- 6/2/2025
Common Sense Bible Study's complete discussion of Proverbs chapter 4.
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00:00proverbs 4 there's some pretty interesting bits in here just like all of the other proverbs or
00:08most of the other proverbs it kind of seems like a random sequence of sayings bits of advice
00:15but there is some some cohesion to it there's a pattern so let's read through the whole chapter
00:21hero sons a father's instruction and be attentive that you may gain insight
00:26for i give you good precepts do not forsake my teaching when i was a son with my father tender
00:32the only one in the sight of my mother he taught me and said to me let your heart hold fast
00:37my words keep my commandments and live get wisdom get insight do not forget and do not turn away
00:44from the words of my mouth do not forsake her for she will and she will keep you love her and she
00:49will guard you the beginning of wisdom is this get wisdom and whatever you get get insight prize are
00:56highly and she will exalt you she will honor you if you embrace her she will place on your head a
01:01graceful garland she will bestow on you a beautiful crown hear my son and accept my words that the years
01:07of your life may be many i have taught you the way of wisdom i have led you in the paths of uprightness
01:12when you walk your step will not be hampered and if you run you will not stumble keep hold of
01:17instruction and do not let go guard her for she is your life do not enter the path of the wicked and do
01:23not walk in the way of the evil avoid it do not go on it turn away from it and pass on for they
01:29cannot sleep unless they have done wrong they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble
01:34for they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence but the path of the righteous is
01:40like the light of dawn which shines brighter and brighter until full day the way of the wicked is
01:44like deep darkness they do not know over what they stumble my son be attentive to my words
01:50incline your ear to my sayings let them not escape from your sight keep them within your heart for
01:56they are life to those who find them and healing to all their flesh keep your heart with all diligence
02:01for from it flow the springs of life put away from you crooked speech and put devious talk far from you
02:07let your eyes look directly forward and your gaze be straight before you ponder the path of your feet
02:13then all your ways will be sure do not swerve to the right or to the left turn your foot away from evil
02:19i'm just going to look at some of the at the first section and not go into a whole lot of detail
02:24but just a couple of interesting things that i noticed in these introductory verses
02:29so in verses one through nine
02:33solomon begins this hero sons or hero children depending on which translation you have
02:39and he's talking about the instruction that his father gave him
02:44and he says oh sons in plural and the things that he says here are abstract
02:50do not forsake wisdom and she will keep you love her and she will guard you
02:55prize her highly and she will exalt you she will honor you if you embrace her
03:00it's difficult to quantify exactly what these benefits of wisdom are
03:05i mean we can imagine ways in which wisdom is an honor to somebody especially to somebody in a
03:12in a royal house but it's pretty intangible
03:15but the thing here that i thought is interesting is that it the first part is oh sons that's the first
03:22address and then the second one in verse 10 is here my son so in this top one he's talking about
03:29the things that he learned from his father
03:31and is he's passing this down not just to rehoboam or a particular son but to all of his sons and to
03:40their descendants and he's doing this he's using what he has learned from his father as an example
03:47so like saying i got it from my father now i'm passing it down to my sons and you pass it down to
03:52your sons and so on so he's not just talking about the children that he has right now but all the
03:58children who are to come the children of his children in verse 10 he's addressing a specific
04:06son now of course the the wisdom that he's passing on applies to everybody but he's probably
04:12specifically talking to rehoboam who is his chosen heir and the benefits here are much more tangible
04:19um see if i can read some of these here
04:25um you know stay away from the wicked uh because you know if you get involved with their schemes
04:34you're going to get sucked into it it's going to be death because when you get involved with the
04:39wicked they're going to be involved in crimes they love the terrible things they do so just don't
04:43hang out with them very tangible kind of stuff notice particularly particularly in verse 3 he
04:53says when i was a son with my father tender the only one in the sight of my mother but the curious
04:58thing here is that solomon was not an only child he wasn't even a firstborn we know that bathsheba had
05:05at least four other sons the first one died when he was a child and he had three older brothers named
05:15shobab uh shimea or shamua depending on which book you're reading it in and natan depending on whether
05:23you're reading in chronicles or kings or elsewhere these names may be spelled a little bit differently
05:27especially notice that bathsheba here is spelled bat shua instead of bat sheva it's almost the same
05:34in fact it might it's probably spelled just a single letter off in hebrew i didn't really look at it
05:41but solomon is saying that he was the only one in the sight of his mother even though he had three
05:47older living brothers solomon i don't know if he was the youngest son of bathsheba whether he had any
05:55younger brothers but just like joseph and jacob and isaac this is a younger son passing over his
06:04older brothers to inherit the the family headship
06:07and this thing the only one in the sight of my mother i doubt that it means that bathsheba had
06:16disowned her other sons she was probably treating him as her baby and you know being the the youngest
06:23out of six siblings i understand exactly what that's like parents baby the baby so i just thought
06:31it was interesting that these family dynamics come out in the way that he words this
06:35this uh passing wisdom on from generation to generation it's a direct reflection of this
06:44commandment in deuteronomy 4 only take care and keep your soul diligently lest you forget the things
06:49your eyes have seen unless they depart from your heart all the days of your life make them known
06:54to your children and your children's children whatever mistakes solomon made whatever sins he
07:00committed he was at least trying to keep this one he was trying to pass on the wisdom that david had
07:06taught him to his own children if you pass god's wisdom onto your children they will tend to pass it
07:14onto their children but if you don't you end up like these other nations the nations that god removed
07:20from the promised land and so these nations feared yahweh and also actually these aren't the ones that
07:26got removed these are the ones that came in later the assyrians replaced the israelites with sorry
07:30getting my storylines mixed up so these nations feared yahweh and also served their carved images
07:36their children did likewise and their children's children as their fathers did so they do to this day
07:41and these became the samaritans and this sets up the the conflict that we see in the first century
07:48between yeshua and the uh and the samaritan i'm not between yeshua but the jews of yeshua's day
07:55and the samaritans they were a mix of pagan nations and israelites who had been left behind
08:00and were mixing god's religion with pagan religions and whatever it is that you are valuing whatever religion
08:09you are keeping you're going to be passing that down to your children even if you don't teach it
08:14explicitly you know solomon explicitly taught his children to keep god's commandments but in his own
08:21daily life solomon didn't always do that and his children saw it and so that tendency came out
08:29throughout judah's history the kings of judah tended to be more righteous than the kings of israel
08:35because at least they kept god's law and they learned from the prophets but they also followed
08:40solomon's example and they didn't remove the high places and they encouraged idolatry throughout the
08:45nation and that is still the case all the way down to this day the the theological and philosophical
08:55heirs of solomon and judah have still are still mixing paganism with the true religion of god
09:05okay well does anybody have any any particular thoughts on any of the verses in this reading
09:10this chapter um i i had a couple i'm sorry go ahead carlos i'll wait okay um i just thought of
09:21verse nine the last the second half of it where it says well i guess read all of it she she will place
09:30on your heads a she will place on your head a graceful garland she will bestow on you a beautiful crown
09:37and it's talking about you know wisdom there right um when i see the word crown it reminds me of
09:45proverbs 12 4 that says an excellent wife is the crown of her husband but she who brings shame
09:54it's like rottenness in his bones right so that is a great connection right so it's um
10:01i no i think it would be i think you hear we're talking about in the group text on like um that
10:14michael sent out we're talking about he sent one about the women in the bible and i mentioned that
10:20i was doing a study on that too and and when you look at uh the genealogy of yeshua um you know
10:28there's four women there and you know the first three um don't have a very good background you know
10:34and then you have mary and you know she had a hard time and all this stuff but you know the the wisdom
10:41that they had as well um it it's it's important to resemble that with a wife because i think that
10:50you know we think of of a man being strong and wise and all these other things but i don't think we
10:59we might take for granted the fact that you know your your other half your wife
11:06um brings so much to the table to make it all you know complete and does provide a lot of wisdom and
11:13temperament um balance is supposed to at least you know it's supposed to balance you out
11:19a good wife you know it allows you to to have that you know and then that's when once you both have
11:28reached that level then you become a god one you know so that that's that's um made me think of that
11:35like okay crown wisdom wife yeah i think that's a really good connection and um that kind of you
11:44know solomon likes to uh show uh to portray wisdom as a woman or as a female character in foolishness
11:53too for that matter um but it really made me think about uh the one specific aspect of the proverbs 31 woman
12:01there's um there's this one verse in there that just seems kind of out of place when it says that
12:08her husband sits among the elders sits in the gates of the city among the elders well what does that have
12:14to do with proverbs 31 woman it's because she is in her wisdom and the respect that she has in the
12:21community all that rubs off on him because the community respects her so much he looks better too
12:28and so he's elevated in the sight of everyone around him and her activities in upholding the
12:35home and in supporting him in his business or ministry or mission whatever it is enables him
12:41to become one of those elders anything you want else you wanted to add to that no i think that's
12:47that's a good point and if you look at proverbs 31 woman um i think there's there's a group out there
12:55that there's a book out there that and a christian group out there that is like this
13:01proverbs 31 woman where they're trying to um be a faithful you know god-fearing woman at the same
13:09time being a business woman because if you look through it i mean that lady sounds like superwoman
13:15right i mean she doing she's super busy and doing so so many things and you know now that i read the
13:23scriptures more and more you know a lot of people atheists or other you know people you know think
13:30that that the scriptures um have the woman as uh you know second rate right or you know just a second
13:39citizen or something like that and i i really don't see that in the scriptures you know um i see
13:47them be in place in in a very high regard in in many ways you know i think if people took enough
13:55time to kind of read the scriptures i think they'll they'll recognize that that there's there's not
14:00one is better than the other or anything like that you know we just have our own roles but if you
14:06you know read proverbs 31 it's incredible that she can do all those things and it's true because if
14:11if he's at the gates right that means he's he's a very important man making decisions there right
14:17and so you know to allow him to take time to focus on those things while she's doing something else it
14:27allows him to you know increase the kingdom or increase you know whatever business venture he has
14:34and make the community better and you know you know you're right it was that same behind every great
14:40man there's a great woman is that is that what they say i i think so that just that has to be true
14:45that has to be true yeah i think so you know a couple things about that is that when somebody
14:51told me once proverbs 31 is not a day in the life i mean that's like not a description of her actual day
14:57it's more of a description of her life and how she lives her lifestyle and um and that was very
15:05encouraging to me because up until that point i was like dude i will i will never i will never be cool
15:09but the um you know when you talk about the husband and the gates the the thought occurs to me that
15:16a woman's a wife's honor so you were talking about if she is respected he is respected that
15:23that honor is something that her husband has the privilege of carrying with him but also her
15:31dishonor so if she's a gossip if she's not respected if she's lazy if she's slovenly all of those things
15:37he also carries that as well and i think as women that's a a really important thing to do because
15:43i know i mean we'll be married 28 years on saturday and i know that when i am behaving honorably
15:49that brian knows he can trust me he knows that as he goes out in the world his house is being cared
15:59for his reputation is being protected his children are being served his you know it's not that i have to
16:05do everything perfectly i'm not you know making clothes grinding wheat and feeding my maidservants
16:11only one day or anything but that i am being honorable with the responsibilities that are in
16:16front of me and so that gives him confidence and strength as he goes out and about in the world
16:21and it um that is a privilege that we as women have um even even unmarried women when we consider that
16:31i think of girls that i know that are single that want to devote their lives to the lord
16:36that the honor and the integrity that they live their lives with is not that god needs it in order for
16:43him to be confident in his role but he's not carrying his his reputation is not being tarnished
16:52and you know because we are the bride right as we are the bride corporately you know are we working
17:00to build up his reputation or are we tearing down his reputation um so and then also what your type
17:10proverbs 12 for he who brings shame is like rottenness to his bones that's cancer that's literally bone
17:17cancer i mean it's like a very just like that's what happens you know when you have bone cancer
17:22and um and i was just thinking about you know wisdom because we're talking in the in proverbs 4 about
17:34wisdom bringing honor um and those without it it's like a cancer foolishness those who deny doing what
17:43is right and what is wise it is like being riddled with cancer and everything about you is is
17:49compromised good point so jay on on in verse 5 get wisdom get understanding do not forget or turn away
18:00from the sayings of my mouth interesting that solomon also writes in ecclesiastes 2 13
18:07then i saw that wisdom is better than folly and light is better than darkness
18:13oh he he that's a comparative line a scripture another scripture that talks about
18:21folly and wisdom and how it's better than darkness yeah and comparing foolishness to darkness and wisdom to
18:31light correct that's here also don't remember exactly which verse that is it's in there somewhere
18:37it's in verse 18 you know and the path of righteousness is a shining light going and
18:45bright until the day is established the way the wicked is as darkness they have not known what
18:51they still do sorry i'm reading from a different translation no that's fine that's good
18:56i i think it's a good thing to have multiple translations here with us if everybody's reading from the
19:06same translation and there's some important perspective that we're going to miss what about
19:11you brian oh sorry go ahead randy no i was just saying there's a lot of scriptures if you just look
19:17up light there's an awful lot of scriptures that talk about light
19:21yeah including uh uh john chapter one right exactly yeshua is the light
19:32yeah i did notice a reoccurring theme of talking about the path
19:39but specifically um one one thought that came to mind as i read through this chapter
19:47is there are several verses that when i read them on their own or maybe it could be a cluster of like
19:57two or three verses that remind me of other scriptures with very very similar themes and one of them
20:06um let's see here one of them i read was uh 4 12
20:12um when you walk your step won't be hindered and if you run you won't stumble
20:20um and that that kind of made me think a little bit about um uh in hebrews 12 13
20:29talks about making straight paths for your feet that the lame
20:33member may not fail but that it may be healed and then you know walk a straight path
20:40and then um on
20:4414
20:48enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men
20:54made me think about you know there's there's verses about uh in psalms about
21:00you know not to worry when you see evil people prosper or to fret about their wicked schemes
21:05but then also um uh and that was psalms 37
21:11and then and then proverbs 24 do not envy wicked men or desire their company
21:20and um yeah i just that really popped out to me
21:26yeah i think everybody no matter whether you're on a path of wisdom and fool or foolishness
21:34everybody's on a path to somewhere
21:36um and you've in order to know what path you're on
21:42it's very helpful to know where you are
21:45and where you're of course you have to know where you're going
21:49so then once you have once you've decided where you're going
21:54and what path you need to take to get there
21:56these last few verses in this chapter
21:59um you let your eyes look directly forward and your gaze straight before you
22:04ponder the path of your feet and all your ways will be sure
22:07and don't swerve to the right or to the left
22:09is this is an image of being very intentional about knowing your destination
22:15knowing where you're headed and not being distracted
22:19you know keeping your eyes on the prize like like paul wrote
22:22and you know left to our left to its own devices our hearts will lead us
22:29into all kinds of foolishness
22:31and so it's important that we have a you know an objective standard
22:36that we can use to as guides on the road
22:40yeah i'm sure you've seen um like in low-lying roads when you go down
22:46they've got those uh the poles with the depth markers on it
22:49so you know how much you know if there's water there
22:52uh if you if you've driven up in the mountains
22:56then you see guides posts along the side of the road
23:00with depth markers for snow and reflectors on it
23:03so that you can see where the where the side of the road is
23:05even if snow is completely covered everything
23:07and so you know our vision on our own can be very poor
23:13we don't we don't necessarily understand everything that's going on
23:17or why things should be the way that they are
23:19and it's easy to lose track of the path
23:23but if we have an objective standard
23:25like god's written law and yeshua's life example
23:30then it's much easier to stay on the path
23:35even if we can't see the path
23:37we can see these other things
23:38and i don't know why the the posts go this way
23:42because these snow drifts make it look like there's a valley here
23:45and i'm going to fall off a cliff
23:46but the posts go this way
23:47so that must be where the road is
23:49and that's what torah and
23:54well all the prophets and the scriptures do for us
23:57and joshua 1 7 kind of refers to that
24:04and only be strong and very courageous to guard to do
24:08according to all the torah
24:09which moshe my servant commanded you
24:12do not turn from it right or left
24:15so that you can act wisely wherever you go
24:18that's a you know great connection there
24:21there's paths and then walk
24:24paths and then walk
24:26and it's kind of like a
24:29another way of saying shema
24:31shema is not just listen
24:33but hear obey
24:34so hear and do
24:35so this is the way walk in it
24:37essentially
24:38except when they talk about
24:42when it says the path of the righteous
24:46is like the light of dawn
24:48but the way of the wicked is like deep darkness
24:50so neither of those like
24:52this is the way of the righteous
24:53this is the way of the
24:54of the wicked
24:55but it doesn't ever say in there walk
24:57but i think that's interesting
24:59because you know we have that
25:01that path and walk a couple of times
25:03but we also have uh 4 1 and 4 10
25:06are both here which is shema
25:07here and obey
25:08but then on the verse 20
25:10when it says we attended
25:11it's the word kasav
25:12which is like prick up your ear
25:14so it's like listen and obey
25:16listen and obey
25:16are you listening
25:18very much that implication
25:21when you get to the end
25:22don't forget
25:23this stuff at the end
25:24is really important too
25:25yeah it is a very active process
25:28and
25:29the wisdom is not passive
25:31you can
25:34you can listen
25:35and
25:36that's helpful
25:37but unless you are
25:39meditating on it
25:41and putting it into practice
25:42you're never really going to get wisdom
25:44uh this this verse
25:47um
25:48verse 7
25:49when you're talking about the
25:51the idea of the shema
25:52and how it means to
25:53not just hear
25:54but hear and
25:55put it into practice
25:56hear and obey
25:57the beginning of wisdom is this
25:59get wisdom
26:00i mean it sounds like a tautology
26:03but
26:04it's
26:05it's true
26:06in that
26:07the beginning of wisdom is
26:08you have to go out and get it
26:10wisdom isn't coming to you
26:14you have to hear it
26:15you have to hear the instruction
26:17and be willing to receive it
26:18but then you have to go out
26:19and put it into practice
26:20and
26:23there's this
26:24uh
26:24one further down
26:26uh
26:27keep your heart with all
26:28vigilance
26:29you're
26:31in other translations
26:32i think it says
26:33guard your heart
26:34this isn't talking about
26:36uh
26:37guarding your heart
26:37from emotional trauma
26:39this is talking about
26:42guarding your
26:43your mind
26:44and your
26:44emotions
26:45and
26:46uh
26:47you know
26:47all of your intellectual life
26:50talking about guarding it
26:52from the ways of the wicked
26:53and you don't do that
26:55by
26:55just
26:57trying not to think about bad stuff
26:59that's part of it
27:00but
27:01you have to keep pursuing wisdom
27:03it's not enough to get it
27:05and then just sit on it
27:06you have to keep putting it into practice
27:08you have to keep going out into the world
27:10and
27:10learning more wisdom
27:12and using the wisdom that you've got
27:14and in fact
27:15not only is it not
27:17like
27:17guarding your heart
27:19with all vigilance
27:20not only is it not about
27:21guarding your heart
27:22against emotional trauma
27:23if you're going to go out
27:25into the world
27:26and use the wisdom
27:27that you've gotten
27:28and
27:29multiply it
27:31put it to work
27:32like those talents
27:33in the
27:33the parable of the talents
27:35you're going to get more emotional
27:38trauma
27:38the process of gaining wisdom
27:41is going to be painful
27:42and if it doesn't hurt
27:44you probably haven't really learned
27:46any wisdom yet
27:46my main point there is
27:49just that it's a very active process
27:52the Shema
27:53you can't just listen
27:54yeah when you do sometimes
27:57and when you have to act upon that right
27:59then sometimes you stumble
28:00and I think the father knows you're going to
28:03learn from that
28:05you pick yourself up
28:06and you just keep going
28:07you know
28:08repent of your ways
28:09or whatever
28:09and just
28:10you know
28:10keep pushing forward
28:11one thing that struck to me right now
28:14is
28:14you know
28:15David
28:15besides being
28:17king
28:18prophet
28:19you know
28:20just
28:20the guy was definitely
28:22a
28:22renaissance man
28:24poet
28:25right
28:25you know
28:26he was a warrior
28:29you know
28:30in general
28:31right
28:31and
28:32everybody likes a good war movie
28:36well at least I do
28:37but
28:37you know
28:38I
28:38when I look
28:39when I read this
28:40as I was reading it again
28:42right now
28:42you can read this
28:45like this war
28:46between good and evil
28:48going
28:49through his speech
28:50right
28:51evil man
28:52righteous man
28:54um
28:55bread of the wicked
28:56wine of violence
28:57and all this other stuff
28:58and
28:59um
29:01when I
29:02verse 24
29:0425
29:04it says
29:05let your eyes look directly forward
29:07and your gaze be straight before you
29:10and
29:11as a warrior
29:12I think that's
29:14he's
29:14to me
29:15obviously
29:16I'm not sure
29:17right
29:17but
29:17to me
29:18he's taken that
29:19and
29:21as knowledge
29:23as a warrior
29:24understanding that
29:25you know
29:26you can
29:26you can put your head down
29:28and
29:29your head
29:29always needs to be on a swivel
29:31always watching over the enemy
29:33and
29:34and things like that
29:35and
29:35you know
29:36that's wisdom to do that
29:38in combat
29:38and it reminds me of like
29:40in Gideon as well
29:42right
29:42the way they got all the way down to 300
29:45is because
29:46the father wanted to see
29:47make sure that
29:48even while they were drinking water
29:50you know
29:50they had
29:51they were still looking
29:52directly ahead
29:53they had their eyes on the prize
29:55so
29:56you see
29:58you know
29:59that a lot
29:59especially when he says like
30:00guard your heart
30:01or guard knowledge
30:02and things like that
30:03so he's bringing that
30:04that warrior element
30:06war element
30:07into all of it as well
30:08and
30:10another thing that I thought about was
30:13I don't think his father
30:15has mentioned much
30:16in the scriptures
30:16right Jesse?
30:17not a lot
30:19not a lot
30:20but
30:21I'm assuming he had an incredible
30:23impact
30:23in his life
30:24so I went back and read
30:26you know
30:26where
30:27I think that the only place
30:28where he's mentioned
30:29and
30:30his three sons
30:32were
30:33out in the front lines
30:35with
30:35with Saul
30:36with
30:36was
30:39King Saul
30:40yeah
30:41King Saul
30:42and
30:43David was just going back and forth
30:46between them
30:46and at one point
30:48you know
30:48his father
30:49told him
30:50look
30:50here's some bread
30:51take it to your brothers
30:53but
30:54here's some cheese
30:56as well
30:56and take that
30:58pretty much to his
30:59like
30:59XO
31:00you know
31:00to his CEO
31:01and
31:02and
31:03and gave
31:04cheese to them
31:05and I was
31:05and thinking about it now
31:07I was like
31:07you know
31:08that's pretty good wisdom
31:09you know
31:09he's like man
31:09if I give
31:10the captain
31:12of
31:13you know
31:13the CEO
31:14of my son's regiment
31:15you know
31:15some cheese
31:16you know
31:17maybe he'll
31:17have
31:18have a little bit more
31:19grace on my kids
31:21you know
31:21for this
31:22you know
31:22so
31:23I think that even
31:24because
31:25you know
31:26I think people think that
31:27you know
31:28people are just born
31:29with things
31:30I guess some people are
31:31right
31:31but
31:32I think David
31:33you know
31:33he comes from a long line
31:35of people already
31:36passing on that wisdom
31:38and it just increased
31:39with time
31:40you know
31:40I mean
31:41Solomon was known
31:41to be super wise
31:43but
31:43you know
31:44a lot of that
31:44came from his father
31:45you know
31:46it's
31:47it's
31:48passing on that knowledge
31:49and that wisdom
31:51and
31:51and
31:51that understanding
31:52to the next generation
31:53the next one
31:54the next one
31:55and
31:56I'll be curious to know
31:57you know
31:58you know
32:00whenever we get to the kingdom
32:02to
32:02find out
32:03like how much
32:04how much his father
32:05had an impact on
32:06on David
32:07even if he's not really
32:08mentioned that much
32:09you know
32:09yeah
32:11well he's definitely
32:12he's mentioned more than
32:14most fathers are in
32:15scripture I think
32:15you know
32:17we talk about
32:18the messiah
32:18is the
32:19is it the
32:20the shoot
32:21out of Jesse
32:22and
32:24just the fact that
32:25we know who
32:27David's father is
32:28and
32:28means that he's
32:29mentioned frequently
32:30you know
32:32David's son of Jesse
32:33which means that
32:34that was part of
32:35David's identity
32:36so David
32:37was taking on
32:38at least in the eyes
32:39of the people around him
32:40taking on some of the
32:42characteristics of his father
32:43which meant they knew
32:44who his father was
32:45and he was respected
32:48right
32:49if he's mentioned that much
32:50right
32:51we may not know
32:52his accolades
32:53or anything like that
32:54but
32:55for sure
32:56you're right
32:56yeah
32:56he mentioned that much
32:58he was definitely respected
32:59yeah I think
33:01I was just
33:02kind of scanning through
33:03looking to see who
33:04Gideon's father was
33:06and his name is mentioned
33:07but
33:08practically just in passing
33:11like
33:12oh yeah
33:12and Gideon's father
33:13was this guy
33:14actually I think it says
33:15that
33:15this guy owned
33:17a threshing floor
33:18and his son Gideon
33:18was out there
33:19threshing wheat
33:20and that's about all
33:21we ever hear of him
33:22and so
33:24I mean
33:24Gideon does not have
33:26the
33:26the reputation
33:27that David and Solomon
33:28had for wisdom
33:29you know
33:30he was
33:31a judge
33:32and clearly
33:32he had the respect
33:33of the nation
33:34but primarily
33:35his role
33:36was military
33:37he was a military leader
33:39not necessarily
33:40a wise ruler
33:41I think
33:43the
33:43unfortunate
33:44family dynamics
33:45in Gideon's family
33:46are a reflection
33:48of that
33:48of what he inherited
33:50from his father
33:50and passed on
33:51to his sons
33:52or rather
33:52what he didn't inherit
33:53and didn't pass on
33:54but
33:56we all know
33:56who David
33:57and Solomon
33:58are
33:58Crystal
34:00if you had a chance
34:00to read this chapter
34:02and have some thoughts
34:03on any passage
34:03feel free to speak up
34:05are there any
34:07passages
34:08in here
34:09or any verses
34:09that puzzled
34:11anybody
34:11that were
34:12maybe a little
34:14hard to understand
34:15or word choices
34:16that seem kind of
34:17odd
34:17I don't think
34:21I'm really puzzled
34:22by this
34:23particular
34:24three verses
34:2517
34:26through 19
34:27but you might
34:29have some insight
34:30into it
34:30it just
34:32it's interesting
34:33to me
34:34the elements
34:35that are mentioned
34:36here
34:36kind of remind me
34:38of the
34:38I guess it'd be like
34:39the last 24 hour
34:4024 hours
34:42of Yeshua's life
34:43before
34:43you know
34:44before he died
34:45you know
34:48for they eat
34:48the bread
34:48of wickedness
34:49and drink
34:51the wine
34:51of violence
34:52obviously
34:54we know
34:54that Yeshua
34:55is the bread
34:56of life
34:56and that
34:57and that
35:01when he talked
35:02about the wine
35:02that it was
35:03his blood
35:04and
35:05we know
35:06that the bread
35:08of life
35:08and the wine
35:10representing
35:11his blood
35:12is actually
35:12cleansing
35:13cleansing blood
35:15and so
35:16this seems
35:16like
35:16you know
35:18I guess
35:19metaphorically
35:20it's
35:20it's the
35:20opposite
35:21of
35:22or it's
35:22the counter
35:23to
35:23to
35:25you know
35:26where we
35:27should go
35:27but the path
35:29of the righteous
35:30is like
35:30the light
35:31of dawn
35:31shining
35:31ever brighter
35:32until full
35:33daylight
35:33and I think
35:34about
35:35where it says
35:36that Yeshua
35:37he
35:39he looked
35:40beyond the
35:40cross
35:41to the joy
35:41that was ahead
35:42and so
35:43for him
35:44even though
35:44he had to
35:45walk
35:45through
35:46that
35:46darkness
35:47and for
35:48him
35:49it was
35:49it was
35:50a literal
35:50darkness
35:51you know
35:52just
35:52understanding
35:53the events
35:55that unfolded
35:55during
35:56kind of
35:56during
35:57the middle
35:57of the
35:58night
35:58that happened
35:59behind
36:00closed doors
36:00and darkness
36:01when it
36:04shouldn't have
36:04been happening
36:05at that time
36:06but then
36:07also even
36:07when he
36:08was on
36:08the cross
36:09that there
36:09was
36:10darkness
36:11for three
36:11hours
36:12so there
36:13was a
36:13literal
36:13darkness
36:14happening
36:14and
36:16the people
36:18that were
36:20watching it
36:20most of
36:21them
36:21anyway
36:21did not
36:22they just
36:22didn't
36:23understand
36:23what was
36:23happening
36:24they were
36:25ignorant
36:25and so
36:26I just
36:27thought
36:27that was
36:27interesting
36:29some of
36:29the parallels
36:30with that
36:30three verses
36:31there
36:31yeah
36:32there are
36:33I think
36:34there are
36:34even more
36:34connections
36:35there
36:35going back
36:36to the
36:37exodus
36:37and the
36:37Passover
36:38you know
36:39that darkness
36:40that
36:40the three
36:41hours of
36:41darkness
36:42at Yeshua's
36:42death
36:43I've always
36:44thought
36:44that it
36:45was
36:45it was
36:45probably
36:46much like
36:46the darkness
36:47in Egypt
36:47for three
36:47days
36:48that darkness
36:50the Hebrew
36:50word
36:50it's the
36:51same word
36:52used in
36:52this verse
36:53if I'm
36:56pronouncing that
36:57right
36:57and you know
36:59of course
36:59the gospels
36:59are in
37:00Greek
37:00so you
37:01know
37:01if any
37:02if Matthew
37:02or any
37:03of them
37:03were originally
37:03written in
37:04Hebrew
37:04we don't
37:04have those
37:05originals
37:05so we
37:07don't know
37:07what word
37:08they would
37:08have used
37:08but I
37:10suspect that
37:11it was
37:12that it's a
37:13similar kind
37:14of idea
37:14and then of
37:15course once
37:17again at the
37:17exodus at
37:18Passover you've
37:18got bread and
37:19wine but in
37:21that case in
37:22the case of
37:23Yeshua and
37:23in the case of
37:24the first
37:24Passover these
37:25are aren't
37:26bread of
37:27wickedness and
37:28wine of
37:28violence they're
37:29actually the
37:29opposite
37:30bread and
37:32wine are
37:33symbols of
37:33fellowship and
37:34peace you
37:36know when
37:36Abraham after he
37:37rescued Lot he
37:38went and he
37:38broke bread and
37:39drank wine with
37:40Melchizedek and
37:42this was sort
37:43of a peace
37:44meal I think
37:47David a couple
37:47of times in
37:48the Psalms he
37:49talks about you
37:50know sitting
37:51down bread and
37:52wine with you
37:53know just table
37:54fellowship and
37:56Solomon uses it
37:57again in
37:58Ecclesiastes the
37:59same idea but
38:01here it's bread
38:02of wickedness and
38:03wine of violence
38:04which is exactly
38:06the opposite
38:06of its usual
38:07meaning I
38:08mean frequently
38:09they are used
38:10in opposite
38:11ways I mean
38:11wine is used
38:12as a metaphor
38:13for blood and
38:14violence all
38:14all kinds of
38:15places in
38:15scripture when
38:17it's talked
38:17about together
38:18it's talking
38:18usually about
38:19some kind of
38:19table fellowship
38:20some some
38:22neighborly or
38:23friendly kind
38:24of thing going
38:24on but this
38:28kind of makes
38:29me think of
38:30the disciples are
38:32kind of like a
38:32gang right
38:33young men
38:34who have bad
38:36home lives
38:37they're often
38:38attracted to
38:39street gangs
38:40because of the
38:41brotherhood that
38:42it provides
38:43it fills in the
38:44gap of the
38:45family they
38:45don't have at
38:46home or they
38:47don't imagine
38:47they have at
38:48home or you
38:48know whatever
38:49is the cause
38:50they find this
38:52with brotherhood
38:53and fellowship
38:53with the wrong
38:54people and
38:55then this
38:56this bread and
38:57wine of
38:58fellowship becomes
39:00a thing of
39:00violence they
39:01have mistaken
39:02this as
39:06criminal
39:06brotherhood for
39:08something healthy
39:09and something
39:09that they need
39:10and they do
39:11need that kind
39:12of connection
39:12with people
39:13they've just
39:14chosen the
39:14wrong people
39:15and so what's
39:16supposed to be a
39:17good thing is
39:17twisted into
39:18something evil
39:19I kind of
39:21kind of went
39:21off in a
39:22different direction
39:22with that I
39:23guess
39:23well I have
39:25something that
39:26just while you
39:27were talking
39:27Jay that
39:28I recall that
39:29I read earlier
39:30today and I
39:32believe it's
39:32it's actually
39:33it actually
39:34started today
39:35and I'm not
39:36bringing this up
39:37because I want
39:38to go on a
39:38rabbit trail but
39:39just thinking
39:41about what you
39:42were saying
39:42about it
39:43it's representative
39:44of basically
39:46fellowship of
39:47coming together
39:48breaking bread
39:49together and
39:50that can either
39:50be in a
39:51in a good
39:52and righteous
39:53context or it
39:54can be a
39:54wicked evil
39:55context and
39:56just today
39:57the name
39:59of this
40:00article is
40:00called
40:00new world
40:01order
40:02unites
40:02the Clinton
40:04global
40:05initiative
40:06the UN
40:07general
40:07assembly
40:08the
40:09WEF
40:10or world
40:10economic
40:11forum
40:11climate
40:12crisis
40:12summit
40:13kickoff
40:13simultaneously
40:14in New
40:15York
40:15city
40:15today
40:16and
40:17and I
40:18just
40:18I can't
40:19help but
40:20think about
40:20all these
40:21men
40:21that are
40:22making
40:22decisions
40:23on behalf
40:23of
40:24humanity
40:24and as
40:26we can
40:26see over
40:26just the
40:27last three
40:27years
40:28are not
40:29using wisdom
40:30that we
40:30read in
40:30Proverbs
40:31for making
40:32those decisions
40:33and in fact
40:34they have
40:35I believe
40:36evil plans
40:37and
40:37just saw
40:39some
40:40something
40:41applicable
40:41there
40:41with the
40:43fellowship
40:43that they're
40:44having
40:44yeah
40:45those
40:46criminal
40:46gangs
40:47aren't
40:47aren't
40:47restricted
40:48to street
40:48gangs
40:49you know
40:50what I
40:50think is
40:51you know
40:51you're
40:51talking about
40:52the bread
40:52of wickedness
40:53and the
40:53wine of
40:53violence
40:54it's that
40:55bread
40:55sustains
40:56us
40:57but then
40:58wine
40:58in much
40:59wine is
41:00dissipation
41:00there's
41:01that
41:01that
41:02you lose
41:03the capacity
41:04for clear
41:05thought
41:05you lose
41:05the capacity
41:06for clear
41:07focus
41:07and purpose
41:08and so
41:09being sustained
41:10by wickedness
41:12but then you
41:13drink the
41:14wine of
41:14violence
41:14and they're
41:15just they're
41:16synonymous
41:16and I just
41:17can't help
41:17but think
41:18about
41:18you know
41:19the
41:19that
41:21circle
41:22that vicious
41:23circle
41:23that people
41:24get trapped
41:24in
41:25like moral
41:26and personal
41:26compromise
41:27or financial
41:28compromise
41:28whatever that
41:29whatever that
41:29wickedness
41:30might be
41:30that entraps
41:31them
41:31and then
41:32what they
41:32use to
41:34numb
41:34themselves
41:35to that
41:36and you
41:37know the
41:37prevalence
41:38of extreme
41:39horror
41:40in movies
41:41and video
41:41games
41:42and all
41:42that kind
41:43of stuff
41:43this
41:43glamorization
41:46of violence
41:47and wickedness
41:48that tends
41:49to make
41:50the wickedness
41:50that you
41:51live with
41:51on a daily
41:51basis
41:52feel less
41:54wicked
41:55because it's
41:56not this
41:57I don't know
41:57if that makes
41:58any sense
41:58I tend to be
41:59a little
41:59abstract in
42:00my
42:00thoughts
42:01but
42:02you know
42:05that if we
42:05are not
42:06consuming
42:06if it's not
42:08wickedness
42:08that sustains
42:09us
42:09then we
42:10don't have
42:10to do
42:11these other
42:11corrupt
42:11things
42:12to numb
42:12us to
42:13the degree
42:13of wickedness
42:14that we
42:14are engaging
42:15in
42:15well I
42:17think
42:17continuing
42:18on the
42:19analogy
42:20of the
42:21path
42:21if you're
42:23in a snow
42:23storm
42:24in the
42:24mountains
42:24and you've
42:25got those
42:25guideposts
42:26along the
42:26side of
42:27the road
42:27if you
42:28decide
42:29that those
42:29are not
42:30leading you
42:30in the
42:30right
42:31direction
42:31and you
42:32see some
42:33other
42:33path
42:33and you
42:33think
42:33surely
42:34this is
42:34the right
42:35way
42:35once you
42:36take that
42:36one step
42:37off
42:37and you
42:38can't
42:38see those
42:38reflectors
42:39anymore
42:39or I
42:40guess
42:40if you're
42:40seeing the
42:41reflectors
42:41they're in
42:41your headlights
42:42so you're
42:42driving
42:42but you
42:43know you
42:43get the
42:43idea
42:44there's
42:45no telling
42:45where that
42:46ends
42:46you you
42:48step off
42:49the path
42:49and then you
42:50take another
42:51step and
42:51another step
42:52and pretty
42:52soon you
42:53have no
42:53idea where
42:54those guideposts
42:54are and
42:56whether that's
42:57because you
42:58see something
42:58you know further
43:00off off the
43:01field that you
43:01think well
43:02there's my
43:02destination over
43:03there even
43:04though the
43:05signs are
43:06saying go
43:06this way I
43:07can see my
43:07destination right
43:08over there so
43:08I'm going to
43:09take this other
43:09path because I
43:11know it goes in
43:11the right
43:11direction
43:12who knows
43:14what's between
43:14here and
43:15there in
43:15those sign
43:16posts those
43:17those guides
43:18are there for
43:18a reason to
43:20keep us headed
43:20in the right
43:21direction even
43:22when it doesn't
43:22look like the
43:23right direction
43:24I'm not even
43:26sure now if that
43:27was related to
43:28what you're
43:28saying but
43:29speaking of
43:31paths and
43:32stuff I'm just
43:32going off on
43:33my own paths
43:34now
43:34no I
43:36know I
43:36think it I
43:37think it
43:37does I
43:37think it
43:38does because
43:39you know if
43:40you can if
43:41you can stop
43:41yourself at
43:42the one if
43:43you see the
43:45one thing
43:46that you've
43:46done and
43:46redirect the
43:48medical analogy
43:50whatever I
43:51the thing I
43:52say often is
43:53the first
43:53decision that
43:54costs you
43:54the first
43:55five bucks
43:56everything after
43:57that is
43:58zeros so it
43:59doesn't feel
44:00as big it
44:01doesn't feel
44:01like as much
44:02of a choice
44:03but you go
44:04from five to
44:04fifty to
44:05five thousand
44:05to five
44:06million and
44:07it's just you
44:08feel like it's
44:08just a bunch of
44:09zeros adding on
44:10it's that first
44:10five bucks that'll
44:11get you that
44:12first five dollars
44:13yeah once you
44:14made the decision
44:15to step off the
44:15path now you're
44:18off so yeah
44:20you know it's
44:21you're going to
44:21keep going unless
44:22you make a
44:22decision to
44:24redirect and
44:25that's where if
44:26you have both
44:26both the
44:29wickedness and
44:30whatever it is
44:31that you use to
44:32pretend that
44:32you're not as
44:33bad as somebody
44:33else or whatever
44:34then when you're
44:35never making that
44:36decision to come
44:37back that's why
44:37repentance is so
44:38important that's
44:39why keeping those
44:40those short
44:41accounts and
44:41understanding
44:42righteousness um
44:44something i was
44:44looking at in
44:45um in verse
44:47seven the beginning
44:48of wisdom is this
44:49get wisdom of
44:50whatever you get
44:50insight like what's
44:51the difference between
44:51wisdom and insight
44:52and it's like
44:53wisdom is you
44:55know i've said
44:56it before that
44:57knowing the right
44:58thing to do at
44:59the right time it's
44:59not just knowing the
45:00right thing but
45:01prudently
45:02when to apply that
45:03ethically religiously
45:04you know whatever
45:05but then insight is
45:06skill right so
45:08it's not only do
45:09we know what is
45:10right and we know
45:11when to do things
45:11right but we're
45:12going to practice
45:12that so much that
45:13we get really good
45:14at it
45:14mm-hmm that it's not
45:16this this state of
45:17being of i have a
45:18true wisdom now i'm
45:20wise you know it's a
45:22practice that we we
45:24apply in our lives
45:25yeah good jump like
45:29piggybacking on on one
45:31of the analogies that
45:32you guys use another
45:33one that i use is if
45:35you ever um did any
45:37any kind of um map
45:39reading and you're
45:40trying to get to point
45:40a to point b with a
45:42compass usually what
45:44you you shoot an
45:45azimuth right um
45:47whatever degrees and
45:49if you go in a long
45:51distance regardless
45:52right and so the
45:54compass itself has a
45:56little string and
45:57you should like look
45:58through it and you
46:00kind of point the
46:01degrees to where you're
46:02going and in order
46:05for you to stay where
46:06you need to go there's
46:07no way you can always
46:08keep looking at that
46:09compass the whole time
46:11um because you'll
46:12bump yourself into
46:13something so the
46:15trick is to look at
46:17the compass look at
46:18the line line of
46:19sight and then pick
46:21something like i don't
46:22know a specific tree
46:24or you know ravine or
46:27something like that
46:27and then you go right
46:29but if you just
46:31constantly on on on
46:33that compass and you
46:35know you you have your
46:37eyes on it the whole
46:38time um and you're not
46:40looking up then you
46:42can little by little
46:43start veering off and
46:45not paying attention
46:46so instead of being a
46:49walk of maybe you know
46:50eight miles and it
46:53should only it should
46:54have taken you an hour
46:55or two hours to do as
46:57you veering off you end
46:59up way off from where
47:00you're supposed to be
47:01and and now now you
47:03have to go from this
47:04point to this point in
47:06order to get where you
47:07need to go and life is
47:09the same way you know
47:11if you're not if you
47:12don't have the
47:12scriptures to kind of
47:14point where you need
47:15to go and take a look
47:17at and if you don't
47:18look up sometimes in
47:19other words take action
47:20right not just read
47:21what's in here but
47:23actually take action and
47:24take steps forward
47:25towards that straight
47:27and narrow path you're
47:29going to veer off and
47:30then you're going to
47:30be way off and then
47:32it is painful to get
47:34back to where you need
47:35to go and i know that
47:37from experience yeah
47:39badly how would you
47:43quantify crooked speech
47:44in dubious talk not
47:47sure how to quantify
47:48it i mean if you were
47:50to use like you know
47:51it's i guess i haven't
47:52i'm not looking at
47:53other um verse 24
47:55you know what is what
47:57is crooked speech i
47:58mean i think of like
47:59lashon hurrah where you
48:00know it's gossip or
48:01slanderous speech or
48:02whatever but i just i
48:05think it's more
48:07i mean obviously we
48:08have to be super
48:09careful with our
48:09words because that's
48:10really important but
48:12um just wondered if
48:15anybody had any
48:16particular insight on
48:18that or thoughts about
48:20it so king james
48:22translates it as a
48:25froward mouth or
48:27distortion word mouth
48:29and perverse lips and
48:32perverse crookedness
48:34deviation i don't think
48:36it means what we
48:36normally think of as
48:37perverse i mean it's
48:38not talking about
48:39dirty jokes that's you
48:41know that may be
48:41inappropriate too it's
48:42just not really what
48:43that's talking about
48:44um i think it is
48:47talking about uh lashon
48:48hurrah to an extent in
48:50that you know telling
48:51lies about people uh
48:52trying to deceive people
48:53by what you're saying
48:54but it could also be
48:56referring to just
48:57scheming in general
48:58using using words to
49:00try to manipulate
49:01people politics
49:03you mean warfare
49:04it's an important part
49:06of warfare and i'm not
49:08sure that there's i would
49:09say that there's nothing
49:10especially wrong with
49:12using devious speech in
49:13warfare to deceive your
49:14enemies but this is
49:16really more about
49:17everyday life you know
49:18life with your neighbors
49:19when i when i hear like
49:21perverse speech i think
49:22of someone who has taken
49:23something that is true
49:24because earlier i can't
49:25remember where it was it
49:26talked about being direct
49:27um that we are we are to
49:29be direct people which
49:31you know just speaks to
49:32me because i tend to be
49:33very direct and i don't
49:35find the subtlest and
49:37nuance all that easily
49:38but um yeah but when it
49:40talks about in the next
49:41three verses it's talking
49:42about being direct
49:43yeah but that perverse
49:46speech is someone who
49:47takes something that is
49:47true and warps it
49:49it is and to be get away
49:53with what you want
49:54yeah yeah exactly exactly
49:57um yeah i think that
50:05you know solomon puts a
50:06lot of stock in
50:07simplicity and he
50:09probably had the most
50:11complicated life of
50:12everybody anybody in
50:13history um but he
50:16really valued simplicity
50:17so i i'd like to
50:20imagine that he put a
50:22lot of effort into
50:23making his life more
50:25simple uh you know
50:27trying to take some of
50:27the complexity out
50:28instead of keeping all
50:29900 wives at home
50:30maybe build them houses
50:32on the other side of the
50:33country and keep them
50:35out there
50:36it would really simplify
50:39life at home
50:40i don't i don't know
50:42what he did i mean i we
50:43know that he made a lot
50:44of bad choices there but
50:46um this let your eyes look
50:49directly forward your gaze be
50:50straight you know keep
50:52your ways sure and don't
50:54swerve to the right or the
50:55left he's really
50:58emphasizing the idea that
51:00we shouldn't complicate
51:01things any more than we
51:03have to and when you are
51:05when you're using words to
51:07twist things when you are
51:09either twisting somebody
51:10else's words or saying
51:12things that
51:13are meant to
51:15twist ideas around in
51:18people's heads
51:18you are really
51:20complicating not just
51:21their lives but yours
51:22you know it's one of
51:24those tropes that come up
51:25in a saturday afternoon
51:26or the after school
51:27specials that you know if
51:28you tell one lie eventually
51:29you got to tell a whole
51:30bunch more lies to cover up
51:31those and
51:32you know you always get
51:33tanked you always get
51:34caught in your own web
51:35but it really is true and
51:37it's not just about lies
51:39it's any kind of scheming
51:40if once you start
51:42scheming and once you
51:43start plotting against
51:45other people you have to
51:47keep plotting and the
51:48plots get more and more
51:49convoluted and you know
51:51if you live by the sword
51:52die by the sword live by
51:54the perverse lips die by
51:56the perverse lips
51:57they say the cover-up
52:00always gets you
52:01the truth always comes out
52:04eventually well we may
52:08never know who really shot
52:09kennedy but you know
52:10somebody knows
52:13you
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