10/23/17 PROVERB'S VIEW OF FOOLS

10/23/17 PROVERB'S VIEW OF FOOLS

Here is an article I wrote four years ago concerning the Biblical View of Fools. Actually it is primarily a list of verses from Proverbs addressing the characteristics of a fool. I have added short notes to each of these 28 passage. I hope you will take the time to look at this article and I hope it will help you will walk closer to the Lord.

09/21/13 PROVERB'S VIEW OF FOOLS

A Biblical paraphrase from Mark Twain turned me to what the book of Proverbs says about FOOLS. I have compiled a list of those verses below, with DLG notes. It might be wise to spend a little time meditating on these verses. (Ya reckon?)

A person will not necessarily be a fool if he does not read my list (repeat, "not necessarily"), but there is a good chance that the fool will avoid these verses. This is what fools do. How sad, since it is the fool who needs these words... although... the fool will not be convinced, even when he hears these words.
Q. On what kind of cycle will you find a fool?
A. A Vicious Cycle.

An old fool is a young fool who has gotten older.
The complete fool becomes the hopeless fool.

Foolishness is not simply the outward trappings, but it is the internal makeup of the fool's heart, leaving the only possible deliverance for them to be the transplanting of a New Heart.

Ezekiel 18:30-32
(30) Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
(31) Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
(32) For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

ONE OF MY PERSONAL AXIOMS IS... SIN MAKES YOU STUPID.
In the parlance of the Bible, I could say, "Sin makes you a fool (stupid, impious)."

Proverbs 10:8
(8) The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
DLG note... "prating" means, "lips," thus babbling or chattering. The fool is defined by his lips, a wise man is defined by his heart.

Proverbs 10:10
(10) He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.
DLG note... To "wink with the eye," means to pretend or to deceive or to ignore.

Proverbs 10:18
(18) He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
DLG note... The fool will hide hatred behind deceitful words but will also speak words that are destructive about other people.

Proverbs 10:23
(23) It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom.
DLG note... A fool considers hurting other people (mischief) to be a game, to be fun (sport).

Proverbs 11:29
(29) He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.
DLG note... The fool will waste even his family thorugh selfish turmoil, and ultimately end up with nothing (inherit the wind). Regardless of what a fool loses in this life, the final pay day does not come until after the judgment.

Proverbs 12:15
(15) The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
DLG note... The fool does not listen to or follow wise counsel. The fool is his own source of wisdom, or so he thinks. The fool values his own misunderstanding above the counsel of wisemen. Actually he follows the "wisdom" of other fools, which means ultimately that they follow the lies of Satan.

Proverbs 12:16
(16) A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth shame.
DLG note... A fool does not restrain his indignation or weigh the issues of life. Instead he acts or speaks without thinking, because with him, "what comes up, comes out." The fool does not see or care about the havoc caused by his anger or scandalous speech. A fool is actually a very weak minded person, unable to bridle or properly channel his own thoughts, emotions, words or actions.

Proverbs 13:16
(16) Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.
DLG note... Sensible people think and then act, fools react openly, without thinking soundly.

Proverbs 14:16
(16) A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
DLG note... The fool does not turn from evil by trusting in God, instead he moves away from God, with misplaced confidence. Speaking of God, Jesus said.
Luke 12:4-5
(4) And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
(5) But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Proverbs 15:5
(5) A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
DLG note... The fool's disdain for Divine instruction begins with his rejection of parental instruction. The fool may listen to someone, but he does not listen to God's appointed authorities, including father (parent) or pastor or spiritual mentor.

Proverbs 17:10
(10) A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.
DLG note... A fool is not "brought to his senses" by hardships, suffering and loss, but a wise man learns by listening.

Proverbs 17:12
(12) Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.
DLG note... A she bear, which will fight anything, even a larger male bear, when fighting for her cubs, is less savage than a fool who is fighting for his foolishness. A fool will fight for foolishness, caring not who he hurts or destroys.

Proverbs 17:16
(16) Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?
DLG note... The fool will not get wisdom regardless of his worldly attempts, because his heart is in the wrong place.

Proverbs 17:21
(21) He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
DLG note... WOW. But be aware, the fool will attack the parent for being sorrowful, and blame the parent, regardless of all the good the parent has invested in him.

Proverbs 17:24
(24) Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
DLG note... The fool cannot see the key to life, though it is set clearly before him. He looks past it, searching for anything else but the truth.

Proverbs 18:2
(2) A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
DLG note... While rejecting truth, the fool proudly proclaims his own perverted perspective.

Proverbs 18:6
(6) A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
DLG note... Fools start arguments and create antagonism toward themselves.

Proverbs 18:7
(7) A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
DLG note... Though the fool distrusts everyone else, it is his own mouth that destroys him. He suspects others of conspiracy, but his own lips catch him in error.

Proverbs 19:1
(1) Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
DLG note... The poor man of integrity is of greater worth than the rich/crooked fool.

Proverbs 20:3
(3) It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.
DLG note... Living in peace and tranquility is desired goal of man, but fools stir up trouble all of the time.

Proverbs 23:9
(9) Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
DLG note... Don't waste your breath talking to a fool because he will hate you and your advice.

Proverbs 24:7
(7) Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
DLG note... A fool cannot grasp wisdom. He is out of his element when wise men discuss.

Proverbs 26:3
(3) A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back.
DLG note... A fool is as worthy of a beating as a horse is worthy of a whip. Not because he is a fool, but because he does what a fool does. Obviously he is guilty of deliberate upheaval.

Proverbs 26:4-5
(4) Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
(5) Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.
DLG note... Two sides to the same problem.
(vs.4) Do not be drawn into and down to the level of the fool. It will prove useless and destructive.
(vs.5) Reach out to the fool by raising him up from his confusion.

Proverbs 26:6
(6) He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.
DLG note... A fool can not be trusted to convey a message and in fact, will create chaos for those who entrust him.

Proverbs 27:3
(3) A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is heavier than them both.
DLG note... The fool is worse than a heavy stone tied around a person's neck or mounds of sand pressing down on a person's chest. The constant and inescapable crushing weight of a fool's anger, tirades, venom is a destroyer.

Proverbs 27:22
(22) Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
DLG note... The fool has become so much a part of his own folly and evil that nothing, even the judgments of God, can pressure him to repent.
God wants to reach people through acts of kindness.
Romans 2:4
(4) Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

DLG note.. If people will not respond to the kindness of God, He will resort to afflicting them with sorrow.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
(9) Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
(10) For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
DLG note... However, the fool will not allow his wickedness to be driven from him, no matter what tactics God employs.

Proverbs 28:26
(26) He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
DLG note... The fool rejects counsel, wisdom and loving guidance, choosing his own vile and self deceiving thoughts, which will lead to his destruction.

As you can see, the fool comes to the point where nothing will ever turn him from the folly of his way.

THIS LIST and MORE LISTS

THIS LIST has 28 passages. You can take a passage a day for four weeks. Each day focus, meditate on that particular passage and ask God to help you avoid the ways of a fool.

MORE LISTS
I realize that I have not fully covered this subject, even in the book of Proverbs, but I wanted to present something that might be useful.

The Lord willing, I am planning on doing lists that highlight the words, FOOLS, FOLLY, FOOLISH, FOOLISHNESS and SIMPLE, as found in the book of Proverbs. These all address the same subject, but with slight differences. After I do these lists, I hope to compile a single list with all of them together.