Wisdom vs Folly's Invitation Proverb 9

by Chuck Ness

Advice from Wisdom vs advice from Folly is continually compared throughout the proverbs. We’ve seen these analogies often, but one thing that stands out in this chapter, is not so much the difference, but the similarities.

Satan often imitates God to lure us in. After all, when you put out poison to kill a rodent, you do not use 100% poison, you only use enough to kill them. So you use 99% of a type of food they like, to lure them into eating. Once they eat, they get the 1% of poison that will kill them.

In chapter 9, both wisdom and folly throw themselves at those of us who are simple and those who lack sense. So each are available to all of us. Both sit in “the high places in town,” so they are equally accessible to all of us. The difference is in what they are offering and the type of life that results in following each of them.

Wisdom offers insight and multiplication of days while folly offers material things such as sweet water and bread that already is ours, but by being lured away with material goods of the world, we can be led straight to hell. I take this as another way of saying that we need to chase after insight and not just stuff, because if we are following God's precepts, the rest will follow as a reward.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the lord Jesus Christ.
Amen

Proverb 11:29 Inheriting the Wind

by Chuck Ness

Troubling your own family is like tossing your money in the air and letting it blow away. A home is a place where we should all feel safe and secure. A place to get way from the troubles of the world. A place where the family can confide in each other and count on each other.

So many homes have become prisons that people only wish to get out of. Everyone knows of friends or maybe even relatives who live in home environments that are not proper to raise children in. In those homes we can point to individuals who have thrown caution to the wind, by their destructive lifestyles.

As the years go on, it is those individuals who become the servants of others. Troubles will follow them all their lives and when it's time to retire they will struggle to make ends meet. Even their children will struggle because of the problems in the home they were raised in. When their parents are in need, the children could be unable, or even refuse to be there for them.

Those who do right in the eyes of God, usually have children who prosper and will in turn raise their children as they were raised. When we follow God's instructions our lives are much smoother. Even with trials and tribulations God's children will usually experience blessings through out our lives. Then when we are old and retired our lives become easier, and our children will be there to help us as we helped them.

Throwing caution to the wind, will only bring pain and misery in the end.

God bless and have a good day.

Proverb 11 (NKJV) The Folly of Wickedness 01 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, 00 But a just weight is His delight. 02 When pride comes, then comes shame; 00 But with the humble is wisdom. 03 The integrity of the upright will guide them, 00 But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. 04 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, 00 But righteousness delivers from death. 05 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, 00 But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. 06 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, 00 But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust. 07 When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, 00 And the hope of the unjust perishes. 08 The righteous is delivered from trouble, 00 And it comes to the wicked instead. 09 The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor, 00 But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered. 10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; 00 And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. 11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, 00 But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. 12 He who is devoid of wisdom despises his neighbor, 00 But a man of understanding holds his peace. 13 A talebearer reveals secrets, 00 But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. 14 Where there is no counsel, the people fall; 00 But in the multitude of counselors there is safety. 15 He who is surety for a stranger will suffer, 00 But one who hates being surety is secure. 16 A gracious woman retains honor, 00 But ruthless men retain riches. 17 The merciful man does good for his own soul, 00 But he who is cruel troubles his own flesh. 18 The wicked man does deceptive work, 00 But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward. 19 As righteousness leads to life, 00 So he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death. 20 Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, 00 But the blameless in their ways are His delight. 21 Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; 00 But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered. 22 As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, 00 So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion. 23 The desire of the righteous is only good, 00 But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. 24 There is one who scatters, yet increases more; 00 And there is one who withholds more than is right, 25 The generous soul will be made rich, 00 And he who waters will also be watered himself. 26 The people will curse him who withholds grain, 00 But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. 27 He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, 00 But trouble will come to him who seeks evil. 28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, 00 But the righteous will flourish like foliage. 29 He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, 00 And the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, 00 And he who wins souls is wise. 31 If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, 00 How much more the ungodly and the sinner.

Proverbs 9 Lady Wisdom vs Madame Folly

Two female figures, Lady Wisdom and Madame Folly. An lesson for every human to learn from. You can accept the lesson as one that compares a wise woman of virtue as mentioned in Proverb 31, versus an immoral woman of folly who tears down her home with her actions as in Proverb 14. Or as I will share with you today, it's a lesson of good versus evil. The right way to live versus the wrong way to live your life.

Either way, it's very common for God to teach us different lessons from the same passage throughout the Scriptures. The book of Proverbs is a prime example of this method of teaching. Today's commentary is of contrast between the woman of wisdom, or the good, (Proverb 9:4-6) versus the woman of folly, the evil. (Proverb 9:16-18).

"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!"
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
"Come, eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding. Proverb 9:4-6

"Whoever is simple, let him turn in here";
And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
"Stolen water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
But he does not know that the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of hell. Proverb 9:16-18

Here we see the, “Lady Wisdom”, serving as the personification of God’s voice inviting us in to learn lessons from Him on how to be a righteous person. Compared to “Madame Folly” mimicking the voice of God to lure us in with anything that might replace God in our life. All throughout our walk in the world, Satan will attempt to lure us into sin by disguising himself as an angel of light. This is what we see him doing in verse. Using the exact same words as God used in verse. This is important to understand, because the essence of foolishness is living a life that apart from God. Check out the contrast;

1.) WISDOM builds her house, but FOLLY just sits there, lazy.
2.) WISDOM offers us meat and wine, but FOLLY offers us bread and water.
3.) WISDOM speaks honestly, but FOLLY makes deceptive offers.
4.) WISDOM offers life/wisdom, but FOLLY deceptively offers life while concealing the death within her doors.

In the ancient near East, to invite someone over for a meal was to invite them into a close personal relationship. Here, both wisdom and folly are inviting us into a relationship. Who will we enter into a relationship with? The choice seems obvious, but in reality we find ourselves going back and forth from having meals with Lady Wisdom and then a meal with Madame Folly. We will treat our walk with Christ in the world like a smorgasbord. We will take a little bit of grace as we praise God, then grab a side of hostility for the idiot who disrupts our day day.

Martin Luther King said that Christians suffer from a form of Schizophrenia. One moment we will be driving down the road praising God, as we loudly sing along to a song on the radio. The very next block, the same mouth that was praising God, will be cussing out a driver who cut our in front of us. Satan is trying His best to lure us away from God, and while we have moments of righteousness, we usually have a lot more moments of foolishness and self righteousness.

God knows the struggles we go through, He knows Satan is crouching at our door, waiting to pounce on us the moment we struggle. This is why He has offered us His Wisdom to help guide and nudge us on our long road to the Celestial City. Like Christian in “Pilgrims Progress”, there are many obstacles that Folly puts in our way to lure us into her kitchen. The pleasures of this world are at our fingertips, and even if we are strong enough to stay away from them, there are the pitfalls in life where Folly bring us to despair. There's the “Hill of Difficulty”, the “Valley of the Shadow of Death”, and the “Road of Betrayal”. All of which we will need the Wisdom of God to help us arrive to our final destination.

So don't allow the traps of this world to cause you to lose the race. Trust in God's Wisdom, and lean on Him for support. Also, remember that in the times when Satan sends Folly your way, you do have the full armor of God to protect you.

The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the "shoes" of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit Ephesians 6:10-18

Remember that Jesus Christ of the Proverbs is Wisdom. He calls on you to forsake your evil way and to follow Him. Will you persist in seeking only momentary pleasure, or will you choose the way of righteousness and peace which leads to eternal salvation? The Disciple Thomas asked Jesus, “How can we know the way?” Jesus responded;

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

I pray that those who have ears will hear the voice of the Lord and call upon His name for salvation and eternal life. May the good Lord bless you all, Amen.

Proverb 9 (NKJV)
The Way of Wisdom

Wisdom's Invitation
01 Wisdom has built her house,
00 She has hewn out her seven pillars;
02 She has slaughtered her meat,
00 She has mixed her wine,
00 She has also furnished her table.
03 She has sent out her maidens,
00 She cries out from the highest places of the city,
04 "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!"
00 As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
05 "Come, eat of my bread
00 And drink of the wine I have mixed.
06 Forsake foolishness and live,
00 And go in the way of understanding.

07 "He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself,
00 And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself.
08 Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you;
00 Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
09 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
00 Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
00 And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For by me your days will be multiplied,
00 And years of life will be added to you.
12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself,
00 And if you scoff, you will bear it alone."

The Way of Folly
13 A foolish woman is clamorous;
00 She is simple, and knows nothing.
14 For she sits at the door of her house,
00 On a seat by the highest places of the city,
15 To call to those who pass by,
00 Who go straight on their way:
16 "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here";
00 And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
17 "Stolen water is sweet,
00 And bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
18 But he does not know that the dead are there,
00 That her guests are in the depths of hell.