Two Proverbs With One Warning

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Alright, welcome back. Now we're gonna be starting off in Proverbs chapters ten verses six through eleven. Now we're gonna go through Proverbs ten, six through eleven, but we're gonna first pull out six and eleven, and we're gonna skip the middle part right now because there's a parallel between the two. They almost mirror each other. One focuses on the person, the other on the mouth flowing from that person. Now when I say they mirror each other, I mean the structure is intentionally repeated. Scripture is drawing your attention to the same warning not once but twice. Let's read the verses and listen for what is repeated. Proverbs ten six. Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. And now Proverbs ten eleven. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. You notice something there? The second half of both verses is identical. The mouth of the wicked conceals violence. That reputation is not accidental. God is underlining something important about wickedness. Violence often hides behind words. Not all violence is a fist fight, and not all destruction is loud screaming. Sometimes it comes through manipulation, slander, pressure, division, sarcasm, you get the picture. A wicked mouth often covers what's really inside. You know, Jesus later echoes the same principle when he says in Matthew twelve thirty four, that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. So Proverbs is teaching the mouth eventually reveals the soul. Now with that reputation in mind or repetition, let's connect the dots, how verse six sets the scene and verse eleven expands it. Verse six begins with blessings are on the head of the righteous. Verse eleven expands how those blessings operate. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life. In other words, the righteous person becomes a channel of blessings through their words. That's the connection. The blessing isn't merely money or comfort, it's what flows out of them, their words. Their words can heal, they can calm, guide, strengthen, restore, and bring peace. A righteous person walks into a room and life increases. That's why verse eleven uses and uses the image of a fountain, not a cup or a puddle, but a fountain. A fountain continually gives. It refreshes everyone around it. Remember the story of Jesus and the woman at the well where Jesus says out of your innermost being will flow rivers, a living water? It's the same correlation. And once you see the connection, the contrast becomes very clear because Proverbs isn't only informing you, it's training you to discern what kind of spirit is behind someone's words. So the contrast is stunning. The righteous blessings on their head, life from their mouth. The wicked, violence hidden in their mouth. One gives life, one hides destruction. And here's the scary part. Both may sound persuasive at first. That's why Proverbs constantly teaches discernment. Because folly is often loud, charming, emotional, pressuring, flattering, even manipulative. I brought this up with the past teaching where the Lord showed me that another definition of the word inequity, which was found in Satan and why he was cast out of heaven falls under the same parameter of what we just ran off there about being secretive, pressure, putting pressure on people. But wisdom is peaceable, gentle, reasonable, patient, and life giving. James almost sounds just like Proverbs when he says in James three seventeen, The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason. And a few verses earlier James said the tongue is a fire. Again, same theme. Words reveal the kingdom someone belongs to. Now let's go a little a little deeper.

A Fountain Mouth Versus Hidden Violence

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Same verses, same words, but now we'll look at the imagery and why it carries a priestly and kingly weight in the wider story of the scripture. Let's look at verse six where it says Blessings are on the head of the righteous. Remember that sounds like David when he got anointed? In the scripture, oil was poured on the head for blessings, consecration, favor, an appointment by God. In Psalms twenty three it says your head you anointed my head with oil. And in Psalms one hundred thirty three, like oil upon the head. So the righteous person carries visible favor from God. Then verse eleven shows what flows out from that blessed life, a fountain of life. The blessed becomes a blessing. That's a massive biblical theme. God told Abraham, I will bless you so that you will be a blessing. Now let's focus on that repeated phrase for a moment. The line scripture says twice when the Bible repeats something, it's often because it's trying to protect you from a pattern you'll meet in this real world. The wicked conceal violence. That phrase is fascinating. Why conceals? Because wickedness is rarely introduces itself honestly. Violence hides behind smooth words, false promises, fake humility, you know, even religious appearances. They put emotional pressure, division, gossip, flattering speech. You know, Psalm fifty five says his speech was smoother than butter, yet war was in his heart. That is Proverbs ten six and ten eleven in action. And honestly, once you see this in life, you can't unsee it. Some people leave you peaceful, strengthened, clear, closer to God. Others leave you anxious, pressured, confused, agitated, even drain. One mouth is a fountain, the other conceals violence. Now the deeper spiritual principle, this is where it stops being, you know, tips and starts being transformation. A righteous person does not merely say nice things. The source itself has changed. Jesus said the good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good. That's why the righteous mouth becomes a fountain. The inner life is connected to God. And Proverb keeps teaching this. Wisdom is not cosmetic behavior modifications. It's transformation of the heart. It's literally a relational oneness or communion or communication with God Himself. Then the mouth reveals it naturally. Wisdom is a union, not just information. Wherever you are right now, driving, walking, or sitting with a quiet moment, stay with me for this next section. It's one of the most important ideas underneath Proverbs, and it connects directly to the New Testament. Yes, this ties together beautifully with the deeper theme running underneath Proverbs, which we have been bringing forth since the very beginning, that wisdom is ultimately not mere information, but union with God Himself. And then when you come to the New Testament, Christ fulfills that picture. Paul says in Corinthians one twenty four that Christ is the wisdom of God. So wisdom is not merely memorizing principles, collecting verses, intellectual theology, or even head knowledge. So when Proverbs says it's possible to hear a person say for the moment the right words, but you just wait and watch. Blessings are on the head of the righteous. You can certainly see material blessings, favor, protection, and honor, but spiritually the deeper blessing is this the righteous person has the mind and presence of God resting upon them, not because they became intellectually superior, but because they became connected to him. Almost like oil resting on the head in the Old Testament was symbolic of God's spirit resting upon someone, then in verse eleven flows naturally from this reality. The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life. Why? Because what fills a person eventually flows from the person. And that is exactly what Jesus was saying to the woman at the well in John four. Jesus says, Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst, but the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water, springing up into eternal or in another words, everlasting life. That is Proverbs language, a fountain, not external religion, not performance, not borrowed knowledge. It's an inner source. It's Christ within you. So the righteous mouth becomes a fountain of life because the righteous person is no longer operating merely from human intellect, but from communion with God. That's why Jesus repeatedly said I only say what I hear my what I hear from my Father. Now this is profound. Even Christ, walking as a man, demonstrated dependency and union. Jesus modeled abiding. He was showing humanity what life looks like when fully yielded to the Father. Then in John seventeen, as we've mentioned, Jesus expands this mystery even further. He says I and them and you and me, that they may be made perfect in one. That's crazy. The Christian life is not merely trying harder to be moral, it is a participation in divine life, the life of God. And when someone truly abides in Christ, their speech changes, because now wisdom flows, peace flows, gentleness, conviction, truth, life, not because they rehearse religious slogans, but because they are hearing and speaking from a relationship. That's why Jesus said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Again, not stagnant water, flowing water. I remember sitting at a church once and this pastor that was speaking up there was saying, Like you want to be a prophet? Anytime anybody says something to you, just find the scripture out of the Bible and say it to him. And that makes you a prophet, because the words of God work coming out of your mouth into his ears. And for some reason that didn't sit right in my spirit. And then as I grew in Christ, I learned that guy was absolutely wrong. That is what is referred to here as stagnant water, and you can't beat on somebody with scriptures.

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You gotta hear from God which causes peace. For the mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.

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A fountain is alive because the source is alive, and this also explains why Proverbs keeps emphasizing guard your heart, fear the Lord, don't lean on your own understanding, because wisdom is relational before it is informational. The danger is reducing Christianity to concepts without communion with God Himself. Anybody can memorize and quote scriptures, but still not carry the eternal life inside them. But another person may be, you know, not so polished. Speak from genuine fellowship with Christ and peace, conviction, and wisdom come out of them naturally. That's the fountain. One is self. It's your ego, control, manipulation. The other source is abiding in Christ. One produces pressure and death, or as I mentioned, inequity. The other produces life. That's why when you're around someone truly walking with God, there's often a strange effect. You feel peace and clarity and gentleness, because the fountain is not merely human, it's Christ flowing through them. And that's pretty cool, huh?

The Legacy Your Life Leaves Behind

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Now Proverbs ten seven, it goes on to say incredibly deep, Proverbs ten seven is incredibly deep because it speaks to something beyond physical death. It speaks about what remains after a life has been lived. The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. That verse is about legacy, but not legacy in the worldly sense of fame, power, or money. It's about the spiritual imprint a person leaves behind in the heart of others. Some people die, yet life continues flowing through their memory of them. Others may have had power, influence, wealth, yet over time their name begins to dec to decay, stink, and rot in human memory. That word rot is powerful imagery. Rot is corruption, decay, something once appearing alive, but eventually revealing death underneath. And Proverbs is saying the wicked may seem strong for a season, but eventually the true nature of their life is exposed. The memory of the righteous is blessed. Notice it does not merely say the righteous are blessed, it says the memory of the righteous is blessed, meaning even after they're gone, their life continues producing fruit. People remember your kindness, integrity, your love, your faithfulness, the way you carried out the works of God. Just mentioning their name brings warmth, honor, gratitude, even conviction. You can almost fill this with certain people. There are people whose names immediately bring peace to your heart because they reflect something of God. And as I say this, who comes to your mind now? And this ties beautifully to the Old Testament of good of a good name. Ecclesiastic seven one says a good name is better than precious wait in it, and a good name is a spiritual fragrance. Paul later uses exact imagery in the New Testament. In Second Corinthians two fifteen he says for we are to God the fragrance of Christ. Think about that. Some people leave behind fragrance, others leave behind stench. That is Proverbs ten seven. The wicked name rotting. The second half says, But the name of the wicked will rot, not merely disappear, rot. That means corruption attached to their memory. At first, wicked people may appear successful and powerful, feared and envied, but over time truth exposes the source they live from, and eventually their name becomes associated with manipulation and destruction, selfishness, abuse and pride, betrayal. Their memory decays in the minds of people. So I have a question Whom comes to your mind now? Scripture repeatedly shows this pattern. Psalm thirty seven says I've seen the wicked in great power, yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more. The wicked often look permanent, but spiritually they're already decaying inwardly. Let's take some New Testament connections with this. Jesus takes us even deeper. In John fifteen he says, By this my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit. Fruit remains after the branch. This is the memory of the righteous. And Hebrews eleven essentially an entire chapter about righteous remembrance, it says by faith Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses. Remember faith and where it comes from? It comes from hearing God personally for yourself. So their names are still alive spiritually because their lives testified to God. And Hebrew eleven four says even of Abel, he being dead still speaks. That is Proverbs ten seven. The righteous continue speaking even after death, because the life of God flowed through them. Now the opposite example. Let's talk about Judas. His name is rotten. Even hearing the name Judas immediately evokes betrayal, deceit, corruption. That's exactly what Proverbs mean. His name became spiritually rotten in human memory. The wicked may gain temporary advantage, but eventually the inner corruption surfaces publicly. And remember, Judas did it for temporary monetary gain. So what is the deeper spiritual principle here? What the verse is really asking is what spirit flows from a person's life? Because eventually that becomes their memory. Some people leave behind healing and peace and wisdom and encouragement, faith and love. Others leave behind confusion, damage, fear, manipulation, bitterness, destruction. And this ties perfectly to what we have been learning. Wisdom is relational, and this is what I'm trying to get across to you with everything I can in the English language, and Proverbs is too, is that a person abiding in Christ leaves traces of Christ behind them. Jesus said you will know them by their fruits, not by their claims, not by their appearances, not by charisma. Fruit, and fruit leaves evidence. So the memory of the righteous becomes blessed because people remember the fruit of God that flowed through their lives. But the wicked rot because eventually the flesh always decays and reveals what it truly was. Now Solomon continues with the same thread.

Receiving Truth Or Babbling Pride

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Next we'll look at verse eight and ten and then we'll center everything with verse nine. Proverbs ten eight and ten is like receiving versus performing. Proverbs ten eight and ten. This is in another one of those places in Proverbs where the reputation is intentional and deeply connected. You notice correctly that both verses end exactly the same. A babbling fool will be thrown down. So Solomon is linking two different outward behavior to the same inward connection. One person rejects wisdom openly through speech. The other operates subtly through deception and manipulation. Both come from the same corrupted heart. Proverbs ten eight. The wise in heart will receive commands, but a babbling fool will be thrown down. The contrast here begins with wise in heart. Notice again, not merely wise in intellect, this connects beautifully to everything we've already been taught. Biblical wisdom is not primarily IQ. It's humility before God. The wise heart is teachable, the wise person can receive correction and instruction, and he submits and he listens, he's humbled. That's why Proverbs says the wise in heart will receive commands. A wise person does not constantly defend themselves. They are not obsessed with always appearing right, because true wisdom understands I still need God. And you know what? That is exactly how Jesus walked. Jesus repeatedly said, I do nothing of myself, I only do what I see the Father doing. That is the ultimate wise heart, total yieldedness. Now the contrast, the babbling fool. But a babbling fool will be thrown down. The Hebrew idea here is something with uncontrolled speech, reckless talking, constant opinions, empty words, argumentative talking without listening. The fool's always speaking, rarely receiving or listening to what is being said. That's the key contrast. The wise receives, the fool reacts. The fool cannot be corrected because there's pride in him, and eventually Proverbs says he will be thrown down. Why? Because reality eventually collides with pride. A babbling fool destroys himself through arrogance, impulsive speech, rebellion, refusal to hear wisdom from God. James picks this up perfectly, I think, in the New Testament. In James one hundred nineteen it says let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak. That is basically Proverbs eight in New Testament form. Now in verse ten it gets more interesting. He who winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will be thrown down. This confused me at this verse confused me first because I thought, what's wrong with winking? But I looked in the Hebrew and found out the winking of the eye often symbolizes hidden intent, deceit, manipulation, secret signaling or scheming. It's the idea of subtle dishonesty, hidden agendas, manipulation, passive aggressive corruption. You know what I'm talking about. Almost like I know something others don't, or we both know what's really happening. It's covert wickedness. Remember in Proverbs six, it actually uses very similar imagery. It says a worthless person winks with his eyes, shuffles his feet, and points with his fingers. The imagery there is someone secretly orchestrating evil.

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They're not open, honest, they hide corruption. So now how does this connect to the babbling fool?

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Well verses eight and ten show two manifestations of the same inwardness, which is pride. Verse eight, the fool is loud. Verse ten, the fool is subtle and manipulative. But both refuse truth. One uses endless words, the other uses signals and deceit, yet both eventually collapse. That's why both end up with the same statement. The babbling fool will be thrown down. Because whether pride is loud or sneaky, it still falls. One walks in light, the other in concealment. And scripture repeatedly teaches hidden corruption eventually becomes public collapse. Even Jesus said nothing hidden will not be revealed. That's Proverbs ten. You can actually connect this to the Pharisees. Remember the Pharisees? They were externally polished, religious, articulate, respected, but innerly they were full of pride and manipulation, imaging their management with hidden ambition. Jesus constantly exposed this hidden wink of the eye spirit. They spoke spiritual language publicly, while secretly plotting against the truth, and eventually they were thrown down spiritually because pride cannot sustain itself before God. Both verses are really about your posture before truth. The wise receive truth. The fool performs, talks, manipulates, and hides from it. And eventually the inward posture becomes visible. That's why humility is central to wisdom, because communion with God requires surrender. A person truly hearing from God becomes quiet eternally. They're teachable, soft, they're yielded. But the fool is always projecting outward, talking, signaling, manipulating, defending, performing. One is rooted in trust, the other in self protection. And Proverbs says only one of those paths stands in the end. Now the connection Proverbs ten nine integrity and exposure.

Integrity Creates Security And Exposure

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Yes, and Proverbs ten nine almost becomes a centerpiece trying verse tying verses seven, eight and ten together. It's like Psalmist building one continuous theme. The righteous leave behind blessing. The wise receive instruction. Integrity produces security. Hidden corruption is eventually exposed, and fools are thrown down, and wickedness finally rots. Verse nine says right in the middle of all this. It's like a spiritual law almost. He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his way will be find out. Now look, he who walks in his integrity walks securely. Notice the word walks. This is not talking about perfection. It is talking about direction and a manner of life. You know integrity means like wholeness, consistency, honesty before God. It means you are not living two different lives. The righteous person is secure because they are not constantly managing deception. They are not hiding secret motives or hidden corruptions, or manipulation, you know, double mindedness. Now truth creates stability. That's why the wise in heart can receive commands. They are already surrendered to truth. And honestly, this ties directly into what Jesus said in John three twenty one. Everyone who practices the truth comes to the light. Why? Because truth does not fear exposure. Integrity can walk openly. You can walk securely. That security is spiritual. Not necessarily worldly comfort, the righteous may still suffer, but inwardly they possess stability because they are standing on truth. Not constant fear of exposure, no maintaining lies, no protecting false images. Psalms one hundred twelve says of the righteous, he will not be afraid. Why? Because integrity creates inward peace. When a person is truly walking with God, there is less fragmentation inside them. Their public life and private life begin aligning, and that is security, my friends. But now he who perverts his ways, the word pervert means twists or bends, distorts. This connects perfectly to the wink of the eye from verse ten. The wicked person rarely appears openly evil at first. Instead they distort the truth, manipulate perception, bend reality, create appearances and hide intentions. Crookedness is subtle, like the snake in Genesis. Remember that? And this is exactly why Proverbs keeps warning about hidden corruption, because outward cleverness can temporarily imitate wisdom. A person may think, I'm getting away with this. Nobody sees. I'm smarter than everyone. I can manage this. But Proverbs keeps saying loudly no. There's not even a chance. Eventually the fool is thrown down. The wicked are found out, their name rots, hidden things are exposed. It says you will be found out. That phrase is pretty scary if you ask me. It's not you might be found out, but you will. Now check this out. Why is that? Because truth is built into creation itself, because God built this world and God is truth. And anything built on falsehood eventually collapses under this reality. Jesus said this exact same thing that I just said in Luke twelve. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed. That is Proverbs ten nine, expanded in the New Testament. The wicked often believe secrecy equals safety, but Proverbs teaches the opposite. Integrity creates safety. Deception creates eventual exposure. So now let's quickly connect all four verses together real simple. Verse seven The righteous leave behind blessing, the wicked leave behind rot. Verse eight, the wise receive truth, the fool talks endlessly and falls. Verse nine integrity creates security. Crookedness guarantees exposure. And verse ten, manipulation and hidden motives cause destruction. The fool is eventually thrown down. This is all one theme truth versus falsehood. Or deeper still, walking in God versus walking in yourself. You know the New Testament ties this beautifully into the this abiding in Christ because Jesus not merely teach truth, he said I am the truth. So integrity is not merely moral effort, it's walking in union with Christ. That's why double mindedness is so dangerous in Scripture. James says a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Why unstable? Because deception fractures your soul, but integrity makes you whole, secure. The righteous walk securely because they are becoming whole in Christ. No hidden life, no false mask, no manipulation, no performance, light inside and outside becoming the same. And that's why eventually the fool falls, the crooked are exposed, and the wicked rot in the memory. Because anything disconnected from truth eventually collapses under the weight of this reality. But the person abiding a truth becomes increasing increasingly stable, peaceful, and secure because they are standing on what is eternal, a relationship with their creator. Well,

Final Takeaways And Book Mention

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thank you for spending some time with me again today. And in closing, again, I want to promote my book, God, Why Won't You Talk to Me by Edward L. Carpenter. I really believe it'll save you a ton of time on learning how to hear from God yourself personally. Thanks again for your time, and you all be blessed.