Audio Download

“The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility” Part 3 (Pro 15:25-33)

(Aired on July 10, 2025)

Pro 15:25  The LORD will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.
Pro 15:26  The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.
Pro 15:27  He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.
Pro 15:28  The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
Pro 15:29  The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
Pro 15:30  The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.
Pro 15:31  The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.
Pro 15:32  He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.
Pro 15:33  The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

This is the last section of Proverbs 15 and it’s interesting to note that verse 25 and verse 33 have a parallel message that connects to the overall thread of this chapter which is that God is going to “destroy the house of the proud” and that destruction is something that must happen within each of the elect’s life and will be brought about by our being given to have “the fear of the LORD”.

Our weak corruptible flesh provides the means for God to give us an experience of evil (Pro 16:4) that will humble all (Ecc 1:13) of God’s children in this life. It’s painful and humbling, “before honour is humility”, when God shows us the beasts that we are (Ecc 3:18) but it is the greatest blessing to be given to recognize the beast who gets his power from the dragon (Rev 13:4), and see that man of perdition being destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming into our temple (2Th 2:3-5), where the mind of our Father and Christ are being formed within us (1Co 2:16, 1Jn 4:17, Joh 14:9, Joh 14:20).

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it.

Pro 15:25  The LORD will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow.

We have these two homes within us, one that is built on sand and the other that is built on Jesus Christ (Mat 7:24-27).

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

It is through the binding on earth and the loosing of things on earth within us that this first old temple is destroyed, and as that process of tearing down and binding of old things on earth is being accomplished by God’s grace, there is increase happening in our heaven as the new creation is revealed by things that are bound in heaven and loosed in heaven. This is what it means to have our names written in heaven, and it is being written. It is ongoing and Christ is the author and finisher of this process of faith (Mat 16:18-19, Luk 10:17-20).

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Luk 10:17  And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

The pride of life builds the first home without any acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty, or at the very least with a corrupt and deceived mind that builds its own spiritual house upon our own works and self-determination which is the first religious house built on sand, the first religious beast that speaks like a lamb but has the horns, or power which horns represent given to the beast from the devil (Rev 13:11, Rev 13:2).

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

The “border of the widow” is established by the tearing down of the first house that comes about by our most humiliating and crushing moments in our life where we are brought low and dragged to Christ to touch the border of His garment where the widow within us is healed from her issue of blood (Mat 9:20-22). The next story that comes right after this miraculous healing of the widow with the issue of blood is the resurrection of the twelve year old girl, in these verses (Mar 5:22-43).

Mat 9:20  And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
Mat 9:21  For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
Mat 9:22  But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. (Joh 6:28-29) And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Mar 5:22  And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
Mar 5:23  And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
Mar 5:24  And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
Mar 5:25  And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
Mar 5:26  And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
Mar 5:27  When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
Mar 5:28  For she said, If I may touch but his clothes,(Rev 19:8) I shall be whole.
Mar 5:29  And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
Mar 5:30  And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? (Joh 6:44)
Mar 5:31  And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
Mar 5:32  And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
Mar 5:33  But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
Mar 5:34  And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Mar 5:35  While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
Mar 5:36  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. (Joh 6:28-29)
Mar 5:37  And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

(three disciples typifying God’s highly favoured bride, the elect who are given to see this process of healing through judgment that is happening to the elect today, and would soon begin in the lives of these three disciples on Pentecost once the spirit of God was given)

Mar 5:38  And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
Mar 5:39  And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
Mar 5:40  And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
Mar 5:41  And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
Mar 5:42  And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years.

[same situation, the dream is one “an issue of blood twelve years”. A new foundation is being discussed in both of these stories, that new foundation being Christ who brings spiritual healing from death, from the issue of Adamic blood that needs to be replaced with the precious blood of Christ (1Pe 1:19)]

…And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
Mar 5:43  And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

These stories reveal to us the point of this first proverb we are looking at, that God will destroy the house of the proud within us that laughs Christ to scorn saying he is not able to heal this child, ‘she is dead’, when in fact ‘she only sleepeth’ as Christ said, “sleep” being a metaphor for death, revealing as well the unbelief of the disciples who are only seeing the physical events, the thronging of the crowds, the physical interaction of knowing Christ after the flesh and not the hidden spiritual work of healing our Adamic-blood nature typified by the healing of this woman with an issue of blood for twelve years as well as raising the young damsel shortly after this first miracle had occurred.

Surely, when we are given to believe that God can raise us from the dead, we become that child of God raised from death (Eph 2:6), we become that woman who has been healed from an issue of blood, and our new house begins to be built by the author and finisher of our faith Jesus Christ (the issue of blood for God’s elect described in Heb 12:2-6, Psa 127:1).

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Psa 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. (Heb 12:4)

Pro 15:26  The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.

Wicked thoughts come from the earth, and heavenly thoughts that are controlled by the earth are what come out of the mouth of the beast that speaks as a lamb but has the horns of a dragon (Rev 13:11-12).

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

Pleasant words are pure words, meaning the words of God that have been tried and tested and purified seven times in a vessel of clay (Pro 12:6-8)

Pro 12:5  The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
Pro 12:6  The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
Pro 12:7  The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

Pro 15:27  He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts^{H4979=gift or bribe} shall live.

God is not a liar as men are, and so if He says He’s going to take care of us, He will (Num 29:13-14). This is the anchor of our soul that God cannot lie, and if we are greedy  for gain we are going to trouble our own house, and the house of God; and not be heeding this admonition (1Ti 6:17-19), possibly because we don’t have the faith to believe that God can and will provide exactly what we need both physically and spiritually day by day.

Num 23:19  God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Num 23:20  Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

1Ti 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
1Ti 6:18  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
1Ti 6:19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Conversely if we ‘hate gifts’, meaning we are not living to gain more and more in this life, either by bribe or covetousness (Luk 12:15, Rev 11:10), believing that through Christ our lives can give the very best widow’s mite as we humble ourselves under His mighty hand.

If we have a lot we are to ‘have pity’ in God’s house to help those who have less (Pro 19:17, Luk 21:1-4). If we are greedy and hold onto that which is the gift that is needed by others, we will be guilty of doing harm to our own body, troubling our own house, the body of Christ”, He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house”. We also learn to be content whether we have a little or a lot, being blessed to experience the strength of the one body that operates together for the benefit of each other, both physically and spiritually (Php 4:11-13).

Pro 19:17  He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; (Mat 25:40) and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Luk 21:4  For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

Pro 15:28  The heart of the righteous studieth^{H1897=meditate} to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.

Meditating on the Truth before speaking or ‘studying to show yourself a workman approved’ is what Christ is teaching us to do, resulting in God opening up the heavens of our minds by simply being diligent in our search every day of His word (Act 17:11, 2Ti 2:15-16).

Act 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

If we don’t focus on our Father and Christ and the words of life He has given us, it will be evidenced by “the mouth of the wicked” that “poureth out evil things”. That is the mouth within us that must be silenced and destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming into our lives (2Th 2:8-10).

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Pro 15:29  The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

When we were seduced by our former conversation, we had no ears or eyes to hear and see the things of the Lord, and that was when “The LORD is far from the wicked”, not that he is far away, but only that we do not yet have eyes and ears to perceive His presence (Act 17:27-28, 2Ki 6:16-17).

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

2Ki 6:16  And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
2Ki 6:17  And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Pro 15:30  The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.

The good report is the true gospel of Jesus Christ that when seen and understood rejoiceth the heart and makes the bones fat. We are the flesh and bones of Christ’s body (Eph 5:30) and God has given us to each other as a many membered body that supplies in love what each joint supplies, “a good report that maketh the bones fat ^H1878 [H8762=Piel]. “ (Heb 10:25, 1Co 14:26).

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

“fat” H1878 dâshên BDB Definition:
1) to be fat, grow fat, become fat, become prosperous, anoint
1a) (Qal) of prosperity (figuratively)
     1b) (Piel)
            1b1) to make fat, anoint
            1b2) to find fat (of offering – acceptable)
            1b3) to take away ashes (from altar)
1c) (Pual) to be made fat
1d) (Hothpael) to fatten oneself (of Jehovah’s sword)

Pro 15:31  The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.

This verse takes us back to the verses that talk about the safety that is in the multitude of counsellors (Pro 11:14, Pro 15:22, Pro 24:6). If we are granted to hear the reproof of life that will come from God’s word and not despise his chastening in this life, we will be blessed to “abideth among the wise”.  Those who are wise have the mind of Christ (1Co 2:16) and God’s spirit dwelling within them (Rom 8:9, Col 1:27), leading them into all truth (Joh 16:13, Rom 8:14-16).

Pro 15:32  He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

In the natural that reveals the spiritual no man ever hated his own flesh or despised his own soul, unless that person has been bound by evil spirits (Mar 5:5). Christ comes into our lives to bind those spirits and cast them out of us so we become the one who “heareth reproof getteth understanding”.

Mar 5:5  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
Mar 5:6  But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
Mar 5:7  And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
Mar 5:8  For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

What hope and great assurance God has given us in His promises that tell us there is no spirit, nothing in the past or present or future, that can separate us from his love because Christ in us is higher than all those powers and principalities that are within the first house, which He alone can sweep clean, and then when seven spirits worse come back, if God is working with us in this age He will pour out upon that house the seven last plagues that will do away with that entire legion of evil spirits. God’s elect are the first to overcome all these powers and principalities for the sake of the rest of humanity who will have in time all these spirits exercised from their heavens in the lake of fire.

Pro 15:33  The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility^{H603 = humility, meekness}.

If we are called and chosen and remain faithful to the end then we will be given dominion over every beast of the field within, and it will be a humbling experience, “before honour is humility”, to see all those spirits cast into the sea, but the glorious conclusion of this evil experience that will humble us is that we will be honoured with the greatest honour ever bestowed on anyone on this earth. Christ has taught us the way to obtain this reward through “the fear of the LORD” (Luk 12:5-9) which will bring  the meek to receive “the instruction of wisdom”.

Luk 12:5  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Luk 12:6  Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
Luk 12:7  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Luk 12:8  Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
Luk 12:9  But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

Psa 37:11  But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

1Pe 3:4  But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.