Proverbs Chapters 16-17 John Karmelich

1. The main topic of proverbs is still "Wisdom". My "subtopic for this lesson is "Things that are pleasing to God".

a) Since God's name is mentioned prominently in this lesson (via the title "The LORD"). I thought it would be good to discuss a little what is specifically pleasing to God!

b) For example, in the first few proverbs, it means how God can overrule our plans and take control of our tongue!

c) The proverbs also teach how God even takes control of the tongue of the wicked ultimately for His own purposes. Others can learn from the mistakes of the unsaved.

d) When a person's ways are pleasing to God, He even makes our enemies at peace with us.

e) This lesson also gets into proverbs about giving good instruction and making Godly wisdom a priority in our lives.

2. In this lesson, we're also going to have a lot of proverbs about being honest with others. There are both positive and negative examples in these proverbs about dealing with others.

3. Other proverbs deal with our relationships with leaders, including kings and judges.

a) If a king is dealing with wrath, it is better to try to appease it than face it.

b) Some of the proverbs in Chapter 17 deal with the importance of honesty in court. The point is, as much as possible to punish the guilty and let the innocent go free. This concept of fairness in court should be irrelevant as to the issue of who is and is not saved.

c) With that said, I'm ending my introduction here as we have a lot of ground to cover!

4. Verse 1: To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.

a) The point of this proverb is that God will often put thoughts on our tongues for us to speak. We don't always realize what we say comes from God. This proverb is teaching that God gets involved with what we say, whether we realize it or not.

b) We as humans, often make plans in our hearts. God has the ability to over-rule those plans with the goal of getting His will accomplished.

c) Notice God's control of the human tongue is not limited to believers. God sometimes controls the mouths of nonbelievers, again to get His will done.

d) This verse is not saying God controls our tongue every time we speak. It means God is in control of our lives, and when God wants to interview, He does.

e) Let me stop for a second and define "LORD" quickly. When that word is in all capitals, it is based on a Hebrew acronym for the most holy name of God, which is "Jehovah". Jehovah is not the only title used for God, but it is considered the most holy title.

i) It is a reminder of just who is getting involved in our lives!

5. Verse 2: All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

a) Most of us go through life thinking what we are doing at any one moment is right. This proverb is reminding us that God watches and weighs our motivations. God watches our motivations to do things. In other words, we are not only judged for what we do in life, but our motivations as well.

b) Which leads to verse 3:

6. Verse 3: Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

a) Does this mean if we plan to do something sinful and "commit it to God" it will succeed. No, this only applies to things that are pleasing to God in the first place.

b) Remember God's idea of success is often different from ours. This verse does not mean every business venture we undertake, will be successful on our timing! It means if we try to live a life pleasing to God, He turns around and blesses our plans. The idea is those plans somehow glorify Him. We may not be as successful as we want on day 1, but God is in charge, He is watching out for us and guiding is. That's the idea behind this proverb.

7. Verse 4: The LORD works out everything for his own ends-- even the wicked for a day of disaster.

a) The goal of life is to get involved with Gods game plan for the world and not our own. Even those that are being condemned for ignoring God all of their lives are somehow being controlled by God whether they realize it or not. The point is God works within the affairs of mankind to accomplish His will. At any given moment, we can choose to be doing things God's way or rebel against God with our own plans.

i) No matter what we choose, God's will, will eventually prevail. The only question is how much we choose to be involved in God's plans for the world.

8. Verse 5: The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

a) The point is those that spend their lives turning from God in order to pursue their own interest will not go unpunished.

b) Know that the saved are forgiven, but we the saved are still judged based on how we lived our lives. For those that never want to humble themselves before God, they will suffer eternal condemnation for that action.

c) Let me focus on the "saved" as we read this verse: One can read this verse as about salvation. It also applies to the "here and now" as well. We can be proud in our heart at any given moment toward God or someone around us. Notice how God never lets us get away with anything for very long. That too is a point of this proverb.

i) For example, if we don't repent, God often works on us to forgive and change. Yes this verse is dealing with those being sent to hell, but there is also a message to the saved reading it as well. The message is about watching our heart, as God is constantly watching it.

ii) Therefore, it is better to repent now, then face God's judgment later!

9. Verse 6: Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.

a) Both halves of this proverb speak to the "saved person".

b) In the first half, Proverbs is talking about how to properly deal with sin. When we forgive those we hurt (both God and fellow people), we are dealing with sin. Being faithful to God is how we atone for sin. When we do mess up, we confess it and move on.

c) The second half of the proverb is about taking our relationship with God one step further: It is about avoiding evil in the first place: Our motivation to avoid evil is about wanting to avoid the wrath of God! Our desire to please God should be a motivation to keep us away from evil things in the first place!

10. Verse 7: When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

a) Notice that when we are pleasing to God, we still have enemies in this world. God never promises that the world will love us for loving Him. What God does promise is that if our lifestyle is pleasing to God, He in turn will make our enemies live at peace with us.

b) So what does that mean on a practical basis? Sometimes it will cause our enemies to leave us alone for the time being. Notice our fates with our enemies is in God's control and not ours if we are just willing to trust God in that aspect.

i) The secret is to focus on pleasing God and let Him worry about our enemies.

ii) Does the term our enemies refer to people, or demonic forces. The answer is both. Since we don't know what forces are behind those people we consider our enemies, our job is to pleasing God and let Him worry about that situation.

c) During the moments we are being attacked by our enemies, the point is to focus on God and ask Him what He wants us to do at that given moment. God may ask us to face them or run away at any given moment. The point is it is up to God and not us!

11. Verse 8: Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

a) This verse is related to the previous ones and it is best to read it in that context: The direct point of this proverb is that is better to only have a few material possessions in life and have "righteousness", (that is have a heart right toward God) then to have a lot of possessions, but there is injustice involved.

b) The point is we should focus on being right with God first and then material possessions second. What does that mean practically? It means we consider how God would react to any and all aspects to our lives. It also means we should take time out of each day for God. This verse does not mean we have to live a life of poverty. It simple means we consider God in all that we do.

12. Verse 9: In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

a) Earlier, we had a proverb of how God "controls" our tongues even after we make plans.

b) Here is a similar proverb that says in effect, people make plans in our hearts, but God determines our course of actions whether we realize it or not.

i) What does that mean? It means God interferes in the affairs of man whether we like it or not. Might as well accept it and live our lives for Him.

ii) It means God directs our lives, whether we realize it or not. You and I may plan something, but God has the power and the will to overrule those planes.

c) Does this mean we shouldn't plan things? Of course not. We just have to accept the idea that God can overrule our plans at anytime.

13. Verse 10: The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth should not betray justice.

a) This is the first of many proverbs that deal with those in command.

b) The point of this proverb is that a king can command anything he desires, but that king should not betray justice in his life as a king.

c) Just because we don't live in a kingdom, does not mean this proverb no longer applies. It can apply to anyone in power including judges. The essential idea is one should be fair in dealings when it comes to situations that require justice.

14. Verse 11: Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

a) Speaking of being fair and honest, here is a proverb about having honest scales.

b) The idea is one who is fair and just also uses honest scales in their deals with others.

i) Since honest scales come from God, we should treat them well. ☺

15. Verse 12: Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.

a) The bible condones human government. The idea is that a throne, or any place of leadership should be a place of honest dealings where righteousness is done.

b) For example, if someone goes to court or to the government to solve an issue, that person should expect the people in power to act fairly and not show any special favoritism.

c) The other concept is that those who are in power should rule fairly over the people.

16. Verse 13: Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.

a) If one is before a person of power, one should speak honestly as opposed to being a yes man or yes-women. The idea is those in power respect honesty and they respect those that speak the truth.

17. Verse 14: A king's wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it.

a) The essential idea is that a king is in charge, and if the king is angry about something, people can die over the issue. A wise man will try to calm down the king so that king can make fair and right decisions and not be controlled by his anger.

b) This verse is written for the person facing the king and his wrath!

c) OK, most of us don't live in a kingdom. Still, there are judges and political leaders that occasionally require to be calmed so they don't punish the innocent, or over-punish the guilty in any given situation.

18. Verse 15: When a king's face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

a) The idea of rain in the spring is a positive thing. It means the crops get needed rain.

b) The idea of this proverb is that when a king goes from angry to happy, it means good things for those who are in the king's presents.

c) This verse marks the end of the proverbs about being around kings.

19. Verse 16: How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!

a) Here's a proverb that we have already read. The essential idea is that getting biblical wisdom is more important than chasing after silver or gold.

b) So why have this proverb stated here at this point? It is a bridge of the last and next group of proverbs. We just had a bunch of proverbs about what to say when we are in the presence of a king or leader. At such times, one can focus on the leader and not God.

i) This proverb is reminding us about what is the primary issue of life at all times!

ii) This proverb is not against making money, but about getting our priorities right!

20. Verse 17: The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.

a) This proverb ties well with the previous one. Part of the concept of constantly seeking God's guidance is about avoiding what is evil. A person who is concerned with pleasing God in all they do is also going to do their best to avoid evil people.

b) The second part says in effect such a good person will "guard him or her self" from that type of evil person and bad behavior. In other words, we are to watch what we say and who we associate with in life!

c) Part of pleasing God is spending as much time as possible with others who think likewise.

21. Verse 18: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

a) What usually brings us down is our pride. The point is having a lot of pride is usually the cause of one's downfall in life. The idea of a "haughty spirit" is very similar.

b) The essential idea is to watch our behavior and see if it is, or is not pleasing to God. A sign that we are going in the wrong direction is when we refuse to humble ourselves. In other words, our pride is often the cause of our downfall in a situation.

22. Verse 19: Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

a) This verse is not claiming that making money is bad. The point is it is better to be low in spirit among the oppressed than to share in ill gotten wealth among the proud.

b) The essential idea is to not get involved in financial behavior that is displeasing to God. This includes being involved in some plan to steal from others. The point is it is better to be poor than to be rich by some illegal gain.

23. Verse 20: Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.

a) Here's a proverb where both halves area a good thing!

b) A "good thing" is to give heed to biblical based instruction. Think about that line in comparison to the last proverb: A person who heeds good instruction is not likely to get involved with plans to steal someone's wealth.

c) The point of this proverb in context is that a wise person will listens to God's council and lives their lives accordingly. They are not driven to get involved with illegal schemes.

d) A person is blessed if they trust in God and not say, some scheme to steal from others.

24. Verse 21: The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.

a) If one is living a life where they are trying to be pleasing to God in all that they do? Such a person will be called discerning. It simply means such a person is willing to listen to God's advice as opposed to the world's advice in any given situation.

b) Well spoken words encourage others to also accent in ways that are pleasing to God. The idea of well-spoken words is that they are said in a way that encourages others and said at the right time. One of the most common fears in life is not knowing what to say or when to say it. I'm not claiming to be perfect in this situation.

c) The first step in giving advice is find out whether or not the other person wants to hear your advise or opinion. Next, turn it over to God and ask Him to help you with the right words in any given situation.

25. Verse 22: Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.

a) Now we're back to a "good guy versus bad guy" type of proverb.

b) The good person has good understanding of a situation. The idea is such a person is interested in pleasing God and tries to live their lives accordingly.

c) The foolish person gets a lot of punishment in life essentially for turning from God in all that they do! The foolish person may not even realize they are being punished. The point is inevitably they will suffer for turning from God all of their lives.

d) Yes, everybody sins and no one is perfect. That is a different point from this proverb. This proverb is separating those who are interested in pleasing God with their lives from those who are not.

26. Verse 23: A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.

a) A wise person is careful about what he or she says. They are interested in pleasing God in all that they (or we) do and we let that biblical knowledge guide what we say.

b) It does not mean we should be quiet all the time. In fact the second half of this proverb says in effect "good lips" promotes instructions. That means when we say wise things, it usually has a positive affect upon those who are listening. The words of the wise promote the good things taught by God to us!

27. Verse 24: Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

a) When we do say the right words, it is sweet to the soul of those listening and especially to the one saying the words in the first place. It often has a healing affect as well.

b) The idea is on those occasions when we say the right thing, it is beneficial to both ourselves and those willing to listen.

28. Verse 25: There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

a) This verse is stating the opposite of the previous proverb. The idea is one can say or do things that seem right, but it can lead to death. The idea is one can say or think things that are not biblically based. Those ways may "seem right", but if they are not God based they lead to death.

b) The trick is to learn the difference between that which is acceptable and not acceptable to God. When in doubt, ask Him! The other related idea is to seek godly council when one is not sure whether one's planes are biblical based.

i) If one has done all of that and are not sure, sometimes, one can simple follow through and watch the results.

ii) Again, God is not against us earning a living. The condemnation is against us doing illegal or immoral things in order to get ahead in life!

29. Verse 26: The laborer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.

a) Let's face it, one who needs to work to stay alive, will be driven by that need. This proverb is not condemning either labor or hunger. It is just stating the fact that a person will be driven by their need to survive to look for work.

b) What about the person who has inherited wealth and doesn't have to work as hard? There is nothing wrong with receiving an inheritance. The question is what does one do with that inheritance and is one still living out a life pleasing to God.

30. Verse 27: A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.

a) The next four proverbs, including this one all deal with "bad" people in life. They all involve behavior to avoid.

b) The first says in effect a wicked person spends a lot of time plotting to do evil. We can recognize such a person by their speech. They speak in ways that are displeasing to God.

c) The idea is not about the good person that occasionally plans the wrong thing, but about those who don't think twice about doing something "scandalous".

31. Verse 28: A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

a) Let's say a new person enters our group of friends, and that person is constantly stirring up debate and dissention. There is a time and a place for debate. This proverb is warning against those who stir up debate when it is not necessary.

b) The second half is similar. It is saying the act of gossip can separate the best of friendships. The idea is gossip is to be avoided. When someone has done something wrong, the correct response is to go to the source, not to spread the rumors to others.

c) A good idea is to ask God for discernment when a new friend comes in the picture.

32. Verse 29: A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.

a) A person who is violent by nature wants others to join him or her, if for no other reason than to justify their behavior. The point is if we are that neighbor, we are to watch for this type of person and don't follow them in their violent path.

b) If there is "violence" to be dealt with, then one gets the authorities involved and does it property. This proverb is warning against the kind of person that just likes to stir up trouble when it is not necessary.

33. Verse 30: He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity; he who purses his lips is bent on evil.

a)