Turn with me in your scriptures to the book of Proverbs. We have before us the closing portion of that larger survey of folly in chapter 17. Here we have verses 21 through 28. If you're able, I invite you to stand and I'll read in your hearing This portion of God's Word, the sacred poetry inspired by the Holy Spirit, here by the pen of Solomon. This is God's very Word. Let us hear with reverence and heed. Proverbs 17 at verse 21. He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy. A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. A wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back to pervert the way of justice. Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. Also, to punish the righteous is not good, nor to strike princes for their uprightness. He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace. When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. Thus ends the reading of God's holy word. Let us ask his blessing on the preaching of it. Let's pray. Father, feed us upon the wisdom of our Savior, the one who has all wisdom, can nurture us unto his glory. We long for that and are assured that we'll receive when we ask. We ask in faith, according to your word, in Christ's name, amen. You may be seated. Here, we have that conclusion, as we mentioned, of the larger survey of Phali in chapter 17. Previously, verses 16 through 20, in the immediately previous section, we saw that structure, which Solomon uses over and again. First, the introductory proverb. There it was at verse 16. And then, paralleled verses. to unfold the teaching in parallel themes. In that occasion, in 16 through 20, we had verse 16, not only as the introductory educational proverb, but it began those parallels, the even versus dealing with heart problems, and then the odd versus contrasting wholesome love with treacherous, corrupted love. Here, in these closing verses of the chapter, verses 21 through 28, we have two final subsections of these proverbs in the larger survey of folly. The first subsection, verses 21 through 24. The second, 25 through 28. And you'll see here, the structure, if you observe carefully, each subsection The one beginning at 21, the one beginning at 25, begin with the familiar educational proverb. Here, considering the effect of the fool on his parents. Verse 21 and verse 25 speak to that. And both subsections consider a fool who has grown to a position of authority and power, but not for good, rather, for wickedness and unrighteousness, verses 23 and verse 26 in those subsections. The first subsection concludes at verse 24 with a contrast of wisdom and where the fool went wrong. The second subsection does something similar, concluding with a pair of Proverbs 27 and 28, returning to the themes of what this foolish son is lacking contrasting folly with the way of wisdom. Here again, with an eye towards what was lacking in upbringing that led to the shame of this foolish son. So, as we see that structure, let's fill in the content that the Holy Spirit has inspired in these sacred words. That first subsection, verses 21 through 24, look at that introductory proverb at verse 21. He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy. We're reminded of Solomon's testimony about this very thing when he was considering his life filled as he was with wisdom, but not using it aright, he still prospered, empowered by wisdom. And in Ecclesiastes chapter two, he bemoaned bringing up sons of uncertainty. Hear what he said at verses 18 and 19. Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity." Well, we remember part of his problem was laboring without an eye towards eternity, exercising that supernatural wisdom he had received here only under the sun, only for this life. And he said, the misery of it is, I'm not sure of those who come after me. He may very well be a fool. Indeed, we know something of the outcome, don't we? And when bringing up a fool, what does this introductory proverb say? Well, the one who begets a scoffer, an earmark of the fool, does so to his sorrow. He breaks his own heart. And the father of a fool has no joy. Indeed, Solomon speaks to that in Ecclesiastes, where we read it, the point is surely that this sorrow and sadness ought not to be so. Surely, there's a warning here. Against the way that Solomon lived, even in his own wisdom, he didn't cultivate wisdom in his son. And he was pinched with that hurt. I mean, he brought this on himself and so there is folded into this a call to diligent parenting. Love the child as you love God, and so pursue a life of wisdom that instills that wisdom prayerfully in the child, step by step, day by day, not with an eye upon what you can get under the sun. Solomon wrongly used his wisdom, but rather in how God's glory may be manifest in the next generation as sacrificial labor on the part of the parent is invested into the child prayerfully with an eye towards eternity. Yes, there is a call here for diligent parenting. Don't raise a fool, live differently than that. But even more, do we not hear the call to the child? Live in wisdom instilled in your parents so that you are to them not a sorrow, but a rejoicing, not a heartbreak, but a healing. As we consider these two, the parents, as Bridges says, ought to invest everything in prayer, for a child, even when there's uncertainty, provided that that prayer be not palsied by despondency. Here we see what happens when we find that the child is, in fact, grown up to be a fool. Well, it breaks the heart. Bridget says, don't stop praying, but don't pray crippled with that sorrow. Preserve hope in the deepest distress. Never lose hold of the covenant of grace, Bridges says. Let the determined faith of praying, of a praying mother, encourage perseverance. God exercises faith, but he never fails to honor it. He delays to answer prayer, but every word, every sigh, is registered for acceptance in his best time. Pray in hope. Let the sting of sorrow, in such a case, move to prayer that recovers from despondency. And for that one who owes his parents the honor of joy, oh, ought there not to be some measure of natural love in the heart of a child that would instill receptiveness to that wisdom. If there's been failing, then recover it now. Foolishness punishes those who should be honored. If I live as a fool, I crush the hearts of my parents. Should not natural love itself drive me away from that? And that concern for the effects of that relationship gone wrong is given magnification in the next verse, verse 22. A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. These proverbs are connected by the Hebrew word that has to do with that rejoicing. It's lacking, there is no joy in the heart of the one who's brought up a fool. And in contrast, there ought to be joy that brings life to the heart and does good like medicine. But where it is lacking, it comes out from the broken heart into the body, is what Solomon is saying. Such a broken heart. in fact, dries up the bones. There is, in fact, something that goes from that sorrow in the heart into the body. Solomon recognized it. And this doubles down on the concern. How deep the sorrow in relation to a foolish child. Solomon is reinforcing by emphasizing the effect of the heart on the body and drawing the attention of the child grown to adulthood to see what are you doing to your parents in how you live. That's a reasonable concern and it ought to be in all of us. I owe a duty of honor and love to my parents to increase in wisdom. all my days while they're alive may I be to them like good medicine that rejoices the heart and in their passing may I carry on with integrity and honor that is their due not because they were perfect but because they're my parents who've given me life in my body and have in some measure trained my soul Oh, ought I not to be impressed with that duty? Ought there not to be such a natural affection that it would crush sinful, selfish carelessness that so sickens a parent? This should be abhorrent to a child. When he lives foolishly, he should be checked in realizing, what a betrayal of my loving parents. So the parents should live to instill such a love, and so the child should be sensitive to it, no matter how failing it has been. Oh, may I be like good medicine to them in how I live. May I bring them that honor which builds them up in rejoicing. But the fool, indeed, as we've heard before, lacks all natural affection. He has set about, as he moves towards adulthood, destroying all those natural affections. So Solomon's words are frightening. They're real, they're true. One who has begotten a fool will see him grow up, destroying natural affections and living to become bitterness to the soul of his parents. Oh, God forbid, what an awful image this is to us. How we should long in prayer, as Bridget said, for all the opposite of that, as both parent and child from youngest to adulthood. Here, the examination of that fool reminds us of what it was like for David. He failed in that. He was a godly man, but remember what happened with Absalom. See, in the midst of sin, he knew A right path, remember what happened with that child that died. He had mourned, he had sorrowed, he had prayed, but he had the work of the spirit and when the time came, he was able to stand up. His servants marveled. He said, I will go to him. There was a work of grace in his heart, but when the sins, consequences became so severe and he lacked in the diligent upbringing of Absalom, The bitterness broke his heart. Surely this is in view. Remember how he cried out, oh, Absalom, Absalom, my son, Absalom. His heart would not recover from its brokenness. How bitter, how bitter the sorrow to have a son in the grip of arrogant folly empowered with authority. He needed to be reminded of the grace of his calling, even in such hardship. You remember, he had to be shaken into awareness, to see beyond this pain, to live in the light of grace, even as bridges reminded us. David needed that reminder. Oh, how much better not to go into that path at all. Oh, let us be warned. And indeed, thinking of Absalom as an example, that's where the proverbs go, is the fool who exacerbates the pain of that folly, not only by living as a fool and breaking the heart of his parent, but by living so powerfully in public for himself, bringing about corruptions by his folly and injustice. Verse 23, the public injustice of such a fool. A wicked man accepts a bribe at behind the back to pervert the way of justice. Here, the pain is increased by it moving from the heart of the parent, where he's experienced that folly of the son now to where the son has exercised himself to acquire power and position and live as a fool to pursue injustice for his own selfish gain. He overthrows justice. You remember how God hates the bribe because it is something that perverts justice. God names himself in those terms, one who will not take a bribe. So wedded to the truth of justice is the integrity revealed by God of himself. Here that foolish son is self-serving in overthrowing justice by taking a bribe. The harm done to the heart of his parents is increased by its public shameful exhibit in wickedness. It's destructive, not only of those familial relationships, but now it's destructive of society. And the language here about the bribe, in the Hebrew, it's take a bribe, and the language is intended to be ambiguous. It's either the taking a bribe out of his pocket to give to someone to corrupt justice, or the taking of the bribe to corrupt justice where it's his place to judge. Either one, as the Hebrew is intentionally ambiguous, is an exhibit of one whose soul is in the grip of such folly that it is utterly destructive of that natural love towards parents and of the social justice, the social fabric that anyone of authority should preserve and promote. He's undoing it for his own selfish gain. Any of that is an epitome of public selfish injustice, and it is a horrifying shame. Remember, again, the biblical example we have of that in Eli's sons. Do you remember how they used their position for the most disgusting, crass form of self-indulgence? Taking bribes, yes, and cultivating every form of corruption. Eli. certainly sorrowed, but remained ineffective where he should have intervened." Oh, again, warnings set before us in how awful the picture is drawn in this sacred poetry. So our hearts should be tuned to avoid all of these horrifying outcomes. And then verse 24, wisdom, is seen again, but in measure of how the fool has failed where he should have responded rightly. Verse 24, wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. What's being described there, what's being highlighted, as it were, echoing the educational proverb about upbringing, Your upbringing is where you failed, is what this closing part of this subsection says. What is wisdom like in that upbringing? Well, it may be a worn out example, but it's useful. You remember what happened in that old classic from my generation, Karate Kid? You remember? He wanted to learn something of excellence that would build him up toward an end that he thought had value. He was right. So he went to one who could instill in him what he needed. He wanted to learn martial arts. He goes to one who had a reputation, not well known everywhere, but that he found out had skill. So he appeals for that training. And at first he's like this fool. His eyes fixed on what he wants. I want this gain. I've got this thing in mind. And what are you telling me to do? Wax on, wax off, you remember? And paint. These motions for his body seemed useless to him. He was, at that point, like this fool. His eyes were fixed out there on things he had in mind. He wasn't tuned to a way of wisdom that was set right before him. movie and that story. There was a victory in that. When he started to complain, what you're doing makes no sense to me. It's useless. I've got my eyes fixed out there and you need to do what I want for that out there. He was checked in that. He was shown, I've been training you. It's wisdom that's right before you, we might say. We need to bring that home to its spiritual reality. That's the nature of upbringing in wisdom. It's right before me. Woe to us if we don't help the child check that carelessness which has no time for the rudimentary steps in learning diligence, self-discipline, the training of the heart. All those basic steps that lead towards wisdom, the child who isn't getting his heart tuned to that because he's got his mind on something else, there's an outcome to that. And it's not good. We should be warned. Not only his parents though, the warning is here written to the child as well. Even if that has been missing and I've reached adulthood, now I can see if I will hear and heed this. Oh, I wasn't following the training when it was put right before me. I had my eyes fixed on my own imaginations way out there, ignoring that training. There's room for repentance. Oh may I track back. May I study and pray to be the wholesome rejoicing of my parents by pursuing wisdom even now. Oh, may we pray to that end where one has wandered. How beautiful the poetry. How frightening. And yet, we can see a way that we ought to respond. Oh, may we do so. And then the second subsection. follows a similar pattern. Verse 25, again, there's an introductory proverb that echoes the previous one. In fact, it intensifies it. From verse 21. Verse 25, a foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. Parents were in view, mentioning the father before. Now they're both mentioned separately. And grief is intensified to bitterness of soul for the parents, again, The same theme, appealing in the same way, but intensifying what we got in the opening proverb, verse 21, now in verse 25. And as we saw that foolish son, breaking the heart of his parents by acquiring power and possessions and authority unto ungodliness. Here it's again put before us in that way at verse 26, but intensified again. Verse 26, also, to punish the righteous is not good, nor to strike princes for their uprightness. We've gone from corrupting justice through bribery, Now to enacting that injustice through, literally in the Hebrew, fining, bringing a penalty to those who have not in fact brought that upon themselves. Doing it for nefarious ends, those who are righteous, penalizing them, bringing a fine upon them, exercising some civil power against them. And intensifying that from fines to flogging to strike princes, we move from simply the righteous to in fact princes, those who are in the nobility or in the ruling position and doing so in uprightness and penalizing them for it with blows. Such is the way of foolish corruption What a heartbreak to the parents to see that in their own child now reaching adulthood and living with all he's got in him to this extent of injustice. Again, we think of examples and we don't have to go far. This is the overthrow of society. from breaking the heart in the home to destroying the world around you. This is the root and then the fruit. That's horrifying. And yet, have we not been a society who's lived like this? We've brought up those who pursue power to the end that they may destroy the righteous. And that with the harshest penalties. I'm reminded of the exercise of the Justice Department against those who went to speak words in the presence of an abortion clinic and who sought to be respectful to civil authorities. There was a man who, when the authorities came, went to them and said, we're not blocking a door, but we are here present. We're praying, we're singing, we long to be a witness for a life. The officers who spoke to him said, this is very helpful, he's wanting to know from us what we require, and he's gonna communicate it to those who were there, speaking of those good things, those right things, in the presence of wickedness. And all seemed to go well. The police officers explained, this is what we have to do. It took place. Later, the Justice Department sent a swarm of agents, guns drawn, to the door of that man. And it brought the severest of penalties against him. How did we get there? Solomon knows. It looks something like this. It's horrifying. Let us pray to the contrary. Let us be sensitive to what this means. Let us never neglect the smallest of duties early on. The heartbreak should be a warning to us. The witness of what we've seen around us of these very things should be a warning to us. Parental discipline. You see, in the blessing of God is to be internalized into a self-discipline, into a self-denial that would banish the thought of exercising power to unrighteous ends. And of course, that's where Solomon takes us in the closing problems. This is what was lacking. As the previous subsection closed with a reminder of wisdom and where the fool went wrong, we've got it again here in verses 27 and 28. He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace. When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. Notice what Solomon did here, considering wisdom and contrasting that with the fool. The outer lines are parallel. The first part of verse 27, the last part of verse 28, These speak of the discipline of the mouth, controlling the words. The inner lines are parallel. The last half of 27, the first half of 28. Discipline of the spirit is spoken of there. There's a relationship between these. Discipline of the heart is exhibited in that heart indicator, the mouth. That's how Solomon closes this. Where would wisdom take you? Interdiscipline exhibited outwardly. Where did you go wrong? You lacked all of that. It's on display as the fool would display his folly, his lack of self-discipline in his words. But he doesn't leave it in just that blunt and negative way. It's expressed here in a way that may even be an encouragement as we spoke of before. If the fool realizes, I've not cultivated wisdom, he says, you can see what wisdom would be and at least imitate it. The one with knowledge is restrained. He spares his words. What's inside brings about a self-discipline exhibited outwardly by the words. And so a fool can at least start to behave that way. When he shuts his lips, he begins to exercise himself discipline. He's considered perceptive, even while he's still lacking in that. There's a sage who said, better to seem a fool and keep silent than to speak and remove all doubt. Well, Solomon says, well, no, it's better than that. Begin exercising some discipline if you've lacked wisdom. At least stop your mouth. Begin the pursuit of self-control that can lead to wisdom, because that's what got you here was the lack of that. See its consequences and be brokenhearted for all the right reasons. Oh, if there's any shred of natural affection left, than be warned against the destruction described here, the pain and misery to parents. The pursuit of the opposite of the character of God in self-centered pursuit of injustice. What grave warnings and surely an appropriate end to the survey of folly. After all, in the final analysis, That folly arises from those two places. It can arise from a lack of parenting, not always. But there's a duty there, when neglected, that gives rise to this kind of destructive fool. But there's a duty on the part of those of us who as the son, the daughter of parents, must live in the path of wisdom, not with our eyes fixed on our own desires, but on the wisdom set before us that we may become in God's good time and through his process. Joy to the heart of our parents, wholesomeness to them, wholeness to them, surely, We should want that. Surely we should see its opposite in every way and be horrified. What have I become if I've been lacking in those things? Oh, and turn around, lay hold of the first shred of self-discipline, and walk back towards wisdom. Thus ends that survey of folly, how we should be moved the words inspired by the Spirit through Solomon to our duties. Let us pray to that end. Heavenly Father, this is too easily neglected. We thank you for the Spirit's inspiration to set it before us in the closing survey on folly. May we not neglect these duties. May we be warned as we ought to be By these wholesome words and warnings, may we be turned to the way of wisdom. Whatever stage we're in, may we be moved to a right response, praying as we ought to for the wandering child, not being the wandering child. God, give us wisdom. As we open so we close, we need what you alone can provide. Give us a heart for it. that we may pursue it, that for the wholesome purposes for which you have designed it. We ask this for the glory and honor of Christ, who has all wisdom, indeed, our Savior. We ask this in his name. Amen.