Proverbs (Part 126) - Pro 10:14

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14. Pro 10:14 – "Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction." A. Wise men lay up knowledge: i. Wise adj. - 1. a. Having or exercising sound judgement or discernment; capable of judging truly concerning what is right or fitting, and disposed to act accordingly; having the ability to perceive and adopt the best means for accomplishing an end; characterized by good sense and prudence. Opp. to foolish. ii. A wise man is a man who exercises sound judgment and has good sense and prudence. iii. Therefore, he has the good sense to lay up knowledge. a. Lay v. - 60. lay up. c. To deposit or put away in a place for safety; to store up (goods, provisions); to put by. b. A wise man is a saver. c. Knowledge n. - II. Senses derived from the verb know, in its later uses. * The fact or condition of knowing. 5. a. The fact of knowing a thing, state, etc., or (in general sense) a person; acquaintance; familiarity gained by experience. 8. a. Acquaintance with a fact; perception, or certain information of, a fact or matter; state of being aware or informed; consciousness (of anything). b. absol. Acquaintance with facts, range of information, ken. d. A wise man acquires information and facts and then stores them away in his mind for future use. iv. What kind of knowledge does a wise man lay up? a. The most important knowledge that a wise man should lay up in his mind is the knowledge of God (Pro 2:5) which is found in His word (Deut 11:18; Job 22:22; Pro 7:1). b. When he hides the word of God in his heart (Psa 119:9-11) and obeys it he lays up treasure in heaven (Mat 6:20-21). v. How does a wise man lay up knowledge? a. He receives the word of God with a ready mind (Act 17:11). b. He inclines his ear and applies his heart to understanding it (Pro 2:2; Pro 22:17). c. He then hides it in his heart by committing it to memory (Pro 2:1). vi. Why does a wise man lay up knowledge? a. A wise man lays up the knowledge of the word of God so that he can think about it, talk about it, and teach it to his children and others (Deut 11:18-19). b. He commits the knowledge of God to his memory to disperse it to others as he has opportunity (Pro 15:7). c. He lays up knowledge to use it aright (Pro 15:2), not just to have it. d. He brings forth good things out of the good treasure of his heart (Mat 12:35). vii. Conversely, fools hate knowledge (Pro 1:22, 29) and will not receive it. B. but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. i. Foolish adj. - 1. Fool-like, wanting in sense or judgement. ii. Fool n. - I. 1. a. One deficient in judgement or sense, one who acts or behaves stupidly, a silly person, a simpleton. (In Biblical use applied to vicious or impious persons.) iii. The wise man lays up knowledge so that his lips may keep knowledge (Pro 5:2). iv. Fools, on the other hand, do not have the lips of knowledge (Pro 14:7). v. A fool's mouth feeds on foolishness (Pro 15:14). vi. The mouth of a fool pours out foolishness, not knowledge (Pro 15:2). vii. The fool out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil things (Mat 12:35). viii. The mouth of the foolish is near destruction. a. Destruction n. – 1. The action of demolishing a building or structure of any kind, of pulling to pieces, reducing to fragments, undoing, wasting, rendering useless, putting an end to, or doing away with anything material or immaterial; demolition. b. In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride (Pro 14:3), which brings self-destruction (Pro 16:18). c. A fool's mouth brings contention and requests a beating (Pro 18:6). d. His mouth is his destruction and the snare of his soul (Pro 18:7). e. The fool is snared by the transgression of his lips (Pro 12:13). f. A fool will consume himself with his foolish words (Ecc 10:12). g. By his words will he be condemned (Job 15:6; Mat 12:37; Luk 19:22).