Proverbs 13-14

I hope you have been keeping up with your reading this week.  Remember that we have learned that a quality disciple - (and we all want to be a quality disciple right?) A quality disciple of Jesus is one who Worships Christ and Walks with Christ.  Walking with Christ is established by time spent in the Word of God!  Chisel out in your very tight and busy schedule a time to sit and read his word. But don't just read it, study it and memorize it.

Our church reading today is found in Proverbs 14.  I wanted to point out just two words today - Fool and Fear.

First Fool.  A minimum of 10 times in chapters 13 & 14 the word fool appears.  If something is repeated that much in the New Testament in two chapters we would be highlighting it an preaching a 5 part series on it.  Sadly though, the term fool is repeated over and over again in the book of Proverbs but we fail to learn anything from it.

I think the word is lost on us in our modern language so maybe the best place to start is with a definition.  In the Hebrew, Fool or Foolish is translated from two different words. 

The first is kes-eel’ which means - "Fool, stupid fellow, dullard (a slow or stupid person), simpleton, or arrogant one.” 

The other word is ev-eel’ which means - "be foolish, foolish, of one who despises wisdom, one who mocks when guilty, of one who is quarrelsome and of one who is licentious.”

Now can we agree, this is not a characteristic of a believer right?  (SAY I AGREE).  So when we see the word fool used in the text, we should instantly determine not to be like that person.  (SAY I AGREE)  Good!  Look at some of the verses attributed to fools just in chapters 13-14:

• 13:20 - “…but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
• 13:19 - “…but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools…”
• 14:3 - “By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back…”
• 14:7 - “Leave the presence of a fool for there you do not meet words of knowledge."
• 14:8-9 - “…but the folly of fools is deceiving. Fools mock at the guilt offering…"
• ONE MORE - 14:16 - “One who is wise is cautious and turns way from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.  A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.

Now, in contrast, the other word that appears frequently in several chapters of the book of Proverbs is the word “fear”. When you see it -  almost every instance is coupled with the phrase "FEAR of the LORD". 

Fear in the Hebrew is the word - yir-aw’ which means: "terror or fear, causing fear, the object causing the fear is awesome or terrifying, respect, reverence and revered."

Now I do not subscribe to the theory that when we read, “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…(1:7),” that what it is say is God is just to be respected or reverenced.  I think that softens something that was never, ever mentioned in scripture.  Think about those that had an encounter with the living God.  Samson’s parents believed they were doomed for being with the Deity.  Elijah felt the strong hand of God on Mount Carmel in the fire at the altar and on Mount Sinai in the storm and in the wind and had to hide himself in the cleft of the rock.  Moses longed to see God, but was only permitted to see his glory pass by and that caused his face to shine so much the people were afraid and covered it in fear.  Isaiah was undone in Isaiah 6 for seeing into the thrown room of God for just a moment.  Peter saw the transfigured Christ and was so amazed he babbled out of shear fear and nervousness.  The disciples were taken back by Jesus as he calmed the storm.  Again the disciples were fearful when he came to them in the storm, walking on water.  Paul was blinded and radically changed by his encounter with the risen and glorified Christ on the road to Damascus.  Point is, over and over again in the scriptures, God was never just respected as being the best, but feared because of his awesomeness. 

As we read through Proverbs together, take time to circle these text, like verse 27 of chapter 14.  “..the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death…”  As you read another one in another chapter - take a pencil and connect the statements and meditate on them.  There is great wisdom in understanding what God likes and what he hates.  Fools have no fear of the Lord.  Wisdom is grounded in the fear of the Lord.  “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight…” (9:10)


Two Words - Fool and Fear.  You will see them in almost ever chapter.  Don't be a fool, understand what God is instructing you in the Proverbs and Fear the Lord.