FUTURE HOPE FOR YOU

Passage: Proverbs 24:13-34

Key verse: 14

NIV

Saying 26

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
    honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
    If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.(A)

Saying 27

15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,
    do not plunder their dwelling place;
16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,
    but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.(B)

Saying 28

17 Do not gloat(C) when your enemy falls;
    when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,(D)
18 or the Lord will see and disapprove
    and turn his wrath away from them.(E)

Saying 29

19 Do not fret(F) because of evildoers
    or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evildoer has no future hope,
    and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.(G)

Saying 30

21 Fear the Lord and the king,(H) my son,
    and do not join with rebellious officials,
22 for those two will send sudden destruction(I) on them,
    and who knows what calamities they can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

23 These also are sayings of the wise:(J)

To show partiality(K) in judging is not good:(L)
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”(M)
    will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
    and rich blessing will come on them.

26 An honest answer
    is like a kiss on the lips.

27 Put your outdoor work in order
    and get your fields ready;
    after that, build your house.

28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause(N)—
    would you use your lips to mislead?
29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;
    I’ll pay them back for what they did.”(O)

30 I went past the field of a sluggard,(P)
    past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
    the ground was covered with weeds,
    and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
    and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest(Q)—
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.(R)

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ESV

13 My son, (A)eat honey, for it is good,
    and (B)the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.
14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul;
    if you find it, there will be (C)a future,
    and your hope will not be cut off.

15 (D)Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous;
    do no violence to his home;
16 (E)for the righteous falls (F)seven times and rises again,
    but (G)the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

17 (H)Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
    and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
18 lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
    and turn away his anger from him.

19 (I)Fret not yourself because of evildoers,
    and be not (J)envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no (K)future;
    (L)the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21 My son, (M)fear the Lord and the king,
    and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22 for disaster will arise suddenly from them,
    and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

More Sayings of the Wise

23 These also are sayings of (N)the wise.

(O)Partiality in judging is not good.
24 Whoever (P)says to the wicked, “You are in the right,”
    (Q)will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations,
25 but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
    and a good blessing will come upon them.
26 Whoever gives an honest answer
    kisses the lips.

27 (R)Prepare your work outside;
    get everything ready for yourself in the field,
    and after that build your house.

28 (S)Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
    and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Do not say, (T)“I will do to him as he has done to me;
    I will pay the man back for what he has done.”

30 (U)I passed by the field of a sluggard,
    by the vineyard of a man (V)lacking sense,
31 and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns;
    the ground was covered with nettles,
    and its stone (W)wall was broken down.
32 Then I saw and (X)considered it;
    I looked and received instruction.
33 (Y)A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
    and want like an armed man.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Fear the Lord (13-22) Wisdom is like sweet honey to our soul. He who has wisdom has future hope. The word of God is wisdom. With it a man falls seven times, but he rises again. The wise man does not gloat when his enemy falls. The wise do not envy the wicked, for the wicked has no future hope. Fearing the Lord is wisdom. 2. Be honest and don't be lazy (23-34) God is sovereign. He is the judge. He wants us to be honest and truthful. The guilty should be punished, but not for revenge. The wise learn a lesson from the sluggard whose vineyard is full of thorns and weeds. A little slumber and a little sleep and poverty will come on him.

Prayer: Lord, let me fear the Lord and learn wisdom and be honest and work hard.

One Word: Future hope in Jesus