THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND THE STRENGTH OF A NATION

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PROVERBS 14:19-35
Lesson #23
THE FEAR OF THE LORD AND THE STRENGTH OF A NATION

• Memory Verse: Pro 14:34
• In our previous lesson we discussed how man decides how he should live his life for the greatest success in life.
• The same is also true of a family, a city, and a nation.
• “The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.” (19)
  • Key words: wicked (lawless evil); righteous (pure life).
    • In this world today where evil increases and abounds in every aspect of society, we could say that this proverb is not true.
    • However the concept is based on an ancient custom where an inferior or defeated enemy prostrated himself before the superior warrior at the city gates.
  • However, we must keep in mind the broad scheme of life and God’s eternal plan.
    • When in time will evil bow before the good?
    • At the event of the second coming of Jesus Christ, all non-believers will die in the Battle of Armageddon. Why?
      • Jesus said that the meek in heart will inherit the kingdom of God. (Mat 5:5 1Cor 6:9-10)
      • The meek are those that put themselves under the control of Jesus Christ.
    • At the event of the second coming of Jesus Christ, He will establish His kingdom on earth for a thousand years.
      • During that Millennial Kingdom, every year for 1000 years, all nations must acknowledge Jesus Christ as the King of kings and Lord of lords. They must come to Jerusalem annually.
      • Read Zec 14:16-19
      • Gradually with an increase in human births during the Millennial Kingdom, there will also be an increase in non-believers.
    • At the end of the Millennial Kingdom, the wicked will be at the gates of the righteous in Jerusalem in the final war of Gog and Magog.
      • Read Rev 20:7-10 God is the superior winner in the end.
  • ^“ The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.” (20)
  • ^“ He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.” (21)
    • Key words: despiseth (contempt for).
    • This proverb tells us that human nature gives time and favor to those who have something that can benefit them personally. We can see this aspect of human nature in the story of the prodigal son. When his money was gone, so were his friends.
      • This is true of human nature that is motivated by selfishness.
      • This is true of human nature whether it is material wealth or some other benefit like power and prestige.
    • However, James 2:8 tells us, “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well.” (Mat 25:40) This concept is in all of the Bible.
  • “Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.” (22)
    • As we have already seen in this lesson, those that choose to deliver their lives to the authority of Jesus Christ will seek to do good and receive God’s blessings for eternity, and those that choose to follow evil or Satan will spend eternity with Satan in the lake of fire.
    • The question this proverb provokes is this: What do mercy and truth have to do with the life of a believer that chooses to follow Jesus Christ?
      • The believer in Christ receives God’s mercy through the forgiveness of sin by the blood of Jesus Christ.
      • The believer in Christ receives God’s guidance through the Holy Spirit that is called the Spirit of Truth. (Joh 14:17)
  • “In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.” (23)
    • Key words: penury (poverty).
    • There is economic benefit when you work whether you work for money or for satisfaction.
    • What does working have to do with talking and poverty?
      • In other words, why does the book of Proverbs place in parallel labor and talk; with profit and poverty?
      • The parallels indicate that if you refuse to work but spend time talking and creating excuses and explanations for not working, the result will probably produce extreme poverty.
  • “The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.” (24)
    • Key words: wise (believer); fools (no God for me); folly (wrong way).
    • The crown of righteousness is the reward that the believer in Christ receives at the judgment seat of Christ. (2Tim 4:8)
      • The believer that lives a pure life in Jesus Christ inherits with Jesus Christ all the blessings of God. (1Pet 1:3-4)
      • These inherited blessings are spiritual riches that endure for eternity. They are a changed character and a shared testimony of what God has done in your life.
    • The persons that say there is no God for them have no inheritance because they have chosen the wrong path in life. This path ends in eternal death separated from a God they never acknowledged. The way of a fool is more foolishness in going the wrong way.
  • “ A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.” (25)
    • Notice the parallels: (which are extremely important in understanding this verse.)
      • True witness/deceitful witness
      • Delivereth/speaketh
      • Souls/lies
    • Read 1Joh 5:9-13
    • Considering the parallels, the contrast between the true witness and the deceitful witness has to do with the truth that comes from the heart.
      • The true witness is the true believer in Jesus Christ that has the truth of God in his heart.
      • What is the truth that the believer has in his heart that the unbeliever does not have?
        • He knows who Jesus Christ is. He is God in the flesh.
        • He knows why Jesus Christ came to this earth. He came to seek and save those who are lost and in need of eternal salvation through the forgiveness of sin. (Luk 19:10)
        • He possesses the Holy Spirit in his heart which is the Spirit of Truth. (Joh 14:17)
      • In the proverb, the believer in Christ is telling others about Christ and salvation through Christ. As the Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16, “ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…”
    • Now that we know what a true witness is, we can now identify the deceitful witness according to the parallels:
      • The deceitful witness will tell you he knows who Jesus is, but his concept of Jesus is not validated by the Bible.
      • The deceitful witness will tell you that Jesus came to earth to be a good model for us.
      • Read Luk 19:10
      • The deceitful witness will claim to be a Christian and to know the truth, but his doctrines and beliefs are not supported by the Bible or by the Holy Spirit that witnesses of Jesus Christ.
      • Following the parallels, we can see that the message of lies of the deceitful witness has to do with the salvation of the soul.
        • The deceitful witness will tell you that everyone is saved.
        • The deceitful witness will tell you that a loving God would not send anyone to an eternal hell.
  • “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.” (26)
  • “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” (27)
    • Key words: fear of the Lord (awesome reverence ).
    • The believer in Jesus Christ basis his faith in God because he has “the fear of the Lord” in him. How does that happen when in this New Testament age we never talk about the “fear of the Lord”?
      • To have an awesome reverence for God involves the following concepts directly related to the revelation of who God is based on the Word of God:
        • The God Jehovah has the ultimate power in this world. He is Omnipotent.
        • The God Jehovah has ultimate knowledge in this world. He is Omniscient.
        • The God Jehovah is everywhere present. He is Omnipresent.
        • The God Jehovah is a transcendent being, outside of time and space.
        • The God Jehovah is immutable (unchanging) because He is truth.
        • The God Jehovah is eternal life.
        • The God Jehovah is all-consuming, unconditional love that:

Rewards believers that are obedient to Him and punishes believers that disobey Him.

Cares for and provides for believers that trust Him by faith.

• • • • The believer’s faith in God is his fear of the Lord because there is no other being in the universe that fulfills these characteristics of our God. If a believer does not have the Fear of the Lord, he does not know God.
        • The believer that has a Fear of the Lord will pray believing that a loving God will answer his prayers.
        • The disobedient believer that has a Fear of the Lord knows that God will punish him eventually for his disobedience.
    • According to this proverb, the believer that has the Fear of the Lord has a strong confidence in this God that He knows personally. Hopefully he will teach his children about the character of God so that they, too, might know Him.
      • To have the Fear of the Lord is to know the God of eternal life.
      • And in knowing Him, you become aware that you avoid eternal death (separation from God) in a state of torment.
    • Notice how the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life. All the other concepts of Proverbs (discernment, understanding, truth, and knowledge come from this one concept…the fear of the Lord which results in skillful living (wisdom).
  • ^“ In the multitude of people is the king’s honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.” (28)
    • A good king or government leader that rules with integrity will be honored and supported by his people.
    • On the other hand, when a king or a government leader loses the trust of the people, the people will overthrow him and replace him with another.
    • The ultimate king is Jesus Christ. He will return to earth to rule for 1000 years at His second coming. The destroyed prince is the prince of the power of the air, Satan, who will be destroyed at the end of the Millennial Kingdom.
    • Read Eph 2:2
  • “He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.” (29)
    • Kew words: understanding (discernment of good from evil); folly (wrong way).
    • Read Jam 1:19-20
      • Why will the person that can discern good from evil be a person that is slow to get angry?
      • Usually anger comes as a result of human nature exerting itself because of an offense or a self centered desire to always be right.
      • The believer in Christ that has learned God’s Word can distinguish in himself whether he is angry because his old flesh nature is in control for one reason or another or whether his anger is righteous anger.
        • What is righteous anger?
        • Jesus Christ got angry but did not sin. His anger was because of the control the enemy (Satan) had over the leadership of Israel. It was not a personal anger.
      • The believer in Christ can distinguish the spirit behind a situation or a person’s actions. (1Cor 2:14-15 1Cor 12:10)
      • Because the unbeliever has no discernment of good from evil, he cannot know the spirit behind situations and the actions of people. Therefore, his human spirit will hastily choose the wrong path.
      • As we have learned in this chapter of Proverbs, man’s human understanding is flawed even when he thinks it seems to be the right path. (Pro 14:12)
  • “A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.” (30)
    • Key words: heart (soul/inner man); rottenness (decay).
    • The sound heart is the inner man that has Jesus in control and on the throne of his heart.
    • There is a flow of health to his flesh that comes from a heart right with God. The believer knows God has a unique plan for his life that contains people, material possessions, and events. He is content in all things. (Phil 4:11)
    • How is envy a decay to the bones?
      • Envy of what another person has is a discontentment with God who is the author and supplier of all things in the believer’s life.
      • Envy produces decay of what you already have because you do not appreciate what God has given you.
      • Rottenness to the bones is a picturesque illustration like that of suffering an incurable disease.
  • “He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.” (31)
    • Key words: oppresseth (See oppressor = merciless); reproacheth (censure).
    • The person that does not have mercy on the poor to help them censures God for not providing for them.
      • How does God provide for the poor? He uses people who have blessings to share those blessings with those who do not have blessings.
      • The believer in Christ will honor God by sharing his blessings with those in need.
  • “The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.” (32)
    • Key words: wicked (lawless evil); wickedness (lawless evil); righteous (pure life).
    • Eternal life and eternal death are what is in view in this proverb.
    • The unbeliever living in a life of sin without regard to God’s law will be taken away in eternal death (separation from God) because the wages of sin is death. (1The 4:13 tells us that the unbeliever has no hope.)
    • The believer that lives a pure life in Christ has an eternal hope of life with Christ for eternity.
  • “Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.” (33)
    • Key words: wisdom (skillful living); heart (soul/inner man); understanding (discernment between good and evil); fools (no God for me).
    • The believer that has discernment between good and evil in his heart has in the inner being the ability to live skillfully. It is lived out quietly in his life.
    • The lack of discernment between good and evil will be evidenced in the heart of the non-believer who has no regard for God or His standards. The fool brags openly but his life has no evidence of wisdom (skilful living).
  • ^“ Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” (34)
  • “The king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.” (35)
    • Key words: righteousness (pure life); reproach (censure); wise (believer in Christ).
    • As man, individually, lives his life in cooperation with God and His standards, the culture in which he lives will exemplify a fear of the Lord in all its aspects.
      • People that live a pure life in the power of Jesus Christ have God at the center of their lives.
      • This means that sins are forgiven and God’s blessings flow throughout the nation.
      • Successful living is the patterned life-style in a nation where people acknowledge Jesus Christ.
        • It is on verse 34 that the government of the United States was first conceived.
        • But as man gets farther away from God’s truth, so does the nation.
        • Israel is the example in the Bible. God could not bless Israel in the way He desired.

Because of their sin, God had to punish them instead.

Punishment and the lack of blessing became a censure and a shame to the people of Israel and all their neighbors.

2Chr 7:14 is the scripture that supports this proverb. “If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

• • • The leader of a nation should learn these principles of godly living that begin with a humble heart of being a servant subject to the King of kings. He provides the model for his nation that God can bless.
    • Joseph in Genesis is the example of a godly man that Pharaoh chose to lead a nation that God exalted because the leadership lived these principles while Haman in the book of Esther is the example of a fool that caused shame.

Homework
Proverbs 15:1-17

• Application of Pro 14:19-35
  • When will verse 19 become a reality?
    • In the Millennial Kingdom the righteous will rule with Christ for 1000 years.
  • How does Jam 2:8 fulfill Pro 14:21
    • Giving to the poor is a concept that goes through the whole Bible. Giving is the heart of God.
  • Explain verse 23.
    • We have a proverb in English, “Talk is cheap.” If you never work but only talk about it, you never get paid for a job well done.
  • The crown of the wise is their riches. What are these riches? (24)
    • The spiritual blessings of God that make up the Christian’s lifestyle are a changed character and a shared testimony of what God has done in your life.
  • What truth do you gain from verse 29?
    • Let the Holy Spirit control your human nature so that you respond the way Jesus would respond.
• Preparation for Pro 15:1-17
  • Read Pro 15:1-17
    • How should a person prevent the escalation of an argument? (1)
    • What does verse 3 tell you about God that should promote your fear of the Lord?
    • How does God view an offering from a non-believer? (8)
    • In contrast, why do you think God delights in your prayers? (8)
    • What do you think verse 17 means?
• Memory Verse: Pro 15:8