Proverbs 30

Verses 2-4

• No matter how much you grow in wisdom, stay humble. How?

  • Remember that we are stupid in our wisdom compared to the wisdom of God. No matter what we know, we cannot create a universe, as He has.

 

Verses 5-6

• Trust in God's Word alone, and do not add your own words to the Bible.

  • If we add things to our beliefs and to our preaching, which are not found in Scripture, this makes us liars, and lying will receive judgment from God.

  • See 1 Corinthians 4:6, 2 Corinthians 1:13.

 

Verses 7-9

• It is important for our lives to have a healthy balance.

  • People with nothing are more likely to steal.

  • People with great wealth are more likely to forget God.

• As you grow, trust God to provide you with what you need every day, and always be content with what you have (1 Timothy 6:6-8). Don't seek total poverty, and don't be greedy for great possessions. Both are bad.

  • The balance is: work diligently to have an abundance, but use it to benefit others because you are content for yourself with your basic needs being met.

 

Verse 10

• The point is that going to someone to gossip or speak evil of a not-present party, for their sin, makes you just as guilty as they are, and even more so if what you say turns out to be untrue. If someone sins against you, you are no longer innocent if you speak evil of them.

  • So, don't speak what you aren't certain is true, and definitely don't insult or gossip about someone who has sinned against you.

  • In another context, it's especially foolish to harshly criticize a fellow worker to their employer or authority. This makes you look like a fool, and especially if what you're saying isn't true.

• Also remember that we are the servants, and Christ is the master. Don't think that it's your job to tell God all the things that a person is doing wrong, foolishly judging them in so doing. Don't go complaining to God about someone else's actions, or you will suffer judgment for it yourself.

  • As Romans 14:4,10 says, “Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand...But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ...”

 

Verses 11-15

• In this passage, the writer speaks of dishonor to parents, self-righteousness, pride, and malicious violence.

  • It would be bad enough if one or a few individuals were guilty of such evils, but an entire generation? That is unbearable! 

• There both has been and will be entire generations of people who think nothing but evil, and it begins in the home.

  • First, children dishonor and disobey their parents without restraint, which then, due to a lack of discipline, causes self-righteousness—they see themselves as pure and justified in their sins. They don't know the severity of their sins, having had no one who told them otherwise. And in the end, this form of pride only increases their boldness to do evil, and they gorge themselves on sinful pleasures at the expense of the innocent, destroying lives for the sake of self-gratification.

  • See 2 Timothy 3:1-5. This terrible generation—the worst of all generations—is coming.

• Verse 12. Remember, just because you see yourself as pure does not mean you are. You will never be truly cleansed from your sin as long as you see yourself as clean. We must see and admit our faults in order to overcome them (1 John 1:8-10).

 

Verse 16

• Just as these few things in the earth are never satisfied, the flesh is never satisfied, never content, and always wanting more (Proverbs 27:20).

  • Avoid this kind of discontentment by always being thankful for the life that God has given you. Remember that in closeness there is abundant satisfaction (Psalm 36:8).

 

Verse 17

• Dishonoring and disobeying one's parents will end badly, as it is a great offense to God. The very first commandment that God gave to us, for our human relationships, is “Honor your father and mother” (Ephesians 6:1-3). 

  • Knowing this, learning to honor one's parents is arguably the most important thing to do as we grow in our parents' homes. When children are diligently trained to obey and honor their parents, it teaches them to honor their future authorities, and primarily it teaches them to honor and obey God. How you treat your parents tends to have great influence in determining whether you will easily submit to God.

 

Verses 18-19

• The last phrase, “the way of a man with a virgin”, is peculiar. The point is that, although many things in creation are hard to understand, it's just as confusing to see how much sense a man can lose when infatuated with a woman. 

  • Remember that the passions of the flesh cause us to not think clearly. Keep this in mind, and look to the wisdom of others especially when you are trying to discern the condition of a romantic relationship that you're involved in. 

 

Verse 20

• The epitome of a deeply adulterous person is that committing sexual immorality is as light a matter as eating another meal. There is little shame, little conviction, if any, self-justification, and a seared conscience. 

• When people eat meals, they don't think much of it because they believe they're giving their body what it “needs” to survive. This often creates an excuse to be gluttonous. People think, “It's just food. My body needs food, so I shouldn't be ashamed of eating.” And people often erroneously apply the same logic to their sexuality. They feel they must “meet their sexual needs”, and that creates an excuse to live in sin when a current situation or partner supposedly does not satisfy them.

  • Never justify sin because you think you must meet a “need”. You're lying to yourself if you think this way, and are noted in the Word as an adulterous person.

  • And know that continued sexual sin has a way of hardening the conscience over time. If you sin in this way, and you do not feel much remorse, but try to move on without thinking, be afraid. Quickly admit that you've done wickedness, and repent immediately.

 

Verses 21-23

• Without repentance, these three things cause great turmoil in the world:

  • Authority (verses 22a, 23b) - We are meant to think like humble servants. So, in pride, if we try to control, be great, and usurp authority, there will be great evil. Your authority also becomes shameful when subordinates are behaving more honorably than you are, causing a “maidservant to succeed her mistress.”

  • Wealth (verse 22b) - If we stay in sin and have wealth and gluttony, this makes already existing sin far worse, bringing great evil.

  • Marriage (verse 23a) - If we harbor anger and bitterness, a marriage will bring out the worst in us, and this also will cause great evil and grief.

• By all means, because of the unbearable pain that it causes both to yourself and to others, until you can repent from pride, appetite, and bitterness, most definitely do not seek authority, wealth, or even marriage. Don't go after what your character won't be able to handle!

 

Verses 24-28

• Even though they are inferior and unassuming, animals show us many great examples to follow.

  • Ants are tiny, but they work hard, while humans are often lazy.

  • Rock badgers are feeble, but they can thrive in harsh conditions, while humans often complain.

  • Locusts don't have a leader, but they're efficient and organized. Whereas, humans, even with accountability from leaders, still often live in chaos and disarray.

• If animals live better than we do, we have problems. Don't think you're superior just because you're human. Although we're the top of the food chain, because of our sins we make ourselves shameful. 

  • Be humbled by the fact that animals might be living more righteous than you, and look at some of their examples to learn something about how you should live.

 

Verses 29-31

• Think of how much time, resources, organization, and labor it takes to provide a king, an army, and to prepare them to march for battle. Such majesty is impressive, but lions, greyhounds (some manuscripts say roosters), and male goats naturally move with the same grace and majesty, and they need no labor nor preparation . 

• Think of Jesus' words in Matthew 6:28-29 - “...Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

  • Solomon was beautiful arrayed as a king, but he could not compare to even the simplest of God's creation. 

  • Men put great effort into appearing splendorous, yet the creations of God are naturally so, without any labor, and as such they put humans to shame.

• Be careful not to grow cocky or pretentious. Remember that God has made all things beautiful, and it is better to praise Him for what He has made. It is foolish to praise oneself for achievements that really pale in comparison to the majesty of God's creations.

 

Verses 32-33

• If you've started to do or say something foolish to someone, stop quickly! Stop speaking entirely, if you must! If you continue, it will produce problems as surely as churning milk produces butter.

• And especially, don't try to force a verbal or emotional response out a person, or you will cause strife. Be patient with people, stay calm, and stay gentle!