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Wisdom is the main theme of Proverbs. Wisdom is the proper application of knowledge: the ability to use what we know to live according to God’s wise principles, principles that reflect who He is. Wisdom’s fruit is a more successful life now and eternal life in the world to come.
Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord – respect for God, submission to His authority and a desire to live according to His Word.
Foolishness and fools are the opposite of wisdom and the wise.
We need to understand that the Proverbs are not promises or guarantees that certain things will always happen. They are principles that teach us how life normally works when we follow God’s wisdom or disregard it. There can be exceptions, but the principles themselves remain true.
17 Rabbi Jerry: People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray.
Not to read too much into this verse, but it states accept vs. love. We might not love discipline, but accepting it improves our lives. Rejecting discipline might allow us to ignore the immediate and temporary pain that comes from it. But long term we are setting ourselves up for more failure and suffering. Going astray isn’t just getting a little lost, it’s wandering from a path of safety and life, into danger and death.
18 Rabbi Jerry: Hiding hatred makes you a liar; slandering others makes you a fool.
There are different types of “hatred” described in God’s Word. Righteously hating sin is not wrong, but that is not what we are dealing with in Proverbs 10. This is the sinful petty kind of hatred, the kind connected with slandering, speaking wrongly, about other people. Pretending to not hate someone when you do makes you a liar. Unfortunately, this does not end with High School for some people and brings them and others pain through their lying and fake niceness.
It is foolish to slander, to speak wrongly about other people. Our words have the power to really hurt others, a wrong accusation or story can destroy someone’s life.
19 Rabbi Jerry: Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.
When Rabbi Loren and I were choosing which verses to cover, I think we both chose verses that speak to us. I think you will see why Rabbi Loren chose verse 20. But I chose this verse because I have been guilty of talking too much. I like to think I have grown in this area as I have gotten older.
The more we talk the more likely it is that we will say something wrong or something hurtful. While the NLT has a very snappy translation, the ESV is I think a bit more focused on the actual Hebrew, whoever restrains his lips is prudent. It is more than just not speaking, but actively holding back, restraining the words that are trying to get out.
20: Rabbi Loren: The words of the righteous are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.
Silver is rare in the world God created. It’s beautiful, precious and valuable, and along with gold it’s the best money.
In a similar way, the words of the righteous ‑ those who are right with God, those who are committed to consistently do the right things ‑ are valuable and precious because:
They lead people toward God and help them understand His Word and His ways. They impart truth and wisdom and help others make good decisions. They encourage, comfort and strengthen those who are discouraged or hurting. They build up people rather than tear them down.
In contrast, the heart of a fool is worthless. The heart represents the inner person: his thoughts, desires, attitudes and character. The fool’s heart is worthless because:
It’s governed by sinful desires rather than a desire to please God. It doesn’t know the truth so it produces words that mislead, deceive and hurt others. It makes foolish decisions that harm the fool and those around him.
So, if you want your words to be like silver, be right with God and committed to living according to His ways.
21 Rabbi Jerry: The words of the righteous encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.
A righteous person does not just restrain their words, but they also choose their words carefully. Scripture is clear that we are to be encouragers. The Hebrew word here is רָעָה to pasture or feed. So our words should feed people, they should sustain others and be of substance. Our words should improve the lives of others. The main way we can encourage and feed others with our words is by sharing the Word of God. John 6:68, encourages us that only Messiah Yeshua has the words that give eternal life.
In contrast with the righteous, fools, those who reject the Lord and His Words experience destruction. Their words bring death not life and their lack of common sense. This isn’t the kind of common sense that tells us to wear seatbelts and not play near the edge of cliffs. This is the sense to know we need the knowledge of the Lord. Accepting that only God can give us what we need to live righteous lives.
22 Rabbi Loren: The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich because the Lord is the source of every good thing we have. He provides for our needs, gives us wisdom and fills us with peace and joy. Most importantly, He gives us a relationship with Himself and the hope of eternal life through faith in Messiah Yeshua.
Being rich doesn’t mean having a lot of money. We are truly rich when we have God’s forgiveness, His presence, His wisdom, loving relationships and the assurance of eternal life. Money can’t buy these riches.
What does it mean that He adds no sorrow with the riches He gives? Wealth acquired through greed, dishonesty or other sinful means often brings guilt, anxiety and broken relationships. But the blessings God gives don’t come with those burdens, because they never require us to compromise our integrity or disobey His Word. Even when following Him involves difficulties and suffering, we can enjoy the peace and satisfaction of knowing that we are walking with Him and living in a way that pleases Him.
To receive the Lord’s blessing we must trust Him, believe His Word, turn from sin and seek to live according to His will. So, seek the Lord and His righteousness rather than making wealth your goal. True riches are measured not by how much money we possess but by our relationship with God and the blessing He gives.
This is true “prosperity teaching.”
23 Rabbi Loren: Doing wrong is fun for a fool, but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible.
Doing wrong is fun for a fool because it gives him immediate pleasure and satisfies his selfish desires. For example, someone enjoys lying and stealing because they help him get what he wants. Someone enjoys sexual immorality because it satisfies his physical desires.
Living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible because wise people enjoy pleasing God, helping others, living with a clear conscience, and because their choices lead to fewer unnecessary problems.
Therefore, we should live wisely because the fun that comes from doing wrong is temporary and harmful, while the pleasure of living wisely pleases God and leads to a more successful and fulfilling life.
24 Rabbi Loren: The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the righteous will be granted.
The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled because their sins will be exposed and they will experience the consequences of doing evil – either in this life or on the Day of Judgment.
The hopes of the righteous will be granted because they hope for God’s blessing, help in times of trouble, provision for their needs and eternal life. This does not mean that everything we want will happen or that we will never suffer, but that God will fulfill His promises to us.
Therefore, we should turn away from wickedness and pursue righteousness, trusting God’s promises rather than living in fear of the consequences of sin.
25 Rabbi Jerry: When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the righteous have a lasting foundation.
Life is full of storms, and not just light spring rains. Fall thunderstorms, with lightning, torrential downpours and whirlwinds that can send people and trees flying away. Death, disease, loss of jobs, ending of relationships, all these intense storms can send our lives careening out of control like Dorthy in the tornado.
Those who reject the Lord will be blown away. They will be unable to handle the storms of life and we see the result of this principle in the world around us today. But the righteous are different, we have a firm foundation, a home built as Yeshua told us on firm ground.
When tornadoes come, we are taught as children to take shelter in a safe place. A room like a basement that is not easily destroyed and can hopefully protect us from the dangerous winds. We do not want to hide in a greenhouse filled with glass or a tent in our yards. That is what those who reject the Lord are doing when they try to replace Him with a idol. But the righteous know where shelter is found. Hope, peace, and joy, despite our circumstances is found only in the sheltering wings of the Lord.
26 Rabbi Loren: Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.
Lazy employees irritate their employers like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes because they bring discomfort to those who depend on them. They don’t do their fair share and make others work harder to compensate.
Therefore, we should be diligent, responsible and dependable, doing what we are asked without constantly needing to be pushed or reminded. We should work faithfully because it pleases God, serves others and earns trust and respect – and keeps us employed.
27 Rabbi Loren: The fear of the Lord lengthens one’s life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
The fear of the Lord contributes to a longer life because those who fear Him take His commands seriously and seek to live by wisdom. This helps them avoid choices that can destroy health and shorten life, such as using drugs, drinking too much alcohol and engaging in reckless behavior. It also promotes self‑control, good decision-making and a healthier way of living.
In contrast, the years of the wicked are cut short because they engage in behaviors that bring destructive consequences, such as violence, reckless living and other sinful choices that can shorten their lives.
Therefore, we should fear the Lord because doing so helps us make wise choices, avoid destructive behaviors and live healthier, more fulfilling lives.
28 Rabbi Loren: The hopes of the righteous result in happiness, but the expectations of the wicked come to nothing.
The hopes of the righteous result in happiness because God will fulfill His promises to them. He promises to help them through life’s difficulties, provide for their needs, raise them from the dead and give them eternal life. They have hope because God is faithful and His promises can be trusted.
In contrast, the expectations of the wicked come to nothing because they expect to find happiness and success by pursuing their own desires without regard for God. But the pleasures of sin are temporary, their plans may fail and they will ultimately die, face God’s judgment and lose everything in Hell.
Therefore, we should pursue righteousness and place our hope in God rather than in the temporary pleasures of this world because He gives us joy in this life and promises everlasting happiness in the life to come.
29 Rabbi Jerry: The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked.
God’s Law, His way, is a place of safety and security for those who live their lives correctly. It guides us in every area. It is why some refer to God’s Word as the user manual for life. But for those who reject it, God’s way destroys them. They will experience the suffering and judgment of God’s holy standard.
30 Rabbi Loren: The righteous will never be disturbed, but the wicked will be removed from the land.
The righteous will never be disturbed because they trust God and know that He is with them, cares for them and will fulfill His promises to them. This does not mean they will never experience trouble, persecution or suffering, but that their ultimate security is in Him.
The wicked will be removed from the land because they reject God’s authority and disregard His standards of righteousness. In the immediate sense, their evil actions bring harmful consequences and can cost them their homes, freedom and even their lives. In the ultimate sense, they will experience God’s judgment and will not inherit the blessings of His coming Kingdom.
Therefore, we should pursue righteousness because, although we may experience difficulties in this life, we can have peace knowing that God is faithful and that our eternal future with Him in His Kingdom is secure.
31 Rabbi Jerry: The mouth of the righteous person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off.
32 Rabbi Jerry: The lips of the righteous speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.
These final two verses can be taken together. Righteous people give wise and helpful advice with their Words. Is this because righteous people are just born smarter? No. They are wise and helpful because their words communicate the truths of God. Many human beings can give good advice from their experiences, but you can never be sure it is always right and helpful advice. But if we are giving wise advice based on the perfect truth of God we can be confident that our words will be helpful. We just need to be sure that our words are not just true, but also come from a place of love and care.
The words of the wicked are perverse. In Hebrew verse 31 has the same word as verse 32 for perverse. On a basic level the words of the wicked again bring destruction. But the point of these verses is I believe a bit deeper. Perverse words are words that go against what is normal. They are strange, deviant, and defiant. These words contradict the truth of God’s Word and deceive other with lies. Often, people think their “truth” which perverts the objective truth of the Lord, is good and wise help for people. For instance people who practice Tarot readings genuinely believe they are communicating wise and helpful truths that will improve the lives of others.
But our intentions do not change reality. Whether we are talking about Tarot or anything else that is perverse, all it does is foolishly hurt others and destroy their lives. We want to be sure we are offering people real help that will genuinely improve their lives, help that is found only in the Lord.