Proverbs Chapters 20-21 - John Karmelich

1. My subtopic for this lesson is about avoiding things that can hurt us.

a) A lot of the proverbs in this lesson "speak in the negative", which is about warning us of things to avoid or things that can hurt us. These proverbs are teaching us how to behave by giving us "negative" examples!

b) On a related note, we have a bunch of proverbs in this lesson reminding us not to be lazy and that God is always watching our behavior and judging us!

c) Some of these proverbs just focus on the behavior of the wicked. Others are given as warnings to believers. For example, we have a couple of proverbs about dealing with a quarrelsome spouse.

d) I'll come back to this topic through the lesson. There are 61 proverbs in these two chapters, so I want to get a running start.

2. Chapter 20, Verse 1: Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

a) The bible never condemns the act of drinking, but does condemn getting drunk.

i) At the same time, the bible never has good things to say about drinking.

b) The point of this proverb is that whoever is "led" by alcohol is not wise. This is describing a person who drinks on a regular basis.

c) If a God fearing person has a glass of wine, I don't have a problem with it. If one is getting drunk on a regular basis, from God's perspective, one does have a problem that has to be dealt with!

d) I take the view of when in doubt, don't do it! Ask yourself, who is watching me drink and how will it affect my behavior? Again, when in doubt, avoid it! ☺

3. Verse 2: A king's wrath is like the roar of a lion; he who angers him forfeits his life.

a) This is similar to some other proverbs we've had in the past. The idea is that one never knows when a king (or anyone in authority) is going to get mad and it could cost us our lives if we have to face that anger.

b) The idea is either to avoid such a leader's wrath or if one has to face it, try to calm it!

4. Verse 3: It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

a) A sign of a wise person is they do their best to avoid strife, while a sign of a fool is that they are quick to get into an argument.

b) This verse does not mean a wise person always avoids a fight or a foolish person doesn't on occasion try to talk his way out of it. It means that more often than not, a wise person will do his or her best to avoid strife in their life.

c) Getting back to my opening comments, notice the pattern of proverbs with negative behavior. Many of these proverbs are describing behavior to avoid.

5. Verse 4: A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.

a) We're now back to describing a "lazy person", like we have been in previous lessons. A sign of a lazy person is that when it is time to plow their fields, they are too lazy to work and then get nothing at harvest time.

b) Even if the sluggard is not a farmer, one can apply this to whether or not a person is making any sort of effort in life to "pull their own weight" as opposed to always having to be dependant upon others to eat.

6. Verse 5: The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

a) A person may have the ability to give great advice, but it takes a man (or woman) of understanding to draw that good advice out of that person.

b) In a broader concept, a person may have something on his or her heart that needs to be said, but a "man of understand" will help draw out that information.

c) One can read this proverb as either one needing advice, or one trying to help get information from another who is a good councilor. The point is about one person helping another get information out of the one who should be saying something.

7. Verse 6: Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?

a) Many or most men claim to have "unfailing" love for someone. It could be talking about a man/woman relationship, a friendship or even a relationship with God. The point is many men claim they have such a relationship, but in reality, it is hard to find.

b) Let's look at this from a man/woman perspective. Most men will claim at some point in their life of their "true love" for a woman. The point is there are a lot less faithful men out there than those men who claim to be faithful all the time.

c) Let's look a this from a man and God perspective. Many men claim they are loyal to God, but their actions don't always follow through. Men and women who are truly loyal to God are less common, and that is a point of this proverb.

8. Verse 7: The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.

a) Verse 6 talked about a man who was truly loyal. It naturally follows that the next proverb speaks of the blessing on that man's life, including his children.

b) The first half says "The righteous man leads to a blameless life". In other words a man who lives his life always trying to do the right thing won't get into trouble with the law. Further, such a person is respected by God and by his peers for his honesty.

c) The second half says blessed are his children. It doesn't mean the children always turn out good, but such a good man becomes a good influence on his children. The point is the children are lucky to be living in such a home and have a good example.

d) As the bible teaches elsewhere, no one is perfect before God. Still, there are many who are honestly making an effort to live as blameless a life as possible. When a godly man or woman does mess up, they remember is to confess the sin and make every effort to turn from that sin!

9. Verse 8: When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes.

a) When a king or a judge sits on their judgment seat, sometimes "just a look" at the accused can help to separate the guilty from the innocent. The idea of "winnowing out all evil with his eyes" is an expression that means a look from the king or judge at those on trial can help judge the case correctly.

b) It doesn't mean a king can solve all cases perfectly, but in a judgment situation, those who are guilty do fear punishment and in that case the king is "separating evil with his eyes".

10. Verse 9: Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?

a) Back in Verse 6, we got into the issue of "who can be pure in God's eyes". That concept is followed up here in Verse 9. This verse asks the question, "who is pure and without sin?"

i) The answer is no one. The danger in life is to think "I'm not making any mistakes or I'm not guilty before God".

ii) The point of this proverb is that all people fall short before God in that we all make mistakes whether we realize it or not and whether or not we confess it.

b) There is an old joke in Christianity that even the best people "fall way short to God's standards of right and wrong". God's laws are still the "standard" to get into heaven. An unrighteous person may take a leap toward God and only land two feet away. A person who lives a better life may be able to leap 5-6 feet, but it still falls wau short of God's standard of perfection. The true Christian is one who says, "Yes I'm guilty, but Jesus agreed to pay my penalty." It doesn't matter how far I can leap on my own.

c) The whole reason the "confession" process is set up is because everyone falls short of God's expectations for mankind. The danger is to think "I don't need to confess" or "I haven't done anything wrong". God wants us to confess our sin, vow to turn from it and move on. Even if we still mess up with the same sin over and over again, the process for forgiveness is the same.

11. Verse 10: Differing weights and differing measures-- the LORD detests them both.

a) Here's another proverb that we've already had a few times in the Book of Proverbs: The concept is about being honest in our dealings with others. It is symbolized here in this proverb about the importance of having "honest sets of weights and measures".

i) The point here is that some people in the business world have one set of weights and measures when they buy a product and another when they sell a product. That is the idea behind having "different weights and measures".

b) Think about this proverb in context of the last one: The last one (Verse 9) was about how all people fall short of God's standards. Well, no one is perfect, but that is not an excuse to go out and sin on purpose, which is an underlying point of Verse 10.

i) Occasionally, you will meet a person who goes to church but still thinks, "It is ok to sin in the business world as that is the "world" and not "church". The correct answer is God expects us to be honest in all of our dealings!

c) God wants us to be consistent and fair in all of our dealings. ☺

12. Verse 11: Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.

a) It's pretty easy to judge how a person lives: It is simply a matter of watching their life for a while. One can even judge a child this way. Of course with children, we may have a lower standard than we do for an adult. The point is no matter what the age, one can judge a person based on how they live out their lives.

b) The last proverb was about being honest in business. This proverb takes it a step further by saying, "whether we realize or not, we are being judged by how we live our lives". People are judging us and God is judging us. You and I are not getting away with anything in life!

13. Verse 12: Ears that hear and eyes that see-- the LORD has made them both.

a) The last proverb says in effect that "everyone" is under watch by God and other people in that it is relatively easy to judge others simply by observing them.

b) Verse 12 is the "follow up" that says God has made our eyes and ears if for no other reason, than to observe what is going on around us.

c) The point of this proverb is because we have eyes and ears, we can observe other people and make judgments about their lifestyles and choices. In fact, in life it is easier to see and judge others than to see ourselves. We tend to be much tougher on others than ourselves.

d) The secret of life is to think about this proverb in "light" of the fact God is going to judge us based on our actions. Just we are to judge other's behavior, but only to the extent of our interaction with them. As far as judging for eternal salvation and eternal condemnation, that is God's business alone. At the same time, we are to judge other people's behavior for the purposes of our interactions with them.

e) To put this proverb another way, "God has given us good ears and eyes", use them appropriately and watch what is going on around us.

14. Verse 13: Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.

a) The idea of "love sleep" here is not about having to work around the clock. The idea is about avoiding being lazy in life and then one will have enough food to spare.

b) The idea is that God calls us to support ourselves and our family. That means getting a job or career and working hard at it! One can aspire to a higher level in life and there is nothing wrong with that.

c) The point of this proverb is about avoiding being lazy in life. It is about the person who loves sleep to the point of not working and supporting themselves!

15. Verse 14: It's no good, it's no good!" says the buyer; then off he goes and boasts about his purchase.

a) Here's another one of those proverbs that explains "How life works". There are many buyers of a product who are complaining during the negotiation process how bad the product is, but later boast about their purchase once they are no longer facing the seller.

b) The point of this proverb is, if one is in a negotiation situation, to not always trust what the other person is saying. If they were really unhappy about the purchase, they would not have made the deal in the first place!

i) Unfortunately in life, there are some people who like this tactic, as they think the next time they can get a better deal if they complain enough.

c) The "truth is" in the business world, the best deals are one where both sides come out happy about the results. If one successfully cheats the other side so that one side doesn't make out very well, they will just resent the other party at the next transaction.

d) Dear God, help us to be honest in all our business dealings and not try to cheat others. ☺

16. Verse 15: Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

a) The point of this proverb is that as much as people may treasure things like gold and rubies, but a "more rare and valuable jewel" is someone's lips that speak knowledge.

b) This proverb is not condemning the practice of trading in jewelry, but making the comparison of wise words to that of gold and rubies. The point is one who speaks "God's truth" is a far more valuable thing in life than material possessions! This verse is about putting God's word in perspective to things "man" considers valuable.

17. Verse 16: Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.

a) Many chapters ago, we talked about those who put up security for a stranger and the danger of that practice. Here in this proverb, that principal is taken one step further: If a person does put up security for a stranger, we should not trust that person: If fact we should take their garment (or some valuable) and hold it as a pledge to keep their word.

i) In other words, the type of person who puts up security for a stranger cannot be trusted in business dealings and therefore, when we have to deal with such a person, we need to collect their money up front or take something of there's in a pledge to keep their word.

b) The idea of "doing it for a wayward woman" takes this concept one step further. Suppose a man wants to give part of his garment (or something valuable he owns) to an adulterous woman. Once again, that person shouldn't be trusted. The proverb is warning against the danger of having dealings with this type of person.

18. Verse 17: Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man, but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel.

a) Here's another proverb explaining how life works. Those who steal from others may enjoy the moment when they gain the prize, but they will still lose in the end.

b) For those who steal, at the least, God will judge them and they face eternal condemnation. What also usually happens is a person who lives such a lifestyle usually ends up in jail or dead "early" due to living such a lifestyle. The point of this proverb is that there is often some temporary reward when one steals, but the emphasis is fact it is only temporary.

19. Verse 18: Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.

a) If one is making plans for their life, it is best to seek the council of one or more good advisors prior to beginning those plans.

b) If one is getting involved in a war, either literally or figuratively speaking, again, it is best to obtain good council prior to commencing that action.

c) The reason to seek such council is often one is not aware of the true cost of our plans prior to beginning the action. Such council helps us to be aware of what we are getting ourselves into with such actions.

i) Jesus himself commented on the importance of this principal (Luke 14:28).

20. Verse 19: A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.

a) Speaking of good council, this is a related proverb. The idea is also to avoid "bad council", which is the type of person who would betray our confidence and "talk to much". The idea is to beware of people who share our secrets with others!

b) This proverb is warning us about who we should and should not trust in life. A person who talks a lot should not be trusted as a close confident!

21. Verse 20: If a man curses his father or mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.

a) Twice in the Torah, it is commanded that a person who curses their parents should be put to death. (Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9). Jesus Himself even commented on this principal, although Jesus point was different.

b) The interesting thing about this principal is there are no examples in the bible of this law ever being put into practice. While this law is on the books, the reality is parents "put up with kids saying bad things about them".

i) The other point of this proverb is that if a man does such an action against his parents, God can send that person to hell for his bad treatment of his parents.

ii) What if the parents abuse a child? That's the exception, not the rule. This proverb is about children who ignore their parents discipline and turn away from the parents advice. This proverb is another example of "foolish" behavior.

c) This verse is not talking about kids who are mad at their parents for some punishment.
It is about older kids or young adults who don't respect their parents.

22. Verse 21: An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.

a) When young people get an inheritance early in life, it is rarely a blessing at the end of their life. It is usually wasted away. A young person is not mature enough to appreciate the financial blessing of an inheritance and often squanders it away.

b) One can also apply this proverb to a spiritual inheritance. Young people always think "they understand life" and no longer need their parent's advice as they get older. This proverb can apply to passing on one's spiritual knowledge to a young person, who then in turn, "walks away" from their parents and their blessing.

c) Is passing on an inheritance to children acceptable? The answer is yes, but at the proper time. I advice all parents to make out wills in case they die young so other Godly parents can finish raising their children. Yes one can pass on an inheritance, but it is best to wait until the children are grown and mature enough to appreciate it.

23. Verse 22: Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you.

a) Another biblical principal is to let God deal with those who hurt us! This is from Deuteronomy 32:25. That verse is also quoted twice in the New Testament: (Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30).

b) Let's say someone did us wrong in the business world or say, our spouse did something to hurt us. The correct response is to let God deal with revenge and not us. As to our spouses or someone else close to us, our job is to love them just as they are and let God deal with the issues of punishment!

c) It is ok to bring up the issue so that the other person understands our perspective. That is different from actually taking revenge for an action.

24. Verse 23: The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.

a) Here's a repeat of a proverb from earlier in the chapter. So why is it repeated?

i) The previous proverb was about being cheated. Let's suppose we are cheated in the business world. The temptation is to cheat them back. Thus, here is another warning against having "different weights and scales".

b) The concept is God wants us to have the same set of standards with everyone we deal with, even those who cheat us. We let God deal with revenge. In the meantime we are to be honest in all our dealings, even to those who cheat us. Grant it, we are to watch the cheaters closely. God does not want us to let them walk all over us over and over again. That is different from "taking revenge!"

25. Verse 24: A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?

a) The point here is God "directs" our lives whether we realize it or not.

b) This proverb is not saying we can't make plans for our life. It is saying God can, and does at times overrule those plans and interferes in our lives. We cannot fully "plan" what happens to us as God does interfere in the affairs of mankind.

c) When our plans go astray, help us to remember You have some alternative plans for us.

26. Verse 25: It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows.

a) The "main" application has to do with things we dedicate to God. The Old Testament, particularly Leviticus is full of ceremonies about dedicating things for God's use or, on a similar note, giving up things we own so God's dedicated priests could use them. In the New Testament, this would be about giving up things for the use of the church.

b) The point is for us to carefully think about what we are dedicating. God takes vows very seriously. Jesus does not call on us to take "vows", but when we do, He expects us to keep them. The main point is, "If we are not trustable to keep our words, why would anyone ever believe us when we talk about God? Therefore, God expects us to follow through on any type of vow we make."

c) The "related" point is about making any sort of promises to God we cannot keep or don't want to keep. We need to think about those promises and the cost before we make them.

27. Verse 26: A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them.

a) I don't believe this proverb is meant to be overly literally. The main idea is that when a king (or a leader) confronts evil people, he or she doesn't tolerate them, but puts them in jail for the sake of society.

b) The idea of "driving the threshing wheel over them" is the idea of not being tolerate of their actions, for the sake of society. When a leader determines someone as wicked, say in a courtroom setting, the sentencing is key. It is unfair to the victims of the crime if the judge or ruler simply has mercy on the criminals and let's them go. For the sake of society and the one's who were hurt, such people need to be punished.

28. Verse 27: The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being.

a) Here's a verse that says in effect, "God exists, and He checks out the inward spirit of men and women on a regular basis". In order to find out what a person is really like, they need to be examined.

b) Sometimes we wonder why God allows certain "bad" things to happen in our lives. Often the answer is simply so God can watch us and see how we react to things. In other words, people are being tested by God with certain situations.

c) A great, simple prayer in difficult situations is for "God's will to be done and help us to accept whatever is happening as God's will". If someone we love is in pain and they ask for our help, there is nothing wrong with helping or getting, say, the best medical care possible. For all we know, part of God's will may be using doctors to get the person through the situation. The issue of "God's will" is about all of us to accept the situation at hand, and at the same time, doing our best to get through it."

29. Verse 28: Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure.

a) My question of this proverb is what "love" i