28 May 2018 Narrow Road Insights
Proverbs 22:15 “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him.” (NKJ)
Simple Fool: pethiy [Hebrew: peth – EE] extreme vulnerability, naïve, to be opened up
Everyone is born with a stubborn heart of disobedience. Children are open to all kinds deception and temptations because they are without discernment [Proverbs 7:7 “And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding.”]
All children are dangerously immature, gullible, and curious.
Kids are shortsighted and cannot see the cause and effect sequences of life [Proverbs 22:3 “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.”]
Without instruction the simple fool will quickly fall to greater foolishness [Proverbs 19:25 “Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.”]
Without the gospel and the instruction of what is right and wrong children grow up into a deeper state of foolishness. The path they take to adulthood is the road to a hardened heart of rebellion against God. Wise parents teach right from wrong. With the 10 commandments as the foundation right from wrong is taught, reinforced, and correction made to show the wisdom of God’s righteous standards.
Hebrews 5:14, 6:1 (NLT2) “Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.”
Until repentance comes, the consequences of sin must be taught and practiced by the parents to make sure their kids do not fall deeper into the depths of foolishness. Parents must punish disobedience and reward submission to authority. Kids must learn to hate evil. Proverbs 8:13 (NLT2) “All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.”
Galatians 3:23-26 (NKJV) “But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Silly Fool: eviyl [Hebrew: ev – EEL] one who morally missed the mark, to be thick [like thickheaded or stupid], insolent and twisted
Tweens and teens find sin grows and leads to defiance to authority which leads to conflict and stupidity. Ignorant of the consequences of their actions they suffer hurt and destroy their own hearts. [Proverbs 10:21 “The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom.”]
Because they reject parental authority and are curious they violate their moral purity [Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction”; 7:22 “Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,”]
Wrong relationships and immorality ruin their souls. The prison of sin deepens the slavery of their lives and opens them up to stupid solutions to ease the pain of their hearts.
Their mouth and attitude of speech get them into trouble [Proverbs 10:14 “Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction”; 20:3 “It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.”]
When things go wrong in their way, they get angry which causes more problems [Proverbs 27:3 “A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.”]
They think their way of thinking is right, which leaves only punishment that will change them [Proverbs 18:2 “A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart”; 29:9 “If a wise man contends with a foolish man, Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.”]
Sensual Fool: keciyl [Hebrew: kess – EEL] to be fat; to be sluggish, thick, dull, or obstinate; a bent for doing wrong
The person who continues to refuse correction from authorities or reacts and fights against it will become a sensual fool [Proverbs 17:25 “A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him”; 23:9 “Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.”]
Every sensual fool has a strong unreasonable bent for making wrong choices and his motives and methods are subtle, dangerously influencing silly fools [Proverbs 17:25 “A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him”; 18:6-7 (NLT2) Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating. The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips. ; 13:20 “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.”]
This is not a mental problem but they reject God’s wisdom and arrogantly takes the path of immediate pleasure [Proverbs 10:23 (NLT2) “Doing wrong is fun for a fool, but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible.”; 13:19-21 (NLT2) “It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them. Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Trouble chases sinners, while blessings reward the righteous.”]
They glory in what they should be ashamed of and appear to be successful [Proverbs 1:32 (NCV) “Fools will die because they refuse to listen; they will be destroyed because they do not care.”]
Only strong severe punishment will change a sensual fool [Proverbs 19:29 “Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And beatings for the backs of fools.”]
Proverbs 19:26-29 (NLT2)
26 Children who mistreat their father or chase away their mother are an embarrassment and a public disgrace.
27 If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will turn your back on knowledge.
28 A corrupt witness makes a mockery of justice; the mouth of the wicked gulps down evil.
29 Punishment is made for mockers, and the backs of fools are made to be beaten.
Scorning Fool: luwts [Hebrew: LOOTS] to make mouths at; using facial expressions to show disdain and contempt; mimic
Rejects truth and embraces that which God calls an abomination and enjoys himself [Proverbs 1:22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge.”]
They will show abhorrence toward anyone and any ideas that contradict them.
Through attitudes, speech, and behavior they will show their disdain.
The scorning fool mimics, mocks, and ridicules godly people and authorities [by Heb word definition]
The scorner cannot respond to or understand God’s wisdom [Proverbs 13:1 “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke”; 14:6 “A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, But knowledge is easy to him who understands.”]
Anyone they do not think has authority over them will severely pay for trying to correct them [Proverbs 9:7-8 “He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you”; 15:12 “A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, Nor will he go to the wise.”]
This type of person must be disciplined and removed from others [Proverbs 19:25 “Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge”; 21:11 “When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise; But when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge”; 22:10 “Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.”]
Steadfast Fool: nabal [Hebrew: naw – BAWL] stupid and wicked; to wilt; to fall away; to fail; to faint
This morally wicked person has disgraced their family and anyone who tried to help them [Psalm 14:1 “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good”; Proverbs 17:21 “He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.”]
He is self confident and completely closed minded [1 Samuel 25:17, Nabal would not listen to anyone]
Completely committed to their own “godhood” and self gratification, and dragging down as many with him as they can [Phil 3:17-19 “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. [18] For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: [19] whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame–who set their mind on earthly things”; Jude 4, 12 “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. [12] These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;”]
Some will slip into churches and befriend good families to destroy them [Jude 4, 12; 2 Tim 3:2-6 “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, [4] traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, [5] having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! [6] For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,”]
Trying to help a steadfast fool will only bring you grief, only God can deal with them [1 Cor 5:1-5 “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles–that a man has his father’s wife! [2] And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. [3] For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. [4] In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, [5] deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus”; 1 Tim 1:18-20 “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, [19] having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, [20] of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.”]
The only solution is a new heart and new spirit which is a miracle given to all people who admit their sin and receive God’s forgiveness.
James 3:13-18 (NLT2)
13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.
15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
Do you choose wisdom or foolishness? Brokenness or a whole new way of life? What life do you really want to live? Click the decide button for details.
