Posted on 04/17/2022 11:35:19 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach” (Proverbs 18:2-3).
In verse 1, we read, “Through desire.” It is a fleshly want to justify flesh, or comfort the flesh, or to feed the flesh. “. . . having separated himself, seeketh” What is he seeking? We see the answer to that here in verse 2. He is trying to discover his innate potentialities—his self-realization. In other words, he wants to know how he can perfect that sin in his life.
“A fool hath no delight in understanding,” our heart is said to be wicked and evil above all things (Jeremiah 17:9), and it brings forth evil thoughts and actions as in Matthew 15. If a man wants to seek out what his heart is really like, this is what it is really like. You go up to these kids in college and ask them what they are there for, they’ll say, “Oh, I’m trying to discover myself, I am trying to find out who I really am.” Well, what they are is a sinner bound for hell. It doesn’t need to cost a student $15-20,000 and four years of study to find that out. You can find that out with a single reading of the Book of Romans.
But fools have no delight in understanding the truth, because for them ignorance is truly bliss. But what does he have delight in? He delights in that his heart might discover itself. Is he interested in discovering God? Nope, no way. What does he need to discover? Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” He needs to discover that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ” (Romans 6:23). He really needs to discover that “God commended his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
But he is not interested in those things. The rich man was sure enough interested in them when he found himself in the pit. He was interested enough to beg Abraham to send some soul-winning preacher to his brothers’ house to tell them how to escape that place, but what did Abraham tell him? “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:29-31).
Ignominy means dishonor, infamy, or disgrace. Nebuchadnezzar was a wicked man when he came into Jerusalem, and he certainly brought contempt as he looted the temple and stole all of the furniture. Of course, there are many that believe that because of Daniel’s faithfulness, that Nebuchadnezzar later accepted the God of Israel as his own. Nebuchadnezzar was both famous, and infamous.
When wicked men come to power, people may obey—but they also have great contempt for him. The wicked may have power and you may have to do what they say, but your attitude toward them will be filled with contempt. Why? Because they are wicked.
The folks in Russia and China have to put up with their leader, but not everyone agrees or willingly submits to their rule. There is really nothing they can do about it, and the government has all the guns. They have contempt for their government, but it is a quiet rebellion. They really have no other choice. Much of Germany despised Hitler, and desired his death, but they were only one against many. They saluted him and cheered him, but deep down inside they had nothing but hatred for him, because he was a wicked man.
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