WEBVTT

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 This section begins, this chapter begins another new section in Proverbs, often called the

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 second Solomonic collection or Hezekiah's collection because it tells us that the court

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 officials of Hezekiah, king of Judah, copied or redacted this section.

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 So you can see that in verse 1.

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 And the collection begins in earnest with verses 2 to 3.

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 It says,

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 It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.

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 As the heavens for height and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unreachable.

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 This word glory appears again at the end of chapter 25 in verse 27 to bookend this first section.

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 It begins and ends with the mention of glory.

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 And it says in verse 27,

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 It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one's own glory.

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 There is a glory that is reserved for God.

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 There is a glory that is reserved for kings.

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 And a glory that is reserved for people in general.

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 First, the glory of God is seen in His inscrutability.

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 That there are aspects of the nature of God and the works of God that are beyond our fathom,

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 beyond our finding out.

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 And this brings Him glory because it sets Him apart from the rest of creation.

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 God's mind, apart from what He has chosen to reveal to us, are hidden from us.

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 God's not accountable to any man, and He owes no man anything.

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 And this is unique to Him.

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 This is His glory.

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 The glory of kings, however, is to search things out.

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 On the one hand, this is a fitting verse after verse 1,

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 which spoke of how Hezekiah and his men organized and transcribed what God had revealed to Solomon.

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 In other words, Hezekiah was a king who searched things out.

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 But theological and academic inquiry does not seem to be what's primarily in view in this verse.

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 Because the following verses, verses 4 to 8, speak of how the king is responsible for expelling evildoers

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 and establishing his rule with righteousness,

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 how he's responsible for promoting qualified officials, individuals, and judging impartially.

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 So the main thing that's in view here with the king's searching out things,

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 it seems to pertain to him governing over his nation, over his kingdom.

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 He has to search out the matters of state in order to govern wisely.

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 And there is an aspect of the king's purposes and governing priorities

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 that are also hidden from the general population.

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 So verse 3 says,

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 The heart of kings is unsearchable to the citizens,

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 but the heart of God, however, is unsearchable both to the king and to everyone in the world.

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 And at the end of this chapter, verse 27 tells us that

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 it is not glorious to seek one's own glory.

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 The footnote in the ESV translation, frankly,

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 tells us that the meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain.

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 Translated very literally, the verse says,

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 To eat much honey is not good,

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 nor to search their glory of glory.

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 What does it mean?

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 It's quite difficult to make sense of this verse,

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 apart from recognizing that verses 2 to 3 and verse 27

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 intentionally bracket this unit and add context to each other.

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 So the word seek in verse 27 is the same word that is translated search,

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 which occurs twice in verses 2 to 3.

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 And the word glory, which occurs twice in verse 27,

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 also occurs twice in verse 2.

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 So what does it mean then that searching out their glory of glory is not good?

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 The immediate context of verse 27 suggests that it's possible to have too much of a good thing,

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 like honey.

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 It is not good even to have too much of something that is as delicious and healthful as honey.

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 Likewise, searching their glory of glory,

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 perhaps occupying oneself too much with searching out the concealed things that are the glory of God,

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 or with searching out the heart of kings,

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 which is unsearchable,

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 is not good.

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 This reminds me of Psalm 131, 1-2,

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 where David says,

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 Oh Lord, my heart is not lifted up.

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 My eyes are not raised too high.

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 I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me,

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 but I have calmed and quietened my soul like a weaned child with its mother,

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 like a weaned child is my soul within me.

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 A wise person, according to these verses, these proverbs,

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 in humility accepts his place within God's created order.

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 That's the main point of this entire passage.

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 Rather than seeking one's own glory by presuming upon the glory reserved for God and kings,

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 glory is something that God freely bestows on whomever He pleases.

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 And so accordingly, it's unbecoming of us.

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 As Christians to seek glory for ourselves.

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 Sometimes I stress out more than I should about the state of things in our country and in our world.

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 And that's because I'm too prideful.

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 Because I'm too preoccupied with searching out things,

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 searching out glory that is not my own.

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 It is not my responsibility to chart, let alone direct, the course of this world.

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 Instead, we are to humble ourselves and know our place within God's created order.

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 Verses 4 to 7 then tell us that it is the king's prerogative to expel the wicked and reward the virtuous.

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 Read with me.

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 Take away the dross from the silver and the smith has material for a vessel.

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 Take away the wicked from the presence of the king and his throne will be established in righteousness.

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 Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great.

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 For it is better to be told, come up here, than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

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 The wicked have no place in a righteous kingdom, so they are to be expelled and we are to know our place

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 rather than engaging in shameless self-promotion.

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 It is the king's prerogative to promote deserving officials and reward deserving citizens.

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 If we put ourselves forward, we risk being spurned and humiliated.

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 This is very similar to the parable that Jesus tells in Luke 11.

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 So how does this apply to us?

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 If you're an intern who is supposed to be a wallflower taking copious notes in a room full of managers and executives,

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 don't offer your ideas like you have a place at the table.

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 Know your place.

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 If you're a student who has thought about this particular topic for a whole two hours during the lecture,

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 perhaps ask your professor who has devoted years studying the subject some questions

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 and seek to learn from him before you challenge him or dismiss him.

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 When you get face-to-face time with your boss's boss, don't use it as an opportunity for a shameless one-upmanship,

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 promoting yourself at the expense of others, your colleagues and your boss.

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 Don't talk to him like he's just warming up a seat that you're going to be occupying in a few years.

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 This is counter-cultural because we live in a culture of self-promotion.

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 But as Christians, we ought instead to humble ourselves,

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 know our place,

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 because we know that God who rules over all sees everything.

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 Similarly, verses 7-10 enjoin us to know our place and be slow to accuse our neighbors in court.

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 It says in verses 7-10,

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 What your eyes have seen do not hastily bring into court,

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 for what will you do in the end when your neighbor puts you to shame?

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 Argue your case with your neighbor himself and do not reveal another secret,

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 lest he who hears you bring shame upon you and your ill repute have no end.

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 How many times have you seen something that another person is doing and suspected something bad,

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 only to discover later that it was nothing at all?

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 This is often the case, especially in our culture of instant outrage.

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 A few years ago, there was a 15-second video clip of a Cubs baseball game that went viral on social media.

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 When the Cubs first base coach tossed a foul ball in the direction of a smiling boy in the stands,

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 he bobbled the ball,

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 and the man sitting above him promptly scooped it up

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 and gave the ball to the woman sitting next to him.

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 And this video was seen on live TV,

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 and so obviously it caused a social media firestorm.

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 And the man was clearly a thief who soullessly crushed this little boy's hopes and dreams.

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 And so came the curses, the threats,

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 and there was video evidence.

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 People saw it with their own eyes.

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 The Cubs public relations team quickly resolved the issue

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 by getting another ball signed by one of their star players and giving it to the boy.

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 But as they did that, they learned from the people sitting around the man

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 that that wasn't the whole story.

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 They learned that actually this same man had caught already three different balls before this ball,

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 and that with each ball, he had given it to the children around him,

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 including the boy that was sitting in front of him.

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 And this last ball that he caught,

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 he caught for himself so that he could give it to his wife,

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 and it was their anniversary.

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 But of course, people will outrage about it and don't care,

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 because they've seen it for themselves.

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 We need to question what we see,

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 because what we see isn't always the whole story.

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 Even when we see with our own eyes,

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 we often see through a keyhole.

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 It lacks proper context,

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 and that context is too frequently supplied by our own prejudices and suspicions.

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 According to the Innocence Project,

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 an organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals,

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 342 people have been exonerated as a result of DNA testing

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 since such testing became available in the 90s.

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 And over 70% of those wrongful convictions

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 were based on eyewitness testimony.

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 Our eyes are not infallible.

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 We rarely know all the facts and seldom interpret them rightly.

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 So we should be slow to charge our neighbors of wrongdoing

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 solely based on what we have seen.

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 Instead, it says,

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 you should argue your case with your neighbor himself

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 and do not reveal another secret.

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 This is akin to Jesus' admonition in Matthew 18

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 that before we involve anyone else,

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 that if your brother sins against you,

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 go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.

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 When we divulge another person's secret

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 based on what we have observed,

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 based on our partial knowledge,

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 our motives are often not as selfless

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 or righteous as we think they are.

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 When we become a tattletale,

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 an informant,

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 or a litigant,

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 we are often arrogating for ourselves

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 duties that are not ours

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 and shirking our duty to love our neighbor as ourselves.

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 Of course, there are situations

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 when we should report

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 to appropriate authorities

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 or to take someone to court,

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 but this proverb warns us against doing so hastily

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 on incomplete evidence.

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 Because then in the end,

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 we might be put to shame

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 and our ill repute have no end.

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 But the fact that we should argue our case

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 with our neighbors ourselves

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 does not mean that we should do so

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 in a harsh or rude way.

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 So verses 11 to 15 teach us

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 that the wise who fit snugly

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 into God's created order

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 are also characterized by timely fitting words.

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 He says,

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 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold

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 in a setting of silver.

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 Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold

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 is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

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 Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest

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 is a faithful messenger to those who send him.

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 He refreshes the soul of his masters.

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 Like clouds and wind without rain

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 is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.

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 With patience, a ruler may be persuaded

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 and a soft tongue will break a bone.

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 A brilliant gemstone requires a complimentary setting

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 in order to accentuate its beauty.

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 Likewise, even if the content of your words

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 are right and wise,

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 the manner in which you share them

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 as well as the timing of your words matter.

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 And a person who knows how to bring correction wisely

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 adorns the hearer like a gold ring

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 on a listening ear.

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 Similarly, a faithful messenger

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 by reliably relaying the words of his sender

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 brings refreshment to his masters

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 like the cold of snow in the time of harvest.

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 This is probably not referring to actual snow

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 at the time of harvest,

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 but the way the people in the Inchiniereus

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 at times would climb high mountains

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 to collect snow and ice

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 and store them in caves

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 so that they can use it

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 to refresh themselves on hot days.

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 And unlike this faithful messenger

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 who without fail delivers his message,

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 a man who boasts of a gift he does not give

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 is like clouds and wind without rain,

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 all bluster, no substance.

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 So all of these deal with timely speech.

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 And when it comes to the persuading a ruler,

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 the wise person also knows

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 that patience is called for

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 and that a soft tongue will break a bone.

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 This is such an important lesson for us

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 because we speak a lot of words.

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 We speak over 16,000 words per day

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 an average person.

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 If you count all the stuff we write

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 and publish online,

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 it's probably a lot more words than that.

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 Imagine if all of our words were well fitted,

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 if they were wise,

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 if they were true,

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 how transformative that would be

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 to our own lives and to our society.

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 And the wise also demonstrate

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 their well fittedness with self-control.

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 This is in verses 16 to 27.

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 Begin and end with the illustration of honey

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 to tell us about the importance of self-control.

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 First it says,

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 if you have found honey,

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 eat only enough for you,

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 lest you have your fill of it and vomit it.

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 This tells us that there's a critical difference

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 between a healthy appetite and greed.

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 And we must never cross that line.

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 And this limit applies even to something

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 as delicious and healthful as honey,

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 which had medicinal properties

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 that people in the ancient world used.

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 This limit also varies from person to person.

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 So it says,

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 eat only enough for you.

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 This once again is about knowing our place,

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 knowing our own limits.

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 Some people can process a lot of sugar,

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 but a diabetic can only consume small portions

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 as an occasional treat.

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 Some people's bodies can process

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 a fair amount of alcohol.

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 Some people can't.

00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:01.500
 Some people of East Asian descent, like me,

00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:03.940
 have deficiency in one of the enzymes

00:16:03.940 --> 00:16:05.379
 that breaks down alcohol.

00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:08.960
 If you have too much of honey,

00:16:09.320 --> 00:16:11.840
 you will have your fill of it and vomit it.

00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:15.399
 Bible scholar Derek Kidner puts it very memorably.

00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:16.419
 Quote,

00:16:16.580 --> 00:16:17.419
 Since Eden,

00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:20.720
 man has wanted the last ounce out of life

00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:22.980
 as though beyond God's enough

00:16:22.980 --> 00:16:25.639
 lay ecstasy, not nausea.

00:16:27.139 --> 00:16:28.860
 Beyond God's enough

00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:31.539
 lies nausea, not ecstasy.

00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:33.700
 Remember this every time

00:16:33.700 --> 00:16:36.480
 your appetite tries to get the better of you.

00:16:38.019 --> 00:16:39.820
 This proverb applies literally

00:16:39.820 --> 00:16:41.419
 to all kinds of food and drinks,

00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:43.399
 but it also applies figuratively

00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:44.740
 to all situations

00:16:44.740 --> 00:16:46.840
 that call for self-control and restraint.

00:16:47.820 --> 00:16:49.779
 We can see its figurative application

00:16:49.779 --> 00:16:50.659
 in verse 17.

00:16:50.659 --> 00:16:54.300
 Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house,

00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:57.220
 lest he have his fill of you.

00:16:57.220 --> 00:16:59.080
 Same expression as verse 16,

00:16:59.560 --> 00:17:00.279
 and hate you.

00:17:02.019 --> 00:17:04.420
 Even something as good as friendliness

00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:06.180
 and neighborliness

00:17:06.180 --> 00:17:08.120
 can be overdone.

00:17:09.559 --> 00:17:11.200
 This too means that we need to know

00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:12.920
 the limits of our neighbors.

00:17:14.019 --> 00:17:16.220
 Some people have a much higher capacity

00:17:16.220 --> 00:17:19.640
 for extended, repeated social interactions

00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:20.279
 than others.

00:17:20.860 --> 00:17:21.860
 If you look around,

00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:23.480
 you know exactly who those people are.

00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:25.740
 But other people

00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:27.220
 need more space.

00:17:28.539 --> 00:17:29.839
 So be considerate of your neighbor

00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:31.500
 and don't presume upon

00:17:31.500 --> 00:17:32.579
 your neighbor's hospitality.

00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:34.799
 Respect their privacy

00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:36.019
 and allow for some space.

00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:38.039
 This is what the English proverb,

00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:39.539
 good fences make good neighbors,

00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:40.000
 means.

00:17:40.700 --> 00:17:41.720
 It doesn't mean you should be

00:17:41.720 --> 00:17:42.420
 a bad neighbor.

00:17:42.539 --> 00:17:43.680
 You should be a friendly neighbor,

00:17:43.799 --> 00:17:44.960
 but it means that you should respect

00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:45.880
 your neighbor's boundaries.

00:17:47.299 --> 00:17:48.440
 Verse 17 tells us,

00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:49.700
 let your foot be seldom

00:17:49.700 --> 00:17:50.759
 in your neighbor's house.

00:17:50.860 --> 00:17:52.240
 Be seldom literally means

00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:55.039
 make rare or make precious.

00:17:55.859 --> 00:17:57.120
 Make it so that your neighbor

00:17:57.120 --> 00:17:58.700
 cherishes your visits

00:17:58.700 --> 00:18:00.059
 and delights when you come

00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:00.599
 through the door

00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:01.640
 rather than groans

00:18:01.640 --> 00:18:03.120
 when you come through the door.

00:18:04.259 --> 00:18:05.279
 Know your place.

00:18:06.220 --> 00:18:07.059
 Don't let your neighbor

00:18:07.059 --> 00:18:08.519
 have his fill of you

00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:09.279
 and hate you.

00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:12.400
 In contrast to the wise person

00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:13.579
 who is considerate of his neighbor,

00:18:14.140 --> 00:18:14.900
 verse 18 says,

00:18:14.980 --> 00:18:16.480
 a man who bears false witness

00:18:16.480 --> 00:18:17.400
 against his neighbor

00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:18.500
 is like a war club

00:18:18.500 --> 00:18:20.140
 or a sword or a sharp arrow.

00:18:20.140 --> 00:18:22.259
 He's like a soldier

00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:23.920
 who uses the full range

00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:25.200
 of the weapons at his disposal

00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.460
 to beat his enemy

00:18:26.460 --> 00:18:27.060
 to a pulp.

00:18:28.100 --> 00:18:28.640
 In short,

00:18:29.040 --> 00:18:29.600
 perjury,

00:18:30.340 --> 00:18:32.140
 lying in court

00:18:32.140 --> 00:18:34.520
 in order to convict

00:18:34.520 --> 00:18:35.259
 someone else

00:18:35.259 --> 00:18:37.300
 is an act of violence.

00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:41.120
 And such a treacherous neighbor

00:18:41.120 --> 00:18:42.640
 should never be trusted.

00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:45.520
 It says,

00:18:45.840 --> 00:18:46.759
 trusting in a treacherous man

00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:47.700
 in time of trouble

00:18:47.700 --> 00:18:49.340
 is like a bad tooth

00:18:49.340 --> 00:18:49.980
 or a foot

00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:51.060
 that slips.

00:18:51.300 --> 00:18:53.259
 It's such a fun

00:18:53.259 --> 00:18:54.380
 and helpful description.

00:18:55.080 --> 00:18:56.080
 I have a bad tooth

00:18:56.080 --> 00:18:56.800
 right now

00:18:56.800 --> 00:18:57.680
 because the filling

00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:58.759
 didn't work out too well

00:18:58.759 --> 00:19:00.340
 and I can't bite on it.

00:19:01.240 --> 00:19:02.880
 And an unreliable person,

00:19:02.980 --> 00:19:03.820
 a treacherous person

00:19:03.820 --> 00:19:04.800
 is just like that.

00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:06.820
 Just in that time of need.

00:19:06.940 --> 00:19:08.020
 When you need that person

00:19:08.020 --> 00:19:08.480
 the most,

00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:09.780
 he lets you down.

00:19:09.779 --> 00:19:13.519
 is undependable.

00:19:15.220 --> 00:19:16.539
 And this untimely betrayal

00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:17.480
 of a treacherous man

00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:18.859
 prompts the following discussion

00:19:18.859 --> 00:19:19.839
 about the importance

00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:20.559
 of timeliness,

00:19:20.779 --> 00:19:22.660
 of doing what fits the occasion.

00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:24.440
 Verse 20 says,

00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:25.619
 whoever sings songs

00:19:25.619 --> 00:19:26.460
 to a heavy heart

00:19:26.460 --> 00:19:27.740
 is like one who takes off

00:19:27.740 --> 00:19:29.039
 a garment on a cold day

00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:31.079
 and like vinegar on soda.

00:19:32.339 --> 00:19:33.859
 There is a time and place

00:19:33.859 --> 00:19:35.180
 for singing merry songs,

00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:37.319
 but to do so to a heavy heart

00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:38.619
 or to a sullen heart

00:19:38.619 --> 00:19:40.000
 is like one who takes

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:40.699
 off a garment

00:19:40.699 --> 00:19:42.459
 going shirtless

00:19:42.459 --> 00:19:43.639
 on a cold day like now.

00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:46.659
 And like vinegar on soda,

00:19:47.219 --> 00:19:47.399
 right?

00:19:47.679 --> 00:19:48.659
 Soda here refers

00:19:48.659 --> 00:19:50.599
 to sodium carbonate base.

00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:51.439
 So when you mix it

00:19:51.439 --> 00:19:52.500
 with acidic vinegar,

00:19:52.959 --> 00:19:53.879
 it bubbles up,

00:19:53.979 --> 00:19:54.959
 it reacts.

00:19:55.379 --> 00:19:57.399
 Like they don't fit together.

00:19:58.539 --> 00:19:59.919
 There's a time to weep

00:19:59.919 --> 00:20:01.059
 and a time to laugh.

00:20:01.379 --> 00:20:02.479
 And as Romans 12, 15,

00:20:02.579 --> 00:20:02.959
 Jesus says,

00:20:03.059 --> 00:20:03.959
 we are to rejoice

00:20:03.959 --> 00:20:04.959
 with those who rejoice,

00:20:05.459 --> 00:20:06.639
 weep with those who weep.

00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:07.900
 We are to know our place

00:20:07.900 --> 00:20:08.759
 and time

00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:10.380
 in our dealings with others.

00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:13.300
 And verses 21 to 22

00:20:13.300 --> 00:20:14.460
 continue this theme.

00:20:14.580 --> 00:20:15.820
 If your enemy is hungry,

00:20:16.420 --> 00:20:17.880
 give him bread to eat.

00:20:18.140 --> 00:20:19.480
 And if he is thirsty,

00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:21.080
 give him water to drink.

00:20:21.580 --> 00:20:22.400
 For you will heap

00:20:22.400 --> 00:20:23.700
 burning coals on his head

00:20:23.700 --> 00:20:25.540
 and the Lord will reward you.

00:20:26.520 --> 00:20:28.020
 The time when our enemy

00:20:28.020 --> 00:20:29.200
 is hungry might appear

00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:30.020
 at first to be

00:20:30.020 --> 00:20:31.580
 the prime time for revenge.

00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:32.860
 But it says,

00:20:32.980 --> 00:20:34.340
 instead of taking revenge,

00:20:34.339 --> 00:20:35.759
 we are to feed our enemy

00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:36.799
 in his time of need.

00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:38.959
 By refusing to stoop

00:20:38.959 --> 00:20:40.439
 to the same tit for tat

00:20:40.439 --> 00:20:41.919
 that our enemy engages in,

00:20:42.299 --> 00:20:43.740
 by taking the high road,

00:20:43.980 --> 00:20:45.779
 we will heap burning coals

00:20:45.779 --> 00:20:46.539
 on his head.

00:20:46.819 --> 00:20:47.899
 Because by doing so,

00:20:47.939 --> 00:20:48.740
 we show our enemy

00:20:48.740 --> 00:20:50.179
 that we are not like them,

00:20:50.679 --> 00:20:51.500
 that we occupy

00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:52.959
 the higher moral ground.

00:20:53.439 --> 00:20:54.319
 And because of this,

00:20:54.379 --> 00:20:55.939
 they will sizzle with shame

00:20:55.939 --> 00:20:57.079
 like they have burning coals

00:20:57.079 --> 00:20:58.159
 poured onto their heads.

00:20:59.339 --> 00:21:00.319
 One might object

00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:01.279
 that such an opportunity

00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:02.539
 to put one's enemy

00:21:02.539 --> 00:21:03.539
 back into his place

00:21:03.539 --> 00:21:05.039
 is too good to be squandered.

00:21:05.500 --> 00:21:06.879
 But we need not worry

00:21:06.879 --> 00:21:07.420
 about that.

00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.940
 That's not our place

00:21:08.940 --> 00:21:09.680
 to worry about.

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:10.299
 Because it says,

00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:12.200
 the Lord will reward us.

00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:13.819
 The Lord repays.

00:21:14.279 --> 00:21:15.980
 The vengeance is the Lord's.

00:21:16.879 --> 00:21:18.619
 As Paul quotes this proverb

00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:20.500
 in Romans 12, 17 to 21,

00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:23.019
 Repay no one evil for evil,

00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:24.159
 but give thought to do

00:21:24.159 --> 00:21:24.940
 what is honorable

00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:25.879
 in the sight of all.

00:21:26.359 --> 00:21:27.119
 If possible,

00:21:27.240 --> 00:21:28.700
 so far as it depends on you,

00:21:28.779 --> 00:21:29.960
 live peaceably with all.

00:21:29.960 --> 00:21:31.000
 Beloved,

00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:32.759
 never avenge yourselves,

00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:33.740
 but leave it

00:21:33.740 --> 00:21:34.819
 to the wrath of God.

00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:36.079
 For it is written,

00:21:36.579 --> 00:21:37.600
 vengeance is mine,

00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:38.500
 I will repay,

00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:39.279
 says the Lord.

00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:40.740
 To the contrary,

00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:41.819
 if your enemy is hungry,

00:21:41.980 --> 00:21:42.400
 feed him.

00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:43.120
 If he is thirsty,

00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:44.200
 give him something to drink.

00:21:44.620 --> 00:21:45.319
 For by so doing,

00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:46.400
 you will keep burning coals

00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:46.880
 on his head.

00:21:47.420 --> 00:21:48.380
 Do not be overcome

00:21:48.380 --> 00:21:49.079
 by evil,

00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:50.600
 but overcome evil

00:21:50.600 --> 00:21:51.900
 with good.

00:21:53.100 --> 00:21:53.900
 Remember this

00:21:53.900 --> 00:21:55.220
 when you feel tempted

00:21:55.220 --> 00:21:57.059
 to exact personal vengeance

00:21:57.059 --> 00:21:58.160
 on anyone in your life.

00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.860
 The vengeance is

00:21:59.860 --> 00:22:01.660
 the Lord's repay evil

00:22:01.660 --> 00:22:02.300
 with good.

00:22:04.080 --> 00:22:04.960
 And entrusting oneself

00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:05.800
 to God's vengeance

00:22:05.800 --> 00:22:07.580
 means that the wise person

00:22:07.580 --> 00:22:08.700
 avoids taking shots

00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:09.759
 at others in secret.

00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:11.800
 So verse 23 says,

00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:12.560
 The north wind

00:22:12.560 --> 00:22:13.580
 brings forth rain

00:22:13.580 --> 00:22:15.220
 and a backbiting tongue

00:22:15.220 --> 00:22:16.000
 angry looks.

00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:17.940
 This is an odd simile

00:22:17.940 --> 00:22:18.980
 because in Israel,

00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:20.840
 the west wind

00:22:20.840 --> 00:22:22.140
 usually brought rain,

00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:23.880
 not the north wind.

00:22:24.660 --> 00:22:25.200
 In fact,

00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:26.320
 the cold north wind

00:22:26.320 --> 00:22:27.660
 usually cleared the sky

00:22:27.660 --> 00:22:29.300
 and brought good visibility

00:22:29.300 --> 00:22:30.920
 that seafarers relied on.

00:22:31.660 --> 00:22:31.980
 So then,

00:22:32.060 --> 00:22:32.800
 a north wind

00:22:32.800 --> 00:22:34.100
 that brings forth rain

00:22:34.100 --> 00:22:34.900
 would have been

00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:35.940
 unexpected

00:22:35.940 --> 00:22:37.880
 and disastrous at times.

00:22:38.360 --> 00:22:39.440
 And that's precisely

00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:40.100
 the point

00:22:40.100 --> 00:22:41.200
 of this comparison.

00:22:42.019 --> 00:22:42.759
 The Hebrew word

00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:43.460
 for north

00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:44.960
 comes from the root

00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:46.160
 that means to hide,

00:22:47.019 --> 00:22:48.480
 referring to the northern region

00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:49.519
 as the hidden region

00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:50.060
 of the world.

00:22:50.620 --> 00:22:51.340
 And the phrase

00:22:51.340 --> 00:22:52.480
 backbiting tongue

00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:52.900
 in Hebrew

00:22:52.900 --> 00:22:53.460
 is literally

00:22:53.460 --> 00:22:55.000
 a tongue of hiding,

00:22:56.100 --> 00:22:57.580
 referring to hidden slander.

00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:59.120
 Like wind

00:22:59.120 --> 00:23:00.120
 from the hidden north

00:23:00.120 --> 00:23:00.680
 that brings

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:02.060
 unexpected rain,

00:23:02.060 --> 00:23:03.580
 the cold wind

00:23:03.580 --> 00:23:04.720
 of hidden slander

00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:06.360
 brings forth angry looks,

00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:08.480
 literally cursing faces.

00:23:09.220 --> 00:23:09.740
 The victim

00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:11.880
 of the backbiting tongue

00:23:11.880 --> 00:23:12.820
 is blindsided

00:23:12.820 --> 00:23:14.340
 because he turns

00:23:14.340 --> 00:23:14.779
 and sees

00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:15.840
 only angry looks

00:23:15.840 --> 00:23:16.840
 where he expected

00:23:16.840 --> 00:23:18.600
 to see friendly faces.

00:23:20.300 --> 00:23:20.700
 And similarly,

00:23:20.840 --> 00:23:21.680
 verse 24 says,

00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:22.640
 It is better to live

00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:23.120
 in the corner

00:23:23.120 --> 00:23:23.900
 of the housetop

00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:24.800
 than a house shared

00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:25.940
 with the quarrelsome wife.

00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:27.639
 One's home

00:23:27.639 --> 00:23:28.639
 is supposed to be

00:23:28.639 --> 00:23:29.859
 a place of safety

00:23:29.859 --> 00:23:30.579
 and peace.

00:23:31.159 --> 00:23:32.619
 But when one's house

00:23:32.619 --> 00:23:33.200
 is shared

00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:34.559
 with the quarrelsome spouse,

00:23:35.099 --> 00:23:36.480
 even the inhospitable

00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:37.919
 corner of the housetop

00:23:37.919 --> 00:23:38.700
 is preferable

00:23:38.700 --> 00:23:39.539
 to that home.

00:23:42.539 --> 00:23:43.680
 This is similar

00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:44.980
 to the unexpected

00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:45.779
 assaults

00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:48.559
 of the backbiting friend.

00:23:48.559 --> 00:23:51.119
 Now, in contrast

00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:52.419
 to this malicious slanderer,

00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:53.359
 verse 25 says,

00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:54.279
 Like cold water

00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:55.379
 to a thirsty soul,

00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:56.879
 so is good news

00:23:56.879 --> 00:23:58.460
 from a far country.

00:23:59.419 --> 00:24:00.019
 And continuing

00:24:00.019 --> 00:24:00.659
 this imagery

00:24:00.659 --> 00:24:01.399
 of a fountain

00:24:01.399 --> 00:24:02.659
 and source of water

00:24:02.659 --> 00:24:03.399
 tells us that

00:24:03.399 --> 00:24:04.220
 the wise person

00:24:04.220 --> 00:24:04.899
 should aspire

00:24:04.899 --> 00:24:05.519
 to be such

00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:06.779
 a refreshing life

00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:07.259
 giving water

00:24:07.259 --> 00:24:08.179
 to those around them.

00:24:08.539 --> 00:24:09.440
 But in order for us

00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:11.240
 to be a wellspring of life

00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:11.980
 that the proverb

00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:13.839
 describes the people

00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:14.940
 who are wise as,

00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:16.559
 it says in verse 26,

00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:18.139
 It's like a muddied spring

00:24:18.140 --> 00:24:19.600
 or a polluted fountain

00:24:19.600 --> 00:24:20.660
 is a righteous man

00:24:20.660 --> 00:24:21.560
 who gives way

00:24:21.560 --> 00:24:22.600
 before the wicked.

00:24:23.520 --> 00:24:25.080
 If we are to be

00:24:25.080 --> 00:24:26.160
 a wellspring of life

00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:27.240
 to those around us,

00:24:27.500 --> 00:24:28.980
 we must stand firmly

00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:30.280
 on our righteous convictions

00:24:30.280 --> 00:24:32.400
 and avoid compromise,

00:24:32.800 --> 00:24:34.180
 avoid being polluted.

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:36.420
 A muddy spring

00:24:36.420 --> 00:24:37.780
 or a polluted fountain

00:24:37.780 --> 00:24:39.320
 is particularly dangerous

00:24:39.320 --> 00:24:40.640
 because people

00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:41.820
 have already learned

00:24:41.820 --> 00:24:42.820
 to rely on that

00:24:42.820 --> 00:24:43.720
 source of truth

00:24:43.720 --> 00:24:44.380
 and wisdom.

00:24:45.020 --> 00:24:46.060
 And they might come again

00:24:46.060 --> 00:24:47.600
 to drink from that fountain

00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:49.059
 that has now been poisoned.

00:24:50.299 --> 00:24:50.980
 This is why

00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:52.359
 preachers who teach

00:24:52.359 --> 00:24:53.179
 false doctrine

00:24:53.179 --> 00:24:54.159
 are so insidious.

00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:56.079
 This is why

00:24:56.079 --> 00:24:57.240
 Paul exhorts Timothy

00:24:57.240 --> 00:24:59.240
 this way in 1 Timothy 4.16.

00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:01.000
 Keep a close watch

00:25:01.000 --> 00:25:01.639
 on yourselves

00:25:01.639 --> 00:25:03.339
 and on the teaching.

00:25:04.059 --> 00:25:05.059
 Persist in this

00:25:05.059 --> 00:25:06.039
 for by so doing

00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:06.639
 you will save

00:25:06.639 --> 00:25:07.459
 both yourself

00:25:07.459 --> 00:25:08.539
 and your hearers.

00:25:09.639 --> 00:25:10.459
 Brothers and sisters,

00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:11.500
 if we want to be

00:25:11.500 --> 00:25:12.519
 a wellspring of life

00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:13.439
 to those around us,

00:25:13.500 --> 00:25:14.699
 we must not compromise

00:25:14.700 --> 00:25:15.799
 with the wicked.

00:25:16.340 --> 00:25:17.120
 We must guard

00:25:17.120 --> 00:25:17.759
 our doctrine

00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:19.480
 and watch our lives

00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:20.460
 lest we become

00:25:20.460 --> 00:25:21.400
 a muddy spring

00:25:21.400 --> 00:25:23.019
 and a polluted fountain.

00:25:24.660 --> 00:25:25.740
 Verse 27,

00:25:25.900 --> 00:25:26.940
 which I already talked

00:25:26.940 --> 00:25:27.440
 about earlier,

00:25:27.539 --> 00:25:28.660
 then brackets this section

00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:30.140
 leaving us verse 28,

00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:31.680
 which is a Janus verse,

00:25:31.840 --> 00:25:32.819
 a transitional verse

00:25:32.819 --> 00:25:33.360
 that connects

00:25:33.360 --> 00:25:34.759
 the preceding passage

00:25:34.759 --> 00:25:36.240
 from the one following it.

00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:37.980
 And this verse

00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:38.740
 also speaks

00:25:38.740 --> 00:25:39.519
 of the importance

00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:40.400
 of self-control,

00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:42.360
 about knowing our boundaries,

00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:43.819
 knowing our place.

00:25:43.819 --> 00:25:45.079
 And it begins

00:25:45.079 --> 00:25:45.859
 the next section

00:25:45.859 --> 00:25:46.439
 which talks

00:25:46.439 --> 00:25:47.500
 about a catalog

00:25:47.500 --> 00:25:48.119
 of fools.

00:25:48.919 --> 00:25:49.740
 It's such a vivid

00:25:49.740 --> 00:25:50.759
 and insightful problem

00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:51.399
 so I'm going to dwell

00:25:51.399 --> 00:25:52.339
 on it for a little bit.

00:25:53.079 --> 00:25:53.299
 It says,

00:25:53.399 --> 00:25:54.919
 a man without self-control

00:25:54.919 --> 00:25:56.159
 is like a city

00:25:56.159 --> 00:25:57.119
 broken into

00:25:57.119 --> 00:25:59.119
 and left without walls.

00:26:00.500 --> 00:26:01.439
 Think about this.

00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:02.819
 People who lack

00:26:02.819 --> 00:26:03.639
 self-control

00:26:03.639 --> 00:26:05.419
 are always pushing

00:26:05.419 --> 00:26:06.500
 against the limits.

00:26:07.939 --> 00:26:09.159
 They see boundaries

00:26:09.159 --> 00:26:10.919
 as constrictive,

00:26:11.619 --> 00:26:12.159
 oppressive.

00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:14.700
 They flee discipline.

00:26:15.340 --> 00:26:16.240
 They seek freedom

00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:17.120
 from restraint.

00:26:18.060 --> 00:26:18.740
 But ironically,

00:26:19.600 --> 00:26:20.519
 he is like a city

00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:21.380
 broken into

00:26:21.380 --> 00:26:23.140
 and left without walls,

00:26:23.880 --> 00:26:25.420
 completely exposed

00:26:25.420 --> 00:26:26.080
 and vulnerable

00:26:26.080 --> 00:26:27.200
 to wild animals,

00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:29.560
 to marauders,

00:26:30.180 --> 00:26:31.120
 to enemy soldiers.

00:26:32.620 --> 00:26:34.080
 A wall is too restrictive,

00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:34.620
 he says.

00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:36.580
 I want to roam freely,

00:26:36.680 --> 00:26:37.160
 he says.

00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:38.820
 But little does he know

00:26:38.820 --> 00:26:39.680
 that the so-called

00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:40.980
 freedom he cherishes

00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:42.980
 is going to be

00:26:42.980 --> 00:26:43.759
 his perishing.

00:26:44.759 --> 00:26:46.540
 His lack of self-control,

00:26:47.140 --> 00:26:47.940
 because of it,

00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:49.060
 he gets taken advantage

00:26:49.060 --> 00:26:49.840
 of by others.

00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:50.820
 He falls easily

00:26:50.820 --> 00:26:51.660
 to temptations.

00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:52.840
 He fails to see

00:26:52.840 --> 00:26:53.720
 that his freedom

00:26:53.720 --> 00:26:54.560
 to sin

00:26:54.560 --> 00:26:55.800
 is actually

00:26:55.800 --> 00:26:57.440
 a slavery to sin.

00:26:59.019 --> 00:27:00.519
 His unruly desires

00:27:00.519 --> 00:27:01.279
 dominate him.

00:27:01.860 --> 00:27:03.120
 He has no true freedom

00:27:03.120 --> 00:27:04.580
 because true freedom

00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:05.599
 is only found

00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:06.740
 in servitude

00:27:06.740 --> 00:27:07.659
 to God

00:27:07.659 --> 00:27:08.279
 and his word.

00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:09.919
 This is why

00:27:09.919 --> 00:27:10.500
 in Exodus,

00:27:10.899 --> 00:27:12.319
 in freeing his people

00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:13.240
 from slavery in Egypt,

00:27:13.399 --> 00:27:14.500
 God says in Exodus 9,

00:27:14.579 --> 00:27:14.819
 1,

00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:16.319
 let my people go

00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:19.179
 that they may serve me.

00:27:20.619 --> 00:27:21.679
 Let them stop

00:27:21.679 --> 00:27:22.759
 being slaves of Pharaoh

00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:23.839
 so that they might be

00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:25.179
 my slaves,

00:27:25.379 --> 00:27:26.379
 my servants.

00:27:26.919 --> 00:27:28.000
 That's what it means

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.559
 to be free

00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:29.460
 as human beings.

00:27:31.659 --> 00:27:32.579
 To submit

00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:33.700
 to the lordship of God

00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:35.119
 is the only way

00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:36.559
 that man can be free.

00:27:37.500 --> 00:27:38.480
 Brothers and sisters,

00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:39.299
 I've seen

00:27:39.299 --> 00:27:40.460
 too many people

00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:41.720
 go astray

00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:42.339
 from God

00:27:42.339 --> 00:27:43.339
 because they think

00:27:43.339 --> 00:27:44.019
 his standards

00:27:44.019 --> 00:27:45.319
 are too restrictive

00:27:45.319 --> 00:27:46.700
 because they think

00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:47.359
 God's word

00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:49.039
 to be too constricting.

00:27:49.579 --> 00:27:50.759
 That seems so strict,

00:27:50.859 --> 00:27:51.259
 they say.

00:27:51.700 --> 00:27:52.900
 That's so legalistic.

00:27:53.339 --> 00:27:54.440
 That's so traditional.

00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:56.119
 But brothers and sisters,

00:27:56.119 --> 00:27:57.180
 I plead with you

00:27:57.180 --> 00:27:58.680
 when you run into walls

00:27:58.680 --> 00:27:59.879
 in God's word,

00:28:00.379 --> 00:28:01.000
 don't think,

00:28:01.099 --> 00:28:02.359
 I wonder what this wall

00:28:02.359 --> 00:28:03.819
 is keeping me from.

00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:05.039
 I wonder what I'm

00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:06.000
 being deprived of.

00:28:06.059 --> 00:28:06.359
 Instead,

00:28:06.519 --> 00:28:07.180
 ask yourself,

00:28:07.559 --> 00:28:08.920
 I wonder what this wall

00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:10.200
 is protecting me from.

00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:13.279
 I wonder what good thing

00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:14.700
 God is preserving me for.

00:28:16.940 --> 00:28:17.960
 As soon as you

00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:19.140
 break down the boundaries

00:28:19.140 --> 00:28:20.220
 that God has placed

00:28:20.220 --> 00:28:20.779
 around you

00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:21.860
 for your flourishing,

00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:23.319
 you will find

00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:23.960
 that you are like

00:28:23.960 --> 00:28:25.440
 a city broken into

00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:27.539
 and left without walls.

00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:30.319
 Enslaved to the passions

00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:31.000
 of the flesh.

00:28:31.600 --> 00:28:32.700
 Enslaved to the patterns

00:28:32.700 --> 00:28:33.360
 of this world.

00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:35.220
 And enslaved to the prince

00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:36.240
 of the power of the air.

00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:42.359
 And this introduces

00:28:42.359 --> 00:28:43.680
 chapter 26,

00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:44.380
 which gives us

00:28:44.380 --> 00:28:45.640
 a catalog of fools

00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:46.500
 who do not know

00:28:46.500 --> 00:28:47.180
 their place,

00:28:47.960 --> 00:28:48.880
 unlike the wise

00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:49.460
 who are humble

00:28:49.460 --> 00:28:50.339
 and know their place

00:28:50.339 --> 00:28:51.319
 in God's created order.

00:28:52.059 --> 00:28:53.880
 The fools do not fit

00:28:53.880 --> 00:28:55.480
 into God's created order.

00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:57.819
 And this chapter

00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:58.440
 is organized

00:28:58.440 --> 00:28:59.420
 in ascending order

00:28:59.420 --> 00:29:00.960
 so that the type of fools

00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:01.819
 described in this chapter

00:29:01.819 --> 00:29:03.519
 get progressively worse,

00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:04.859
 going from the simple fool

00:29:04.859 --> 00:29:06.039
 to the sluggard,

00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:07.620
 and then to the quarreler

00:29:07.620 --> 00:29:08.380
 and ultimately

00:29:08.380 --> 00:29:09.140
 to the hater,

00:29:09.539 --> 00:29:10.400
 a murderous hater.

00:29:11.279 --> 00:29:11.980
 So first up

00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:12.859
 is a simple fool

00:29:12.859 --> 00:29:14.019
 in verses 1 to 12.

00:29:14.140 --> 00:29:14.960
 It says in verse 1,

00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:16.120
 like snow in summer

00:29:16.120 --> 00:29:17.099
 or rain in harvest,

00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:18.920
 so honor is not fitting

00:29:18.920 --> 00:29:19.660
 for a fool.

00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:21.240
 This word honor

00:29:21.240 --> 00:29:22.339
 is the same Hebrew word

00:29:22.339 --> 00:29:23.559
 that was translated glory

00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:24.380
 earlier

00:29:24.380 --> 00:29:26.279
 in the previous chapter.

00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:28.079
 And so here,

00:29:28.279 --> 00:29:28.799
 the glory,

00:29:28.940 --> 00:29:29.420
 there's a glory

00:29:29.420 --> 00:29:30.420
 that's reserved for God

00:29:30.420 --> 00:29:30.900
 and a glory

00:29:30.900 --> 00:29:31.900
 that's reserved for kings

00:29:31.900 --> 00:29:33.140
 and we should know

00:29:33.140 --> 00:29:33.620
 our place

00:29:33.620 --> 00:29:34.579
 and not search out

00:29:34.579 --> 00:29:35.000
 the glory

00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:37.460
 that is not ours.

00:29:38.119 --> 00:29:39.059
 And chapter 26

00:29:39.059 --> 00:29:39.779
 also begins

00:29:39.779 --> 00:29:40.680
 with this notion

00:29:40.680 --> 00:29:41.200
 of glory

00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:42.079
 by telling us

00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:43.420
 that there is no place

00:29:43.420 --> 00:29:44.859
 in God's created order

00:29:44.859 --> 00:29:45.559
 where the fool

00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:47.000
 should receive glory.

00:29:47.819 --> 00:29:48.759
 It doesn't fit

00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:50.380
 like snow in summer

00:29:50.380 --> 00:29:51.559
 or rain in harvest,

00:29:52.059 --> 00:29:55.220
 which would be disastrous

00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:57.359
 in an agricultural society.

00:29:57.359 --> 00:29:59.379
 And that's the case

00:29:59.379 --> 00:29:59.919
 with the fool

00:29:59.919 --> 00:30:00.659
 that has honor.

00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:02.119
 Unfortunately,

00:30:02.359 --> 00:30:03.299
 this inappropriate

00:30:03.299 --> 00:30:04.699
 elevation of fools

00:30:04.699 --> 00:30:06.419
 happens all too often

00:30:06.419 --> 00:30:07.099
 in our culture

00:30:07.099 --> 00:30:08.439
 because we have

00:30:08.439 --> 00:30:09.479
 a celebrity culture.

00:30:10.419 --> 00:30:10.779
 Nowadays,

00:30:10.979 --> 00:30:12.219
 the heroes of our culture

00:30:12.219 --> 00:30:13.039
 are not known

00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:14.159
 for their great virtues.

00:30:14.719 --> 00:30:15.799
 The heroes of our culture

00:30:15.799 --> 00:30:16.539
 are known merely

00:30:16.539 --> 00:30:17.539
 for their popularity.

00:30:18.419 --> 00:30:19.379
 And too often,

00:30:19.779 --> 00:30:21.339
 vain and foolish people

00:30:21.339 --> 00:30:23.179
 are idolizing our culture

00:30:23.179 --> 00:30:24.659
 of self-promotion.

00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:27.700
 But such elevation,

00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:28.840
 such honor given

00:30:28.840 --> 00:30:29.340
 to fools

00:30:29.340 --> 00:30:30.800
 harms society.

00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:33.160
 Verse 2 continues,

00:30:33.320 --> 00:30:34.180
 Like a sparrow

00:30:34.180 --> 00:30:34.940
 in its fleeting,

00:30:35.060 --> 00:30:35.800
 like a swallow

00:30:35.800 --> 00:30:36.600
 in its flying,

00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:38.120
 a curse that is causeless

00:30:38.120 --> 00:30:39.340
 does not alight.

00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:40.960
 God is the one

00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:41.700
 who enforces

00:30:41.700 --> 00:30:42.759
 blessings and curses,

00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:44.019
 so if an undeserving,

00:30:44.200 --> 00:30:44.940
 innocent person

00:30:44.940 --> 00:30:46.060
 is cursed by the wicked,

00:30:46.220 --> 00:30:47.400
 God will not fulfill it.

00:30:48.080 --> 00:30:49.400
 A causeless curse

00:30:49.400 --> 00:30:50.600
 is like a mail

00:30:50.600 --> 00:30:51.500
 without postage.

00:30:51.500 --> 00:30:52.700
 It will not be delivered.

00:30:52.700 --> 00:30:54.940
 And such a curse

00:30:54.940 --> 00:30:56.160
 is like a bird

00:30:56.160 --> 00:30:56.920
 that flutters

00:30:56.920 --> 00:30:57.880
 and flits about

00:30:57.880 --> 00:30:59.299
 never landing in a spot.

00:31:00.140 --> 00:31:01.680
 The root of the Hebrew word

00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:02.819
 curse means

00:31:02.819 --> 00:31:04.019
 to esteem

00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:05.960
 or treat someone lightly.

00:31:06.680 --> 00:31:08.120
 It's the exact opposite

00:31:08.120 --> 00:31:09.200
 of the word honor

00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:10.600
 used in verse 1,

00:31:10.700 --> 00:31:11.080
 which means

00:31:11.080 --> 00:31:11.759
 to esteem

00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:13.620
 or treat someone heavily,

00:31:14.059 --> 00:31:15.059
 meaning to give weight

00:31:15.059 --> 00:31:15.660
 to someone.

00:31:16.539 --> 00:31:17.039
 And so there's

00:31:17.039 --> 00:31:18.980
 an intentional contrast here.

00:31:18.980 --> 00:31:19.840
 In the same way

00:31:19.840 --> 00:31:20.660
 that honor,

00:31:20.819 --> 00:31:21.680
 counting heavy,

00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:23.200
 is unfitting for a fool,

00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:24.980
 this honor occurs

00:31:24.980 --> 00:31:25.799
 counting lightly

00:31:25.799 --> 00:31:26.519
 is unfitting

00:31:26.519 --> 00:31:27.279
 for a wise,

00:31:27.700 --> 00:31:28.420
 righteous person.

00:31:29.560 --> 00:31:30.680
 What is fitting

00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:31.259
 for a fool,

00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:31.720
 it says,

00:31:31.799 --> 00:31:32.980
 discipline and punishment,

00:31:33.100 --> 00:31:33.980
 it says in verse 3,

00:31:34.580 --> 00:31:35.680
 a whip for the horse,

00:31:35.799 --> 00:31:36.900
 a bridle for the donkey,

00:31:37.140 --> 00:31:37.740
 and a rod

00:31:37.740 --> 00:31:38.680
 for the back of fools.

00:31:39.360 --> 00:31:40.480
 A whip can tame

00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:41.660
 and teach a horse,

00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:42.420
 and a bridle

00:31:42.420 --> 00:31:43.660
 can control a donkey.

00:31:44.100 --> 00:31:44.420
 Likewise,

00:31:44.600 --> 00:31:45.880
 a rod has the potential

00:31:45.880 --> 00:31:46.799
 to restrain

00:31:46.799 --> 00:31:48.140
 and teach a fool.

00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:49.700
 And the fool

00:31:49.700 --> 00:31:50.720
 is here compared

00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:51.539
 to animals

00:31:51.539 --> 00:31:52.319
 that respond

00:31:52.319 --> 00:31:53.900
 more to physical stimuli

00:31:53.900 --> 00:31:55.380
 than to reasoning.

00:31:56.440 --> 00:31:57.319
 And this is why

00:31:57.319 --> 00:31:57.840
 it is foolish

00:31:57.840 --> 00:31:58.819
 to try to reason

00:31:58.819 --> 00:31:59.519
 with fools.

00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:00.440
 It says in verse 4,

00:32:00.700 --> 00:32:02.019
 answer not a fool

00:32:02.019 --> 00:32:03.259
 according to his folly,

00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:05.340
 lest you be like him yourself.

00:32:06.200 --> 00:32:07.240
 This is a really

00:32:07.240 --> 00:32:08.819
 fascinating couplet

00:32:08.819 --> 00:32:10.580
 because verse 4

00:32:10.580 --> 00:32:11.700
 appears to advise

00:32:11.700 --> 00:32:13.519
 against answering a fool.

00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:14.799
 It means

00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:16.360
 don't engage with fools

00:32:16.360 --> 00:32:17.019
 in their folly,

00:32:17.019 --> 00:32:18.180
 don't waste your time

00:32:18.180 --> 00:32:18.539
 on them,

00:32:18.900 --> 00:32:19.779
 lest you make a fool

00:32:19.779 --> 00:32:20.400
 of yourself.

00:32:21.339 --> 00:32:21.639
 However,

00:32:21.700 --> 00:32:22.660
 if you look at verse 5,

00:32:22.700 --> 00:32:23.599
 immediately after this,

00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:24.579
 this seems to advise

00:32:24.579 --> 00:32:25.799
 the exact opposite.

00:32:26.619 --> 00:32:27.500
 Answer a fool

00:32:27.500 --> 00:32:28.839
 according to his folly,

00:32:29.420 --> 00:32:30.599
 lest he be wise

00:32:30.599 --> 00:32:31.859
 in his own eyes.

00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:33.059
 Now,

00:32:33.180 --> 00:32:33.920
 this verse appears

00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:35.139
 to say that we should

00:32:35.139 --> 00:32:35.940
 answer the fool,

00:32:36.180 --> 00:32:36.859
 lest he continue

00:32:36.859 --> 00:32:37.779
 under the delusion

00:32:37.779 --> 00:32:38.920
 that his folly is wise.

00:32:39.859 --> 00:32:40.839
 These two verses

00:32:40.839 --> 00:32:41.519
 are not only

00:32:41.519 --> 00:32:42.539
 structurally parallel,

00:32:42.680 --> 00:32:44.119
 they also are connected

00:32:44.119 --> 00:32:45.259
 by similar sounds,

00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:46.519
 creating a rhyming effect.

00:32:46.519 --> 00:32:47.639
 And they're meant

00:32:47.639 --> 00:32:48.879
 to be interpreted together.

00:32:49.759 --> 00:32:50.740
 The key to resolving

00:32:50.740 --> 00:32:52.359
 this apparent contradiction

00:32:52.359 --> 00:32:54.039
 is to interpret

00:32:54.039 --> 00:32:54.980
 the same phrase,

00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:55.960
 the ambiguous phrase,

00:32:56.059 --> 00:32:57.119
 according to his folly

00:32:57.119 --> 00:32:58.299
 in light of its

00:32:58.299 --> 00:32:59.460
 immediate context.

00:33:00.299 --> 00:33:01.000
 Verse 4 says,

00:33:01.400 --> 00:33:02.220
 answer not a fool

00:33:02.220 --> 00:33:03.200
 according to his folly,

00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:05.579
 lest you be like him yourself.

00:33:05.799 --> 00:33:07.099
 That's the interpretive key.

00:33:08.039 --> 00:33:09.359
 When does answering a fool

00:33:09.359 --> 00:33:10.460
 according to his folly

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.980
 make you a fool yourself?

00:33:12.940 --> 00:33:14.599
 Verse 4 is warning us

00:33:14.599 --> 00:33:15.900
 against answering a fool

00:33:15.900 --> 00:33:16.800
 in the manner

00:33:16.800 --> 00:33:17.519
 of a fool.

00:33:18.360 --> 00:33:18.980
 It's saying,

00:33:19.320 --> 00:33:20.780
 don't stoop to his level.

00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:23.320
 Don't answer in kind.

00:33:23.800 --> 00:33:24.759
 When he says,

00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:25.120
 well,

00:33:25.140 --> 00:33:26.000
 you're just stupid,

00:33:26.580 --> 00:33:28.000
 don't respond by saying,

00:33:28.120 --> 00:33:28.259
 well,

00:33:28.320 --> 00:33:29.040
 I have more degrees

00:33:29.040 --> 00:33:29.420
 than you.

00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:31.200
 To do so

00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:32.019
 is to be reduced

00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:33.680
 to a fool yourself.

00:33:35.300 --> 00:33:36.080
 Answering a fool

00:33:36.080 --> 00:33:37.019
 according to his folly.

00:33:37.680 --> 00:33:38.240
 Verse 5,

00:33:38.280 --> 00:33:38.860
 on the other hand,

00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:39.180
 says,

00:33:39.400 --> 00:33:40.220
 answer a fool

00:33:40.220 --> 00:33:41.220
 according to his folly,

00:33:41.220 --> 00:33:43.160
 lest he be wise

00:33:43.160 --> 00:33:44.319
 in his own eyes.

00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:47.279
 So that's the interpretive key.

00:33:47.920 --> 00:33:49.700
 This problem is not telling us

00:33:49.700 --> 00:33:51.740
 to adopt the fool's way of thinking

00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:53.480
 because the goal

00:33:53.480 --> 00:33:54.519
 of answering the fool

00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:55.819
 is to prevent him

00:33:55.819 --> 00:33:57.079
 from being wise

00:33:57.079 --> 00:33:58.259
 in his own eyes.

00:33:59.259 --> 00:34:00.700
 If we merely confirm

00:34:00.700 --> 00:34:01.420
 his worldview

00:34:01.420 --> 00:34:03.000
 or adopt his perspective,

00:34:03.360 --> 00:34:04.759
 then we are leaving him

00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:06.759
 in his disastrous delusions,

00:34:06.759 --> 00:34:09.940
 which is the exact opposite

00:34:09.940 --> 00:34:10.619
 of what this verse

00:34:10.619 --> 00:34:11.519
 is telling us to do.

00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:12.739
 Instead,

00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:13.619
 verse 5

00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:14.420
 is telling us

00:34:14.420 --> 00:34:16.320
 to address the fool's folly

00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:17.880
 and expose it,

00:34:18.460 --> 00:34:19.500
 poke holes in it,

00:34:19.940 --> 00:34:21.179
 to enlighten the fool

00:34:21.179 --> 00:34:22.039
 with true wisdom

00:34:22.039 --> 00:34:23.460
 so that he will no longer

00:34:23.460 --> 00:34:24.139
 be wise

00:34:24.139 --> 00:34:24.960
 in his own eyes.

00:34:26.099 --> 00:34:27.179
 Verses 4 and 5

00:34:27.179 --> 00:34:28.519
 are not contradictory,

00:34:28.780 --> 00:34:30.139
 advising that you apply

00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:30.659
 these things

00:34:30.659 --> 00:34:31.820
 in different situations.

00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:33.500
 They nuance each other

00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:34.460
 and are to be understood

00:34:34.460 --> 00:34:35.559
 together

00:34:35.559 --> 00:34:36.799
 and both of them

00:34:36.799 --> 00:34:38.239
 are true simultaneously.

00:34:39.420 --> 00:34:40.460
 Paul actually gives us

00:34:40.460 --> 00:34:41.739
 a wonderful example of this

00:34:41.739 --> 00:34:43.759
 in 2 Corinthians chapter 11.

00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:46.500
 11 and 12.

00:34:46.820 --> 00:34:47.799
 The Corinthian believers

00:34:47.799 --> 00:34:49.199
 are being led astray

00:34:49.199 --> 00:34:49.960
 in that context

00:34:49.960 --> 00:34:51.039
 by the false teaching

00:34:51.039 --> 00:34:52.360
 of these fake apostles

00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:54.000
 who were styling themselves

00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:55.259
 as super apostles.

00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:58.199
 And the Corinthians believed

00:34:58.199 --> 00:34:59.299
 that these super apostles

00:34:59.299 --> 00:35:01.079
 were more qualified,

00:35:01.299 --> 00:35:01.980
 more eloquent,

00:35:02.299 --> 00:35:03.699
 and more knowledgeable

00:35:03.699 --> 00:35:04.239
 than Paul

00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:05.019
 and believed that

00:35:05.019 --> 00:35:06.179
 that's why they demanded

00:35:06.179 --> 00:35:07.440
 a premium honorarium

00:35:07.440 --> 00:35:09.079
 compared to Paul

00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:10.039
 who labored among them

00:35:10.039 --> 00:35:10.500
 for free.

00:35:11.460 --> 00:35:12.759
 But Paul dispels

00:35:12.759 --> 00:35:13.960
 the Corinthians' folly

00:35:13.960 --> 00:35:15.739
 by answering them

00:35:15.739 --> 00:35:17.239
 according to their folly.

00:35:17.980 --> 00:35:19.679
 He lists all of his

00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:21.699
 fleshly, worldly qualifications

00:35:21.699 --> 00:35:23.320
 in order to demonstrate

00:35:23.320 --> 00:35:25.079
 that he is in no wise

00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:26.259
 inferior to these

00:35:26.259 --> 00:35:27.599
 so-called super apostles.

00:35:28.380 --> 00:35:29.619
 He argues according

00:35:29.619 --> 00:35:31.159
 to the Corinthians' terms

00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:32.659
 because his refusal

00:35:32.659 --> 00:35:33.679
 to do so would have

00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:34.519
 only confirmed

00:35:34.519 --> 00:35:35.599
 the foolish Corinthians'

00:35:36.039 --> 00:35:36.659
 misjudgments.

00:35:37.659 --> 00:35:38.379
 But now,

00:35:38.440 --> 00:35:39.899
 if that's all that Paul did,

00:35:40.299 --> 00:35:41.219
 he would be violating

00:35:41.219 --> 00:35:41.859
 verse 4

00:35:41.859 --> 00:35:43.239
 and making a fool

00:35:43.239 --> 00:35:43.739
 of himself.

00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:45.199
 But that's not

00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:46.059
 what Paul does.

00:35:46.420 --> 00:35:47.559
 Even as he boasts

00:35:47.559 --> 00:35:49.059
 of his worldly accomplishments

00:35:49.059 --> 00:35:49.940
 and qualifications,

00:35:50.599 --> 00:35:51.759
 Paul says repeatedly

00:35:51.759 --> 00:35:52.819
 that he is speaking

00:35:52.819 --> 00:35:54.179
 as if he were a fool.

00:35:54.960 --> 00:35:56.019
 And he does this,

00:35:56.039 --> 00:35:56.399
 he says,

00:35:56.399 --> 00:35:57.599
 in order to expose

00:35:57.599 --> 00:35:58.799
 the Corinthians' folly

00:35:58.799 --> 00:36:00.360
 not to leave them

00:36:00.360 --> 00:36:01.319
 in their delusions

00:36:01.319 --> 00:36:02.179
 of being wise

00:36:02.179 --> 00:36:03.000
 in their own eyes.

00:36:03.900 --> 00:36:04.779
 He tells them

00:36:04.779 --> 00:36:05.779
 that boasting about

00:36:05.779 --> 00:36:06.719
 such fleshly,

00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:08.139
 worldly strengths

00:36:08.139 --> 00:36:09.199
 is useless

00:36:09.199 --> 00:36:10.519
 and says this

00:36:10.519 --> 00:36:11.900
 in 2 Corinthians 12, 9,

00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:12.799
 I will boast

00:36:12.799 --> 00:36:13.759
 all the more gladly

00:36:13.759 --> 00:36:14.819
 of my weaknesses

00:36:14.819 --> 00:36:16.360
 so that the power

00:36:16.360 --> 00:36:18.019
 of Christ may rest upon me.

00:36:19.000 --> 00:36:20.339
 Paul contrasts

00:36:20.339 --> 00:36:20.960
 the sign

00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:21.940
 and credentials

00:36:21.940 --> 00:36:22.799
 that the so-called

00:36:22.799 --> 00:36:23.480
 super apostles

00:36:23.480 --> 00:36:24.079
 were offering

00:36:24.079 --> 00:36:25.279
 with the signs

00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:26.519
 of a true apostle

00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:27.480
 in chapter 12,

00:36:27.540 --> 00:36:28.040
 verse 12.

00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:29.900
 By doing this,

00:36:29.960 --> 00:36:30.519
 Paul follows

00:36:30.519 --> 00:36:31.160
 the admonitions

00:36:31.160 --> 00:36:32.280
 of both verse 4

00:36:32.280 --> 00:36:33.560
 and verse 5

00:36:33.560 --> 00:36:34.540
 and we ought

00:36:34.540 --> 00:36:35.400
 to do the same

00:36:35.400 --> 00:36:36.600
 and teach fools

00:36:36.600 --> 00:36:37.960
 to know their place.

00:36:39.180 --> 00:36:40.560
 But we must be cautious

00:36:40.560 --> 00:36:41.440
 not to form

00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:43.000
 unwise associations

00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:43.600
 with fools

00:36:43.600 --> 00:36:44.300
 because according

00:36:44.300 --> 00:36:45.460
 to verses 6 to 10,

00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:46.980
 they are unreliable

00:36:46.980 --> 00:36:47.860
 and volatile.

00:36:49.100 --> 00:36:49.860
 Though we teach them

00:36:49.860 --> 00:36:50.500
 God's wisdom,

00:36:50.940 --> 00:36:51.780
 they only grasp

00:36:51.780 --> 00:36:52.860
 the form of wisdom

00:36:52.860 --> 00:36:54.080
 and not its substance.

00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:56.260
 That's what verses

00:36:56.260 --> 00:36:57.880
 6 to 10 are about.

00:36:58.040 --> 00:36:58.600
 They're structured

00:36:58.600 --> 00:36:59.160
 chiastically

00:36:59.160 --> 00:37:00.460
 with parallel elements

00:37:00.460 --> 00:37:01.640
 with the central element

00:37:01.640 --> 00:37:05.340
 being verse 8.

00:37:06.100 --> 00:37:06.900
 Like one who binds

00:37:06.900 --> 00:37:07.820
 a stone in a sling

00:37:07.820 --> 00:37:08.560
 is one who gives

00:37:08.560 --> 00:37:09.340
 honor to a fool.

00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:11.540
 These verses speak

00:37:11.540 --> 00:37:13.280
 of how unreliable

00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:14.120
 the fool is

00:37:14.120 --> 00:37:15.900
 and how the proverb

00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:16.600
 is wasted

00:37:16.600 --> 00:37:17.180
 on their mouths

00:37:17.180 --> 00:37:18.040
 because they don't know

00:37:18.040 --> 00:37:19.400
 actually how to apply it

00:37:19.400 --> 00:37:20.460
 or to use it.

00:37:22.120 --> 00:37:22.940
 And it says

00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:23.660
 in verse 11,

00:37:23.659 --> 00:37:24.460
 like a dog

00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:25.119
 that returns

00:37:25.119 --> 00:37:25.879
 to his vomit

00:37:25.879 --> 00:37:26.980
 is a fool

00:37:26.980 --> 00:37:27.659
 who repeats

00:37:27.659 --> 00:37:28.259
 his folly.

00:37:29.480 --> 00:37:30.019
 This proverb

00:37:30.019 --> 00:37:31.019
 is harder

00:37:31.019 --> 00:37:31.839
 for us to understand

00:37:31.839 --> 00:37:32.899
 because one of the

00:37:32.899 --> 00:37:33.579
 kinds of dogs

00:37:33.579 --> 00:37:34.199
 that we see

00:37:34.199 --> 00:37:34.960
 in our area

00:37:34.960 --> 00:37:36.440
 is our cute dogs

00:37:36.440 --> 00:37:37.239
 and pet dogs

00:37:37.239 --> 00:37:38.099
 that are well trained.

00:37:38.739 --> 00:37:39.920
 But don't imagine

00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:40.420
 that dog.

00:37:40.539 --> 00:37:41.539
 Dogs back in the day

00:37:41.539 --> 00:37:43.059
 and still in many parts

00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:43.579
 of the world

00:37:43.579 --> 00:37:44.799
 are wild,

00:37:45.239 --> 00:37:46.879
 disgusting scavengers.

00:37:48.159 --> 00:37:49.619
 According to details

00:37:49.619 --> 00:37:50.599
 in scripture,

00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:51.739
 they eat garbage,

00:37:52.199 --> 00:37:53.039
 they eat carcasses

00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:54.219
 and lick the blood

00:37:54.219 --> 00:37:54.699
 of the dead.

00:37:55.460 --> 00:37:56.519
 And for this reason,

00:37:56.619 --> 00:37:57.239
 they are sometimes

00:37:57.239 --> 00:37:58.719
 used figuratively

00:37:58.719 --> 00:38:00.199
 to describe evildoers.

00:38:01.159 --> 00:38:02.539
 A dog would return

00:38:02.539 --> 00:38:03.619
 to its vomit,

00:38:04.079 --> 00:38:04.639
 smell it,

00:38:04.860 --> 00:38:05.219
 lick it,

00:38:05.279 --> 00:38:06.579
 and eventually eat it.

00:38:07.079 --> 00:38:08.719
 And that revolting behavior

00:38:08.719 --> 00:38:09.960
 is used

00:38:09.960 --> 00:38:11.839
 to turn us

00:38:11.839 --> 00:38:12.380
 against

00:38:12.380 --> 00:38:14.039
 being a fool,

00:38:14.099 --> 00:38:14.440
 a fool

00:38:14.440 --> 00:38:15.000
 who repeats

00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:15.500
 his folly.

00:38:16.559 --> 00:38:17.239
 This proverb

00:38:17.239 --> 00:38:17.719
 is cited

00:38:17.719 --> 00:38:18.799
 in 2 Peter 2,

00:38:18.879 --> 00:38:19.619
 20-22

00:38:19.619 --> 00:38:20.659
 to describe

00:38:20.659 --> 00:38:21.119
 those who have

00:38:21.119 --> 00:38:22.399
 escaped the defilements

00:38:22.399 --> 00:38:23.000
 of the world

00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:24.119
 through the knowledge

00:38:24.119 --> 00:38:25.119
 of our Lord and Savior

00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:25.899
 Jesus Christ,

00:38:26.099 --> 00:38:27.000
 but are again

00:38:27.000 --> 00:38:28.139
 entangled in them

00:38:28.139 --> 00:38:28.759
 and overcome

00:38:28.759 --> 00:38:30.079
 so that the last state

00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:31.319
 has become worse

00:38:31.319 --> 00:38:31.739
 for them

00:38:31.739 --> 00:38:32.759
 than the first.

00:38:33.959 --> 00:38:35.059
 Whenever you feel

00:38:35.059 --> 00:38:35.599
 the allure

00:38:35.599 --> 00:38:36.719
 of the sinful world,

00:38:36.819 --> 00:38:37.619
 I pray that this

00:38:37.619 --> 00:38:38.599
 revolting picture

00:38:38.599 --> 00:38:39.659
 will come to your mind,

00:38:40.159 --> 00:38:40.759
 to returning

00:38:40.759 --> 00:38:41.799
 to your vomit,

00:38:42.339 --> 00:38:43.099
 returning to your

00:38:43.099 --> 00:38:44.139
 former way of life,

00:38:44.239 --> 00:38:45.059
 your way of sin,

00:38:45.599 --> 00:38:47.059
 is like returning

00:38:47.059 --> 00:38:47.840
 to a vomit.

00:38:48.699 --> 00:38:49.920
 It cannot satisfy you

00:38:49.920 --> 00:38:50.659
 or nourish you.

00:38:51.820 --> 00:38:52.519
 And then verse 12

00:38:52.519 --> 00:38:53.460
 issues a final warning

00:38:53.460 --> 00:38:54.519
 about the simple fool.

00:38:54.980 --> 00:38:55.699
 Do you see a man

00:38:55.699 --> 00:38:56.380
 who is wise

00:38:56.380 --> 00:38:57.079
 in his own eyes?

00:38:57.179 --> 00:38:57.900
 There is more hope

00:38:57.900 --> 00:38:58.559
 for a fool

00:38:58.559 --> 00:38:59.840
 than for him.

00:39:01.059 --> 00:39:01.779
 The fool

00:39:01.779 --> 00:39:02.460
 who repeats

00:39:02.460 --> 00:39:04.579
 his own folly

00:39:04.579 --> 00:39:06.199
 is on the verge

00:39:06.199 --> 00:39:07.019
 of becoming a man

00:39:07.019 --> 00:39:07.619
 who is wise

00:39:07.619 --> 00:39:08.440
 in his own eyes,

00:39:08.860 --> 00:39:10.079
 which is even worse.

00:39:10.619 --> 00:39:11.299
 That's worse

00:39:11.299 --> 00:39:12.000
 than being a fool.

00:39:12.699 --> 00:39:13.199
 The fool

00:39:13.199 --> 00:39:14.199
 at least has a chance

00:39:14.199 --> 00:39:14.960
 of being corrected

00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:15.619
 with discipline,

00:39:16.119 --> 00:39:16.699
 but the man

00:39:16.699 --> 00:39:17.799
 who is wise

00:39:17.799 --> 00:39:18.519
 in his own eyes

00:39:18.519 --> 00:39:19.480
 has no hope.

00:39:20.859 --> 00:39:22.019
 And then verse 13

00:39:22.019 --> 00:39:22.559
 to 16

00:39:22.559 --> 00:39:23.619
 speak of the sluggard,

00:39:23.699 --> 00:39:24.359
 which I won't

00:39:24.359 --> 00:39:25.719
 go into detail

00:39:25.719 --> 00:39:27.439
 because I've spoken

00:39:27.439 --> 00:39:27.919
 on this

00:39:27.919 --> 00:39:29.659
 in multiple passages

00:39:29.659 --> 00:39:30.739
 before in Proverbs.

00:39:31.179 --> 00:39:32.139
 There's these passages,

00:39:32.339 --> 00:39:32.859
 some of these Proverbs

00:39:32.859 --> 00:39:33.379
 are repeated

00:39:33.379 --> 00:39:34.019
 in earlier.

00:39:36.239 --> 00:39:37.500
 But the sluggard

00:39:37.500 --> 00:39:38.099
 is described

00:39:38.099 --> 00:39:38.659
 as someone

00:39:38.659 --> 00:39:39.399
 who is wiser

00:39:39.399 --> 00:39:40.279
 in his own eyes

00:39:40.279 --> 00:39:41.319
 than seven men

00:39:41.319 --> 00:39:42.079
 who can answer

00:39:42.079 --> 00:39:42.960
 sensibly.

00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:44.500
 The sluggard

00:39:44.500 --> 00:39:45.480
 does not know himself,

00:39:45.839 --> 00:39:46.339
 does not know

00:39:46.340 --> 00:39:46.960
 his place.

00:39:47.480 --> 00:39:48.800
 He does not occupy

00:39:48.800 --> 00:39:49.900
 his rightful place

00:39:49.900 --> 00:39:50.500
 in society.

00:39:50.920 --> 00:39:51.200
 Instead,

00:39:51.320 --> 00:39:52.300
 he stays in his bed

00:39:52.300 --> 00:39:52.760
 turning,

00:39:53.300 --> 00:39:54.079
 tossing and turning

00:39:54.079 --> 00:39:55.100
 like a door

00:39:55.100 --> 00:39:55.780
 that turns

00:39:55.780 --> 00:39:56.720
 on its hinges

00:39:56.720 --> 00:39:57.660
 and never leaves

00:39:57.660 --> 00:39:58.200
 its place.

00:39:59.840 --> 00:40:00.680
 And the type

00:40:00.680 --> 00:40:01.460
 of fool's catalog

00:40:01.460 --> 00:40:03.200
 continually gets worse.

00:40:03.720 --> 00:40:04.380
 And after the fool

00:40:04.380 --> 00:40:05.039
 and the sluggard,

00:40:05.300 --> 00:40:05.680
 we encounter

00:40:05.680 --> 00:40:06.320
 the quarreler

00:40:06.320 --> 00:40:07.800
 or the instigator

00:40:07.800 --> 00:40:09.180
 in verses 17

00:40:09.180 --> 00:40:09.740
 to 22.

00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:10.880
 Please follow along

00:40:10.880 --> 00:40:11.160
 with me

00:40:11.160 --> 00:40:11.720
 as I read it.

00:40:11.719 --> 00:40:13.719
 Whoever meddles

00:40:13.719 --> 00:40:14.339
 in a quarrel

00:40:14.339 --> 00:40:15.199
 not his own

00:40:15.199 --> 00:40:15.919
 is like one

00:40:15.919 --> 00:40:16.419
 who takes

00:40:16.419 --> 00:40:17.239
 a passing dog

00:40:17.239 --> 00:40:18.099
 by the ears.

00:40:18.659 --> 00:40:19.639
 Like a madman

00:40:19.639 --> 00:40:21.119
 who throws firebrands,

00:40:21.159 --> 00:40:21.480
 arrows,

00:40:21.599 --> 00:40:22.159
 and death

00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:22.799
 is the man

00:40:22.799 --> 00:40:23.439
 who deceives

00:40:23.439 --> 00:40:23.879
 his neighbor

00:40:23.879 --> 00:40:24.379
 and says,

00:40:24.559 --> 00:40:25.639
 I am only joking.

00:40:26.399 --> 00:40:27.519
 For lack of wood

00:40:27.519 --> 00:40:28.619
 the fire goes out

00:40:28.619 --> 00:40:29.480
 and where there

00:40:29.480 --> 00:40:30.480
 is no whisperer,

00:40:30.559 --> 00:40:31.339
 quarreling ceases.

00:40:31.959 --> 00:40:32.699
 As charcoal

00:40:32.699 --> 00:40:33.619
 to hot embers

00:40:33.619 --> 00:40:34.859
 and wood to fire,

00:40:34.859 --> 00:40:36.099
 so is a quarrelsome

00:40:36.099 --> 00:40:37.639
 man for kindling strife.

00:40:38.599 --> 00:40:40.039
 The words of a whisperer

00:40:40.039 --> 00:40:41.460
 are like delicious morsels.

00:40:41.879 --> 00:40:42.559
 They go down

00:40:42.559 --> 00:40:43.819
 into the inner parts

00:40:43.819 --> 00:40:44.599
 of the body.

00:40:46.199 --> 00:40:47.019
 The instigator

00:40:47.019 --> 00:40:48.500
 has an unhealthy

00:40:48.500 --> 00:40:50.039
 curiosity for quarrels.

00:40:50.559 --> 00:40:51.259
 So he meddles

00:40:51.259 --> 00:40:51.819
 in quarrels

00:40:51.819 --> 00:40:52.799
 that are not his own

00:40:52.799 --> 00:40:53.659
 and he is like

00:40:53.659 --> 00:40:54.119
 a person

00:40:54.119 --> 00:40:55.480
 who grabs a wild dog

00:40:55.480 --> 00:40:56.099
 by the ear

00:40:56.099 --> 00:40:57.719
 that's just passing by.

00:40:58.440 --> 00:40:59.219
 The dog is sure

00:40:59.219 --> 00:41:00.059
 to turn on you

00:41:00.059 --> 00:41:01.219
 and to bark at you.

00:41:01.839 --> 00:41:02.539
 The instigator

00:41:02.539 --> 00:41:03.299
 does not know

00:41:03.299 --> 00:41:04.460
 to keep to his place.

00:41:05.139 --> 00:41:05.599
 And likewise,

00:41:05.799 --> 00:41:06.259
 his words

00:41:06.259 --> 00:41:07.000
 are ill-fitted.

00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:07.719
 They do not fit

00:41:07.719 --> 00:41:08.239
 the occasion.

00:41:08.400 --> 00:41:09.440
 He hurls words

00:41:09.440 --> 00:41:10.519
 like firebrands,

00:41:10.539 --> 00:41:10.800
 arrows,

00:41:10.960 --> 00:41:11.420
 and death.

00:41:11.860 --> 00:41:12.579
 And then afterward

00:41:12.579 --> 00:41:13.519
 feigns ignorance

00:41:13.519 --> 00:41:13.980
 saying,

00:41:14.079 --> 00:41:14.940
 I'm only joking.

00:41:16.019 --> 00:41:16.940
 And without wood

00:41:16.940 --> 00:41:18.019
 the fire will certainly

00:41:18.019 --> 00:41:18.880
 be extinguished.

00:41:19.280 --> 00:41:19.719
 And likewise,

00:41:19.840 --> 00:41:21.139
 when there is no whisperer,

00:41:21.280 --> 00:41:22.260
 a quarreling ceases.

00:41:22.880 --> 00:41:24.099
 But the instigators

00:41:24.099 --> 00:41:25.960
 fan the flames

00:41:25.960 --> 00:41:26.659
 of conflict

00:41:26.659 --> 00:41:28.159
 with another gossip,

00:41:28.460 --> 00:41:29.440
 with another slander.

00:41:30.760 --> 00:41:32.079
 And these whispers

00:41:32.079 --> 00:41:32.900
 get consumed

00:41:32.900 --> 00:41:33.460
 by people

00:41:33.460 --> 00:41:34.559
 like delicious morsels

00:41:34.559 --> 00:41:35.539
 poisoning them

00:41:35.539 --> 00:41:36.460
 against others.

00:41:37.000 --> 00:41:39.920
 And then finally,

00:41:40.039 --> 00:41:40.760
 we see the portrait

00:41:40.760 --> 00:41:41.340
 of the hater

00:41:41.340 --> 00:41:42.840
 in verses 23 to 28.

00:41:43.960 --> 00:41:45.019
 Like the glaze

00:41:45.019 --> 00:41:47.159
 covering an earthen vessel,

00:41:47.340 --> 00:41:48.099
 our fervent lips

00:41:48.099 --> 00:41:49.059
 with an evil heart.

00:41:49.519 --> 00:41:50.260
 Whoever hates

00:41:50.260 --> 00:41:51.280
 disguises himself

00:41:51.280 --> 00:41:52.019
 with his lips

00:41:52.019 --> 00:41:53.159
 and harbors deceit

00:41:53.159 --> 00:41:53.780
 in his heart.

00:41:54.300 --> 00:41:55.800
 When he speaks graciously,

00:41:56.039 --> 00:41:56.760
 believe him not,

00:41:57.039 --> 00:41:57.880
 for there are seven

00:41:57.880 --> 00:41:59.260
 abominations in his heart.

00:41:59.780 --> 00:42:00.579
 Though his hatred

00:42:00.579 --> 00:42:01.800
 be covered with deception,

00:42:02.300 --> 00:42:03.219
 his wickedness

00:42:03.219 --> 00:42:04.000
 will be exposed

00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:04.940
 in the assembly.

00:42:04.940 --> 00:42:06.900
 Whoever digs a pit

00:42:06.900 --> 00:42:08.059
 will fall into it

00:42:08.059 --> 00:42:09.019
 and a stone

00:42:09.019 --> 00:42:09.820
 will come back

00:42:09.820 --> 00:42:10.260
 on him

00:42:10.260 --> 00:42:11.280
 who starts it rolling.

00:42:12.119 --> 00:42:13.019
 A lying tongue

00:42:13.019 --> 00:42:13.920
 hates its victims

00:42:13.920 --> 00:42:15.340
 and a flattering mouth

00:42:15.340 --> 00:42:16.200
 works ruin.

00:42:17.240 --> 00:42:18.539
 The key word hate

00:42:18.539 --> 00:42:20.360
 occurs in every other verse

00:42:20.360 --> 00:42:22.460
 in these 23 to 28.

00:42:22.900 --> 00:42:23.840
 And the word heart

00:42:23.840 --> 00:42:25.420
 is repeated three times

00:42:25.420 --> 00:42:26.860
 which indicates

00:42:26.860 --> 00:42:28.360
 where the hatred resides.

00:42:28.360 --> 00:42:31.079
 And then the words

00:42:31.079 --> 00:42:31.780
 like lips,

00:42:32.140 --> 00:42:32.599
 speak,

00:42:32.940 --> 00:42:33.280
 tongue,

00:42:33.539 --> 00:42:33.920
 mouth

00:42:33.920 --> 00:42:35.240
 are repeated

00:42:35.240 --> 00:42:37.079
 to reveal the primary way

00:42:37.079 --> 00:42:38.160
 in which hatred

00:42:38.160 --> 00:42:38.800
 in the heart

00:42:38.800 --> 00:42:40.360
 is expressed outwardly.

00:42:41.440 --> 00:42:42.559
 It is through deceit

00:42:42.559 --> 00:42:44.300
 with evil intention.

00:42:45.240 --> 00:42:46.420
 It's through flattery,

00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:47.880
 speaking graciously

00:42:47.880 --> 00:42:48.960
 in order to hide

00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:50.400
 the evil intentions

00:42:50.400 --> 00:42:50.760
 that,

00:42:50.860 --> 00:42:51.900
 the murderous intentions

00:42:51.900 --> 00:42:52.660
 that they have

00:42:52.660 --> 00:42:53.640
 toward us.

00:42:53.900 --> 00:42:54.519
 These evildoers

00:42:54.519 --> 00:42:55.400
 have toward the righteous.

00:42:56.780 --> 00:42:57.519
 Though in reality

00:42:57.519 --> 00:42:58.219
 they are just trying

00:42:58.219 --> 00:42:59.019
 to crush you

00:42:59.019 --> 00:42:59.679
 with this stone

00:42:59.679 --> 00:43:00.280
 that they are trying

00:43:00.280 --> 00:43:01.039
 to roll over you.

00:43:02.099 --> 00:43:02.920
 In implementing

00:43:02.920 --> 00:43:04.039
 his murderous plan

00:43:04.039 --> 00:43:04.699
 this hater,

00:43:04.800 --> 00:43:05.380
 this fool

00:43:05.380 --> 00:43:06.940
 presumes for himself

00:43:06.940 --> 00:43:08.219
 the place of God

00:43:08.219 --> 00:43:08.960
 as the ultimate

00:43:08.960 --> 00:43:10.380
 arbiter of justice.

00:43:11.099 --> 00:43:12.420
 And because he does this

00:43:12.420 --> 00:43:13.780
 he will also be punished

00:43:13.780 --> 00:43:14.360
 in kind

00:43:14.360 --> 00:43:15.800
 and God will make

00:43:15.800 --> 00:43:16.400
 that stone

00:43:16.400 --> 00:43:17.500
 come back on him

00:43:17.500 --> 00:43:19.000
 who starts it rolling.

00:43:23.820 --> 00:43:25.320
 The way these two chapters

00:43:25.320 --> 00:43:25.860
 of Proverbs

00:43:25.860 --> 00:43:27.500
 describe humanity's sin

00:43:27.500 --> 00:43:28.679
 is very insightful

00:43:28.679 --> 00:43:30.500
 because at the heart

00:43:30.500 --> 00:43:30.900
 of it

00:43:30.900 --> 00:43:32.019
 is a failure

00:43:32.019 --> 00:43:33.480
 to know our place.

00:43:35.139 --> 00:43:36.619
 We have all rebelled

00:43:36.619 --> 00:43:37.280
 against God.

00:43:38.380 --> 00:43:39.800
 We have all sought

00:43:39.800 --> 00:43:40.780
 to usurp

00:43:40.780 --> 00:43:42.059
 God's throne

00:43:42.059 --> 00:43:43.860
 and we have sought

00:43:43.860 --> 00:43:44.739
 to be the masters

00:43:44.739 --> 00:43:46.260
 of our own fate,

00:43:46.920 --> 00:43:48.619
 lords over our own lives.

00:43:50.000 --> 00:43:51.119
 But true wisdom

00:43:51.119 --> 00:43:51.840
 it teaches us

00:43:51.840 --> 00:43:53.320
 lies in humbling ourselves

00:43:53.320 --> 00:43:55.659
 and taking our rightful place

00:43:55.659 --> 00:43:56.780
 under God's rule.

00:43:57.500 --> 00:43:58.719
 And it's precisely

00:43:58.719 --> 00:43:59.860
 because we have failed

00:43:59.860 --> 00:44:00.619
 to do this

00:44:00.619 --> 00:44:01.980
 that God the Father

00:44:01.980 --> 00:44:02.880
 sends his son

00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:03.719
 Jesus Christ.

00:44:05.219 --> 00:44:05.960
 This is why

00:44:05.960 --> 00:44:07.079
 Jesus has to leave

00:44:07.079 --> 00:44:07.820
 his place

00:44:07.820 --> 00:44:09.019
 to occupy

00:44:09.019 --> 00:44:09.980
 our place

00:44:09.980 --> 00:44:11.380
 taking on human flesh,

00:44:12.059 --> 00:44:12.280
 taking,

00:44:12.519 --> 00:44:13.800
 occupying our place

00:44:13.800 --> 00:44:14.619
 on the cross

00:44:14.619 --> 00:44:16.039
 dying a sinner's death

00:44:16.039 --> 00:44:17.440
 in our place

00:44:17.440 --> 00:44:18.360
 as our substitute

00:44:18.360 --> 00:44:20.000
 so that we might

00:44:20.000 --> 00:44:21.219
 take his place

00:44:21.219 --> 00:44:22.960
 because we didn't

00:44:22.960 --> 00:44:23.780
 know our place.

00:44:23.780 --> 00:44:25.560
 that's why

00:44:25.560 --> 00:44:26.140
 theologian

00:44:26.140 --> 00:44:26.760
 John Stott

00:44:26.760 --> 00:44:27.900
 puts it this way

00:44:27.900 --> 00:44:28.500
 in his book

00:44:28.500 --> 00:44:29.480
 The Cross of Christ.

00:44:30.160 --> 00:44:31.540
 Man asserts himself

00:44:31.540 --> 00:44:32.360
 against God

00:44:32.360 --> 00:44:33.260
 and puts himself

00:44:33.260 --> 00:44:34.280
 where only God

00:44:34.280 --> 00:44:35.060
 deserves to be.

00:44:36.000 --> 00:44:37.580
 God sacrifices

00:44:37.580 --> 00:44:38.940
 himself for man

00:44:38.940 --> 00:44:40.140
 and puts himself

00:44:40.140 --> 00:44:41.140
 where only man

00:44:41.140 --> 00:44:42.320
 deserves to be.

00:44:43.500 --> 00:44:44.540
 Man claims

00:44:44.540 --> 00:44:45.180
 prerogatives

00:44:45.180 --> 00:44:45.800
 that belong

00:44:45.800 --> 00:44:46.840
 to God alone.

00:44:47.560 --> 00:44:48.660
 God accepts

00:44:48.660 --> 00:44:49.320
 penalties

00:44:49.320 --> 00:44:50.539
 that belong

00:44:50.539 --> 00:44:51.180
 to man

00:44:51.180 --> 00:44:51.880
 alone.

00:44:53.080 --> 00:44:53.539
 That's

00:44:53.539 --> 00:44:54.600
 the good news

00:44:54.600 --> 00:44:55.600
 of Jesus Christ.

00:44:55.740 --> 00:44:56.140
 That's

00:44:56.140 --> 00:44:57.500
 the saving message

00:44:57.500 --> 00:44:59.160
 that we all

00:44:59.160 --> 00:44:59.900
 must heed

00:44:59.900 --> 00:45:01.320
 that the whole world

00:45:01.320 --> 00:45:01.960
 needs to hear

00:45:01.960 --> 00:45:03.000
 because the world

00:45:03.000 --> 00:45:04.120
 has turned against them

00:45:04.120 --> 00:45:05.400
 and does not know

00:45:05.400 --> 00:45:06.080
 its place

00:45:06.080 --> 00:45:06.760
 before God.

00:45:07.340 --> 00:45:08.100
 But God,

00:45:08.300 --> 00:45:09.059
 the Son of God

00:45:09.059 --> 00:45:10.260
 has taken their place

00:45:10.260 --> 00:45:11.300
 so that they might

00:45:11.300 --> 00:45:11.820
 be saved,

00:45:12.160 --> 00:45:12.860
 so that they might

00:45:12.860 --> 00:45:13.960
 take the place

00:45:13.960 --> 00:45:14.460
 that God

00:45:14.460 --> 00:45:15.840
 intended for them

00:45:15.840 --> 00:45:16.300
 to have

00:45:16.300 --> 00:45:17.180
 at the beginning

00:45:17.180 --> 00:45:17.820
 of creation

00:45:17.820 --> 00:45:19.200
 in his kingdom.

00:45:19.980 --> 00:45:21.000
 In his presence.

00:45:21.700 --> 00:45:22.519
 In eternity.

00:45:24.039 --> 00:45:24.580
 That's what

00:45:24.580 --> 00:45:25.960
 we are called

00:45:25.960 --> 00:45:26.700
 to be ambassadors

00:45:26.700 --> 00:45:27.039
 of.

00:45:27.120 --> 00:45:27.800
 That good news

00:45:27.800 --> 00:45:28.760
 in our world.

00:45:30.000 --> 00:45:30.940
 Please take a moment

00:45:30.940 --> 00:45:32.160
 to reflect on that truth.

00:45:32.380 --> 00:45:33.000
 How is God

00:45:33.000 --> 00:45:33.519
 calling you

00:45:33.519 --> 00:45:34.360
 to deeper humility

00:45:34.360 --> 00:45:34.920
 in your life?

00:45:37.180 --> 00:45:38.160
 Who are the people

00:45:38.160 --> 00:45:38.539
 in your life

00:45:38.539 --> 00:45:39.160
 that God is

00:45:39.160 --> 00:45:40.240
 calling to share

00:45:40.240 --> 00:45:41.019
 this good news

00:45:41.019 --> 00:45:42.080
 of Jesus'

00:45:42.360 --> 00:45:42.900
 substitution

00:45:42.900 --> 00:45:43.900
 taking your place

00:45:43.900 --> 00:45:44.140
 with?

00:45:45.400 --> 00:45:46.180
 Please think

00:45:46.180 --> 00:45:47.100
 for a few moments

00:45:47.100 --> 00:45:47.500
 and then we're

00:45:47.500 --> 00:45:47.980
 going to respond

00:45:47.980 --> 00:45:48.360
 together

00:45:48.360 --> 00:45:49.440
 as a body

00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:49.840
 by praying.