Train up your children in the way they should go! A verse-by-verse study on the 22nd chapter of the Book of Proverbs. Believersbibleschool.com
As we continue into chapter 22, we will still use the New Living Translation, and often compare it with the New King James Version.
A good name, or reputation, comes from having a respect for oneself and walking a life that carries respect from others. Our character is seen by others, and that is how people will know us. Even after we leave this earth, we will be known by our character.
God is telling us here that the opposite is true in His eyes. Having a good name is worth far more than great riches, and our good name will follow us long after we leave this earth. Shouldn't we be more concerned on how God looks at us?
2 The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both.
God is the creator of all mankind. Whether we are rich or poor, that is a tempory condition while we live upon the earth. Regardless of our financial status, God still wants us to live a life pleasing to Him. If we are rich, do we share our wealth with others? If we are poor, are we trusting God to meet all of our needs? While most of us seem to fall somewhere inbetween, we still need to examine our hearts on how we give to the poor. Do we have a heart to give to others less fortunate?
3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
A prudent, or wise man, has the ability to hear from God and forsee the danger before it is too late. He then is able to take the necessary precautions to prevent the evil from coming upon him. Sometimes it means to hid or run from the danger at hand.
John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and
they follow Me.
4 True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.
Remembering that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, and knowledge is the beginning of wisdom - God's wisdom, we see that walking in true humility and the fear of the Lord brings us to places we could never attain in life - spirit, soul, and body.
5 Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it.
Those who walk a corrupt path in life find that the road they travel on is a difficult one. It is filled with the temptations of evil in which they continuously surcomb to, making life very difficult.
6 Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
As a parent, I had this verse memorized, but in the NKJV. Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
The Hebrew original meaning of the word "train" here is to dedicate or train up the child, directing the course of his or her life. The responsibility of all Christian parents is to train their children in the ways of the Lord so they can grow up to become the best person God created them to be. That, of course, means the parents are to model their faith in front of their the children in all walks of life in order for the children to learn those ways.
Deut. 6:7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Every child is different, having his or her own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, it is also the parent's responsibility to discover those strengths and weaknesses in each of their children so they can be nurtured and built up to become that person they were created to be. As they get older, their natural tendencies will be to follow along that same path as the parents, using their strengths unless the child chooses to become rebellious.
I picked up this newspaper article a few months ago when down in Texas, and there was this poem called Jan's Words of Wisdom, and it was signed adapted...and it goes like this:
Children Live What They Learn
When children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. When children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
When children live with ridicule, they earn to be shy.
When children live with shame they learn to feel guilty.
When children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient.
When children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
When children live with security, they learn to have faith.
When children live with fairness, they learn justice.
When children live with praise,, they learn to appreciate.
When children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
When children with with acceptance and friendship, they learn to find love in the World. Adapted.
7 Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.
This verse could possible refer to a old custom that very poor Israelites often did when they got so far into debt to where they could not get out. They then sold themselves into slavery to pay off their debt (Exodus 21:2-7). Some then lived out their life in slavery.
Or, this verse could have more practical application for us today that hold great truths, telling us the importance of staying out of debt. It is so much wiser not to borrow from a lender, because they then rule over you in this area as well as own what you thought was now yours UNTIL you pay off that debt. Whatever their restrictions are, you have to abide by. Therefore, we must regard indebtedness as a lasts resort, and when or if we do, then get out of that debt as fast as you can.
8 Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster, and their reign of terror will come to an end.
God planted the sowing a reaping process in the earth from the beginning. That also refers to people as well. The Apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 6:7 that a man reaps what he sows. A person's sins are like seeds that are sown in the ground. Whatever you plant, will be your harvest. In time, those seeds will sprout, rise up and bring forth a harvest. For the one who plants injustice will harvest disaster. Eventually, that person's reign of terror will come to an end. The people affected will then rejoice.
9 Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.
We can certainly see here why God wants all His people to be generous to feed the poor. That way, everyone is blessed. Jesus tells us that "it is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35)10 Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too. Quarrels and insults will disappear.
The mocker of scoffer loves to cause contention among those around them, causing division among the people. When they leave, however, the division stops because they were the instigators of the strife among the people. Instead of quarrels and insults being yelled at through the mouths of the mockers and scoffers, they will leave because the root of the problem were the mockers or scoffers. The atmosphere will completely change.
11 Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend.
Luke 6:45 tells us that out of the heart, the mouth speaks. The heart continuously exposes itself through the words spoken out of the mouth. For a righteous person, their inner beauty will then show itself through gracious speech. King Solomon was saying that this kind of person will draw his attention, and he or she will have his favor.
12 The Lord preserves those with knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the treacherous.
We continuously come back to the importance of gaining God's knowledge - because first comes knowledge, then understanding, followed by wisdom - God's wisdom. As such, when we have God's knowledge - knowledge of His Word, the Lord watches over us. Through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, He helps us to understand that knowledge, for when we understand and apply that knowledge, we will walk in the wisdom of God. Remember, He favors the righteous, and watches out for them.
Lazy slothful people either use their imagination or use preposterous excuses so they do not have to get up and work. They can even use such preposterous statements like "there is a lion out there, and if I go out, I might be killed." While his excuses are exaggerations of danger, the sluggard will say anything to get out of having to work.
14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap; those who make the Lord angry will fall into it.
The immoral woman often uses seductive words to lure a man into her bed. Therefore, her mouth is a dangerous trap by the tone and the words that come from her mouth. God is very specific when he say to stay away from ALL sex outside of marriage (1 Thess 4:3). These kinds of women are sexual predators, and they are digging a trap for themselves, of which they will eventually fall into because they have provoked the anger of the Lord.
15 A youngster's heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away.
The NKJV states: Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
The young have a lot of maturing to do, and is often looked upon as foolish. Because we live in a sinful world, children will naturally sin unless they are taught differently. It is naturally inherited by Adam and Eve. Therefore, it is critically important that parents teach their children while they are young.
We are living in a society that frowns upon physically taking a rod to children for fear of physically abusing them as taught in this verse.
As parents, we must realize that there is a difference between childishness and foolishness.
A loving parent knows the difference between physical discipline and physical abuse. Disciplining the child by a rod, done in a loving manner is biblical as we can see in this scripture. I was raised under the fear of my father's belt, but it was only spoken when I intentionally chose to sin and my parents knew it. That kept me from doing a lot of wrong things.
16 A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.
There are people out there who prey upon the innocent to get rich. Often the elderly are picked upon as easy prey. Another are employers who give minimum wage to their employees, keeping them on a poverty level only to increase their wealth. They would also fall in this category as well. This kind of person has no compassion on those in need, and they lose the favor of God. God considers them wicked and will often intervene, bringing this kind of person to their own kind of poverty.
For the past twelve chapters we have been in section 2 of the collection of proverbs by King Solomon. His proverbs were short and often consisted of only one verse. Beginning now - here in Proverbs 22:17, we enter into the next section of proverbs which will consist often of a number of verses laid out in themes. That will continue for the next two chapters, ending at Proverbs 24:22. According to Enduring Word Bible Commentary, "it is likely that Solomon patterned this section of Scripture after the Egyptian wisdom writing Amenemope, finding 30 wisdom saying in this section." I will point out when the 30 wisdom saying are complete.
From this point on, we will go back to using the New King James Version like we did the first nine chapters instead of the New Living Translation which we used in the last section.
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge; 18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed upon your lips, so that your trust may be in the LORD; 19 I have instructed you today, even you. 20 Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge, that I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, 21 That you may answer words of truth to those who send to you?
King Solomon makes here a point of telling his audience that what he is about to say is important - so listen up! It was almost like a command. "Apply your heart to the instruction that I am about to give you. This is something you always will want to remember and speak them out to others. These are my instructions to you!"
22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; 23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and plunder the soul of those who plunder them.
Jesus told us in Matt 26:11 that there will always be the poor among us. While we realize many are in that situation because of their own making, we cannot take advantage of them to steal or treat them with disrespect.
Nothing has changed! We still have the poor among us today. Just as Jesus told us, people are people. There will always be the poor and the rich, and everyone in between as a part of society.
24 Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, 25 lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.
An angry person usually does not know how to control his temper. At any opportunity, the anger can fly toward anyone who comes against him or her in any way. It can become a violatile situation. Sadly, this shows their character and one whom the Lord is telling us not to be friends with such a person because that kind of anger can rub off on you, causing you to become like him.
Let's go further with that!
We do become like the company we keep
26 Do not be one of those who shakes hands in a pledge, one of those who is surety for debts; 27 if you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take away your bed from under you?
This is the third time that King Solomon has brought out the dangers of become a surety for someone else's debt. That means, this is very important to know! We could say today, guard against being a co-signer for someone else's loan.
28 Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set.
Landmarks are markings for the borders of property. Originally landmarks were marked off by stones to show the division of property. It goes way back to the time of Joshua when dividing up the territories in which set up the boundaries of their territory. Stone landmarks were meant to be passed on down from generation to generation and meant as sacred!
29 Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.
God has been telling us throughout the Book of Proverbs through King Solomon that work is good. Acquiring God's wisdom brings a person to excel in whatever he or she does. In Colossians 3:23, the Apostle Paul tells us that when we do our work unto men, it is as if we are doing it unto God.
That completes chapter 22 of the Book of Proverbs
God bless!
Pastor Joyce Erickson
Believersbibleschool.com
There we have it for today.
God bless!
Pastor Joyce Erickson
Believersbibleschool.com