. If you
are in a trade where your product is negotiated, pay close attention to what is
said before you sell.
15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the
lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
Basically, there are tons of things we
put our time into. Seeking the gold of
our contemporaries and the rubies of our flesh.
There are things we pursue with passion and tenacity only to realize the
ramp from that road dumps us off right where we started. Putting ourselves within ear-shot of one with
Wisdom would be like finding the fountain of youth. The word “precious” is also translated
“honor” and the Hebrew root means prized and valuable. This is not a map to hidden treasure but it is the map to new and amazing understanding.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and
take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
The word “garment” here is interesting
in that the Hebrew word is a form of treachery and deceit. The garment is used as a deposit here but
seemingly for a misguided purpose. The
NIV reads this way: “Take the garment of one who puts up security for a
stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.” “Surety” is a form of security for the
purpose of acquiring articles when we don’t have enough money to get them. It is much like collateral for the purpose of
securing a loan.
"A
strange woman." There are many men who would say, "they are all
strange." In this case however, it
is talking about in the mind of most men is
17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards
his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
The word "Bread" is an
interesting word here, it's from the same Hebrew root word "to fight"
or "devour" as in the way war was waged in that day and age. It was the army's way or purpose to devour
their adversary. "Deceit" is
just that, deceitfulness. The bread, or
better said, the purpose of deceit is seemingly sweet but when revealed or
uncovered as to its purpose will taste like busted up stone (gravel).
18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with
good advice make war.
We have all heard the cliché, “Pick
your battles.” Winning a battle or two
and loosing the war is not the best plan.
Getting counsel when planning is prudent. Setting goals and establishing a direction is
crucial to success. Few of us will ever
have to get “good advice” in order to “make war” but figuratively we are in a
war every day. We war against the flesh,
we war against evil, and we war against the land if we are a farmer. The point is swallowing our pride and get
advice early.
19 He that goeth about as a
talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore
meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
If you don’t want to be a victim of talebearers then stay away from them. They are easy to identify because they are
often the busiest people we know. They
are so busy keeping up with all the latest gossip and they have
to talk to everyone or at least anyone that will share their
secrets. While they doing
this, they will often drop little pieces of salt to entice the taste buds of a
poor unsuspecting soul. If someone
starts a conversation with “Did you know?”
Run!
20 Whoso curseth his father
or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
I remember a time when my sons where
young, we out in the back yard and a young kid yelled at the top of his lungs
full of rage and directed at his father, some of the most
obscene remarks I have ever heard.
The boy was only like twelve years old.
I turned and looked my boys in the eyes and said to them, “if you want
to live, don’t ever do that!”
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the
beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
This verse is basically saying that
when things are attained quickly or easily we must be
careful with them. It is easy to fall
into the trap of thinking all is well and forever when in fact it is not. This verse could be translated: easy come,
easy go.
22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on
the LORD, and he shall save thee.
This is saying, don’t think to yourself
or say to yourself, “I will repay evil for the evil done to me.” There is never an excuse to do evil, simply
put. If you find yourself in a situation
that causes your desires to be bent toward getting even or saying something
that has some sting to it, think again.
Remember too, if there is cause for us to consider doing evil maybe we
should not even be there.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and
a false balance is not good.
Here it is again, repeated. That means it is important. Remember verse 10.
24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then
understand his own way?
This is not to be confused with Pr 21:2
“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but
the LORD pondereth the hearts.” We are always being taken or directed down
various paths. The paths we take are
decisions we are allowed to make. Each crossroad has choices, there is a good
path and several wrong ones. The LORD
knows what we need and how we need to get to the place He wants us. It seems tough sometimes but then again,
lessons are learned by learning our lessons and learning a lesson can be tough.
25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth
that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.
The word “snare” means bait or some kind of lure and comes from the Hebrew root meaning
enticement ending in entrapment. The
word “devoureth” is only used once in the entire
Bible. It is a Hebrew root word having
the connotation of swallowing down but interestingly it also means to speak
rashly or talk wildly.
Once we make a vow, keep it according
to the intentions. Do not ask questions
like, “did you mean this or did you mean that” after
the vow. Sometimes we do this with God
when we promise to flee from sin. We
start questioning things.
26 A wise king scattereth the
wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them.
The wicked are worse when they are all
together. Another thing, it only takes a
few to make a lot of noise. The wise
king will separate them and deal with them individually. In this example, the next time the wicked see
each other is while fastened to a grain wheel as punishment.
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD,
searching all the inward parts of the belly.
Something that has always amazed me is
the fact that people that I thought might not know me as a Christian knew I
was. This serves as a stark reality when
considering that all onlookers will have the amount of sight into our lives as
God allows them to have. Look at the
warning Christ gave the Pharisees in Luke 11:39, “And the Lord said unto
him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but
your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.” Our spirit is given off even when we are
oblivious. The word “spirit” is the very
same word used in Gen 2:7, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath
of life; and man became a living soul.”
It is the very life given to us by God himself. This verse could then be “The very life of
man is a light of the LORD.”
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is
upholden by mercy.
The reason “mercy” and “truth” preserve
the king is because when the combination of those two key character traits
exist, they protect the king or anyone else having them. The word “preserve”
in the Hebrew means protect.
29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the
beauty of old men is the gray head.
Young and old have their
advantages. The young are agile and
ready for any physical action necessary where as the old are ready for
counsel. The young need to be careful
not to mock or ridicule the older folks nor should they get caught up in the
pride of their physical strength and appearance. The older generation must be careful not to
discount the young for their seeming foolish.
30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth
away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the
belly.
Wow, the blueness of a wound is
serious. A bruise is the result of being
hit to the point of doing serious damage to the layer of tissue just under the
skin. The point that is being made here
is that it takes pain and some damage to remove evil. In today’s society
our means of removing evil is first to excuse the evil or dignify it by making
it a statutory privilege. Again the jest here is evil exist and to get rid of it takes
cleansing and the cleansing may be painful.