Fools and the Faithless

March 10, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

To the choirmaster. Of David.

¹The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is none who does good.

²The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,
who seek after God.

³They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
not even one.

⁴Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
who eat up my people as they eat bread
and do not call upon the Lord?

⁵There they are in great terror,
for God is with the generation of the righteous.
⁶You would shame the plans of the poor,
but the Lord is his refuge.

⁷Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. – Psalm 14:1-7 ESV

This Psalm is virtually a mirror copy of Psalm 53. Both are attributed to David and their slight variations may indicate that they were penned at different times in David’s life. They reflect David’s somewhat pessimistic yet thoroughly accurate outlook on humanity. From his unique vantage point as king, he views the world through the eyes of a God-appointed authority figure who must deal with people from all walks of life. He has the citizens over which he rules and the nations with whom he must broker peace agreements or do battle. In his role as king, David was admired by some and hated by others. He was looked up to and depended upon by his people, but there were always those who conspired to take him down. Every day, he witnessed the best and worst of humanity and his assessment was less than flattering.

The Lord looks down from heaven
    on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
    if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away;
    all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
    not a single one! – Psalm 14:2-3 NLT

For David, there were two types of people in the world: Fools and the faithless. According to David, the fool was marked by a rejection of God.

Only fools say in their hearts,
“There is no God.” – Psalm 14:1 NLT

David used the Hebrew word, nāḇāl, which refers to someone who is senseless and has no perception of ethical and religious claims. Their lack of common sense and moral awareness of divine authority causes them to live depraved and self-consumed lives. David describes them as corrupt and prone to committing acts of evil all the time. Nothing they do is good or godly.

This is the most dangerous type of fool because they are stubborn and unteachable. A stubborn fool rejects God and His ways. He is self-confident and closed-minded and serves as his own god, freely gratifying his sinful nature. His goal is to entice others into following his ways. Only God can reprove a stubborn fool.

But while David doesn’t classify all men as fools, he does suggest that they all act foolishly. According to him, no one is wise or seeks after God. The Almighty scans humanity for any sign of wisdom or insight, to see if anybody really wants to worship and obey Him. And His conclusion? Every single person has rebelled against Him. As a race, they are morally filthy. Nobody does what God wants them to do. Not a single soul!

That’s a bleak assessment by any standard. But David was an avid student of humanity, and he had seen the best and worst that men have to offer. His conclusion was that fools and the faithless were everywhere. There were some who lived as if God didn’t exist and others who claimed belief in God but whose behavior didn’t measure up. Either way, they harmed God’s people and damaged His reputation. For David, that was unacceptable and worthy of God’s judgment.

Despite his pessimistic outlook, David maintained his faith in God. He knew that God was aware of the conditions on earth and would deal with the fools and the faithless in a just and timely manner. While these individuals chose to reject God’s existence or presence, David believed that God would not allow them to get away with their behavior indefinitely.

Terror will grip them,
for God is with those who obey him.
The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
but the Lord will protect his people. – Psalm 14:5-6 NLT

The world is full of fools – those individuals who act and live as if there is no God. Even those who claim to know Him act as if He doesn’t care about what they do or is too powerless to do anything about it. Then some just refuse to believe in Him altogether. These people “are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” (Psalm 14:1 NLT). From God’s perspective, man is inherently wicked and in open rebellion against Him. Yet God is still reaching out to man, offering His mercy and forgiveness. He will ultimately be forced to punish all those who refuse to accept His offer of new life through His Son, but until then, He keeps providing opportunities for them to repent and return to Him.

While the world is a less-than-ideal place, full of people obsessed with their own agendas, consumed by their own importance, and controlled by their sinful natures, David gives us a glimpse of God’s goodness as he reminds us that God is always there, even amid all the evil that surrounds us. David put it this way in Psalm 54:

But God is my helper.
The Lord keeps me alive! – Psalm 54:4 NLT

David appealed to God’s power and placed himself at God’s mercy to rescue him from his enemies. Those who care nothing for God were making David’s life miserable, but he knew he could call out to God, and not only would his prayer be heard, but it would be answered.

David had seen the goodness of God time and time again in his life, delivering him from troubles and trials, and rescuing him from every conceivable kind of predicament. While he firmly believes that “no one does good, not a single one,” David knows that God can and does do good for those who love Him. That is why he boldly states, “the Lord will protect his people” (Psalm 14:6 NLT). Despite his negative view of humanity, David had a deep and abiding trust in God’s divinity. He knew that God was the one true King who ruled over the universe. Nothing escaped God’s notice. The fools and the faithless all have to answer to the sovereign God who reigns in justice and truth.

So David ends his Psalm with a prayer of hopeful anticipation.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. – Psalm 14:7 NLT

All that God does is good, even when He has to deal with those who are bad. God is just and righteous, and can be trusted to do the right thing at the right time – each and every time. He never does wrong. He is just in all His actions towards men. He never punishes unjustly or unfairly. because He is good and gracious. It doesn’t matter whether men reject Him, ignore Him, or attempt to deny His existence. God remains good even when things appear bad.

Father, we live in a world that is sick and dying. It is filled with people who refuse to love and serve You. Many refuse to even believe in You. And yet, You remain good. You continue to make the sun shine on all men, showering them with Your common grace. You make the crops grow, the rain to fall, and the air breathable. You constantly offer the free gift of grace available through Your Son. And You care for Your own, providing them with a listening ear and a powerful hand to rescue and restore them. You are indeed a good God. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

How Long?

March 9, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

To the choirmaster: A Psalm of David.

¹How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
²How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

³Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
⁴lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

⁵But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
⁶I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me. – Psalm 13:1-6 ESV

Reading David’s Psalms can be confusing. It’s almost as if he suffers from a multiple personality disorder. In some of his writings, he comes across as a faithful and fully committed follower of God who boldly declares his allegiance and trust in the Almighty. But there are other times when David seems doubtful about their relationship, questioning God’s presence and seeming apathy or disinterest in his circumstances. But David isn’t schizophrenic, he’s simply being realistic and honest.

As a human being, David suffers from a limited perspective. He is neither omnipresent nor omniscient. Unable to see into the future, David cannot know the outcome of his present circumstances. Incapable of seeing into the throne room of God, he can only guess what the Almighty is doing at any given moment, leaving him to wonder and worry whether his predicament has gone unnoticed. In the heat of the moment, when the pressures of life begin to overwhelm him, David does what every other man does, he begins to question the goodness and greatness of God. He doesn’t stop believing, but he does start to have serious doubts about God’s intentions and seeming lack of activity.

David opens this Psalm with four rapid-fire questions.

O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever?

How long will you look the other way?

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?

How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

David isn’t accusing God of being AWOL. These are not questions about God’s nearness but about His seeming delay in providing deliverance. David isn’t denying God’s presence or power; he just wants to know what is taking so long. He is expressing his frustration with God’s promptness.

Four times in the first two verses of Psalm 13, David repeats that question, “How long?” He pleads with God to answer him, to give him some glimmer of hope in the darkness. He desperately wants to see God act so his enemies will stop gloating over his situation. From David’s perspective, their boasting over his defeat is nothing less than a mockery of God’s power. He is grieved that his loss has given them a false sense of superiority because they have bested the LORD’s anointed one.

David cared deeply about God’s reputation. Having been anointed the king of Israel by the prophet of God, David knew his life was meant to reflect God’s glory. He served at God’s behest and had been tasked with the responsibility of shepherding the flock of God.

“I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.” – 2 Samuel 7:8 ESV

He chose David his servant
    and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the nursing ewes he brought him
    to shepherd Jacob his people,
    Israel his inheritance.
With upright heart he shepherded them
    and guided them with his skillful hand. – Psalm 78:70-72 ESV

David felt a profound responsibility to honor God with his life, and when his enemies got the upper hand, he felt like he had let God down. His failures reflected poorly on God’s name. That’s why he wanted to know why God wasn’t stepping in to remedy the problem. What was keeping Yahweh from proving His power by providing deliverance?

But then David makes a profound admission: “But I trust in your unfailing love” (Psalm 13:5 NLT). Actually, the tense of the verb he uses speaks of a past event, a completed action. In a sense, David says, “But I have trusted in your unfailing love.” David has continually lived his life by placing his confidence in the kindness and mercy of God. That’s why he can say, “I will rejoice in your salvation.”

Because David had trusted God in the past, he knew he could trust God for the future. He knew there was a day coming when God would bring salvation. He didn’t know how or when, but he knew it was coming. He was fully confident that he would have reason to rejoice one day. He would sing for joy. Why? Because God had a proven track record of faithfulness.

The best translation of verse 6 is, “I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.” God’s past provision was the basis for David’s future joy. He knew God would come through for him because he had experienced it repeatedly. David’s God was a faithful, consistent, and unchanging God. His God always delivered, always came through, never abandoned, gave up, walked out, or disappointed.

What more does God have to do for you to begin to trust Him? What is it going to take for you to really believe that He knows what is going on in your life and will provide for and protect you, regardless of what you see happening around you? That is the recurring theme of so many of David’s Psalms. David was a man who had his own share of trials and troubles. He may have been a king who enjoyed great wealth and wielded tremendous power, but he was not immune to problems. He faced various difficult circumstances in his lifetime, including the constant threat of enemies, both within and without his kingdom.

At one point, his own father-in-law, Saul, launched a crusade to have David killed. Later on in his life, David would watch as his own son, Absalom, led a rebellion against him and took over his kingdom. The Philistines never forgave him for killing their champion, Goliath. There were times when David felt all alone and alienated from God. He was human and prone to look at his circumstances and question whether God knew what was happening to him. Amid his suffering and struggles, he would ask the same questions we all ask of God: How long? When is this going to stop, God? When will you do something about this situation in my life? Why the delay? What are You doing? Why are You waiting?

From David’s perspective, only a fool would conclude that there is no God (Psalm 14:1). Only a fool would decide that God was not there or did not care. David had seen the hand of God in the past and knew he would see the hand of God in the future. Because of God’s past provision in the face of problems, David knew he would sing, rejoice, and praise God some day – despite all that was going on at the moment.

Father, You have never failed to be faithful to me. So let me trust in Your past deliverance and there find hope for my future restoration. You are always faithful, always loving, and always powerful. Because You have, I can trust that you will. Your character is consistent, constant, and never changing. Amen

Fool On the Hill

May 23, 2024May 23, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?” ²So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. ³And Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness, ⁴David sent out spies and learned that Saul had indeed come. ⁵Then David rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped. And David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him.

⁶Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah, “Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?” And Abishai said, “I will go down with you.” ⁷So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. ⁸Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” ⁹But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord‘s anointed and be guiltless?” ¹⁰And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. ¹¹The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord‘s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” ¹²So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them. – 1 Samuel 26:1-12 ESV

Chapter 25 provided us with a brief respite from the ongoing conflict between Saul and David. But chapter 26 picks up where chapter 24 left off. When we last left Saul, he was headed home after his near-death encounter with David. He unknowingly walked right into an ambush, choosing to relieve himself in a cave where David and his men had been hiding. But David spared Saul’s life, choosing instead to confront him face-to-face and assure Saul that he posed no threat to his kingdom. He was not going to lift his hand against Saul. And we’re told that “Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold” (1 Samuel 24:22 ESV).

Chapter 25 introduced us to a new character, Nabal, who displayed all the classic characteristics of a biblical fool and whose unwise actions almost caused the unnecessary deaths of everyone associated with him. But Abigail, his wife, intervened and prevented David from doing something he would long regret. Nabal’s rashness and ungodliness were going to be the death of him – literally. This fool would die a fool’s death. But while David had been able to walk away from Nabal with his integrity intact, he would soon discover another fool in his life who had not gone anywhere.

Saul may have gone home, but he wouldn’t stay there long. While he had shown signs of remorse in his last encounter with David, he had not given up his quest to see David put to death. When the Ziphites betrayed David to Saul a second time (1 Samuel 23:19), informing Saul of his whereabouts, he mustered 3,000 soldiers to hunt him down.

Verse 3 states, “Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon.” Saul’s stubborn refusal to give up the hunt is truly remarkable. His remorse-filled words, spoken to David during their conversation outside the cave, had sounded so sincere.

“You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.” – 1 Samuel 24:17-20 NLT

But Saul was a fool, and while he didn’t have the unique distinction of being named “fool” like Nabal, he bore all the characteristics. The Hebrew word, nāḇāl actually means “fool” and refers to a particular kind of fool who is overly self-confident and particularly closed-minded. He tends to act as his own god and freely gratifies his own sinful nature. This type of fool is the worst kind and can only be reproved by God Himself. The prophet Isaiah describes this type of fool (nāḇāl):

For fools speak foolishness
    and make evil plans.
They practice ungodliness
    and spread false teachings about the Lord.
They deprive the hungry of food
    and give no water to the thirsty. – Isaiah 32:6 NLT

This brand of fool is typically godless in nature but it’s not that they don’t believe in God, it’s that they act as if God does not exist. This was Saul’s problem. He kept pursuing David even though God had clearly ordained David to be his replacement. Saul refused to accept God’s will and would risk anything and everything in his attempt to circumvent God’s divine authority. He was so busy chasing David, that he had no time to meet the needs of his nation or its citizens. For Saul, David had become an obsession, not just a distraction.

So, Saul and his troops set up camp on the hill of Hachilah. He foolishly thought he was in the right and, that night, he foolishly fell asleep, safely surrounded by his 3,000 well-trained soldiers. But in the dark of night, David and Abishai, his nephew, snuck into the camp and crept right up to Saul as he and his crack troops lay fast asleep.

Samuel makes it clear that their heavy sleep was God’s doing: “a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them” (1 Samuel 26:12 ESV). Once again, David found himself in a tempting situation where his arch-enemy was seemingly handed to him on a silver platter. Even Abishai recognized a golden opportunity when he saw one, begging for permission to put Saul to death right then and there. But David’s response was firm and crystal clear:

“No!” David said. “Don’t kill him. For who can remain innocent after attacking the Lord’s anointed one? Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle. The Lord forbid that I should kill the one he has anointed! But take his spear and that jug of water beside his head, and then let’s get out of here!” – 1 Samuel 26:9-11 NLT

David had learned a lot from his encounter with Nabal and Abigail. While the timing seemed perfect and his justification for killing Saul seemed plausible, he knew that God had not given him the green light to take the life of the king. If vengeance was necessary, he would leave it up to God. If Saul was meant to die an untimely death, that was also God’s decision. David refused to make evil plans or practice ungodliness. In other words, he refused to act like a fool. Rather than lower himself to the same level as Nabal or Saul, he chose to do the godly thing. He determined to leave his own destiny and the fate of his enemies in God’s hands. The Book of Proverbs contains a number of verses that provide apt descriptions of David’s actions:

One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil,
but a fool is reckless and careless. – Proverbs 14:16 ESV

The anger of the king is a deadly threat;
the wise will try to appease it. – Proverbs 16:14 NLT

Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. – Proverbs 3:7 NLT

But the Scriptures also provide us with insights into the nature of Saul’s perplexing behavior.

Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him. – Proverbs 26:12 ESV

Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark. – Ecclesiastes 2:13-14 NLT

Two men stood on a hill. One was a fool while the other was wise. Both knew God. Both had been appointed and anointed by God. But one was living his life as if God didn’t exist, the quintessential trademark of a fool. The other was confident in and committed to the presence and power of God in his life – regardless of the circumstances.

As this chapter unfolds, the stark contrast between these two men will become increasingly clear. Their lives are inseparably linked, but their fates will radically diverge. The differentiating factor between the two is their faith in God which will produce two distinctly different outcomes: Wisdom and folly.

Learning to Let God and Let God

May 21, 2024May 22, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

³²And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! ³³Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! ³⁴For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” ³⁵Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.”

³⁶And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light. ³⁷In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. ³⁸And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died. – 1 Samuel 25:32-38 ESV

David recognized the hand of God when he saw it. As he and his men stood there with their weapons at the ready, prepared to wipe out Nabal and every male in his household, Abigail showed up with a gift of food and a word of wise counsel. She bowed before David and begged his forgiveness, and she appealed to David to refrain from doing something he would later regret. Nabal was a fool. He was insignificant and not worth the time and effort it would take to enact revenge. She wisely warned David, “When the Lord has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance” (1 Samuel 25:30-31 NLT).

Her words struck a chord with David. They were like a cold glass of water thrown in his face, awakening him to the reality and danger of what he was about to do. And he was grateful, not only to her but to God for having sent her.

“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today!” – 1 Samuel 25:32 NLT

He knew his encounter with Abigail had been God-ordained and clearly sensed that she had been sent to prevent him from doing something he would later regret. Killing Nabal would have been an act of vengeance, but not an act of God. David had not sought out or received permission from God to take the life of Nabal or anyone else. But the temptation for self-salvation and taking revenge on those who offend us always lingers within us. David had been offended by a rich fool and was man enough to do something about it. But a man after God’s own heart would leave vengeance up to the Lord, and that was exactly Abigai’s point. God had bigger plans for David; he was going to be the next king of Israel. Nabal was just a bump in the road to the throne room, and David would be better off letting God deal with him.

It’s important to recall that when David had been given the opportunity to kill Saul, he refrained from doing so. He even told Saul, “May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you” (1 Samuel 24:12 ESV). At that point, David was willing to leave the judgment of Saul in God’s hands. But when it came to Nabal, David had suddenly decided to take matters into his own hands. Only the words of Abigail prevented David from doing the unthinkable and committing an act of fratricide against his fellow Jews.

When David heard the words of Abigail, he immediately recognized the gravity of his intended actions. He said to her, “Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands” (1 Samuel 25:33 NLT). This is the key to understanding the exchange between Abigail and David. His sin was not that he was angry with Nabal, but his desire to seek vengeance with his own hands. What he was about to do was an act of self-salvation, but not self-preservation. Nabal was no threat to David. All he had done was offend David by treating him with contempt and disrespect. He had hurt David’s pride, and David was willing to slaughter Nabal and everyone associated with him in a needless act of revenge.

Years later, when David was king, he had another opportunity to take revenge on someone who treated him with disdain and disrespect. On this occasion, it was his son, Absalom, who had taken over Jerusalem and forced David to flee for his life. On his way out of town, David was confronted by a man named Shimei, a member of the clan of Saul. As David and his men made their way out of the city, Shemei threw stones at them and loudly cursed David.

“Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. “The Lord is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!” – 2 Samuel 16:7-8 NLT

David’s men offered to kill Shimei, but David restrained them, saying:

“My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it. And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.” – 2 Samuel 16:11-12 NLT

David’s encounter with Abigail had taught him a valuable lesson: To leave vengeance in the hands of God. He was to do nothing without God’s expressed permission. Taking Nabal’s life might have assuaged David’s damaged pride, but it would have done far more damage to his reputation.

It would appear from studying the life of David, that he was a man prone to impulsive behavior. He had a penchant for giving in to his inner desires and failing to think things through. His affair with Bathsheba is a case in point. He let his physical passions override his reasoning. He saw her and he wanted her, so he took her. He didn’t think it through. When his actions got him in trouble and Bathsheba became pregnant, he threw reason to the wind and went into self-preservation mode. He attempted to cover up his indiscretion with a carefully crafted plan to order Bathesheba’s husband Uriah to return from the front. The hope was that Bathsheba’s reunion with her husband would convince everyone that the baby was actually his. When his plan failed, David’s self-preservation efforts escalated and he arranged to have Uriah returned to the front and exposed to enemy fire. Uriah’s death would allow David to take Bathsheba as his wife.

Self-salvation is tempting, but it rarely turns out as expected. Taking matters into one’s own hands may provide temporary relief, but the repercussions can be devastating. Too often, the desire for revenge is based on nothing more than damaged pride. There is no real threat to our safety, but we find ourselves offended by something someone has said to us or about us. Perhaps it’s a rumor that someone has spread that falsely represents us. It could be a simple case of someone showing us disrespect or treating us dismissively. Our first impulse is to get even; to teach them a lesson. But what would God have us do? What response would He prefer?

For David, the best course of action was no action at all. He was to leave Nabal in God’s hands. Rather than seeking revenge, he was to rest in the sovereign will of God.

Jesus gave us some similar advice in the Beatitudes.

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.” – Matthew 5:38-42 NLT

We’re to be driven by a bigger purpose than our own self-salvation and preservation. God has greater plans for us than worrying about what others think and wasting time attempting to preserve our reputations. God had more important plans for David than the elimination of a fool who happened to have offended him. There were more dangerous enemies to worry about and far more significant wars for David to wage. He was to leave Nabal in God’s hands, and when he did, David would see God deal with Nabal as only God could.

When Abigail told Nabal all that had happened and how David had been planning to destroy him, “he had a stroke, and he lay paralyzed on his bed like a stone. About ten days later, the Lord struck him, and he died” (1 Samuel 25:37-38 NLT).

God avenged David by dealing with Nabal and, in doing so, He taught the invaluable lesson that His salvation is preferable to self-salvation every time. Jesus supported this view when He told His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26 ESV).

Waiting For Wisdom Is Wise

May 20, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁸Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys. ¹⁹And she said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. ²⁰And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them. ²¹Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. ²²God do so to the enemies of David and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.”

²³When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. ²⁴She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. ²⁵Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. ²⁶Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. ²⁷And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. ²⁸Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. ²⁹If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. ³⁰And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince over Israel, ³¹my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.” – 1 Samuel 25:18-31 ESV

In these verses, we are provided with a stark contrast between Nabal and Abigai, and it shows up in their choice of words. When Nabal had first encountered the men sent by David, he responded rashly and rather harshly.

“Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” – 1 Samuel 25:10-11 ESV

Nabal treated David’s men with disrespect and dishonor and his words were flippant and filled with disdain. All the time his shepherds had tended his flocks in the wilderness of Paran, David and his men had provided them with free protection. One of Nabal’s own shepherds confirmed this fact when he appealed to Abigail to intervene.

“These men have been very good to us, and we never suffered any harm from them. Nothing was stolen from us the whole time they were with us. In fact, day and night they were like a wall of protection to us and the sheep.” – 1 Samuel 25:15-16 NLT

And yet, Nabal refused to acknowledge any of this and treated David with contempt rather than gratitude. In doing so, he demonstrated the characteristics of a biblical fool.

Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words. – Ecclesiastes 10:12 ESV
Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels;

    they are asking for a beating.
The mouths of fools are their ruin;

    they trap themselves with their lips. – Proverbs 18:6-7 NLT

Now Nabal “the fool” was about to get a beating from David. In fact, David had vowed to wipe out Nabal and every one of his men.

“A lot of good it did to help this fellow. We protected his flocks in the wilderness, and nothing he owned was lost or stolen. But he has repaid me evil for good. May God strike me and kill me if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!” – 1 Samuel 25:21-22 NLT

But wiser minds prevailed. Abigail, the wife of Nabal, when apprised of the situation, stepped in and determined to right the wrong her husband had done to David. This was probably not the first time she had been forced to intervene in her husband’s affairs. As his wife, she was well aware of his reputation and had first-hand experience with his serial foolishness. Even when describing her husband to David, she was extremely blunt.

“I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests.” – 1 Samuel 25:25 NLT

But Abigail’s words of reconciliation to David provide the greatest insight into the difference between her and her husband. Unlike Nabal, her words and actions are marked by wisdom and insight. However, her behavior is not the result of superior intelligence. She was obviously a smart woman but, more importantly, she was a godly woman who demonstrated a healthy fear of the Lord. Her wisdom was a byproduct of her relationship with the Almighty.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. – Proverbs 9:10 ESV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding. – Psalm 111:10 ESV

Abigail was wise because she was godly. She feared the Lord and recognized the hand of God at work in the life of David. Somehow, God had provided her with insight into the circumstances surrounding David’s life. While Nabal had seen David as nothing more than a man on the run, a fugitive from justice; Abigail recognized him as the next king of Israel.

“The Lord will surely reward you with a lasting dynasty, for you are fighting the Lord’s battles.” – 1 Samuel 25:28 NLT

“When the Lord has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, don’t let this be a blemish on your record. ” – 1 Samuel 25:30-31 NLT

Abigail was not flattering David or stroking his ego in an attempt to get on his good side; she had divine insight from God. She had been given wisdom from God that enabled her to assess the situation and recognize that David was God’s hand-picked successor to Saul and he would not want to do anything that would blemish his future reputation or dishonor the name of God. Her words and actions reveal the timeless truth of the following Proverb.

From a wise mind comes wise speech;
the words of the wise are persuasive.

Kind words are like honey —
sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. – Proverbs 16:23-24 NLT

Every aspect of Abigail’s handling of this delicate and dangerous situation displays a divinely inspired understanding of human nature and the keys to the successful mitigation of difficult circumstances. Her provision of food for David’s men and her choice of words for David’s ears were both divinely inspired. One of the most insightful things Abigail did that day was to get David to see things from God’s perspective. She knew David would be upset, and rightfully so. She fully understood how her husband’s foolish actions and words caused David to take offense and she knew he would seek to avenge himself against Nabal.

But Abigail wanted David to consider how God would have him respond. Yet, her actions are not completely selfless or altruistic. She wants to protect her family, servants, and social standing. If David follows through on his vow and wipes out every male in her household, Abigail will be left destitute and homeless. So, she went out of her way to persuade David to reconsider his response to Nabal’s slight. This wise and eloquent woman urged David to view his situation from a different perspective so that he might recognize the hand of God working through her to prevent the unnecessary slaughter of innocent people, an action that would place a permanent blight on David’s reputation.

“When the Lord has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance.” – 1 Samuel 25:30-31 NLT

It’s impossible to think about this fact and not fast-forward to a future event in David’s life when he failed to heed the words of Abigail. Years later, after David had become the king of Israel, he had an illicit affair with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers. When she became pregnant with his child, David arranged for her husband, Uriah, to be exposed to enemy fire on the front lines and killed. Uriah’s death allowed David to legally take Bathsheba as his wife. As a result of his unrighteous and unwise actions, David would discover what it was like for his conscience to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed. He would carry the guilt of Uriah’s death and bear the judgment of God for his actions – the death of his infant son born as a result of his adultery with Bathsheba.

David was a man of action who wrestled with impulsiveness. There were times in his life when he allowed his inclination for spontaneity to override his need for self-control and wisdom. His affair with Bathsheba is a perfect example. He saw her and had to have her, and when he allowed his passions to take priority over God’s will, he suffered the consequences. When David sought to escape from Saul and took refuge among the Philistines in Gath, he allowed his impulsive nature to cloud his thinking. Rather than seek the will of God, David took matters into his own hands and found himself in a potentially deadly predicament. This future king of Israel was going to need to learn to seek the will of God before knee-jerk reacting to his circumstances, and his encounter with Abigail would provide some much-needed insight into the way of the wise.

The words of Abigail were wise because they were godly, and they were godly because they came from the mouth of a godly woman. As the chapter unfolds, David will recognize the hand of God in the actions of Abigail. Her words reflect the wisdom of God and will protect the man of God from giving in to his penchant for impulsiveness. God would use this wise woman to accomplish His will in the life of David. The man after God’s own heart would be protected by a woman who displayed God’s own wisdom so that God’s sovereign will might be accomplished.

Suffer the Fool

May 7, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁶And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord take vengeance on David’s enemies.” ¹⁷And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

¹⁸Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty. ¹⁹On the third day go down quickly to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain beside the stone heap. ²⁰And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. ²¹And behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,’ then you are to come, for, as the Lord lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. ²²But if I say to the youth, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go, for the Lord has sent you away. ²³And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the Lord is between you and me forever.”

²⁴So David hid himself in the field. And when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. ²⁵The king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, but David’s place was empty.’

²⁶Yet Saul did not say anything that day, for he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean.” ²⁷But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David’s place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?” ²⁸Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem. ²⁹He said, ‘Let me go, for our clan holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away and see my brothers.’ For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.”

³⁰Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? ³¹For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.” ³²Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” ³³But Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death. ³⁴And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him. – 1 Samuel 20:16-34 ESV

David and Jonathan had come up with a plan. David would purposefully miss the feast of the new moon, knowing that his absence would be noticed by Saul. When Saul inquired of Jonathan where David was, he was to tell his father that David had gone home to celebrate the feast with his family in Bethlehem. If Saul accepted this news without incident, David would know it was safe to return home. But if Saul became angry and flew off the handle, Jonathan was to secretly inform David so that he could escape.

When the fateful day came and David was not at his place for the feast, Saul missed him but assumed that something had come up. But by the second day, Saul became suspicious and asked Jonathan for an explanation. What he heard infuriated him and he accused his son of trying to pull a fast one by conspiring with David against him. Saul lashed out in anger at the perceived betrayal of his own son, using X-rated language to convey his disappointment.

“Saul, now incensed and enraged over Jonathan’s liaison with David, is actually hurling very coarse and emotionally charged words at his son. The translation of this phrase suggested by Koehler and Baumgartner is ‘bastard of a wayward woman’ (HALOT 796 s.v. עוה), but this is not an expression commonly used in English. A better English approximation of the sentiments expressed here by the Hebrew phrase would be ‘You stupid son of a bitch!’” – NET Bible study notes

Saul is beside himself with rage. His own son has taken sides with someone he sees as an enemy and a threat to his throne. Saul even reminds Jonathan that his actions will keep him from inheriting the kingship.

“As long as that son of Jesse is alive, you’ll never be king. Now go and get him so I can kill him!” – 1 Samuel 20:31 NLT

Saul’s anger is uncontrollable and he fails to recognize that his efforts to kill David are in direct opposition to the words spoken by Samuel the prophet. He knows his reign is coming to an end and his replacement has already been chosen by God.

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” – 1 Samuel 13:13-14 ESV

And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” – 1 Samuel 15:26 ESV

But Saul stubbornly refused to accept his fate. He somehow believed that he could hold onto his throne despite God’s statements to the contrary. In a blatant display of obstinance and self-preservation, Saul refuses to repent and accept God’s just and righteous punishment for his past sins. As Saul has done before, he displays a habit of shifting blame and denying culpability.

Early on in his reign, Saul had received instructions to wait seven days for Samuel to join him. At that time, the prophet would offer sacrifices to God. But Saul became impatient and took it upon himself to play the part of both priest and king. When confronted by Samuel for offering a burnt offering on his own, rather than waiting on the prophet as he had been instructed, Saul simply offered up excuses:

“Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” – 1 Samuel 13:12 ESV

He claims to have forced himself to do what he did. He didn’t want to do it, but he had no other choice. But Saul knew his behavior was unacceptable to God. As a Jew, he knew that only a priest was authorized to offer sacrifices to God. Yet Saul, impatient and impulsive, took matters into his own hands and decided to do things his way.

On another occasion, when Saul had been instructed by God to wipe out all the Amalekites, he again chose to do things his own way. The text tells us, “But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction” (1 Samuel 15:9 ESV). When Samuel confronted him about his disobedience, he simply responded, “the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction” (1 Samuel 15:15 ESV). Rather than confessing his sin, he blamed the people. It wasn’t his fault.

Saul never found repentance easy. He struggled to accept responsibility for his own sinfulness and had difficulty accepting God’s decision to remove him from the throne for his repeated disobedience. It’s as if he believed he could get around God’s plan to replace him and remain on the throne by sheer willpower. Saul was the quintessential fool with all the attributes outlined in the book of Proverbs.

Fools think their own way is right… – Proverbs 12:15 NLT

The words of the godly are like sterling silver;
the heart of a fool is worthless. – Proverbs 10:20 NLT

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction. – Proverbs 1:7 ESV

For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them. – Proverbs 1:32 ESV

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice. – Proverbs. 12:15 ESV

A prudent man conceals knowledge,
but the heart of fools proclaims folly. – Proverbs 12:23 ESV

Saul was foolish to think he could escape the inevitable judgment of God. He was foolish to think he could defeat the man who had been chosen by God as his replacement. He was foolish to believe that his disobedience to God would not have consequences or that the divine will of God could somehow be circumvented. In fact, Saul lived as if there was no God, a hallmark of the foolish lifestyle.

David himself would later write, “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” (Psalm 14:1 NLT). Saul’s actions revealed his foolish assumption that God was either impotent or irrelevant. He was going to do what he wanted to do – as if God didn’t even exist. His stubbornness would ultimately be the end of him but not before he spent the next years of his life foolishly shaking his fist in the face of the Almighty. He wrongly believed that his wisdom was greater than that of God. But he would be proven wrong, as fools always are.

When Good Friends Give Bad Advice

October 7, 2023 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹“Call now; is there anyone who will answer you?
    To which of the holy ones will you turn?
²Surely vexation kills the fool,
    and jealousy slays the simple.
³I have seen the fool taking root,
    but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.
⁴His children are far from safety;
    they are crushed in the gate,
    and there is no one to deliver them.
⁵The hungry eat his harvest,
    and he takes it even out of thorns,
    and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
⁶For affliction does not come from the dust,
    nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
⁷but man is born to trouble
    as the sparks fly upward.

⁸“As for me, I would seek God,
    and to God would I commit my cause,
⁹who does great things and unsearchable,
    marvelous things without number:
¹⁰he gives rain on the earth
    and sends waters on the fields;
¹¹he sets on high those who are lowly,
    and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
¹²He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.
¹³He catches the wise in their own craftiness,
    and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
¹⁴They meet with darkness in the daytime
    and grope at noonday as in the night.
¹⁵But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth
    and from the hand of the mighty.
¹⁶So the poor have hope,
    and injustice shuts her mouth.” – Job 5:1-16 ESV

Assumptions can be dangerous things, especially when it comes to spiritual matters. And while Eliphaz thought he was doing his beleaguered friend a service, his lengthy and unsolicited counseling session was based solely on his own opinion about Job’s plight. From his theological vantage point, it appeared as if Job had done something to anger God. There could be no other explanation. After all, Job had been blessed beyond belief, a sure sign of God’s favor. He had a large family and his adult children had done well with their lives. Job had also built a prosperous agricultural operation that made him “the richest person in that entire area” (Job 1:3 NLT). And then suddenly, as if out of nowhere, Job had lost it all, including his health.

Like a forensic investigator, Eliphaz examined the evidence and came to the conclusion that his friend had committed some highly egregious sin that resulted in God’s judgment. In his attempt to explain Job’s horrific downfall, Eliphaz concluded that there must have been some heinous transgression hidden in his past. Job’s sins had caught up with him.

Eliphaz is so convinced that his assumptions are correct that he challenges Job to call on the “holy ones” to come to his defense. In a casebook display of insensitivity, Eliphaz questions his friend’s innocence and callously claims that even the angels would fail to listen to his cries or come to his aid. They would refuse to act as witnesses on his behalf or plead his case to God.

In one of the most blatant displays of over-confident self-righteousness, Eliphaz boldly asserts that Job is a fool.

“Surely resentment destroys the fool,
and jealousy kills the simple.
I have seen that fools may be successful for the moment,
but then comes sudden disaster.” – Job 5:2-3 NLT

Eliphaz has the audacity to claim that the fate of Job’s children was his own fault.

“Their children are abandoned far from help;
they are crushed in court with no one to defend them.” – Job 5:4 NLT

Eliphaz’s assertions are far from subtle and anything but encouraging. He lobs his so-called truth bombs like hand grenades, showing no regard for Job’s feelings and demonstrating no awareness that his assumptions might be wrong. He had reached his conclusions and there was no turning back. But Eliphaz’s rush to judgment was both unwise and unwarranted. There were things he didn’t know. There were details about Job’s story of which he was ignorant and uninformed. Yet, he felt confident enough to declare his friend guilty and to label him a fool.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed the issue of murder as it relates to the Mosaic Law.

“You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’ But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell.” – Matthew 5:21-22 NET

He rightly declared that the Law prescribed judgment for the act of murder. But then He added an interesting addendum, declaring that anger itself was tantamount to committing murder. Hatred was the breeding ground from which murder sprang forth.

Then He took His interpretation of the Law one step further by stating that to insult someone was also an act worthy of judgment. Jesus uses the word “raca,” a term that was derived from the Aramaic word reqa. It was an insult that is best translated as “empty-headed” and was used to refer to someone’s stupidity or mental inferiority. It was a highly derogatory expression and Jesus warns that its use to devalue another human being was deserving of the severest punishment of the Law. And then He adds one more eye-opening insight into the true meaning behind the command, “You shall not kill.”

“…whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” – Matthew 5:22b ESV

According to Jesus, Eliphaz was walking on thin ice. He had taken it upon himself to act as Job’s judge and render a guilty verdict – all without input or approval from God.

Eliphaz’s arrogance is truly mind-boggling. He’s so confident in his assertions that he talks to his friend like he’s a child, reminding him that evil doesn’t just happen; it has a source.

“…evil does not spring from the soil,
and trouble does not sprout from the earth.
People are born for trouble
as readily as sparks fly up from a fire.” – Job 5:6-7 NLT

Eliphaz not only has an explanation for Job’s sorry state but he also has a solution.

“If I were you, I would go to God
and present my case to him.
He does great things too marvelous to understand.
He performs countless miracles.” – Job 5:8-9 NLT

But this advice reeks of sarcasm. It is almost as if Eliphaz knows that Job is going to deny his guilt and declare his innocence. So, he challenges Job to present his case to Yahweh. What appears to be a sincere recommendation that Job turn to God for help is really a thinly veiled and sarcasm-laced statement of Job’s guilt. Eliphaz isn’t hiding his belief that Job has brought all of this on himself. He even warns Job that God ”frustrates the plans of schemers so the work of their hands will not succeed. He traps the wise in their own cleverness so their cunning schemes are thwarted” (Job 5:12-13 NLT).

Eliphaz told Job that he was more than welcome to take bring his case before God, but he would find Yahweh to be anything but accommodating or forgiving. In Eliphaz’s mind, Job was nothing more than a clever schemer who had fooled everyone but God with his convincing holier-than-thou lifestyle.

Eliphaz seems to have reached the conclusion that Job had somehow used his wealth and power to take advantage of the poor, so he warned his friend that God “rescues the poor from the cutting words of the strong, and rescues them from the clutches of the powerful” (Job 5:15 NLT). This was a bold and highly condemning assertion on Eliphaz’s part; one that was based solely on conjecture and had no basis in reality.

When reading the words of Eliphaz, it’s important to consider how they stand in stark contrast to God’s assessment of Job.

“Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” – Job 2:3 ESV

Eliphaz had already assumed Job’s guilt, solely based on circumstantial evidence. But there was so much he didn’t know and couldn’t see. He was blind to the spiritual battle taking place behind the scenes. He was incapable of seeing into the inner recesses of Job’s heart but had been more than willing to declare his friend a fool and a scheming con man who had enriched himself on the backs of the poor and needy. But he was wrong. Yet, he was far from finished. Eliphaz was neither lacking in confidence nor words, and he had a lot more to say to his involuntary counselee.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Wisdom Really Works

August 5, 2022 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

⁸He who digs a pit will fall into it,
    and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.
⁹He who quarries stones is hurt by them,
    and he who splits logs is endangered by them.
¹⁰If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge,
    he must use more strength,
    but wisdom helps one to succeed.
¹¹If the serpent bites before it is charmed,
    there is no advantage to the charmer.

¹²The words of a wise man’s mouth win him favor,
    but the lips of a fool consume him.
¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness,
    and the end of his talk is evil madness.
¹⁴A fool multiplies words,
    though no man knows what is to be,
    and who can tell him what will be after him?
¹⁵The toil of a fool wearies him,
    for he does not know the way to the city.

¹⁶Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child,
    and your princes feast in the morning!
¹⁷Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility,
    and your princes feast at the proper time,
    for strength, and not for drunkenness!
¹⁸Through sloth the roof sinks in,
    and through indolence the house leaks.
¹⁹Bread is made for laughter,
    and wine gladdens life,
    and money answers everything.
²⁰Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king,
    nor in your bedroom curse the rich,
for a bird of the air will carry your voice,
    or some winged creature tell the matter. – Ecclesiastes 10:8-20 ESV

Solomon continues his discussion about wisdom that he began in the opening verses of this chapter, but now, he does so in a more proverbial form. In verses 8-10, he outlines the positive influence of wisdom. It helps one to succeed. Yet, he also describes several scenarios where wisdom won’t necessarily prove to be an asset. It may help, but it cannot prevent the unforeseen or unexpected.

For instance, if someone is in the process of digging a pit, they face the very real risk of falling into the hole they have dug. Wisdom can cause a man to be cautious, but it can’t completely eliminate an accident from occurring.

When doing demolition work on an old wall, and removing the rocks or bricks by hand, there’s always the chance you might get bitten by a snake. Again, wisdom advises discernment and caution, but it can’t control the actions of a snake.

Working in a quarry can be a profitable and potentially harmful occupation. The very stones you seek to gather can end up crushing you. And while the wise will work carefully and cautiously, they may still find themselves in harm’s way, because they can’t control nature. The same thing could be true for someone who splits logs. It’s a potentially dangerous occupation that can end up harming even the wisest of men.

But Solomon’s point seems to be that if wisdom is not used in and applied to the everyday affairs of life, things could turn out even worse. Solomon gives the example of a log-splitter who attempts to do his job with an unsharpened ax. He will find himself expending more energy than necessary, creating undue exhaustion, and increasing the chances of harming himself. But wisdom, when applied properly to life, can help one succeed. It can also help protect against unnecessary risk. But it is not a cure-all or preventative for any and all dangers associated with everyday life lived under the sun.

The sad reality is that there are situations and scenarios in life that cannot be prevented by wisdom. A snake charmer who gets bitten by a snake before he has had the opportunity to train it is the victim of bad timing. His fate has little to do with his abilities as a snake charmer but speaks volumes about the risk associated with his profession. Snake bites are a common hazard for those who attempt to charm snakes. It comes with the territory.

While verses 8-11 deal with wisdom as it pertains to man’s occupation or work life, verses 12-15 take on the tongue, or how wisdom can influence our speech.

Wise words bring approval,
but fools are destroyed by their own words. – Ecclesiastes 10:12 NLT

The words of a wise man can earn the favor of others. They positively impact his life because they leave a good impression on all those around him. But a foolish man tends to say things that do more harm than good. And he is the one who suffers the most because he speaks self-destructive words that elicit rejection and animosity from others. From the minute a thought comes into his head to the moment he expresses it, the fool’s fate is sealed.

Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions,
so their conclusions will be wicked madness;
they chatter on and on. – Ecclesiastes 10:13-14 NLT

Their speech is foolish because their thinking is foolish. And as Solomon wrote in one of his proverbs, the real issue is the heart.

Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.

Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech. – Proverbs 4:23-24 NLT

And it was Jesus who said, “whatever is in your heart determines what you say” (Matthew 12:34 NLT). A foolish heart produces foolish words. It’s unavoidable and inevitable. And fools tend to speak of things they don’t know, droning on and on about matters beyond their level of comprehension or regarding the future, of which they have no knowledge.

No one really knows what is going to happen;
no one can predict the future. – Ecclesiastes 10:14 NLT

They speak because they can, not because they should. And Solomon reasons that it is silly to listen to the words of someone predicting the future who can’t even find his way into town. Their self-professed wisdom is of no practical value. It can’t even prevent them from getting lost. But the sad truth is that our world is filled with foolish individuals who constantly spout their opinions and spew their foolish rhetoric for all to hear. And far too often, the world listens. Social media has provided a platform for fools to spout their opinions on anything and everything. Rock stars and celebrities use their fame as justification for sharing their thoughts on virtually any and every topic under the sun. And the world gathers around them like they’re listening to the Oracle of Delphi. We treat them as if they’re sages or some kind of prescient diviners of all truth. But in reality, they are nothing more than fools, and fools have a bad habit of attracting more of their own kind. As the old saying goes: Birds of a feather flock together. And because that statement is true, you end up with the sad scene that Jesus once described as the blind leading the blind. And the end result of that little parade is never positive.

In verses 16-19, Solomon now turns his attention to wisdom as it relates to leadership. He starts out by describing a nation ruled by a child-king and a collection of princes who lack self-control.

What sorrow for the land ruled by a servant,
the land whose leaders feast in the morning. – Ecclesiastes 10:16 NLT

In Proverbs 22:15, Solomon makes the observation: “A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness.” Children make lousy leaders because they lack wisdom. And if you gather a group of children together, you multiply the foolishness exponentially. Young, inexperienced princes who love to feast in the morning will end up making bad decisions all day long.

Of course, Solomon may be speaking of a king who simply acts like a child. We all know what that looks like. In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul made a personal statement regarding his attitude toward maturity and spiritual growth: “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11 NLT). Adults are to act like adults. But sadly, far too many grownups still behave like children, lacking self-control and exhibiting simplistic thinking that can destroy marriages, families, cities, and nations.

But when a leader approaches his responsibilities wisely and nobly, those under his leadership prosper. They find themselves joyful and at peace because they have someone leading them effectively and justly.

Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader
and whose leaders feast at the proper time
to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk. – Ecclesiastes 10:17 NLT

Leaders who feast in order to gain strength are dramatically different than those who feast to get drunk. Wise leaders understand the seriousness of their role and do everything with forethought and careful consideration as to how their actions will influence the well-being of those under their care. But young, foolish leaders end up making unwise decisions. In some cases, they put off making decisions at all, procrastinating, or simply postponing their responsibilities. And Solomon compares this kind of leadership to the slothful individual who puts off fixing his roof, only to watch it leak and eventually cave in on him.

You can put off your responsibilities, but not the consequences for doing so. Wisdom is what helps us make use of the gifts God has given to us. Bread is of great value and can produce much joy and laughter when used wisely. Wine is a wonderful gift from God and can make life more enjoyable but only when accompanied by wisdom. Money can be a powerful tool to solve all kinds of problems but it requires wisdom and discernment.

All of these gifts can be abused and misused. A fool can take what God has given and use it to self-destruct. He can over-indulge. He can drink to excess. And he can make money his god. And a fool, sitting in the privacy of his own home, may think it is safe for him to speak ill of the king, but what he doesn’t realize is that even words spoken in private have a way of going public. His foolish criticism of those in authority over him will eventually come back to haunt him.

Wisdom really does work. When used appropriately, as God intended, it can have far-reaching benefits that bring added value to life. Wisdom is not a cure-all that guarantees a problem-free life. It is a God-given resource for making the most out of life – including the good and the bad. Wisdom provides discernment and self-discipline. It promotes diligence and discourages laziness. It produces a life of meaning and significance, marked by a reverence for God and a reliance upon His grace and goodness.

A Leadership Void

July 12, 2022 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁵Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
¹⁶A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor,
    but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
¹⁷If one is burdened with the blood of another,
    he will be a fugitive until death;
    let no one help him.
¹⁸Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered,
    but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
¹⁹Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread,
    but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.
²⁰A faithful man will abound with blessings,
    but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
²¹To show partiality is not good,
    but for a piece of bread a man will do wrong.
²²A stingy man hastens after wealth
    and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
²³Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
    than he who flatters with his tongue.
²⁴Whoever robs his father or his mother
    and says, “That is no transgression,”
    is a companion to a man who destroys.
²⁵A greedy man stirs up strife,
    but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.
²⁶Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool,
    but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.
²⁷Whoever gives to the poor will not want,
    but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
²⁸When the wicked rise, people hide themselves,
    but when they perish, the righteous increase. – Proverbs 28:15-28 ESV

We have a leadership void. Don’t get me wrong; we have no shortage of leaders in this country. It’s just that we don’t have very many godly leaders. There are plenty of ambitious, intelligent, capable, and sometimes even moral men and women who hold positions of leadership in our nation, but most of them lack the wisdom that only God can provide.

The following verse above paints a pretty bleak picture for a nation that finds itself with a moral and spiritual leadership void.

When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily.
But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability. – Proverbs 28:2 NLT

The Message paraphrases verse two this way: “When the country is in chaos, everybody has a plan to fix it – But it takes a leader of real understanding to straighten things out.”

What an apt description of our own country at this stage of the game. We are in chaos, and everybody has a plan to fix it. We have an abundance of “princes” as the NIV describes them. These so-called leaders and a host of political pundits each offer up solutions to our nation’s myriad problems, but none of them really have a clue as to what should be done about the economy, terrorism, or any other issue facing us. They fail to realize that the root of all our problems is a spiritual one.

A wicked ruler is as dangerous to the poor
as a roaring lion or an attacking bear.

A ruler with no understanding will oppress his people,
but one who hates corruption will have a long life. – Proverbs 28:15-16 NLT

Because they lack the wisdom of God, these godless rulers have no way of understanding that the troubled economy is a symptom of a much more serious issue. Raising or lowering taxes is not going to fix what is broken. A larger or smaller government will not be the panacea for our problems. In the very next chapter, Solomon gives us the real solution.

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice.
But when the wicked are in power, they groan. – Proverbs 29:2 NLT

In other words, when godly men and women lead a nation according to godly principles and provide wisdom and insight directly from God Himself, the people find themselves living in peace and moral prosperity. Godly leaders make godly decisions. They are not selfish and self-centered. They are not greedy and out to benefit only themselves.

Greedy people try to get rich quick
but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty. – Proverbs 28:22 NLT

Leaders who lack godly wisdom operate in a spiritual vacuum and are unable to see things from God’s perspective. They are motivated by pride and consumed with the need for recognition. But a godly leader views any power they possess as having been given to them by God, to whom they must report and by whom they will be held accountable.

The trustworthy person will get a rich reward,
but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble. – Proverbs 28:20 NLT

What we pass off as leadership today is a far cry from what God had in mind. All you have to do is look at Jesus to see what God views as godly leadership. Jesus came to earth to be the Messiah of Israel. He was to be their King and set up His kingdom on earth. And yet, Jesus claimed that He “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 ESV).

Jesus came to give His life away for the sake of others. He was concerned with and consumed by the will of His Father. He was obedient to God to the point of laying down His life. He knew that the world’s problems were spiritual in nature and the solution would have to be a spiritual one. Toppling the Roman government was not going to bring peace to the Jews. Only a Savior could heal them from what ailed them. They needed deliverance from sin, not relief from high taxes. They needed dependence on God, not independence from Rome.

Jesus did not come to tell people what they wanted to hear. He refused to tickle their ears with pleasant-sounding platitudes or comforting words designed to placate their guilt. No, as the apostle Paul makes clear, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” (1 Timothy 1:15 NLT). And as this Proverb so powerfully states:

In the end, people appreciate honest criticism
far more than flattery. – Proverbs 28:23 NLT

Jesus was the ultimate example of a godly leader. After all, He was God in human flesh and as a man, He manifested all the wisdom of God perfectly and completely. Jesus lived to do the will of His Father.

“My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.” – John 4:34 NLT

“For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will.” – John 6:38 NLT

Jesus was not a flatterer or glad-hander. He didn’t tell people what they wanted to hear but, instead, He boldly proclaimed the words of His Heavenly Father and demonstrated the attributes of a godly leader. And His example was emulated by men like the apostle Paul.

For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else. – 1 Thessalonians 2:4-6 NLT

Paul and his fellow apostles modeled their lives and ministries after Jesus. They fully understood the wisdom found in Proverbs 28:26.

Those who trust their own insight are foolish,
but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.

But we live in a day when everyone seems to be doing what is right in their own eyes. Our society is obsessed with the idea of individual autonomy and freedom from restraints of any kind. Everybody wants to be their own king ruling over their kingdom. And yet, when things don’t turn out quite the way we expect, we look to the government or a political leader to bring us relief and restoration. We naively expect a flawed and failed system to deliver us from our self-inflicted predicament.

Yet God has already provided a deliverer in the form of His very own Son. Godly leaders point a nation back to God. They don’t try to act as a substitute for Him. We find ourselves in trouble as a nation, not because of a bad economy, social inequities, or global warming, but because we have appointed leaders who have no respect for God. Without Him, they are helpless and hopeless to lead us because they lack the wisdom required for the job.

We need to pray that God will raise up men and women who know Him, love Him, and are willing to live for Him. But we also need to pray for a spiritual reawakening among the people of God who have become complacent and sometimes even contributors to the moral chaos facing our nation. We lack godly leaders because we have become a godless nation. But the wise see things from God’s perspective and always know there is hope.

When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.
When the wicked meet disaster, the godly flourish. – Proverbs 28:28 NLT

In the end, the godly win. The wicked may have their 15 minutes of fame, but the righteous will always come out on top. Those who walk the way of the wise will find that their path ultimately leads to joy, peace, comfort, and blessing.

…trusting the Lord leads to prosperity. – Proverbs 28:25 NLT

The Taming of the Tongue

July 8, 2022 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁷Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
    is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears.
¹⁸Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death
¹⁹is the man who deceives his neighbor
    and says, “I am only joking!”
²⁰For lack of wood the fire goes out,
    and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.
²¹As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
    so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
²²The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
    they go down into the inner parts of the body.
²³Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel
    are fervent lips with an evil heart.
²⁴Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
    and harbors deceit in his heart;
²⁵when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
    for there are seven abominations in his heart;
²⁶though his hatred be covered with deception,
    his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
²⁷Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
    and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.
²⁸A lying tongue hates its victims,
    and a flattering mouth works ruin. – Proverbs 26:17-28 ESV

When I think of the Proverbs I can’t help but think about the fool. This collection of wise sayings from the pen of Solomon contains a large number of references to the fool and foolish behavior. It also mentions other behavior closely associated with the fool, such as laziness, lying, dishonesty, unreliability, and an uncontrolled tongue. Some of the things Solomon has to say about fools seem humorous when you read them, but they are meant to be taken seriously. “Honoring a fool is as foolish as tying a stone to a slingshot” (Proverbs 26:8 NLT). The image this Proverb conjures up is meant to be ridiculous and ludicrous. Nobody in their right mind would do something as silly as tying a stone to a sling. It makes no sense. It would serve no purpose. It would be a waste of time. And that’s exactly Solomon’s point. Showering honor on a fool is useless and will produce no beneficial results. As The Message paraphrases this verse, honoring a fool would be “like setting a mud brick on a marble column.” Absolutely ridiculous.

So why does Solomon have it out for fools? Why does he have such strong words of warning against foolish people and foolish behavior? Because he understands the danger they pose to themselves and to society. In Solomon’s mind, fools are the epitome of the person who lives their life as if there is no God. David, Solomon’s father, had warned him early on in life, “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good” (Psalm 53:1 NLT). In the minds of David and Solomon, the fool was not some innocent, bumbling buffoon who just happened to be a few bricks short of a full load. No, fools were a danger to society because they failed to honor God with their lives. Fools were pariahs and a drain on society, because of their refusal to work and their tendency to excuse their laziness with lies. They didn’t carry their load and were not to be trusted or tolerated. In this section of chapter 26, the emphasis seems to be on their words, which were worthless because they refused to listen to the wisdom of God.

Fools are just as prevalent today as they were in Solomon’s day. But we have become so much more tolerant of them. We have fools in places of power and influence. We watch fools entertain us on TV and in the movies, then listen intently as they share their words of wisdom with us on everything from marriage to politics and religion. We idolize and envy them for their lifestyles of excess and hedonism. Our government is well-stocked with fools who use clever words and inspiring speeches to win over constituents and solidify their power base. Yet as Solomon warns:

Smooth words may hide a wicked heart,
just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.

People may cover their hatred with pleasant words,
but they’re deceiving you.
They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them.
Their hearts are full of many evils. – Proverbs 26:23-25 NLT

And fools populate the body of Christ as well. Yes, you can be a believer in Jesus Christ and still live like a fool. A fool is simply someone who actively spurns the ways of God. He lives his life as if there is no God in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. And the fool is one who hears God’s call but refuses to listen. The Christian fool is the man or woman who is spiritually lazy, avoiding the effort demanded to live according to God’s standards. They refuse to spend time in God’s Word, making up all kinds of excuses. They want the benefits of godliness without putting in any effort. They learn to cover what is really in their hearts with “smooth words.” They pretend to be something they’re not, and they are a danger to the body of Christ. Foolishness is the opposite of wisdom. It is the natural and unavoidable consequence of a life lived apart from the life-changing wisdom of God found in His Word. Avoid the fool at all costs. Avoid foolishness at all costs.

And do everything in your power and with the Holy Spirit’s help to avoid sounding like a fool. It’s amazing how much the Book of Proverbs has to say about the tongue, which is just another way of talking about what comes out of our mouths. From flattery to lying, gossip to arguing, and rumors to wise words, there are countless passages that warn us about watching what we say. But as challenging as it is to keep a close eye on our tongue and the words it produces, we must also be wary of the words others speak to us.

It is amazing just how susceptible we can be to the words of others. As human beings, we can be so desperate for praise that we become easy prey for those who have less-than-righteous objectives. We can easily be taken in by flattery and false praise, which can be a dangerous mistake to make.

Solomon warns us to look beyond the words themselves to the heart of the one speaking. Words can be used to hide true motives, disguise intent, and distract the hearer by telling them what they want to hear. Like colorful glaze used to cover a drab clay pot, smooth-sounding words may be just a cover up to dress up what’s really there.

These kinds of people know full well what they’re doing. They’re hiding what’s really in their hearts and attempting to make you think that all is well. This can happen between a husband and wife, a parent and child, two friends, or two fellow believers. The real danger is that because we can be so susceptible to smooth words, we end up soaking in what they’re saying like a dry sponge. We’re so desperate to hear words of praise and flattery that we fail to consider the source or think about the intent.

Solomon makes it clear that he is talking about those who have wicked hearts that are filled with evil. He is warning us against people who have a reputation for hatred and wrongdoing. And yet, we can find ourselves actually buying into their lies because we find their deceptive words so appealing. We can be so desirous of kind words, that we will accept from even the most suspect source. But Solomon warns, “Don’t believe them!”

They’re lying. They don’t believe what they’re saying and you shouldn’t either. Consider the source. Think carefully about the heart of the one praising you. “A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin” (Proverbs 26:28 NLT). Do not allow your need for praise to numb you to the truth.

In Greek mythology, the Sirens were portrayed as dangerous and devious creatures, who usually took the form of beautiful women in distress and lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices. Casting caution to the wind and falling prey to the flattering cry of the Sirens, these seasoned sailors would steer their ships directly into the rocks along the coastline, resulting in their own deaths.

Remember, “They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils” (Proverbs 26:25 NLT). The wisdom of God gives discernment. It opens our eyes to the truth. Without it, we will listen to the smooth words and be deceived by the glossy veneer. To our own detriment. Don’t listen to the Siren’s call.

Devotionary

The Bible Made Accessible and Applicable

the fool