APPLES OF GOLD IN PICTURES OF SILVER

RETURN TO SYLLABUS

PROVERBS 25:1-28
Lesson #42
APPLES OF GOLD IN PICTURES OF SILVER

• Memory Verse: The proverb you chose to explain to the class.
• “These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.” (1)
  • This is a commentary on the proverbs that follow.
  • From Pro 25:1 to Pro 29:27 is a collection of Solomon’s proverbs (137 of them) collected and/or written by Solomon and put into a collection during the reign of King Hezekiah (715-686 BC).
• ^“ It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” (2)
• ^“The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.” (3)
  • Key words: heart (soul/inner man).
  • The knowledge of God is supreme, infinite, and needs no investigation to determine if it is true or not.
  • A king’s job and those in governmental leadership are to discover the truth of a matter so as to make wise decisions. King Hezekiah did this when he collected Solomon’s proverbs to be sure they were not lost and scattered.
  • The underlying thought is that God is truth. He does not have to try to uncover truth because He is truth.
  • Therefore a wise government leader will seek God and by way of seeking God he will uncover truth.
  • The three unsearchable things are listed in verse 3.
    • Man can never know the height of heaven because the universe seems to be without limit.
    • Man cannot go the ultimate depth of the earth because the earth is round and he will come out the other side. The earth has no limit of depth.
    • The heart of a king equally is without limit, especially when that King is Jesus Christ.
• ^“ Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.” (4)
• ^“ Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.” (5)
  • Key words: finer (refining); wicked (lawless evil); righteousness (pure life).
  • In the refining process, the dross is the impurities in a metal. The impurities are removed by extreme heat. The end result is a purified metal from which you can make a strong vessel that will not crack along the lines of an impurity.
  • Silver in scripture is a symbol of redemption purchased with a price.
  • God refines and purifies redeemed believers in Christ by permitting problems and pressures in life to force the believer to trust in God and purify his faith.
  • The same principle is true for the kingdom of God. In light of verse 5, when evil is removed from the earth, holiness will reign. The time of purifying pressure is the seven year tribulation period that will force people to call on God for help.
  • Verse 5 explains the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
    • When Christ returns to this earth at the end of the tribulation period, He will establish his kingdom on earth for redeemed believers. He will rule it for 1000 years.
    • Because Satan is bound for the 1000 years, there will be no evil temptation or deception. (Rev 20:2)
    • Therefore, Christ’s kingdom will be ruled by righteousness. (Zec 20:16, 20-21)
• ^“Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:” (6)
• “For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.” (7)
  • These two proverbs remind us of something Jesus said and demonstrated.
  • Read Luk 14:7-11
  • Don’t think too highly of yourself where pride seeks the places of honor. Instead, in humility seek the obscure places for yourself, and God will see that you are exalted.
• ^“Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.” (8)
  • We have a good Biblical example of this proverb.
  • Read 2Kin 23:28-30
  • This is the story of good King Josiah. He was very young and got involved in another nation’s political problems. The king of Egypt crossed Israel to fight an enemy to the east. He was not intending to fight Israel. But King Josiah made that one mistake and it cost him his life.
• ^“ Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another” (9)
• ^”Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away” (10)
• “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” (11)
  • The answer to hasty arguments, hasty anger, or hasty statements is hasty repentance.
  • When you are wrong, admit it. Don’t wait until someone else has to call it to your attention.
  • Verse 9 and Mat 18:15 tell us to go and settle an affront directly with the person involved.
  • Usually human nature causes people to go and tell someone else when they have been wronged. This is the wrong response. Why is it wrong?
    • To tell another person is gossip.
    • If it is a simple misunderstanding, you will be embarrassed to have made such a big thing out of it.
    • We are to keep the circle of the offense small by going directly to the person that offended us.
      • It is a protection for you and a protection for the offending person.
      • Remember that unconditional love covers a multitude of sins.
  • Words fitly spoken are words that come from the heart. These are words spoken under the control of the Holy Spirit that produce the fruit of the Spirit. (Gal 5:22-23)
  • The phrase “apples of gold in pictures of silver” refers to the fruit of the Spirit spoken by a redeemed person.
    • Remember that silver is a symbol of redemption.
    • The words spoken can also be words of redemption that redeem a person or his reputation.
• ^“ As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.” (12)
• ^“ As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters” (13)
  • Key words: reprover (correction done by someone).
    • As an earring is attached to the body, a person that loves you enough to correct you should be heard and considered important enough to make the changes in your character.
    • Notice that the proverb mentions an obedient ear. Consider that perhaps God sent him to you to point out a sin you committed. In that case, be obedient to repent and change your character.
      • The example is King David after he had committed sin with Bathsheba.
      • Read 2Sam 12:1-13
  • This kind of message brought with pure love, redeems and refreshes the soul like the coolness of a light snow.
• ^“Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.” (14)
  • Clouds and wind promise rain. When the rain does not come, it is a false message brought by the wind and clouds.
  • Read Jude 1:11-13
  • We find the same likeness in Jude 1:11-13 about those false teachers and false prophets that promise truth but do not have the truth. They are like clouds and wind that promise the outpouring of the rain of the Holy Spirit but do not deliver it.
• ^“By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.” (15)
  • Soft words are more persuasive than anger and harsh words.
  • You can break a person’s bone by force and he still will not be persuaded. But a soft word of love can accomplish more than anger and physical force.
• ^“Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it” (16)
• ^“Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour’s house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee” (17)
  • The inherent idea in both of these proverbs is moderation. Do not overstay your welcome in another’s house, or he will not invite you again.
  • Anything eaten in great abundance will make you sick even if it is something pleasant like honey.
    • Honey in the Old Testament is symbolic of a natural worldly sweetness.
    • The Old Testament sacrifices were not to have any honey in them if they represented Jesus Christ who has divine sweetness.
• ^“A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.” (18)
• Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint” (19)
  • Key words: maul (beat with a heavy hammer).
  • A false witness is contrary to God and His character of truth.
  • This proverb tells us that the false witness is like a heavy hammer that beats a person into unconsciousness, a sword that cuts to the heart, and a sharp arrow that pierces a person’s soul by damaging another person’s reputation.
  • God calls His believers in Christ to be faithful because you can depend on someone who is faithful when you need help. Just as Jesus is faithful to His believers, we are to be faithful to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
  • You cannot walk on a foot that is out of joint. You cannot chew with a broken tooth. Neither can you depend on an unfaithful person.
• ^“As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart” (20)
  • Key words: nitre (baking soda).
  • To be cheerful at a time of great sadness is unfeeling and unbearable.
  • It is just as unfeeling and unbearable to take away a person’s coat in the winter.
  • The phrase, “as vinergar upon nitre” refers to pouring vinegar on baking soda. It causes effervescence and loses its power. Vinegar stings when it is applied in a wrong way.
  • The believer in Christ is told to cry with those who are hurting and rejoice with those that rejoice. (Rom 12:15)
• ^“ If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink” (21)
• ^“For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.” (22)
  • Verse 21 is a big surprise in a period of Law where vengeance is usually called for against an enemy.
  • In this period of grace in which we now live, this is a proverb we would naturally relate to because Jesus said to pray for our enemies.
  • Read Luk 9:51-56
  • We see this transition between a period of Law and a period of grace when the disciples wanted to call fire down upon the heads of those that persecuted them.
  • Read Rom 12:20
    • “heaps coals of fire on his head”. What does that mean?
      • It is retribution by kindness; by conferring a favor.
      • You remind him in love of the wrong he has done to you, so that he will be open to repent.
      • The illustration is of the high priest on the Day of Atonement that takes a hot coal from the altar of burnt offering coal and combines it with incense (that indicates prayer) for the atonement of sins.
    • The believer overcomes evil by doing good.
      • This is a very important principle in the Christian life.
      • This is the most difficult thing to do but the most successful.
      • It requires faith, determination, and grace given to you by the Holy Spirit.
• ^“The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue” (23).
  • Words and actions have a cause and effect.
  • An angry look at someone that is gossiping about a third person may stop him if he sees you are not accepting his gossip.
• ^“It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.” (24)
  • An attitude of peace in a home makes it a place of refuge and a sanctuary, not the size of the house.
  • We have seen this proverb before. (Pro 21:9)
• ^“As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” (25)
  • Nothing is better to drink than cold water when you are hot and thirsty.
  • Equally it is more pleasant and satisfying to hear good news than bad news.
  • The good news from a far country is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that came to us from heaven when Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us.
  • Jesus Christ is the living water of eternal life in Joh 4 when Jesus gave the woman at the well that water.
• ^“A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.” (26)
  • Key words: righteous (pure life of a believer); wicked (lawless evil).
  • You would think that the believer living a pure life would come out on top in this world. However, because this world is upside down, that does not always happen.
    • Many times good men fall into evil when they try to enter politics or business with a good motive, but they compromise their integrity just to get into office.
    • According to this proverb he ends up not changing anything. Instead worldliness changes him.
  • In Christ’s kingdom of a thousand years on this earth, Jesus Christ will reign in righteousness and that is when these inequalities will be made right.
  • The phrase, “a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring”, refers symbolically to the flow of the Holy Spirit. Remember that water is a Biblical symbol for the Holy Spirit. (Joh7:38-39) In a world that does not follow the righteousness of God, man does not permit the Holy Spirit to flow smoothly.
  • But in the Millennial Kingdom the Holy Spirit will reign with Christ.
• ^“It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.” (27)
  • Honey is a natural sweetener. A person that gets too sweet on himself is filled with pride seeking his own glory.
  • In the end his self glory will never satisfy his soul and people will get sick of hearing you brag about yourself.
  • The only thing that satisfies is to do the work of God that brings glory to God.
• ^“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls” (28)
  • In ancient times every city had protective walls.
  • A city with a broken wall could be easily conquered and ruled by anyone.
  • Therefore, when you lose control of your own spirit through anger, you let down your wall of protection and permit other people or circumstances to control you.
  • The believer in Jesus Christ is to let the Holy Spirit control him. That is when the believer sees God give him the victory.
• Application
  • The title of our lesson, “Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver” refers to the Christian lifestyle where the Holy Spirit produces fruit in the life of a redeemed person.
  • Many of the proverbs in this lesson show us how to let the Holy Spirit control our lives because what man accomplishes in his own strength does not glorify God neither satisfies man’s soul.

Homework
Proverbs 26:1-28

• Application of Pro 25:1-28
  • How polished are the works of the Holy Spirit, the apples, in your life?
    • If the good works in your life are initiated by God, backed by God, resourced, and strengthened by God, then the fruit (apple) of the Holy Spirit is highly polished to give God the glory.
    • If the good works in your life are initiated by you, backed by you, resourced, and strengthened by your efforts, then the fruit (apple) is not from the Holy Spirit and is what God calls “dead works”. (Heb 6:1 and Heb 9:14)
• Preparation for Pro 26:1-28
  • Read Pro 26:1-28
    • In verses 1-12 the fool is described in every verse. Pick one of these descriptions and explain it to the class.
    • In verses 13-16 the slothful man or sluggard is described. Pick one of these descriptions and explain it to the class.
    • Verses 4 and 5 seem to contradict each other. What is the difference?
  • Memory Verse: Pro 26:17