PROVERBS LESSON 28

    We will begin this lesson in Proverbs 18:1 "Through desire a man,
having separated himself, seeketh [and] intermeddleth with all
wisdom."

    A man must desire to have wisdom before it comes to him.  The
Bible says if you want wisdom to pray and God will give you wisdom.
We see here a man who has separated himself from the world.  He is
seeking wisdom, so he separates himself and prays.  One problem with
so many today in communicating with God is that we don't want to
separate ourselves and think on the things of God and pray, but we
will get answers for our prayers and we will receive wisdom in the
process.

    Proverbs 18:2 "A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that
his heart may discover itself."

    A fool is not interested in learning.  He just is interested in
his own thoughts.  Today, in our society, the favorite statement is "I
need to get off and find myself".  This is foolish talk.  In finding
yourself, you are pleasing your own flesh.  If this is a married
person doing this, they usually find more than themselves.  This type
of activity breaks up families.  We must somehow get our eyes off of
ourselves and stop trying to please self.  Only a fool pleases self.
A wise person is interested in pleasing God.  Go off and seek God.

    Proverbs 18:3 "When the wicked cometh, [then] cometh also
contempt, and with ignominy reproach."

    "Ignominy" means reproach, confusion, dishonor, or shame.  We see
in this that the sinful man despises those that are good.  II Timothy
chapter 3 describes the sinful last days and lists as one of the
descriptions of the people as "despisers of those that are good".
This is saying these wicked try to condemn the good.  The evil one is
not only a fool, but full of shame and confusion and is dishonored by
all.

    Proverbs 18:4 "The words of a man's mouth [are as] deep waters,
[and] the wellspring of wisdom [as] a flowing brook.

    The man's words of his mouth, as we said before, springs from the
well which is his heart.  A person of wisdom has beautiful words
springing forth and continuing as a beautiful brook.  His words are
not a strong river that will bowl you over, but a gentle brook which
soothes.

    Proverbs 18:5 "[It is] not good to accept the person of the
wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment."

    We can learn from this that the wicked's testimony is not to be
believed, especially when it is against the righteous.  The wicked
person has a selfish reason for his testimony and does not usually
tell the truth.  To judge a matter by what a wicked person says would
be wrong.

    Proverbs 18:6 "A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth
calleth for strokes."

    We see here that the fool starts the argument, and then says,
"Let's just settle this with our fists".

    Proverbs 18:7 "A fool's mouth [is] his destruction, and his lips
[are] the snare of his soul."

    This is a continuation of verse 6.  This fool gets into all kinds
 of trouble with what he says because his words are not guided by
 anything except his selfish desires.  He is not controlled by the
 Lord, and is apt to use cutting remarks, and even cursing.  The
 tongue is a mighty weapon and either brings death or life in its
 speaking.  With the tongue, confession is made unto salvation.  You
 may read this in Romans 10:9-10.

    Proverbs 18:8 "The words of a talebearer [are] as wounds, and they
go down into the innermost parts of the belly."

    The words of a talebearer are whisperings that they would not dare
say in front of the person they are talking about.  These tales have
one purpose and that is to destroy.  The people listening just love to
hear something bad about someone else.  The common way to say this is
that the listener swallows this lie up (hook, line, and sinker).  In
other words, they think this is so good that they get it all down deep
inside of them so they, too, can drag it out and do harm with it.  The
talebearer is not the only guilty one here, but the listener is
equally guilty.

    Proverbs 18:9 "He also that is slothful in his work is brother to
him that is a great waster."

    Neither the lazy nor the waster will have anything.  One is too
lazy to work and make anything, and the other throws away everything
he makes.

    Proverbs 18:10 "The name of the LORD [is] a strong tower: the
righteous runneth into it, and is safe."

    Christians depend upon the name of Jesus Christ.  His name is so
powerful (the name of Jesus) that at His name all knees shall bow and
every tongue confess that He is Lord.  We even pray to the Father in
the name of Jesus.  He is our strong tower.  Acts 17:28 "For in him we
live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets
have said, For we are also his offspring." We see from this, without
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we would not even exist.  Salvation
is in the name of Jesus.  In John, we see that if we are Christians,
we are in Him and He is in us.

    Proverbs 18:11 "The rich man's wealth [is] his strong city, and as
an high wall in his own conceit."
    Most rich people are very proud of their wealth; and if they are
not careful, their conceit will build a wall around them that others
do not care to climb over or go around.  The rich man sometimes thinks
his riches will save him from harm, but God will not be impressed by
his riches.  We dealt with this more thoroughly earlier in Proverbs.

    Proverbs 18:12 "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty,
and before honour [is] humility."

    We see here that a haughty heart (thinking too highly of self)
 will bring destruction.  It turns all away from you.  An humble man
 before God and man will be loved and honored by men on the earth, and
 God will have great love for him, as well.

    Proverbs 18:13 "He that answereth a matter before he heareth [it],
it [is] folly and shame unto him."

    A person who answers a question before he hears the question is a
fool.  How can you answer before you hear the question?  You just make
yourself look very foolish.

    Proverbs 18:14 "The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity;
but a wounded spirit who can bear?"

    I have heard doctors of medicine say that there is an element,
other than the severity of the illness, and other than the medicine
they have to give for a certain illness.  It is called the will to
live.  A person who says in his spirit, "I will not die", heals faster
and to the amazement of the doctors sometimes lives when all human
hope is gone.  On the other hand, you can give someone medicine that
should cure them, and if they have no will to live, they will probably
die.  The spirit of man is his life.  Many die from a broken heart
soon after they have lost a loved one.

    Proverbs 18:15 "The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and
the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge."

    We see here someone eager to learn by doing and by listening.

    Proverbs 18:16 "A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him
before great men."

    We see that a gift sometimes softens the heart and makes the way
easier.  I think a very nice gesture is to carry flowers or candy to
the host when you are invited to dinner.  It is just a way of showing
you appreciate the effort she has gone to to prepare the meal.  Little
gestures of friendship make everyone feel good.

    Proverbs 18:17 "[He that is] first in his own cause [seemeth]
just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him."

    We see in this that the first man here is having an argument with
his neighbor.  When the first man tells his story, we have a tendency
to believe his story is right and the neighbor is wrong, until we hear
the other side of the argument.  Then we get all the facts from both
sides and can more effectively judge who is right.

    Proverbs 18:18 "The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth
between the mighty."

    If it is too difficult to decide who is right and who is wrong,
the next best thing to do is to cast lots and let God decide.
Whatever the outcome is, it is settled by the lot.  They can go back
to being friends.  Strength of body has not settled this.  The lot
settled it.

    Proverbs 18:19 "A brother offended [is harder to be won] than a
strong city: and [their] contentions [are] like the bars of a castle."

    We see that hurt feelings between physical brothers and between
close friends are much harder to overcome than to go to war and take a
city.  They won't forget it.  They have their guard up to any
reconciliation you try to make.  The Bible says that if we expect to
be forgiven of God, we must forgive our brother.  In fact, we are to
forgive them as many times as they ask us.  Over and over again, the
Bible says 70 times 7.  If your brother asks you to forgive, you must
forgive.

    Proverbs 18:20 "A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of
his mouth; [and] with the increase of his lips shall he be filled."

    We have to accept whatever comes our way when it is the result of
what we have said, good or bad.  Some men make a living by talking.
All men's wealth is affected by what they say.

    Proverbs 18:21 "Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue:
and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

    We have used the Scripture in Romans 10:9-10 so many times in this
lesson.  We learn in it that we must confess the Lord Jesus with our
mouth to be saved.  If we are ashamed of Jesus before men and do not
confess Him, we are doomed to hell.  If we do proclaim belief in Jesus
with our mouth and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the
dead, we shall be saved.

    Proverbs 18:22 "[Whoso] findeth a wife findeth a good [thing], and
obtaineth favour of the LORD."

    God's plan is for one woman and one man to be married and become
one flesh.  They are to live together in peace and harmony and build a
home for them and their children.  In chapter 31 of Proverbs, we will
go into the things that make a good wife.  A wife should help her
husband in everything and make him happy.

    Proverbs 18:23 "The poor useth entreaties; but the rich answereth
roughly."

    We see in this that the poor man is humble and must speak softly,
but the rich man who is very proud speaks harshly to those he feels
superior to.

    Proverbs 18:24 "A man [that hath] friends must shew himself
friendly: and there is a friend [that] sticketh closer than a
brother."

    Some of the best advice I ever received in my life was: If you
want to be loved, you must love the other fellow first.  This is why
you see one person with many friends and another with none.  The
humble person who goes out of their way to be friendly, will have more
friends than they can count.  The best friend you can have loves you,
not because of what you have done, but in spite of what you have done.
Their love has no conditions attached.  This is the kind of love Jesus
had for all of us when He came and died on the cross for us while we
were yet in sin.  He died for us and saved us, not because we were
worthy, but because He loved us.





































                         Proverbs 28 Questions

1.  What is the first thing we must have to get wisdom?
2.  How does the Bible say to get wisdom?
3.  What is one reason many have problems hearing from God today?
4.  In verse 2, what is wrong with the fool?
5.  Why is it so dangerous to go off and find yourself?
6.  What does "ignominy" mean?
7.  In II Timothy 3. what do the evil think of the good people?
8.  What are the words of a man's mouth compared to in verse 4?
9.  What organ in our body is the wellspring speaking of?
10. Whose testimony cannot be believed?
11. A fool starts an argument and wants to settle it how?
12. What is the snare of a fool's soul?
13. What are a fool's words guided by?
14. Who are talebearers?
15. What is a talebearer's only purpose?
16. Who is guilty of sin besides the talebearer?
17. Who is brother to a great waster?
18. What of the Lord is as a strong tower?
19. At whose name will all knees bow?
20. In Acts 17:28. what do we find out about Jesus?
21. A rich man's conceit is as what?
22. What comes before destruction in a man?
23. To answer before you hear the question, is what?
24. What sustains a man in his infirmity?
25. A man's gift ______ _______ _____ _____.
26. Who will you ordinarily side with in an argument?
27. In an argument, what can you do to settle it, if both parties seem
    right?
28. What is harder to win over than a strong city?
29. Death and life are in what?
30. When a man findeth a wife, it is a good thing and he pleases who?
31. Who answers roughly?
32. How can a man have friends?
33. How did Jesus show us the kind of love we need to have for each
    other?