Continuing: today a discussion to understand the simple minded. Proverbs 1 begins with telling of all the things we should learn from God’s word, which bring us out of being simple minded and into understanding. This knowledge is what gives us the ability to overcome the world – the world meaning the culture with its corrupted and confused ideas, and those who seek out the susceptible, to bring them into the same state of confusion.
The chapter uses the same Hebrew word three time, twice as “simple,” and the other as “simplicity” in telling of the state (ideas) of the simple. The word is pthaiy, meaning silly, and thereby seducible.
When pthiy (simple) is mentioned in verse 4, after telling of receiving instruction, and then having received it, we see it giving “subtilty” (subtlety) to the simple. Subtilty is from the Hebrew word, ‘ormah, literally meaning trickery, and in this sense, discretion. We understand further when seeing its being from the word ‘orem, meaning a strategy, and this word itself being from ‘aram, meaning to make bare.
This gives us the understating of why we learn: so we will not be able to be seduced by those seeking to manipulate us, to taking advantage of us. It is to develop within our mind the strategy for overcoming them and the world (the confusion and self-destructing they are chained into), and ourselves, once understanding, lay these things bare (apocalypse = make bare) before others who have been taken captive in these same chains of manipulation.
Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 My son, hear the instruction of your father, and forsake not the law of your mother:
9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto your head, and chains about your neck.
10 My son, if sinners entice you, consent you not.
11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:
12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:
14 Cast in your lot among us; let us all have one purse:
15 My son, walk not you in the way with them; refrain your foot from their path:
16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily [in secret] for their own lives.
19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.
20 Wisdom cries without; she utters her voice in the streets:
21 She cries in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she utters her words, saying,
22 How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
24 Because I have called, and you refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
25 But you have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:
26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear comes;
27 When your fear comes as desolation, and your destruction comes as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish comes upon you.
28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
This is what Paul is warning of when he tells Timothy of the seducers who will come in the “last days” and lead captive “silly women” laden with sins, ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Paul then tells of Jannes and Jambres who resisted Moses, and their being as these seducers who in like manner resist the truth. It is speaking of simple (silly women, and the men [feminized culture] who like them have been seduced) being in the same type of bondage and chains of captivity, held there by these teachers/preachers of confusion.
This is speaking of the falsified information that is now commonplace and permeates the culture (good defined as evil and evil called good). It is education that teaches how to be good captives, and news created from the imaginations of evil men, and giving only information meant to keep the silly in chains. It is preaching and teaching that scratches the itching ears of the hearers, their only achievement, continued simplicity and ignorance of understanding or discerning truth. And I saw the earth, and all that adorns it become without form, and void, and there was no light in it.
2 Timothy 3
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
10 But you have fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the LORD delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them;
15 And that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 4 (my charge)
1 I charge you therefore before God, and the LORD Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch you in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of your ministry.
Proverbs 8 calls to the “simple” (pthiy) ones to learn “wisdom,” wisdom here being translated from the same word (‘orem) as subtilty in Provers 1:4. This defines and is why wisdom cries out to us to come to it, for in it are strategies for overcoming the wickedness of the wicked. This wisdom is the object to be reached through knowledge, understanding, and judgment. Wisdom lays bare the confusion and its worthlessness before the eyes of all the world, all seeing it but only few willing to admit to understanding it as such.
The word ‘orem is also rendered “prudence” in Proverbs 8:12, where “wisdom” is translated from the word chokmah, meaning skillfulness, and speaks of using this skill in implementing the strategy and laying bare the works of evil. Chokmah is from the word chakam, meaning to be wise, and also to teach wisdom to make others wise.
Jeremiah 4
20 Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.
27 For thus has the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
The word chakam is translated “make wise” in Job 35:11, the chapter speaking of those thinking themselves righteous and wise, when in fact they are the oppressors and the wicked, sitting in God’s judgment seats unjustly judging.
Job 35
1 Elihu spoke moreover, and said,
2 Think you this to be right, that you said, My righteousness is more than God’s?
3 For you said, What advantage will it be unto you? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
4 I will answer you, and your companions with you.
5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than you.
6 If you sin, what do you against him? or if your transgressions be multiplied, what do you unto him?
7 If you be righteous, what gives you him? or what receives he of your hand?
8 Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are; and your righteousness may profit the son of man.
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10 But none says, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
11 Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 Although you say you shall not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust you in him.
15 But now, because it is not so, he has visited in his anger; yet he knows it not in great extremity:
16 Therefore does Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplies words without knowledge.
Job 36
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew you that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despises not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 He preserves not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
7 He withdraws not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he does establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be held in cords of affliction;
9 Then he shews them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10 He opens also their ear to discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he binds them.
14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 He delivers the poor in his affliction, and opens their ears in oppression.
16 Even so would he have removed you out of the strait [restricted by obstacles] into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on your table should be full of fatness.
17 But you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on you.
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take you away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver you.
19 Will he esteem your riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this have you chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God exalts by his power: who teaches like him?
23 Who has enjoined him his way? or who can say, You have wrought iniquity?
24 Remember that you magnify his work, which men behold.
25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 For he makes small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapor thereof [as waters materializing from a cloud]:
28 Which the clouds do drop and distil [drip down] upon man abundantly.
29 Also can any understand the spreading of the clouds [as they appear from what is unseen], or the noise of his tabernacle [understand the sound of the light]?
30 Behold, he spreads his light upon it, and covers the bottom of the sea [His light reaching even to lowest and darkest places].
31 For by them judges he the people; he giveth meat in abundance [His judgment is giving what nourishes man and gives strength].
32 With clouds he covers the light [with the unseen thing, un-comprehended by man, He covers His light]; and commands it not to shine by the cloud that comes between [and causes it not to be seen while man is yet unable to comprehend it].
33 The noise thereof shews concerning it [the noise, as a voice from the cloud, explains it to us], the cattle also concerning the vapor [the cattle are seen and known as the source of the meat, as is the cloud known as from where comes our comprehending what we haven’t understood].
Psalm 86
1 Bow down your ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O you my God, save your servant that trusteth in you.
3 Be merciful unto me, O LORD: for I cry unto you daily.
4 Rejoice the soul of your servant: for unto you, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, LORD, are good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon you.
6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon you: for you will answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like unto you, O LORD; neither are there any works like unto your works.
9 All nations whom you have made shall come and worship before you, O LORD; and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great, and does wondrous things: you are God alone.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD; I will walk in your truth: unite my heart to fear your name.
12 I will praise you, O LORD my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify your name for evermore.
13 For great is your mercy toward me: and you have delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
14 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set you before them.
15 But you, O LORD, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give your strength unto your servant, and save the son of your handmaid.
17 Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because you, LORD, have helped me, and comforted me.
