There are men who become successfully rich and famous and for the most part many think of them as the wise men. However a lot of these “wise” men do forget where their blessings come from. They easily forget the source of their power and when disaster strikes that is the only time they remember God. What is even worse is that they remember God and curse Him out, blaming God for the calamity that has stricken them at that time of their life. They fearlessly shout that there is no God and there are those who question where God is to save them. Without acknowledging God in their lives and their foolish hearts they are exposing themselves to God’s wrath which undoubtedly will be revealed when God will no longer contend with man but pound them with His unrelenting judgment after ignoring chances upon chances to change and turn to God. The Apostle Paul said in Romans 2:5-6, “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God will give to each person according to what he has done."
Had they read the Scripture, they should have known the pathway to true wisdom and have learned from God’s dealing with His chosen nation, Israel, whom God has picked and used as His show window of His might and His dealing with mankind. Deuteronomy 8:10-18 says, “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. [11] Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. [12] Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, [13] and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, [14] then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. [15] He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. [16] He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. [17] You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." [18] But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. [19] If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. [20] Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.”
It is so unfortunate how until this day there are still people just really don’t care of the consequences of their actions. What is important for them is to go on their merry way though knowing the price of a stubborn heart. Ecclesiastes 11:9 is giving us a stern warning that says, “Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.”
In 1 Corinthians 5:5, we can find a terrifying revelation that God will call Satan to destroy the body of His redeemed who stubbornly dwell in sin though his soul is already freed from fire.
The main reason why the Book of Proverbs was written is to teach us to be wise and be safe from the flaming arrows coming from the destroyer of our souls. In the book of Proverbs 1:20-33, it says, “Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; [21] at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: [22] "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? [23] If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. [24] But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, [25] since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, [26] I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you-- [27] when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. [28] "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. [29] Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, [30] since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, [31] they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. [32] For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; [33] but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." Based on this warning, Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.”
The book of Proverbs is the perfect guide to being wise, God’s way.
1) First, is to repent from all our wrongdoings and submit fully to God’s dealing.
Prov. 1:20-23 “Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; 21at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: 22"How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 23If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.”
God in this passage is calling all sinners. That’s exactly where each one of us were. The Holy Scripture has declared that all have sinned and have fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). But when we respond to God’s call and repent of our sins, God promises to work in us and show us the glory of abiding in His presence as the only way to experience a life that is full of joy and peace under His care in all circumstances.
2) Second, is to be transformed by trouble into what God wants in our life
Prov. 1:24-26 “But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 25since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, 26I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you.”
In this passage, it shows that pain is God’s drawing power to bring us back into the pathway of wisdom and be safe from the rebuke of backsliding. In Hosea 5:15 and Jeremiah 29:13, it is revealed that God will allow us to undergo sufferings so that in our misery we will seek Him and if we seek Him earnestly we will surely find Him.
When problem comes, don’t ask God, “Why, Lord?” God is not pleased to see His people in pain and suffering. But God is more interested of building our godly character. God’s rebuke is painful in the beginning but in the end it will make us into a better person accomplishing God’s purpose of creating us which is to bring praise and glory to His Holy name in whatever we do (Isaiah 43:7,21).
We are admonished therefore to be sensitive to God’s dealing in our lives. Most of the time, it is when we are in pain that we realize we have already gone astray from the presence of God. According to the passage, don’t wait until you reach that point of no return. Repent while God is still giving you another chance to change and align your life to His perfect will.
Here are Isaiah’s dreadful warnings to all those who continually ignore God: Isa. 65:12 Isaiah 65:12, “I will destine you for the sword, and you will all bend down for the slaughter; for I called but you did not answer, I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me." And Isa. 66:4, “. . . so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring upon them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me."
But to walk in His ways is the guarantee of a happy life. According to Psalms 119:1-2 it says, “Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. [2] Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.”
3. Third, is to choose and fear God
Prov. 1:27-33 “When calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. 28"Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. 29Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, 30since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, 31they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. 32For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
God has given us a free will to do what is right and what is wrong and along that line, God has given us the cognitive power to choose what is right through the empowerment that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have already tasted the goodness of the Lord. Now is to exercise the eyes of our faith to choose between good and evil. The passage is a warning not to push God far enough that will push Him to give us up to our depraved mind and eat the fruits of our waywardness. According to Rom. 1:28, “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper.” (NAU)
The choice is ours to make. Do we want to experience death and destruction or do we want safety and ease? Deut. 30:15-20 says, "Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between prosperity and disaster, between life and death. 16I have commanded you today to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, laws, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and become a great nation, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy. 17But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, 18then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. 19"Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live! 20Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him, for he is your life. Then you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
God wants us to be wise and not foolish – to obey God and not to obey. He is calling us to repent and be transformed by abiding in His Word in order to be happy and safe. As for you, what would you do?