Proverbs 26

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

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

Proverbs 26:3 "A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back."

Proverbs 26:4 "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him."

We know that snow in summer is completely out of place and rain in harvest can ruin the crop. We know that it is completely out of place for a fool to be honored.    The whip controls the horse. The bridle controls the ass and makes it go where it should.  The rod of correction is to control the behavior of the fool.  These verses teach the appropriate way to answer a fool who is an unbeliever who rejects truth. He should not be answered with agreement to his own ideas and presuppositions, or he will think he is right. Rather he should be rebuked on the basis of his folly and shown the truth so he sees how foolish he is.

Proverbs 26:10 "The great [God] that formed all [things] both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors."

Proverbs 26:11 "As a dog returneth to his vomit, [so] a fool returneth to his folly."

Proverbs 26:12 "Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? [there is] more hope of a fool than of him."

Proverbs 26:13 "The slothful [man] saith, [There is] a lion in the way; a lion [is] in the streets."

Proverbs 26:14 "[As] the door turneth upon his hinges, so [doth] the slothful upon his bed."

Jesus is the Judge of all, the just and the unjust.  Just as a dog is never through with the food that he has expelled and goes back to it, a fool who has momentarily rejected sin in his life, will return to it, as well. A fool must become wise to get rid of sin and stay rid of the sin. A fool will be enticed to sin the same sin all over again as his flesh calls him, because he has not learned anything from the first sin.   The worst thing about someone wise in his own conceit is that he feels that he needs no improvement. He is in deep sin and is unaware of his need for help.   It is a feeble excuse to get out of work.   The lazy man loves sleep so much that he seems to be hinged to his bed. He stays in the bed day and night and tosses and turns going nowhere.

Proverbs 26:20 "Where no wood is, [there] the fire goeth out: so where [there is] no talebearer, the strife ceaseth."

Proverbs 26:21 "[As] coals [are] to burning coals, and wood to fire; so [is] a contentious man to kindle strife."

This is just saying, stop adding fuel to the fire and the fire will die down. A rumor cannot damage anyone until it is told, Gossip is like the wood. It causes widespread damage. To stop the damage, stop the gossip.   A situation where the coals of gossip have just about gone out, but a contentious man who loves trouble will go in there and rekindle the mess all over again.

Proverbs 26:24 "He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;"

Proverbs 26:25 "When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for [there are] seven abominations in his heart."

Proverbs 26:26 "[Whose] hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the [whole] congregation."

Proverbs 26:27 "Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him."

Proverbs 26:28 "A lying tongue hateth [those that are] afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin."

This "dissembleth" means that he uses words to tear apart every one he sees. He is a very evil man. This man flatters you to try to destroy you. This is deceit to the utmost.  We see what modern society calls a two-faced man. He appears to be one thing and is, in fact, something entirely different.  This is just one more way of saying, what you sow you will reap.  This lying tongue goes along with deceit.    This flattery is ordinarily used to try to con someone.