24:1 Do not envy evil people, do not desire to be with them; 24:2 for their hearts contemplate violence, and their lips speak harm.
The 19th saying warns against desiring to be like evil people. The violence of their heart comes out through their words.
24:3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; 24:4 by knowledge its rooms are filled with all kinds of precious and pleasing treasures.
The 20th saying teaches that strong houses with strong foundations are built by those who possess strong Bible doctrine. The greatest treasure in the world is knowledge, understanding, and application of Bible doctrine. This type of biblical application earns the believer eternal rewards in heaven.
24:5 A wise warrior is strong, and a man of knowledge makes his strength stronger; 24:6 for with guidance you wage your war, and with numerous advisers there is victory.
The 21st saying teaches that strong Bible doctrine makes one stronger not only spiritually, but in physical war as well. A mature believer knows that the enemy on the battlefield cannot take his life, unless God allows it. God is sovereign over life and death, even in extreme situations.
24:7 Wisdom is unattainable for a fool; in court he does not open his mouth.
The 22nd saying warns that a fool cannot learn Bible doctrine. The Bible is a supernatural book. Only believers can understand it. Learning Bible doctrine is a gift from God. When a fool stands up in court with those who understand and apply Bible doctrine, then the fool must remain silent. He has no defense. He must accept the discipline which comes with the offense. In other words, all laws should be biblically based.
It is important to notice that when a nation gets away from biblical laws (such as abortion, same sex marriage, pornography, transgenderism, multiculturalism, etc.), then that nation will fall and be replaced by another. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was an example to all nations about the end result of sin.
24:8 The one who plans to do evil will be called a scheming person. 24:9 A foolish scheme is sin, and the scorner is an abomination to people.
The 23rd saying warns against associating with people who think up evil schemes.
24:10 If you faint in the day of trouble, your strength is small!
The 24th saying warns that those who do not possess strong Bible doctrine will grow weak when things go bad for them.
24:11 Deliver those being taken away to death, and hold back those slipping to the slaughter. 12 If you say, “But we did not know about this,” does not the one who evaluates hearts consider? Does not the one who guards your life know? Will he not repay each person according to his deeds?
The 25th saying warns that those with strong Bible doctrine need to deliver innocent men who are unjustly being oppressed. If an evil nation commits genocide on Jews or Christians, then other believers are responsible for helping them. Believers should not say that they did not know about this situation. God knows and evaluates the hearts of all men. God Himself guards the life of all believers. God repays people for their sin. It is a sin not to do God’s will.
24:13 Eat honey, my child, for it is good, and honey from the honeycomb is sweet to your taste. 24:14 Likewise, know that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, you will have a future, and your hope will not be cut off.
The 26th saying teaches that the mastery of Bible doctrine is as sweet as honey.
24:15 Do not lie in wait like the wicked against the place where the righteous live; do not assault his home. 24:16 Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again, but the wicked will be brought down by calamity.
The 27th saying warns that it is futile for evil people to think that they can destroy righteous people. Righteous men will be protected by God. When an evil man attacks a righteous man, then God will help the righteous man to recover and stand on his feet. Then like a boomerang, the evil man will be brought down by his own evil. Those who violated the Abrahamic Covenant and attacked other Jews were all brought down by their own evil actions. Over and over, the Bible shows that those who attacked the Jews received a kind-for-kind judgment from God.
24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and when he stumbles do not let your heart rejoice, 24:18 lest the Lord see it, and be displeased, and turn his wrath away from him.
The 28th saying warns that God is disgusted when one gloats over the fall of their enemy. Gloating means that one is displaying a superior attitude toward others. Gloating may cause God to withdraw His wrath and side with the enemy.
24:19 Do not fret because of evil people or be envious of wicked people, 24:20 for the evil person has no future, and the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
The 29th saying warns (for the third time) that believers should not desire to be like evil people. Evil people have no future in God’s kingdom. They will lose their physical life and burn in the Lake of Fire forever.
24:21 Fear the Lord, my child, as well as the king, and do not associate with rebels, 24:22 for suddenly their destruction will overtake them, and who knows the ruinous judgment both the Lord and the king can bring?
The 30th and final saying encourages the reader to respect the Lord. Not only is Jehovah to be respected, but kings are to be respected as well. The readers were warned not to associate with those who rebel against God and against kings. If one does decide to rebel against God or His king, then divine destruction will come upon them. God and His kings do have the authority and the power to execute judgment against rebels.
24:23 These sayings also are from the wise: To show partiality in judgment is terrible: 24:24 The one who says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him. 24:25 But there will be delight for those who convict the guilty, and a pleasing blessing will come on them.
Solomon provided six more additional sayings of the wise.The wise or those who master and apply Bible doctrine.
The first additional saying is a warning to judges. God hates unrighteous judges. God has appointed all judges on this earth to judge and decide court cases just as God would judge and decide them. When a judge shows partiality to the guilty, then this judge will be cursed by the people and denounced by the nation. If the judge does his job and convicts the guilty, then he will be a blessing to the nation. He will keep the nation safe and prosperous.
Whenever an unelected Supreme Court justice decides a law from an unbiblical point of view, then he is placing himself and his nation in danger. Whenever a President places justices on the Supreme Court who do not possess and apply strong Bible doctrine, then he also is placing himself and his nation in danger. It is very possible that the coming Antichrist may control the United States through the nine unelected justices of the Supreme Court. Recently, the Supreme Court has been making laws instead of interpreting laws. This kind of governmental leadership is a threat to the nation. It will lead to a Sodom-and-Gomorrah type of anarchy where homosexual rape gangs gain all of the power. Same-sex marriage, hate crimes, abortion, transgenderism, secular education, multiculturalism, global climate change taxes, reverse-racism through affirmative action programs, one-world government, and godless liberalism will evolve out of this type of governmental system.
24:26 Like a kiss on the lips is the one who gives an honest answer.
The second additional saying teaches that honest words are like a kiss on the lips. Both honest words and a kiss on the lips show affection.
24:27 Establish your work outside and get your fields ready; afterward build your house.
The third additional saying warns families that they need to plant their seeds in the field before they pursue other more enjoyable endeavors.
24:28 Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your words.
The fourth additional saying warns against perjury. It is a terrible sin for politicians to use the IRS for furthering their political agenda. The proper way to get rid of political enemies is to vote them out of office.
24:29 Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will pay him back according to what he has done.”
The fifth additional saying warns against revenge. Revenge belongs to the Lord. He is better at revenge than man. His timing is better. His punishment is better. His motive is better. He knows how far to go and where to stop. He uses revenge for instruction. It is a sin for one to take revenge on another. Only God is in the revenge business. Man is not.
24:30 I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of one who lacks wisdom. 24:31 I saw that thorns had grown up all over it, the ground was covered with weeds, and its stone wall was broken down.
The sixth additional saying warns against laziness. Lazy people lack Bible doctrine. They become unwise. They do not plant crops in their fields. Their fields produce thorns instead of fruit. They leave the stone wall around their fields in disrepair.
24:32 When I saw this, I gave careful consideration to it; I received instruction from what I saw: 24:33 “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to relax, 24:34 and your poverty will come like a bandit, and your need like an armed robber.”
Solomon was the wisest man of history. He observed many things and evaluated what he saw. He noticed that lazy people like to sleep instead of work. This causes them poverty. Poverty robs them not only of Bible doctrine, but of food, shelter, and clothing. The biggest sin of the Christian is laziness in studying and applying the entire counsel of the Word of God.