The Fool 3 (Proverbs 24:7)

Foolishness traps the mind in a child-like state that inevitably impedes the individual from growing and maturing.

"Wisdom is too high for a fool; he opens not his mouth in the gate [where the city rulers sit in judgement]." Proverbs 24:7, Amplified

A fool cannot understand wisdom therefore he has nothing to say. He has nothing to say because he does not understand those wise things, or even the things of God. The fool has filled his mind with childish things.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against being silly and having a good time. But there is a time to have fun and be silly, whereas there is a time for buckling down and seeking out wisdom.

Who is the Fool (Proverbs 23:9)

For some, wisdom is not a thing that is desirable and we should be sure to keep our mouths shut because we will be despised.

"Speak not in the ears of a [self-confident] fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words." Proverbs 23:9, Amplified

Who is the fool? "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" (Psalm 14:1, NKJV) "For the foolish person will speak foolishness, and his heart will work iniquity: to practice ungodliness, to utter error against the Lord, to keep the hungry unsatisfied and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail." (Isaiah 32:6, NKJV) The fool cares nothing about being corrected for his heart and mind have become so twisted by his own desires and selfishness.

Does this mean that we should not try to correct and witness to these people. No. The Gospel was sent to everyone. The Gospel is for everybody. We need to be wise as serpents, however, and understand to whom we are speaking.

Treasures (Proverbs 21:20)

The difference between a wise and foolish man is the responsibility taken toward the goods that either one has.

"There are precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a self-confident and foolish man swallows it up and wastes it." Proverbs 21:20, Amplified

Either man has the potential to be rich and well off, however, only one makes the right choices concerning his treasures. A wise man pays his bills and stores some of his treasures away for a "rainy day". The foolish man, though, decides to squander all that he has so that there is nothing to show for it.

Scoffers and Fools (Proverbs 19:29)

We will all have to go through a judgement when we die, but we are guaranteed that judgement will befall the fool.

"Judgements are prepared for scoffers, and stripes for the back of [self-confident] fools." Proverbs 19:29, Amplified

There is the guarantee that I referenced. Judgements are prepared for the scoffer and there are beatings ready for the fool. The scoffer and the fool are two very special people. Let me explain more.

The scoffer is not only one who does not believe, but he openly mocks that which he does not believe. It is one thing to not believe, but it is an entirely different thing to try and pull others around you down because of your unbelief.

The fool has said in his heart that there is no God, at least that is what the Psalms tell us. Isaiah has another definition, "The foolish person will speak foolishness, and his heart will work iniquity: to practice ungodliness, to utter error against the Lord, to keep the hungry unsatisfied, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail." (Isaiah 32:6, NKJV) The scoffer causes others to falter because of his words and the fool causes others to falter because of his actions. This is why judgements are prepared for the both of them.

Luxury of the Fool (Proverbs 19:10)

There are certain things in this life that are reserved for certain persons. And when we see others partaking in these things, they seem to be out of place.

"Luxury is not fitting for a [self-confident] fool, much less for a slave to rule over princes." Proverbs 19:10, Amplified

In the original King James, the word luxury is actually "delight". What this verse is doing is taking something that is possible in society (at the time) and comparing it with something that was not possible.

So, in essence, just as it is not correct for a servant to rule over a prince, so a fool should not live in luxury. In his commentary on the Old Testament, Unger writes, concerning this verse, "Luxurious living turns wise men to fools, but it turns fools to self-destroying idiots." This is not to say that a fool cannot live luxuriously. What the verse is laying out is how ridiculous it is just as if a slave should rule over a prince. Could it happen? Sure. The Bible is not discounting the possibility, rather it is stating the impracticality of these two situations. A fool is not suited for luxury just as a slave is not suited to rule. Each one has his place.

Pray for wisdom.

The Mouth (Proverbs 18:6-8)

The mouth can be a golden gift that an orator can use to captivate an audience, or it can be a very destructive tool used by a fool.

"A [self-confident] fool's lips bring contention, and his mouth invites beating." Proverbs 18:6, Amplified

Have you ever witnessed this kind of event? I know when I was still in school there were those who just could not keep their mouths shut and were constantly in fights. This is exactly what this verse is referring to. The wise man knows when to stop talking, but the foolish man never knows when to quit. Without wisdom, one never learns certain things, such as the holding of the tongue. I have never hit anyone because of this, but the thought has run through my mind on occasion.

"A [self-confident] fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to himself." Proverbs 18:7, Amplified

The fool will never quit talking. Since he has not learned the value of silence, he will destroy himself and become his own worst enemy.

"The words of a whisperer or talebearer are as dainty morsels; they go down into the innermost parts of the body." Proverbs 18:8, Amplified

The Bible takes a slight turn in subject matter at this point. We are no longer talking about the fool, but the mouth is still in frame. A talebearer is a gossiper. Not only does he like to give, but he likes to receive as well. Little bits of gossip are like delicious treats that sustain him. But the life of a gossip is a life of misery, for there is nothing to gossip about other than misery, misfortune and mistakes. Sin will always be a delicious treat whether it is another persons or our own, and either one has the possibility of snaring us.

The Fool 2 (Proverbs 18:2)

A fool does not want to hear the other side's story.

"A [self-confident] fool has no delight in understanding, but only in revealing his personal opinions and himself." Proverbs 18:2, Amplified

Have you ever come across that person who does not want to hear what you have to say but has no problem telling you what he wants to say? I have and there are plenty of those kind of people out there. This verse this morning really needs no interpretation. However, there is no one thing I do have to say. Steer clear from the foolish men of this world for they will only bring you down. The Bible gives an excellent description of who to look out for and what characteristics the foolish person has.

The Foolish Son (Proverbs 17:25)

When a child acts inappropriately, he not only damages his reputation but also the reputations of his parents.

"A self-confident and foolish son is grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him." Proverbs 17:25, Amplified

There almost seems to be no need for explanation here. By reading the verse, one can come their own logical conclusion as to what the verse is saying. By acting like a fool, disgrace is brought upon the parents of that fool. I know that as I while I was a young man, I did not pretty vile and foolish things that brought some shame upon the heads of my mother and father. I am just glad that I had the opportunity to rectify my life and relationship with my father before his passing and be the son that he wanted me to be. A son that he could be proud of.

The Fool (Proverbs 17:16)

Wisdom is not exclusive to a certain type of people or a certain sect of society. Anyone can become wiser.

"Of what use is money in the hand of a [self-confident] fool to buy skillful and godly Wisdom, when he has no understanding or heart for it?" Proverbs 17:16, Amplified

Solomon understood the idea that wisdom is available to everyone but could not understand why the fool had the same opportunities as non-fools. It has been stated before that the fool has said in his heart there is no God, so why give him the opportunity for wisdom? We serve a truly awesome God. In order or Him to be a just God, He must give all the same opportunities. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NKJV) no one has a corner on the market when it comes to knowing the Lord. Even the fool has the opportunity to know Him.

Bear vs Fool (Proverbs 17:12)

Bears are creatures that are referenced quite often in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament.

"Let [the brute ferocity of] a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a [self-confident] fool in his folly [when he is in a rage]." Proverbs 17:12, Amplified

Apparently, according to the Bible, it would be a more pleasant experience to be attacked by a bear than to meet a foolish man in his rage. The question is, Why?

A bear is an animal driven by instinct. She will do anything it takes to protect her cubs. But what happens when the perceived threat is eradicated, or the perpetrator neutralized? The Lord likened Himself to a bear when He spoke to the prophet Hosea, "I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs..." (Hosea 13:8a, NKJV) This is in regards to the judgement that He would bring upon Israel. But is the Lord going to continually judge His children? No. As punishment is doled out, so wrath is appeased. So like the bear, it will only attack so long as there is a threat.

The foolish man however is driven by emotion and lust. He will lash out at anybody or anything. There is no rhyme or reason to his ferrel state. When we read our history books, we find many different fools that the world met in their folly. Hitler was a man in folly killing so many Jews and even today that spirit resides in Aminijad. In Europe, the Catholic Church pioneered the Inquisition. On our own soil we can read about the Salem Witch Trials. And more recently, the fall of the Twin Towers. All these events were devastating to many people.

Just a side note: the bear has reason to attack whereas the fool needs no provocation.

Words Cannot Change Everyone (Proverbs 17:10)

Everyone needs to be explained things in their own way. Everyone understands in their own way.

"A reproof enters deeper into one of understanding than a hundred lashes into a [self-confident] fool." Proverbs 17:10, Amplified

What this verse is saying is that a foolish man will never change if the only tool at his disposal are words of correction. It will take only a physical beating for the foolish man to respond to change. We see this everyday. Look at the drug addict who hears the words of friends and family begging and pleading for him to stop. The fool will not change with mere words. The addict has to hit his rock bottom, loose everything, kill someone in order for the message to be received.

A Dichotomy of Good and Evil (Proverbs 14:15-19)

The Bible has always laid out the differences between good men and evil men and the curses and blessings associated with each of these men. This selection of Scripture is no different.

"The simpleton believes every word he hears, but the prudent man looks and considers well where he is going." Proverbs 14:15, Amplified

This is not a blanket statement on belief, necessarily. Rather it is a statement about direction. But before we go further with this idea of directionality, I would like to focus on the simpleton. When this verse is read and we consider the simpleton, it reminds me of a child, believing everything that he or she is told. It is like "stealing their noses" and using your thumb to pretend that you actually have succeeded in stealing their nose. The child gets freaked out and believes it.

When considering directionality, I am drawn to one verse: "...we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting." (Ephesians 4:14, NKJV) The simpleton has no grounding in anything, he is like the man who built his house on the sand. But the prudent studies his way intently. He considers the cost and goes his way.

"A wise man suspects danger and cautiously avoids evil, but the fool bears himself insolently and is [presumptuously] confident." Proverbs 14:16, Amplified

The Christian cannot be the man who runs into the burning house in the hopes of finding a victim to save. That fire may be made up of different things like lust or covetousness. It is our duty to our Lord to consider every step that we take. One misstep and we risk exposing ourselves to the evilness of this world. To say to ourselves that we have overcome sin is to be like the fool.

"He who foams up quickly and flies into passion will deal foolishly, and a man of wicked plots and plans is hated." Proverbs 14:17, Amplified

Passion is part of our nature, it is one of the things that makes us human. But for us to act on those passions is to act foolishly. This "foaming up" is the same as being quick-tempered, which links together with passion perfectly. Passion and logic are rarely friends. People kill in acts of passions, they initiate adulterous relationships because of passion. Passion in the hands of the wrong person can lead to a deadly end, for that passion can lead to wickedness.

"The simple acquire folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge." Proverbs 14:18, Amplified

In every life, one accomplishes something. For the simple, folly is his reward. The the one who considers his steps is rewarded with knowledge. Not only rewarded, but also crowned. The crown is a symbol of authority and power.

"The evil bow before the good, and the wicked [stand suppliant] at the gates of the [uncompromisingly] righteous." Proverbs 14:19, Amplified

This is a promise. As we all know, in this world today, this is not the case. But when the that Day comes, rest assured that those faithful to the Lord will stand tall as the rest of the world bows. In Milton's "Paradise Lost", Satan states, "It is better to reign in Hell than to serve in Heaven." This may be true now, in this fallen world. But when that day comes (and it will), those who were and are faithful to the Lord will live forever with Him. If one has chose to devil's side, then eternal separation awaits him.

The Mouth (Proverbs 12:23)

The difference between the foolish and the wise man is their mouth. One is always open.

"The prudent man is reluctant to display his knowledge, but the heart of [self-confident] fools proclaims their folly." Proverbs 12:23, Amplified

What separates the foolish man from the wise and prudent man is only eighteen inches; from heart to head. Whatever knowledge the wise man has collected and stored, he waits to relinquish that knowledge to others. That knowledge might be detrimental to others, it may destroy others, it man hurt others. So his mouth remains closed, because he thinks before he speaks, emotion has little to do with what he thinks.

The foolish man does not care who is hurt by his verbal vomiting. They will spew their filth wherever and upon whomever. The think little about what is to be said because emotion has everything to do with what they think.

Trouble in the House (Proverbs 11:29)

The foolish person will never be entrusted with a responsibility so they will always be the servant and never the master.

"He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind, and the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart." Proverbs 11:29, Amplified

To cause trouble to one's own house is a foolish thing to do. There is neither peace nor rest in a troubled house. Troubling one's own house is to inherit the wind. To try and catch the wind is futile. To try and harness the power of the wind or to control the wind is useless. No man can ever hold the wind in his hand and call it servant; no man can ever be master over the wind.

There is a book, eventually made into a movie, entitled "Inherit the Wind". The book is the story about the school system adopting the practice of teaching evolution to the children. It eventually became a court case and the side of evolution won. The book was called this because to teach children about evolution, that they are cosmic mistakes instead of intelligently designed beings is to trouble our house.

Then Solomon links the service of the fool to the inheritance of the wind. It is interesting how he does so. The inheritor of the wind is a foolish person. He will be a servant to the man with the true inheritance; the wise man. The wise man has a very tangible inheritance that he will use to lord over the fool. And please do not misunderstand; I do not mean that the wise are lords over fools, rather they take the place of master over those with less intelligence, possessions and position.

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)

Words About Words (Proverbs 10:19-21)

It is interesting how words work. They are like a bullet, once they have left the chamber, nothing can be done to stop them. All you can do is hope that you are a bad shot and you miss your intended target. Or pray that your target didn't hear what you had to say. The Lord hears everything, however. In fact the Lord uses Solomon to convey this message in the next few verses.

"In the multitude of words transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent." Proverbs 10:19, Amplified

Have you ever noticed that the one who is guilty cannot seem to keep his mouth shut at times? The guilty party always seems to want to embellish his or her story. I feel, however, that Solomon may be on to something different here. There is a person that gets under my skin so much that I just cannot stand it. He is the one that has to suffix every sentence or thought. The person who feels that it is necessary to say, "And that's the truth," or "Honest to God," "You can trust me," or even "If I'm lying I'm dying." As Christians, we should never have a need to add anything more to our truth, it should just be.

This would be the prudent man. Earlier in this study in the book of Proverbs we found that being prudent meant that we acted or showed thought toward the future. The prudent man will not interject anymore into his thoughts and words than is needed. He has the ability to restrain his own lips because he knows the truth, and the truth dwells within him.

"The tongue of those who are upright and in right standing with God is as choice silver, the mind of those who are wicked and out of harmony with God is of little value." Proverbs 10:20, Amplified

What the prudent allows to leave his lips will bless those around him. Those who have a walk with the Lord and are in right standing with Him have choice words to share. In fact, Solomon likens their words to choice silver. Why not gold? Is not gold more valuable than silver? Even in Solomon's time this was the case, gold has always been more valuable than silver. So why then would Solomon choose to liken the tongue of the righteous to silver? Silver is a picture of redemption. In the book of Exodus in chapter 30 when everyone was bringing items for the building of the Tabernacle, all the men were to bring a half shekel of silver for being numbered. It was called a ransom (Exodus 30:12) and atonement money (Exodus 30:16).

However, the mind of the wicked has little value to anyone else because it is so self absorbed. This value placed on the mind of the wicked is solely based on their lack of ability to think of others needs. A fire extinguisher has value to many people because it has the ability to save many lives even though it will spend a great amount of time just hanging on a wall. If proper care is taken of the extinguisher, then it will be of use to any and all who have to use it. The mind of the wicked will never amount to anything more than a spiritual paper weight.

"The lips of the [uncompromisingly] righteous feed and guide many; but fools die for want of understanding and heart." Proverbs 10:21, Amplified

The lips of the righteous man have the ability to feed many. This feeding is strictly speaking about the spiritual. Words cannot fill empty bellies. Jesus, in His time here on the earth, blessed bread and fish and fed over 5,000 in a single day, but He never spoke a word to fill a stomach. The words that our Lord spoke were meant to fill empty hearts. We should have the same mindset as well. Our goal in life should be to fill the heart of everyone we pass. And if we cannot fill them, then we must guide them to the feast. Invite them to a church service or a Bible study.

However, the fool will die because he has no understanding. His mind is so self absorbed that he can neither give of himself nor can he receive anything.

The foolish man retreats within himself and dies whereas the wise man runs to the Lord and lives.

Hiding Hate (Proverbs 10:18)

This next verse has no real dichotomy to it since it deals with the fool and liar. Even so, as we read through the book of Proverbs we find that every verse is in fact a dichotomy. We can read about the fool and how not to be like him, or about the liar and how we need to tell the truth. What does this verse tell us?

"He who hides hatred is of lying lips, and he who utters slanders is a [self-confident] fool." Proverbs 10:18, Amplified

The one who hides hatred is a liar. We must be true to ourselves and speak what is in our hearts. Now I am not saying to go out and tell every one that you hate how you feel about them. If hatred stay within the heat, it will germinate and grow and clutter our thoughts. Everything that we say and do to anyone else becomes tainted by that hatred, therefore we become liars.

The second part of the verse is actually linked to the first. If that hatred is not dealt with then anything that is said concerning that individual will come out as slander. It is foolish for a man (or woman) to slander anyone. It makes us out to look small and petty when we speak such things.

Firm Foundation (Proverbs 10:14)

The wise store and build, whereas the foolish comes to tear down and destroy.

"Wise men store up knowledge [in mind and heart], but the mouth of the foolish is a present destruction." Proverbs 10:14, Amplified

The wise man store up knowledge in mind and heart so that it may be used in times of need. It is kind of like the body storing fat and drawing on the reserves when they are needed. Wisdom is one of those things that will not perish, it can be stored up and called upon to use later on in life.

The mouth of the fool is the antithesis of this. It will tear down and destroy anything it can. The wise man must stay away from the fool to protect his storehouse of knowledge. If he is not careful, the fool may destroy all that he has reserved in one swift action.

We can liken this relationship to the man who built his house on the rock and the one who did not. Both men are given the same opportunity to build a residence. Similar tools are used in he building of every house as well as materials. But the foundation of either one was different. One built his house on the firm foundation of the rock which is Jesus Christ. This was the wiser of the two. The destructive powers of nature came and that house did not fall, but the other house is described as having a great fall.

The fool is that destructive force for the wise man. In storing up knowledge and building the storehouse, one must be careful where he is building. Is he building around friends that are not like minded? Is he building where destruction is imminent? Or is he choosing to build responsibly, in a place where there is security and safety?

Rebuke, Reproof, Correction (Proverbs 9:7-9)

There are two types of people in the world, the wise and the foolish. Both exist simultaneously and the Christian has interaction with the both of them. Correction, however, is not for both the fool and the wise. A fool can never receive the correction that I wise man can because he fool will never see (nor can he see) the error of his ways. A wise man understands that there may be times when his path is not correct, that his feet are not planted on the assuredness of God's Word.

"He who rebukes a scorner heaps upon himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man gets for himself bruises." Proverbs 9:7, Amplified

The foolish is never ready to listen or the understand the errors of his path. The scorner will divert the energy of the rebuke back upon the rebuker. The sinner must feel good about himself, so turning the attention of the people away from his error is the best tactic.

"Reprove a scorner, lest he hate you; reprove a wise man and he will love you." Proverbs 9:8, Amplified

The scornful will only harden their heart at the words of rebuke. The Bible in no way is telling not to rebuke the fool or the scorner or the sinner. It is merely giving us an understanding as to what we are up against when we want to correct the worldly minded. The sinner lives in darkness, therefore he cannot stan the light of rebuke. A cover of hate must flood out the words of rebuke.

The wise on the other hand enjoy the words of rebuke. That joy may not be apparent at the time, but in the end it will be evident. The like minded in Christ must keep each other like minded in Christ. For that, love and appreciation will be administered through the rebuke and the acceptance of that rebuke.

"Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man - one upright and in right standing with God - and he will increase in learning." Proverbs 9:9, Amplified

It seems a little oxymoronic to teach a wise man anything. But in truth the wise man understands his need for more wisdom. The righteous man's heart is always open to new understanding of the ways of God. The wise and righteous man's hearts must be open to this newness to really understand the rejection put forth by the foolish man. Daily knowledge for the wise man is gained through the reading of God's Word and the practical application of that same Word.