Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27:1 "Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."

Proverbs 27:2 "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips."

Proverbs 27:3 "A stone [is] heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath [is] heavier than them both."

Proverbs 27:4 "Wrath [is] cruel, and anger [is] outrageous; but who [is] able to stand before envy."

Fools think they know the future or can affect its outcome, but the future rests with sovereign God.  If we honor ourselves, it is more like conceit and the honor is not very valuable.  We see in this that a fool's anger is almost too heavy to bear.   Envy is jealously which is the most uncontrollable sin.

Proverbs 27:5 "Open rebuke [is] better than secret love."

Proverbs 27:6 "Faithful [are] the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy [are] deceitful."

Proverbs 27:7 "The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet."

Proverbs 27:8 "As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so [is] a man that wandereth from his place."

To genuinely love is to manifest the truth, even if it means to rebuke.  True criticism from a friend may hurt for a time but may be welcomed, for it issues from his love, whereas the kisses of an enemy are an attempt to conceal his hatred.  The luxury and indolence of wealth make the best things tasteless, while the hard working person who hungers finds every bitter thing sweet.  A man that wanders is not only out of place, but could be in danger. So the message is to stay close to home.

Proverbs 27:11 "My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him that reproacheth me."

Proverbs 27:12 "A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, [and] hideth himself; [but] the simple pass on, [and] are punished."

Proverbs 27:13 "Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a pledge of him for a strange woman."

A parent, in a sense, is given credit or blame for what our children become. We are their teacher and some of the blame or praise should be ours.  Any man, who is foolish enough to guarantee a stranger’s loan, especially if that stranger is a seductress, is a bad credit risk. If you make a loan to him, be sure to get adequate collateral.

Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

I see that iron couldn't be sharpened by aluminum or some softer metal. We see in this that friends should choose friends of their same or stronger moral stature. To run around with a fool would not improve you at all. Someone of like beliefs will build you up when you are down.

Proverbs 27:19 "As in water face [answereth] to face, so the heart of man to man."

Proverbs 27:20 "Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied."

Proverbs 27:21 "[As] the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so [is] a man to his praise."

When we look into a man's heart, we see our heart, as well.  We see, here, that Satan never stops trying to cause men to sin. The lust of the eyes is what caused the sin in the Garden of Eden, and it is still what causes sin.   We see in this that heat applied purifies. The trash in the precious metals comes to the top and is skimmed off. We are told that even under great pressure we are to praise God.

Proverbs 27:23 "Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, [and] look well to thy herds."

Proverbs 27:24 "For riches [are] not for ever: and doth the crown [endure] to every generation?"

Proverbs 27:25 "The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered."

Proverbs 27:26 "The lambs [are] for thy clothing, and the goats [are] the price of the field."

Proverbs 27:27 "And [thou shalt have] goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and [for] the maintenance for thy maidens."

Whatever type of work you do, you should do your very best.  We see, here, that just because you have riches doesn't mean that you always will. If you do not take care of what God has entrusted you with, you will find one day that all your wealth has vanished. We see the farmer makes preparation to feed his animals year round.   Lambs grow wool, and they are sheared to make clothing. It appears that the goats are more easily reproduced, and the owner can sell them and pay for the field.  Believers are called sheep, and non- believers are called goats.