- Proverbs 26:1-5
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- Prov 26:1 (KJB)
- As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly
for a fool.
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- Seemly - The word conveys that things should be in accord with the way
things ought to be
- Here is a lesson from the seasons. Snow never falls in summer because it
is too hot and the rains, if they come in the time of harvest, can reek
havoc on the harvest and cause crop problems. These things which are out of
kilter for the seasons are likened to the fact that honor is not befitting a
fool. There is also another group in here and that is the ones who are
honoring the fool. So honor for a fool is as unbecoming as snow is in
summer. Dishonor is more fitting for a fool than honor.
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- Prov 26:2 (KJB)
- As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse
causeless shall not come.
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- Birds continue to fly unless they have a reason to land such as roosting
for the night or to hunt for food. Some birds are ground feeders like crows
and they must stop flying to search for food. Just as the bird continues to
fly, a curse will also not come upon a person without a reason. Some reasons
that a curse can come upon a person is the breaking of the covenantal laws
of Moses or even attacking someone without provocation such as Saul
attacking David without being provoked to do so. Those who are under the law
and are unsaved are under a curse.
(Gal
3:10 KJV) For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse:
for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all
things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
What is the curse? It is the fact that no one can ever
keep the law perfectly for salvation and the only time the curse is removed
is when someone becomes saved. Christ kept the law perfectly and those in
Christ are like those who have kept the law perfectly, so that means, no
curse is ever upon any true believer.
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- Prov 26:3 (KJB)
- A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's
back.
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- This verse speaks about controlling the foolishness a fool partakes in.
This verse uses the figure of a whip and a bridle. Both of those instruments
were used not for punishment but to control the animal, to let them know
when to stop, when to go, and when to gallop. When the fool is convicted of
some type of crime or foolishness, he is not given strokes with the rod as a
punishment of hatred but for his own good in hoping that he will not go back
to his own lifestyle. It is hoped that the punishment will bring the fool to
his senses and he will begin to seek wisdom so he does not find himself in
this position again. The rod can also refer to a person who may have control
over a person who is a fool such as one who has Power of Attorney and hopes
to control the person so they do not get into serious trouble.
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- Prov 26:4 (KJB)
- Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto
him.
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- If a fool has angered you in some manner and he is yelling at you, if
you yell back at him in the same manner, then someone looking on will not
know who the fool is or he may think that you both are fools. We must never
act like the unsaved because we have more at stake than the unsaved. We must
always maintain our composure in situations. If we feel ourselves slipping,
then we must excuse ourselves and leave so we have a time to send up a
prayer and to calm down a little. Once we get calm, we will see the
situation through different eyes. We never want to adopt the ways of the
fool.
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- Prov 26:5 (KJB)
- Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own
conceit.
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- Conceit -Eyes
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- This verse builds upon the previous verse. If we answer according to his
folly and the preposition “according” means to be literally a mirror of what
the fool is doing. If we answer according to his folly, then we are being
just like him. Then that will make the fool feel like he is as wise as you.
Then that will puff him up more if he knows that he can get you to be as
argumentative as he is. If he thinks that he is wise, it will only convey a
message to him that he is fine and needs no correction and that is not the
message that we want to send to them. We want them to see that they need
correction and they need to seek wisdom and come out of their lifestyle of
folly.
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