Audio Download

Proverbs 26 “To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge”

Part 1 – Pro 26:1-2

[Study Aired February 12, 2026]

Pro 26:1  As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
Pro 26:2  As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

Our journey to coming to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, must be accompanied with an evil experience to humble us thereby, bringing us to see the wretchedness of flesh and the one event that is common to all men, that being God’s judgement, which begins at the house of God (Ecc 1:13, Ecc 9:2, 1Pe 4:17).

The truth will set us free if we’re blessed to continue in it stedfastly, enduring the judgement that is preparing us to rule under Christ. The following are just a few verses that explain how we are to approach this spiritual battle which we are continually in (Luk 18:1, Heb 3:14-15, Heb 6:18-19, 1Pe 5:7-9, Php 3:8, Php 1:29).

Luk 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Heb 3:14  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (Heb 10:35, Heb 11:25-26)
Heb 3:15  While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

Heb 6:18  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:(Col 1:27)
Heb 6:19  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;[Christ our hope of glory who has entered into the veil (Heb 10:20, Eph 5:30), our flesh, as our hope of glory (Rom 8:9)]

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

The general theme of these proverbs is admonishing us against the destructive power of foolishness, laziness, deceit, and strife, and teach of the discernment needed in how to respond to people whose words and actions spread harm. We can ask God to put a bridle on our lips (Psa 39:1) and with His strength people will marvel at our ability to not say anything (Mat 27:14), as we overcome the wicked one by simply agreeing with him quickly, “Agree with thine adversary quickly”, as his accusations continue to unfold “day and night” against the bride of Christ (Rev 12:10, 2Co 10:3-5, Mat 5:25).

Psa 39:1  To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

2Co 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; [“for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night”]

Mat 5:25  Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Mat 5:26  Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Pro 26:1  As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.

The basic comparison of snow in the summer and rain in the harvest, which are both untimely and counterproductive, is being used to juxtapose the idea that honour is not seemly for a fool.

Here are three examples in God’s word when honour was given where it was not merited, and the clear destructive nature of such decisions. All of these negative examples show us what naturally happens with the first man Adam within us when he is not judged, and thereby not learning obedience by the things we suffer in this life (Heb 5:8). It also explains why the basest of men end up ruling on this earth (Dan 4:17), another witness to God’s elect that he can take the weak and foolish of the world and make His strength perfect through them (2Co 12:9, 1Co 1:25-26, Rom 11:25, Rom 11:22, Rom 2:4).

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Rom 11:22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

1. King Saul (1Sa 9:1-31) – Saul was honored with kingship, but he repeatedly disobeyed God, acted impulsively, and refused correction.

-His honor didn’t refine him—it magnified his flaws
-His authority led to jealousy, violence, and national instability

“Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being  king.”(1Sa 15:23)

Saul is a textbook example of honor given to someone lacking wisdom, resulting in damage to himself and others. Saul of course represents our old man, the first man Adam that must be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming into our heavens (2Th 2:5-8).

2. Nabal (1Sa 25:1-43) – Nabal was wealthy and influential, but foolish, arrogant, and abusive.

-His status didn’t make him noble
-His lack of discernment nearly brought bloodshed on his household

“As his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him.” (1Sa 25:25)

His story shows that social standing doesn’t equal wisdom, and fools in positions of honor bring danger. God gives positions of honour to the weak of the world, so that in time the world will come to see and understand that flesh has nothing to do with what God has determined will be done, and no flesh will glory in His sight (1Co 1:26-29).

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

3.Rehoboam (1 Kings 12) – Solomon’s son rejected wise counsel and listened to foolish advice.

-His foolish leadership caused the kingdom to split
-Honour without wisdom led to national division

“The king rejected the counsel of the old men… and answered them roughly.” (1Ki 12:13)

Pro 26:2  As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.

Balak wanting to curse Israel by way of Balaam is a case study of this proverb. The proverb reassures the innocent and warns the complacent.

1. The “curse causeless”

In Numbers 22–24, Balak hires Balaam to curse Israel. But Israel hasn’t wronged Moab, and—more importantly—God at this stage in the story had no intention of cursing Israel via the prophet Balaam. From the proverb’s perspective, the curse Balak wants is causeless.

Balaam himself eventually recognizes this reality:

“How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?” (Num 23:8)

That line is basically (Pro 26:2) said out loud.

2. The wandering bird imagery

Balak keeps moving Balaam from place to place—high place to high place—hoping the curse will finally “take”. That physical wandering mirrors the proverb’s imagery: the curse keeps trying to land but can’t. Like the bird or swallow, it stays in motion, never settling. Each attempt produces not a curse, but a blessing. The curse has no resting place. The giants in our land will be bread for us, and the accuser of the brethren is used of God to strengthen us and learn that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ (Num 14:9, Rev 12:10, Isa 54:17).

Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.(2Co 10:4-6)

Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

3. God’s sovereignty prevails regardless of what men think

The curse cannot come because it is not what God intended to have happen.

That fits the proverb’s deeper claim: words alone don’t carry power; alignment with God’s will is what will happen (Joh 19:10-11).

Joh 19:10  Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
Joh 19:11  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

This story of the vagabond Jews who were “exorcists” reveals this reality as well, and it represents our time in Babylon when we were not going from glory to glory but rather from bondage to bondage, because there was no spiritual healing power in Babylon, no stay of bread or water (Isa 3:1) to quicken us via the Son of God (Act 19:14-16, Isa 3:1, Joh 8:34-36).

Act 19:13  Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
Act 19:14  Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this, [Babylon’s complete 7 power to bind us in darkness]
Act 19:15  when an evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus! And I have heard about Paul. But who are you?”
Act 19:16  Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and beat them up. They ran out of the house, naked and bruised.

Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

The lesson for God’s children as I mentioned earlier is that despite ourselves, those without cause who come up against God’s people, even with ‘potent speech’ will not prevail against them (Mat 24:24, Rev 20:7-10).

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

4. The curse fails, but harm still comes later

Although Balaam cannot directly curse Israel, (Num 31:16, Rev 2:14) Moab did in time seduce Israel into idolatry and immorality.

Num 31:16  Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

Rev 2:14  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

The curse never “flies in” from outside; the damage comes from within (Mat 15:11).

Mat 15:11  Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

[The doctrine of Balaam is like the leaven of the Pharisees that Christ warned His disciples about, and we need to always be on guard regarding how we handle the word of God. If the Lord will grant us to try the spirits, and not think above what is written (1Co 4:6), the doctrine of Balaam, will never be able to take root in our heavens.]

In short Balaam’s story dramatizes the ineffectiveness of Satan’s influence on the church, because the Lord has prayed for us and is keeping us from the wicked one (Luk 22:32, 1Jn 5:4).

Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

God’s blessing is unstoppable, which was also demonstrated in this story with Balaam, and ultimately Israel’s curse comes about at the time appointed by God, teaching us that His Sovereign Hand is over all the affairs of our life, the light and the darkness, the peace and the evil (Isa 45:7), all which unfolds according to the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11, Gen 50:20, Luk 2:35).

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Luk 2:35  (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

We pray the Lord will continue to deeply impress this truth upon the body of Christ found in (Rom 11:25), and with that humble foundation we can “know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge”, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph 3:19-21).

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Next week Lord willing we will look at these next three proverbs as we continue to work our way through this 26th chapter.

Pro 26:3  A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.
Pro 26:4  Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Pro 26:5  Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.