The Wise and the Fool

12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but a fool is swallowed by his own lips. 13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. 14A fool also multiplies words. Man doesn’t know what will be; and that which will be after him, who can tell him? 15The labor of fools wearies every one of them; for he doesn’t know how to go to the city. 16Woe to you, land, when your king is a child, and your princes eat in the morning! 17Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! 18By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks. 19A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things. 20Don’t curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and don’t curse the rich in your bedroom: for a bird of the sky may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.

The apostle John confesses that the Word became flesh and lived among us, and that we saw his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. Christ, though he is of one nature with God and equal to him, did not cling to that equality but humbly devoted himself to obeying the will of God. So we must believe with all our hearts that he became incarnate to save sinners and accomplished the work of atonement through the blood of the cross.

In Genesis 22, God commanded Abraham to go to the place he would show him, build an altar, and offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering. To obey God’s command, Abraham laid the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s back and set out for the land of Moriah. When they reached the place of the altar and he had bound Isaac and was about to offer him, God’s urgent voice rang out, telling him not to lay a hand on the boy. Seeing the true heart of Abraham, who had overcome deep human anguish and conflict by faith, God said, “Now at last I know that you fear me, for I have seen that you have not withheld from me even your only son, whom you love.”

Because God had to establish Abraham as the father of many nations, he brought about this situation to make his faith firm. At that point Abraham did not fully understand God’s will, but because it was a command, he obeyed in a way that went beyond human feeling. He knew how hard it would be to offer up his son, yet he believed that God surely had a reason for doing this, and he obeyed to the end.

Because God loves life, he never intended to take Isaac’s life; he only wanted to see Abraham’s faith. Had Abraham disobeyed, God still would not have put Isaac to death. What does this mean? It means that God’s plan is fulfilled regardless of our choices. For those who obey, his answer becomes a blessing that gives life; for those who disobey, the same answer becomes nothing but a curse. To put it simply, when God tells us he will give us water and that we should wash our vessels clean, he gives the water to the obedient and the disobedient alike. He gives water even to those who have not washed their vessels. [The same is true of the grace that forgives original sin, and of vows.]

Then those who obeyed will drink water that gives life, while those who disobeyed will drink water that harms it.

Grace becomes a blessing to the obedient, but to the disobedient that same grace turns into a curse. Happily, Abraham came to a good end because he obeyed God’s will; but whichever he had chosen, it was God who had already prepared the ram to die in Isaac’s place.

Whether or not we believe in the event of the cross, it is Almighty God who bore the cross and forgave our sins, who rose again in victory over death, and who prepared in advance all the grace he would give us. Our obedience is the means by which we enjoy the grace he has prepared, and disobedience becomes the means by which that grace comes upon us as a curse. Even the person most full of faith will certainly wrestle. No father, however clearly it is God’s word, would rejoice at a command to offer his son as a burnt offering.

Abraham, too, must have thought it over countless times and hesitated, but because he was wise, he knew that God’s command came first, and he obeyed. In the same way, what God wants from his people is faith and an obedient heart. The whole world belongs to God the Creator; why would he care any longer about the little wealth, the lives, and the service we offer him?

What God wants from us is gratitude for the sacrifice of Jesus. What is truly sad is that people think they have the kind of faith that naturally deserves God’s blessing. This springs not from faith but from a proud heart that expects something in return. Although God has forgiven their sins through the blood of Christ, they think they were saved by their own faith or effort. Only when we cast off such pride can we, who have no merit of our own, enter heaven by the grace of God. In the past, fools who had fallen for Satan’s schemes made plan after plan to kill Jesus and carried them out.

In the end, through Judas Iscariot, they tasted the pleasure of seeing his blood shed on the cross. Not knowing that it had been God’s plan from the beginning for Jesus to die for all humanity, they thought they had succeeded, but that success ended in failure.

God’s work was not decided in a moment; it was planned before creation, and Satan’s shallow tricks cannot prevail against it. God’s plan was for Jesus to come to this earth in the flesh and forgive the original sin that came through Adam. We must not forget how important his incarnation is, because blood was needed, and only by coming in the flesh could he become the atoning sacrifice. So we must not be shaken when people mock him for having been a man in the flesh.

Even so, foolish Satan and the fools under his influence are doing all they can to cover the vast light with darkness. But the glory of God is not something Satan can hold back. The wise, by contrast, know the greatness of God; afraid that their sinful selves might obscure that glory, they humble themselves all the more and strive to fulfill his will. The wise are those who proclaim the great Christ, who without a single witness shed water and blood on the cross and accomplished the work of salvation.

Satan foolishly believed everything would be over once Jesus was dead, but the death of Jesus that they so desired was in fact the fulfillment of the plan God had laid, a plan that leads on to the resurrection and the second coming. Because Satan and the world care only for what can be seen, they can never understand why God’s people labor for an invisible Kingdom. That is why the faith of those who strive for the world’s approval collapses. I hope you will be wise and obey the word.

Luke 16:19-23

19“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was taken to his gate, full of sores, 21and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. 23In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom.

Because the rich man thought of his wealth as entirely his own, he was clothed in purple and fine linen every day and lived in luxury, delighting in his feasts. Purple here is the clothing of kings, and fine linen signifies repentance; the rich man, then, was a hypocrite who flaunted his religion. To rebuke the pride of such rich men, Jesus gave a warning to beware of the scribes, who want the best seats in the synagogues and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers, for they will receive greater condemnation. [Mark 12:39-40]

The rich man lived as lavishly as a king, yet he was stingy toward his needy neighbors. He wore purple and fine linen as though he believed in God faithfully, but in truth he was a fool without faith. At the gate of the rich man, who reveled in pleasure, lay Lazarus, who needed his help. That Lazarus, so poor in this life, was carried to Abraham’s bosom after death tells us that although he was poor, he never let go of his faith.

As you look at the rich man, who had a false faith yet lived well, and at Lazarus, who had true faith yet had to beg for food, what comes to your mind? Anyone who asks what it matters how they live on the money they earned will probably be rebuked by God on the last day. We must understand that when God entrusts possessions to the rich, a command comes with them: to care for the brothers and sisters at their side.

You can judge the rich man because you know he was a fool, but in truth, we are the ones who live out our faith as he did. In church we repent, serve, and display a holy faith, but once we go out into the world we sin as we please. If we pretend to have faith before people, we may fool them, but God is not deceived, because his eyes never leave us. The wise are those who know that God is never deceived.

It is just as Mark 8:36 says: what does it profit a person to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? The rich man lived like a king who had gained the whole world, but his soul fell into eternal death. In this life, even those who believe in God may be poor, fall ill, or be scorned and ignored. But this we must clearly understand: God’s purpose is not to make people prosper but to save his people of faith from a world ruled by the spirit of darkness, and so we need to hold fast to our faith to the end.

Verse 16 tells us that those who live by faith may suffer if they live in a land whose king is a child, young and foolish. And if the land is governed by princes who amass wealth, wield power, and hold feasts for themselves, we may lose our lives and our property. So we must pray that leaders will be raised up who do not obstruct worship and praise, and take an interest in politics so that the church is not persecuted.

The rich man, who indulged in pleasure as if he were a king, went to hell after death, while Lazarus, who lived in want yet kept his faith, went to heaven. Here is the reason we must hold fast to our faith.

Mark 8:38 says that if anyone is ashamed of Jesus and his words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of that person when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels; in the same way, those who cast away the word will be put to shame. Once he had fallen into hell, the rich man realized that the word was true. In his desperation he begged Abraham to send Lazarus, who was resting in his bosom, to his brothers, to tell them that heaven and hell are real and that they must believe in Christ to gain eternal life.

The rich man seems to have thought that if Lazarus, who had died, went to his brothers alive again, they would see the miracle and receive Jesus. But Abraham said that those who will not listen to the gospel proclaimed by Moses and the prophets will not believe even if they see the miracle of someone rising from the dead to proclaim the word. It means that people who do not believe the Bible and reject those who bring them the gospel have hardened hearts, which is why they will not receive Jesus even if they see a miracle.

God will have caused you, too, to experience many miracles. If you never lose hold of God’s grace and your gratitude for it, you will be commended as wise; but if you experience miracles and still do not give thanks, you will be rebuked as a fool. With Christ at the center of your life, the decisions you make each day are what divide the wise from the fool. A pastor teaches you the word in order to raise you up as wise people who set your priorities well and judge rightly.

Ecclesiastes 10:17

17Happy are you, land, when your king is the son of nobles, and your princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!

The son of nobles means a wise man whose worth goes beyond mere high birth or rank. The verse calls the land happy that is ruled by such a wise man. When it says the princes are not drunk, it means this: a land is at peace when it is governed by those who eat to regain their strength, knowing they need it to truly serve the people rather than to advance themselves. Kings and princes like these, who value a life lived for others and do their part, are the wise whom God commends and whom the people honor. The one who has this character and nature is Jesus Christ, and God’s people, who have Christ as their king, are blessed. Only when leaders who resemble Christ govern a nation, then, can it grow strong and its people live in peace.

Ecclesiastes 10:18

18By slothfulness the roof sinks in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.

Being lazy, fools do not work, even though they know they are going to ruin. Under Satan’s attack, such people still cannot be bothered to set their faith right. A car can cause a serious accident if even one small part breaks down. Just as we check a car regularly to arrive safely at our destination, we must diligently examine our faith so that not even a small part of it goes wrong. Because neglect born of laziness can lead to an accident that costs us our lives, we must always be careful. Because the rich man was stingy when he should have given and proud when he should have shown mercy, he could not get even a drop of water to help him in his torment. If God has placed you where you are meant to scatter and give to the poor, may you fulfill your calling as one of God’s people by helping your brothers and sisters with all your strength.

Ecclesiastes 10:19

19A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.

This verse gives deep teaching on something we are often confused about. The words “A feast is made for laughter” carry the sense in Hebrew that bread is made for laughter. For God’s people, the greatest feast of all is to take part in the marriage supper of the Lamb. So it is important for us to live by the word, turning neither to the right nor to the left, as we prepare for the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Born-again believers live in the world in body, yet as citizens of the Kingdom of God they are under his absolute protection. Solomon, who knew that the Kingdom of God is real, is saying that those who have received the flesh and blood of Christ are the ones who know true joy. This verse speaks of the flesh and blood of Christ, but those among God’s people whose understanding of drinking has not been set right fail to grasp what it means that wine makes the life glad. Those who drink ask why it should be forbidden when drinking is not even a sin, but the Bible answers plainly.

Romans 13:13 tells us to walk properly, as in the day, and not in reveling and drunkenness, and Proverbs 23 tells us not to keep company with those who love wine, warning that the drunkard and the glutton will become poor, and that we should not even look at it. Some ask why they may not drink when Jesus himself drank wine. But when missionaries first came to our country to preach the gospel, Korea had a culture that took drinking, smoking, gambling, and keeping concubines for granted. Because these evil practices hindered faith, rules were made to forbid them.

We hear some say it is fine because Jesus drank wine, but Israel is not a land rich in water like ours. People pressed fruit into juice and drank it in place of water, and with no refrigerators it fermented and became wine. Israel drank wine to sustain life, which is an entirely different matter from the drinking culture we know.

People in our country drink not to survive but for pleasure. Drinking to the point of drunkenness makes people lose their reason, say and do things that have nothing to do with Christ, and fall defenseless under Satan’s control, and that is plainly sin. If you have no water and must drink it to stay alive, you may do so. But if you insist on drinking what the word forbids, you may come under God’s discipline, so I hope you will take care.

Verse 20 says not to curse the king, not even in your thoughts, and not to curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the sky will carry the voice of what you grumbled when alone, and that which has wings will tell the matter. People curse others and complain about them because they themselves are at the center. Only those who acknowledge the authority of the king God has set up will keep from rebellion; but when people judge their own thinking to be right, they grow discontented and commit the folly of cursing the rich, who have received God’s power and grace in abundance.

Because fools do not fear Almighty God, they revile, curse, and mock the people of God and think no one hears. But Christ, who created heaven and earth and all things by his word, hears every complaint in the heart and every word whispered alone in the bedroom. Judas Iscariot plotted to kill Jesus and assumed Jesus would not know, and Gehazi, who went after Naaman the army commander and secretly took gifts from him, thought Elisha would never find out.

It is foolish to believe that our evil deeds and lies will never be discovered and that we can completely deceive God’s servants. When the verse says that birds and winged creatures will spread our curses and evil schemes, it means all creation is under God’s authority; that is why the wise strive not to sin. Solomon, too, thought that no one would ever know his sin. But God exposed the sin Solomon committed in the dark of night before all the people in broad daylight, and put him to shame. Having seen the wrath of God, who laid bare every sin he had committed secretly in his own bedroom, Solomon is now confessing his sins himself.

If we believe in God, wisdom means believing to the end and striving not to sin. If, whenever trouble comes, you complain, asking why you must go through this and whether God is really alive, you will be caught in Satan’s schemes. Because Satan wants us to become fools, we must strive not to stray from the word and wisely discern the spirits. Our King is the great Judge who awaits his second coming; if you live wisely as one of God’s people, so as not to hinder his work, God will accomplish great things through you.