“A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.” - Proverbs 14:6
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Scorners, mockers, scoffers…. Well we know what that looks like just from our experience reading some of the comments on the posts on this page! This week, our walk through the book of Proverbs has brought us to this topic, and a most interesting text!
Read literally ( our preferred interpretation) Scorners are shown as —-seeking wisdom—- … BUT NOT FINDING IT, whereas the ones who HAVE UNDERSTANDING acquire knowledge EASILY! What is this?
Surely even a mocker/scorner/scoffer, ( if he/she/they should incline their efforts to acquire wisdom ) should be able to get the same insights from life/the Word, that a devout/upright/ righteous person should? The playing field is level for all humans isn’t it? Why should scoffers have such a hard time acquiring wisdom or coming to a knowledge of God? Can you tell ?
The apostle Paul, in his letter to a young Timothy, warns him against a certain class of men.
2 Timothy 3:1–9 ( NAS) But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, ———-always learning and -never- able to come to the knowledge of the truth.——-
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, ——-rejected in regard to the faith———. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also.”
Did you see it?
Here is a powerful and unpalatable truth and it is connected to the concept of Election —— God extending Grace to all ( The Universal offer of Salvation ), but sovereignly deciding to work personally ONLY in the lives of His elect, to draw them to Himself, and bring them to a saving realization of Himself, and His Son.
The common ground between an atheist/scoffer and the Christian is that they are both trying to deal with the same questions…. Why does humanity exist? What is this world/universe? What is LIFE? Why is there death and suffering? What makes man different from the animals ? What is sentience? Are ghosts and evil spirits real? Are we alone in the universe?
The mockers just do not believe a word the Bible says about these things, and mock those of us who believe that this book was authored by The Alien who works through normal human beings.
Why is that? Why do some people come to a saving knowledge of the Lord and some don’t ? Is it their upbringing, their education, their environment, circumstances, lack of logical clarity, access to historical and expert research in science, history, archaeology that prevents/enables them?
No… the answer is a lack of Gods involvement in their lives…. without which they will NEVER come to a fear/respect of Him, which is the beginning of wisdom and understanding. It is only by the Grace of God, that we have been brought to Christ — by Him basically -not- taking NO for an answer from silly children that should know better!
The wicked are created to show Gods Justice in the day of destruction, just as the righteous are created to glorify Gods Grace. Wheat and tares… go read that parable!
Here are the scoffers tactics:
1. Deny the existence of a creator due to the “lack of evidence” —- though they are surrounded on all sides by it
2. Attack the documentary evidence for the historicity and authenticity of the Bible. They will not read an atheistic journalists ( Josh McDowell - “Evidence that demands a verdict”) journey to disprove the authenticity of these documents, they are happy to believe and post and repost “memes” and graphics from other sources before doing their own research. They deserve what they believe.
3. Ad-hominem attacks on the character of God … “ if God is X, then why do we deal with Y” that reflect a lack of understanding as to what His nature and plan are.
4. Attacks based on the death and devastation false “religion” has caused, including Christianity. God ( in the person of Jesus ) let us know, quite openly, His opinion of religious leaders ( hypocrites, blind leading the blind, whitewashed graves ) and the corruption that distracts from the purity of living in peace with God and our fellow man! Again, you have to read and know, to understand.
5. Attack the intelligence of those still believing in God. This is the funniest and most tragic. One does not turn in ones rationality when deciding to follow Jesus. If they are intellectually honest … they should challenge Him to provide the answers to things they have difficulty with… and they should know… He has written down the answers ! ( we found them , and all it took was some sincere digging ! )
At the end of the day, nothing will work. Even if God answered all those objections ( and we have shared every insight He has given us … look at the first post on this Page ) … it will NEVER be enough, for these people are DESTINED FOR JUSTICE, having refused the free offer of a FULL PARDON.
Maybe that is why we are told….and see in practice…..
Proverbs 9:7–8 (NAS): He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you,
Reprove a wise man and he will love you.
Proverbs 13:1 (NAS): A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, But a scoffer —does not listen —- to rebuke.
Proverbs 15:12 (NAS): A scoffer does not love one who reproves him, He will not go to the wise.
Be warned of Gods justice and judgments ….
Proverbs 19:29 (NAS): Judgments are prepared for scoffers, And blows for the back of fools.
Once you truly understand something, knowledge is additional confirmation of your insight. If you lack understanding, knowledge is just a sea of unconnected data points… true for understanding the Word, and life in general ( science, experience ).
The Hebrew word for understanding “Nabon” derives from the root “Ben”, something that literally means “between A and B”, “in the middle of”. Understanding is connecting the dots —-between—- A and B, so that we know, if A, why or why not, B! Science, philosophy, theology…. All these disciplines seek to advance human understanding by discovering what “connects the dots”?
Newton : A.. Apples always fall to ground. B, why don’t apples fall upwards?
Hero of Alexandria : A .. the suns shadow at noon is different in different places. B, Why isn’t it the same everywhere ? ( ans. The earth is curved )
Philosopher: Why does evil exist? ( Ans. It’s a consequence of free will choice )
Theologian: Why doesn’t God step in to intervene? ( He can and has when we crossed a line.... Noah, Sodom, and very soon, will, one last time … but it’s going to be on His timing and schedule not ours )
If you are reading these words, God is still trying to get your attention. If you have questions, use what we have written to do your own research, and we pray that the Lord would be gracious to you, that He reveal Himself as He has done to us, that you may live the rest of your days without rancor, malice or any of the things the Apostle Paul talked about, but above all, that the eyes of your understanding may be opened, and you would see the beauty of the entire structure of Gods plan for this world, and humanity in general!
Hallelujah!