Proverbs 14 Verse 34 The Search for Righteousness August 25, 2024

Proverbs 14 Verse 34 The Search for Righteousness August 25, 2024 Lesson 8 The Search for Wisdom Series Class Presentation Notes AAAA

Background Scriptures:

Jeremiah 6:16-19 (NKJV) 16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' 17 Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen.' 18 Therefore hear, you nations, And know, O congregation, what is among them. 19 Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people-- The fruit of their thoughts, Because they have not heeded My words, Nor My law, but rejected it.

Romans 14:16-17 (NKJV) 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Main Idea:

· Our country needs a revolution of righteousness based on the absolute truths of the Bible.

Study Aim:

· To understand that our country was founded on absolute truths, whereas today, many in our country believe that all truth is relative.

Create Interest:

· Righteousness among a group of peoplehas a beneficial effect (exaltsmeans “to lift up,” used here in a moral sense), but sin among them has an adverse effect (it is a disgrace, “reproach,” a word used only here and in Lev. 20:17). Though people may seem to be getting away with sin, ultimately it catches up with them and shames them.[1]

Lesson in Historical Context:

· Righteousness often refers to a summation of relationship that goes beyond behavior, but certainly expects a response in actions that flow from the relationship and reflect appreciation for the desires, the character and the will of the other person—God.

· The OT may often seem to stress good works as being rewarded (1 Sam. 26:23). However, when a person understands the presentation of the holistic view of life in the OT, he sees why righteous acts represent and flow out of a right relationship with the true Source of all righteousness—God.

· Good works do not save a person, but they must follow from salvation faith. Ezekiel 3; 18; 33, make it clear that a person who turns from righteousness dies in sin, and a person who turns from wickedness to righteousness will live.

o This is not just a matter of moral behavior, but of covenant worship and relationship with the Lord.

o That is what Deut. 6:25 means when Moses explains that careful obedience of the Law given by God “will be our righteousness.”

o It is the outward sign of the inward relationship of deep reverence and love for God.

· This is what He looks for in people, not legalistic conformity to rules. Amos called for this true righteousness to flow down like a river (Amos 5:24).

o When it does, it includes righteous, just, fair, kind, generous, compassionate treatment of other people, especially the needy and vulnerable, because they are created and loved by God just as we are.

· The Lord will raise up a righteous (HED # 6926) Branch from David’s line Who will reign wisely and do justice and righteousness, and his name will be the Lordour righteousness (HED # 6928).

o The result of the Lord’s righteous rule and purposes being fulfilled in the earth will be peace—harmony with God and others and restful security in the Lord (Isa. 32:16f). Proverbs 12:28 promises, “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.”[2]

Bible Study:

Proverbs 14:33-34 (NIV2011) 33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known. 34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.

Vs. 33 Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known.

· Wisdom resides in those who welcome her into their hearts. She settles in and from her place in their hearts she governs the lives of the wise. As a result, wisdom becomes part of the lifeblood or driving force behind every act or decision made.

· The exact opposite is true of fools. Notice the contrast:

o People do not become fools because they have never had the opportunity to know wisdom. They become fools because they consciously reject her.

o Wisdom makes herself known to the hearts of fools, but they turn her away.Since they would rather govern their own lives, they have no room for her in their hearts.7 Even so, wisdom exposes their foolish hearts.

· Remember that wisdom is personified in Christ. This proverb points to the presence of Christ in believers’ hearts through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. People become fools because they reject Christ and refuse to open their hearts to Him.

o Ephesians 3:13-17 (NKJV) 13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. 14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

o Revelation 3:20 (NKJV) 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Proverbs 2:10 (NKJV) 10 When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul,

Vs. 34: Righteousness exalts a nation. Sin brings disgrace to a nation.

· Verse 34 is a general statement that a nation’s political health depends to a great degree on the moral integrity of its people.[3]

· For the most part, politicians and rulers at every level of government—whether kings, governors, presidents, prime ministers, or officials—seek what will best prosper and exalt their nations.

o In the end, however, only one factor determines whether a nation rises or falls: righteousness.

· Nations that follow God’s standards—that are governed by His Holy Word—are great nations. Countries that embrace selfishness and sin over righteousness suffer disgrace and shame.

o World history repeatedly proves this to be true. The most obvious illustration is Israel.

§ When Israel obeyed and followed God, she became the greatest nation on the face of the earth.

§ But when she forsook God for idols and all manner of sins, she fell.

📷 Note: To this day, Israel has yet to be restored to her former glory. And, sadly, Solomon, the king who wrote this proverb, actually set Israel’s decline in motion.

o This emphasizes the critical importance of individual righteousness and responsibility.

§ Israel had reached her peak of greatness during Solomon’s reign, but then began her downward slide when the king stooped to living in brazen and unrestrained immorality with 1,000 women. To make matters even worse, Solomon exposed his nation to the false gods of all these foreign women.

📷 Deuteronomy 4:6-8 (NIV2011) 6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” 7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?).[4]

Thought to Soak On:

· The United States is still a bastion of the faith, but it is also the home of Hollywood. The land is riddled with pornography and perversion. Sodomy is countenanced. Scandals in high places rock the country. Organized crime flourishes. Our nation is inundated with drugs. Humanism in its worst and most subversive forms has taken over the schools, courts, media, political parties, and government. A large segment of the American church is defecting from Biblical truth.

· Sin, which is a shame to any people, threatens the foundations of our country. Prayer and Bible reading have been banished from the classrooms of the public schools on the pretense of separating church and state.

· The handwriting is on the wall. What the United States of America needs is another Holy Spirit revival that will put conviction back into the pulpits and pews; conscience back into government; common sense, decency, and discipline back into the schools; integrity back into business; commitment back into marriage; shame back into sin; courage back into the courts; character back into our leaders; safety back into the streets; purpose back into our youth; and God back into our national consciousness. Such a revival is the answer to our shame.[5]

A closing thought from Adrian Rogers😊 June 30,1984

📷

· There is a God that rules in the affairs of men; and live or die, we’re going to stand up for what we believe.

· And it’s time for every red blooded American to say, “There is a God!” And “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people”—the righteousness that is the exaltation of a nation; the reproach that is the humiliation of a nation; the revival that is the restoration of a nation. I want to leave to my grandkids a godly nation.

o Isn’t that what you want?

o God grant it.

o “God bless America, land that we love.”[6]

Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people [14:34]. A note from J. Vernon McGee

· I wish this verse were inscribed over the United Nations instead of the verse about beating their swords into plowshares, which will not happen until Christ reigns on this earth. When Christ returns, then they will learn that righteousness does exalt a nation. Today the nations do not believe that righteousness exalts them, but history bears testimony to it.

o The pathway of history is strewn with the wrecks, the debris, and the ruins of nations that didn’t follow this principle.

o “Sin is a reproach to any people.”[7]

· We are forever grateful that the King of Kings (1 Timothy 6:15 and Revelation 19:16) did not despise the shame of our sin, but bore it in Himself on the cross.[8]

· A king who understands the principle of the preceding verse 34 (cf. 16:12; 29:4, 12, 14) also knows the value of good counselors, and seeks them out. Those who would rise in the government (or, more generally, in any organization or corporation) should therefore seek to become wise, that they may succeed and not cause themselves or anyone else shame (14:34).

o Since success and shame are the results of the decisions that reveal moral character (cf. 10:5), a king will pay special attention to the reputation and history of those who aspire to his ear.[9]

[1]Sid S. Buzzell, “Proverbs,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 936. [2]Thoralf Gilbrant, “צְדָקָה,” The Old Testament Hebrew-English Dictionary, The Complete Biblical Library (WORDsearch, 1998). 7 The second statement of this proverb is difficult to translate because there is no subject in the Hebrew text. Therefore, the subject of the first statement—wisdom—should be the implied subject of the second. The NIV translation is best: “Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning and even among fools she lets herself be known.” [3]Duane A. Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, vol. 14, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1993), 147. [4]Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Proverbs, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2012), 226–227. [5]John Phillips, Exploring Proverbs 1–19: An Expository Commentary, vol. 1, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Pr 14:34–35. [6]Adrian Rogers, “The Only Hope for America,” in Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), Pr 14:34. [7]J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary: Poetry (Proverbs), electronic ed., vol. 20 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), 131. [8]David Guzik, Proverbs, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2017), Pr 14:35. [9]Gregory A. Lint, ed., Proverbs–Song of Songs, The Complete Biblical Library: Study Bible (World Library Press, 1998), Pr 14:35.