He
layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov 2:7)
The Wisdom of The Lord: Foolishness Has A
High Price: Proverbs 17:12-16
12) Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in
his folly.
13) Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his
house.
14) The beginning of strife [is
as] when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it
be meddled with.
15) He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just,
even they both [are] abomination to
the LORD.
16) Wherefore [is there] a
price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing [he hath] no heart [to it]?
We
now learn about the high price that is paid when foolishness rules in our life…
EXPOSITION:
12) Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in
his folly.
It
is far better to face a mother bear who has lost her cubs than for a fool to
have to face recompense for his foolishness.
A bear can inflict horrible physical damage, even physical death. But foolishness results in terrible spiritual
harm and eternal spiritual death in eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire.
Foolishness
results in eternal destruction in the Lake of Fire.
“To the chief Musician, [A
Psalm] of David. The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are
corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from
heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, [and]
seek God. They are all gone aside,
they are [all] together become filthy: [there is] none that doeth good, no, not
one.” (Psalms 14:1-3)
13) Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his
house.
A
fool will harm those who benefit him. In
doing so, he alienates those who are willing to help him and secures divine
judgment as well.
Foolishness
results in losing friends and allies in times of need.
“They also that render evil
for good are mine adversaries; because I follow [the thing that] good [is].” (Psalms 38:20)
14) The beginning of strife [is
as] when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before
it be meddled with.
When
a fool starts discord and fighting among brethren, it will gradually increase
until it is totally out of control. This is much like drilling a small hole in
a dam; due to the pressure of the water, the hole will gradually be enlarged allowing
more and more water to rush in.
Because
of this, a wise person will beat to the ground and get victory over fighting
before it can be added to and it interferes with the brethren.
Foolishness
will allow division and strife in the friendships that they enjoy.
“Who [is] a wise man and
endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his
works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter
envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not
from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil
work. But the wisdom that is
from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (James 3:13-18)
15) He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just,
even they both [are] abomination to
the LORD.
The
fool will not desire for justice to be done.
The fool will quickly justify evil and punish lawful behavior. By doing this they make themselves disgusting
and abhorred by the Lord.
The
fool causes the displeasure of God to be placed upon him.
“For I know your manifold
transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe,
and they turn aside the poor in the gate [from their right]. Therefore the prudent
shall keep silence in that time; for it [is] an evil time. Seek good, and not evil,
that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye
have spoken. Hate the evil, and love
the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of
hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” (Amos 5:12-15)
16) Wherefore [is there] a
price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing [he hath] no heart [to it]?
The
really sad summary of our study for today….
The
fool does not actively seek wisdom nor does he purchase it. Why is this?
It is because he does not desire to possess it. After seeing all the ill effects that his foolishness
brings upon him, because he is blinded of his own condition, he does not seek
to escape the state that he is in. He
has consistently lived in rebellion against the Lord and He simply allowed them
to walk down the path they had stubbornly chosen for themselves.
“But my people would not
hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto
their own hearts' lust: [and] they walked in their own counsels. Oh that my people had
hearkened unto me, [and] Israel had walked in my ways!” (Psalms 81:11-13)
SUMMARY:
A
life lived in foolishness is an expensive life indeed:
1. Foolishness results in eternal destruction in
the Lake of Fire.
2. Foolishness results in losing friends and
allies in times of need.
3. Foolishness will allow division and strife in
the friendships that they enjoy.
4. Foolishness causes the displeasure of God to
be placed upon the fool.
5. The path of foolishness leads to the removal
of God gracious hand of restraint.
By
God’s grace, let us all study these proverbs diligently, giving them the value
that they deserve.
May the
Lord bless us as we receive this sound wisdom and then “Think On These Things”.
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