Proverbs 30:21-25
 
Prov 30:21 (KJB)
For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear:
 
Disquieted - Quake or tremble
 
Here Agur continues his discussion with illustrations. We read previously that Agur claimed that he did not have the learning that others have, yet he shows he has good understanding of the creation around him as he uses strategic items in his examples. He may not have book learning, but he definitely has been blessed with understanding.
 
Prov 30:22 (KJB)
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with meat;
 
Reigneth - To become king
 
The first part of this verse speaks about a reverse of natural order. Normally kings are trained as princes from the time they are very young and they are used to giving orders. The servant is used to taking orders and if he becomes a king, then he will not know how to conduct himself. He will not know how to speak to dignitaries from other countries and he will not even have a clue as to how to rule his own country. It would be total chaos for a servant to rule in any capacity without the proper training. The second half of this verse speaks of another intolerable situation and that is when a fool is filled with meat. A good example would be Nabal (1 Samuel 25:36-37) who after he treated the messengers of David so harshly, held a feast in house, one which equaled that of a king’s banquet and he was filled with food and drunken. The next morning, after he sobered up and Abigail told him what she did, he died on the spot. A fool who is filled with food and drink will be a fool even after they sober up and get hungry again.
 
Prov 30:23 (KJB)
For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
 
Odious - To hate - an emotional attitude toward someone who is abhorred and one who no one wants to have a relationship with.
Heir - To take possession of, subdue, or dispossess
 
This odious woman is one who marries and when she does all her hateful qualities come rushing out. She is loud, abusive, unloving toward her husband, and she makes the home where she lives a place where people do not want to go or if they live with her a place they would like to leave. Then the second half of this verse is akin to the previous verse where the servant reigns. Here we have a handmaid which was a female servant who somehow dispossessed her mistress. Now she is the one who is in charge or she may have worked her way into the heart of the husband of the mistress and he divorced her and took the handmaid as his wife. Now the original mistress is out and the handmaid had dispossessed her and now probably has rule in the house or has stolen the husband. Just because she is now the mistress, she will either be cruel in her attempt to be a ruler or she will fail in that position being subservient to others all her life and unable to shake that servant’s mindset.
 
Prov 30:24 (KJB)
There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise:
 
Now Agur focuses back on the animal creation where he finds some other great illustrations. One need not be a theologian to bring forth the Gospel as long as they know how to bring the creation examples into the mix. (Psa 19:1 KJV) To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Just as the heavens declare the Glory of God, so does the smaller creation here on earth. God placed much wisdom even in the little ants as we shall see.
 
Prov 30:25 (KJB)
The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer;
 
So much could be written about ants. If you ever see an ant colony or ant hole in the ground, you will see much activity around it. The ants, individually, are not strong. In fact, one ant could probably not even move a single crumb. What makes the ants unique is that they do not work individually, they work as a team or a unit. Ants leave the nest and search for food, when they find something, they go back to the nest and get the necessary amount of help that is needed. You will see ants working very busily in the summer as they gather food for the entire colony. That food is then stored under ground and used during the winter months when the ground is barren and void of any food. Ant work is team work and if Christians could grab hold of this idea instead of someone always wanting to be the chief, then more would get done.

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