The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The LORD has made both of them.  Proverbs 20:12

This last day we will spend on this verse has to do not just with the physical creation of our ears and eyes, but rather with some philosophic and religious implications of this fact.  What should we learn from the fact that God has made our ears and eyes? 

Psalm 94:9 will help us here with these things.  Psalm 94 is written to help us see that God is Who He is - GOD!  Psalm 94 is a psalm about God's judgment that is coming upon a disobedient people.  It is about people who ignore God's warnings about pride and rebellion.  As these people do their wicked acts, they do so with the attitude that "The Lord coes not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed."  Their attitude is that God doesn't have the ability to see their actions and their deeds. 

The answer that God gives them is given in verse 8-10 which read as follows, "Pay heed, you senseless among the people; And when will you understand, stupid ones?  He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see?  He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke, Even He who teaches man knowledge?" 

God's philosophical question to these people is this.  The God Who made us in His image - and who made us with ears that hear and eyes that see - do you not think that He can hear and see?  To think that this is not the case is really stupid and senseless.  God hears and sees.  But what is terrifying is to grasp that as an infinite being God's hearing and sight are not limited to time and space like our own.  He hears and sees ALL THINGS!  There is nothing that is beyond His perview - and as such - all will give an account to Him.  Verse 10 tells us that the God who chastens nations - will he not also chasten the individual? 

This says something to us that we absolutely need to hear.  God is God - He made the hearing ear and the seeing eye.  Since we are made in His image - that means that He too can both hear and see.  That is why a simple assertion in Proverbs chapter 20 should make us step back and consider such a thing.  It should also help us to embrace wisdom.  Wisdom is living in such a way that we realize that we are walking in God's sight - walking before Him.  What He says we should heed - what He commands we should do - and what we think we can hide - we should wake up and know that even our most hidden actions, thoughts, and words are as clear as day in His sight.  Knowing this helps a wise man to live "pleasing" in His sight.   Rejecting it is the ultimate insult to God.  We equate to Him and blindness and deafness that dishonors Him greatly.  But the fact is that men and women who do not acknowledge His omniscience are the ones blind and deaf.

Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before honor. Proverbs 18:12

Humility is the thing - therefore embrace humility!  When you are not humble, you are headed for trouble - for afflication, for a fracture or a breach in some way.  God says that He resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble in the book of James.  Here that truth is reiterated - just in a little more terrifying way.

When a man's heart is haughty - bad things are going to happen.  The word "haughty" here is the Hebew word "gabah" which means to be high, exalted, or arrogant.  This word is used of thing like a high tree or vine - but it is also used of Almighty God.  Here it does not have the meaning of arrogant - but simply someone high and exalted - and rightly so.  But when a man takes on this attitude and this demeanor, he is headed for trouble. 

God says that right before destruction comes upon a man his heart is this way - haughty and lifted up - full of himself.  Such a heart condition does not mean that he is right on the verge of destruction.  That would be a misinterpretation of this proverb.  What it is saying is that right before God brings destruction upon a man - he will be haughty.  Consider the king, Belshazzar from Babylonian times.  He was very arrogant - so arrogant that during a big party he had the cups and bowls brought in from God's Temple - and he and his party guests drank their wine out of them.  As they did, they praised the God's of silver and gold.  This was about as arrogant as someone could get.  But Belshazzar did not know that this would be the last banquet he would ever hold.  It would be the last party he would ever host.  That night a hand from God came and wrote on the wall of the room where he was having his wicked shindig.  The message on that wall told him that in the midst of his arrogance God had rendered final judgment upon him.  He had been put in the balances of God's justice and righteousness - and had been found wanting.  Because of his arrogance and pride he was going to have his kingdom handed over the Medes and the Persians.  Suddenly Belshazzar's arrogance was confronted - but not with opportunity for repentance.  He was confronted with destruction.  That night his defenses were breached, his captiol city captured, and he himself was slain in the onslaught that ensued.  He had nothing with which to defend himself.  All he had was his last moments of arrogance and pride - oh, and terror as the breech came. 

Reject haughtiness and thinking highly of yourself.  It is a trap of monumental proportion.  It was the sin for which the devil himself was judged when he was the annointed angerl that led the praises of heaven itself.  This sin is deadly above all others - therefore utterly abandon it and embrace god-honoring humility instead.  This proverb does tell us that before honor - there is humility.  Since I am writing this a week before Christmas, I will use the ultimate example of humility to illustrate this truth.  Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God.  He has ever been with the Father and the Spirit and is God of very God.  As such He actually deserves the praise of all creation for all eternity.  Yet He chose to obey His Father and be born as a baby in Bethlehem.  He left the glories of heaven and took on the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.  He became the God-man.  As such He humbled Himself infinitely.  He did not demand honor and glory and praise - which we all due Him.  He chose instead a path of obedience, humility, and eventually humiliation as He bore the sin of the world on the cross of Calvary.  Being found in form as a man he humbled Himself and became obedient unto death - even that awful death on the cross.  Here is someone who deserves honor and respect - praise and adoration - yet He chooses humility.  As a result we read in latter verses in Philippians 2 the following words - also a fulfillment of this very proverb.

"For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11, NASB)

There it is in what God did through and for His Son.  Jesus chose to humble Himself - and before the honor God gave Him - was that marvellous attitude and practice of humility.  God raised Jesus from the lowest place to the highest!  God will honor those who embrace obedient humility to Him.  Therefore wisdom is this . . . it is embracing humility and obedience to God in all that we do.  That is the very best way of knowing that God will honor you in due time - as you continue to embrace a self-effacing, god-glorifying, Christlike humility and obedience to Him.

The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it. Proverbs 30:17

This proverb is one of those that seems a little harsh when you first read it - especially if you've ever been disrespectful to your parents.  Your average kid might say, "You mean to say that if I scorn my parents, I'm doomed to have scavenger birds peck my eye out and eat it?"  Since we know that not every rebellious child and teenager has had his eyes destroyed by a flock of ravens and eagles - we know that this passage has more to teach us than just a scary warning that probably would not work on kids anyway.  But just what is this proverb trying to show us?

The key comes in understanding why a bird - especially a scavenger would have any interest in an animal's eyes.  You see both of the birds mentioned in this passage are scavengers.  That means that they both eat dead things.  But one practice that ravens have as they approach carrion is that they need to be sure it is dead.  That can mean the difference in having a meal and being one to the raven.  Therefore when a raven suspects an animal to be dead - he goes straight for the eye.  The raven lands near the animal and sees if the animal makes any movements.  Then when the raven detects that things are clear for the most part - he subjects the animal to the ultimate test as to whether it is alive or dead.  He pecks at the animal's eye.  If an animal does not move to protect the eye, it is dead.  As the raven picks out the eye of the animal - it assures him that the animal is dead.  Often early in the meal that follows, a larger predator - which is where the young eagle comes in - will arrive and take over the meal from the raven, who wisely knows when he is outmatched. 

Now, let's take what we've learned from nature - and apply it to what is said in this passage.  When a young person feels his oats enough to begin mocking his own father and mother it is a very dangerous sign.  The reference to the raven and the young eagle is not a direct threat - but rather a reminder.  He is spiritually dead.  This is not so much a threat of future aviary retribution - but of the spiritual reality of where this young man or woman is.  God promises us that the one who honors his mother and father will live long on the earth.  Great blessing is in store for the child who learns about respect, honor, and submission in subjection to his parents.  These are vital lessons to learn if he or she is going to be successful in life - and after life is over.  These come through properly relating to one's parents.  If we don't learn them in the home - we will face learning them out in the world where the cost to learn them is far higher than it is with mom and dad. 

One last thing that we need to note here is that we are not talking about open rebellion here - but the "eye" that mocks father and mother.  This is as much a look as it is an action.  I remember my mother telling me not to look at her in that tone of voice.  It was a little bit of a joke - but not really.  She knew, and so did my father, when my eyes were revealing what was really going on in my heart.  The eyes are the window to the soul - and reveal much of what is truly going on in our hearts.  Thus we need to be careful to not only watch our words concerning our parents, but also the way our eyes function as well.  Quite often we might be obeying in our outward members - but our eyes reveal another story altogether.  Remember then, that when the scavengers come looking for the dead - they come looking for those who are dead in their eyes.  When a wise man seeks to determine whether someone is spiritually alive or dead - he can learn much in how a person treats their parents. 

When a wise man has a controversy with a foolish man, The foolish man either rages or laughs, and there is no rest. Proverbs 29:9

This proverb I've affectionately named the "Bill Maher proverb."  That is because he, along with many other social liberals invite one Christian to sit on a panel with him and 2-3 other liberals.  As the program unfolds, this proverb is lived out over and over again.  If the Christian is wise at all, he will begin to present biblical truth, and at that point the controversy, the rage, and the mockery begin.  The poor Christian is usually shouted down in the midst of making any points - and the end of the matter is that he or she looks like the fool - which was the purpose of the whole exercise anyway.  After watching this three or four different times, I came to the conclusion that any Bible-believing Christian who went on this, or other programs like it, was as much of a fool as the other fools sitting on the panel.

The nature of a foolish man is to mock the things of God.  Therefore when a wise man begins to have a controversy or argument with a foolish man - he needs to know that reason or fair-minded debate will most likely not be involved in what is about to take place.  This passage tells us that what will happen is that the foolish man will "rage" against the wise man.  The word used for rage here is "ragaz" and it means to shake, tremble, be agitated, be disturbed, or be provoked.  As soon as a fool hears the Word of God, he will come to the place where he will blow like a stick of dynamite.  The fool recognizes no authority but his own.  We read elsewhere in Proverbs that the fool only delights in airing his own opinions - and only respects his own thoughts.  The idea of a God Who reveals to us absolute truth is an utter outrage to the fool.  He is enraged at the thought of anyone claiming to have a truth that can stand in judgment over his ideas - as accurate and marvelous as they are.  So when he hears a wise man (who is wise because he has learned to submit himself to what is revealed in Scripture) start to quote the Bible as an authority - BOOM! - he explodes in a rage against the wise man (yet actually he is enraged at God more than anyone else). 

The other response from the fool is to laugh at God's principles and God's Word.  This is basically done by mocking God.  Bill Maher did it by doing the movie, "Religuous."  Others have done it a myriad of different ways over the years.  Interestingly enough, most of them are dead and have the horrendous problem of explaining to God why they felt such liberty to mock Him and His Word - which is what Mr. Maher will face also if he does not come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  Regardless of how they go about mocking God, they do, and in the end there is no peace.  There isn't any because the fool is not about to have the wise man come away from the encounter or controversy looking good at all. 

A wise man recognizes when he is in a controversy with a fool.  He recognizes it usually because the fool will not argue reasonably, but will quickly resort to mocking, name calling, and specious arguments.  At that point the best thing a wise man can do is step away from the situation as quickly and as gracefully as he can.  The encounter will not result in a peaceful resolution.  Rage and mocking laughter will happen - but not peace.  The best thing you can do for the foolish man is pray for him, love him, and not offer him the public platform to mock God.  That is why the wise man will turn down the offer to appear on such programs - saving himself the breath, the time, and the humiliation that will come if he chooses unwisely to attend.

There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers. Proverbs 6:16-19

What does God hate?  This is a good question to ask - because the Lord actually lists for us 7 different things that He hates.  Some think that God doesn't hate anything because He is love.  But when you realize that whereas He loves righteousness and holiness - it means that by nature He must hate the opposite - and that is sin.  This is a good list to remember because it reminds us of at least 7 things we absolutely need to steer clear of in life.  We do this because we do not want to incur God's wrath for loving something He hates.

#1 - God hates Haughty Eyes . . . The proud look is something the Lord really despises.  The eyes, according to Scripture, are the windows of the soul.  When the eyes are filled with a haughty look it is a sure thing that the heart is filled with that same haughtiness or pride.  We remember from the book of James that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  It is no stretch then to say that in hating haughty eyes God truly despises those whose look communicates an arrogance and pride that shows that they have no respect for God and His ways - just an utter disdain of them.

#2 - God hates a Lying Tongue . . . One of the 10 commandments is not to bear false witness.  That means lying is out with God.  He is a God of truth, and He wants us to speak the truth.  When a tongue is a lying tongue, God hates the lies that come from it.  Truth opposes lies at every turn - and we can be assured that God opposes the liar whose lying tongue promotes just the opposite of what God loves and is. 

#3 - God hates Hands that Shed Innocent Blood . . . Here is one that we need to remember.  Innocent blood is murder.  God hates murder.  Once again we find that one of the things God hates is listed in the 10 commandments.  You shall not murder is commandment number five.  Jesus goes further in Matthew chapter 5 when He tells us that even the thoughts and words that are at the core of a murdering heart - God hates.  There is an application of this we also need to remember.  The false god Molech required that his worshippers have their children pass through the fire as a child sacrifice to him.  God hated this worship - and made it clear that the innocent blood shed in this practice would pay dearly for their sin.  I believe we have a similar worship today in the practice of abortion.  This practice is an abomination to God.  We have decided that children (usually conceived due to sexual immorality) are too much of an inconvenience.  Therefore we've devised the most heinous ways of disposing of them.  We burn them alive through saline abortions or puree them within their mother's womb.  And if this is not enough, when we wait too long to decide to dispose of one's conceived immorally, we just birth them partially and kill them in a way that we would NEVER consider for a convicted murderer.  How God hates this shedding of innocent blood. 

#4 - God Hates a Heart that Devises Wicked Plans . . . There are hearts that are thinking of evil - and who begin to plan to do evil.  This is true even of us when we set our hearts on sin and want to do our best to keep it hidden.  But there are those whose plans involve far more than just one man wanting to sin without being caught.  These are those who devise a wicked plan either in business or in the government.  These plans will harm thousands - and possibly millions.  They do not consider that their wicked plans will do this - because they are consumed either by the acquisition of wealth or power.  God hates these people because of how their thinking harms others.

#5 - God Hates Feet that Run Rapidly to Evil . . . Here we have someone who is just itching to run to evil things.  There is no restraint in this one - because when he or she sees evil - they want to run "rapidly" to it.  When a society turns from God - there is a growing stupidity and spiritual deadness that causes them to become insensitive to the warnings of Scripture.  Thus they start to run to evil - rather than stop and think about the harm it will do to them and to others.  When people run rapidly to evil it is also a sign that self is so completely dominant in their thinking that they are deaf to any other voice except the one that is urging them to do what they want.  God hates this because it reveals that a conscience is dead to Him and dead to the warnings of both the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. 

#6 - God Hates A False Witness Who Utters Lies . . . Here we have what seems to be a second time that lying is mentioned.  This second time though it is mentioned in the context of someone who is a false witness on a matter.  This first time is was just a lying tongue.  The false witness could be someone who speaks lies in a courtroom where the role of perjury comes into play.  This would mean a perversion of justice and God loves justice and righteousness.  It can also mean a false prophet or someone who lies about religious matters - thus causing some to put their faith in a god who is not God at all.  Either way God hates it when someone who lies as a witness on a matter.  They encourage people to make decisions based upon deception and lies.  No wonder He hates these things - because the very first sin was due to the work of the devil as he was a false witness to Eve about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  That lie, that deceit - when believed was the impetus that led to the fall of all of humanity into sin and rebellion against God.

#7 - God Hates One who Spreads Strife Among Brothers . . . The final thing in this list of seven is a person who is causing problems - actually who is spreading strife among the brethren.  This person is one who either learns of strife - or is causing it.  He is not content though we knowing it himself.  He becomes the ultimate evangelist for strife among the brethren.  He wants to see as many people upset and involved in this strife as possible.  It should be no small wonder to us then that God does not say, "Blessed are the strife-makers."  He says just the opposite.  It is the peacemakers who will be called the sons of God.  When God could have magnified the ultimate strife of the universe in sin - He did not.  He chose to make peace through the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ.  Therefore it really should be no shock to us that He also hates those who go the opposite way - and spread strife rather than spread peace among the brothers.  We might need to remember this the next time we have a choice to continue a situation of strife and conflict - when we have an opportunity to bring peace instead.

Seven things God hates . . . it is a very sobering list.  There are some things like murder and wicked plans that we would fully expect to be on this list.  But other things that we tend to minimize tend to shock us here.  Some call lying just telling a little fib - or a white lie.  Others might not see spreading strife by gossipping to be something that is not the best - but certainly something that everyone does.  The fact is that when God calls these things the seven things He hates - we need to remember them - and then learn to hate them in our own lives as well.  That, my dear saints - is wisdom.

A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Proverbs 17:11

When a man is in rebellion against God he is seeking only evil in his life.  What a fascinating statement this is - and yet, because it is Scripture, we know that it is true.  So let's learn some lessons from the rebellious man so that we will not find ourselves visited in the same way that he is visited in this proverb.

The rebellious man is the one who is obstinant - stubborn - and rebellious.  But there is one very important thing about his rebellion.  It is against God and His laws and ways.  The term was used often to describe the way that Israel was determined to go their own way - stubbornly refusing to obey the precepts and laws that God gave them in His Word.  It is used also of Saul's reusal to carry out the Lord's command concerning the Amalekites.  This man wants nothing to do with what God desires and calls for from us.  Thus he sets himself in a direction that only agrees with what he wants.  We read here that this man, while in this sad spiritual condition, seeks only evil.  Until he comes to the place where he will submit himself to God and to what God says in His Word - it matters not what he does - because it is evil.  Turn from God and you turn from anything that is truly good.  Turn from God and you will ultimately turn away from anything useful - at least in eternal matters.  And since everything in this life and this existance will be destroyed with fire in the end, anything not laid up in eternity will be first consumed by moth and rust - but in the end it will be destroyed by fire. 

A promise is given to the rebellious man - one that is pretty frightening.  God says that because of his rebellion, this man will receive a messenger from the Lord.  We read that a "cruel messenger" will be sent against him.  The word for cruel here is "akazarty" and it means someone whose cruelty is contrasted with a person who is merciful and righteous.  What God is saying here is that a messenger who knows no mercy is going to come against the rebellious man.  There is coming a day for the rebellious man - a terrifying day.  God refers to such days in the prophets of the Old Testament.  He calls such a day, "the cruel day of the Lord. 

Isaiah 13:9 tells us of such a day when God says, "Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it."  In order to grasp what is said here - and what kind of things will come with this cruel day I want to take a few moments and exegete this verse for us.  The "cruel" day of the Lord is described for us in five ways here.  Each will help us understand better the cruel messenger that is going to be send against the rebellious man.

1.  Cruel - this day is going to be one that is "cruel" The Hebrew here - akazary - means lacking mercy or kindness.  This is the day - the day Jehovah removes mercy from the scene - in other words, man is going to receive what He deserves.  He has deserved such cruelty - but God has withheld it - even pouring it out upon His Son for forgiveness to be given - but now - only cruelty is left.  This word was used to describe the utter savagry of the cruel warriors of Babylong - now - that savagery is returning upon their head!

2.  Fury - Hebrew is "ebrah" meaning an overflowing fury, wrath, and anger.  God is overflowing with wrath.  He has withheld it for the most part - but now, no longer.  It is released - and like a dam breaking - it comes with power - crushing all that is before it.

3.  Burning Anger - The word here means a fierce anger that is like an uncontrolled fire burning and consuming all that is before it.  God is no longer holding back this fury and wrath - now it burns in all its measure upon the wicked.

4.  Desolation - The land is now a desolation - a waste - a horror to behold.  Those who would look upon it would do so with a sense of being appalled! 

5.  A Day of Extermination of Sinners - The end of this is to "exterminate" the sinners from it.  The word means to destory, eraditcate, exterminate - to totally or utterly destroy or wipe out.  That is what is awaiting those who grieve and anger the Lord of the universe!

When we read these words, the wise among us tremble in fear of God.  We also do all that we can to abandon any way that God would describe as rebellious.  We want nothing to do with the rebellious man - or his ways.  He is truly a stupid man for living in this way.  Some might accurately go as far to say that he is close to insane for living in rebellion against God.  Others (actually the rebellious themselves) will laugh all this off - rejecting God's warning and His holiness and justice. 

It is sad to say that the cruel messenger that will come to them to awaken them out of their spiritual lethargy and rebellion will be death.  In that moment they will move from rebellion to terror.  But in that day it will be too late.  God will have already sent His final message to them - and what a cruel, absolute message it will be.  No mercy will be available in that day.  Just the opposite will be true.  Having rejected God's mercy all their lives, these rebellious fools will have only the fiercest of the wrath of God as the reward for a life that sought only evil during the few brief years given to them.  May God give us grace that we will reject such a stupid and foolish choice.  May we look at rebellion and rebellious ways toward God as we would look at a vile of beubonic plague - as that which will bring certain death and destruction.

Through insolence comes nothing but strife, But wisdom is with those who receive counsel. Proverbs 13:10

Today we are going to learn about the danger of the sin of presumption.  I know that this one rarely comes across our lives - or at least we rarely talk about it.  Can't really remember a time when anyone dealt with this in a teaching or a sermon.  But, since that is where we are in Proverbs - let's take a look today.

The Bible calls this sin "insolence," and we are warned that nothing comes through it except strife.  The word for insolence here is the Hebrew word "zadon" and it means presumptuousness or pride.  The idea here is that of a willful decision that has not consulted with God - or doing something without really knowing whether it is the will of God or not.  We presume that we can do something or say something and we have no real idea whether the Lord is in it or not.  But rather than back up and check - we push ahead.  Suddenly the sin of presumption seems much closer to our world and lifestyle than we first thought.  This was actually the original sin in the garden.  Eve presumed that it would be OK to partake of the fruit - even though it was clearly NOT the will of God for her to do so.  When she heard the arguments of the serpent, she presumed that the rules had changed. 

The sin of presumption comes in so many ways.  It comes when we decide that we really don't need to study and read God's Word.  Our ignorance of the Bible only radically furthers our presumption.  Some mistakenly lump presumption with initiative.  But initiative considers what someone wants - or what they need - and rather waiting to be asked to do something - takes the initiative to do what is right.  Presumption doesn't know what is right - doesn't ask - and goes ahead with the plan and action without finding out. 

Through presumption comes nothing but strife.  We first have strife with God because ultimately He is the One upon which we are presuming.  We just figure that He approves what we want to do - and we do it.  Later when we learn that it is sin - we justify ourselves and our actions claiming ignorance.  Our most ignoranct moment was going ahead with our plans before we ever knew His will.  Presumption draws upon pride for its strength.  Pride tells us that we know what is best for ourselves - and we ought to be able to do some things without asking.  We "presume" that we are free agents, able to do what we want without consequences.  Yet, the consequences come - and come hard in the end.  We also wind up with strife among people.  Take 5 selfish people and put them in an organization.  Each is prideful about their ability to lead - and each thinks their ideas are wonderful!  Let them loose without any kind of restraint upon them - especially any when it comes to seeking the face and heart of God.  Soon you will have more strife as they push forward with their "ideas" without any thought of their consequence (except the consequence of them being noticed, advanced, honored, etc.).  They presume that because they think it is a good idea - it ought to be done - and done now.  Oh, the battles, the strife, the infighting, and the grief that the sin of presumption causes.  You sometimes watch entire churches set aflame with anger, broken relationships, and pride as they splinter due to the sin of presumption. 

How do we keep presumption from creeping into our thinking and our lives?  The second half of this proverb tells us that the cure for presumption is to receive counsel.  But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.  First, we receive the counsel of God.  The Lord told Joshua at the beginning of his leadership over Israel, "This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night.  So that you may be careful to do all that is in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success."  There is the key - to know God's Word.  We receive counsel when we make sure that what we are doing is in accord with the Word of God.  We are wise when we make it a priority to seek His face and know His ways.  Then we make certain that what we are doing is what He wants.  No presumption - but careful seeking and careful ordering of our lives according to His direction for us.  The same is true when we take the time to ask for counsel from others BEFORE we launch out into an endeavor.  The Word tells us that in an abundance of counsellors there is victory!  How much better we do when we take the time to ask someone - and hone our ideas through the wisdom and eyes of others.  We are resuced from our own extremes - and learn to live to serve one another - even in how we push forward with what we are desiring to do.

Before we end today's proverb I would like to give one memorable Biblical example.  When Joshua led Israel, the people of Gibeon came to him and the leaders of Israel deceptively.  They wore worn out clothes and took crumbled provisions to make them think they were from a far country.  They were from Canaan - and were not to be a people with whom Israel entered into any covenant.  But Joshua and the leaders believed their eyes - and presumptuously decided to enter into a covenant with the Gibeonites.  The Scriptures tell us that, "they did not seek the counsel of God."  The end was a horrible decision - one that would cost them dearly.  It happened all because they presumed to know what to do - and decided that they did not need to ask God about it.  Oh the grief that would be spared if we would seek to destroy this sin of presuming upon God.  The strife that would be avoided if we would only make it a lifelong practice to turn to Him and ask Him what should be done.  Make it a point today to turn to the Lord - make it a point to turn to Him in every situation to ask His heart and His will.  Learn from Joshua - that we need to meditate day and night upon the Word of God - so that we will do the will of God and prosper.  That is how we can begin to see this little known - but often practiced sin removed from our lives.

If they say, "Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause; Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit; We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil; Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse,"  Proverbs 1:11-14

Here is the call of the sinners who want to entice the godly son to come with them.  Solomon has told his son do not consent to go with these young men.  Let's take a closer look at their enticements today and hopefully learn wisdom from seeing why doing what they say is not wise.

First we see that they want to lay in wait for some pour soul from whom they want to take their life and possessions.  They evidently have marked someone and have plans to rob them and either kill them or harm them pretty significantly.  A couple of things we should note from this.  First of all that these people are not the kind of crowd you want to frequent if you are seeking to set your ways rightly in God's sight.  There are some folks who spend a good portion of their lives looking for trouble.  Here they want to ambush some poor schlub who has no idea what is about to happen to him.  Second, they want to attack the "innocent."  This is never a good idea if we read what God thinks about harming innocent people. 

These evil men want to swallow people up - like death itself.  This is not too difficult to see since these people seem to be motivated by death and hell itself.  This reveals a condition in their hearts that is truly evil.  It is as if they embrace death itself. 

This speaks to much of our entertainment industry today.  There is a whole genre of films today that glory in violence and destruction.  It really should not shock us that the same kind of violence also is permeating our society as well.  For years I've believed that the company we keep in the movie industry also has a great deal of influence in our thinking.  Will we rise up and kill someone because we watched a movie - probably not.  But the problem becomes that we are more and more desensitized to violence and evil behavior.  Either way, it is not wise to keep the company of the wicked - or the films that they make.  Just as a principle for future use - Jesus is preoccupied with life.  If someone is preoccupied with death, destruction, the place of the dead, and the pit - probably not someone you need to hang out with in life.

 Here we see the true reason for their violence - greed.  They covet what their victims have - and desire to use it to make themselves wealthy.  Their worldly-mindedness shows itself in their desire to have money, to have wealth, to have houses filled with the spoil they gained from the destruction of anyone who had what they wanted.  Their greedy appetite will be their eventual undoing.  God's Word makes it clear that you shall not steal - and those who choose to do so - will not prosper but will eventually face the jugment of God against their actions.

The enticement for the unwise young man is that they will all have one lot - and when the plunder is theirs - one purse.  They are putting themselves together for a common cause as well as a common financial stake in all that they were going to do.  What is NOT being said here is that they will also wind up sharing a common end.  Since they have embraced violence and death - destruction and the pit - it is only fitting that they will also embrace those things as their common end as well.  This is not an exciting lifesyle (although it may seem that way here on this earth).  It is a destructive one that will end in the destruction of the one who is walking in it. 

Here we have seen the way of sinners.  We have seen the way of those who live for their wealth and schemes to take from others so that they can be rich.  We have seen those preoccupied with death and destruction.  And hopefully - as we continue in another day to see what Solomon has to say about how unwise it is to live this way - we will see how as they open their heart to pour out death and wickedness, they will find that wickedness is poured to overflowing into their hearts as well.  Here is the height of foolishness - may God give us grace that we will not fall into the company or the ways of such fools.  May instead He give us a heart of wisdom.

Do not go out hastily to argue your case; Otherwise, what will you do in the end, When your neighbor humiliates you? Proverbs 25:8

Proverbs provides an amazing array of good practical advice for living.  It also has passages that would help in any profession a person chooses.  But there are certain proverbs that fit hand in glove with a specific profession.  Here is one that definitely fits with the legal profession well.  Since the word "argue" here has as one of its primary meanings, "to argue in court" or "to file a lawsuit" we can see that this has great wisdom to offer to someone who is a lawyer - or someone who is about to hire one.

Proverbs 25:8-9 is a great reminder to anyone who wants to argue a case with another - which of course fits perfectly with the legal profession.  We are warned to not do this "hastily."  When someone chooses to argue a case for themselves or against another - they need to make sure that they proceed with wisdom and caution.  To go out and hastily argue a case is to do so without due diligence.  There a dangers in doing this that are inherent in reacting quickly to things.  First, we have far too much emotion in our immediate reactions to argue without undue prejudice in our thinking.  We are blinded to seeing wisely - which is the ability to look at multiple angles of the issue.  When you are blind to something - you are very succeptible to being "blind-sided" when arguing your case.  A wise man takes the time to look at every angle and consider every argument before beginning to argue a case. 

Our legal system allows for argument and cross-examination.  This is inherently wise because it allows for two sides of an argument to be explored.  It is designed to expose hasty decisions and ill thought out arguments so that wisdom and prudence prevail in the end.  We would be wise to "cross-examine" ourselves when we have a knee jerk reaction that drives us to argue something too quickly.  If we did this - we would avoid embarassment when someone who is thinking more rationally dismantles our open and shut arguments - and reveal them to be way more "shut" than open.  This is what Proverbs warns us when it tells us to be careful about hasty arguments.  We are warned about being humiliated by our neighbor in the end when we do this. 

Here we find our Hebrew friend "acharith" again.  This word speaks of the end - but does so from the standpoint of being able to think about what the end of our actions will be.  Here we see that that the end of hastily argued points is humliation by our opponents.  If we saw this before we started arguing in haste, we would have stopped ourselves long enough to properly think though what we were going to say.  I am for anything that will stave off moments of high embarassment.  That has meant seeing my natural tendency to jump to conclusions as more of a jump into a pit of poisoned spikes.  To put it another way - it is very unwise to jump to conclusions.  It is wiser to look before you leap upon someone with your supposedly lock-tight arguments.  The wise man takes the time to consider first whether pre-prejudice has affected his thinking.  The wise man takes the time to decide whether silence would be more effective than blurting out what he thinks.  The wise man takes the time to consider the end of the matter - before starting it.  This, dear saints, can rescue us from a plethora of painfully embarassing moments.  Oh, and by the way, in court - it can mean the difference between a case that is won - and one that is humiliatingly lost. 

The violence of the wicked will drag them away, Because they refuse to act with justice. Proverbs 21:7

When a man is unjust an violent, he is headed for disaster.  Although at first it may look like his ungodly ways are a means of getting somewhere in life at first, his violence will eventually drag him down to destruction.  In today's proverb, God makes it clear that the violent man is headed no where fast - and that a life of injustice and wickedness will not prosper in the end.

The first half of today's proverb speaks of how the violence of the wicked will affect the wicked man.  We are told that his wickedness will drag him away.  The word for violence here can point to violence itself - but it can also mean robery and a whole host of other socially unacceptable behavior that causes havoc in people's lives.  The wicked think that they can use violence to get what they want.  The extreme examples of this are people who rob others violently - either beating their victims or even shooting them and killing them.  Their actions trigger a man-hunt that works to bring them to justice for their wrong.  In the end, their violence drags them away - and they are either arrested and sentenced to prison for a long time - or in some cases are killed while trying to be apprehended by the police.  Others violently misuse their power to gain things.  The number of CEO's that have gone to jail for abusing the law - and violently stealing the money from their clients and companies is too numerous to list here.  But one thing is for sure.  The violence of their wicked behavior dragged them down in the end. 

The whole problem with these individuals is that they refuse to act justly.  They ignore the laws of the land as if they are immune to them and to the consequences they promise.  They see them and may have even read them - but they think they are above them.  Their refusal to act with justice will destroy them.  That is how God has set things up in this world - that laws are given to identify lawbreakers and bring them to justice.  He even puts the rod and the sword into the hands of government to punish those who do wrong.  The truly wise man sees the laws of society and realizes they are there for the purpose of protecting and keeping people safe from the sinfulness of man.  He does not refuse to act with justice . . . he chooses a just and righteous lifestyle for the wise one knows that it is the way of life.