Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Progression of Foolishness (Proverbs 10:23-25)

The righteous have taken time in their lives to build upon the rock of Jesus Christ when the foolish and the wicked have decided that there are other more important things to do.

"It is as sport to a [self-confident] fool to do wickedness, but to have skillful and godly Wisdom is pleasure and relaxation to a man of understanding." Proverbs 10:23, Amplified

This is the first time in the book of Proverbs where foolishness and wickedness finally make a connection; the first time that foolishness is associated with wickedness. It is sport for a foolish man to commit wickedness. When the word "sport" is used a few different things and ideas come to mind. Sport can also be associated with a competition. I do not think that Solomon had this in mind when he wrote the verse. The word sport can also be associated with recreational activities. Since the fool has said in his heart that there is no God (Psalm 14:1), he has nothing else to fill the void that makes up the sum of his heart. Everyone must find something to fill a natural emptiness in the heart.
The wis man has found it in Jesus Christ. The man of understanding needs not to fill his life with foolish behavior when he is doing the work of God. It may seem like the Christian is never stopping to get a breath of fresh air, he is always on the move, however, the Lord is our breath of fresh air. There is a certain pleasure and relaxation that comes with the service of the Lord. The man who serves rests easy knowing that he has pleased his Master.

"The thing a wicked man fears shall come upon him, but the desire of the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall be granted." Proverbs 10:24, Amplified

There is no security for the wicked man. The Lord has been called a shield and a strong tower for those who believe in Him. However, the wicked have nothing to hide behind, no strength to put faith in. So inevitably the wicked shall fall by the means of his own fears.
However the righteous are resting easy in the Lord. The righteous man has time to pray and think of what he desires. His time is not taken up by fleeing from fears, rather it is filled with the rest of the Lord. When being pursued, the prey can think of only one thing, staying alive. This is a conundrum that the righteous man does not have to deal with.

"When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous has an everlasting foundation." Proverbs 10:25, Amplified

Notice the progression in these three verses. The fool commits wickedness as sport. He then flees from his fears. Finally he is taken away by the whirlwind. This will be the way of the fool until the end of time.
It seems from the language of the passage that the righteous man is also subject to the whirlwind but remains grounded on his foundation. There is an other place in the Bible where a similar dichotomy is laid out for us. "Therefore whoever hears these saying of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came and the wind blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the wind blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." (Matthew 7:24-27, NKJV)

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