Don's mess with Folly

Reason for proverbs? To impart wisdom

To know wisdom and instruction

Pro1:1-2 “1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding,”

Q: What does discern mean?

To receive instruction regarding wisdom

Pro1:3 “3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity;”

Q: this is a basic question but what does receive mean?

In learning you want to understand both sides. How can we share the Good News if we don’t know there is bad news? How can we know a good example if we do not understand a bad example.

Today we are looking at the opposite of wisdom we are looking at the folly of the fool.

Q: What do you think the definition of folly is, or fool?

I think today, in our topical study on the fool and folly we will look at

Fool defined, fool described and this is not a foolish teaching, but a wisdom teaching so we can understand the opposite of wisdom.

Be ready there are a bunch of scriptures today. I will keep them all in Proverbs. I hope you are willing to flip around some with me.

The Fool Defined

Let me give you some definitions of the word.

Oxford dictionary: a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person.

Hebrew from TCWD: word is ‘eviyl” and it is an adjective meaning foolish in the sense of one who hates wisdom and walks in folly, despising wisdom and morality

Ungers Bible Dictionary: The word is used more with respect moral more than intellectual deficiencies

Ibid: “The fool is not so much lacking mental powers, as one who misuses them. It goes on the say, it is the person who casts off the fear of the God, and thinks and acts as i he could safely disregard the eternal principles of God’s righteousness.

So too sum up thus far

The fool despises wisdom and walks in folly

The fool thus chooses to disregard God and his wisdom

The Fool Described

He is one who trusts in himself

He is always right in his own eyes

Pro12:15 “15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.”

He trusts in his own heart

Pro28:26 “26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered.”

That does not sound very wise does it? As for us we need to

Pro3:5-6 “5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

We need to not trust our heart, not our understanding but in the Lord and He will make our paths straight.

He is one who is deaf to instruction

They despise it, as well as wisdom

Pro1:7 “7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

They despise even parental instruction

Pro15:5 “5 A fool rejects his father’s discipline, But he who regards reproof is sensible.”

Spiritually they die for lack of wisdom

Pro10:21 “21 The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding.”

Q: what kind of feed do you thinks this verse is saying?

The fool cares only to tell others what they know from their own intellect

Pro18:2 “2 A fool does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his own mind.”

But, the fool thinks He knows everything

Pro18:13 “13 He who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him.”

The fool and his folly will become known, apparent to all

Pro12:23 “23 A prudent man conceals knowledge, But the heart of fools proclaims folly.”

And another

Pro13:16 “16 Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool displays folly.”

So, a question for you, do you think it is a waste of time and energy to try to share wisdom with a fool?

Pro23:9 “9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.”

The fool, well he cannot be corrected

They are destined for more punishment

Pro19:29 “29 Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And blows for the back of fools.”

and more

Pro26:3 “3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the back of fools.”

You can almost bet they are not willing to learn from attempts to correct them. Remember they think they are always right.

Pro17:10 “10 A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool.”

Have to add to that, that even the hatred of correction, well is the the height of folly

Pro12:1 “1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid.”

Don’t be a fool and try to correct a fool, for that is folly in itself.

Pr16:22 “22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, But the discipline of fools is folly.”

The fool is one who is impulsive and does not think before he acts oftentimes

Vents all his feelings

Pro29:11 “11 A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back.”

and like the other verse, we can also see he makes his wrath known

Pro12:16 “16 A fool’s anger is known at once, But a prudent man conceals dishonor.”

Acting before thinking, being impulsive makes things worse

Pro14:29 “29 He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.”

The fool is one who commits evil

Evil is fun, evil can even be a sport to the fool

Pro10:23 “23 Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool, And so is wisdom to a man of understanding.”

Q: you see the fool here in this verse, but what more do you see? I think it is important.

Not only are they callus to sin, they make light of it and fun of it

Pro14:9 “9 Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will.”

So, it is difficult to get them to change, if they are not willing to listen to wise instruction. It is hard for them to depart evil.

Pro14:16 “16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.”

The fool is one who is virtually unchangeable

Even with much effort to rehabilitate

Pro27:22 “22 Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.”

Even considering leaving evil, giving up the worldly things would be an abomination

Pro13:19 “19 Desire realized is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil.”

Well maybe you know, or more than likely know this one, for the fool is like, well here is the verse, I will let it speak for itself

Pro26:11 “11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit Is a fool who repeats his folly.”

Q: Why does a fool return to his own vomit?

Because he trust in himself

He is deaf, or turns a deaf ear to instruction

Cannot be disciplined, for it does not correct

It impulsive and does not consider ramifications

Commits evil

Is virtually unchangeable

There is another passage we should consider and make some observations from about fools and their folly

Pro26:1-3 “1 Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool. 2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, So a curse without cause does not alight. 3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the back of fools.”

Pro26:4-7 “4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him. 5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes. 6 He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence Who sends a message by the hand of a fool. 7 Like the legs which are useless to the lame, So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.”

pro26:8-12 “8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling, So is he who gives honor to a fool. 9 Like a thorn which falls into the hand of a drunkard, So is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 10 Like an archer who wounds everyone, So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by. 11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit Is a fool who repeats his folly. 12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”

(prayer) (exit)