Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20110911.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Proverbs: Motivating Teens And Adults To Align With God's Fixed Moral Order
Part III: Solomon's Proverbs Reflecting God's Fixed Moral Order For Blessing, Proverbs 10:1-22:16
A. Contrasting Wise, Righteous Living With Foolish, Wicked Living, Proverbs 10:1-15:33
2. Studying Proverbs 10:6-10
  1. Introduction
    1. Solomon's actual proverbs hop from one subject to another, likely "to force readers to grapple with and meditate on the thoughts of one verse before moving on to the next," Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 925.
    2. We then focus on each one to draw out its insight that Proverbs 1:5-6 implies exists, doing so as follows:
  2. Studying Proverbs 10:6-10.
    1. Proverbs 10:6 ESV claims that blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. Since the hands of the elders of a Hebrew community were placed on the head of one being honored or promoted to a position of excellence (Acts 6:3-6), the proverb suggests the great contrast righteousness and wickedness produce in one's relationships to his entire community: if he lives righteously, he will eventually be publicly honored and elevated to positions of great blessing in his circle of associates where the mouth of one who is wicked hides plans of violence against others that will only result in his public punishment for his crime and public humiliation before his circle of associates!
    2. Proverbs 10:7 NIV, ESV carries the idea of Proverbs 10:6 one step further, claiming the memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. Since one's name in such a context represents his reputation (Zon. Pic. Enc. of the Bib., v. Four, p. 364), and as a key value to one's life the Ancient Near East was the legacy he left his descendants (cf. Gen. 12:1-3), the legacy left by a righteous man itself is a blessing to those descendants and to all who knew of his life, but the bad reputation of the wicked itself leaves such a sour memory in the minds of those who knew him that they eventually negatively forget about the wicked much like an object that rots into oblivion, an undesirable end in that culture.
    3. Proverbs 10:8 NIV claims that those who are wise in heart will accept commands given to them by their superiors, but the "chattering fool comes to ruin." The Hebrew word for "chattering fool" is ewil (Ibid., Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 908), meaning one who lacks proper respect or seriousness in living. Thus, Solomon explained that one who fails to have the proper respect for authority figures or for others in general will come to ruin where the wise in heart respect and view authority figures and all relationships, thus avoiding eventual ruin! It is important that one view his relationships with all other people very seriously if he would be blessed versus harmed in the long-term.
    4. Proverbs 10:9 ESV explains that the man of integrity walks securely in life where he who makes his way crooked will be found out, implying he will be punished and suffer loss for such crookedness. Aligning to the moral code not only of God, but also of society, which alignment is known as one's integrity, keeps one from great humiliation and destruction in society where even privately violating the codes of God and man will eventually become publicly evident, resulting in great shame. Solomon implied that long-term, righteousness and sin yield widely contrasting effects that become public in time, that righteousness will publicly exonerate and protect one while sin will in time publicly shame and harm him. (1 Tim. 5:24-25)
    5. Proverbs 10:10 ESV claims that he who winks with the eye causes trouble, and the "babbling fool will come to ruin." The last phrase is identical to the last phrase of Proverbs 10:8 NIV in the Hebrew text, Kittel, Biblia Hebraica, p. 1166. So, those who do not respect authority or who do not view orders by superiors seriously not only do not accept commands (v. 8), but set themselves up as their own authority in the authority vacuum in their minds, becoming manipulative as evidenced in excessive, controlling-type body language of the winking eye, v. 10! The cause of manipulative behavior, then, is a lack of respect for authority or for other people, and manipulative behavior, disrespect for authority, lack of seriousness, etc. all lead to ruin! Conversely, respecting authority and other people in general will keep one from manipulative behavior that ruins him in the long-term!
Lesson: To the degree one righteously seriously submits to proper authority and seriously walks in integrity in all of his relationships will he enjoy great public blessing versus great public ruin!

Application: May we align with God's fixed moral order in these realms by heeding Galatians 5:16-23.