A WORD TO THE WISE: Proverbs 29: 8

Proverbs 29: 8     Scoffers set a city aflame, but wise men turn away wrath.

Proverbs 29: 8. Scoffers, mockers, scornful and corrupt people.   These are folks who believe that their titles, their influence, their money, or their popularity make them exempt from the “petty morality of common folk.”  Their work is too important to be hindered by “little rules about so-called right and wrong.”

Growing up we had a particularly colorful way of describing such a person.  We used to say, “So-and-so acts like his ‘doo-doo’ don’t stink.”

Like the leaders of Jerusalem in Isaiah’s day.

Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Hell we are in agreement.  When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.” (Isaiah 28: 14, 15)

Even when scoffers are smart enough to see disaster coming, they won’t do anything to prevent the disaster, because they think that they are invulnerable to harm.

Make no mistake, people who think that their ____ don’t stink, have no problem setting their own city on fire.  After all, they think they’re invulnerable to the flames. 

These people will actually sit there and let the economy collapse, because they’ve already moved their investments into safe accounts.

These people are perfectly willing to let a church tear itself apart while they continue as its unrepentant leader.

They don’t care what happens to all of you because they think themselves to be untouchable.

They’re not.

…The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place. Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Hell will not stand  When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it.  (Isaiah 28: 17, 18)

A scoffer, a mocker, a scornful and corrupt leader won’t understand that warning.  The very idea that he/she should be accountable for doing wrong, “after all I’ve done for you people” ----- it’s a weird, crazy idea to them.

Which is why God promises weird, crazy judgment upon them.

The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you. 
The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim.  He will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon—to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task. (Isaiah 28: 20, 21.  NIV)
The NKJV calls this judgment His awesome work and His unusual act.

The inevitable legacy of arrogant leadership is needless destruction, which we enable by choosing arrogance over wisdom.

But wise men turn away wrath because when they see disaster coming they acknowledge it and deal with it because they want to protect the people.

But , the people have to listen to wisdom.  The people have to receive the truth, even when it isn’t the truth they want to hear.   

Scornful leaders will tell you that the weather’s fine while they watch the hurricane approaching.  Wise leaders will tell you, “Your house is built on shifting sand, and the wind is gonna blow it down.”

Mocking leaders will tell you that there’s nothing wrong with your sin as long as you don’t feel guilty about it. Wise leaders will tell you, “God is not mocked.  If you sow sin to your flesh then you will reap corruption.”

Scoffing leaders will tell you to stay close to them where its warm and you’re protected.  Wise leaders will scream, “Fool, let’s go! Your house is on fire!”

---Anderson T. Graves II

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is the pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church

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