READING FOR JULY 29, 2025: PROVERBS 11, 2 TIMOTHY 4, PSALM 73:16-28 PROVERBS 11 We read so many wisdom statements in this chapter, but how do we know they really are wise? Yesterday, we looked at some 2024 research results published by the National Institutes of Health to support that the “fear of the Lord prolongs life.” Today perhaps we could see if any other scriptures confirm some of the wisdom sayings in this chapter. This writer is using the “Enduring Truth” website as a resource.
| Proverbs 11 Wisdom Sayings | Supporting Statements Elsewhere in Bible |
| “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD” (vs.1) | You shall not have in your bag differing weights... For all who do such things... are an abomination to the LORD your God” (Deut. 25:13-16) |
| “When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom” (vs. 2) | "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (1 Pet. 5:5) |
| “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (vs. 4) | “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys” (Luke 12:33) |
| “When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, and the hope of the unjust perishes” (vs. 7) | “Because of your hard and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Rom.2:5) |
| “The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead” (vs.8) | “They hanged Haman (bad guy) on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai (good guy)” (Esther 7:10) |
| “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (vs. 14) | “Do not accept an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses” (1 Tim.5:19) |
| “The merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh” (vs. 17) | “Achan... took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel” (Joshua 7:1) |
| “Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; but the posterity of the righteous will be delivered” (vs.21) | “And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves...’ Therefore, its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth” (Gen. 11:4,9) |
| “As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a lovely woman who lacks discretion” (vs. 22) | “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Pet. 3:3-4) |
| “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself” (vs. 25) | “You must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive”’ (Acts 20:35) |
| “He who wins souls is wise” (vs. 30) | “If anyone among you strays from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that the one who has turned a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death” (James 5:20-21) |
2 TIMOTHY 4 Since this is the last chapter of what is likely Paul’s last letter, he gets really serious in his comments. He reminds Timothy that these comments have extra weight because they are being made in front of almighty God. Let’s remember, God is always present when we text, email, or talk. Paul implores Timothy to preach the Word. Let’s be sure the Word is being preached and taught, not personal opinion or other items
READING FOR JULY 29, 2025 CONTINUED: 2 TIMOTHY 4, PSALM 73:16-28
of interest. Also remember in 2 Tim. 3:16, Paul said all scripture in God inspired. One can sometimes notice that certain passages or books of the Bible are never covered in church because the text might not support what a person’s practices or beliefs are or there is fear the texts won’t be popular. Paul tells Timothy not to censure God in that way. Yes, that text might mean correction, rebuke, and exhortation are needed, but they’re needed for our own good. Preaching and teaching the word goes beyond making us feel good to making us be good. This isn’t about laying out guilt trips but laying out truth.
Paul alerts us that folks increasingly won’t like sound doctrine but will instead seek out preachers or teachers who echo their own more culturally approved opinions. If so, we will just need to endure hardship. Notice, Paul also made a point that Timothy should do evangel- ism. Perhaps this wasn’t his spiritual gift, but it still needed to be done in Ephesus. Paul, start- ing to sound as if he is expecting to die soon, is truthfully able to say that he has left it all out on the field for God. This must be a good feeling and something that would be great for us to be able to say. Because of this, Paul is looking forward to the final judgment with the Lord. How unlike how many of us approach annual performance evaluations. Of course, we can trust in the totally fair judgment of the Lord, while our human supervisor might be less fair.
Paul was eager to see Timothy. Because many others had either deserted him or were on another assignment, he was likely lonely. Interestingly, he wanted to see Mark, from whom he had earlier disassociated (Acts 15:36). How wonderful it is to reconcile with someone while both parties are still living. We also see he wanted his coat and books—not luxuries. Paul’s reference to being saved from the Lion’s mouth could be talking about Satan: “Satan prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Or it could be an incident Timothy knew about from living in Ephesus: “I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus”(1 Cor. 15:32).
PSALM 73:16-28 At verse 16, Asaph reaches the height of his confusion. So, what did he do at this critical point of faith crises? He went to church, or least its equivalent for that time. How important this is to understand. Remember, Thomas was absent from the disciples when the resurrected Jesus first appeared to the disciples. Thus, he doubted. But he was with them the next time Jesus appeared among them and Thomas made a total confession of Jesus’s divinity. When we are doubting, we need to stay connected with the Christian community. This should not be a phony presence, but an honestly seeking one. Somehow this helped Asaph understand his then-current worldly reality from an eternal heavenly perspective. Where else can one find this bigger picture? Likely not from social media or by staying isolated.
Having worked through this process, Asaph was able to look back and consider his previous doubts as stupid. Notice no one else told him this. He was able to come to this conclusion himself with God’s help and the com- munity of faith’s support. Now he experiences God’s presence, trusts God’s plan for his life. and is assured of eternal life. This is another mention of life after death, which some say is not referenced in the Old Testament: “The Torah, the most important Jewish text, has no clear reference to afterlife at all” (from Jewish Virtual Library). Most importantly, Asaph is able to understand that nothing these so-called successful people possess can remotely compare with a relationship with God, be it on earth or in heaven. In fact, he understands that, without God, these successful people will perish. This is consistent with John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”
