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Wednesday 10/22/25
Thru the Bible: Proverbs 18
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The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower
Proverbs 18:1-24,
“(1) Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.”
Okay, here straight out the gate we’ve gone and gotten personal!
…or have we?
The Niphal participle greatly impacts the understanding of this verse. Rather than offering a Hebrew short corse on grammar I’ll just tell you that the phrase “one who has separated himself” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB) is not someone who is merely anti-social. This person is a genuine concern for greater society. These are the types who lock themselves away defying all sound judgment. They are the sort that become unibombers or personal militias unto themselves.
Though this type of person may have many things which instigate this behavior, fear is certainly among them. They are a problem for society since they defy sound judgment and concerns for the greater good.
The Mishnah (which is a collection of oral teachings on the Old Testament and bears absolutely ZERO inspirational support, but which can sometimes offer insights into the meaning of obscure verses) uses this verse to teach the necessity of being part of a community because people have social responsibilities and need each other. Though I suspect the greater lesson here is simply against such an extreme expression of selfishness.
“(2) A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”
In today’s world this is at the heart of most debates and TED talks. Interestingly enough, I heard a description of the sermons of many modern Pastors as nothing more than religious TED talks.
NOTE: For those who do not know, a TED talk is a short (under 18 minutes) speaking presentation which is more of a practiced performance than an impromptu speech which is presented in a way so as to be catchy, influential and captivating. These talks are presented in a TED conference or an independently organized TEDx event, sharing “ideas worth spreading”.
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, and the organization now covers a wide range of topics, including science, business, and global issues, with talks often made available for free online.
“(3) When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace.”
“(4) The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
(5) It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice.
(6) A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. (7) A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
(8) The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.”
If you are the sort that likes gossip, which is largely what this passage is about, then your heart is an open sewage drain and the holding tank is your heart. It conjures unpleasant images of a septic tank.
Other words for whisperer or gossip are talebearer or slanderer. Talebearer being more broad of a term does not quite depict the point of the proverb. Gossip and slanderer are really in view here. The distinction being that such whispering is only about people regarding matters which should remain private and which might serve to hurt the way they are perceived by others.
“(9) Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.”
Though not necessarily this specific Proverb itself, this truth affected me long ago in terms of my work ethic. Now due to my Christian and domestic upbringing I always had a solid work ethic, but it was this thought that kicked me back into play at times when I began to get a little slack in my work.
The idea here is that anything I do which is less than my best, in the end, robs from the one I am working for and who I represent. This makes the slacker an indirect thief and one whose impact can ultimately be destructive.
Now due to their similar focus I have linked the next 3 verses together. Collectively they teach us the true value of things and personal achievements verses and relationship with God.
“(10) The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. (11) A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination. (12) Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.”
This starts off with “the name of the Lord”. Used this way in Hebrew this represents a metonymy of subject where the words “the name of the Lord” is literally substituted for his actual and personal name “Yahweh”.
A Jewish reader of this era would have most likely understood this immediately, having linked it to Exodus 34 in their minds. So, let’s be good students of the word and do the same.
Turn to Exodus 34: 5-7.
This was the time when Moses came the second time before God on the mountain with two stone tablets upon which God was going to write.
“(5) The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the LORD by name.
(6) The LORD passed by before him and proclaimed:
“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness, (7) keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But He by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”
So this is where God proclaimed His holy name “Yahweh” which no Israelite would even take upon themselves to say or write. God revealed His true identity and character in association with this name.
So powerful was this encounter that I want now to read on to verses 8-9 so upon reading the, your heart might better grasp the full impact of God revealed to Moses in His name. It left a powerful and lifelong impression upon Moses and so should the reading of the words “the name of the Lord” upon us!
“(8) Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped (9) and said,
“If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord go among us, for we are a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”
So this verse is saying that Yahweh is a place of strength and protection for the righteous to which they may retreat and find absolute protection. In examples, which by comparison now appear as powerful as limp, wet rags – the rich and haughty person places their confidence in their money, their possessions and in the cleverness of their intellect.
In truth, such infantile imaginations of the safety these things provide, lead only to destruction. True safety can only be realized by those who will first humble themselves under God’s mighty hand Who will in due time exalt and honor them.
“(13) If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”
I have come to love this verse! It has kept back my mouth from all kinds of premature statements of certainty. Truth is, we know so very little about anything! Even of our own person, so that nearly any answer we give should be offered with humility.
It is astounding how often we pick sides and raise our fists and banners regarding something we only learned through unreliable 3 party sources. So many claim to not trust the media, since they all have an agenda, but so often what we really mean, is that we don’t trust the media sources of “the other side”. But I would submit for consideration that all media cannot be relied upon, even if they believe they are reporting the truth.
Have you ever watched political press conferences? Do you realize that it is in these conferences that most of the media get what they spin into the tale they tell. Time and time again we see that the questions asked are asked with a slant – a predetermined belief in place so as to influence the perception of any answer in light of the way the question was formed. The answer given therefore is not the answer heard. No one there, or at least very few are really communicating at all! Toddlers on a playground operate on a higher level of true communication than this – and it is the reports of these people that often set on fire, the most arduously defended positions within our society. Rarely do people consider that nobody, and I do mean nobody, has a complete and inside picture! So any amount of “answering” we do, we do at our own risk.
Now I deliberately used the political arena as my go to example since it really is SO obvious, but this is true in more aspects of our lives than any of us truly realize.
Even our stances regarding God and His character are suspect on some level and for the exact same reasons! We – all of us – are looking through a glass dimly! While due to scripture there is much brought into our awareness, even these are mere glimpses into something that is far greater than we have any way of knowing this side of the divide!
So be careful little mouth what you say… right?
“(14) A man’s spirit will endure sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?”
We at our church believe in the trichotomy of mankind – that is to say that a spirit is our true self, we possess faculty that gives us the power of desire, feelings and intellect in our souls and we live in a mortal, temporal body which will one day be glorified.
In this passage the word “spirit” is רוַּח (rûaḥ) a word which best describes our true selves. It means wind or breath and is used to refer to God as a spirit. When in John’s gospel Jesus is speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, He said, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him MUST worship Him in spirit and in truth.” The word “Spirit” here in reference to God and man is the Greek word pneúma which corresponds to the Hebrew word used for “spirit” in this verse.
There are those who claim it is this, which separates us from the animals, but Solomon used this word for animals in Ecclesiastes 3:21 right alongside human spirits – but I digress.
In the parallelism of this verse three things are being presented and held in tension against each other.
- The spirit of mankind
- Sickness of the body
- Sickness of the soul (ergo “Depression”)
The idea brought forth by the first segment is that when a person’s spirit is strong it will sustain them through physical sickness.
I have witnessed this many times in people with what was often described as incurable illnesses – some even fatal. Even in the lost, their determination to live and their undying optimism does not allow them to be defeated. In fact, one could say that it is this principle in them that protects their spirit from being “crushed”.
But in strong distinction to this, Solomon asks the rhetorical question “but what happens if their spirit isn’t strong?” – “what if they are of a compromised and crushed spirit – what hope do they have?”
The words here are suggestive of depression in that the word “crushed” carries the meaning of a person’s vitality or drive being brought to despair through oppression or grief. It describes a state of hopelessness.
So the conclusion is that if a person’s spirit is driven, optimistic and unyielding it will carry them through the worst of illnesses, but if they are of a crushed spirit, how can they endure or be healed?
But we can take heart – so to speak. For Psalm 34:18 says that “God is near the brokenhearted; he delivers those who are crushed in spirit”.
Now this verse in Psalm 34 uses a completely different word for “crushed” which is orders of magnitude worse than the person described in Proverbs 18.
Proverbs 18 describes a person who is afflicted or beaten down, whereas the one in Psalm 34 is broken into pieces or pulverized. So if God can deliver the one in Psalm 34, then the person who is afflicted and deeply grieved has no real reason for complete despair.
To get a better idea of the “crushed” of Psalm 34, consider what was prophesied of our Lord on the cross.
“Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.”– Isaiah 53:10
The despair of Jesus was seen most keenly in His cry, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”
Jesus was crushed so that we could be made whole – spirit, soul & body, so in Him we have great hope!
“(15) An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.”
Now this next verse is one of the many, which is commonly misunderstood and taught.
“(16) A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.”
While it “may” be “A TRUTH” that a person’s talents or even a person who IS a gift – like an apostle or prophet, might open doors – giving them audience before powerful and influential people that is NOT the meaning of Solomon’s words.
The word “gift” here is not referring to the gift one has that was given to them, but rather a gift one has in offering to another. So the word “gift” here “could be” translated as “bribe”. This is done all the time in political circles. Someone with connections and a deep pocket, might curry favor with a politician offering a quid pro quo scenario which would benefit them both. One will offer a judge, attorney or politician money, or stocks, or national connections or favor in return for a law or verdict or policy which opens doors for them.
This is not always realized in a negative way, but often is!
“(17) The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.
(18) The lot puts an end to quarrels and decides between powerful contenders.
(19) A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.”
Again these next two verses can be taken together as a singular point, brought to greater depth.
“(20) From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips. (21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
“(22) He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
(23) The poor use entreaties, but the rich answer roughly.
(24) A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Blessings!
Tri
