THE RIGHT WAY

RETURN TO SYLLABUS

PROVERBS 16:17-33
Lesson #27
THE RIGHT WAY

• Memory Verse: Pro16:25
• Heading down the highway of life, which road is the young man going to take? Will he take the wrong way even though the highway signs tell him he is on the wrong road?
• In this chapter we see many of those highway signs listed.
• Read Pro 16:17-19
  • ^“The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.” (17)
    • Key words: upright (just); preserveth (defend); soul (emotions, will, reason).
    • The way that the believer in Christ lives his life is the highway he is traveling in his life on earth.
    • A farm road is a rough road but a highway is smooth and easily traveled. That means a person’s lifestyle of righteousness must become a habit.
    • Remember that Jesus spoke about the gate and the road that man chooses.
    • Read Mat 7:13-14
    • The work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is to guide him away from evil. How does He do that?
      • The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to teach the believer truth.
      • The Holy Spirit convicts the believer of sin so that he repents and changes his actions.
    • The believer that listens to the guidance of the Holy Spirit defends his own soul so that his life stays on the right path.
  • “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (18)
    • Key words: pride (conceit).
    • In Proverbs we have already discussed how pride was the first sin in the universe when the angel, Lucifer, sinned against God to become Satan.
    • Then Eve fell for Satan’s deception because of pride that would make her wise like God.
      • Pride is one of three aspects of Satan’s temptation to sin.
      • Read 1Joh 2:16
        • All of sin falls into these same three categories: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
        • Eve’s temptation fell into these same three categories.
        • Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness fell into these same three categories. For that the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ was tempted in all points as us. (Heb 4:15)
    • Man in his pride rejects the sovereignty of God in his life thinking he can be the lord of his life and in control of everything.
    • According to this Proverb, we see that the non-believer that goes down this path ends in destruction. (Mal 4:1) What does that mean?
      • The non-believer spends eternity in the lake of fire.
      • This is torment separated from the presence of God forever. (Rev 20:15)
    • The haughty spirit refers to man’s spirit. (Notice the word spirit is not capitalized. When it is capitalized, it refers to God’s Holy Spirit.)
    • A haughty spirit is the same as conceit or pride.
  • ^“Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” (19)
    • Key words: lowly (humble); proud (conceit).
    • To be humble with other humble believers speaks of the family of God who will spend eternity together with Christ.
    • A person that has an eternal perspective in his life will create a lifestyle based on the spiritual riches of Christ instead of the riches of the world.
    • We have already seen in this chapter that the proud person without God is the non-believer that is the god of his own life.
    • The end result of the proud non-believer is eternal separation from God.
• Read Pro 16:20-22
  • ^“He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.” (20)
    • Key words: wisely (skillful living).
    • Due to the fact that this is Hebrew poetry in parallel, the second half of the verse is directly related to the first half of the verse.
    • In other words, the person that handles a matter with wisdom (skillful living) is the person that trusts in the Lord. He is a believer in Jesus Christ. This is the person that will find good things in his life. He will have peace in all that he does.
      • What is the difference between trust and faith?
      • Essentially they are the same. The word trust is used in the Old Testament and the word faith is used in the New Testament.
      • However, as James says. “…faith without works is dead”. (Jam 2:20). Therefore, trust is faith with works.
    • Notice that the proverb says he is happy.
      • Happiness is a temporary condition usually based on exterior conditions. Everyone wants to be happy.
      • However, happiness in the Bible is not a temporary condition based on exterior circumstances. It is the deeper, internal joy based on one’s relationship to God. When a person has this basic trust relationship through Jesus Christ, his inner joy is not affected by exterior circumstances.
    • God does not promise a temporary “happiness” as the world knows it. Instead He promises an inner joy based on a love relationship between God and man through Jesus Christ.
  • ^“The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.” (21)
    • Key words: wise (the believer in Christ); heart (inner man); prudent (caution); learning (facts and principles).
    • The believer in Christ that is walking in God’s wisdom of skillful living has a cautionary aspect that is evident in his life. What does that mean?
      • The Holy Spirit inside of the believer guides him into truth.
      • This ability to know truth helps him to avoid the deceptions of the enemy.
      • The Holy Spirit warns him of danger.
    • The believer that testifies of God’s specific and marvelous works in his life increases his ability to learn principles of God’s ways and how God works with people.
  • ^“ Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.” (22)
    • Key words: understanding (discernment of good from evil); instruction (moral discipline for discernment); fools (no God for me); folly (wrong walk).
    • A wellspring is the source of continual supply. Specifically it refers to water.
    • When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well in John 4, He told her, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked him, and he would have given theee living water.” (Joh 4:10) Then Jesus said it her, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everylasting life.” (Joh 4:14)
    • The wellspring or source of life is the Word of God that the believer must drink from on a daily basis.
    • Therefore, according to this proverb, the discernment between good and evil that comes through Jesus Christ and produces life in the believer. That “life” in the believer is not only eternal life in the future but a life of living skillfully on earth.
    • For the person (the fool) that says he does not want anything of God in his life will not receive any moral discipline for discernment from God.
      • It is not because God does not want to give him moral discipline for discernment.
      • It is because he will not accept what God offers.
    • The result for fool in this proverb is that he will walk the wrong way in life making many bad decisions and mistakes.
• Read Pro 16:23-27
  • “The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. “ (23)
    • Key words: heart (inner man); wise (believer in Christ); learning (facts and principles).
    • Proverbs again tells us that what comes out of the mouth comes from the inner part of man.
    • The book of Romans tells us there is a relationship between belief in the heart and the confession of the mouth.
    • Read Rom 10:9-10
      • Something spiritual happens when you hear yourself say something.
      • Your words confirm and solidify what is in your heart.
      • When the heart and the confession of the mouth agree on that which was spoken, the reality of the fact is strengthened and becomes a part of your experience with the Lord and his power working in your life.
  • “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” (24)
    • Key words: soul (man’s emotion, will, and reasoning).
    • The honeycomb is the place where bees make and store honey. How are pleasant words like a honeycomb?
      • Your pleasant words to another person are stored in the soul of that person.
      • Then what are “pleasant words”?
        • These are words that build up or edify the esteem of the other person.
        • These are words that give him value in your eyes.
        • Notice that these pleasant words bring health to the other person’s bones. In other words, they help him to feel good about himself.
  • ^“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (25)
    • In his own pride, man thinks he always knows the right thing to do and can control everything.
    • The story through the whole Bible is that man cannot control everything, is easily deceived, and that there are eternal consequences to every decision and action.
    • As we have seen in the book of Proverbs the consequences are always between life and death.
      • It is either living skillfully in this life on earth and living in eternity with God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
      • Or it is living like a fool without God in your life, making wrong decisions, and living in torment in the lake of fire for eternity without God.
      • The interesting thing in the book of Proverbs is that there are no grey areas. The choice is for and with God or away and against God.
  • “He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.” (26)
    • Man knows within himself that he must work for a living. If he does not work, he will not have anything to eat. When he gets hungry enough, he will get a job so as to have money to eat.
    • This is the human condition of man after the fall of Adam and Eve.
    • Read Gen 3:17-19
      • Before the fall of Adam and Eve, God supplied all that man needed.
      • Because Adam and Eve decided to take everything into their own hands, man must now work for his provision.
      • However, the good news is that Jesus Christ came to redeem us from the fall into sin.
      • Read Gal 3:13
      • Now in Jesus Christ the New Testament believer trusts God by faith for his provision. Now it is cooperation between God and the believer. As man works, God prospers him.
  • “An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.” (27)
    • The unbeliever that does not have a personal relationship with God will sometimes seek ways to make money the easy way. It may be dishonest or illegal, but if it profits him he will justify his actions within himself.
    • The unbeliever will cause destruction to others by his lies, anger, and hatred.
    • “in his lips there is a burning fire”
      • Sometimes he will justify his actions to others. His lies and self justifications are a burning self-condemnation on his lips.
      • He thinks he is getting away with it, but he will discover in the end that God is the consuming fire.
      • Read Heb 12:29
• Read Pro 16:28-30
  • ^“A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.” (28)
    • Key words: froward (disobedient).
    • The whisperer in this proverb is the gossip that whispers secrets and lies behind the back of another person.
    • The whisperer is the disobedient person whether he is a believer or an unbeliever.
    • In the New Testament the person that has the habit of gossip is called a backbiter and a whisperer. (2Cor 12:20)
      • Why is gossip so wrong?
        • It colors the opinion of the hearer about a third person even before the hearer meets him.
        • Some people will believe anything that is whispered to them.
      • In this way the reputation of a person is damaged.
      • And, as we see in this proverb, it can separate good friends.
    • The word “soweth” in this verse is the same root word for “spread” that is used to release flaming foxes in the grain fields of the Philistines in the days of Samson. (Jdg 14:4-5)
  • ^“A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.” (29)
  • ^“He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.” (30)
    • Key words: froward (disobedient)
    • People that participate in violence want others to participate with them. Why?
    • A violent person justifies his violence in his own mind when there is someone else that joins with him. He gains boldness and strength when he is not alone in a violent deed.
    • God will judge the violent person as well as the participant.
    • In the same way, man’s law often judges the participant in a crime as equally guilty as the violent person.
    • Notice the “moving lips” in verse 30. They talk another person into doing evil.
• Read Pro 16:31-33
  • ^“The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.” (31)
    • Key words: hoary (grey haired); righteousness (pure life).
    • Why is grey hair a crown of glory?
    • It tends to indicate many years of experience in living and therefore a certain degree of wisdom in how to live skillfully.
    • But notice that this proverb qualifies the hoary head. He has a certain degree of wisdom in skillful living only if he has walked in the way of righteousness (a pure life).
  • “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (32)
    • Why is the person who is slow to anger better than the person with a lot of power at his disposal?
    • The idea behind this proverb is to have control over your emotions.
    • Sometimes it takes more control not to speak your anger than it does to speak it.
    • How is the believer supposed to control his emotions?
      • Read Eph 4:31 These things listed here are evidence that the flesh nature is in control.
      • Read Gal 5:22-23 These things listed here are evidence that the Holy Spirit has control.
      • Meekness is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Meekness means = to be under the control of.
      • The believer is supposed to control his own spirit by letting the Holy Spirit control him.
        • Jesus under arrest before the powerful government authorities is the model.
        • He was silent before his accusers like a lamb taken to slaughter.
  • “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.”(33)
    • The practice of casting of lots to decide a situation goes through the whole Bible.
      • We see it with the Old Testament High Priest that used what was called the Urim and the Thummim to decide a matter. It was a means of casting of lots.
      • The casting of lots was used by Joshua to decide which tribe should get which piece of the Promised Land.
      • We see it in the New Testament with the parting of Jesus’ garments at the crucifixion.
      • We see it in the book of Acts to replace Judas Iscariot with a new disciple.
    • Notice this proverb says that it is God that decides the matter when this method is used. Therefore, among the people of God, it is better to cast lots and let God decide rather than a democratic election based on man’s popularity. (A special note: If casting of lots is used, it should be done with prayer and in faith.).
• Application:
  • What are the highway signs that tell us we are on the right road in this chapter?
    • Depart from evil. (17)
    • Have a humble spirit. (19)
    • Trust in the Lord. (20)
    • Listen to the cautions of the Holy Spirit. (21)
    • Continually drink from the wellspring of eternal life in Jesus Christ. (22)
    • Build up and encouragers others. (23)
    • Trust in God for his provision. (26)
    • Do not gossip. (28)
    • Live a pure life in Christ. (31)

Homework
Proverbs 17:1-14

• Application of Pro 16:17-33
  • What is the highway of the righteous? (17)
    • It is the way that you live your life, your lifestyle.
  • Why is pride the way to destruction? (18)
    • Man’s conceit or pride is the first and second sin in the universe with Lucifer and with Eve. It leads man away from God for eternity.
  • Use your Proverbs dictionary to explain the meaning of verse 21.
    • The believer in Christ that is walking in God’s wisdom of skillful living has a cautionary aspect that is evident in his life because the Holy Spirit is guiding him away from sin.
  • Why is understanding a wellspring of life? (22)
    • According to this proverb, the discernment between good and evil that comes through Jesus Christ and produces life in the believer. That “life” in the believer is not only eternal life in the future but a life of living skillfully on earth.
• Preparation for Pro 17:1-14
  • Read Pro 17:1-14
    • What do you think verse 3 is trying to tell us about the Christian life?
    • What is verse 9 telling us not to do?
    • What is God’s perspective of rebellion (11) (1Sam 15:23)
• Memory verse: Pro 17:6