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24 Be not envious of evil men,
nor desire to be with them,
for their hearts devise violence,
and their lips talk of trouble.
By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.
A wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,
for by wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in abundance of counselors there is victory.
Wisdom is too high for a fool;
in the gate he does not open his mouth.
Whoever plans to do evil
will be called a schemer.
The devising of folly is sin,
and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.
If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man according to his work?
My son, eat honey, for it is good,
and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
if you find it, there will be a future,
and your hope will not be cut off.
Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
do no violence to his home;
for the righteous falls seven times and rises again,
but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.
Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
lest the LORD see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.
Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
and be not envious of the wicked,
for the evil man has no future;
the lamp of the wicked will be put out.
My son, fear the LORD and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?
More Sayings of the Wise
These also are sayings of the wise.
Partiality in judging is not good.
Whoever says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”
will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
and a good blessing will come upon them.
Whoever gives an honest answer
kisses the lips.
Prepare your work outside;
get everything ready for yourself in the field,
and after that build your house.
Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for what he has done.”
I passed by the field of a sluggard,
by the vineyard of a man lacking sense,
and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
the ground was covered with nettles,
and its stone wall was broken down.
Then I saw and considered it;
I looked and received instruction.
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man.
(ESV)
Proverbs 24 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
The empty U-Haul is parked out front. Your belongings are packed away in boxes. The move has begun.
“By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; 4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”
Proverbs 24:3-4 ESV
A deep study into this passage shows us that God is the true architect of our lives. The word ‘built’ is the same word used to describe the altars that were constructed to worship God. Interestingly, it’s also the same word used to describe the creation of Eve, when God fashioned her after taking a rib from Adam. In all of these scenarios, wisdom is the foundation and God is the master builder.
The word ‘understanding’ is the same word used to describe the Spirit of God. It speaks to counsel and discernment. How is the foundation constructed? With wisdom and understanding found only through the Spirit of God. When we build our lives with God’s wisdom as the foundation, the Spirit will begin to establish our vision with His understanding. This means we read the Bible and not only believe what it says, but we actually commit to living it.
In other words, when we encounter Jesus, we won’t see things the same way anymore. What we understand will come from God’s Spirit and what we build will bring glory to God. Thus, an old cycle is broken and a new cycle begins. We no longer keep our home furnished with selfish ambition, pride, and worldly passion. We are grafted into a completely new ‘building’ which God has prepared for us. But that journey will never happen unless we pack up and move.
The empty U-Haul is parked out front. Your belongings are packed away in boxes. The move has begun.
Wisdom and understanding are like a fire spreading through this new house God has established. They fill the rooms with knowledge and overflow into every aspect of our lives.
But let’s think practically. There are areas (rooms) of our old life that need renovation. There are some boxes that should not come with us to our new residence. There are some rooms we want to board up and never set foot in again. By wisdom and understanding, God’s Spirit leads us back to those rooms for renovation, devastation, and revisitation. His Spirit gives us the insight to heal, grow, and thrive. He shows us what we will take and what we will leave.
It is true that when we allow the Spirit to search our rooms, He will open doors we wanted to keep shut. But he will also create new rooms we never imagined could exist. However, when His knowledge fills the space, “all precious and pleasant riches” can and will be found there.
The empty U-Haul is waiting.