27:1 Do not boast about tomorrow; for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
The Hebrew word for “boast” is הָלַל (halel), meaning to praise. Hallelujah means to “Praise Jehovah.” Solomon warned his readers not to praise themselves about what they may do tomorrow. God is the only one who knows what tomorrow may bring.
27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.
Praising oneself is evidence of pride. Instead, do enough divine good works so that others will praise you.
27:3 A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but vexation by a fool is more burdensome than the two of them.
The fool is the one who lacks Bible doctrine. The mockery of a fool is like carrying a heavy stone or heavy bags of sand. Ignore the fool, so that this weight does not have to be carried.
27:4 Wrath is cruel and anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
When a person is angry, then he can be cruel to others. However, jealousy is worse, because it may include anger, wrath, and merciless revenge.
27:5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Those with strong Bible doctrine will lovingly rebuke those whom they love. If one fails to correct another, then they are not showing agape love. They are allowing the person who needs rebuke to suffer divine judgement. Silence can send a person to hell.
27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive.
The faithful friends will accept wounds for his friends. Jesus accepted wounds on the cross for those he loved. Enemies will shower their victims with excessive kisses which are meant to deceive. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.
27:7 The one whose appetite is satisfied loathes honey, but to the hungry mouth every bitter thing is sweet.
After a man fills his stomach with a gourmet meal, then honey does not appeal to him. If a man is hungry and starving to death, then even the most bitter food appears to him. This proverb suggests that material prosperity should not be the major priority of one’s life.
27:8 Like a bird that wanders from its nest, so is a person who wanders from his home.
If a young person leaves his home too early, then he may wander around helplessly like a young bird from its nest.
27:9 Ointment and incense make the heart rejoice, likewise the sweetness of one’s friend from sincere counsel.
The advice of a man with strong Bible doctrine is like sweet perfume.
27:10 Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend, and do not enter your brother’s house in the day of your disaster; a neighbor nearby is better than a brother far away.
In a day of trouble, it is better to have a trusted friend nearby than a trusted relative far away.
27:11 Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad, so that I may answer anyone who taunts me.
A good son is evidence to others that a father fulfilled his godly responsibility. A bad son is evidence that the father was incompetent in his responsibilities as a father.
27:12 A shrewd person sees danger and hides himself, but the naive keep right on going and suffer for it.
One who possesses strong Bible doctrine will be able to recognize the traps and deceptions of the satanic world system. Those who do not possess strong Bible doctrine will fall into cults, isms, evolutionism, atheism, feminism, agnosticism, and the liberal agenda.
27:13 Take a man’s garment when he has given security for a stranger, and when he gives surety for a stranger, hold him in pledge.
It is foolish for a man to co-sign a loan for a stranger. If he wishes to do so, then make sure that collateral is taken. The stranger will most likely default on the loan. The Jewish business community has wisely used this proverb in their business associations with the Gentile world.
27:14 If someone blesses his neighbor with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be counted as a curse to him.
Timing and sensitivity is everything. It is good to bless a person, but not in the morning when he is sleeping.
27:15 A continual dripping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike
A nagging wife is like a dripping rain. A man who is nagged all of the time will look for escape. A wife with strong Bible doctrine will not attempt to control her husband with nagging. She will motivate him by her inner beauty and kindness.
27:16 Whoever hides her hides the wind or grasps oil with his right hand.
Controlling a nagging wife is as impossible as grabbing the wind or grasping oil in the right hand. If a man has a nagging wife, then he needs to pray that she will receive and apply bible doctrine at the deepest level from the entire counsel of the Word of God.
27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend.
Two friends who possess strong Bible doctrine will sharpen each other by their discussions, criticisms, suggestions, and ideas.
27:18 The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever takes care of his master will be honored.
Cultivating a fig tree increases the size of the crops. When an employee takes care of his master, then he is honored.
27:19 As in water the face is reflected as a face, so a person’s heart reflects the person.
Just as water is a mirror which reflects the face of a person, the heart reflects the inner character of a person. The heart is the intellect of the individual. Those who feed their intellect the entire counsel of the Word of God at the deepest level will be able to reflect inner beauty. Those who feed their intellect the philosophies of the satanic world system will reflect ugliness.
27:20 As Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so the eyes of a person are never satisfied.
Death is personified as always being hungry for more deaths in order to feed his appetite.
The eyes always want to see something new, because man is bored with life. Life is empty, unless one addicts himself to the study of the entire counsel of the Word of God at the deepest level. When Michael Jordan switched sports from basketball to baseball, then he may have been bored with life. He had mastered basketball at the highest level, but he was not satisfied. Only the written Word of God will lead men to satisfaction, because it teaches one the mind of Christ.
27:21 As the crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, so a person is proved by the praise he receives.
Heat from the furnace tests gold and silver to find out their true qualities. Praise also tests out the true qualities of a man. If a man gloats, then he is arrogant. If a man accepts the praise modestly, then he is humble.
27:22 If you should pound the fool in the mortar among the grain with the pestle, his foolishness would not depart from him.
A fool is one who lacks Bible doctrine. If he is repeatedly punished, then he will still not learn Bible doctrine. The only way to make a fool wise is to pray that God will change his attitude.
27:23 Pay careful attention to the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds, 27:24 for riches do not last forever, nor does a crown last from generation to generation.
Solomon gave four proverbs on how to succeed in an agricultural society. First, it is important for farmers to continually check the condition of their flocks and herds, because they are a better investment than most of their other possessions. Second, flocks and herds multiply, but money spent is gone. Third, one may be a king and wear a crown, but eventually the king will lose his crown.
27:25 When the hay is removed and new grass appears, and the grass from the hills is gathered in, 26 the lambs will be for your clothing, and the goats will be for the price of a field. 27 And there will be enough goat’s milk for your food, for the food of your household, and for the sustenance of your servant girls.
Fourth, hay and grass provide food for livestock. Sheep provide clothing for the family. Goats provide milk for the family. It is important to take care of these resources in which God has provided for families.