The Fool and his Folly

Proverbs 24:4,5

“Who bade you to go this way to be rid of your burden?”“Evangelist”“Avoid Him for his counsel!”

“What God says is best, is best, though all the men in the world

are against it.”John Bunyan

The Pilgrims Progress

Prov 26:1 Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest,

So honor is not fitting for a fool.

Prov 26:2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,So a curse without cause does not

alight.

Prov 26:3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

And a rod for the back of fools.

Prov 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,

Or you will also be like him.

Prov 26:5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves,

That he not be wise in his own eyes.

Answer a fool (49/70)as his folly (22/25) deserves,

That he not be wisein his own eyes.

Prov 26:5

Prov 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?

There is more hope for a fool than for him.

The Fool defined• ‘keciel’ – arrogant and defiant

• This is not the unlearned or the simple

• This is a fool by choice and intent

• ‘ivveleth’ – folly by imprudence and impiety

• This is disregard of thought and God

• As reasonable as a July blizzard

“The word is used in Scripture with respect to moral more than to

intellectual deficiencies.”Unger's Bible Dictionary

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,

But he who walks wisely will be delivered. Pro 28:26

He does not trust• Proverbs 3:5,6

• Trust in the Lord is reasonable -

• Trust in the Lord is essential –

• Trust in the Lord is available!

A fool rejects his father’s discipline, But he who regards reproof is

sensible. Pro 15:5

He does not listen• Fool rejects (despise)

• Parents are a divine assignment

• Wisdom regards

• Obedience is sensible (shrewd)

Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it,

But the discipline of fools is folly. Pro 16:22

He does not obey• Discipline become distasteful

• Discipleship is a lifetime resource!

Life without direction soon becomes a life without

destination

He who is slow to anger has great understanding,

But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly. Pro 14:29

A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back.

Pro 29:11

He does not wait• Emotions rule the hour?

• Control of emotions is not dishonest

• Control of emotions is respect

• Anger is not the only dangerous emotion, but it seems to be the most frequent!

Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is

good will. Pro 14:9

A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil,

But a fool is arrogant and careless. Pro 14:16

He does not depart• ‘mock’ – imitate as powerless

• A Fool does not realize the danger

• A Fool feels no need to flee

• A Fool becomes:

– Arrogant = thinks too much of himself

– Careless = thinks too little of himself

Mortar - Pestle

Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with

crushed grain, Yet his foolishness will not depart

from him. Pro 27:22

He does not change• Grinding or nagging does NOT help a fool!

• It is not that we do not hear – we do not heed!

• Do you not think that a fool has had enough bad experiences to see the problem?

• God must change him – not a ‘new leaf’

Lion enclosure - Johannesburg, S. Africa

The park's assistant operations manager Scott Simpson said the park had more than 40 signs with images and text warning visitors to keep their windows closed at all times when driving

through the camps.

But, countered McKay, "Something as relatively innocuous as leaving your window down

shouldn't result in death."

"The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy

of fools." Proverbs 3:35