22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth, good favor more than silver or gold.
It is more important to possess an honorable reputation than it is to possess silver and gold.
22:2 The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the creator of them both.
God created both the rich and poor. He loves people of all social classes. Hinduism and Buddhism falsely teach that the poor are “untouchables” who were so evil in another life, that they were reincarnated into poor people in their present life. They also falsely teach that the rich were so good in a past life, that they were reincarnated into rich people in their present life.
22:3 A shrewd person sees danger and hides himself, but the naive keep right on going and suffer for it.
The person who possesses strong Bible doctrine can discern danger and hide from it. The person without strong Bible doctrine is easily snared by the deceptions of the satanic world system and caused to suffer for eternity.
22:4 The reward for humility and fearing the Lord is riches and honor and life.
Under the dispensation of the Mosaic Law, those who humbled themselves and respected the Lord would receive material wealth, honor, and a long physical life. If Israel was obedient to the Law, then they would be allowed to remain in their land as the head of all nations. They would become priests to all of the nations. During the reign of Solomon, Israel was experiencing their Golden Age. During the future Millennial Kingdom, Israel will fulfill their destiny as priests to all nations.
22:5 Thorns and snares are in the path of the perverse, but the one who guards himself keeps far from them.
Evil men will experience thorns and thistles as they travel down the broad road which leads to destruction. Men who possess strong Bible doctrine will be divinely protected from these thorns and thistles. Those who possess strong Bible doctrine will have suffering in this life, but it will be planned by God in order to strengthen the individual. A man with strong bible doctrine understands and welcomes suffering. A man with weak bible doctrine does not understand and does not welcome suffering.
22:6 Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
The Hebrew word for “train” is חָנַך (chanak), meaning “to dedicate.” It is used as a verb of dedicating a house (Deut. 20:5), dedicating the temple (1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chron. 7:5), and dedicating an image (Dan. 3:2). It is used as a noun with the dedication of an altar (Num. 7:10; 2 Chron. 7:9) and of the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem (Neh. 12:27). Only in this verse is it translated as “train.” Gleason L. Archer points out that it is similar to the Egyptian “hanak,” meaning “to give to the gods.” (Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982, p. 252).
The Hebrew for “in the way that he should go” is עַל־פִּ֣י דַרְכֹּ֑ו (al-pi-dereku), meaning “in the mouth of his path.” Parents should dedicate their children to follow the destiny that God has given them to follow. Children or parents without strong Bible doctrine will not be able to discern their destiny. They will be deceived by the satanic world system. Therefore, the parent is to teach their children the entire written Word of God at the deepest level. Mastery of Bible doctrine will help the child to escape the snares of the satanic world system and understand how to serve God with his or her life.
Most public school educational systems teach children secular humanism, which is how to live a life without God. Secular humanism is actually a euphemism for satanism. Public schools prepare children to become servants in the satanic world system. They teach children how to become good citizens of the coming one world government of the Antichrist. Science, history, and literature courses in public schools de-emphasize the Bible, falsely teaching that it is only one of many ancient mythological books. Public schools do not teach the divine inspiration, inerrancy, and infallibility of the Bible. Bible teaching is replaced with secular humanism, evolution, multiculturalism, and other godless liberal agendas.
Currently, the electorate does not have enough Bible doctrine to elect politicians and school board members who will change the public education from secular education to biblical education. When Satan controls the education system, then he controls the next generation of children. America’s lack of biblical education will send the next generation into a dark satanic culture where will deny God and promote anti-biblical teachings such as homosexuality, lesbianism, transgenderism, evolution, abortion, and multiculturalism. When a culture censors Bible doctrine in their public educational system, then the end result is a devolution into Sodom and Gomorrah homosexual rape gangs. America is not “evolving” (as one United States president arrogantly said when he endorsed “same-sex” marriage), but devolving into the judgment phase of Sodom and Gomorrah. Hate crimes were passed into law by godless politicians who want to silence pastors who teach the biblical view of marriage between one man and one woman.
Multiculturalism falsely teaches that all cults and isms are equal, so they should all be honored and respected. All cults and isms are not equal. All cults and isms attack the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. They teach a works-salvation system. They add or subtract from the Bible. All cults and isms are facets of satanism, but the American culture does not have enough Bible doctrine to recognize this deception. Therefore, they endorse and teach satanism in the public education classroom, but they call it multiculturalism. Do not be fooled by this euphemism.
If a parent wants to dedicate his child to the destiny in which God has chosen for him, then they need to consider biblical homeschooling. The YEBC Study Bible can be used to teach children the entire counsel of the written Word of God. Jesus could debate the rabbi at 13 years old. This type of biblical instruction needs to be the goal of all of home-school education. Listed below is a skeletal outline of the basic curriculum which parents may consider using to home school their children:
From 5-9 years old, children are learning how to read and write. Therefore, teach your children how to read, write, basic math, Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and German. Spend twenty minutes of reading per day with a reading curriculum of your choice. Use the Ken Ham curriculum for science and apologetics. Read with your child one chapter of the YEBC Study Bible per day. For writing, have them dictate key verses and commentaries of the YEBC Bible chapter of the day. For foreign languages, teach them one word per day and review them daily. Have the students memorize one biblical verse per day.
After nine years old, children learn from reading. Once they can read, then they can self-teach themselves anything. They can study the Bible for themselves. It is the responsibility of the parents to make sure that their children are reading the right material. From 9-13 years old, have students study one chapter of the YEBC study Bible per day. The purpose is to ground the child in the Bible doctrines of the entire counsel of the Word of God. Have them write a selected essay per day from these lessons. Memorize one Bible verse per day. Learn Hebrew, Greek, and Latin grammar. Memorize the Greek and Latin root words. Then, instead of reading classical literature, have your children listen to and read from the greatest theologians of history (see the appendix below). Have them read literature which contains SAT/ACT vocabulary. Continue the Ken Ham science and apologetics curriculum. Continue a rigorous math curriculum. By the age of 13 years, students should be able to debate a rabbi.
From 13-18 years old, continue studying one chapter of the YEBC Study Bible per day. Begin preparing students for college by teaching dual-credit and SAT/ACT preparation courses. Apply for free college scholarships.
By the time of 18 years old, students should have gone through the YEBC Study Bible three times. They should have read from the greatest theologians of history. They should have enough of the Biblical languages to check out their teachers. They should be prepared to discern the true and false teachings of the secular college professors which will attempt to brainwash their minds into secular thinking. They should have mastered Bible doctrine, so that they will not be deceived by the philosophies of the satanic world system. They should have mastered SAT/ACT test taking skills.
22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Those who go into debt are slaves to the lender. Satan is currently enslaving all of the nations of the world by sending them into unplayable national debts. So far, America owes Satan over 19 trillion dollars. Since America will never be able to pay off this debt, then they may trade in their debt for a one-world government. Satan has already used this technique within the Nazi government of Hitler’s Germany. The Treaty of Versailles forced the German people to elect Hitler as their savior. The future Antichrist may use this same technique, but on a global scale. Germany was the devil’s dry run. The entire world may be the devil’s next run. The United Nations could be nothing but Satan's puppet council. They are not doing what is best for their citizens. They may doing what is best for their master.
22:8 The one who sows iniquity will reap trouble, and the rod of his fury will end.
One who plants evil seeds will reap a harvest of trouble for himself.
22:9 A generous person will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.
A generous person who provides for the poor will be blessed.
22:10 Drive out the scorner and contention will leave; strife and insults will cease.
A scorner is one who mocks God. He causes strife and contention. He insults others of a godly nature. The Bible does not teach free speech. It teaches that these kinds of ungodly people needed to be driven out of society. During the Millennial Kingdom, these scorners will be given 100 years of their life to turn to God. If they refuse to do so, then they will be driven from society by capital punishment. God will not allow sin in His heavens.
22:11 The one who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious—the king will be his friend.
Good kings, political leaders, and even business leaders will surround themselves with men who speak graciously through their Bible doctrine. There was a time in public education when godly principals surrounded themselves with godly teachers who possessed strong Bible doctrine. Public education has shifted. Now, educational leaders surround themselves with homosexuals, lesbians, adulterers, pretty women, and liberals.
When politicians, educational leaders, and business leaders surround themselves with a staff of Muslims, liberals, homosexuals, lesbians, transgenders, feminists, abortionists, and multiculturalists, then you know that their society is in trouble. The Antichrist will surround himself with these type of men and women and call them “professionals.” Their correct title should be called “professional Christ-rejecters.”
22:12 The eyes of the Lord guard knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the faithless person.
The Lord personally guards Bible doctrine. According to Romans 13, governments have been established to protect the output of Bible doctrine. When a government refuses to protect the output of Bible doctrine, then the Lord will remove that government and replace it with another.
22:13 The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I will be killed in the middle of the streets!”
Lazy people make extreme excuses in order to avoid work.
22:14 The mouth of an adulteress is like a deep pit; the one against whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
Listening to the seductive words of an adulteress is like falling into a deep pit where there is no escape. God’s judgment is allowing the adulterer to fall into the pit.
22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him.
A child is not born into the world as a neutral creature. He is born into the world with a sin nature which is totally depraved and evil. He is born as a selfish, angry, arrogant, and flippant individual who hates the Lord Jesus Christ and one who persecutes mature believers. The study of Bible doctrine and spankings with a rod will drive much of this evil out of rebellious children. A child who does not master Bible doctrine and lives a childhood without discipline will grow up in rebellion. He will reject God, but endorse sex, drugs, and rock and roll. He will be easily deceived by the satanic world system. The numbers one responsibility of parents is to teach their children Bible doctrine at the deepest level and discipline them when needed.
22:16 The one who oppresses the poor to increase his own gain and the one who gives to the rich—both end up only in poverty.
Those who oppress the poor in order to gain personal wealth will end up in poverty. Those who attempt to influence the rich with gifts will end up in poverty.
22:17 Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my instruction.
Chapters 22:17 – 24:22 records thirty sayings of other wise men. These were not wise men from Egypt, as many liberals claim. These were wise men who had mastered Bible doctrine. Solomon asked his readers to hear these wise words from wise men who had mastered Bible doctrine.
When the Holy Spirit teaches a believer, He teaches through the spoken and written words of other gifted pastor-teachers (Ephesians 4). Those who read the Bible on their own will not understand it. The Scriptures command for the Bible to be studied and meditated upon, but never to be read. Those who claim to have read through the Bible 25 times usually do not know a lick of Bible doctrine. Some are either naive enough or arrogant enough to think that they can understand the Bible without the aid of other gifted-pastor teachers. These types of people are elevating their human opinion above that of Scripture. The Holy Spirit has raised up pastor-teachers to teach the Word of God. The responsibility of the believer is to learn from these teachers and check from the Scriptures what they teach. This is why is is very important for all believers to study the Bible in the original languages. One cannot become a Berean without the proper study tools and methods.
22:18 For it is pleasing if you keep these sayings within you, and they are ready on your lips.
It is pleasing to God if the readers would memorize these thirty sayings and be ready to recite them from their lips at a moment’s notice.
22:19 So that your confidence may be in the Lord, I am making them known to you today—even you.
Solomon is making these thirty wise sayings known to his readers so that they can know the mind of God.
22:20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge, 22:21 to show you true and reliable words, so that you may give accurate answers to those who sent you?
Solomon has written these thirty sayings so that the reader can memorize them and teach whenever opportunity comes to him.
22:22 Do not exploit a poor person because he is poor and do not crush the needy in court, 22:23 for the Lord will plead their case and will rob those who are robbing them.
The 1st saying warns against taking advantage of the poor by bribery in the court. The reason is that the poor are protected by the Lord.
22:24 Do not make friends with an angry person, and do not associate with a wrathful person, 22:25 lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
The 2nd saying warns against making friends with angry and wrathful people. Those who make friends with evil people will adopt some of their ways.
22:26 Do not be one who strikes hands in pledge or who puts up security for debts. 22:27 If you do not have enough to pay, your bed will be taken right out from under you!
The 3rd saying warns against putting up security for the debts of other people. If an individual gets caught up in another’s financial problems, then he may lose his furniture.
22:28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone which was put in place by your ancestors.
The 4th saying warns against moving boundary stones as an attempt to steal someone else’s property.
22:29 Do you see a person skilled in his work? He will take his position before kings; he will not take his position before obscure people.
The 5th saying encourages one to learn and apply a skill and to do it well. The king will want to hire a good skilled worker.