Questions from the Scripture text: What does the prudent understand (Proverbs 14:8a)? But what does the fool’s folly do to him and others (verse 8b)? What does the fool make light of (Proverbs 14:9a)? But what do the upright seek from the Lord (verse 9b)? What does the heart know (Proverbs 14:10a)? What doesn’t a stranger knows (verse 10b)? What comes of the house of the wicked (Proverbs 14:11a)? And of the tent of the upright (verse 11b)? And what comes of the way of the self-deceived (Proverbs 14:12)? What may the laughing or playing heart actually be experiencing (Proverbs 14:13)? With what will the backslider in heart be filled (Proverbs 14:14a)? With what will a good man be satisfied (verse 14b)? Who are easily deceived, and how (Proverbs 14:15a)? Who are protected from this, and how (verse 15b)?
What can a fool know? Proverbs 14:8–15 looks backward to the sermon in last week’s midweek meeting. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the fool is helplessly susceptible to deception.
The theme of this section is deception, and the areas in which this deception occurs make up another chiastic structure. Gullibility (Proverbs 14:8, Proverbs 14:15); the Deceptive Destructiveness of sin (Proverbs 14:9, Proverbs 14:14); the Deceptive Surface VS the Heart Reality (Proverbs 14:10, Proverbs 14:13); and, the Deceptiveness of Comfort and Stability (Proverbs 14:11, Proverbs 14:12).
Gullibility (Proverbs 14:8, Proverbs 14:15). If the fool is arrogant enough to reject the knowledge of God, he can surely deceive himself about everything. Knowing the Lord, the wise can begin to know himself (Proverbs 14:8a, Proverbs 14:15b), but the fool’s folly deceives him even about himself (Proverbs 14:8b). He is gullible about himself, and he is gullible about whatever he hears (Proverbs 14:15a). What do you really know? If you don’t know God, then you don’t ultimately know yourself or anything else.
Deceptive Destructiveness of Sin (Proverbs 14:9, Proverbs 14:14). A fool makes light of his guilty (Proverbs 14:9a). He acts as if God’s righteous justice will not fill him up exactly and fully (Proverbs 14:14a). But the upright hopes, not that he will be good enough to escape destruction, but for grace from this same God (Proverbs 14:9b). And that grace will fully satisfy him (Proverbs 14:14b). Do you act as if you could safely sin? Or do you look for God to be gracious to you and to satisfy you?
Deceptive Surface vs Heart Reality (Proverbs 14:10, Proverbs 14:13). It is important to remember that we do not truly know what’s going on in others’ hearts. We do not know their sorrow (Proverbs 14:10a), and cannot fully enter into their joy (verse 10b). We are even often deceived by our own hearts. We may be laughing and playing, but it may be a mask for sorrow and grief (Proverbs 14:13). We don’t know others’ hearts, and we cannot fully trust even our own heart. But we can know and trust the Lord, Who has trustworthily revealed “His heart” to us in Scripture! True wisdom begins with His heart, not ours.
Deceptiveness of Comfort and Stability (Proverbs 14:11, Proverbs 14:12). Note the difference between “house” in Proverbs 14:11a and “tent” in verse 11b. Often, the unbeliever’s apparent comfort and stability makes his way “seem right” to him (Proverbs 14:12a). But, if it is not the Lord’s way, then it can only have one end: death (verse 12b). We must not think that we are doing well, or that we will end well, simply because we are enjoying earthly comfort and stability (cf. Romans 2:3–5). We must not judge by appearances, but by righteous judgment.
In what ways might you be trusting your own heart instead of trusting the Lord in His Word? What voices from yourself, or from the world, have you been tempted to listen to in a way that casts doubt on the Lord’s Word in Scripture?
Sample prayer: Lord, You have spoken clearly in Your Word, and You make Your world reliable for us. But, we are so easily deceived by others, and even by our own wicked hearts. So, grant to us the ministry of Your Spirit, that by His light unto our minds, Your Word would form everything that we think, we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP45B “Daughter, Incline Your Ear” or TPH400 “Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me”
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