Proverbs 12:27
The lazy man does not
roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man’s precious possession.
This proverb has baffled me for many years, what man would
be so lazy that he would not cook whatever he took in hunting? Maybe a starving
man who could not wait for it to cook would begin to eat it raw. So was Solomon
referring to a man who would bring in his kill for someone else to cook for
him, or trade it for already cooked meat? Maybe but that’s not the epitome of
laziness.
Diligence is careful and persistence work or effort; so is
Solomon saying that a man that does not roast his own kill is not diligent? I
do not think so, remember all scripture does not teach natural truth but all
scripture does teach spiritual truth. What else does Solomon have to say about
laziness and diligence?
He who has a slack
hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. The hand of the
diligence will rule, but the lazy man will be but to forced labor. The soul of
a lazy man desires and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be
rich. Laziness casts one into a deep
sleep and an idle person will suffer hunger. (Proverbs 10:4, 12:24, 13:4, 19:15) Understand
these verses are not talking about good and evil, but diligence and laziness.
How about these? The
lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” The
lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!”
As a door turns on its hinges so does the lazy man on his bed. The lazy man
buries his hand in the bowl; it wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. The
lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.” (Proverbs 22:13, 26:13-16)
Study Proverbs 6:6-11, 10:3-5
Laziness is an unnatural condition that leads to poverty and
death, laziness makes no sense to most people but is more than reasonable to
the lazy person. Diligence leads to a well lived and prosperous life. Most
people scorn lazy people and most people look favorably on diligent people.
The spiritual truth is that spiritually lazy people will not
get into the Kingdom of GOD! Not that we have to earn our salvation through
diligence or effort. Not at all, salvation is a free gift from GOD that we
cannot earn, it is by faith through GOD’s grace to all who believe and confess.
However Paul teaches us that we have to work out our
salvation and James teaches us that our faith without doing the work of GOD’s
Kingdom is useless. “Therefore my
beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much
more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it
is GOD who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” “What
does it profit my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have
works? Can faith save him? But someone will say, “You have faith and I have
works. Show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my
works.” You believe there is one GOD. You do well. Even the demons believe–and
tremble! But do you want to know O foolish man that faith without works is
dead. You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only. For
as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (Philippians 2:12-13; James 2:14,18-20, 24,
26)
Study Philippians 2 & 3; James 2:14-26
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘LORD, LORD,’
shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in
Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in
Your name, cast out demons in Your name and done many wonders in Your name?’
Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me you who practice
lawlessness!’”
Study Matthew 7
Remember laziness is not about doing nothing it is also only
doing what you want, what is easy, avoiding the hard things in life.
Thieves are thieves because they want what working people
have without the effort that working people put into it. Many drug and alcohol
addicted people are too lazy to face the realities of life and do what it takes
to live a fairly normal life irregardless of all the bad and evil things that
have happened to them; like most people do.
Its laziness of the soul and body that Solomon is dealing
with in the Proverbs, remember Solomon was the wisest man in the world ever,
and he was diligent in his studies of the natural world and the works that he
had done for the nation of Israel. But, he was lazy in dealing with his wives
and allowing them to bring in their idolatrous worship to his home, his nation
and GOD’s Temple. Study the book of Song of Songs (Song of Solomon) of his
first love which is an analogy of GOD’s love for Israel and Jesus’ love for His
Church; Proverbs the book of the wisdom GOD gave him in answer to his prayer
when he became king; Ecclesiastes the book of his learning the realities of
life and the results on not living as GOD directs.
“Let us hear the
conclusion of the matter; Fear GOD and keep His commandments for this is man’s
all. For GOD will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing,
whether good or evil.” “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing
covered that will not be revealed and hidden that will not be known. And do not
fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who
is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Ecclesiastes 13:13-14; Matthew 10:26, 28)
Then they said to Him,
“What shall we do that we may work the works of GOD?” Jesus answered, “This is
the work of GOD that you believe in Him whom He sent.” “Truthfully I say to
you, he who believes in Me the works that I do he will do also; and greater
works than these he will do because I go to My Father.” (John 6:28-29, 14:12)
Study John 6:22-40; 14
To wrap up this thought that some who believe they are
Christians and serving GOD are not and will not get into Heaven. Jesus taught
that the lawless will not enter into His eternal Kingdom, just like sinners.
Study Matthew 7:13-29, 13:36-43, 15:1-20, 25:1-13 (these are
about the lawless and unprepared) Matthew 13:36-43, 25:31-46 (these about
sinners) they all are not allowed into GOD’s eternal Kingdom but put in a place
of torment.
In His revelation Jesus said, “I know your works, your labor, your patience and that you cannot bear
those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are
not and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience and
have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have
this against you that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from
where you have fallen; repent and do the first works or else I will come to you
quickly and remove your lampstand from its place – unless you repent. But this
you have that you hate the deed of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who
has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches. To him who
overcomes I will give to eat from the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the
Paradise of GOD.” “I know your works, tribulation and poverty (but you are
rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but
are a synagogue of satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about
to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison that you
may be tested and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death
and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear let him hear what the
Spirit says to the Churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second
death.” “I know your works and where you dwell, where satan’s throne is and you
hold fast to My name and did not deny My faith even in the days in which
Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you where satan dwells. But
I have a few things against you because you have there those who hold the
doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the
children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual
immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans
which I hate. Repent or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against
them with the sword of My mouth. He who has ears let him hear what the Spirit
says to the Churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna
to eat. And I will give him a white stone and on the stone a new name written
which no one knows except him who receives it.” “I know your works, love,
service, faith and your patience; and as for your works the last more than the
first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you because you allow that
woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants
to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols. I will kill
her children with death and all the Churches shall know that I Am He who searches
the minds and hearts, And I will give to each one of you according to your
works. Now to you I say and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have
this doctrine, who do not know the depths of satan, as they say, I will put on
you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who
overcomes and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the
nations – ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to
pieces like a potter’s vessels’ – as I also
have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has
an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” “…I know your works
that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful and strengthen
the things which remain that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect
before GOD. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and
repent. Therefore it you will not watch I will come upon you as a thief and you
will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names, even in
Sardis who have not defiled their garment; and they shall walk with Me in white
for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments and I
will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name
before My Father and His angels. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit
says to the Churches.” “I know your works. See, I set before you an open door
and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My Word and
have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of satan who
say they are Jews and are not but lie – indeed I will make them come and
worship before your feet and to know that I have loved you. Because you have
kept My command to persevere I also will keep you from the hour of trial which
shall come upon the world world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Be aware
I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have that no one may take your crown.
He who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the Temple of My GOD, and he shall
go out no more. I will write on him the name of My GOD and the name of the City
of My GOD, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven from My GOD. And I
will write on him My new name. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit
says to the Churches.” “I know your works that you are neither cold nor hot. I
could wish you were cold or hot So then because you are lukewarm and neither
cold nor hot I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich,
have become wealthy and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are
wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked – I counsel you to buy from Me gold
refined in the fire that you may be rich; and white garments that you may be
clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your
eyes with eye save that you may see. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten.
Therefore be zealous and repent. Listen, I stand at the door and knock! If
anyone hears My voice and opens the door I will come in to him and dine with
him and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on My
throne, as I also overcame and sat with Him on His throne. He who has an ear
let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” “Then I heard a loud voice
saying in Heaven, ‘Now salvation and strength and the Kingdom of our GOD and
the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused
them before GOD day and night has been cast down. And they overcame him by the Blood
of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they did not love their
lives to the death. Therefore rejoice O Heavens and you who dwell in them! Woe
to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you
have great wrath because he knows that he has a short time.’” “He who overcomes
shall inherit all things and I will be his GOD and he shall be My son. But the
cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,
idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire
and brimstone, which is the second death.” “Its gates shall not be shut at all
by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the
honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything
that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written
in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” “Blessed
are those who do His commandments that they may have the right to the Tree of
Life and may enter through the gates of the City. But outside are dogs, and
sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters and whoever loves
and practices a lie.” (Revelation 2:2-7, 9-10, 11, 13-17, 19-29; 3:1-6, 8-13,
15-22; 12:10-12; 21:7-8, 25-27; 22:14-15)
Study Revelation 2, 3, 20, 21, 22
Study Romans 1:28-32; 1 Corinthians 6-9; Ephesians 5:3-7; Philippians
3:2, 4:3
Study the New Testament
