Introduction

Good day to everyone! We are studying Proverbs chapter 24. I have a suggestion for you: For books like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, reading them thirty, fifty, or even a hundred times is not excessive. Why? Because God has infused His wisdom into these two books, and these things are profound. When reading the Bible, one can conclude that Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job are not easy to examine, so these books are summarized as books of wisdom. These books of wisdom must be read carefully!

Reading is particularly important! Some people read in a very strange way: what the author wants to say, they do not grasp; what the author does not say, they read a lot into. To this day, we live in a very contradictory state. This contradictory state is not because of anything else, but because we have a set of ideas within us. When what the Bible says does not align with your own set of ideas, then it depends on your choice. Do you choose to abandon your own set of ideas, or to abandon what the Bible says? This depends on the person's creation.

Depends on the person's creation, although this is not a phrase from the Bible, but a term from Buddhism, but I think it is particularly well said. Anyway, it is impossible to explain why a person would choose this or that. Everyone should know that learning will accompany us until old age. It is a tragedy if a person does not learn! Don't think like this: others are PhDs, masters, undergraduates, or whatever, but I have not studied, nor learned anything, and I don't know how to learn. It's not like that at all. As long as you have a head on your shoulders, no tail on your backside, and walk on two legs, you are a person. If you are a person, and you have a head on your shoulders, if you don't use it, what are you going to do with it?

When God created this hardware, everyone's CPU was about the same, and later it depended on the person's creation. Some people choose this, some people choose that. Why? I still can't understand today why people are so confident in adhering to their own set of ideas. I wonder, where does this person get the confidence to be so sure that they are right? There's a bunch of people passing the buck, either passing the buck to the pastor, or passing the buck to the small group leader, or passing the buck to their own parents, or passing the buck to their grandparents, or passing the buck to their husband or wife, never taking responsibility for it, determined to be a smart person. In fact, people's CPUs are about the same, it's just that some people are lazy and don't want to do anything.

Let's put Proverbs chapter 24 into our heads. How to put it in? You must sort out, summarize, and deduce. Reading is all about reading what the author wants to tell us. I speak very plainly, but what everyone reads out is very different. In the past few years, I have experienced many incredible things. Many years ago, when I was leading everyone to study Genesis, someone came in and said to me: Pastor, you are leading everyone to study the Bible in this way, you will be cursed. I thought, how could I be cursed? Because my thoughts are different from his.

Someone was full of ointment smell, because he had kidney cancer, and his bones ached all over. I thought, this kid is quite powerful, he has confidence in himself. However, there are many such things. The pastor's profession is very interesting, it is to teach people to study the Bible. If you are a Muslim pastor, you go to teach the Quran. If you are a Buddhist or a monk, master, or abbot in a temple, you have to teach the Buddhist scriptures. I think some pastors reading the Bible is very interesting, do they read about emulating Jesus? Yes, they do. Does Jesus tell us to do what Jesus did? Yes, He does. But what they do is heretical, they do whatever they want. They dare to say what is not in the Bible.

Some people dare to say what is not in the Bible, but what is in the Bible, they do not say. How can I turn everyone into smart people? I have teaching materials! I don't have wisdom, but as long as we find a way to understand the ideas of the author who wrote the book of wisdom, you will become powerful! If you don't know how to read, I must teach you. If you come with me to read the Bible every week, but you still don't know how to read, then you really need to work hard.

Every week I lead everyone in Bible study, and everyone should develop a habit, first read the chapter to be studied that week twenty or thirty times. You can find the theme of that chapter, and compare it with the theme I am talking about, to see if yours is better, or mine is better? If yours is better, you can share it with me. So don't pass the buck, if you really want to learn, want to become smart, who can stop you? In fact, people just have their own set of ideas in their heads and are unwilling to let go. This is very harmful!

Let me tell you my opinion, it is not that some people are born smart and some people are born stupid. Whether born smart or stupid, the things that are inherent in their heads are useless. Some children are born with black skin, and are later adopted by Chinese parents, and even speak fluent Chinese. But whether they are born with black skin or white skin, don't assume that they don't understand Chinese, and speak nonsense in Chinese next to them, especially in Singapore this place. You think they don't understand, but they understand everything.

Once we were sitting in a restaurant eating, and we heard someone say: Look! That crow over there is black, smelly, and dirty, and is picking things in the dishes. After saying that, we saw a Singaporean of Indian and Chinese descent, got up and left. As the saying goes, don't talk about shortness in front of the lame, don't talk about blackness in front of black skin, don't talk about whiteness in front of white skin, because that is called racial discrimination. Don't think that just because people's skin is darker than yours, they are more stupid, or that people's skin is whiter than yours, they are smarter, there is no such thing!

The point I want to emphasize is that the hardware that people are born with is about the same, but what software you install later depends on your creation. People learn everything, and those things that are inherent are useless. This is like good actors can play any role, but those who don't learn well can only play themselves. If the actor has a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks, then he can only play that kind of role. This is like what the cross-talk actor Chen Peisi said, he can only play traitors, he can't play heroes. So we must all let go of the things in our heads and strive to learn!

The theme of this chapter is: Obtain the wisdom to deal with the wicked! I heard someone say: Teacher is amazing, he knows how to find the theme of Proverbs! But they don't know that I can find it because I read it thirty or fifty times. When I look for the theme, I am looking for what the author wants to say?

Do not envy the wicked

Do not envy the wicked, nor desire to be with them; (Proverbs 24:1)

Are there wicked people around you, will you be extremely jealous? People are jealous because they don't live long enough and don't see far enough. If you see wicked people frolicking happily ten years ago, but now they are in Qincheng Prison, people who commit crimes are caught the following year, will you still be jealous? People don't see far enough, they don't know that they don't need to envy the wicked.

For their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of troublemaking. (Proverbs 24:2)

This world is full of violence, full of evil, because people don't want to do things properly, they always think about making money quickly, people take crooked paths to make money. If you are a corrupt official, or a wicked person in power, then you can make money quickly, but we should not envy the wicked. When the news reports that a corrupt official put one hundred RMB bills at home into a cubic meter, the corrupt official was later caught, and then died of cancer. When people hear this report, they forget that this person was caught, forget that this person's ending was not good, and their minds are only thinking about that cubic meter of one hundred RMB bills.

He is wondering why he doesn't have the opportunity to be corrupt? He dreams of getting this opportunity to be corrupt. So if a person is very greedy, if he becomes an official, he will be a corrupt official; if he becomes a businessman, he will be a swindler; if he becomes a person, he will be a greedy person. Why are people like this? I have met some people who feel that their lives are full of a great regret, that is, they don't have the opportunity to be greedy for money. Others bribe and accept bribes, and he feels uncomfortable. He is uncomfortable because no one bribes him. Don't envy the wicked, once you envy the wicked, you will walk with them, mix with them, and mixing like this will cause trouble. The Tangshan incident recently is the best portrayal of this.

People should know what the wicked are like, what goes around comes around, don't envy these wicked people. I tell you, those people who are harmed by these wicked people, I don't think they are good people either. If I encounter such a thing, then I will run away quickly, I will not entangle with these people, so we must start to ponder the attitude towards the wicked.

Rescue those being led away to death

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. (Proverbs 24:11)

This sentence is more difficult to understand, if you encounter the underworld, do you want to go up to stop and mediate? You better stay away. This verse cannot be interpreted blindly, we must gradually understand what this sentence means in the Bible. People need to constantly learn something, that is, precedents. In the Bible, you don't see Abraham mediating, you don't see Jesus mediating, they don't do this. Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. This verse is worth thinking about. I encourage everyone to look for precedents, precedents are very important.

If you are a lawyer, you must check similar cases previously judged by the court, so that there are rules to follow. If you are a doctor, you must also look for precedents. If you simply understand this sentence, rescue those being led away to death, and you rush up to save people, then you are stupid. In the Bible, it is said that Abraham rescued Lot. In fact, Lot is a very mixed person, the reason I say he is mixed is because his mixed energy is recorded in Genesis.

Most people think Lot is a good person, but I don't think so. Maybe I'm wrong, or maybe others are wrong. Genesis records that one day Abraham found Lot and said to him, Lot, get out! That's about what it means. I encourage everyone to read the Bible carefully and ponder carefully. If I translate their conversation into Northeastern dialect, it's probably like this, Lot, get out of here! You roll to the east, I roll to the west; you roll to the north, I roll to the south. That's about how it rolls, I don't have much to do with you anymore.

If Lot had done well, Abraham wouldn't have let him get out. Lot is a mixed person, this mixed energy is closely related to Lot's wife. Lot's wife is actually not very good, and later she turned into a pillar of salt, but after Lot was captured, someone came to tell Abraham. At this time, should Abraham save people, or not save people? Abraham was given a difficult problem. In the end, Abraham resolutely offered himself and embarked on the road to save Lot, war is not a joke.

In Abraham's eyes, Lot is a wicked person, but there are many people killed in Sodom, is it necessary for Abraham to go to Sodom to tell them; you can't do this, you have to listen to me? No! I tell you everyone, Abraham doesn't do this kind of thing, not to mention in Sodom, there are many petty gangsters in the land of Canaan, this kind of thing happens every day, Abraham doesn't care at all, don't be nosy.

There is also a negative example: God asked King Saul to kill the Amalekites, saying to wipe them out completely, but Saul did not do so. Saul felt that people being led to death should be rescued, so he rescued Agag, the king of the Amalekites. Those were very chaotic times. So, people must learn. Just take this one sentence; wouldn't people be dumbfounded?

If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds? (Proverbs 24:12)

You cannot say you did not know. Like a husband and wife – if you ask him to cook, and he says he can't, should you let him off the hook? Otherwise, if you let him cook and never want him to cook again, isn't that just deliberately causing trouble? It is the same with people and God. When someone came to tell Abraham, Abraham said, I didn't know. If I had known, wouldn't I have gone to save you? But does not He who weighs the hearts understand? He who keeps your soul, does He not know? Will He not render to each man according to his deeds? What I teach you, you must ponder carefully and have precedents. The precedents for Chinese Mingding Destiny are all focused on Jesus Christ. Don't assume that those healed by Jesus were righteous or good people – they were far from it.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then He said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:17-19)

Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one returned to follow Him. We cannot act based on whether someone is righteous or wicked, but based on saving as many as possible. Never try to be a hero, but you cannot pretend not to know.

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. (Proverbs 24:11)

By wise guidance wage your war, and victory is won through many advisers. Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the assembly at the gate he does not open his mouth. (Proverbs 24:6-7)

The spiritual meaning of this sentence is that people being led to death are those who have been sentenced to death. We often say it's all their fate, but we cannot say to God that it's all their fate, nor can we say we didn't know. We cannot pass the buck like that. How can you not know what's going on with your own family members? But you must have wisdom. God explains things very clearly. Think about it carefully.

Do Not Rejoice When Your Enemy Falls

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles (Proverbs 24:17)

We save one if we can, and two if we can. Even though I cite many examples when I preach, you might hear other implications, but I tell you, do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles. Some people have hurt us before – for example, like Lot in Sodom. When God was about to destroy Sodom, Abraham's reaction was not, God, that's great! If it were, that would be troublesome.

Abraham knew that our God does not delight in bringing disaster. Sometimes, the relationships among people in villages are quite interesting. One of our sisters, from a young age, saw her mother being bullied in the village. She clenched her fists and said, When I grow up, I will take revenge! Why are you treating my mother like this? If your neighbor has bullied you before, and God brings disaster upon him, about to destroy him, you must not think, God, it would have been better to destroy him ten years earlier!

When God is about to destroy him, you must not think that God should have acted ten years earlier. Never gloat; God does not like us to rejoice in the misfortune of others. God has established a spiritual law: if you gloat, God will turn His anger from the enemy and pour His wrath on you. Do not think that God is finally avenging us. If you think that way, you become an evil person yourself, and how God treats evil people is something everyone should ponder.

Do Not Fret Because of Evildoers

Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked; for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. (Proverbs 24:19-20)

Here, it is re-emphasized not to envy the wicked! This world is full of wicked people, and it is also a trial and test for people. It tests our attitude towards these wicked people and whether we have the wisdom to deal with them. You must have wisdom. A person without wisdom, in the end, brings God's wrath upon themselves. We must not think that the evil man has a good future. The evil man will certainly have no good future, even if he lives well today.

Do Not Show Partiality in Judgment

Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” peoples will curse him and nations will denounce him. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them. (Proverbs 24:24-25)

It is not good to show partiality in judgment. If someone sitting in judgment takes a bribe from the wicked and declares the wicked innocent, he will be cursed. Because you are the person who judges, it will go well with those who convict the guilty. Whether you are in management in the country, city, or company, the most critical thing is managing the wicked. People who like to work do not need you to manage them. People like me do not need to be managed because I do my job well.

My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with the rebellious, for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? (Proverbs 24:21-22)

In management, the most important thing is managing the wicked. If a city has all sorts of hoodlums and thugs, it's very troublesome! It's even more troublesome if they have protectors. In fact, no matter how big the umbrella is, it will eventually be dismantled, but not by the government, but by God. We must know that God will surely reign. Never think that man is in control. See, this thing happens just from eating a meal. Do you all understand now?

Do Not Avenge the Wicked; Vengeance Belongs to God

Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.” (Proverbs 24:28-29)

The Bible says, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, not for us, but for those in charge. So, Moses judged these people according to the Mosaic Law that God gave him. But some people misunderstand this sentence, thinking they can treat people the way they have been treated. This is not the power given to you, but a framework for the judge, or a rule. Don't get it wrong.

What this is actually saying is that vengeance and retribution belong to God, not ourselves. When we encounter unfair treatment, we must have wisdom and think about why this happened to me. Why was I beaten black and blue by these thugs? What is the problem? In everything, we must look for our own reasons. Those protected by God will never encounter such things. People with evil spirits will attract these disasters and misfortunes. Why did you encounter these thugs?

Summary

I hope that our brothers and sisters can gain wisdom in dealing with the wicked. When dealing with the wicked, never take an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth. Know that relying on God is important. If a person relies on God, God will surely protect them. One person often encountered misfortune. He provided services to people in his business and often encountered bad customers who didn't pay after the work was done. He came to ask me what was going on. I said, I've told you, you have a jinx on you that makes you unlucky all the time. He didn't believe it. Then continue to keep and cherish this jinx as a treasure. Brothers and sisters, learn how to gain wisdom. Gaining wisdom is like eating honey.

Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. (Proverbs 24:13-14)

This is not telling you to eat honey, but to gain wisdom.

My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with the rebellious, for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? (Proverbs 24:21-22)

Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. (Proverbs 24:26-27)

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. (Proverbs 24:3-4)

Be reliable in doing things and be a wise person. So, the problem that people need to solve in their lives is nothing more than a problem of wisdom and foolishness. People must have knowledge and wisdom. Without knowledge and wisdom, wouldn't they be useless? It would cause many problems. A few days ago, I saw a story online: Twenty years ago, in a rural village, a young boy's mother was killed by a villager in a dispute. After the boy grew up and served in the military, he returned to the village years later and killed the entire family who had killed his mother. In the end, he turned himself in and was sentenced to death. Think about what kind of chaos this is. It's best if such things don't happen to us.

I lament, how big of a deal can it be? Coincidentally, there is another story. In another country, two families were neighbors. In the winter, one family shoveled snow into the other's yard, and as a result, the other family shot and killed them. There are many people in this world who lack wisdom. In war, you must use strategy. Everyone should ask themselves, do you have this wisdom in your head? You have to adjust! What are these problems related to? They are all related to money!

Imagine: If I were your neighbor, and I gave you a hundred dollars today and a hundred dollars tomorrow, would you come and kill me? No, you wouldn’t. It's simply taking advantage of the other person. Why do people always want to take advantage of others? Because it's tiring to earn money the right way! People don't want to earn money the right way; they always want to earn money through crooked means. Wouldn't they be evil people? So, you must know that lazy and ignorant people are very evil.

I passed by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. (Proverbs 24:30-34)

People always don't want to work hard, wanting to gain without effort, and in the end, they become evil people, becoming a very poor and evil person. So, the Chinese often say, From poor mountains and bad waters come unruly people.

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. (Proverbs 24:3-4)

If a person has wisdom and understanding, how could he be poor? If a person works diligently, studies, grows, and does things practically, how could he be poor? I hope everyone can gain wisdom in dealing with the wicked. This is something we need to think about and learn in our lives.

May God bless everyone!