Proverbs 1:20-33

Desert Tortoise

Occasionally we see these amazing turtles here in the Antelope Valley, especially up near Red Rock Canyon and between California City and Ridgecrest.  It is only the encroachment of man that has threatened them in the last 200 years, and they are now an endangered species.  This is another example of how mankind can foolishly interact with nature, when a much more suitable and thoughtful approach could have been taken.  We are all like that, acting first, and thinking later about how to fix what we've done.  Although they are an endangered species there is no shortage of land for them and with care we can help them repopulate.  Unfortunately our help is neither timely nor well thought out.

Solomon begins this section of the first chapter with interesting words.  However, before we look at those words we need to understand something about wisdom.  In our world there are many who think themselves wise.  Anyone who thinks he or she is wise is not.  You and I don't possess great wisdom in and of ourselves!  There is one person who is all-knowing or omniscient.  His name is God, and He is the God of the Bible.  In Him alone is wisdom, and any wisdom you or I may obtain must come from Him.  That is a humbling thought, and keeps us from the snare of this world.

How many in their own wisdom have proclaimed that they have the answers we are all seeking?  Too many.  Yet we continue making the same mistakes, the same blunders, acting out our foolishness time and time again when we do things our way.  Only God's way offers the answers we seek.

Wisdom shouts in the street, she lifts her voice in the square; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the gates in the city, she utters her sayings:  "How long, O naive ones, will you love simplicity?  And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?

Proverbs   1:20-22 NASB

Solomon is quite clear in his rather uncomplimentary description of us.  It is truly naive to think that we can know anything apart from God.  He is the Author of knowledge.  God is Truth.  Apart from Him there is no knowledge or truth.  You and I have certainly seen that in my generation.  In America the truth of God has been exchanged for a lie and the results have been chaos and anarchy.  Reason has been lost in the philosophy of materialism.  Let me show you.

When I graduated from high school 99% of the students who began high school completed it.  The biggest problems teachers had were students running in the halls and chewing gum in class.  I could count on the fingers of one hand the "bad" kids in my grade.  There were perhaps one, maybe two girls who were sexually active.  Today, in Los Angeles County, less than 50% of students graduate from high school.  80% of the students or more are sexually active.  Teachers worry about students carrying guns and knives to school, and murders on campus.  Why?  What changed?  In 1962 we took prayer out of the schools, and in 1963 we took the ten commandments out of schools.  Our nation turned its back on God and His truth and we are reaping the results today.  In 1950 3 in 100,000 people had a sexually transmitted disease in America.  Today one out of three has a STD.  We threw away wisdom and knowledge and in our arrogance said that we had the answers.  In my book the results prove that we (note that I am including myself because I am just as prone to turn my back on His knowledge as anyone else) don't have answers.  Only God does.

So Solomon's words now begin to hammer home the message:

"Turn to my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.  Because I called, and you refused; I stretched out my hand, and no one paid attention; and you neglected all my counsel, and did not want my reproof; I will even laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, when your dread comes like a storm, and your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on you.  Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me, because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD.  They would not accept my counsel, they spurned all my reproof.  So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, and be satiated with their own devices.  For the waywardness of the naive shall kill them, and the complacency of fools shall destroy them.  But he who listens to me shall live securely, and shall be at ease from the dread of evil."

Proverbs 1:23-33 NASB

Wow!  As you look at the highlights you'll notice that I used different colors.  Green is always something directly from or about the Lord.  Orange is always something that is contrary to God's will.  Yellow is about our actions.  Red is a key thought or result.

God cries out to His beloved children to listen, to repent (turn to my reproof), and He will make His wisdom ours.  Notice how accurate Solomon is in regards to our response to that call.  I have a problem listening.  So do you.  Remember that.  This is something we have to work on daily.

God's response to our refusal to listen is frightening.  This is the same truth that is communicated in Romans 1:18-32.  Children, hear me.  We will not like God's truth all the time.  Most of the time it will reveal our shortcomings.  Do not suppress the truth by continuing in wrong behavior!  That way leads to calamity, distress, and anguish.  Always.  Until we actually repent (turn to His reproof, turn away from our sinfulness) our prayers will go unanswered.  Even worse, we will be satiated with our own devices!  That way leads to excess.  All addictions come from this root!  Beware!

Empty Tortoise Shell

Being naive of God's truth is the path to death and destruction.  Don't miss that.  Those last two lines should echo in our minds every time we are ready to ignore God and His truth.  Going our own way will ultimate leave us empty and dead.  Just like this empty shell on the right, we will find that our lives have no substance, nothing worthy or good.  The last verse is like a cool breeze on a hot day.  If we listen to God we will live securely.  We will be at ease from the dread of evil.

That doesn't mean we won't struggle.  Life is a struggle in a sinful and broken world.  But our struggles won't consume us or overwhelm us.  And that doesn't mean we won't feel overwhelmed.  I've felt overwhelmed by many things, but feelings aren't facts.  Feeling overwhelmed and being overwhelmed are two different things.  I have the confidence that if I follow the Lord and live by His wisdom I will be safe, even if I'm facing death.

I am not ashamed of the good news from God's Word, or of His wisdom.  It is powerful and offers salvation to all who believe.  In His Word He reveals His righteousness, and when I see that, I have faith.  The righteous man lives by faith.  Trust the Lord my beloved grandchildren.  Trust Him with all your heart.

Proverbs 1:8-19

False Map Turtle

I've never been very good about listening, especially when it comes to hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.  The voice of wisdom, the Holy Spirit softly speaking, is often lost in the cacophony of my own evil thoughts and the evil around me.  Before we even begin to think about this I want to make one thing crystal clear.

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  Genesis 6:5 NASB

Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to evil. Ecclesiastes 8:11 NASB

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men.  Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil, and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives.  Afterwards they go to the dead.  Ecclesiastes 9:3 NASB

The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?  Jeremiah 17:9 NASB

My heart, because of my sinfulness, is wicked beyond my imagination AND I CAN'T SEE IT!  Unless I can look at things through God's eyes, I will always be blinded by my on sin!  Sin tricks me into believing that I'm good, that everything is okay, that I am right where I should be!  Evil shouts that message at me all the time.  Yet only when I tune out all the noise and listen to the still, small voice of God will I be able to see clearly who and what I am.  I am a sinner undone, saved by Grace.

Like the False Map Turtle pictured above, I can look just like all the other Map Turtles in my own eyes, until I am willing to look closely!

Map Turtle

Believe it!  Mom and Dad have been there!  Do you really think you're the only person going through the stuff you're going through?

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.  I Corinthians 10:13 NASB

This is why Solomon begins this section with a caution:  Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and do not forsake your mother's teaching.  (v. 8)  He doesn't leave us there, but describes what that instruction and teaching becomes:  Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head, and ornaments about your neck. (v. 9)  I certainly wasn't a perfect Dad!  Far from it!  But I loved my children.  So instead of teaching them from my wisdom (though I sometimes made that mistake and had to apologize for it) but tried to teach them from Scripture.  To do that I had to walk the talk, and that was never easy for me.  It's not easy for them either, nor will it be easy for you.

Do not be deceived:  "Bad company corrupts good morals."  I Corinthians 15:33 NASB

Please understand that sinners will always entice you!  That's why Solomon speaks to us as a father here.  "My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent."  Why do sinners want others along?  Probably because it eases the guilt if they can say "everybody's doing it!"  Verse 10 is a warning.  Don't go along with them.  As you read the next verses you may think that the example is extreme.  It isn't!  It's the truth!

If they say, "Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause; let us swallow them alive like Sheol, even whole, as those who go down to the pit; we shall find all kinds of precious wealth, we shall fill our houses with spoil; throw in your lot with us, we shall all have one purse."  (vs. 11-14)

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.  But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.  Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.  Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.  James 1:13-16 NASB

Sin carries with it the stench of death!  Don't be deceived.  Sin is NEVER fun!  It can NEVER fulfill anything.  It can only bring DEATH!

That's why Solomon continues:  My son, do not walk in the way with them.  Keep your feet from their path, for their feet run to evil and they hasten to shed blood.  Indeed, it is useless to spread the net in the eyes of any bird; but they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.  So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; it takes away the life of its possessors.  (vs. 15-19)

Mom and Dad have been there!  They may not always be right, but the teaching they give through the Word of God is always right and true.  I'm sure my children learned some bad habits from me, but I'm also sure they learned that I believe God's Word is true, and I try to follow it.

At the beginning of this lesson in Proverbs I mentioned that I'm not very good at listening.  None of us are.  We have to work at it.  If you are in the Word of God every single day He will speak to you.  Please, beloved grandchildren, above all else be students of the Word of God.  In these blessed pages you will find everything you need pertaining to life and godliness through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  (II Peter 1:3)

I love you.