“Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things”

(Pro 23:1-16)

[Study Aired December 25, 2025]

Pro 23:1  When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
Pro 23:2  And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
Pro 23:3  Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
Pro 23:4  Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
Pro 23:5  Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Pro 23:6  Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
Pro 23:7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Pro 23:8  The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
Pro 23:9  Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Pro 23:10  Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Pro 23:11  For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.
Pro 23:12  Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
Pro 23:13  Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Pro 23:14  Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
Pro 23:15  My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Pro 23:16  Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

God’s joy is fulfilled when we are of the same mind and speaking the same “right things” (Php 2:2, 1Jn 4:17, Php 4:4-9), and it is by the “faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” that God’s purpose of taking us from being all the things we read of in (1Ti 1:13-14) to become His children who have lips that “speak right things”.

Php 2:1  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
Php 2:2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

The devil’s goal is to do the diametric opposite of all these points found in (Php 4:5-7), taking away our peace, our joy, and ability to serve the Lord wholeheartedly. If we’re granted to do these things, the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. The world’s idea of ‘peace, peace when there is no peace’ is what currently makes up the companion of fools that in time will be destroyed (Pro 13:20, Rev 14:8, Rev 18:2).

Php 4:5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Pro 13:20  He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Rev 18:2  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

It is through the life of continual prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving to God that the groundwork in our hearts can be laid for us to fulfill the following verses which will reassure us that our “reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things”:

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Php 4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

The principle point being made in this first section of the proverbs we will look at tonight gives us instruction on how to keep ourselves unspotted from this world as we visit the fatherless and the widow in their affliction, which is what pure religion is (Jas 1:27).

Jas 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

The affliction of the widow represents the cross that the elect are called to bear in this life through the “faith and love which is in Christ Jesus”(1Ti 1:14). This abundance from God is what is needed in order to overcome the adversary, which we will do by the grace of God (Gal 2:20, Eph 6:16).

1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  (the “faith and love which is in Christ Jesus”)

It was after Christ explained to his disciples the degree of forgiveness that is needed in order to follow him that they said unto the Lord, “Increase our faith”. Iniquity is going to abound at the end (Mat 24:11-13) of this age and we are going to have greater and greater need of God’s love and faith which He will supply to the body of Christ ‘exceedingly and abundantly’ so that His love does not wax cold within us. This is how God is going to witness to the world of those who are His (Joh 13:35), those whose “reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things” (Gal 5:6, Rom 8:39, 1Ti 1:14, 2Ti 1:13).

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Luk 17:3  Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Luk 17:4  And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. [iniquity shall abound Mat 24:11-13]
Luk 17:5  And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
Luk 17:6  And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Gal 5:6  For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.(Col 1:27, Col 1:24)

1Ti 1:14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 1:13  Hold fast the form of sound words (Rev 3:11), which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Pro 23:1  When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
Pro 23:2  And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
Pro 23:3  Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

These first three proverbs are talking about how we are to walk in and out and amongst so great a people (Psa 86:11-15, 2Ch 1:10, 1Ki 3:7-9), which is accomplished by the faith of Christ and God’s love being shed abroad in our hearts (Rom 5:10). The “deceitful meat” being talked about is all the lies of Babylon that we need to be washed of so we can know how to “behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth”(1Ti 3:15)

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Psa 86:11  Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
Psa 86:12  I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
Psa 86:13  For great is thy mercy toward me:(Rom 11:30-32) and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell^{H7585 = sheol}. [my own abussos, grave, pit, sheh-ole’, my carnal nature]
Psa 86:14  O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.
Psa 86:15  But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

2Ch 1:10  Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?

1Ki 3:7  And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
1Ki 3:8  And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
1Ki 3:9  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

Our battle is not against flesh and blood as it sounds like it is talking about in these opening proverbs. No, it is rather speaking against the powers and principalities that are proceeding forth from the ruler of this world, Satan the devil (Eph 6:12), and therefore we must always “consider diligently what is before thee” and destroy our old man’s carnal appetite with the word of God, which is likened unto a sword or knife (Heb 4:12) that can cut. This is the knife we need to put to our throat – “put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite”. Thank God He has promised that sword won’t depart from our house (2Sa 2:10, 1Pe 4:17)

We are called to not love the world (1Jn 2:15-17), which is what we are doing when we are “desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat” (Heb 12:16).

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat [“deceitful meat”] sold his birthright.

Pro 23:4  Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

When we are trying to figure life out by our own wits, we can be assured as God’s elect that a trial is on the horizon, which will bring suffering in our life that will cause us to “cease from thine own wisdom” as we’re brought to our wits’ end (1Pe 4:1, Psa 107:25-30, 1Co 2:4-7).

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh (Heb 5:8-9), arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.(1Jn 2:17)

Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.

1Co 2:4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:(1Co 2:13)

So, yes, we are being admonished to not be obsessed over making it our goal to be physically rich in this world, and that thought parallels with the idea of the rich young ruler whose physical riches are a representation of his self-righteous and iniquitous heart which was not given at that time to see that he was wretched, miserable, poor and blind (Rev 3:17, Mat 19:16-22).

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Mat 19:22  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. (“I am rich, and increased with goods” Eze 33:13)

Pro 23:5  Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Pro 23:6  Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
Pro 23:7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
Pro 23:8  The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.

Paul’s estimation of the world and all that is in it should be ours (Php 3:8), and therefore God asks us, “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?” [the temporal world that is passing, not losing our life so we can gain it (Mar 8:36, Mat 10:39)], or will you do this, (Php 3:13-15), and in so doing overcome the riches that “make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven”.

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

When we set our eyes upon that which is not, “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?”, we are being seduced by Babylon which has nothing to offer us but empty spiritual calories. We are commanded therefore, “Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats”.

A spiritual harlot’s heart is not with us when we join ourselves unto her, (Pro 30:20), is what we are learning when we read: “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee”, and such a resultant act of eating will cause us to vomit up the vomit we returned to (2Pe 2:21-22), losing “thy sweet words” which are the words of God that we are to protect at all cost.

Pro 30:20  Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Pro 23:9  Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

In the early immature stages of our walk we tend to not believe that people will trample under their feet the things we have come to see as being precious, and certainly did not expect that they would turn again and rend us.

Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Pro 23:10  Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Pro 23:11  For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee.

“The old landmark”, as we looked at last week, is the word of God ‘that changes not and therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed’ (Mal 3:6, Joh 6:68). God tells us in His word that the whole world is deceived and we are not to try to remove their old landmarks of deception, which is the negative example of that point, any more than we are not to remove the positive spiritual landmarks of God’s truths that have been proven and are being held fast to (1Th 5:21).

Mal 3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Joh 6:68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

1Th 5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Entering not into the field of the fatherless is another reminder for us that we are not to try to change this world, but rather remember that God is a father to the fatherless (Psa 68:5-6, Mal 3:5) and He is their mighty redeemer who will plead their cause, as we see in these verses:

Psa 68:5  A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
Psa 68:6  God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

Mal 3:5  And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

The vulnerable in the world are not forgotten by God, their fatherless plight that God ministers to is a shadow of the pure religion being formed in the elect who are first to be the true fatherless ones in the spirit, no longer being of our father the devil, and having come out of Babylon which was our first mother (Jas 1:27).

Jas 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (1Jn 4:17, Psa 68:5)

Pro 23:12  Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

(Rom 2:13) says “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” God is after our hearts and ears, and will have us receive His instruction and His words of knowledge because of the new heart that He has given us (Joh 4:23, Eze 36:26).

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Eze 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (Php 2:12-13, Luk 17:10)

Pro 23:13  Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.
Pro 23:14  Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

The child is us, the children of God who must be received through correction (Heb 12:6). God loves us and will not withhold correction with those who are being judged in this age because He does not want us to die spiritually and then have to be judged in the lake of fire, second death, great white throne judgement (Act 14:22, Rev 3:18-19, 1Pe 4:17).

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

The rod is the word of God that convicts us of our wrong doing (Rom 2:4-5) and will deliver our “soul from hell”^H7585, from the valley of the shadow of death, the abussos, the grave, the flesh and blood part of us that cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1Co 15:50).

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? (Luk 12:32)
Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Pro 23:15  My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine.
Pro 23:16  Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

God will rejoice when our hearts are no longer hardened and impenitent (but rather contrite and broken Isa 66:2). It will be by His mercy, which is shown in His judgement upon the body of Christ in this life, that we are going to be able “speak right things” and God’s “reins shall rejoice” in His workmanship that we are (Psa 107:2, Mal 3:16-18).

Psa 107:2  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; (our carnal minds)

Mal 3:16  Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Mal 3:17  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Mal 3:18  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. (primarily seen within as our old man decreases and Christ increases Joh 3:30)

“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches” Part 3

 “So make us know how to assign our days, That we may come to a heart of wisdom.”

(Pro 22:17-29)

[Study Aired December 18, 2025]

Pro 22:17  Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Pro 22:18  For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
Pro 22:19  That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
Pro 22:20  Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
Pro 22:21  That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
Pro 22:22  Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
Pro 22:23  For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
Pro 22:24  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Pro 22:25  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Pro 22:26  Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
Pro 22:27  If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
Pro 22:28  Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Pro 22:29  Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

If we’re not humbled in this age, we will not “bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise”. However if God is working with us He will “make us know how to assign our days, That we may come to a heart of wisdom” (Psa 90:12 CLV). The symbolism of ‘bowing down our ears’ reminds us that it is through the church, or ‘the earth’ that we will hear the manifest knowledge of God, “the words of the wise” that are heard when we are granted to be humbled under His mighty hand (Jer 22:29, Eph 3:10, 1Co 1:30-31, 1Pe 5:6).

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

In this last section of Proverbs chapter 22, we will look at how the Lord is humbling His people so that we learn to listen carefully (Rev 1:3, Rev 22:19) to the wisdom that comes from the power of God and not by man’s wisdom (1Co 2:3-12).

1Co 2:3 And I came to be with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling,
1Co 2:4 and my word and my heralding were not with the persuasive words of human wisdom, but with demonstration of spirit and of power,
1Co 2:5 that your faith may not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Notice how Paul came to the Corinthians, “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling”. Those conditions are what God is working in the lives of His people through the much tribulation of this life (Act 14:22) that makes it possible for us to inherit the Kingdom of God day by day within us (Luk 17:21), as we die daily and see His strength being perfected in that weakness (2Co 12:9).

Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

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.

God’s wisdom is given to His people, “graciously given to us by God”, that we may know what is right as we speak the truth with confidence (Act 4:31-32) and live justly in  our relationships with all men, following peace and holiness with all men “without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb 12:13-14).

Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

With the mind of Christ we are able to see how His word is written for us in this age, and discern the spiritual lessons that apply to the body of Christ as opposed to just seeing the practical knowledge at hand that has benefited many, including the unconverted who can be blessed by the natural lessons of God’s word, which precede the always-hidden and deeper spiritual meaning that has been given to those few who have eyes that see and ears that hear the truth, by God’s grace (Mat 13:11-13).

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Pro 22:17  Bow down^H5186 thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

The word “bow down”^H5186 is the same as the word “incline”^H5186 found in (Pro 2:1-5), revealing that there is an active ongoing hunger and thirst that God gives to those who are called to “hear the words of the wise”, and then once we hear those words we are to keep them or “apply thine heart unto my knowledge” (Rev 1:3).

Pro 2:1  My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
Pro 2:2  So that thou incline^H5186 thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Pro 2:3  Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Pro 2:4  If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Pro 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

H5186 nâṭâh naw-taw’
A primitive root; to stretch or spread out; by implication to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of applications: –    + afternoon, apply, bow (down, -ing), carry aside, decline, deliver, extend, go down, be gone, incline, intend, lay, let down, offer, outstretched, overthrown, pervert, pitch, prolong, put away, shew, spread (out), stretch (forth, out), take (aside), turn (aside, away), wrest, cause to yield.
Total KJV occurrences: 214

Pro 22:18  For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
Pro 22:19  That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

Pro 22:18 For it will be pleasant when you keep them in your inner being, When they are established together on your lips.”
Pro 22:19 That your trust may come to be in Yahweh, I make them known to you today, indeed you.”[CLV]

God’s words need to be established on our lips, and this can only happen by continuing in the truth (Joh 8:32-36). If we are blessed to keep the words of God within us in this age, it will result in a very “pleasant” experience of knowing God and His Son Jesus Christ, whom God has sent, which is the definition of eternal life (Joh 17:3).

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Those words of God become “fitted in thy lips” or “established together on your lips” via the fiery trials that purify His words in our heavens (Isa 6:7). It takes not just knowing the word, or believing in God and Christ, but also experiencing the fiery trials of this life via God’s judgements upon our Adamic nature so that (Php 1:29, 1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 4:17) “thy trust may be in the LORD”. That is the miracle of the elect’s calling in this age and it is all made possible by the grace of God and the faith of Christ by which He has “made known to thee this day, even to thee”(Eph 2:8-10).

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;

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Pro 22:20  Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
Pro 22:21  That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

God has written excellent things in counsels and knowledge that we may become persuaded of the certainty of the words of truth (Rom 8:37-39).

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (1Co 3:21-22)

Once we are persuaded of what God is doing in our lives, He sends us as He did Christ (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:17), to be the light of this world, to be saviours unto our God, and to bring salvation unto those that He sends to us (1Ti 4:16).

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

1Ti 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

In this age it will be very few who are chosen and remain faithful to the end (Mat 22:14), and yet we are instructed to pray for labourers and be hopeful in this day of small beginnings (Mat 9:37-38, Zec 4:10) that God has ordained so that in time all the world will be saved when saviours come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau (Oba 1:21).

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

Mat 9:37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Mat 9:38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.(Joh 20:21, Joh 3:17)

Zec 4:10  For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

Pro 22:22  Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
Pro 22:23  For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

Pro 22:22  Do not take away the property of the poor man because he is poor, or be cruel to the crushed ones when they come before the judge:
Pro 22:23 For the Lord will give support to their cause, and take the life of those who take their goods. [BBE]

Spiritually, we rob the poor when we try to take away what they think they have, spiritually, in this age, “Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate”. This proverb is a physical representation of that unlawful judgement of the oppressed at the gate which is where judgement was conducted in ancient times.

There will be a time when that will happen (Mat 13:11-12), and God’s mercy will be extended to the world through that judgement in the lake of fire (Rom 11:30-32).

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

The same point is being made regarding oppressing the “afflicted in the gate”. All of this is to remind us that Christ has another fold that He takes care of (Joh 10:16), so we must walk very circumspectly in this evil world, and be wise as serpents and gentle as doves, being mindful of the spirit realm we are up against (Mat 10:16), and trusting that “the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them”.

Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:17)

Pro 22:24  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Pro 22:25  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

These two verses are a continuation of thought from the previous verses, telling us that friendship with this world (Jas 4:4,  Mar 7:6-8), the church world of Babylon that we are called out of, is something we are to avoid, “Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul” (Jer 10:2-4, Gal 4:8-11).

Jas 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses [spiritual adultery], know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Mar 7:6  He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mar 7:8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Jer 10:2  Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
Jer 10:3  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
Jer 10:4  They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

Gal 4:8  Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Gal 4:9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Gal 4:11  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

Pro 22:26  Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
Pro 22:27  If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

If we start with the physical explanation, the natural, we can then more easily see what the spiritual lesson is for God’s elect. Physically, these proverbs are talking about financial responsibility and risk. “Striking hands”  refers to the ancient practice of clasping hands to seal an agreement, much like the signing of a contract today.

“Sureties for debts” means guaranteeing or co-signing someone else’s loan  promising to pay if they cannot. The point being we should not carelessly put ourselves on the hook for someone else’s debt, and avoid financial commitments that depend on another person’s ability or willingness to repay. Verse 27 highlights the severity of putting yourself in a situation like this where the creditors can come and take away your physical possessions as a result of your forfeiting on the signed agreement to pay.

This proverb is not saying that we don’t bear each other’s burdens, but rather that everyman must bear his own burden, and we need to be circumspect in knowing how and when we do use the resources that God has given us, seeing they all belong to Him and he has called us to be good stewards of those resources (Gal 6:2,  Gal 6:5).

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.

Another example of this point is how we can’t spiritually give our oil away to another, meaning we can’t give faith to another person. We preach the word in season and out, and we can ask the Lord to inspire us, but ultimately He is the one who gives the increase (1Co 3:6-7 ), so those words that we speak take effect in the lives of those who are indebted to God because of sin (1Pe 5:7-9). Only Christ can set us free from sin, and God’s word will not return void, so the labour and preaching is not in vain (Isa 55:11).

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

With that in mind, we know that increase comes through fiery trials and so we read this sound advice that is continually needed for the body of Christ (1Co 3:6-7, Rev 3:18-19).

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

This proverb is just another way of telling our brothers and sisters in Christ to pick up their own bed and work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, knowing it is Christ in us who is doing that work (Joh 5:8-9, Php 2:12-13).

Joh 5:8  Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
Joh 5:9  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.[“Rise, take up thy bed, and walk”]
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Taking on the physical debt of another is synonymous with our taking away their cross and burden, negatively. Conversely there is a right way and time to bear the cross of another, even at great sacrifice and in doing so fulfilling the law of Christ, as we fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His body’s sake, the church (Jas 1:27, Joh 15:13, Col 1:24).

Jas 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Pro 22:28  Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Pro 22:29  Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

The physical point in this proverb is that we are not to tamper with established boundaries handed down from previous generations. In ancient Israel, landmarks were physical boundary stones that marked family property. Moving them was a form of theft and injustice.

The spiritual boundaries of God’s work have been handed down from the prophets and the apostles, Christ being the chief corner stone (1Pe 2:4-8, Eph 2:20-22), who marks the landmarks in our hearts and minds. The land is our bodies in spiritual terms, and to change the position of God’s word, thinking above what is written (1Co 4:6), adding or taking away from God’s work is what “removing the ancient landmark” is symbolic of.(Rev 22:19)

1Pe 2:4  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
1Pe 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city , and from the things which are written in this book

In order to preserve God’s word we must be “diligent in his business” (Joh 4:32), and then we will stand before kings, meaning we will stand before Christ in each other as stones of the field, and “the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee” and “he shall not stand before mean^{H2823 = obscure, insignificant, low} men”(Job 5:23). By God’s grace we have come to learn that “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold”. We are not worthy of ourselves to stand in the company of the King, but Christ in us is, God willing.

Joh 4:32  But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

Job 5:23  For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

Pro 22:29  Show me someone who does a good job, and I will show you someone who is better than most and worthy of the company of kings. (GNB)

Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Rev 3:4  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.