Proverbs Chapter 25

• Proverbs 25:1  These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.

Not only am I thankful to those that wrote down the things God revealed to them by the Holy Spirit so that we too could read and understand the whole plan of God, but I'm equally grateful for the people who carefully copied them down and handed them down from one generation to the other. 

Sometimes the wrong people get into positions of authority instead of the good and faithful that are out to bring people to God and not just draw people to themselves. Some in leadership got into error not long after the apostles died but God used Monks and others to save and preserve the original word so that we could have it today. He used men like William Tyndale and John Wycliffe to translate the bible into the English language. They paid for it with their lives though.  

Because of the written word, the church has the ability to get back on track and divorce themselves from the doctrines and commandments of men and instead return to the original teachings of the scriptures.

Nothing in the bible forbids marriage for priests, prophets or the people who are none of those things for instance. That is a doctrine of men only, not God. Nothing in the bible forbids men to eat meat on Friday. We are not to make graven images to bow down to and that includes images that represent God, Jesus, Mary or the apostles. To be fair to those that use images, some say they are just symbols to represent deities and they are not actually worshipped but I take the graven image commandment literally if someone bows down before it.  

Jewish believers also should not impose the restrictions of the law given by Moses on Gentile Believers. When we do that we add to the word of God and God's plan of salvation which is simply, Repent and believe the gospel. Repent means to change, turn around and go the right way and to stop going our own way. To obtain true salvation and eternal life, we go the way God has provided for us through His Son, Jesus. The right way is allow ourselves to believe in Jesus for salvation and be clothed with His righteousness since we have none of our own. Then the Holy Spirit helps us to live and walk in the spirit, getting victory over temptation and trials that try to hinder us from walking uprightly.

• Proverbs 25:2  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

"If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God."  In the book of James it speaks of our ability to ask God for things we need understanding in. Just like it is an honor of kings that search out a matter and find out truth, it is to our honor to do the same. We can seek God. God does conceal many things and many things are left secret until the right time to reveal it. We do not know the day nor the hour of His return for one. However, many things are revealed to those that diligently seek Him with faith and do not give up.

The book of Revelation was a mystery for years and much of it still is but as we get closer to the coming of the Lord, I believe more of it will be revealed but only to those that diligently seek out God for understanding.

• Daniel 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? 
• 9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 
• 10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. 

I love how the Old and New Testament work together to give us a whole picture of the plan of God. Yet only the ones that seek with their whole heart will understand.

• Proverbs 25:3  The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

We can't really tell what is in the heart of the king, the president or anyone actually until we see their fruits: How they live, how they speak (although that can be deceptive) and what legacy they leave behind but God always knows. He can't be fooled.

• Proverbs 25:4  Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. 
• 5  Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

That is why we have to have law and order in order to have peace. As long as we live in a fallen world, we need governors, rulers, policemen and peace makers.

• Proverbs 25:6  Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: 
• 7  For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

This is teaching humility. As long as we stay humble, we will not suffer the embarrassment of trying to sit in the best chair, assume that we deserve the best and put ourselves forth as people of importance.

In order to help people have more self esteem and not be so shy and afraid, we have taught the doctrine of self for many years and it is not good. The saying, we deserve the best, we are king's kids etc., can cause us to become prideful and many churches have become seeker friendly and preach "its all about me" messages. So instead of "What can I do for God today" it has become, "What can God do for me today?"

• Proverbs 25:8  Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

The bible seems to teach against any kind of actions done in haste. I believe wholeheartedly that in emergency situations where one has to act fast that if a person normally thinks before he speaks or acts, he will be able to handle emergencies where he has to act fast. 

If we go forth hastily without thinking or praying to confront a neighbor we think has wronged us, they may put us to shame by showing us that we are badly mistaken and got it all wrong.

We may be quick to go file a lawsuit against a neighbor spending money on lawyers and such and then lose the lawsuit.  

• Proverbs 25:9  Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another: 
• 10  Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.

It is better to go straight to a neighbor and debate any cause with him to his face than go behind his back and discuss it with another. First of all the one we discuss it with may use it to spread gossip and destroy the one discussed only later to find out all was false. In other cases the one we discuss it with might rebuke us and defend the other person making us feel ashamed for spreading slander against our neighbor. The word, infamy means slander. We could be labeled as a slanderer if we talk behind one's back instead of discussing it with them alone.

• Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

This is a beautiful verse. Our words can harm, discourage, spread lies, and do so much damage, yet they can do good if we speak things that edify and speak by the spirit of God.

• Psalm 19:14  Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

These scriptures about the use of our tongues should be memorized.

• Colossians 4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Again and again the way of the world is fast talkers and those that can debate but to think first is the best according to God's word.

• Proverbs 25:12  As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

This goes along with verse 12. Those that seek wisdom will love wise reproof. If our words of wisdom fall upon a foolish person it will be cast back at us in rejection but if they fall upon one with an obedient ear, it will be like an ornament of fine gold.

• Proverbs 25:13  As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters.

Good words, words of truth, words of righteousness and even words of correction will refresh the soul like good news sent in times of trouble. We can choose to give ourselves over to good words or allow ourselves to be given to gossip, backbiting and evil speaking. It is our choice.

• Proverbs 25:14  Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

This type of person is very unreliable. Occasionally many of us promise something that at the time, we mean it but circumstances arise that hinder us from keeping that promise. My Dad used to tell us to always say, "If the Lord will, thus and such." It is better not to promise things than promise and not fulfill.

I've met people that say things to manipulate but from the beginning never intend to carry it through. A man (woman) of his or her word is someone we can depend upon. There are also some that when we announce certain events or meetings, they are the first to pipe up and say, "I will be there," but we don't even look for them because we know ahead of time, they will never show up.

• Proverbs 25:15  By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the bone.

Some people have a way with words and they are persistent yet gentle and are able to melt the hardest of hearts. Others of us hear the word and know when to quit, not going any further to try to change someone's mind.

• Proverbs 25:16  Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

This verse is good for our physical health. Most of us in prosperous countries eat way too much than our body needs and what we do eat is unhealthy. That is why we have such problems with diabetes, heart trouble, strokes, and other diseases. The one who drinks, drinks too much and suffers liver damage or alcoholism, the one who smokes, smokes too much although even a little is very harmful in that respect. Americans over indulge and have very little self control. Fast food restaurants are making it worse.

Honey is good. I use it in cereal but if I ate honey by itself for even a half hour, I would feel sick. It is self control that I believe is taught here. It the spiritual realm we need to control our desires and not yield to temptation that leads to sinning against God and our fellow man.

• Proverbs 25:17  Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.

Try to visit when invited or when one has a purpose, then leave unless compelled to stay longer. It is so easy to be considered annoying or a pest if we stay too long or visit too frequently.

• Proverbs 25:18  A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

Wow, I could never say it better than this. If we lie against someone else we are compared to a sword, an arrow and such things that kill and destroy. Even exaggerating facts can destroy someone. That is why election years are so evil. Not the election but the exaggerated stories and fear mongering that goes on is evil. In fact it is sin. Gossip, backbiting and hatemongering is evil. 

This doesn't mean we can't warn against sin that is the very opposite of God's word. Sin can steal, kill and destroy also but we don't have to destroy the person with lies. False doctrine must be opposed but we must make sure we tell the truth and do not exaggerate facts or distort the truth just to make a point. 

• Proverbs 25:19  Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

This should prompt us to seek to be faithful in all things. Faithful to speak truth, faithful to keep promises, faithful to duty, faithful to spouses and children but most of all faithful to God.

In fact true faith would produce faithfulness. Remember the devil believes in God but he is not faithful to God. True saving faith would be joined hand in hand with faithfulness. 

• Proverbs 25:20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

There are times when we do not feel like singing and times when we don't want to hear singing and that is okay. It's times like that, that fervent prayer may be needed. I believe this verse is not talking of corporate singing in worship though but shows us that when one is down for some reason and another comes singing a loud song, it is very unwelcome.

As beautiful as hearing and participating in a whole congregation singing praises to God, I see something missing that I use to see all the time in the church I was brought up in. I remember more seasons of prayer. We would go up front and kneel in prayer before service, half way during the service and at the end.  

Now it seems like we open up with one person saying a prayer, no prayer half way through and at the end an altar call is given to see if someone wants to receive Christ (which is good) and then we are asked if we have a need we need to pray about and if someone responds, we pray but if no one does and usually no one wants to be singled out so they don't go forward. They use to just ask everyone to come forward, kneel and pray before they go home. I miss that. That way we all pray together, no one is in the spot light so to speak, and we are all seeking God together. I don't know why I brought this up but there are times when singing is not enough. We need to pray.

• Proverbs 25:21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:
• 22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

God teaches us to be good to those that are our enemies. We are never to get even and want to do bad to them. We do have to have law and order. We have to jail those that break the law in order to live in peace but even in those situations, we feed and clothe those in captivity. We are to keep them from harming the innocent, that is why we have law but we are not to use the prisons to torture and reap unjust harm to them.

• Proverbs 25:23  The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.

Oh so true and it is the temptation of both men in women since sin entered the world. We love to hear and repeat something bad about another person that we don't particularly like. It makes us feel like we are better then them and it puffs up, yet it is something that we should avoid at all costs.

• Proverbs 25:24  It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

I've met a few brawling men as well and the same can be said of them. To dwell in peace in a small place is preferable over living with someone who nags, whines, yells and screams about everything.

• Proverbs 25:25  As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.

A mother who hears that her son is coming home from the war in good health would describe the meaning of this passage.

• Proverbs 25:26  A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

This has happened in both the past and the present and it is so true but in the long run, they will stand before God and be judged for how they treated the righteous, especially those who risk their lives to bring the good news of the gospel to the lost.

• John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 
• 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

Notice what Jesus says here. Whosoever, whether it is the religions, secular governments or even a church that is in name only and not truly a Christian church; if they kill people over their faith in Christ, they do not know God or the Son, Jesus Christ. Religions that kill over faith issues or breaking their religious rules think they are doing God service but they do not even know God.
Persecution is not a fruit of God's spirit.

• Matthew 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 
• 39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 
• 40  He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 
• 41  He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 
• 42  And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Those that do harm, torture, take one's property or kill someone for their political or religious views will show us proof that they do not know God no matter what they claim.

• Proverbs 25:27  It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

If we have to toot our own horn, it is false glory. It is in vain and does no good.  

• Proverbs 25:28  He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Self control is one of the fruits of the spirit called temperance.

• Galathians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
• 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
• 24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 
• 25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

-Dorna