Proverbs 18:6-10

 

Prov 18:6 (KJB)

A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.

 

Contention - Strife or controversy

Strokes - Blows or beatings

 

Here is a verse which teaches plainly what the words of the fool can gain him. First, his words will get him into trouble, it will cause some type of controversy between people and this will result in the fool suffering some type of beating. This beating may be administered by the civil authorities or he may get beaten up in a private fight. Wherever the fool goes, he brings his mouth with him and there is always a guarantee that there will be some type of discord sown. This is why we read that it is better to use a small amount of words instead of incessant talking because in those great amount of words, something will definitely be said which will provoke a response.

 

Prov 18:7 (KJB)

A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

 

Snare - Trap or bait

Soul - Life

 

This verse is connected in principle to verse 6 because it contains warnings to the fool about his use of words. This verse gives the consequences of living the life of a fool and always speaking and not listening. The fool, with all the talking he does, all the self-justifying he does will not help him because the basis of his message is always some type of folly. This foolishness will never lead him higher in this life but will lead him to destruction and paralleling that principle in the second half of this verse, it speaks of his lips being a snare of his soul. The snare is a trap and the word “soul” can mean “life.” So here we read that his words can lead to him losing his life. Then let us look at the word as they originally translated it. The fool who lives his entire life as a fool, his words always seem to try and justify what he is doing and he tries to justify his standing with the Lord. Unfortunately, he creates his own mindset about his own life and that self-justification will be a snare to him because on Judgment Day, he will be judged for his sins since he never sought the Lord for salvation, and that is the snare, thinking you are right with the Lord when you are not.

 

Prov 18:8 (KJB)

The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.

 

Talebearer - Slanderer

Innermost Part - Inner chamber

 

Not only is the fool revealing their foolishness when they speak but here we have a verse which teaches that those who gossip or slander about others are just as foolish. Slander is just like a deep wound which goes into a person’s heart. The word “innermost part” also speaks of an inner chamber in a home and normally that inner chamber is hidden from the outside world. One who slanders, especially a friend, is like wounding you deep within the inner recesses of your heart, a place that only you can experience. Usually a slanderer uses gossip and slander to build themselves up by comparing themselves to the one they are slandering. The great deception about being a slanderer, is that you never win the approval of people and you will be labeled as a slanderer and it will be almost impossible to make any close friends. It will affect every part of their life and eventually the words they used against someone else, will become a wound in their own life.

 

Prov 18:9 (KJB)

He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

 

He is slothful - One who is slack

Waster - To ruin, spoil, or destroy

 

Here we read that a person who slacks in their work is akin to one who destroys. If a person is called upon to do a job and cuts corners which causes a problem with the outcome, then he is no better than one who would destroy the outcome if it was done correctly in the first place. Indifference toward any work is as if the destruction is taking place from the outset. This is why lazy people never progress in life because they are too dangerous to be trusted. Laziness is a disorder which is easily learned in life but not easily corrected. Lazy people are those who think that they are owed something in this life but that mindset will be their destruction.

 

Prov 18:10 (KJB)

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

 

(Nahum 1:7 KJV) The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. Nahum understood very well what Solomon had penned. Nahum spoke about the day of trouble and those that God knows personally through the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The fool is satisfied as his own tower and believes that he is safe in his own schemes. In his mind, he sees nothing wrong with the way he is living. His security may come from wealth, from his position, or something else but these are all tied to the world and the world is going to end someday and these things will fail. The saved go to the Lord as one goes to a strong tower for safety. The saved of the Lord are eternally secure and nothing the fool can do can rip the saved from the Lord. (John 6:39 KJV) And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. The word “safe” can also be understood as “inaccessible” which is a very new Testament concept. (Col 3:3 KJV) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. We are hidden in Christ and Satan can never touch us nor cause us to lose salvation because we are safe in the arms of Jesus. There is nothing on this earth which can ever separate the Christian from God.

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