Proverbs 20

Proverbs 20:1

20:1 Wine does mock men but here the thought is that it causes men to become mockers or scoffers. Strong drink converts them into a brawler. Wine is made from grapes, strong drink from grain. They both lead men astray. First a man becomes a social drinker, then a heavy drinker, then an alcoholic. He tries to shake off the habit, but he is held as if by chains. Christ gives power to break the chains, but first man must want deliverance. 20:2 When a king is angry, fear spreads throughout his court. That fear is like the roaring of a lion, warning of danger. Whoever provokes the king to anger takes his own life in his hands. The lesson for us is found in Rom_13:4 : “For he (i.e., the ruler) is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” 20:3 An honorable person makes a point of keeping aloof from strife. A fool isn’t happy unless he’s quarreling with someone. 20:4 Plowing time in Israel is in November and December, when the wind commonly blows from the North. The lazy man uses the cold weather to excuse his inaction. Without the plowing there can be no planting, and without the planting no harvest. He’ll go out looking for grain in his fields and wonder why it isn’t there. 20:5 A man’s thoughts and intentions are often hidden deeply in his mind. He will not generally bring them to the surface. But a person of discernment knows how to draw them out by wise questions. For example, a good counselor can help a person bring crooked thinking to the light and thus remedy it. 20:6 It is not hard to find those who profess to be loyal, but it is another thing to find those who really are faithful. There is a difference between what men are, and what they want others to think they are. It is the difference between “Person” and “Personality.” 20:7 The righteous man walks in honesty and integrity. His children come into a noble heritage and benefit from his life and example. 20:8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes. When Christ sits upon His throne of judgment, His all-seeing eyes, like flames of fire, will see through pretense and sift all evidence. 20:9 By his own efforts, no one can cleanse himself from sin. Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”? If a man thinks he is pure, he is a victim of pure delusion. But there is cleansing through the precious blood of Christ. True believers have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev_7:14). The blood that purchased our release, and purged our crimson stains, We challenge earth and hell to show a sin it cannot cleanse. Augustus M. Toplady20:10 God hates deceitful weights and measurements. This includes any dishonest device to benefit self at the expense of others. It includes the butcher’s trick of resting his finger on the scales when he is weighing the meat. And it even includes the practice of demanding stricter standards from others than we do from ourselves. 20:11 The basic nature of a person reveals itself early in life. Some children are downright ornery, others are pleasant. “The child is father of the man.” He carries his character into adulthood, whether for good or for evil. 20:12 The LORD created the hearing ear and the seeing eye. What can this mean but that they belong to Him and should be used for His glory? 20:13 Don’t overindulge in sleep, lest you land in the poorhouse. Get up and go to work. You’ll earn money to pay your rent, buy your groceries, and give to the work of the Lord. 20:14 This is an old buyer’s trick. As he looks over the used car, he squawks about its dents, its worn tires, its noisy engine, and its hideous color. “It is good for nothing.” The seller hadn’t realized it was such a junk-heap; he naively lowers the price. The buyer gives him the money, then he goes and boasts to his friends about his tremendous bargain. 20:15 A person may wear gold jewelry and precious gems, but the best adornment is wise speech. Wear this! 20:16 Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger, and hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress. Any man who is foolish enough to make financial guarantees for people he doesn’t know is a bad credit risk. If you have any dealings with him, be sure that he puts up plenty of collateral so that you will be protected in case he reneges or goes bankrupt. The advice is especially true if the stranger is an immoral person. 20:17 Any form of wealth gained dishonestly might yield momentary satisfaction, but eventually it will prove as unpleasant and aggravating as a mouthful of gravel. This condemns falsifying tax returns, fudging on expense accounts, bribing inspectors, labeling dishonestly, and advertising product differences that don’t exist. 20:18 A pooling of advice is desirable before making any plans. No general makes war without consulting with other military experts. 20:19 A gossip betrays confidences. Therefore, do not associate with a blabber, because if he talks against others to you, you can be sure that he will talk against you to others. 20:20 Under the law of Moses, cursing one’s parents was a capital offense (Exo_21:17). This should give pause to young people today who are hostile toward their parents. Unless this bitterness is resolved, it will lead to temporal obscurity and eternal perdition. 20:21 The prodigal son got his share of the inheritance . . . hastily, but he lost it just as quickly. But this proverb is true also of any get-rich-quick schemes. Easy come, easy go. 20:22 Don’t seek vengeance on your enemies. Vengeance is the Lord’s. He will repay. Wait for the LORD. He will deliver you and vindicate you. 20:23 Adam Clarke worked for a silk merchant who suggested that he should stretch the silk when measuring it for a customer. Adam’s reply was, “Your silk may stretch, sir, but my conscience won’t.” God honored Adam Clarke by enabling him years later to write a widely used commentary on the Bible. 20:24 This verse emphasizes God’s sovereignty and not man’s free will, though both are true. The thought is that God is sovereign over human affairs and He knows what is best for us. Therefore, we ought to look to Him for direction, and not try to be the masters of our fate and manipulate to get our own way. 20:25 It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy and afterward to reconsider his vows. It is dangerous to dedicate something to the Lord, and then to have second thoughts about it. Before making a vow, a man should be sure that he is able to fulfill it and that he definitely intends to. 20:26 A wise king does not tolerate the wicked. He brings the threshing wheel over them, that is, he separates them from the righteous, brings them to trial, and punishes them. 20:27 The spirit of a man in this verse is generally taken to refer to the conscience. It is given to us by the LORD and serves as a lamp, throwing light on our thoughts, motives, affections, and actions. It approves and reproves the innermost thoughts and intents of our lives (see Rom_2:14-15). 20:28 A leader who is characterized by mercy and truth will have the respect and support of his subjects. He maintains his position of authority by lovingkindness, not by tyranny. 20:29 A prominent glory of young men is their strength, while the gray hair of old men is associated with wisdom and experience. Every church needs both strength for service and age for wise counsel. 20:30 “Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, as do stripes the inner depths of the heart.“The thought seems to be that physical punishment has value in dealing with moral evil. A child remembers the pain of the last spanking when he is tempted to steal from his mother’s purse.