Fool’s Gold II

Sunday, July 10, 2022

6 Old people are distinguished by grandchildren;

    children take pride in their parents.

7 We don’t expect eloquence from fools,

    nor do we expect lies from our leaders.

8 Receiving a gift is like getting a rare gemstone;

    any way you look at it, you see beauty refracted.

9 Overlook an offense and bond a friendship;

    fasten on to a slight and—good-bye, friend!

10 A quiet rebuke to a person of good sense

    does more than a whack on the head of a fool.

-Proverbs 17:6-10 The Message

6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,

    and the glory of children is their fathers.

7 Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;

    still, less is false speech to a prince.

8 A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it;

    wherever he turns, he prospers.

9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love,

    but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

10 A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding

    than a hundred blows into a fool.

Verse 6 study: Most parents want to be grandparents. In Israel, it was intensified where the full blessings of the covenant which lies in the future were possessed by one’s descendants. Parents are the most influential teachers of divine truth to their children. (Exodus 20:12) It is natural to stand up and be proud of ancestry.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.

-Psalm 127:3 ESV

Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

128 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
    who walks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
    you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
    around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
    who fears the Lord.
5 The Lord bless you from Zion!
    May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life!
6 May you see your children's children!
    Peace be upon Israel!

-Psalm 128:1-6 ESV

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

-Exodus 20:12 ESV

Verse 8 study: Chapter 17:15, 23 shows that Solomon is not condoning bribery. However, he is making an observation about the way of the world. People usually get what they want, but the Bible condemns using bribes. This means an expectation has to happen, like a favor is a bribe. Unfortunately, the possessor (the one bribing) prospers in his evil deeds.

15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous
    are both alike an abomination to the Lord.
23 The wicked accepts a bribe in secret
    to pervert the ways of justice.

-Proverbs 17:15,23 ESV

8 And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.

-Exodus 23:8 ESV

23 The wicked accepts a bribe in secret
    to pervert the ways of justice.

-Proverbs 17:23 ESV

The Report of the Guard

11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

-Matthew 28:11-15 ESV

Verse 9 study: The proverb says to be willing to forgive others’ sins against us. Covering over offenses is necessary for any relationship. It is tempting to bring up the past, especially during an argument. Love keeps its mouth shut, which can be challenging to do. The main focus is to never bring up things that can escalate into a statement unrelated to the topic discussed. When we continue to build our relationship to be like Christ, we will acquire God’s ability to forget past confessed sins.

Verse 10 study: A theme for wisdom: wise people are teachable; they are always the students. In contrast, fools will never learn.

7 Whoever corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse,
    and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury.
8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you;
    reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser;
    teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

-Proverbs 9:7-9 ESV