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TH1127: On-Line

Teaching Notes

PROVERBS

Please turn in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 19, as we continue our study through the Word of God.

PROVERBS 19

VERSE 1

1. Honesty is the best policy even if it means you will be poor. We are going to see in Proverbs 20:17 that dishonest gain may bring joy for a time, but in the end it will be hard to swallow.

VERSE 2

1. "Haste makes waste" and inpatient people are prone to sin, make foolish decisions. If you feel pressured into making a decision, being told that "If you don't act now the opportunity will pass you by!" then let it go. God is not in a hurry and if He wants you to have it, then you will have it. Make your decisions according to the knowledge that God has given you and allow it to be accomplished in His time. In Isaiah 28:16 we are told, "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.'"

VERSE 3

1. Man, who is living in rebellion against God, doing whatever he wants, when he finds himself in a mess, the first person he blames, many times, is God. Even Adam, when confronted with his sin told God "...'The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.'" Genesis 3:12. We are so prone to point the finger and blame anyone and everyone, even God, and not be responsible for our own actions. W. E. Adeney said "It is monstrous to charge the providence of God with the consequences of actions that He has forbidden."

VERSE 4

1. If you want to have more friends than you know what to do with, win the lottery. But also understand this, it is a false friendship, it is not a real friendship. It is based on what you have that they want and not who you are.

VERSE 5

1. Some people are good at committing perjury and seem to get away with it so often. Understand this, they may get away with it for a time, but ultimately they must come before the Righteous Judge. True justice will prevail.

VERSE 6

1. You can buy friends but also understand that once you stop giving gifts, those so-called friends will disappear.

VERSE 7

1. You will find out who your true friends are if you become poor. Many are just opportunists who will take what they can get, but they are not true friends as Solomon said in Proverbs 17:17, for a true "... friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity."

VERSE 8

1. When you walk according to the Word of God, doing the will of God, you will be blessed. When you walk after your own lusts, doing your own thing, you will reap the consequences of your actions.

VERSE 9

1. Why is this verse repeated? Because God wants us to understand that liars will not go unpunished.

VERSE 10

1. A fool does not know how to deal wit luxury - it is like that female singer who made some 200 million dollars-a-year and had to file for bankruptcy, I guess she couldn't live on that meager allowance! Also, some of the most wicked people have risen to places of power out of the common people. Look at the life of Jeroboam, who became king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, rising out of the common people, and yet he lead the nation into idolatry, allowing anyone and everyone to become a priest in HIS kingdom. From humble beginnings, power has a way of corrupting people.

VERSE 11

1. It is very easy to allow anger to control our actions. Overlook what others have done to you, that is honorable. Allow God to control your speech and your actions instead of your flesh doing the controlling.

VERSE 12

1. Don't be a fool and get someone in authority, a king, mad at you. A king had the power of life and death.

VERSE 13

1. A son who behaves foolishly brings agony to his father. And a nagging wife is irritating, like a Chinese water torture upon your life. You know, drip, drip, drip! I guess Solomon knew what he was talking about, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines, and I am sure not all were pleasant.

VERSE 14

1. You can give your children all kinds of possessions, wealth, but you can't leave them a prudent, a wise, a understanding wife. That comes from the Lord. Thus, you can't buy a woman like this, but you can surely pray for one for your sons, and a godly husband for your daughters.

VERSE 15

1. Slothfulness or laziness feeds on itself. What seems to happen is the more you lay around and do nothing, the more tired you get. And like Paul said in II Thessalonians, Solomon is also stating, that if you don't work, you don't eat!

VERSE 16

1. Jesus said in John 8:31-32 "...If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'" You see, God's Word gives us life, it points us to the giver of life and it feeds our soul. If you reject His truth, then there is only death for you.

VERSE 17

1. When you give to those in need, you are giving to the Lord. It is as Jesus said, as He was commending the righteous for their actions towards the poor, the needy. He said in Matthew 25:40 "...'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'" Also, in Matthew 10:42 we read "And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

2. It is as Henry Bosch illustrates with this story: "A father once gave his boy a half dollar, telling him he could do with it as he pleased. Later when he asked about it, the little fellow said he had lent it to someone. 'Did you get good security?' inquired his father. 'Yes, I gave it to a poor beggar who looked hungry!' 'O how foolish you are. You'll never get it back!' 'But Dad, I have the best security; for the Bible says, he that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord!' Thinking this over, the Christian father was so pleased that he gave his son another half dollar! 'See!' said the boy. 'I told you I'd get it again, only I didn't think it would come so soon!'"

VERSE 18

1. Solomon is saying that we are not to be passive in raising our children but deal with their behavior while they are young and their behavior can still be changed. But that does not give a person the right to abuse their children, we are to discipline them! Don't be so angry that it is reflected in your actions.

VERSE 19

1. People who can't control their temper, no matter how many times you bail them out of trouble, they will continue down that same foolish path, never learning to control their anger, their temper.

VERSE 20

1. We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is a building process that should continue to grow throughout our life. As the proverb goes, "A young fool is bad, but there is nothing worse than an old fool!"

VERSE 21

1. God has a plan for each of our lives and as we come before Him in prayer, He takes the many plans we have and conforms them to His plan. He directs us down the right path.

VERSE 22

1. We see women today who desire to marry into money, thinking it will buy them happiness. The truth of the matter is that most women would rather have a kind poor husband than a husband who is a liar and is abusive to her.

VERSE 23

1. Having a relationship with Christ leads to eternal life, and as you continue to see all that He has done and all we have in Him, there is contentment in that. It is as Paul told Timothy, "For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." I Timothy 4:8.

VERSE 24

1. This is truly a lazy person. How lazy are they? They are so lazy that as they dip their taco chip into the salsa they can't even lift their hand out to bring it to their mouth. How can we apply that? Many people will carry around their Bible, but they are so lazy that they won't open and read it, and thus, they are spiritually starving themselves to death even though the food they need is within their grasp.

VERSE 25

1. You can strike a scoffer a hundred times and it will do you no good. The only good may come from an onlooker who may learn the lesson. Now a wise person will receive correction and learn from their mistakes. It is as Paul said in I Timothy 5:20, "Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear."

VERSE 26

1. If your child behaved in this manner, struck you, cursed you, under the Law you could bring them to the city leaders. They would hear the case and if that child was found to be guilty they would be taken outside the city and stoned to death. (Exodus 21:17, Leviticus 20:9). Now that seems harsh and I don't think it was carried out that often, but it was surely a deterrent to children that were rebellious and abusive. And I think God made this provision because He saw that a rebellious, abusive child will grow-up to be a rebellious and abusive adult, and it would be destructive to any society. In our society we have gone in the opposite direction, afraid we will hurt their fragile self-esteem, and thus, we let them get away with murder. Because of that we are reaping what we have sown.

VERSE 27

1. As Christians we do not live in a static state, but are constantly growing in the Lord.

VERSE 28

1. People today mock the justice system, but in the end they will be accountable for their actions.

VERSE 29

1. Judgment will come to the wicked. Solomon said that "...the way of transgressors is hard." Proverbs 13:15. Yes, if you refuse to heed God's Word you will endure hardship, and if you continue down that path, it will lead to death, eternally separated from God.

PROVERBS 20

VERSE 1

1. Wine speaks of that which comes from the vine and strong drink speaks of that which comes from the grain. And alcohol does lead to all kinds of obnoxious behavior and sometimes deadly. God has a lot to say about drunkenness and drinking and when we get to chapter 23 of Proverbs we will look at this a little closer. The main point is that you can never justify drunkenness, God abhors it!

VERSE 2

1. A king had the power of life and death, and to provoke him to anger is foolish. In knowing that it amazes me how many people provoke the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That is truly foolish.

VERSE 3

1. It takes absolutely no brains to start a fight. Any fool can start one. Jesus said in Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God." The question we must ask ourselves is this, "Our we more of a peacemaker or a troublemaker?"

VERSE 4

1. In the Middle East the season for planting is winter, during the months of November and December. The only problem is that this time of year it is rainy and cold, and a sluggard will not go out and plow or plant. But during the harvest, a lack of work during the planting season will lead to a lack of benefits then.

2. As Christians, we, many times, want ideal conditions before we go out and speak the truths of God. We want people to drop in our lap, or come to our church to get saved. And yet Jesus said to "GO OUT INTO THE WORLD", not "HAVE THEM COME IN TO THE CHURCH TO GET SAVED!" Many times as we sow the seed of God's Word it falls upon a cold heart, a cold response is met. Don't let that stop you or discourage you. The parable of the soils found in Matthew chapter 13 tells us that only 25% of the seed that was sown produced fruit, abiding fruit in a persons life. Don't give up. Paul said in I Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

VERSE 5

1. Drawing out of the wisdom of another takes time, but there is great benefit to it.

VERSE 6

1. God is not looking for people that are all talk and no action. He is looking for people who live what they believe.

VERSE 7

1. What a blessing it is to have godly parents to pattern your life after.

VERSE 8

1. Solomon was a man of great discernment in his judgments, he could see through all the extraneous things and get to the heart of the matter.

VERSE 9

1. It doesn't matter how clean a person says he is, outside of Christ his righteousness is like filthy rags. No one can say that he is good. It is as Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, "For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin." You see, you can't atone for your own sins, you can only be forgiven as you apply the blood of Christ to your life.

VERSE 10

1. God is once again speaking of having integrity in the business world, being an honest person in all your dealings.

VERSE 11

1. You can get a pretty good idea of how a child will grow up by watching his actions when he is young. Of course, when a person comes to Christ that all changes because he becomes a new creation! Paul said in II Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

VERSE 12

1. God has given us the capacity to hear His truths and to see His truths, but many times we cover our ears and shut our eyes to them. In the Old Testament, as Moses was consecrating Aaron and his sons for the ministry, he placed some of the sacrificial blood on their ear, so that they may hear the truths of God. Some on their hand, so that they may do the work of God. And some on their foot, so that they may walk in the paths of God. (Leviticus 8:24). May we desire no less in our relationship with Him.

VERSE 13

1. If you sleep all day you will be hungry all night!

VERSE 14

1. A shrewd buyer will downplay to a seller the value of the product he is buying so that the price will come down. Once he buys it he shouts for joy on what a great deal he made. But as Christians, in all our dealings, may we do it with integrity!

VERSE 15

1. The truths of God are more valuable than all the riches in the world.

VERSE 16

1. If you are going to lend to a stranger, you better get some kind of collateral, because, chances are, they won't pay you back.

VERSE 17

1. Yes, there is joy for a time in gaining things through deceit, but in the end it will not be as pleasant as you thought, it will be hard to swallow. It is just like sin, bringing pleasure for a time, but once the long range consequences come into view, we see how destructive it was.

VERSE 18

1. Before you venture into anything, make sure you are doing the right thing.

VERSE 19

1. If you have something that is personal, don't share it with someone who loves to gossip, for what you shared with them will be known to all.

VERSE 20

1. As I stated back in verse 26 of Proverbs chapter 19, a child could be put to death for cursing or abusing his parents. (Exodus 21:17, Leviticus 20:9).

VERSE 21

1. Anything that comes to easily will not be appreciated. When you work for something you tend to appreciate it more.

VERSE 22

1. We are told to overcome evil by doing good, (Romans 12:21). Vengeance is not ours to mediate out, it is the Lords. As Paul said in Romans 12:17-19, "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord."

VERSE 23

1. Do you get the picture that God wants us to be honest in the work place? You should. He has repeated it enough. Some Christians are Humble Hank at church and they turn into Dishonest Dave when they go to work. That should not be. "Adam Clarke worked for a silk merchant who suggested that he should stretch the silk when measuring it for a customer. Adam's reply was, 'Your silk may stretch, sir, but my conscience won't.' God honored Adam Clarke by enabling him years later to write a widely used commentary on the Bible."

VERSE 24

1. We may not always understand what God is doing, and thus we have to trust Him, for He loves us and He is truly in control of our lives.

VERSE 25

1. If you make a vow you need to go through with it. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Be honest and complete what you have promised to do. The key is don't make a foolish vow or promise! (Judges 11, Jephthah's foolish vow).

VERSE 26

1. If only the wicked were dealt with in a just manner, maybe we wouldn't see so much evil out there!

VERSE 27

1. In the Hebrew this phrase "The spirit of a man" speaks of his conscience. I like the way my pastor puts it. He says that our conscience is the alarm system which God has wired into it His Law. Thus, when His Law is violated, transgressed, the alarm goes off. Now you can ignore that alarm so much that you can short circuit the system and thus, you will become insensitive to its warning, to the evil you are doing. Paul put it this way in I Timothy 4:2. He said "speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron." Allow God's Word to warn you of the danger that you may be moving into, and listen to that alarm and respond to it appropriately. Don't become insensitive to what God is saying.

VERSE 28

1. Treat people with mercy and truth and they will follow you. That is what king Rehoboam was told to do and he rejected that wise counsel and it caused the nation to be divided into two kingdoms.

VERSE 29

1. When you are young you can glory in your strength, but as you grow older you then move from the physical to the mental, that is wisdom. You should have grown over the years or else you will just be an old fool!

VERSE 30

1. God allowed corporal punishment to drive people away from their folly, away from their life of sin. We can do the same by using our tongue to correct a friend who is living in sin so as they hear, they may turn and be cleansed from their evil way. Don't stand on the side lines watching a friend heading down a path of destruction. It is your responsibility, as a friend, to warn them! As Paul said in I Thessalonians 5:14, "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all."