- Sermon Notes
- Scripture
- Spanish Translation
Bold as a Lion
Proverbs 26-28
December 7-9, 2024
- When he describes the foolish ones, those who are not diligent in life, and describes the results that come, he means to stir us up to diligence of faith, to watch over our soul.
- He then describes the boldness that comes with faith when he gives the contrast between them.
- Verse 24:13 – The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road! A lion is in the open square!”
- Verse 22:13 — “There is a lion outside; I’m not going out there, I could be killed!”
- “Lions are dangerous, I’m not going out there!” says the sluggard. What does it mean? It means that the sluggard has no courage.
- If there is a lion in the street, it means that there is a lion in the city. “There is a lion in the open square!” People are in mortal danger. Somebody better stand up and do something about this lion that’s in the street. Someone’s going to get hurt if someone doesn’t do something. Someone’s going to have to deal with this lion. Not the sluggard. “I’m not going out there, I could get hurt!”
- Verse 28:1 – “The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”
- Evil prevails when good men do nothing. Get up oh man of God, arise oh man of faith.
- Faith and courage walk hand in hand. It reminds us of David’s mighty men, one of whom was the Benaiah…
- Benaiah was the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel. Which speaks of the influence of a father. He was the son of a valiant man, but he was a valiant man in his own right.
- If you didn’t have a good father, if your father was not a valiant man of godly things, then please know that God is your father now. And he will be a father like no earthly father could ever be. He will never leave you, nor forsake you, he will walk with you on the journey of this life and His favor will be upon you to bless you and to pour strength out upon you. This is a word for all who have carried a father wound.
- It says of him that Benaiah struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, 5 cubits tall. The Egyptian held a spear like a weaver’s beam, but he struck him down with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptians hand.
- Then it says of Benaiah, he went down and killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day. Some commentators suggest that he chased the lion into the pit before he jumped into it.
- Most people would run if they encountered a lion. But Benaiah jumped down into the pit… On a snowy day… and killed the lion. And thus he became a man of renown, a mighty man of valor.
- We read in another place that David then made him chief of his bodyguard. Sure. Absolutely. Can you imagine his resume?
- Verse 27:17 – As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
- Some take ‘iron sharpening iron’ to mean that conflict and contention are helpful are good. That’s not what it means at all.
- David is an example of “iron sharpening iron, so one man sharpens another.” David’s influence on the men around him was famous.
- You talk about being bold as a lion, David was certainly that and more. And that boldness of faith and heart after God turned ragged men into David’s mighty men.
- After David defeated the Philistine giant, he became famous in Israel. The people loved him. King Saul attached him to his army and gave David the command of a thousand men. God was with him, and he prospered wherever he went.
- King Saul, however, felt threatened by David. The prophet Samuel made it quite clear to Saul that God had rejected him from being king, that He had sought out a man after his own heart.
- Saul refused to accept God’s determined will. He soon found himself kicking against the goads, wrestling with God, resisting God at every turn. No longer anointed by the Holy Spirit, Saul raged with fear and anger and jealousy against David.
- David escaped each attempt on his life and finally fled into the wilderness, to the cave of Adullam. There, we read that everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented, gathered to David; and he became captain over them. There were about 400 men with David. Later, 200 more join David’s ragtag group of malcontents. Together, they form a band of warriors and brothers.
- Saul was told that David was in the wilderness of Ein Gedi, so Saul took 3,000 of his special forces to pursue David and his men.
- At Ein Gedi, Saul entered a cave to relieve himself. It just so happened to be the exact cave in which David and his men were hiding in the inner recesses. Saul had literally been placed in David’s hand. How would he respond? The tables had been turned, and now David had the opportunity for revenge, to take Saul’s life.
- David’s men believed that this was God’s doing, that God gave Saul into David’s hand, and they encouraged him to seize the moment and take Saul’s life.
- Take note of how David responded to his men who were encouraging him to take matters into his own hands and kill Saul.
- At that point it was 600 to 1. They were convinced that this was a “God thing.” In their minds, this was more than a coincidence; this was an opportunity that God had provided and surely David must take advantage of it.
- But David was the leader and knew is his heart that he must not touch the Lord’s anointed and would not let any of them touch Saul either.
- After Saul finished his business and departed from the cave, David came to the entrance of the cave and called out to him….
- When Saul heard these words, he wept, “Is that you, my son, David? You are more righteous than I, for you have dealt kindly with me while I have dealt wickedly with you. Now I know you will surely be king of Israel.”
- Everyone there would have been deeply touched by this scene. David took those ragged group of indebted malcontents and made them mighty men of God.
- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” That’s what it means.
- The sluggard takes no action. He does not move; he does not remove the thorns and thistles in his life, and he does not grow in wisdom.
- Proverbs 1:7, The revering of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
- But the one who is bold as a lion, who is strong in faith is a man of action.
- Those who have the heart of wisdom and strong faith understand the matters of life…
- Verse 28:5 — evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand all things.
- Those who seek the Lord understand the importance of faith and keeping their soul right with God.
- There is no such thing as living faith that produces no action; it is only dead faith that produces nothing. In other words, there is no such thing as great men and women of faith who didn’t do something with their faith.
- In other words, their faith was active, it was alive. It moved them to move, to act, to do, to accomplish.
- This is a broken world and there is a need for men and women of faith to arise. “The righteous are as bold as a lion.”
- Verse 28:1, The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
- Who are the righteous? Are the perfect? No, not one. But their hearts are right with God. They are born in the ugly nature of man, but something happens to change the direction of their life – they have an encounter with God. They take hold of God’s promises, they believe God’s word and look to Him as the source of life.
- The righteous are the ones who believe that God is with them and that God is the strength of their lives. In other words, strength of faith brings strength of life.
- There will be many troubles in this life, David is saying, but I will not be shaken. I will not be moved, I will not quit, I stand on this rock.
- Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Proverbs 26-28 NASB
26 1Like snow in summer and like rain in harvest,
So honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,
So a curse without cause does not alight.
3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
And a rod for the back of fools.
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Or you will also be like him.
5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves,
That he not be wise in his own eyes.
6 He cuts off his own feet and drinks violence
Who sends a message by the hand of a fool.
7 Like the legs which are useless to the lame,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Like one who binds a stone in a sling,
So is he who gives honor to a fool.
9 Like a thorn which falls into the hand of a drunkard,
So is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Like an archer who wounds everyone,
So is he who hires a fool or who hires those who pass by.
11 Like a dog that returns to its vomit
Is a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road!
A lion is in the open square!”
14 As the door turns on its hinges,
So does the sluggard on his bed.
15 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again.
16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can give a discreet answer.
17 Like one who takes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.
18 Like a madman who throws
Firebrands, arrows and death,
19 So is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, “Was I not joking?”
20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.
21 Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22 The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
23 Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross
Are burning lips and a wicked heart.
24 He who hates disguises it with his lips,
But he lays up deceit in his heart.
25 When he speaks graciously, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Though his hatred covers itself with guile,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
27 He who digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.
28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes,
And a flattering mouth works ruin.
27 1Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
3 A stone is heavy and the sand weighty,
But the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.
4 Wrath is fierce and anger is a flood,
But who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.
7 A sated man loathes honey,
But to a famished man any bitter thing is sweet.
8 Like a bird that wanders from her nest,
So is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.
10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
That I may reply to him who reproaches me.
12 A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,
The naive proceed and pay the penalty.
13 Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger;
And for an adulterous woman hold him in pledge.
14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning,
It will be reckoned a curse to him.
15 A constant dripping on a day of steady rain
And a contentious woman are alike;
16 He who would restrain her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
17 Iron sharpens iron,
So one man sharpens another.
18 He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit,
And he who cares for his master will be honored.
19 As in water face reflects face,
So the heart of man reflects man.
20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,
Nor are the eyes of man ever satisfied.
21 The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And each is tested by the praise accorded him.
22 Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23 Know well the condition of your flocks,
And pay attention to your herds;
24 For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25 When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26 The lambs will be for your clothing,
And the goats will bring the price of a field,
27 And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food,
For the food of your household,
And sustenance for your maidens.
28 1The wicked flee when no one is pursuing,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2 By the transgression of a land many are its princes,
But by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures.
3 A poor man who oppresses the lowly
Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.
4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
But those who keep the law strive with them.
5 Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord understand all things.
6 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than he who is crooked though he be rich.
7 He who keeps the law is a discerning son,
But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.
8 He who increases his wealth by interest and usury
Gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.
9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law,
Even his prayer is an abomination.
10 He who leads the upright astray in an evil way
Will himself fall into his own pit,
But the blameless will inherit good.
11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding sees through him.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,
But when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.
13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.
14 How blessed is the man who fears always,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15 Like a roaring lion and a rushing bear
Is a wicked ruler over a poor people.
16 A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding,
But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
17 A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood
Will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him.
18 He who walks blamelessly will be delivered,
But he who is crooked will fall all at once.
19 He who tills his land will have plenty of food,
But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.
20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,
But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good,
Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
22 A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth
And does not know that want will come upon him.
23 He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24 He who robs his father or his mother
And says, “It is not a transgression,”
Is the companion of a man who destroys.
25 An arrogant man stirs up strife,
But he who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
But he who walks wisely will be delivered.
27 He who gives to the poor will never want,
But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
DonateLike this sermon?
If you enjoyed the sermon and would like to financially support our teaching ministry, we thank you in advance for partnering with us in sending forth the word.