Proverbs Chapter 25

PROVERBS Chapter 25

25:1 “This section of the book contains additional proverbs attributed to Solomon that were collected by the men of Hezekiah (715-687 B.C.). These scribes or scholars ‘copied out’ the sayings, i.e., transcribed them from one book to another” (Gaebelein p. 1078).

Kings And Courtiers 25:2 On the one hand it is the glorious nature of God to conceal things. God’s government of the universe is beyond human understanding, we cannot fathom or follow or search out God’s providential workings which are happening on a daily basis. But human government cannot claim Divine secrecy. “Kings have to investigate everything….they must make things open and intelligible to their subjects, especially judicial matters” (Gaebelein p. 1079). “But it is chiefly praising not academic research but administrative probes: the king should know what is going on” (Kidner p. 157). The verse also infers that kings are in no way Divine Beings, they are limited in their knowledge just like any other man. A righteous administration will therefore search out the will of God, justice, fairness, morality, and will try to ensure that it is free from corruption. God doesn’t need to search anything out, for He knows everything. We are truly honoring God when we are investigating and trying to find His answers to our questions (Acts 17:11). A government which is trying to understand God’s creation and His will is on the right track.

25:3 Mystery has its place in an administration. A wise king must know which secrets to keep. “He must be resourceful, inscrutable, always one step ahead, to keep a firm grip on power” (Gaebelein p. 1079). The verse may also be a warning. Be careful about assuming that you have a leader figured out, people in positions of power are often unpredictable, so don’t put a whole lot of confidence in someone’s analysis of what a leader might do next.

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25:4-5 “As the silversmith must remove impurities from silver in order to create a thing of beauty, so the king must remove evil from his kingdom and especially his court if the kingdom is to be secure” (Garrett p. 205). Nationally stability is not gained when a nation tolerates what is morally wrong. Safety isn’t found in tolerating what is evil. “Oh, that our rulers today believed this and followed it!”

(Hunt p. 333). “The king may have perfect ideals, and his conduct may be irreproachable, but he may be mislead by unscrupulous courtiers” (Gaebelein p.

1080).

Seeking The Chief Seats 25:6-7 “This direct social advice is turned by Jesus into a parable (Luke 14:710) of our whole attitude to life” (Kidner p. 157). “It is wiser to wait to be promoted than to risk demotion by self-promotion” (Gaebelein p. 1080). Here is a warning against pride and presumption. God is telling the righteous man that good kings or good employers will promote godly individuals. Stop worrying about getting noticed and simply concentrate on doing the right thing.

Righteous living will win the admiration of the right people.

Is Your Tale True—Kind—Necessary?

25:8 Humiliation can also be the result in being too eager to bring a case to court, for if the case had no valid claim, then one would be in public disgrace.

Compare with Proverbs 17:14. “You’ll hear from my lawyer” or “I’ll sue you” should always be difficult words for a Christian to say…Better to drop the matter before a dispute breaks out (17:14) or settle out of court (Luke 12:58) than run to a lawyer with all the attendant grief and expense” (Alden p. 182). The verse also reminds us that there is a tendency on the part of people to believe that they really have a case, when they don’t. How many people go into court really thinking that all the evidence is on their side? It is so easy to convince ourselves (especially when money is on the line) that we are definitely in the right.

25:9-10 It is better to keep personal quarrels private. “Stay in bounds if one must fight, for no success is achieved at the price of one’s integrity or someone’s hurt” (Gaebelein p. 1081). Compare with Matthew 18:15. “One’s motives in spreading a story are seldom as pure as one pretends. To run to the law or to the neighbors is usually to run away from the duty of personal relationships” 2

(Kidner p. 157). At times people try to come to us and tell their side, this verse should serve as warning. If someone has wronged you, then the person who wronged you still deserves to be approached in private, and other people are not to be brought into the situation until the person refuses to repent, and even then, only select witnesses are to be summoned. We need to be suspicious of people who go around trying to drum up support for their side of the story, in fact, they need to be warned or rebuked and reminded concerning how God wants such things handled (10).

Verbal Craftsmanship 25:11-12 Reproof is one of the few things more blessed to receive than give.

The verse infers that if we are paying attention to wisdom, if we value it, then we can say the right thing at the right time! People aren’t born knowing the right thing to say or with an inherent sense of timing. Speech, counsel, and advice, is an art which is often under-appreciated. Wise counsel, and a proper rebuke, is something skillfully constructed, beautiful to God, and has lasting value. Verse 12 makes the point that godly instruction, even when it comes in the form of a negative reproof isn’t resented by someone who is really wanting to learn. A person who loves the truth will cherish and value a well-timed rebuke. How do we view correction? Do we appreciate it or resent it? Are we always trying to defend ourselves?

Refreshing Faithfulness 25:13 This verse isn’t saying that it snows at harvest time, for that would be a disaster. Rather, “it may refer to snow brought down from the mountains an kept in an ice hole; it may be the cool air with the snow, i.e., a ‘refreshing breeze that comes from the snow-capped mountains’; it could be a snow-cooled drink…the lesson itself is clear enough—a faithful messenger is refreshing” (Gaebelein p.

1082). Sometimes we forget that we can greatly encourage people, especially our brethren by doing what we have promised. Elders and members are uplifted when they see their brethren keeping their promises. It is always refreshing to find people on whom we can depend.

The Big Talker 25:14 “It applies to all false teachers (Jude 12) who win followers by promises that never materialize (2 Peter 2:19)” (Kidner p. 158). “To the farmers of ancient 3

Palestine, clouds black and bulging with promise yet devoid of moisture were infuriatingly unproductive. They were like people who boast and brag, promise and predict, but never produce” (Alden p. 183). The verse also reveals the amount of damage which is done by the person who makes false promises.

Unfortunately, many people think that they can make such promises, never keep them—and yet remain well-meaning and honest. The verse should be a warning to spouses and parents who tend to make promises that they don’t keep. God doesn’t accept the excuse, “Well, at least I volunteered to do something”.

Quiet Persistence 25:15 The point is that such an unassuming quality (patience, persistence) may win surprising victories. “To illustrate how patience can persuade rulers far more effectively than violence…sometimes it takes long years of diligent work to bring about changes in an administration, government, or church” (Alden p. 183). At times we can defeat ourselves by becoming too pushy. Compare with 2 Timothy 2:24-25. “The bones are the most rigid body parts inside of a person, and fracturing the bones here refers to breaking down the deepest, most hardened resistance to an idea a person may possess” (Garrett p. 207). Forbearance is something that everyone can acquire! This is a weapon or tool which can be sharpened and effectively used by people with limited resources, like a poor widow (Luke 18:1-5). So don’t buy the excuse that “nothing can be done”, or “it’s no use trying”.

Knowing When To Stop 25:16 “A parable of the fatal difference between healthy appetite and greed.

Since Eden, man has wanted the last ounce of life, as though beyond God’s “enough” lay ecstasy, not nausea” (Kidner p. 159). “Too much of anything, regardless of how good it is, can be revolting” (Alden p. 183). Yet the devil tries to convince us that “more” is always better. Sadly, how many people in the world can no longer enjoy the simple pleasures of life because they can’t be content with the wonderful blessings which God has already given them?

Knowing When To Go 25:17 “A person should refrain from frequently visiting his neighbor, to avoid being a nuisance, but he should visit enough so that his visits are valued” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 961). “Familiarity breeds contempt” is the modern 4

equivalent of verse 17. “Wisdom is knowing when you are welcome and when you are not, sensitivity to the feelings of others being the key” (Alden p. 183).

The verse infers that wisdom will also bring with it good manners and a real “life”.

I don’t have to depend on my neighbor to make my life interesting or exciting, because the wise man has plenty to do!

The False Witness 25:18 “False witnesses are deadly in society. The emblem line compares false witnesses to a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow---all deadly weapons. False witnesses can cause the death of innocent people” (Gaebelein p. 1083).

“Certainly lying about another man wounds him; he can be beaten, stabbed, or cut by words which are just as cruel as weapons” (Alden p. 184).

Confidence Misplaced 25:19 An undependable person is both useless and painful. Both the bad tooth and the lame foot are incapable of performing, they are both painful and ineffective. “The bad or loose tooth and the lame foot are apt illustrations of someone that fails you when you need him most” (Alden p. 184). Wisdom will enable us to shift between the reliable and the unreliable. This verse informs us that people shouldn’t be given responsibilities---merely to make them feel better about themselves.

Heartless Rejoicing 25:20 “Trying to perk up by songs a person who is discouraged or depressed is as cruel as stealing his garment in cold weather. It is also like pouring vinegar on soda; it is useless and it causes a violent reaction. Being insensitive and unsympathetic does much harm” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 961). “In case of light sorrow or disappointments, we may sing with such a one to cheer him up….but in case of extreme sorrow we do not say to such a one, ‘Come on, let’s all gather around the piano and sing and have a good time’” (Hunt p. 340). A wise man is a sensitive man, and such a person knows how to sorrow with the sorrowing (Romans 12:15). The verse reminds us that the fool handles sorrow by trying to make light of the situation. Most fools prefer to remove themselves from sorrowful and serious situations (Ecclesiastes 7:4). Let us make sure that we aren’t the type of person who is always trying to crack a joke and be the life of the party, even in sober situations.

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The Best Revenge 25:21-22 This text is quoted in Romans 12:20. “Treating an enemy with food to eat and water to drink actually makes him see his own shame. Kindness is so unexpected that it burns into his conscience, teaching him a lesson no violence could. Such action is the noblest of all because it succeeds in saving the enemy while it destroys his enmity” (Alden p. 184). Note, such mercy was commanded in the Law (Exodus 23:4-5), and David’s treatment of Saul is also a vivid example of mercy toward someone who is persecuting him (1 Samuel 24:18-20).

Now, such acts of kindness may never result in the salvation of our enemy, and neither do such acts mean that we are willing to trust them—rather, we are trusting that God’s method is the right method. Such behavior will also prevent us from exacting vengeance, or from selfishly wanting to see such a person burn in hell forever. The verse also infers that it is often the case that when somebody is our enemy, that enemy will find himself or herself in need. So if someone is persecuting you, if someone really doesn’t like you---keep your eye out for providential opportunities to do them good!

Chill Wind Of Slander 25:23 Anger doesn’t merely produce slander, but slander generates increased anger. As sure as the north wind brings rains, slander leads to anger. In Palestine rain does not normally come from the north, so perhaps this proverb originated outside of Palestine. Slander will only succeed in producing angry looks of fractured and broken relationships. Compare this verse with the previous verses. Angry words won’t succeed in conquering an enemy, but how many people consistently attempt to use such a strategy? “Boy, I really told him, he won’t bother me again”, “I put him in his place”, or, “this will really shut him up”.

That Woman Again 25:24 I just wonder why God has Solomon repeat this statement (21:9).

Probably it is because people often convince themselves that marrying the wrong person is a lot better than remaining single. Or, how many men and women are convinced that once they get married, then they will really work on changing their mate and what they put up with while dating, will definitely change once they are married!

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Suspense And Relief 25:25 “The point of this far county is that it contains someone from home, news of whom (and help of whom) can only be scarce and slow” (Kidner p. 160). “In Bible times news traveled slowly; thus long periods of anxious waiting usually followed the departure of a loved one or friend to a distant land” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 961). Remember that the gospel message is the ultimate good news from a far country!

The Spreading Poison Of Compromise 25:26 What a vivid word picture! The righteous person who compromises has become like a polluted well—good for nothing! “Once a spring or well is contaminated it may never be pure again, and disappoints those who come to it to drink” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 961). “For a thirsty traveler expecting relief, the effect of coming upon a polluted well is disbelief and disappointment, and it serves as an apt metaphor for the profound disillusionment one feels when the righteous yield to evil” (Garrett p. 210). Jesus went further than even this, and pointed that that such a person is deadly! (Matthew 18:6-7; 1 Corinthians 5:1ff) The verse reminds us that people who fall away or compromise with evil —are hurting others, they are setting a bad example, and they are spreading disappointment and disillusionment!

Too Much Of A Good Thing

25:27 Seeking to exalt yourself is just as bad as eating too much honey. In addition, it is sickening to see a person sing their own praises.

No Self-Control 25:28 “Impatience views restraint only as restriction; so the enemy arrives to find the walls down” (Kidner p. 161). Here is a great description of the person 7

who argues, “I don’t want anyone telling me what to do”, and “I want to be free and not bound by any laws or rules”. The truth of the matter, is that such a person is far from being free, they are like a city which is vulnerable to attack from every direction, a city without any sort of defense! The man who recognizes no restraints, will find himself vulnerable to attacks from others, for he can’t handle criticism, insult, defeat or disappointment. “The one who cannot maintain such control will always be outmaneuvered by an adversary who keeps emotions in check” (Garrett p. 211).

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