THE WAY OF THE FOOL BY EXAMPLE

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PROVERBS 12:15-28
Lesson #19
THE WAY OF THE FOOL BY EXAMPLE

• Memory Verse: Pro 12:15
• Read Pro 12:15-28
  • Some of the following Proverbs are out of Biblical sequence in order to group them under thoughtful themes for the purpose of studying them more efficiently.
  • The Way of the Fool by example:
    • “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” (15)
    • ^“ A fool’s wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.” (16)
      • Key words: fool (no God for me); counsel (advice); wise (skill in living). prudent (caution).
      • The unbeliever that wants nothing to do with God thinks that his reasoning power is all he needs to make wise decisions in life.
      • In fact, pride is at its greatest when he won’t even listen to the advice of others who have more experience or have lived more years. Instead he loses his temper and does not consider the long range consequences.
      • This fool reminds us of Rehoboam, Solomon’s own son.
        • Rehoboam was responsible for splitting the kingdom of Israel into two nations after the death of King Solomon.
        • Read 1Kin 11:26, 31, 40; 12:1-8, 15-17, 20

Instead of uniting the kingdom Rehoboam caused the rebellion of the Northern tribes of Israel. The Northern Kingdom of Israel made Jeroboam their king.

The Southern Kingdom that included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin had Rehoboam as their king.

There was a brief civil war until God told the Southern Kingdom of Rehoboam not to fight. The nation of Israel remained divided into two nations until the Babylonian captivity.

Because of this rebellion and civil war, the Northern Kingdom of Jeroboam drifted farther away from the will of God.

• • • • According to Pro 12:16, Rehoboam should have tried to cover the breach of shame of the Northern tribes in order to keep them loyal to God. Instead the Northern tribes brought Jeroboam back from exile in Egypt and made him their king. Jeroboam perverted the religion of the Northern tribes.
    • ^“A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.” (23)
      • Key words: prudent (caution); knowledge (power to know truth); fool (no God for me).
      • The prudent man is the person that can look ahead and see the consequences of his actions.
      • The prudent man does not tell everything he knows because he is not trying to impress people. He has the power of the Holy Spirit inside of Him as a born again believer. Therefore, he trusts the Holy Spirit to reveal to him the truth of a situation and the details that he should reveal to others.
      • Because the fool tells everything he knows, you know his heart is not with God.
  • Speaking Deceit or Speaking Truth:
    • ^“ He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit” (17)
      • Key words: righteousness (pure life).
      • The believer in Jesus Christ will have truth in his heart with the Holy Spirit. That truth will show in his lifestyle and in his conversation.
      • A false witness is evil and seeks to deceive people into believing something is true when in reality it is false.
    • ^“ There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health” (18)
      • Key words: wise (skillful living).
      • The tongue is sharp like a sword. It can cut to a person’s heart and hurt people’s feelings as well as destroy their self-esteem.
      • Read Heb 4:12
      • However, the Word of God is sharp like a two edged sword. The believer that speaks the Word of God is living skillfully for it brings the ultimate of health to a person’s soul.
    • “The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” (19)
      • The truth of God is eternal. That is why it is important to speak the Word of God.
      • The lying tongue does not produce anything good for eternity.
    • ^“Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.” (20)
      • Key words: heart (soul/inner man); counsellors (advice).
      • A person, whose lifestyle is evil, thinks nothing about honesty or truth. He will say anything that promotes his current lifestyle.
      • The believer in Jesus Christ that counsels others will seek ways to promote peace in his counseling. Peace and joy are related. Where there is one, you will find the other.
    • ^“ Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.” (22)
      • Key words: abomination (hated).
      • God hates lies because it is directly opposite of His character that is based on truth.
      • Therefore, God delights in honesty and truth. If you make honesty and truth part of your lifestyle it is doubly pleasing to God because just words are not enough. The believer must live what he believes and what he says.
    • ^“Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.” (25)
      • Key words: heart (soul/inner man).
      • Body language reflects a person’s mood. Therefore you can tell if a person has a heavy heart brought on by the cares of the world or some tragedy in his life.
      • That is when the believer in Christ can offer him hope in Christ that will make him glad.
  • Diligence or Laziness:
    • ^“ The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” (24)
      • Key words: diligent (constant care); slothful (lazy); tribute (extortion money).
      • The person that takes constant care of his responsibilities in life will find himself put in charge.
        • The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis is the example.
        • Whether in Potiphar’s house, in prison, or in the government of Pharaoh, Joseph found himself always promoted to the top.
        • Businesses are always looking for responsible people who are diligent to take care of the things placed in their hands.
        • In contrast is the lazy person that will always find himself in bondage, owing other people something.
        • In the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the diligent believers are going to rule and reign with Christ.

They will have authority over cities.

But all believers will not rule equally as some believers have not prepared themselves to rule with Christ.

• • • “The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.” (27)
      • Key words: slothful (lazy); substance (material good); diligent (constant care).
      • The lazy person does not take advantage of his opportunities, and neither does he finish his tasks.
      • The diligent person that takes responsibility for his life will work hard for what he has and therefore he will value what he has.
      • It is because of this proverb that we can understand why general welfare programs do not work. Through welfare a person is not taught to work hard for what he has. He waits until it is given to him without any effort on his part. As a result, he does not value what he has.
        • God’s welfare system in the Bible was gleaning where a poor person could go through a harvested field and harvest what he needed. (Lev 23:22)
        • He worked for what he got.
        • Because of this Biblical concept, the New Testament tells us that if a person does not work, he should not eat. (2The 3:10)
  • General Proverbs:
    • “There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.” (21)
      • Key words: just (righteous believer); wicked (lawless evil).
      • I am sure there are many believers in Christ going through extremely difficult times that would take issue with the truth of this proverb. Remember that proverbs are general probabilities.
      • However, there are some truths that as New Testament believers in Jesus Christ we know for a fact:
        • =1= God has love in mind for the believer. (Joh 3:16; Joh 14:23)
        • =2= God is in total control of a believer’s life. (Deu 33:3)
        • =3= God either permits or directly sends certain circumstances into the life of a believer. (Rom 8:29)
        • =4= God will use everything in a believer’s life for a good purpose. (Rom 8:28)
        • =5= The believer belongs to God’s kingdom not Satan’s kingdom. (Col 1:13)
        • =6= Satan must get God’s permission to touch the life of a believer. (The book of Job).
        • =7= When the believer in Christ goes through difficult times, the Lord is his helper to get him through. (Heb 13:6)
      • Therefore, the righteous believer is continually in the hands of God and can trust God’s love to care for him so that all comes out for good in his life. In this way, the believer can say that “no evil happens to the just” that will have a lasting and eternal negative effect.
      • The rain falls on the just and the unjust. (Mat 5:45) The difference is that the non-believer has no help from God and has no guarantee that it will turn out for good for him.
    • “The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.” (26)
      • Key words: righteous (pure life); wicked (lawless evil).
      • The believer in Jesus Christ has the righteousness of Christ over his life and the Holy Spirit living inside of him. He therefore makes a better neighbor than the non-believer.
        • He is of value to his community because he obeys the law and loves his neighbor.
        • He is a good citizen influencing others to live a pure life in Christ.
      • The non-believer influences his neighbors to be lawbreakers in the same way he is.
    • “In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof there is no death.” (28)
      • Key words: righteousness (pure life).
      • Notice the parallels:
        • Way/pathway
        • Righteousness of life/no death
      • The Christian life is such that the believer in Jesus Christ has eternal life.
      • Therefore, the phrase, “there is no death” obviously does not mean physical death.
        • There is no spiritual death (separation from God for eternity) for the believer in Jesus Christ.
        • For this reason Jesus said, “…I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” (Joh 11:25)

Homework
Proverbs 13:1-13

• Application of Pro 12:15-28
  • Have you ever struggled with the concept that sometimes evil seems to come to the believer’s life?
  • Have you ever had to explain it to non-believers?
  • What are some good arguments to explain bad things happening to good people?
  • How would you describe what makes a fool compared to what makes a wise person? (15)
    • The fool wants nothing to do with God but thinks he is wise within himself.
    • The fool puts himself at the center of his life instead of God.
  • Three of the proverbs in this section speak about the “fool”. What are the characteristics of a fool?
    • The fool does not consider the future consequences of his actions.
    • The fool does not listen to counsel or advice from others.
  • Find the six proverbs in this section that talk about the speech, your words, and the tongue. What should we learn from these six proverbs?
    • A person can use words to lift up another person to produce good or to destroy him, his reputation, and his self-esteem.
    • God hates lies and honors honesty and truth.
• Preparation for Pro 13:1-13
  • Read Pro 13:1-13
    • What does it mean that a scorner does not hear rebuke? (1)
    • What is verse seven trying to teach us?
    • What is wealth gotten by vanity? (11)
    • In verse 13 it talks about the Word which can be viewed in several ways. Explain the Word.
• Memory Verse: Pro 13:13