#1033 The Law of the Wise

1033 The Law of the Wise Transcription

I'm thankful for being able to share God's word this morning and that's always a blessing, and a privilege, responsibility; and such a blessing to stand before God, God's people to communicate his Word.

I can go one step further with the redeemed stamps, Kim. I still have something that I redeemed with green stamps. I was probably about 11 years old and still have it to this day. It always reminds me of those days when, you know, things are kind of simple. Things can still be simple.

In this day and time things can still be simple. You know why? Because contrary to what the world believes, God is simple. God is not complicated. Many people think that God really is complicated. That's because they don't know him. And the reason why they don't know him is because they don't know his Word; his written Word.

Proverbs 13:14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

So if you had; let's say we're on "Let's Make a Deal" and we've got two boxes up here. One has life and one has death. And you know what they are already. It's not like we're guessing. Like, you know, and this one has life over here. This one has death. He says which box do you want number one or number two? Number two has death. Number one is life. Which one are you going to pick? One, right?

So the law of the wise is a fountain of life. It's a wellspring of life; a fountain that never ends. A well spring of life to depart from the snares of box number two; death, right? That's why we're going to pick number one. Now anybody that has any sense whatsoever doesn't want to pick number two, death. If they're wise they are going to pick number one. But how do you get wise?

How do you get wise? Have you ever seen the first Blues Brothers movie? Cab Calloway was a star in the movie. His character was telling Jake and Elwood, down before they started, that they were on a mission from God. He was telling them, he was saying that they were talking to him about doing this and doing that and he was saying, "You boys get wise. You get the church."

So that's what he was saying. "Get wise. You get the church." And that's how they started their mission from God. That's right. We're on a mission from God. So today we're on a mission from God. Okay we're to get wise.

(NLT) Proverbs 13:14 The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.

That is the New Living translation of Proverbs 13:14. Now I know we're all in here are wise enough that we want to escape the snares of death, right? The problem is those that are the wise of this world are not willing to accept the law of the wise, the wisdom of God.

They're not willing to accept it, so that they are trapped in the snares of death. That's what happens.

1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

That's the natural man, the man that does not think spiritually; does not have the spirit of God.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Alright, if you want to turn to Proverbs 1:7. This is the verse in the text that were going to base this teaching off of today: the law of the wise. Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Did you know that the heart is naturally evil? We're born that way. The heart of man is naturally evil; and to hate it comes only by divine wisdom and the fear of God. To hate evil only comes by the wisdom of God. Otherwise, we're still stuck without the wisdom of God. We're still stuck in this continuous wheel like a hamster wheel of evil.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

That's what Jeremiah said by the Word of God.

Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Proverbs 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

Where does mercy come from? The father God. Where is truth come from? It's not coming from the world. It's not coming from CNN. It's not coming from Fox. It's not coming from Facebook. It's not coming from all the other things that are out there in the world and all the media. Where does truth come from? God. Remember that. " …by the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil." We're touching on this word "fear" a lot and I'm going to explain to you and share with you from God's Word what fear really is.

Proverbs 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

So, a good question is, what is it to be in the fear of the Lord? We're to fear the Lord. Did you ever ask yourself that question, what is it to fear the Lord? You hear it a lot in the Word of God: "Fear the Lord." Fear is not the fear where we're trembling and shaking and afraid of something. A fear is a healthy - I'm going to read it to you - it's a healthy respect for God. Let me let me continue here repeating Proverbs 1:7.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

(GNT) Proverbs 1:7 To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the Lord.[a] Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.

The Good News Translation (and I like this one) says in verse 7 To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the Lord. Then it says that stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn. I love that one.

Now let me tell you something. Stupid people are the ones that run CNN. Stupid people are the ones that run Facebook. Stupid people are the ones that run all the news media, and all the things that you hear: that the chatter that goes on that is not of God's Word. That's from stupid people.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear (yirah: to be astonishingly amazed at) of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

If you want to define it more clearly: You're not stupid; you are wise. Okay? That's what you have to remember. The word "fear" in Hebrew is yirah. And it means to be "astonishingly amazed at". Now remember, fear of the Lord, or to fear the Lord is to be astonishingly amazed at; to be in the reverential awe; respect, extreme reverence, obedient devotion; to be absolutely absorbed in spiritual things.

Do you got the idea now of fear? Now there are things that we're afraid of. You know some are afraid of the dark. Maybe when we were little we were too, right? You know people have certain innate fears too. When we're talking about the fear of the Lord; it's to be astonished astonishingly. Astonishingly, I love that adjective! Amazed at; to be in reverential awe; respect, extreme reverence, obedient devotion; to be absolutely absorbed in spiritual matters or things. It's not what most people think when you say "fear God".

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear (the fear that we're shaking); but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.,

Proverbs 2:1-5 ¹My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; ²So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; ³Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; ⁴If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; ⁵Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

You want to receive God's words. You find them where? The bible, right? You not only receive them, but hide them within you. This requires an extreme reverence, doesn't it? It does; and a desire to be absorbed in spiritual matters. To do that, there has to be a desire within you to absorb spiritual matters. You get wisdom and understanding.

Seek for her as hid treasure. A lot of people in the world are interested in gaining more finances, more money, more houses, more this more that more cars. The Word says if you seek for wisdom as you seek for silver: those things in the world. You will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Genesis 20:11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

When Abraham stood before Abimelech: (King Abimelech was the king of Gerar.) He acknowledged that Abimelech; that he did not respect the reverence, respect or reverence the Lord. Abraham acknowledged that Abimelech did not reverence the Lord God. Abraham feared they would take his wife and slay him.

You know how it turned out; that God intervened and told Abimelech. "You leave this man's wife alone." Okay. God always intervenes when you respect him when you reverence him and when you absorb yourself in the spiritual matters of God. He will always intervene. Always!

Matthew 28:8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy (This is the women departing from the empty tomb.); and did run to bring his disciples word.

So they leave the sepulcher with fear and great joy. Were they afraid? No, they were filled with reverence and awe and respect, and being absorbed in what they saw in spiritual matters.

Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

When his disciples were with him on the ship and Jesus commanded the wind to stop: "Peace be still," he said. And they said and they had respect for and they had awe for him. Okay? "What manner of man is this?" They were filled with great fear - respect; great respect; great awe.

2 Corinthians 7:15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

That's how we want to be; to receive the Lord God. We are to receive God and the Lord Jesus Christ with great fear; with great respect; with great awe: you see, with reverence.

By the way, I want to just throw this in here. This is how men of God should be received. Okay? True men of God should be received with great fear: with reverence, with awe, with respect. Okay? If they are delivering the Word of God to you. If they're imparting the love of God and knowledge to you. If they are helping you to walk for God.

You don't receive or treat them with skepticism. I don't care who they are, it doesn't matter. You don't receive them with disrespect. You don't receive them with contempt or discourtesy. You esteem them with honor with courtesy and with respect. We should be thankful for where we came from; and who taught us the Word of God; and hold them in an esteem and honor for their work's sake. That's what the Word of God says.

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

And let me say something else. If God doesn't forget them for their work's sake and labor of love that's good enough for me. It's good enough for me to follow suit; and should be good enough for you, you and all of us.

Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

Romans 3:10-18 ¹⁰As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one (So don't start pointing fingers, right?): ¹¹There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ¹²They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. ¹³Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: ¹⁴Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: ¹⁵Their feet are swift to shed blood: ¹⁶Destruction and misery are in their ways: ¹⁷And the way of peace have they not known: ¹⁸There is no fear of God before their eyes.

There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now you have to determine is this talking about everybody without exception, (all these things) or with distinction? With distinction. I'm sure Nick isn't out there looking to kill somebody, right? Or any of you. Alright? I'm sure all of you are in the category of you're not swift to shed blood, right?

Have we shown a walk of unrighteousness at times? We sure have, right? But God made us righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ. That's important to remember.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter (it means the end of the whole discourse): Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The whole duty of man is to respect God. The whole duty of man is to be absorbed in the spiritual matters; the things of God. That's the whole duty of man. What your duty? Your duty is not anything else. But everything else is secondary to that. Everything. The primary thing (the duty of man) is to respect God; to have the awe of God; to be and is absorbed in spiritual matters of God. This is fear.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord [Jehovah] is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Okay, so if you got a good idea of what "fear" is, the word "Lord" in this verse is the word Jehovah or Yahweh in Hebrew, the name for God in his covenant relationship to his redeemed; in his covenant relationship.

We learned a lot about covenants in the past teachings: in Jehovah's covenant relationship; what he has sacrificed for us and what he will do for us. That he has covented for us: and that was the blood of Jesus Christ - once and for all. And if you want more information on those teachings on biblical covenants. Start with teachings number 1013 that Nick shared starting with number 1013 if you want to learn more about covenants.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning [reshith] of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The word "beginning" in this verse is the Hebrew word reshith and it means the chief thing, or the principal thing. When we think of beginning, it's like step one. But it's followed by step two, step three, step four, etc. But we're starting at the beginning. This gives a little more accurate detailed information. It's the principal thing. It's the chief thing above all things.

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing (It's the chief thing); therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Remember? "Get wise, get to church."

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

The chief principal thing was that God had to start somewhere, right? And that's where it was. The chief principal thing was God. I believe we were taught that in the original text. The first words in the Bible were not "In the beginning". The first words were "God in the beginning, created". God is first.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The chief thing. The principal thing is the Word of God. That's where wisdom is found.

Hebrews 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

He has laid the foundation. The principal thing.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge [daath /sunesis]: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The next word that we see is the word "knowledge". Daath in Hebrew and in Greek the Septuagint. It's the word sunesis. It's an interesting word, sunesis. And this word daath or sunesisis to know; it's knowledge; to know by putting together.

Did you ever build with Legos? Did you ever build a house with Legos? Or some little thing or, maybe you don't know what that thing is yet until you put it all together, right? You know what the little pieces are though; and you know that you have to do something with these pieces. You know you have to hook one into another. Right? You have to connect them all. It's a connection.

So to know by putting together; a union; or bringing together of the mind with an object. And so used to… used to denote the faculty of quick comprehension. Intelligence, sagacity (that means a keen mental discernment). That was a new word to me, too. It means a keen mental discernment. It's like two rivers flowing together to come together to make a solid body of water. That's sunesis: like two rivers flowing together to make one solid body of water. Okay, so the knowledge that were talking about here is a piece by piece growing together to give understanding.

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

In Proverbs 9:10, how do you get that knowledge? Piece by piece. You didn't get it by osmosis. You didn't wake up all of sudden and figure out that you knew everything. You know, we're still scratching the letter "B" on the word "Bible" in the Word of God. But I thank God; I thank God that we can still scratch the letter "B" on the Word of God. Because we're getting somewhere, right? Who knows, maybe we'll get to the word "I" soon. So the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and the wisdom of the holy is understanding.

Matthew 13:51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

And after explaining the kingdom of heaven to his disciples. Jesus asked them if they understood. He was explaining to them the kingdom of heaven, and he said - after explaining the things - he said, "Have you understood all these things?" It was an honest question. "They said unto him, Yea, Lord." because he was putting together piece by piece; putting together the kingdom of God. Putting it all together. He was asking them if they are putting it together. You guys putting this together?

Did you ever ask that question to somebody? You're trying to explain to them some details. You guys, you putting this together? Are you understanding, and it's coming together. Then they'd say yeah, it's coming together now; it's coming together. That's how it works. That's what this word knowledge is. He was asking them if they were able to put together.

Luke 2:50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

See? Here in Luke they weren't putting together things. It didn't click for them. That's just a comparison to what we read in Matthew.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools [evil / asebeis] despise wisdom and instruction.

The next word is the word "fools" in Proverbs 1:7. The word "fools". It's interesting that the Hebrew word for "fools" is evil. I don't know if it's pronounced that way, but I think it's "ah-vill" or "ah-vall". God's that's pretty cool that way.

The Greek word in the Septuagint is asebeis. Asebeis is a person who lacks good sense or judgment. This is a fool; God's definition of a fool is a person who lacks good sense or judgment. And then it says, "a stupid or silly person." A fool is a stupid or silly person; impious, ungodly, wicked, and sinful.

Psalm 107:17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

Well, there is an answer. Don't be a fool! Why? Because you don't want to be afflicted, right? So don't be like the fool. Be like the wise. Okay. Don't be a fool. Don't be afflicted.

Psalm 53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

The fool; the stupid person; the silly person; the impious person; your buddy at down at the bar says "There is no God." He is stupid. According to God, he is a fool.

Proverbs 10:8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.

I didn't know what this word prating meant. I had to go look it up. Here's what a prating fool is. A prating fool talks idly and at length; to chatter. I'm sure this brings people to your mind. God considers them prating fools: silly and stupid. A prating fool talks idly and at length, and chatters about nothing. Just to chatter because they like to chatter. Do you know anybody like that? We both do. I do. And I'm sure all of you have run across people like that.

"Your eccentric fools who prate (prating) about method without understanding it;" - Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allen Poe was a poet, a famous poet, from years back had this famous quote. Your prating fools - or eccentric fools who prate about method without understanding it. And you know what? A lot of these people are eccentric. They just talk about nothing, right?

Jeremiah 4:22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children (sottish means stupid), and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

So to be foolish is to not know God. God's talking about his people. They are stupid children. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

(GNT) Jeremiah 4:22 The Lord says, "My people are stupid; they don't know me. They are like foolish children; they have no understanding. They are experts at doing what is evil, but failures at doing what is good."

In the Good News Translation again we have an excellent translation.

1 Corinthians 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

Worldly wisdom is just foolishness. The wisdom of the world is foolishness with God. Please don't be a fool. This wisdom of the world is nothing to God. It's foolishness.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise [buz / exouthenēsousin] wisdom and instruction.

Okay, the word "despise" is the next word in Proverbs 1:7. The word "despise" is the word buz. And I can't pronounce the word exouthenēsousin in the Septuagint Greek so I won't say it. It's a long word that means "to make light of". When a fool despises wisdom and instruction, here's what they're doing. They make light of the Word of God. They treat it with contempt. They treat it with scorn. They neglect it. They disregard it. It's to make small account of.

"Ah, That's nothing, That's - you know. Oh, I'd rather listen to the news." It's to reject with contempt, it's considering something worthless. These fools count the Word of God worthless. Don't listen to fools. Don't listen to the news. Don't listen to Facebook. Don't listen to your friends on Facebook. I'll go a step further. Sometimes I don't even want to listen to myself on Facebook. Why? Because I don't like to be on Facebook.

It's to consider something worthless. And they're considering the Word of God worthless. They'd rather and especially on these social media platforms. They'd rather get into eccentric chattering. Prating fools go chattering about nothing. Have you ever noticed that? That's what they like to do. I consider that worthless and so does God.

The first act of contempt was in Genesis chapter 4 verses 6 to 8 where Cain killed his brother Abel. That was the first act of contempt.

Proverbs 18:2-3 ²A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. ³When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach.

Proverbs 23:9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

If you speak the Word of God enough to somebody that's when you figure out if they're a fool. Stop. Shake the dust off your feet and move on. That's what the word of God says. You know, shake the dust off your feet. And by that time it may even be a whole heap of mud.

Shake it off and move on. You know when we used to go out in speaking and and witnessing a lot. We even used to go door-to-door. We used to do that at times; and on the WOW field when we were out there for a year and we would go witness to people. And you know, God tells you. God will enlighten you that this person is either a fool (they will despise what you're saying), or they will want to hear more; okay? You'll know that. God will reveal it to you.

Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

When you're chastened by the Word of God or by a person who's speaking to you from the Word of God, don't despise that chastening. Because if you do, do you know what? You're turning into a fool. You're despising the wisdom that God has set before you. I don't care what that person has done in their previous life. Or you know what: if they're speaking the Word of God to you, it's the Word of God. You see? Despise not chastening. Despise not being rebuked.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom [chokmah /sophion] and instruction.

The The next word, "wisdom" in that verse is the Hebrew word chokmah and the Greek Septuagint Greek word is sophion. It's divine wisdom; it's spiritual enlightenment. So the wisdom that comes from above is divine wisdom. It's spiritual enlightenment. It's not media enlightenment. That's what you want to stay away from so you don't be a fool. You want to get into spiritual enlightenment to become wise.

See, this is the law of the wise to fear or to respect God that's the principal thing; the principal thing; the chief thing; the first thing: to respect God. If you have no respect for the Word of God, you're automatically a fool. See, because you haven't started with the principal thing. The wisdom of the Word of God.

Exodus 28:3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled (God has filled) with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

Who fills you with the spirit of wisdom? God does. And also those who have watched the news media? Oh, it doesn't say that, does it? Those who have listened to the cantina people down there where you're drinking a beverage? Do you listen to them because they got some wisdom that you need to hear? No it's like Cab Caloway. "Get wise. Get to church."

James Brown was the one that did the preaching. And he said "I love you saw that movie." When Elwood and Jake were standing there and he was listening to the Word. And all of a sudden, If you saw the movie, there's a great beam of light coming down on him. And suddenly he was filled with the wisdom of God; the knowledge of God. He was listening to the Word of God.

It's a silly example, but it's true. When you hear the Word of God, you've got this light on you. You get energized. You get wisdom. Remember Cab Calloway: "Get wise, get to church," right? If you leave with anything today, leave with "Get wise. Get to church."

Exodus 28:3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

It takes God to give you wisdom. By the spirit of God, you are filled with wisdom, not the spirit of the world. You may try to become smart by listening to the world, right? Everybody does. You try to become smart by listening to the world. This includes the news networks. This includes Facebook. This includes Twitter. It includes the latest magazines, the latest periodicals. It includes Vinnie Boombatzo down at the bar who is trying to tell you something that is not lining up with the Word of God.

You know Vinnie Boombatzo, right? Everybody has a Vinnie Boombatzo in their life. Everybody knows him. Vinnie Boombatzo. You know. He's like Joe Schmoe, okay? Does that communicate a little better? To me it's Vinnie Boombatzo. so he knows everything. Dr. Vinnie Boombatzo. So he's not going to fill you with the wisdom of God. With all of this, you become stupid. With all that knowledge, you become stupid.

Deuteronomy 4:5-6 ⁵Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. ⁶Keep therefore and do them (the word); for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

Why? Because they received the Word of God.

Psalm 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

God makes you to know wisdom.

Isaiah 33:6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.

Do you want stability in your life? That's why the world will never have stability. Never, at least before the Lord comes back. The knowledge will be the stability of our times; and strength of salvation: that's wholeness. Wholeness is being made whole. The fear of the Lord is his treasure. It's our treasure. It should be your treasure.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

See, it's a promise.

James 3:15-17 ¹⁵This wisdom descendeth not from above (the wisdom of the world), but is earthly, sensual, devilish. ¹⁶For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. ¹⁷But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated (easy to be received), full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

So if you want to be stupid, keep listening to the news media. okay? There is wisdom that comes from the world; a sensual knowledge as we spoke of earlier. This is not the wisdom of God. God's wisdom is full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction [musar /paideian].

Alright, the last word is "instruction" in that Proverbs 1:7. The word "instruction" in Hebrew is musar or in the Greek Septuagint it is paideian. It means discipline, correction, chastening and training. That's the word "instruction".

Psalm 50:16-17 ¹⁶But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? ¹⁷Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee.

Only a fool will hate instruction and correction and discipline. Only a fool will do that.

Proverbs 1:22-26 ²²How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? ²³Turn you at my reproof (I'm giving you reproof. I'm correcting you. I'm trying to instruct you.): behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you (It comes to the wise, it doesn't come to the fool.). ²⁴Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; ²⁵But ye have set at nought all my counsel (Do you know what "set at naught means? To think little of; to think worthless; to think worthless of.), and would none of my reproof: ²⁶I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

They set at naught the Lord Jesus Christ in the praetorium, didn't they, when they crowned with those thorns; when they whipped him, they set him at naught, it says. That means they counted him worthless. That's a fool.

If you want to be in that category; I can't stop you. You're the only one that can stop you. Do you know who is talking here figuratively when it says, "I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;" If you read the context, it is Wisdom is talking. Wisdom is saying, "If you want to be a fool that's up to you;" but you know what? When calamity comes, Wisdom says, "I'm going to laugh because you didn't listen to me. I'm going to laugh. I'm going to mock your calamity, because you didn't listen to me. So get wise, get to church.

This wisdom and the instruction. This is wisdom and instruction speaking. As I said they are not respecters of persons. Wisdom is not a respecter of person. They don't care who you are. If you reject and refuse instruction and correction, they will laugh at you. Wisdom will laugh at you. If you refuse chastisement and reproof, they will mock you when your calamity hits. If you esteem God's word and wisdom as a light thing. They will laugh when you need help: and when you help the most.

Proverbs 4:13-15 ¹³Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life (box number one.). ¹⁴Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. ¹⁵Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

Zephaniah 3:7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them (the fools): but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.

2 Timothy 3:16=17 ¹⁶All scripture (all of it) is given by inspiration of God (it's God breathed), and is profitable (This is what it's profitable for) for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for (which is) instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Perfect is the word artios which means "to be thoroughly furnished" for the trip; thoroughly furnished unto all good works. This wisdom from above comes from only one place. Right here in the Word of God and those who speak the Word of God to you.

To recap some of these things we looked at. The law of the wise is is a fountain of living waters which we see from the Word of God. It refers to the Word of God. Those that are in and of this world will not accept the wisdom of the wise; but rather rely on world's wisdom. The world's wisdom is foolishness with God, and so ensnares and entraps you in death.

We see that the law of the wise is to fear: or to have an extreme reverence and desire to be absorbed in the things of God: the spiritual things; the spiritual matters. To be in reverential awe; an extreme reverence and obedient devotion to God.

We saw that this reverence and respect of God is the principal thing. It's the chief thing, above all things. It's a chief thing. Without it we have nothing. Nothing comes before it. Not your mother not your father not your spouse, not your kids, not your job, not your buddies. Nothing comes before the Word of God.

The knowledge we that acquire comes to us as two rivers flowing together. to make one body. We understand that fools will not accept the wisdom of God. but are stupid, silly, and ungodly. In fact they despise the knowledge of God with contempt; and they reject it and counted as something worthless. You may not see the contempt at first, But you do see that they count it worthless.

We saw all that it takes God to reveal to you divine wisdom and spiritual enlightenment, whether by doctrine, whether by reproof, or correction given by the Word; either spoken, written, or by revelation - that is included as well.

You're not going to get it by watching the news, or the news media, or from your buddies. You know, if they are not on the Word, then they are the epitome of the words, or of stupid people. They're ignorant, they lack knowledge they Iack good sense, and judgment. They hate instruction, and they hate correction and discipline. Listening to them, you become stupid as well.

So to avoid being stupid. To avoid being like this, get wise. Tend to the law of the wise. Which law we learn; we just learned about in every detail form. As much as we could see at this point from the Word of God. Get wise, get to the Word.

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