1. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

2. Warnings on Folly & Foolishness Selected Proverbs
Wisdom shouts in the street to the naive, scoffers & fools – Prov. 1:20-33
Wisdom calls in public places to the naive and fools - Proverb s 8:1-36

3. Warnings on Folly & Foolishness Selected Proverbs
Wisdom invites publically and privately to the naive - Proverbs 9:1-12
In Proverbs, wisdom as intelligence, skill and ability are founded in the fear of the Lord

4. The Personification of Folly Proverbs 9:13-18
Folly is from the same root as fool - dull, obstinate, prone to make bad choices
Folly is boisterous, rowdy, naive, ignorant, gullible and chooses wrong
Wisdom works while Folly sits to call from her doorway

5. The Personification of Folly Proverbs 9:13-18
Folly targets those trying to make their own way straight - the religious, moralist & ethicist
Wisdom & Folly both call out to the naive, but it is to two different locations

6. The Personification of Folly Proverbs 9:13-18
Folly’s table is set with what is stolen - already a warning not heeded by the naive
Feeding at Folly’s table seems good to those at it, but it will lead to death (Proverbs 16:25)

7. First Level of Foolishness
kesîl (kes-eel') - dull, at least somewhat obstinate, bent toward choosing wrong
15:7 - don’t have knowledge
26:7 - are useless / a hindrance ;
17:16 - has no sense ;
21:20 - economically wasteful

8. First Level of Foolishness
The dangers of such foolishness:
13:20 - will suffer harm
1:32 - destroys
1:22 - hate knowledge
23:9 - despises wisdom
28:26 – proud – trust own heart

9. First Level of Foolishness
Moral content & increasing obstinacy:
10:23 - wickedness is a sport;
13:19 - won’t depart from evil
14:16 - arrogant & careless

10. First Level of Foolishness
Character marked by:
10:18 - spreads slander
29:11 - loses temper
17:12 - worse than a bear robbed of her cubs

11. Second Level of Foolishness
'eviyl (ev-eel') and 'ivveleth (iv-veh'-leth) - Thick, stupid, lacking sense, generally corrupt
Foolishness in the young –
22:15 - needs discipline
15:5 - needs to regard reproof

12. Second Level of Foolishness
High Schools & Colligates should heed:
20:3 - any fool will quarrel
17:28 - silence is wise
1:8-9 - listen & heed mom & dad
13:1 - accept discipline
15:32 - listen to reproof

13. Second Level of Foolishness
Consequences to adult fools –
12:15 - right in own eyes;
14:1- tears down own house
The longer a person is a fool, the more their character becomes morally bankrupt

14. Descent into Foolish Folly
Fool - kesîl & Folly - 'eviyl combined:
14:24 - increases in foolishness;
15:2 - spouts folly
15:14- feeds on folly

15. Descent into Foolish Folly
Character of a fool –
14:17 - quick tempered;
19:3 - rages against the Lord
29:9 - rages or laughs - yields no rest
The sad end of a fool - Proverbs 10:21 - dies for lack of understanding

16. Third Level of Foolishness
nabal (naw-bawl') - declined to be ignoble, disgraceful, insensible to God and morality
Proverbs 17:17; 30:22 - characterized by lying and pride

17. Third Level of Foolishness
Psalm 14:1 - says in heart, “There is no God”
Warning of Proverbs 3:7 unheeded - fear the Lord and turn from evil
A practical atheist may claim to believe in God - even Jesus - but lives as if He did not exist

18. Third Level of Foolishness
Foolishness is acting like a fool - which encompasses more than atheists, agnostics and the irreligious
Even the wise must be on guard against foolishness and folly - Proverbs 16:17

19. Defense Against Foolishness & Folly
Proverbs 26:4 & 5 –
Do not speak like a fool,
don’t debate;
rebuke by ignoring or with pointed words
The intransigence of fools:
27:22 - folly will not depart
26:11- repeats his folly

20. Defense Against Foolishness & Folly
Hope for fools?
The fear of the Lord brings:
Proverbs 1:7 - knowledge
9:10 - wisdom
15:33 – instruction for wisdom
Characteristics of the fear of the Lord:
8:13 - hates evil
16:6 - keeps you away from evil

21. Defense Against Foolishness & Folly
The terror of the Lord forces a quest to find an escape from God’s judgment
The wise find it in God Himself through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
Fools try to ignore or deny future judgment, or they develop their own plan

22. Conclusions
The wise will grow in wisdom by walking in the proper fear of the Lord
The foolish need to forsake folly and heed wisdom’s call.

23. Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ